Regulating Minority Issues through Standard-Setting and Mediation: The Case of the High Commissioner on National Minorities

Abstract

On 17 February 2000 the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) submitted a recommendation to the Senate of the Babes-Bolyai University (BBU) in Romania. In this recommendation he formulated inter alia: “It is important for the staff of a University to reflect the University’s multi-cultural character […] Therefore, anEqual Opportunity Commission should be established within the university to encourage the hiring of minority and female staff – on the basis of academic credentials – regulate guidelines on the recruitment and promotion of staff in this context and monitor performance against clear and transparent success/failure criteria.” The following article describes the work of the HCNM as peacebuilding through standard-setting and mediation. We will see that the HCNM exercises public authority during the procedures, which govern his shaping activities as well as his monitoring activities.

I would like to thank Jürgen Bast, Jochen von Bernstorff and Lewis Enim for their helpful discussions and comments on earlier drafts.