Abstract
Minorities and multilingualism: The research areas of Günther Rautz and Andrea Abel are as socio-politically central as they are sensitive in South Tyrol as well as being a clear mirror of how the society is changing. Rautz, a lawyer, and his team began researching new minorities at an early stage, while Abel, a linguist, advocates understanding multilingualism in a comprehensive sense that includes all languages and varieties. Both are convinced that diversity is highly valuable asset.