NTA as Political Strategy in Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract

Although non-territorial autonomy (NTA) has become an increasingly salient feature of minority politics in Central and Eastern Europe over the past two decades, there has been surprisingly little research exploring the origins of NTA arrangements and the underlying understanding of statehood, state-minority relations, and minority rights that they bring to bear. After a brief introduction to the original Renner and Bauer model, this chapter analyses contemporary NTA debates and practices in Estonia, Hungary, Romania, and Russia, linking the discussion to broader agendas that have informed approaches to minority issues in the region following the fall of communism and the demise of the USSR. In each case, attention is given to the varying perspectives of both state and minority actors with regard to NTA and the extent to which it can be seen as a viable model for addressing varying claims advanced across different political contexts.