Ethnicity and Active Citizenship: a Case of Roma in Slovenia

1
Ethnicity and Active Citizenship a Case of Roma
in Slovenia

• Dr. Alenka Janko Spreizer

2
Background

• For a discussion on Romani people and active
  citizenship we need to distinguish between two
  different lines of theories on Romani issues
• 1) primordial theories on Romani ethnic origin
  (Indian origin, Romani chib, nomadism)
• 2) constructivistic theories on Romani identity,
  social processes of ethnicity, examination of
  political context.
• (all ethnic and cultural differences result from
  social construciton processes)

3
Contextualisation

• EU accession process1993, Copenhagen criteria
  and Framework Convention on the Protection of
  National Minorities
• Political participation of Roma in Europe as an
  aspect of active citizenship five congresses of
  Romani international activism diplomatic success
  of the IRU in EU, UN, OSCE.
• 1994, CE introduction of Education for
  Democratic and Active Citizenship

4
Education for Democratic and Active Citizenship

• Includes education for human rights, citizenship,
  peace and intercultural education, concepts of
  democratisation and participation.
• Implication the preprequisite for active
  citizenship is an individuals citizenship
• Emphasizes knowledge of legislation citizens,
  political and social rights and obligations
• (Mohorcic-Spolar 19995-7)
• Ruud Veldhuis and Education for Democratic
  Education, 1997

5
Political/Legal and Economic Aspect of Active
Citizenship

• Roma as autochthonous ethnic community vs.
  legal definition of the Romani minorities as
  transnational and non-territorial minorities
• Romani language as non-territorial language, vs.
  territorialization of Romani community based on
  their ethnic minority status.
• Article 65 of the Constitution absence of the
  Law on Romagtgt Programme of Measures for Helping
  Roma, 1995
• Violations of rights representation in local
  communities civil initiatives
• Systemic racism segregation of Romani pupils
  the Erased, employment and poverty

6
Social and Cultural Aspects of Active Citizenship

• Diversity Romani people as culturally diverse
  Diaspora various groups speak different dialects
  of the Romani oral language merged with local
  indigenous dialects.
• Different churches and beliefs
• Preservation of cultural boundaries between
  various Romani and non-Romani groups vs.
  multiculturality
• The state administration, Romologists and
  activists themselves pursue an ethnicised
  formulation of culture characteristic of the
  Romani ethnic group.
• Discussing social and cultural aspects of
  citizenship we thus cannot avoid the concept of
  ethnicity.

7
Conclusion I

• Discussing social and cultural aspects of
  citizenship we thus cannot avoid the concept of
  ethnicity.
• Problems insensitivity with regard to the
  discrimination of Roma.
• Verbal and physical assaults on Roma remain
  unsanctioned as racially-motivated attacks.
• Insensitivity to migrations of Roma seeking
  refugee status, denied asylum applications and
  the returning of Roma to their countries of
  origin

8
Conclusion II

• A suggested approach to Education for Active
  Citizenship is to take into account the
  anthropological concept of ethnicity and develop
  programmes for active citizenship for both
  minority and majority populations.
• It cannot be denied that the so-far developed
  programmes, mainly concentrating on the Romani
  ethnic group or based on the distinctions of this
  group, could also have importantly contributed to
  the emancipation of Roma.
• Have Roma actually had any opportunity to
  exercise human or minority rights with the state
  institutions and officials still being
  impregnated with systemic racism ?

9
(No Transcript)
10
(No Transcript)
11
(No Transcript)