Opportunity lost? The social (dis)integration of Roma minority rights in post‐transition Hungary

Abstract

In 1993 the Hungarian National Assembly enacted minority rights legislation that permitted minority self government (MSG) for Roma. The MSG mission is to take steps that assure social integration for Roma in the Hungarian society. This article introduces a mixed methodology of survey research and open‐ended interviews, to examine the effectiveness of Roma minority self‐government. It argues that social integration correlates to local MSG effectiveness and paradoxically may legitimize the social isolation of Roma.