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International Standards on the Right of Minorities to an Official Language and Their Implications for Language Policies
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Ali Mashhadi1   , Mostafa Kazim Wadi Al-Emari2 |
1- Supervisor, Faculty of Law, University of Qom, Qom, Iran.
2- PhD Student, Faculty of Law, University of Qom, Qom, Iran. |
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Abstract: (3 Views) |
| This study examines the legal and philosophical foundations of linguistic rights as a vital branch of international human rights law, specifically concerning the rights of national and ethnic minorities. The central research problem lies in monitoring the extent to which international standards issued by the United Nations and regional conventions—such as the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages—are binding in guaranteeing minorities the right to an official language and administrative use. Furthermore, it assesses how these international rules reflect upon the formulation of national linguistic policies and domestic constitutional legislation. Adopting a comparative analytical method, the study addresses the ongoing conflict between the state’s desire to assert its linguistic sovereignty as a tool for national and political integration, and its treaty obligations to protect cultural diversity and the cognitive identity of minorities. The study concludes that national legislatures must shift from an assimilimonious, protection-oriented approach to an empowering, participatory one. This transition should be achieved through institutionalizing linguistic governance and activating the procedural impact of minority languages within both public facilities and the judicial system. |
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| Keywords: Linguistic Rights, Ethnic Minorities, Linguistic Policy, Constitutional Sovereignty, International Conventions, Administrative Governance, Judicial System. |
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Full-Text [PDF 628 kb]
(2 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2026/09/18 | Accepted: 2026/09/24 | Published: 2026/09/24
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