„Teraz ci powiem”. Praktykowanie przekraczania granic

The article presents an account of the author’s research path, following subsequent stages of the relationships formed between the author and the Gypsy-Roma people from the Chaładytka Roma group and the Polska Roma group. The description focuses on overcoming barriers of strangeness and cultural difference, and discusses different phasesof rapport-building and developing mutual trust, along with their impact on the author’s access to various family and social situations. The author reflects on the characteristics that regulate the functioning of the group, its internal rules and hierarchies, as well as attitudes towards other Gypsies-Roma people. The article highlights some changes in the life of Gypsy-Roma people in Poland following forced settlement and transition to a settled lifestyle.

When School Comes to Community: Considering the Socioethnic Environment in Educational Reform for Gypsy Populations in a French City

In this paper, I explore the dynamics of an educational reform aimed at transforming individual and collective attitudes towards school among Gypsy/Roma families living in urban spaces of advanced social marginality. In Perpignan, Gypsy/Roma people are highly marginalized, living in a deprived urban environment (violence, unemployment, poor housing conditions, female-headed households, problematic night life) and following their cultural and customary rules and values. These play a crucial role in weak school performance. In 2005, city riots pushed municipal, community, and educational stakeholders to act. Policymakers implemented an experimental national policy in Perpignan from 2007 to 2015, in which they treated education as the cornerstone of necessary change. This public policy opened schools to their social and ethnic environment, as socioenvironmental settings were utilized as a performative tool for school achievement and success.

Roma People, Where to? Tradition and Change in Roma Communities

Roma community in Romania is one of the largest ethnic communities in this country. Romani people integration and reducing disparities between the Roma community and the majority one is a priority for both the Romanian state and the Roma civil society. The integration of the Roma on the labor market is an important step in the integration process. This article proposes qualitative research through the interview method. The research question investigates whether traditional occupations practiced by Roma do not provide Roma access to the labor market today. The general objective of this study aims to identify and analyze qualitatively non-traditional socio-economic practices in the Roma communities in Timișoara and Cluj-Napoca. This objective has been operationalized in several specific objectives related to the identification of traditional economic practices in the occupations of members of the Roma communities in Timisoara and Cluj-Napoca, depending on membership in the subgroup / ethnic group, the identification of non-traditional economic practices in the occupations of members of the Roma communities in Timișoara and Cluj-Napoca, analysis of the role of traditional economic practices in preserving the lifestyle specific to the Roma ethnic group, as essential elements of culture in the communities of Timișoara and Cluj-Napoca. The last two objectives propose the analysis of non-traditional economic practices taken over in the occupations of the members of the Roma communities from Timișoara and Cluj-Napoca following the process of internal and external migration, respectively following the intervention of European funded programs. The participants of this research are 10 Roma people from Cluj-Napoca and 10 Roma people from Timișoara. The research results show that with industrialization, traditional occupations tend to limit their activity and integrated Roma people no longer practice the traditional occupations practiced by their parents or grandparents.

The Imperative Need for Criminological Research on the European Roma: A Narrative Review

Except for the knowledge that the Roma people endure harsh conditions and are victims of discrimination, scarce criminological research has given detailed attention to further victimisation or offending among the Romanies. Identifying articles in the browsers Web of Science, Google Scholar and Google, we reviewed European publications (1997–2020) in English, French, Romanian or Spanish that addressed the Roma’s victimisation or offending. The 44 studies that matched our criteria suggested that (1) Roma people are victims of hate crimes with devastating consequences; (2) Roma children and women are victims of domestic violence to a greater degree than other groups, although the Roma tend to oppose violence against women; (3) forced early marriages exist among some Romanies and may cause serious problems in adulthood; (4) youth delinquency among the Roma does not differ from that of the non-Roma, although Roma adolescents face more deprivation; (5) Roma men and women are overrepresented in prison and face many difficulties in re-entering society once they are released and (6) there are organised criminal activities in some Roma groups that are supported by their community. Further rigorous post-positivist research, particularly quantitative, is needed to generalise the findings and replicate former studies. Areas of special interest are the causes of anti-Roma discrimination other than ethnicity, the victimisation of children, the Roma’s lack of institutional trust and the relation between victimisation and offending. Conducting comparisons with the general population is essential, and we propose that victims’ surveys and self-reported delinquency studies include questions on ethnicity.

Is the glass ceiling inaccessible? The educational situation of Roma youth in Hungary

After the turn of the millennium, European studies unanimously noted that there are significant differences between Roma and non-Roma students at all levels of education. In the last two decades of educational policy in Hungary, elements aimed at inclusion and maintaining selectivity have been mixed together. In our cross-sectional study, we present the situation of young Roma people in the educational system of Hungary in 2016. In addition to outlining the overall picture (employment and education), we also look at softer indicators, such as the educational plans and motivations of Roma youth. We use the Hungarian Youth Research 2016 database (respondents aged between 15 and 29), including Roma or dual identity youth (N=328). The probability sample of 8000 persons is representative for age, district and type of settlement (N=8000). Our results have shown that inequalities are climbing upwards. While inclusion and catching-up with non-Roma students can be detected in primary and secondary vocational education (i.e., without the baccalaureate), there is a significant gap in terms of obtaining a baccalaureate and entering tertiary education. Studying attitudes related to learning points to the fact that young Roma people have begun to see education as a value in Hungary, but at the same time they are confronted with a lack of opportunities.

CRIANÇAS DE ETNIAS CIGANAS NO BRASIL: PROCESSOS DE ESCOLARIZAÇÃO NA EDUCAÇÃO BÁSICA

Ao longo da história pode-se observar que as etnias ciganas foram tratadas com desapreço em diferentes sociedades. Esse é um dos fatores de as populações de etnias ciganas viverem à margem da sociedade, sem acesso aos direitos básicos como a educação. O objetivo geral desse artigo foi identificar como são realizados os encaminhamentos dos processos escolares para as crianças de etnias ciganas na Educação Básica brasileira. Os objetivos específicos foram: descrever historicamente a cultura das etnias ciganas que residem no Brasil; identificar as políticas públicas de educação no Brasil para as crianças de etnias ciganas; constatar por meio de revisão de literatura se o currículo da Educação Básica do Brasil visibiliza as etnias ciganas. O referencial teórico foi fundamentado nos autores que discutem as Etnias Ciganas: Pinto (2010), Moonen (2011), Durante (2014); e nos autores que fazem a discussão dos Estudos Culturais: Silva (1999) e Hall (2006). A metodologia utilizada foi a revisão de literatura (BIANCHETTI e MACHADO, 2006) através da análise da produção acadêmica do Brasil, que trata dos estudos das crianças de etnias ciganas. Os resultados revelaram que apesar de existirem documentos oficiais brasileiros que garantem o direito a educação para essas crianças, esses não são garantidos. A história mostra que desde o período da colonização no Brasil os ciganos sofrem com a discriminação e o preconceito da sociedade. Quanto aos currículos na educação básica, as crianças de etnias ciganas ainda são invisibilidas no Brasil.Palavras-chave: crianças ciganas; educação básica; estudos culturais.Children of gypsy ethnas in Brazil: schooling processes in basic educationAbstractThroughout history it can be seen that Roma people have been treated with contempt in different societies. This is one of the reasons why Roma people live on the fringes of society without access to basic rights such as education. The general objective of this paper was to identify how school process referrals are carried out for Roma children in Brazilian Basic Education. The specific objectives were: to describe historically the culture of the gypsy ethnic groups residing in Brazil; identify public education policies in Brazil for Roma children; To verify through literature review whether the curriculum of Basic Education in Brazil makes Roma gypsies visible. The theoretical framework was based on the authors who discuss the Roma: Pinto (2010), Moonen (2011), Durante (2014); and in the authors who discuss Cultural Studies: Silva (1999) and Hall (2006). The methodology used was the literature review (BIANCHETTI and MACHADO, 2006) through the analysis of the academic production in Brazil, which deals with the studies of Roma children. The results revealed that although there are official Brazilian documents that guarantee the right to education for these children, they are not guaranteed. History shows that since the colonization period in Brazil Gypsies have suffered from discrimination and prejudice from society. As for curricula in basic education, Roma children are still invisible in Brazil.Keywords: gypsy children; basic education; cultural studies.Hijos de étnas gitanas en Brasil: procesos de escuela en educación básicaResumenA lo largo de la historia se puede ver que los romaníes han sido tratados con desprecio en diferentes sociedades. Esta es una de las razones por las cuales los romaníes viven al margen de la sociedad sin acceso a derechos básicos como la educación. El objetivo general de este documento fue identificar cómo se llevan a cabo las referencias del proceso escolar para los niños romaníes en la educación básica brasileña. Los objetivos específicos fueron: describir históricamente la cultura de los grupos étnicos gitanos que residen en Brasil; identificar políticas públicas de educación en Brasil para niños romaníes; Para verificar a través de la revisión bibliográfica si el plan de estudios de Educación Básica en Brasil hace visibles a los gitanos romaníes. El marco teórico se basó en los autores que discuten sobre los romaníes: Pinto (2010), Moonen (2011), Durante (2014); y en los autores que discuten Estudios Culturales: Silva (1999) y Hall (2006). La metodología utilizada fue la revisión de la literatura (BIANCHETTI y MACHADO, 2006) a través del análisis de la producción académica en Brasil, que se ocupa de los estudios de niños romaníes. Los resultados revelaron que, aunque existen documentos oficiales brasileños que garantizan el derecho a la educación de estos niños, no están garantizados. La historia muestra que desde el período de colonización en Brasil, los gitanos han sufrido discriminación y prejuicios de la sociedad. En cuanto a los planes de estudio en educación básica, los niños romaníes siguen siendo invisibles en Brasil.Palabras clave: niños gitanos; educación básica; estudios culturales.

