Administrative Law’s Role in Protecting Ethnic and Religious Minorities: Legal Mechanisms, Policy Challenges, and Future Directions

Abstract This paper examines the safeguarding of religious and ethnic minorities by administrative law, drawing on 283 Web of Science database articles (1999–2024). It separates between internal, that is, judicial review and legislative frameworks, and external, that is, international standards and sociopolitical environment, determinants of critical success factors (CSFs) for minority protection. The essay presents a systematic examination to ascertain the efficacy of administrative law in safeguarding minority rights, highlighting the essence of robust legal institutions, policy reform, and judicial review in promoting justice and equality. The study reveals forthcoming trends, specifically the incorporation of legal protection in broad social justice frameworks. This research offers new bibliometric analysis, provides insight into developing legal trends, and offers practical strategies of policy creators to strengthen legal mechanisms and enforce laws for better minority protection. By harmonizing the legal framework with sociopolitical contexts, the study underlines the potential of administrative law to lead a meaningful change toward equality and justice, making it a valuable source of progress in academic understanding and real-world applications in the protection of minority rights.