Authors:Aidan McGarry Abstract: Mobilizing Romani Ethnicity: Romani Political Activism in Argentina, Colombia, and Spain uncovers an under-researched topic, Roma activism in South America, and compares this to Roma political activism in Spain. The trans-continental nature of the comparison is welcome as it reveals processes, institutions, and agency in diverse contexts and how these contexts create opportunities for Roma activism. Almost all studies of/on Roma communities focus on Europe, for obvious reasons, as this is where the largest Romani populations are to be found. Through its novel epistemology and methodology it challenges the Euro-centrism inherent in Romani Studies forcing us to look beyond our immediate surroundings. PubDate: 2024-05-24 DOI: 10.29098/crs.v6i1.198 Issue No:Vol. 6, No. 1 (2024)
Authors:Delia Popescu Abstract: Romanian State Secret Police (Securitate) files produced before 1989 can be accessed today through a lengthy process that requires official research authorization through a government office, the National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives (Consiliul Național pentru Studierea Arhivelor Securității - CNSAS). The CNSAS General Document Fund includes large issue-related files under the umbrella of “The Gypsy Problem,” with thousands of pages of both national and county-level reports and recommendations. This paper teases out the granular documentary clues (spie, as Italian historian Carlo Ginzburg describes them) in some of the Securitate files to explore the way in which a pattern of documentary communication is built to frame Romani identity as idiosyncratically marginal, oriental, and parasitic. A particularly interesting aspect of the knowledge production imposed through these files is reflected by anecdotes that purportedly illustrate the character of the Roma. This study analyzes the relations of power built through hermeneutic devices and language choices which build “truth formulae” (Weir) that reify a particular view of Romani ethnicity, class, and gender. This archival (de)construction has implications for a long view of policy, political memory, and exclusionary societal attitudes today and in the future. PubDate: 2024-05-24 DOI: 10.29098/crs.v6i1.168 Issue No:Vol. 6, No. 1 (2024)
Authors:Miguel Ángel Vargas Abstract: This essay delves into the representation and reclamation of Romani identity and experience in contemporary art, focusing on the work of Malgorzata Mirga-Tas, viewed from a Gitano point of view located in the South of Europe. Drawing on historical contexts and artistic movements, the essay examines the evolution of Romani portrayal in European art and the emergence of contemporary Romani art as a form of resistance and self-representation. Through an analysis of Mirga-Tas's artistic practice and its intersection with themes of coloniality, gender, and racialization, the essay explores how her work challenges dominant narratives and fosters a deeper understanding of Romani culture and history. Furthermore, the essay discusses the significance of Mirga-Tas's artistic interventions in reshaping perceptions of Romani identity and contributing to broader conversations about representation, power, and agency in the art world, including the cultural field of flamenco. Through a multidisciplinary approach encompassing art history, sociology, and cultural studies, this essay offers insights into the complexities of Romani contemporary art and its role in challenging entrenched stereotypes and advocating for social justice and recognition. PubDate: 2024-05-24 DOI: 10.29098/crs.v6i1.191 Issue No:Vol. 6, No. 1 (2024)
Authors:Emma Várnagy Pages: 4 - 23 Abstract: The European Court of Human Rights has issued judgements that condemn negative stereotypes and protect vulnerable groups from discrimination. Paradoxically, in cases where the victims’ bodily integrity is violated in a racist context, the Court has a particularly dubious record of fully engaging with the discrimination aspect of the complaints. This article analyses five illustrative cases where evidentiary materials indicate the authorities held strong prejudices against Romani victims of police violence. Through the lens of vulnerability and anti-stereotyping, the article examines how the Court responds to the presence of negative stereotypes in anti-Romani police violence cases. It shows that the Court’s engagement with stereotypes in these cases is inconsistent. The article suggests that a more conscious engagement with the wider societal context of anti-Romani police violence could strengthen the Court’s stance against harmful Romaphobic stereotyping. PubDate: 2024-05-24 Issue No:Vol. 6, No. 1 (2024)
Authors:Burak Akın Pages: 54 - 57 Abstract: Unlike many other nations, the Roma lacked their own written historical records; thus, our understanding of their history is exclusively derived from the documents of the communities and societal settings they interacted with. This interaction rarely yielded substantial documentary evidence about the Roma. When records did emerge, they were often in the context of criminal activities, employment, and more commonly, due to the policies of sovereigns regulating their settlement and everyday life throughout various historical periods. Consequently, analysing these records on a singular, individual basis can lead to a skewed perception, thereby failing to provide a comprehensive understanding of Roma history. The book under review, “A magyarországi cigányok/romák I-II,” offers an extensive collection of sources, contributing significantly to the understanding of the Roma past within Hungarian historiography. This work is part of the “Minorities in Hungary: National, Ethnic, and Religious Communities” (Magyarországi kisebbségek: nemzeti, nemzetiségi és vallási közösségek) series. The selection of sources, editing, and preparation were undertaken by Ernő Kállai, György Majtényi, Zsuzsanna Mikó, Péter Tóth, and organized by the National Archives of Hungary. PubDate: 2024-05-24 DOI: 10.29098/crs.v6i1.190 Issue No:Vol. 6, No. 1 (2024)