Xitanos

A Kosovo Roma oral history collection (with extensive supporting research) undertaken by Bobby Anderson, Sebastian Serifovic, Adem Osmani, and Aferdita Berisa, between January and September 2003, with a grant from the Open Society Institute and the operational support of Balkan Sunflowers.

In the recent years Romani migrations from former communist countries to the “West” were and still are represented as a threat in public and media discourse. Migrating Romani men and women caused many reactions on diverse levels. In these discussions the focus is put in particular on their supposed identities as members of Romani communities and along with these go “traditional” stereotypes, which are ascribed to Romani men and women. When analysing these perceptions it stands out that Romani identities are perceived as homogenous and stable in migration discourses. In our contribution we are analysing these ethnic ascriptions by applying trans-disciplinary concepts stemming from Postcolonial Studies, Critical Whiteness Studies and Transnational Studies. As these theories and approaches have recently been applied in diverse studies on ethnicity, making use of them with regard to Romipen seems to be promising and might lead to new outcomes.

A presenza histórica da identidade xitana en Galicia ocupa este artigo no que se trata de responder ás seguintes interrogantes: Como vivimos este tipo de diversidade cidadá nas nosas veciñanzas, nos nosos barrios, nas nosas escolas? Abrázase esta convivencia, ou máis ben se evita? Que papel xoga a escola neste contacto intercultural que comezou hai case 500 anos na península Ibérica? Como pode contribuír a fomentar a educación obrigatoria unha praxe cidadá intercultural que sexa gratificante e potenciadora da convivencia igualitaria e da xustiza social?

This paper looks at how a transnational movement of Roma, Sinti, Gypsies, Travellers, Jenische and Gitanos from all over Europe connected in the 1970s to combat european racism towards Gypsies and to struggle for equal rights. It is argued that the political success of the movement is difficult to assess. The cultural impact, however, was considerable. In a process of ´adaptation of tradition´ the emancipation movement successfully replaced racist notions of Gypsies with a transformed, romantic vision of Roma as an indian people in the diaspora.

The ways in which the transnational cultural politics of containment are engaged through education vary in form, intentionality, and spheres of influence, but their effects are undeniable: they sustain the status quo of privilege, advantage, and distinction for "Some," while containing, or keeping at arms' length, the oppressive circumstances of "Others," especially those of the Roma.