Im September 1995 wurde auf einer internationalen Konferenz in Basel aus Anlaß des UNO-Jubiläums von Teilnehmern aus allen fünf Kontinenten die Frage erörtert, ob der Föderalismus als solcher geeignet sei, Minderheiten besseren Schutz vor Verfolgung zu gewähren. Trotz einiger skeptischer Überlegungen ist der Tenor eindeutig: in einer "Basler Charta" dokumentieren die Teilnehmer, daß sie im demokratischen Föderalismus das geeignete strukturelle Mittel sehen, gewaltsamen Separatismus ebenso zu verhindern wie Gewalt gegen Minderheiten. Inhalt: Otto Stich: Federalism against Ethnicity? (XIII-XV). I. Minorities in Intrastate Conflicts: Ted Robert Gurr: Why Do Minorities Rebel? The Worldwide Geography of Ethnopolitical Conflicts and Their Challenge to Global Security (3-14); Monty G. Marshall: Societal Disintegration and Arrested Development. A Systemic View (15-70); Ekkart Zimmermann: Ethnic Mobilization and Conflict. A Perennial Theme? (71-80); Hans-Joachim Heintze: Autonomy and Protection of Minorities under International Law (81-92). II. Africa: Rene Lemarchand: Ethnic Conflict Resolution in Contemporary Africa. Four Models in Search of Solutions (95-106); James K. Gasana: Factors of Ethnic Conflict in Rwanda and Instruments for a Durable Peace (107-129); Henri-Philippe Cart: Rwanda Workshop. Comments to a Paper Presented by James K. Gasana (131-136); Gerhard Erasmus: Present Developments in South Africa (137-147); Peter Okoh: The Nation-State and Ethnopolitical Conflict in Nigeria (149-161); Michael Schluter: Strategies to Accommodate Ethnic Diversity in African States. Ten Propositions (163-165). III. Europe. Walter Kälin: Federalism and the Resolution of Minority Conflicts (169-183); Wolf Linder: Federalism and Power-Sharing as a Means to Prevent International Conflict (185-193); Patrick Peeters: Federal Conflict Regulation. The Case of Belgium (195-204); Gàbor Kardos: Sources of Minority Conflicts in Central and Eastern Europe (205-213); Pàl Dunay: Concerns and Opportunities. The Development of Romanian-Hungarian Relations and National Minorities (215-227). IV. Asia and South America: Alan Smith: Ethnic Conflict and Federalism. The Case of Burma (231-259); Josef Silverstein: Federalism as a Solution to the Ethnic Problem in Burma (261-267); Rasheeduddin Khan: India, the Federal State, and the Kashmir Problem (269-289); Manuel José Cepeda Espinosa: Constitutional Reform as a General Peace Treaty. The Colombian Case (291-310). V. The Charter of Basel: Günther Bächler: Non-Violent Resolution of Minority Conflicts through Federalism? The "Charter of Basel" (313-322).