About this course:
This course provides an introduction to the Linguistic/Language Rights on a comparative and international Human Rights basis. Its aim is to present various forms of the wide-spread legal regulations affecting languages as well as case law and the relating international instruments.
Course Content:
The course provides an in-depth introduction to the development of international human rights law and its associated instruments. It also explores how languages are viewed by the law, either as the subject or the focus of legal regulation. We will examine both the official status of languages and those that are not officially recognised, often referred to as 'minority', 'regional' or 'lesser-used' languages. During the semester, we will gain an understanding of the history and current state of European legal regulations concerning linguistic rights. We will present instruments of the Council of Europe, such as the Framework Convention and the Language Charter, in depth. We will also examine United Nations instruments and procedures relating to languages or minorities. Some in-state legal regulations and constitutional rules will also be presented. At the end of the semester, students will participate in modelling several language protection models.
Exam and assessment:
Individual project and assessment is carried out during the semester, according to the 3-stage evaluation system excellent (5), average (3), unsatisfactory (1)
Literature:
- Balázs Sz. Gerencsér: Law of Coexisting Languages. Texts and Materials (provided through Teams)
- Gerencsér, Balázs Szabolcs (2021): The Law of Coexisting Languages Examining the Quartet of Language Policy Fields. FOREIGN POLICY REVIEW (2). pp. 88-102.
- Gerencsér Balázs Szabolcs (2013): Protection of local indigenous communities in the scope of governance. IUSTUM AEQUUM SALUTARE 2013/2: pp. 83-94.
- Tove Skutnabb-Kangas: Linguistic Human Rights. In: Tiersma - Solan (szerk): The Oxford Handbook of Language and Law. Oxford University Press, 2012. 235-236. (pdf)
- Fernand de Varennes: Language as a Rights in International Law: Limits and Potentials. In: Richter, D. [et al.] szerk.: Language Rights Revisited – The Challenge of global Migration and Communication. Wolf, Nijmegen, 2012. 43-52. (pdf)
- Mark Adler: The Plain Language Movement. In: Tiersma - Solan (szerk): The Oxford Handbook of Language and Law. Oxford University Press, 2012. (pdf)
- Ingrid Gogolin - Stefan Oeter: Language rights and linguistic minorities. In: Richter, D. [et al.] szerk.: Language Rights Revisited – The Challenge of global Migration and Communication. Wolf, Nijmegen, 2012. (pdf)
- The Human Rights of Linguistic Minorities and Language Policies. International Journal on Multicultural Societies (IJMS)Vol. 3, No. 2, 2001 UNESCO
- Snezana Trifunovska: Factors Affecting the Applicability and Efficiency of International Norms Protecting Linguistic Rights of Minorities. International Journal on Minority and Group Rights, 2002/3 vol. 9. 235-236.
- Francesco Capotorti: Study on the Rights of Persons belonging to Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. New York, 1979. (esp. paras 22-23, 566-568 on p.105)
- Andrássy György: Freedom of Language: A Universal Human Right to be Recognised. International Journal on Minority and Group Rights, 2012/2. 195-232.
- Kontra Miklós: „Don't Speak Hungarian in Public!" – A Documentation and Analysis of Folk Linguistc Rights. In: Kontra [et al.] (ed.): Language: A right and a Resource. CEU Press, 1999. 81-97.
- Miklós Kontra: The Sociolinguistics of Hungarian Outside Hungary. Summary. Open Society Institute, 1999. 1-28.
