Roma identity in Eastern and Central Europe as a goal and problem Filip Pospíšil Opre Khetanes IV Concert and Conference on Romani (Gypsy) Musics and Cultures April, 2016

Interacting discourses on Roma Identity discourse Minority rights, awareness raising, nation building, nurturing of traditions or difference, cultural or biological racism Social inclusion/exlusion at the EU, national and local levels Un/deserving poor at the global, national and local levels Security and migration threat at the local, national and global levels, Securitization

Roma „folklore“ at Ghettofest in Brno 2014, Foto Czech Radio

Participants of the Roma leadership program 2015 in the Czech Republic, Foto Slovo 21

Roma from Přednádraží Ostrava 2012, Foto Romea.cz

Factors of low self-identification Ethnic diversity / subdivisions (differences in culture, language, caste system, ritual impurity) Social stratification (Roma elites x “common Roma”) Mistrust in the state and its agencies Discrimination and prejudice Distanciation from the “Bad” Roma

Aspects of identification • The performed vs. the private aspects • The instrumental vs. the felt aspects The permanent vs. the temporary aspects • The ascribed vs. the self-ascribed aspects

Variations of Roma identity Acribed (ethnicity) - Gypsy/Roma Ascribed (state nationality) - Czech Language identity – Slovak, Hungarian Self-ascribed (census nationality) – Moravian Performed (cultural identity) – mainstream Czech Performed (cultural identity) privately – Roma/Gypsy Percieved (sexual identity) - Gay

Roma population – Czech Republic Roma nationality Roma + other nationality Native Roma language 2001 Census 11,718 784 23,211 2011 Census 5,135 7,818 41,087 Minimum est.  150,000 Maximum est.  250,000 CoE estimate 2012  200,000 Data on Census in the Czech republic according to the Czech Statistical Office. www.czso.cz/csu/czso/home. Estimates of numbers of_Roma in Europe based on 2012document prepared by the Support Team of the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe for Roma Issues.

HYPHENATED ROMA IDENTITY Photo: František Kostlán, Romea

Risks of homogenic identification European Commission guidance (2014): to qualify for EU funding national Roma integration strategies must include “strong monitoring methods to evaluate the impact of Roma integration actions and a review mechanism for the adaptation of the strategy.” Further alienation between Roma and those in the society who will not be able to benefit from similar programs because they are not considered to be Roma. Reinforcement of ascribed and essentialist framing of ethnic identity as well as negative stereotypes in relation to Gypsy or Roma culture.

Thank you fp2342@columbia.edu