Authors

Tamás Kiss¹; Zsuzsa Csergő²;  ¹ Romanian Institute for Research on National Minori, Romania;  ² Queen’s University, Canada, Canada

Discussion

Hungary’s kin-state involvement is often discussed as a textbook case of transsovereign nation-building, which aims to link members of a cultural nation that straddles state borders through non-territorial institutions, without territorial revision. In a peaceful regional environment, such as the one promoted by the European integration project, transsovereign nation-building can become normalized as a set of institutions and practices based on a mutuality of interests, friendly interstate relations, and the active participation of minority actors. In a typology of kinstate involvement, Csergő, Kallas and Kiss argue that transsovereign nation-building, with its non-territorial institutions, differs significantly from other types of kin-state involvement that employ soft or hard tools for territorially revisionist aims (such as Russian irredentism and imperial expansion).
Hungary’s kin-state politics, including its narratives and legal measures vis-à-vis Hungarians in neighboring countries, has followed a transsovereign nation-building pattern centered on the unity of cultural (ethnic) nationhood. Since 2010, however, the Orbán government has introduced an element of power politics in its support for Hungarians abroad, a shift that has been understudied in the literature. This change is evident in the contrast between the 2001 “Status law,” which focused primarily on benefits for members of Hungarian minority populations, and the post-2010 laws that established formal links between external minority members and the Hungarian state through extraterritorial citizenship and voting rights. Additionally, the volume of economic support has increased significantly, with political considerations behind it becoming more apparent.
A significant portion of kin-state funding continues to address needs articulated by minority actors, such as support for cultural institutions, schools, and theatres. However, official Hungarian governmental rhetoric suggests that minority Hungarians are viewed not only as co-nationals to be reintegrated into a unified nation but also as valuable human resources for the Hungarian state. Yet, systematic analyses of the Orbán government’s cross-border economic projects remain scarce. The goal of our paper is to provide such an analysis, through a case study that explores broader questions about the political economy of transsovereign nation-building.