International comparisons of the rights of cultural minorities: Integration of philosophical and historical approaches

本研究试图分析近年来少数民族文化权利保护的各个方面。首先，本研究试图构建一个哲学和历史方法相结合的分析框架。为了做到这一点，本研究试图阅读一些处理少数民族文化问题的基本文献，这些文献的作者包括约翰·罗尔斯、迈克尔·沃尔泽、威尔·基姆利卡和比丘·帕雷克。这项研究的一个主要发现是，这些作者的关注点最近揭示了一个重大的转变，即从关于身份的抽象论点转向关于实施少数民族文化需求所需的政策的更具体的论点。其次，本研究在北美、西欧和东欧进行了深入的实地调研。该研究的主要发现之一是，少数民族的论点可以分为关于承认少数民族身份的政治运动的战略考虑和执行文化共存政策的论点。第三，本研究试图通过比较这些外国观点与当代日本的观点，找出日本容纳文化少数群体的政策体系的未来愿景。该研究揭示了日本少数民族文化的一个特点是微弱的声音，这意味着日本的少数民族文化应该寻求与其他少数民族的合作，以获得更强的认可声音。

This study attempted to analyze the various aspects of the recent defense of the rights of minority cultures. First, the study attempted to construct an analytical framework that integrates both philosophical and historical approaches. In order to do so, the study attempted to read some basic literatures dealing the issues of minority cultures written by such writers as John Rawls, Michael Walzer, Will Kymlicka and Bhikhu Parekh. One of the major findings of the research was that the focus of these writers have recently revealed a significant move from abstract arguments regarding identity to more concrete arguments regarding policies necessary to implement the demands of minority cultures. Second, the study has conducted a through-going field research in North America, West Europe and East Europe. One of the major findings of the study was that the arguments for minorities can be classified into the strategic considerations regarding the political movements for recognition of the minority identities and the arguments for implementing policies for cultural coexistence. Third, the study has attempted to figure out the future visions of policy systems for accommodating cultural minorities in Japan by comparing these foreign arguments with those of the contemporary Japan. It revealed that one feature of Japanese cultural minority lies in its weak voices, which means that minority cultures in Japan should seek for cooperation with other minority groups in order to secure stronger voices for recognition.