<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Slovenian national minorities in the four Slovenia’s neighboring countries are represented as a whole by the so-called umbrella organizations. Such status is recognized to these organizations by the countries where these communities live, as well as by the Republic of Slovenia. But among members of these Slovenian communities there are also very critical views that umbrella organizations do not have the necessary legitimacy and that such a system is not appropriate. The article first summarizes the historical reasons why the existing organizations established themselves as umbrella organizations, and then we present and compare the views of selected interviewees who are critical about the legitimacy and effectiveness of such an arrangement. We conclude with a reflection on possible reforms of representation of Slovenian minorities.</p>
</abstract>

Slovenian national minorities in the four Slovenia’s neighboring countries are represented as a whole by the so-called umbrella organizations. Such status is recognized to these organizations by the countries where these communities live, as well as by the Republic of Slovenia. But among members of these Slovenian communities there are also very critical views that umbrella organizations do not have the necessary legitimacy and that such a system is not appropriate. The article first summarizes the historical reasons why the existing organizations established themselves as umbrella organizations, and then we present and compare the views of selected interviewees who are critical about the legitimacy and effectiveness of such an arrangement. We conclude with a reflection on possible reforms of representation of Slovenian minorities.

Some Dilemmas About the Concept of Umbrella Organizations in Slovenian Communities in Neighbouring Countries

Treatises and Documents, Journal of Ethnic Studies / Razprave in Gradivo, Revija za narodnostna vprašanja

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Slovenian national minorities in the four Slovenia’s neighboring countries are represented as a whole by the so-called umbrella organizations. Such status is...

Some Dilemmas About the Concept of Umbrella Organizations in Slovenian Communities in Neighbouring Countries

Published Online: Sep 29, 2023

Page range: 97 - 130

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36144/rig84.jun20.97-130

Keywords
umbrella organizations, minority representation, legitimation, democratic election, joint representation

© 2020 Dejan Valentinčič, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Some Dilemmas About the Concept of Umbrella Organizations in Slovenian Communities in Neighbouring Countries

Published Online: Sep 29, 2023

Page range: 97 - 130

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36144/rig84.jun20.97-130

Keywordsumbrella organizations, minority representation, legitimation, democratic election, joint representation

© 2020 Dejan Valentinčič, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
umbrella organizations, minority representation, legitimation, democratic election, joint representation