APPROACHES TO THE RESOLUTION OF ETHNIC-CONFLICT - THE STRATEGY OF NONTERRITORIAL AUTONOMY

Given the essentially territorial nature of the state, it has sometime s been assumed that attempts to resolve ethnic conflict by devolving p ower to ethnic groups must follow territorial lines. The present artic le assesses an alternative, ''non-territorial,'' approach that has had some limited success as a device for the resolution of ethnic conflic t. The origins of this approach may be traced back to the traditions o f certain pre-modern states. A more systematic scheme of non-territori al autonomy appropriate to the modern state was elaborated in Austria- Hungary during its last years, and some instances of its attempted app lication may be seen immediately before and after the First World War. In the contemporary world, elements of this approach have been presen t in efforts to resolve the problems of indigenous minorities and in s ystems of consociational government.