1207 | 196 | Native ethnic minorities as resorces of regional development

Identity plays a key role in regionalism, as a driver of the cohesion or the devotion of different territories. In the EU, there are many geographical areas that do not form a territorial administrative unit, yet have a strong character and identity. This is often due to the fact that these areas are inhabited by national or ethnic communities which are in a minority position in the encompassing region or the country. These native ethnic communities can also be a source of regional development, as they have their own special external and internal economic networks, traditional cultural values, and represent a social diversity that is a breeding ground for innovation. Our research examined regional development documents all across the EU at different levels (regional, member state level, EU level) in order to answer the question of whether indigenous ethnic minority communities are reflected as development resources in development concepts. This extensive research revealed this approach in only a few exceptional cases, and even in the case of plans for ethnic minority-rich areas.

Márton Péti
Corvinus University of Budapest; Research Institute of National Strategy

ID Abstract: 196