This book presents an account and an evaluation of the principal standards and mechanisms created by the Council of Europe and other international organisations to protect minorities. The critical standpoint centres on the nature and scale of the challenge presented to the Organisation by the “ethnic question.” The work examines in particular some of the Council of Europe’s main legal instruments: the European convention on Human Rights, the Framework convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

Monitoring activities in various member and non-member states are reviewed, both prior to their accession to membership to the Council of Europe and in their post-accession phase. The special case of the Roma, a minority without a “kin state” is examined in detail.

This work will be of interest to academics, governments, non-governmental organisations involved with minorities, students and all those who see the importance of protecting the rights of minority groups as a step towards permanent greater stability in Europe.