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Disenfranchisement in linguistically diverse societies. The case of the European Union

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Author Info
GINSBURGH, Victor
ORTUNO-ORTIN, Ignacio
WEBER, Shlomo

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Abstract

We consider a linguistically diversified society that has to select a set of languages to be used for official purposes. We examine the notion of language disenfranchisement that is created when one or more languages fail to be included in the list of the official ones, implying that some individuals are denied full access to the documents and to the political process in their native tongues. To derive one of our disenfranchisement indices, we use the Dyen percentage cognate matrix of linguistic distances between languages. We then apply survey and population data on language proficiency in the European Union, calculate disenfranchisement indices and determine optimal sets of official languages that depend on two parameters, society's sensitivity against disenfranchisement and comprehensiveness of the language regime adopted. We also discuss the language situation in the European Union after its enlargement in May 2004.

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Paper provided by Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE) in its series CORE Discussion Papers with number 2004080.

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Date of creation: 01 Jan 2005
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Handle: RePEc:cor:louvco:2004080

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Related research
Keywords: languages; disenfranchisement; Dyen and Dichotomous indices; European Union;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
D70 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - General
O52 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe
Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Social Norms and Social Capital; Social Networks Economic Anthropology

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  1. Victor Ginsburgh & Shlomo Weber, 2005. "Language Disenfranchisement in the European Union," Journal of Common Market Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 43(2), pages 273-286, 06. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Helge Berger & Michael Ehrmann & Marcel Fratzscher, 2006. "Forecasting ECB Monetary Policy: Accuracy Is (Still) a Matter of Geography," IMF Working Papers 06/41, International Monetary Fund. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Ramon Caminal, 2009. "Markets and linguistic diversity," UFAE and IAE Working Papers 781.09, Unitat de Fonaments de l'Anàlisi Econòmica (UAB) and Institut d'Anàlisi Econòmica (CSIC). [Downloadable!]
  3. Paulo A.L.D. Nunes & Laura Onofri & Jasone Cenoz & Durk Gorter, 2008. "Language Diversity in Urban Landscapes: An econometric study," Working Papers 2008.40, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei. [Downloadable!]
  4. Ginsburgh, Victor & Ortuño-Ortín, Ignacio & Weber, Shlomo, 2005. "Learning Foreign Languages.Theoretical and Empirical Implications of the Selten and Pool Model," CEPR Discussion Papers 4942, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  5. Shlomo Weber & Jean Gabszewicz & Victor Ginsburgh, 2008. "Bilingualism and Communicative Benefits," Working Papers 2008.17, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei. [Downloadable!]
  6. Dietmar Harhoff & Karin Hoisl & Bruno van Potteslberghe de la Potterie, 2009. "Languages, Fees and the International Scope of Patenting," ECARES Working Papers 2009_016, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Ecares. [Downloadable!]
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  7. Desmet, Klaus & Le Breton, Michel & Ortuño-Ortín, Ignacio & Weber, Shlomo, 2006. "Nation Formation and Genetic Diversity," CEPR Discussion Papers 5918, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  8. Victor Ginsburgh, 2005. "Languages, Genes, and Cultures," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 1-17, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Desmet, Klaus & Ortuño-Ortín, Ignacio & Weber, Shlomo, 2005. "Peripheral Diversity and Redistribution," CEPR Discussion Papers 5112, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  10. Jan Fidrmuc & Victor Ginsburgh, 2006. "Languages in the European Union: The Quest for Equality and its Cost," CEDI Discussion Paper Series 06-15, Centre for Economic Development and Institutions(CEDI), Brunel University. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  11. Barry R. Chiswick & Paul W. Miller, 2007. "The Critical Period Hypothesis for Language Learning: What the 2000 US Census Says," IZA Discussion Papers 2575, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
  12. Victor Ginsburgh & Shlomo Weber, 2007. "La connaissance des langues en Belgique," Reflets et perspectives de la vie économique, De Boeck Université, vol. 0(1), pages 31-43. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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