(In)visible mobilizations. Romani women’s intersectional activisms in Romania and Bulgaria

Abstract

ABSTRACT Amongst highly marginalized minorities, such as the Roma, intersectional groups – i.e. those positioned at the crossroad of several oppressions, like racism, classism, and sexism – are the major victims of injustice and discrimination. Their intersectional invisibility forces them to struggle for their recognition as political interlocutors by both national/supranational institutions and civil society actors. By exploring the case of Romani women’s intersectional activisms in Romania and Bulgaria, this article serves a double scope. First, it empirically contributes to the study of intersectional forms of mobilization in Central and Eastern Europe, where research and comparative analysis remain meager. Second, it fosters theoretical discussions about “how intersectionality is and should be deployed” [Bilge 2013. “Intersectionality Undone: Saving Intersectionality from Feminist Intersectionality Studies.” Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race 10 (2): 405–424.] when critically approaching social movements. Challenging the predominant “logic of inclusivity” that characterizes current European research on intersectional mobilization, this study explores Romnja’s activisms in Romania and Bulgaria through a five-category comparative analytical framework based on strategy, agencies, repertoire, alliances, and positioning vis-à-vis the wider Romani movement. Mostly building on interview data gathered in 2015–2016, this article shows that intersectionality-related considerations inform and shape the agenda and strategies of domestic activists, who can create their own type of (intersectional) mobilization regardless of their inclusion in and/or exclusion from more powerful mainstreamed movements.