Abstract
ABSTRACTThis paper critically examines the processes of categorisation of Roma migrants in Glasgow, contributing to debates on the (unsuccessful) attempts of the EU and individual European states to tackle the social exclusion of various Roma populations living in Europe. Hitherto little attention has been paid to how measures aimed at improving the lives of Roma actually ‘work’ in practice, especially in the context of more recent Roma migration within Europe. Moreover, the role that ethnicity plays ‘on the ground’ has often been overlooked or taken for granted in the relevant literature. Based on 12 months of ethnographic fieldwork with Czech- and Slovak-speaking migrants, including Roma, in Glasgow in 2012, this paper aims to address this gap in the literature. Adopting a boundary-making perspective on ethnicity to analyse interactions in institutionalised settings, it traces and discusses various practices through which ‘the Roma’ were constructed as ‘a risk population’ in the city.
Highlights
In 2011, the EU published the Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020 amid concerns that existing measures and approaches had made little progress in improving the socio-economic situation of the majority of Roma populations across Europe (European Commission 2011)
The making of a ‘risk population’ At the beginning of this paper I briefly outlined the EU’s new ‘targeted approach’ for Roma integration in cities and localities throughout Europe, which called for more concerted efforts by various actors and stakeholders in the field to tackle issues faced by Roma populations in a way that does not target them as an ethnic group but as a socio-economic category
The paper looked at what happened ‘on the ground’ in Glasgow based on Czech- and Slovak-speaking migrants’ everyday experiences and interactions with support organisations and service providers in the city, noting how Roma ethnicity became highly relevant in the field
Summary
In 2011, the EU published the Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020 amid concerns that existing measures and approaches had made little progress in improving the socio-economic situation of the majority of Roma populations across Europe (European Commission 2011). Additional funding and coordinated policies on national, regional and local levels were deemed necessary to bring about measurable and positive change for Roma and foster their inclusion into European societies Notable in these renewed efforts was the adoption of an ‘explicit but not exclusive’ approach to counter the social exclusion and marginalisation of Roma, by targeting these issues more directly, but doing so without discriminating against other vulnerable groups. The post-2004 period saw the migration of a large number of citizens, including Roma, from these accession countries to the existing EU member states This marked a shift in EU policy regarding Roma populations: the emphasis moved away from minority rights towards issues around social inclusion and integration of Roma populations throughout Europe (Popova 2014)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