Perceived discrimination among Spanish Roma: The role of religion

This article aims to show that Roma people in Spain are targeted for discrimination because of perceptions about their religious beliefs, as well as for reasons linked to their socio-economic status. Data on the Spanish Roma population have been, used and analysis reveals that Evangelical Roma people have a higher probability of perceiving discrimination than those Roma who profess the majority religion in Spain, that is, Catholicism, once other socio-economic and demographic factors are controlled for. We recommend that this manifested higher degree of discrimination towards Evangelical Roma should be addressed by Spanish institutions and organizations promoting the rights of ethnic minorities by considering intersectional discrimination which allows for a more respectful and egalitarian approach to the diversity of Roma people. Additionally, Evangelical churches should be considered as active actors in an inter-culture dialogue.

Visibility Model of Tangible Heritage. Visualization of the Urban Heritage Environment with Spatial Analysis Methods

The methodological approach of the study proposes an innovative yet adaptive way to define and preserve heritage sites and their elements. In the case study, the proposed methodology guides the design/planning research of heritage sites by linking the perceptual behaviour with the information of the built environment. Visibility is the tool to measure the level of exposure of specific urban elements from a particular perspective. While isovist analyses define visibility in the built environment, fields of view from the periphery of heritage sites are applied to calculate visible or invisible areas by the observer. The purpose of the current study is the evaluation of the identification of the elements to be protected, by modelling both the heritage environment and the heritage elements according to the visibility criteria. For this purpose, I illustrate my approach by using visibility analyses and Space syntax analysis in the case of the Sulukule neighbourhood, the leading renewal project, in Istanbul. This area used to have notably cultural–historical assets–historic land walls, the lifestyle of Roma people—but now the renovation works carried out in the Sulukule case study site have affected the identity of the “visible” and “known” space of the historic quarter.

Dialogic Literary Gatherings: Opening Up Spaces of Meaning Creation and Social Transformation for Roma People

Dialogic Literary Gatherings (DLGs) were created in La Verneda-Sant Martí Adult School, located in one of the poorest working-class neighborhoods in Barcelona (Spain) at the time, in 1978, by a group of non-academic women referred to as the “other women” (Puigvert, 2001). They were created with the aim of tearing down elitist walls which impeded low Socioeconomic Status, migrant, Roma, people with no academic studies or belonging to other excluded groups in society from reading universal classics of literature (Flecha, 2000). None of the participants in the first DLGs had university studies, and yet, they were able to read, understand, enjoy and debate works of authors such as Kafka, Lorca, Dostoyevsky, or Joyce. Moreover, as the scientific research conducted over these years has shown, DLGs have promoted great benefits among these populations, from fostering access to higher education, to increasing their self-esteem, or to becoming transformative agents in front of injustices. DLGs are based on dialogic learning, which is comprised of seven principles. This paper focuses on two of these principles: creation of meaning and transformation. Through reviewing empirical works about DLGs in Spain with adult participants, I argue that the dialogic interactions in which DLGs are grounded and the use of universal classic literature promote participants’ creation of meaning and transformations in their own lives and social contexts.