First research results published within the ELDIA project

The research project ELDIA ((European Language Diversity for All) studies and compares 14 different language groups in eight European countries. The goal of the project is to collect knowledge about how to strengthen minority languages in Europe and globally. The project runs during the period March 2010 - June 2013 and the role of the Åland Islands Peace Institute is to develop the legal and institutional analyses. The first preliminary results of the project have now been published within the report series Working Papers in European Language Diversity which is available at the project website: http://www.eldia-project.org/

Among the first working papers can be mentioned studies on Karelian in Finland and the languages Voru and Seto in Estonia. The project is funded by the 7th Framework Programme for Research of the European Union.

 

The research project Åland’s example

The Peace Institute, during its nearly twenty years of life has gathered a vast knowledge and kompetence on issues related to the Åland autonomy, demilitarization and neutralization as well as on the cultural and linguistic protection arrangements linked to the system. This knowledge should be disseminated to both scientific and other circles. At the same time, the system has to be continually reviewed and analyzed critically. The question of cultural minorities' participation in democratic decision-making processes is one of the most burning questions after the Second World War and especially after 1970 - and 1980's identity movements worldwide.

The project "Åland's example: still interesting and relevant?" is going on during the years 2010-2011. The project analyzes Åland regime's dynamic nature and development of contacts between the Åland Islands, Helsinki and elsewhere to continue to manage the tensions that inevitably comes up in a regime of self-government with shared powers and the pressures of globalization. The project follows up on how Åland's example has been used in international conflict through case studies. Three researchers at the Peace Institute and several external writers are involved in the project. Some experts, diplomats and politicians were interviewed on the experience of the use of autonomy and Åland example in conflict situations around the world.

Objective: The aim of the research and publication is:
-To analyze and discuss problems Åland's example as a dynamic regime
-To identify the use of Åland's example in conflict situations
-To make visible and analyze the methods that Finland and Åland have developed to deal with the    cultural and linguistic diversity in Finland
-To disseminate the results to an international audience.

Results: International conference and book on the Åland Example in November 2011

On Tuesday 1 November 2011 an international conference, "The Åland Example and its components - Relevance for International Conflict Resolution" was held in Mariehamn, Åland. The conference summarizes the research project on the Åland Example. Simultaneously a publication including the research results was launched.

Read more about the conference here and about the publication here.

 

Research aims to contribute to strengthening minority languages

Can small minority languages survive in a globalized world? The question is asked within the research project ELDIA (European Language Diversity for All) in which the Åland Islands Peace Institute is cooperating with researchers from seven different universities.

Through studying and comparing 14 different language communities in eight European countries the research project will gather knowledge about how one may strengthen minority languages in Europé and globally. One aim of the project is to develop a European Language Vitality Barometer (the EuLaViBar) to assess the vitality of different languages.

Read more

Migration and integration of migrants on the Åland Islands and Åland Identity

In the summer of 2007, the Åland Island Peace Institute started researching issues related to migration to Åland. A survey of the migrants' attitudes towards the Ålandic society resulted in the report "Immigrant Integration on Åland- an exploratory study" by Bogdan State (currently a PhD-student in sociology at Stanford University). A second survey, about the Ålanders' attitudes towards migrants, was undertaken on Åland. To supplement these studies, the legal framework for the integration of migrants on Åland is also researched by pol.mag. Petra Granholm. The research resulted in a report where the legal situation on Åland is compared with the situation in Finland. Finland has had an Act on the integration of migrants and the reception of asylum seekers since 1999. On Åland the work towards a plan or a law on integration has just started, for instance through the final report of the committee on integration in 2007. The project as a whole has until now resulted in three reports published within the report series of the Åland Islands Peace Institute (No 2-2007, No 2-2009 and No. 3-2009. Downloadable for free here.

 

Collective Rights to Administer Landed Property

Rhodri C. Williams, guest researcher at the Åland Islands Peace Institute was in January 2009 awarded a grant by the Åland Culture Foundation to undertake research on "Collective Rights to Administer Landed Property: From the League of Nations' Åland Agreement to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People." Mr. Williams' research will focus on the fact that rules like those on Åland allowing minorities in autonomous regions to restrict the sale of land to outsiders are relatively unusual. The research project will begin by looking at how such a rule was included in the original League of Nations autonomy decision and what models it was based on. Mr. Williams will also examine whether Åland's experience has been taken into account in the ongoing campaign of many indigenous and tribal groups worldwide to be recognized as having similar rights to exclude outsiders from their traditional lands. Some articles by Williams can be found here.