Regional Politics of EU and Cultural and Linguistic Problems of European Regions
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science:Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
Date (from‐to) : 2001 -2002
Author : MIYAJIMA Takashi; WAKAMATSU Kunihiro; ITO Ruri; HARA Kiyoshi; SADAMATU Aya; TAKENAKA Katuyuki
In our studies on EU and its regional politics, we confirmed, first of all, the autonomization of regions in EU member states and explained how this tendency relates to the regional politics of EU. And we investigated how these autonomized regions advanced their politics of development, and how, as conditions of regional development, the culture and the identity of people cooperated with it. The fields of our research were following 8 regions : England, Wales, Wallony, (Belgium), Britany(France), Alsace(France), Corsica(France), Catalunya(Spain), South Tyrol(Italy). In addition to these, we took into consideration an urbanized region, IIe de France, where the new cultural activities are observed.
As results of our research, we can point out the following facts and tendencies.
1) Owing to the EU's politics favorable to the regional development, the political and administrative decentralization was advanced in recent years in EU member states : typical case is the UK.
EU's politics for the promotion of minority cultures encouraged much
2) In certain regions where the territorial and linguistic conflicts had been fierce(e.g. South Tyrol), pacific coexistence of peoples was secured by the construction of "Euro-region" and by other politics of EU.
3) The EU s politics favorable to the minority culture encourages much the expression of proper identity and the use of proper languages in certain regions. It is especially in Wales and Brittany that their proper languages are activated in education, mass media and even in economic activities
4) In certain big urban areas in Europe where is concentrated the immigrants' and other minorities' population, developed new multicultural artistic activities beared by youth. This would also mark the birth of another regional culture in Europe.