Document Type
Social Sciences
Date
2024
Submission Date
May 2024
Abstract
The Romani people, also known as the Roma diaspora or simply the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group that has experienced centuries of oppression and stigmatization. Largely seen as a “nomadic” group, the issue of housing is at the core of exploring modern Roma struggles. One key question to further the research on the connection between anti-Roma sentiment and housing is questioning how housing has served as a physical expression of cultural anti-Roma sentiment. Though the Roma are commonly perceived as choosing their nomadism, this article seeks to deconstruct this stereotype through the lens of housing law, forced nomadism, and Roma settlement patterns. In particular, I examine the definition of “home” in Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the connection between this law, anti-Roma sentiment, and present Roma housing conditions. Looking at forms of resistance to anti-Roma sentiment, I analyze the role of squatting in bringing attention and sympathy to Roma housing issues. Finally, I look at how the stereotype of the “nomad” has affected the identities and self-perception of the Roma. Through this examination, my research shows the connections between the social degradation of a particular group and housing degradation. Because matters of the home are so intertwined with matters of identity, the control of the home has deep-rooted impacts that are clearly seen when examining the control of Roma’s right to housing.
Rights
© The Author(s)
Is Part Of
Auctus
DOI
https://doi.org/10.25886/4tw4-gd10