Ideologies across Nations: The Construction of Linguistic Minorities at the United Nations (Language, Power and Social Process)

297 Pages·2008·1.06 MB·English

by  Alexandre Duchene

Ideologies across Nations:
The Construction of
Linguistic Minorities at the
United Nations
Alexandre Duchêne
Mouton de Gruyter
Ideologies across Nations
≥
Language, Power and
Social Process 23
Editors
Monica Heller
Richard J. Watts
Mouton de Gruyter
Berlin · New York
Ideologies across Nations
The Construction of Linguistic Minorities
at the United Nations
by
Alexandre Ducheˆne
Mouton de Gruyter
Berlin · New York
MoutondeGruyter(formerlyMouton,TheHague)
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Ducheˆne,Alexandre.
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p.cm.(cid:2)(Language,powerandsocialprocess;23)
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-3-11-020583-1(hardcover:alk.paper)
ISBN978-3-11-020584-8(pbk.:alk.paper)
1. Linguistic minorities (cid:2) New York (State) (cid:2) New York.
2.UnitedNations(cid:2)Languagepolicy. I.Title.
P119.315.D83 2008
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2008035954
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Acknowledgements
Thisbookistheachievementofacomplexjourneythatledmetovariousindi-
vidualswhocontributedtoitinvariousways.GeorgesLu¨diwasthefirsttosee
therelevanceandpotentialofthisproject.Hestronglysupportedthisworkinsti-
tutionally andconceptually.MonicaHellerhasbeenanessentialinterlocutorat
variousstagesofthisproject.Herinsightful commentsandcriticalquestioning
enabledmetostrengthenmyargumentsandtosignificantlyextendthescopeof
myresearch.
Theresearchprojectandthepresentbookreceivedinstitutionalandfinancial
supportfromtheSwissNationalResearchFoundationthroughapersonalgrant,
providing excellentconditions forthedraftingofthis book.
The book was first written in French and then translated into English. I
would like to thank CarolynHenshaw for hercontribution, and RichardWatts
for proofreading the English version. I would also like to express my special
gratitudetothetwoanonymousreviewersfortheirinsightful comments.
I take this opportunity to thank all my colleagues from the Universities
of Neuchaˆtel, Lausanne, Basel and Toronto for their support. Furthermore, I
wouldliketoacknowledgetheindirectcontributionsofmyparents,whothrough
theirownlifetrajectoriesanddedicationwereabletomakemeawareofsocial
inequalities fromtheearlystagesofmychildhood.Finally,mywarmestthanks
gotoGeorgesZecchinforhisdedicatedsupportandforbeinghere.

