Roma Networks

Veronika Nagy

doi:10.17356/ieejsp.v4i3.440

Abstract

Ethnographic studies have hitherto focused on relationships among mobile actors, groups and how inter-ethnic relations are shaped by technologies and online information exchanges. However, little research has included the effects of virtual networks in relation to intra-ethnic structures. Facebook, as a media environment, facilitates ‘doing family’ across distance within transnational families. These routines shape intergroup solidarity through geographic distance by transmitting a selection of inter-ethnic references. What causes people to avoid inter-ethnic references on their Facebook timelines that are controversial, through self-censorship? And what are the social impacts of those choices – if any? How do these transnational socialisation practices ensure solidarity among Roma across borders? These are the questions answered in this paper based on offline and online ethnography of Roma migrant communities. The paper claims that although many coping strategies were learned from other ethnic minorities in the UK, stereotyped messages transmitted a selective narrative about other ethnic groups back to the participants’ countries of origin to uphold ethnicity-based social assurances explained as instruments of ethnic solidarity. In short, the potential liberating power of virtual transnationalism was rather limited, while its potential to help reproduce social asymmetries was more apparent.

Highlights

Though online networks like Facebook groups are often seen as additional ‘virtual’ spaces or a representation of previously studied offline networks (Komito, 2011; Slater, 2002; Dekker and Engbersen, 2014), it has been argued that online and offline interactions cannot be separated, as they mutually shape social relations
While migration studies embrace the role of social media use in Roma transnational networks and how this shapes the opportunities of Roma migrants (Vermeersch, 2014), it has not yet been discussed how the use of different social media platforms among transnational Roma networks maintain their intra-ethnic solidarity from distance
Considering ethnicity is a social construct and ethnic solidarity can only be understood in situationally constructed cultural terms, this paper aims to identify those online contexts where ethnicity is primarily used for maintaining social solidarity in the transnational Roma network

Summary

Introduction

Though online networks like Facebook groups are often seen as additional ‘virtual’ spaces or a representation of previously studied offline networks (Komito, 2011; Slater, 2002; Dekker and Engbersen, 2014), it has been argued that online and offline interactions cannot be separated, as they mutually shape social relations. While migration studies embrace the role of social media use in Roma transnational networks and how this shapes the opportunities of Roma migrants (Vermeersch, 2014), it has not yet been discussed how the use of different social media platforms among transnational Roma networks maintain their intra-ethnic solidarity from distance. By scrutinising the role of polymedia use (simultaneous use of media channels such as Skype, Facebook, email or Snapchat) among Hungarian Roma migrants living in multi-ethnic suburbs in the UK, I will explain how online communication shapes Roma intra-ethnic solidarity

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion