Stateless nation

A stateless nation is a group, usually a minority ethnic group, considered as a nation entitled to its own state for that nation. Since there are few objective criteria for whether a particular group is a nation, or which particular group "has" any given multinational state, usage of the term is political and controversial. Usually, it is used by a movement seeking secession from a larger state, which may be a nation-state. Often, the advocates of secession see the larger state as a form of Empire and its rule as Imperialism. They do not often reject the principle of a multi-ethnic state, since these ethnic groups primarily seek national sovereignty versus state sovereignty.

Stateless nations are usually dispersed across different states, and their governments often give the different treatment, ranging from almost complete autonomy to attempts at integration or even genocide. For example, the Kurdish people are found in Iraq, Turkey, Iran, and Syria. The degree to which a stateless people feels unity varies greatly.

Not all minorities claim to be 'stateless', even if they assert a separate nationality. States recognise minority ethnic groups and nationalities to different degrees: recognising specific cultural and linguistic rights, and allowing certain political autonomy. For instance, the Council of Europe has established since 1992 the "European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages" to protect some specific cultural and linguistic rights.

See also

• European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
• Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
• List of active autonomist and secessionist movements
• Multinational state
• Self-determination
• Sovereignty
• Stateless society
• Stateless person
• Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization

References

• Keating, Michael (2001) (), Nations Against the State: The New Politics of Nationalism in Quebec, Catalonia and Scotland (Second ed.), Palgrave, http://books.google.com/?id=3JLvHAAACAAJ&dq=nations+against+the+state 

Further reading

Reference works

• Levinson, David, ed. (1998), Ethnic Groups Worldwide: A Ready Reference Handbook, Phoenix, AZ: The Oryx Press, ISBN 1573560197, http://www.greenwood.com/catalog/OXEGN.aspx 
• Minahan, James, ed. (2002), Encyclopedia of the Stateless Nations: Ethnic and National Groups Around the World, Westport: Greenwood Press, ISBN 0313316171, http://www.greenwood.com/catalog/GR1617.aspx 

External links and references

• Map of European Stateless Nations, published by the advocacy group Eurominority
• Map of European Stateless Nations By Astur.tk.
• United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities