Abstract
The authors explore the discourses around the exclusion of the Roma in Serbia in two dimensions: social welfare sector and media reports. The paper is structured around the presentation of dimensions contributing to multiple deprivation of Roma in society (from education to labor market participation, social welfare and health care, as well as housing); a review of public policies directed toward the improvement of their position; and analysis of the discourses on Roma within the contexts of the social welfare sector and media reporting. A review of related literature and public policy documents was followed by a qualitative analysis of media reports as well as a review of the secondary sources regarding media discourses on the Roma. This was followed by evidence gathered from semi-structured interviews and discussions with stakeholders in the social welfare sector. The main conclusions of the paper point to the mutual reinforcement of the discourses on the Roma in the social welfare sector and media reports, with their subsequent mutual contribution to social exclusion.
Highlights
Vivid European-wide debates and dilemmas that surround the concepts of social inclusion and exclusion of Roma are numerous
The main research questions of this paper are: what are the discourses on the social inclusion of Roma behind the official policies, as well as in mainstream media; and how do they contribute to the status quo regarding the Roma’s unfavourable position
The paper aims to present the official policies directed toward the social inclusion of Roma and to analyse the “hidden” agendas supporting the survival of the status quo
Summary
Vivid European-wide debates and dilemmas that surround the concepts of social inclusion and exclusion of Roma are numerous. Social Inclusion, 2015, Volume 3, Issue 5, Pages 137-147 tural and ethnic groups The majority of these challenges seem to be shared, mainly with the neighbouring and ex-socialist countries, while few, if any, seem to be specific for the Serbian context, having mostly emerged during and after the transition of the 1990s. The main research questions of this paper are: what are the discourses on the social inclusion of Roma behind the official policies, as well as in mainstream media; and how do they contribute to the status quo regarding the Roma’s unfavourable position. A certain continuum of policies has existed, their major common feature seems to be a continuous implementation trap The reasons for this range from the absence of real political commitment for the improvement of the Roma’s position, to underdeveloped measures and limited resources, and overt and latent discrimination against the Roma. The main conclusion of the paper is that there is a strong correlation between the dominant discourse about the Roma and their position in society, despite the obvious urgency to make a difference
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