Contents
Acknowledgements v
Introduction 1
Chapter1
Theprotectionoflinguistic minoritiesasafieldofinquiry 5
1. Theprotectionoflinguistic minorities: researchdirection 5
1.1. A sociology of objectifying language: language as the object
ofprotection 6
1.2. “Critical” sociolinguistics: a protection for whom, why, and
withwhatinterests? 10
1.2.1. Languagebetweenpracticesandpolitics 10
1.2.2. Minorities andthestate:acomplexrelationship 13
1.2.3. Towardsacriticalandhistoricallysituatedsociolinguis-
ticsofminorityprotection 18
1.3. Whystudylinguistic minoritieswithintheUnitedNations? 19
1.3.1. Aninternational institution 19
1.3.2. TheUnitedNations: auniqueterrainofitskind 20
1.3.3. TheUnitedNations: acentralobjectofinvestigation 22
2. Conceptualframework 23
2.1. Productionofknowledge 24
2.2. Ideologies 26
2.3. Discourse 28
2.4. Thehistoricity ofdiscourses, ideologiesandtheproduction
ofknowledge 31
3. Collectionofdataandanalyticalframe 31
3.1. AnimmersioninUNOandanapprehensionofthefield 31
3.1.1. Acriticallook attheinstitution 32
3.1.2. Aninvivovision ofUNOdebates 32
3.2. Documentaryresearch:theprocessofcollectinghistoriographic
data 33
3.2.1. Collectionofdatabytrialanderror 33
3.2.2. Asystematiccollectionofdata 34
3.2.3. Collectionofdataandmakingtheobjectofstudyprecise 36
3.2.4. Synthesis ofthissection 37
3.3. Frameworkofanalysis 37
4. Outline 40
viii Contents
Chapter2
Discursivespacesandtheprotection ofminorities:historical,
institutional andideological conditions ofknowledgeproduction 43
1. Introduction 43
2. Theemergenceofinternationalinstitutionsandtheinternationalpro-
tectionofminorities 45
2.1. From consultation to elaboration: a brief history of interna-
tionalinstitutions 45
2.2. TheLeagueofNations: theeraofconsultation 47
2.3. Synthesis ofthesection 54
3. TheUnitedNations: theemergenceoftheinstitution 55
3.1. Historicalpremises 55
3.2. TheConferenceofSanFrancisco:institutionalarchitectureand
theemergenceofhumanrights 57
3.2.1. Thearchitecturalbases 57
3.2.2. Thefiligreeofhumanrights 60
4. Thediscursive spacesoftheUNandlinguistic minorities 61
4.1. Threediscursivespaces,threemodesoffunctioning,threeforms
ofhierarchicalrelations 62
4.2. TheCommissiononHumanRights: apoliticalspace 63
4.2.1. ThecreationoftheCommissiononHumanRights 63
4.2.2. ThemandatesoftheCommissiononHumanRights 67
4.3. TheSub-Commission:aspaceofexpertise 69
4.3.1. The mandate of the Sub-Commission: its emergence
andnegotiation 69
4.3.2. ThemethodsofworkoftheSub-Commission 73
4.4. TheWorkingGroup onMinorities: aspaceofdialog andcon-
sultation 80
5. Conclusion 85
Chapter3
Productionofdiscourseandinstitutional constraints:
thesearchforobjectivity 88
1. Introduction 88
2. Fromspeechto text: theregulation andproduction ofdiscourses at
theUnitedNations 90
2.1. SpeakingoutattheUnitedNations: somediscursivedimensions 91
2.2. TheUnitedNationsandtheproduction ofdocuments 97
2.2.1. Theinstitutional regulationofdiscourse:
example–thesummaryrecord 99
Contents ix
2.2.2. Thesummaryrecord:fromdesireforobjectivity
tonecessaryselection 100
2.2.3. Fromdirectionstowriting:discursive “passages” 108
2.2.4. Synthesis ofthesection 116
3. Conclusion 118
Chapter4
Statedivergencesandtheprincipleofuniversality:
aprotectionthrough absence 120
1. Introduction 120
2. Presenceandambivalence 122
2.1. FirststepstowardstheDeclarationandambivalence
onthequestion ofminorities 122
2.2. Discursivemovementsandthelocationofanarticle 124
2.2.1. Threepropositions, threestagesofwriting 124
2.2.2. Thediscursive processesofmodification 127
2.3. Ideologicalissues,changesanddiversityofpositions 130
2.3.1. Thereasonsgiventoexplainthechanges 130
2.3.2. Theideological issuesofthediscursive movements 134
3. TheCommissiononHumanRightsandtheevictionofminorities 137
3.1. Anon-legitimatepresence 138
3.2. ProponentsofthepresenceoftheArticle:towardsajustification143
3.3. Synthesisofthesection 146
4. TheGeneralAssembly:powerrelationsandideologicaldivergences 147
4.1. TheDeclarationasacultureofcompromise 147
4.2. Polarizationofpoints ofviewandideological division:
minoritiesinquestion 148
4.2.1. TheSovietendeavorsandcriticismoftheDeclaration 148
4.2.2. Responsetocriticismandcommendationofcollegiality 151
4.2.3. Criticismofthestateasthebackdropofdiscussion 152
4.3. Thefateofminorities: thepursuit ofexpertise 153
5. Conclusion 155
Chapter5
Ambivalence,particularismandthereproductionofstateinterests:alimited
protection 159
1. Introduction 159
2. The strategic cautiousness of the Sub-Commission: the emergence
ofanarticle 160