Abstract
Drawing on case studies and in-depth analysis of ethnic minorities in Kosovo against the backdrop of statebuilding since 1999, this article discusses how the securitisation and desecuritisation of minorities after conflict is particularly problematic when seen from the marginalised perspective of non-dominant groups. I therefore argue that the adoption of a multi-ethnic statebuilding model of governance, including consociational power-sharing arrangements, has triggered unintended consequences for the (de)securitisation of minorities in Kosovo. Among such consequences is the risk of perceiving all minorities as potential threats and approaching minority issues merely through the lenses of security. By exploring various social, economic, legal, political, and identity characteristics of non-dominant communities in Kosovo and drawing on personal interviews with key stakeholders, representatives, and members of minority communities, this article shows the need for a more inclusive understanding of security which stretches beyond the threat of physical violence. This would permit, among other things, a more effective approach to dealing with the different layers of securitisation of minorities identified here. Otherwise, minority rights and concerns cannot escape the straitjacket of emergency politics. In conclusion, the long-term risk of managing multi-ethnicity through one-size-fits-all approaches is that statebuilding in plural societies will always struggle to desecuritise minority rights and develop ‘normal’ politics of diversity.
Highlights
Drawing on case studies and in-depth analysis of ethnic minorities in Kosovo against the backdrop of statebuilding since 1999, this article discusses how the securitisation and desecuritisation of minorities after conflict is problematic when seen from the marginalised perspective of non-dominant groups
This article draws on in-depth empirical analysis of Kosovo minorities and shows that to better understand the securitisation and desecuritisation of minorities it is indispensable to include the perspective of non-dominant groups
I looked at how dilemmas of securitisation and desecuritisation of minorities are deeply connected to legal, political, social, and economic factors as well as to their identity, historical, and cultural characteristics
Summary
Securitisation has been broadly defined as a succession of top-down assumptions or statements that successfully present social, political, economic, or environmental issues as existential threats to a referent object, which requires emergency measures for protection outside normal politics (Buzan et al, 1998; Waever, 1995). In the post-Cold War context, the human security paradigm and agenda has incorporated non-military issues (poverty, health, the environment, migration, identity) by raising awareness about the importance of addressing neglected global challenges and developing new forms of protection for individuals and groups In this sense, the international focus of vulnerable people and groups, despite being at risk of being securitised can be considered a positive development, as it brings their interests to light and, potentially, causes real policy change as part of the “utility of human security” (Thomas & Tow, 2002). Transitional societies challenged by their multi-ethnic/multinational character have often been at risk of developing politics and practices of segregation This is not an unfamiliar issue in societies divided by conflict; from Bosnia to South Africa and Northern Ireland to Afghanistan, the reproduction of a security dilemma can make it very difficult to build sustainable governance (Guelke, 2012). It is paramount to assess whether Kosovo can develop the will and capacity to move beyond managing diversity as a permanent exercise of securitisation that portrays minorities as a threat to society, stability, and social order
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