https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5072-4547
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ABSTRACT
The growing literature on racial justice in the field of normative political theory usually tracks the legacy of colonialism and imperialism, white settlement and African slavery, that systematically privileges whites globally, and that needs to be repaired. The moral grounding and forms of reparations are highly debated not only in academia but in countless political fora. However, both academic and political debates have largely taken place in post-colonial contexts and ignored the enduring forms of injustice Romani peoples face. The paper assesses the relevance of normative debates around racial justice for the case of Roma in four steps. First, it reviews the literature on racial justice, in particular on recognition, reparations, and reconciliation. Second, the emerging discourse of racial justice for Roma is illustrated with three examples from Germany, Sweden, and Romania. Third, some puzzles and dilemmas of such claims are studied. Finally, lessons are drawn from the case of Romani claims for theories of racial justice.
Acknowledgements
I presented the earlier versions of this article at several workshops and conferences where I received invaluable feedback. I am particularly grateful for the comments and recommendations by Timofey Agarin, Ioanida Costache, Angela Kocze, Regina Kreide, Aurelien Mondon, Mathias Moschel, Sachida Nand Jha, Giovanni Picker, Iulius Rostas, Julija Sardelic, and Peter Vermeersch. I appreciate the anonymous peer reviews of Ethnic and Racial Studies as well.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 The term antigypsyism is not unanimously accepted. Some argue that the root of the word (Gypsy) is a racial slur, therefore, the terms anti-Romani racism or Romaphobia are preferred. Others argue that these two terms are not equivalent to antigypsyism. It goes beyond the scope of this endnote to summarize the debate.
2 “Antiziganism – What's in Word?”, Conference at Uppsala University on 23–25 October 2013.
3 See for example: (Vincze Citation2014), (van Baar Citation2018), (Kóczé Citation2018), (Dunajeva and Kostka Citation2021), (Matache and Barbu Citation2021).
4 “»Roma« is a politically constructed identity used as a category to capture various ethnic groups throughout Europe, North and South America, and other parts of the world regardless of whether they are nomadic or sedentary communities who identify as Roma, Gypsy, Travellers (in Ireland), Sinti (in Germany), Zigeuner, Cigani Gitano, Kalderash, Lovara, and so on. These ethnic groups are connected by related diverse cultures, traditions, and languages, as well as by a shared experience of racialization, racial prejudice, discrimination, and violence. Despite the negative connotation attached to the term “Gypsies”, there are some communities, such as the English Romanichal Gypsies in the UK, who reclaim the name and attach an important historical and political significance to the term. The self-identification and identity construction of Roma by themselves are critical in their struggle for political recognition” (Kóczé Citation2021).
5 European Parliament resolution of 15 April 2015 on the occasion of International Roma Day – anti-Gypsyism in Europe and EU recognition of the memorial day of the Roma genocide during World War II (2015/2615(RSP)), P8_TA(2015)0095.
6 Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (2017), Fundamental rights aspects in Roma integration in the EU: fighting anti-Gypsyism. European Parliament resolution of 25 October 2017 on fundamental rights aspects in Roma integration in the EU: fighting anti-Gypsyism (2017/2038(INI)), P8_TA-PROV(2017)0413.
7 Alliance Against Antigypsyism (Citation2017).
8 European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) (Citation2011).
9 In the 1990s, alongside the emergence of Romani associations, international NGOs have been increasingly involved in the struggle against the discrimination of Roma. A special microcosm has developed within global civil society that is specialised in the so-called “Roma issue”, comprising non-governmental and inter-governmental organisations, expert bodies, foundations, activists and politicians (Kóczé and Rövid Citation2012, 110).
10 Biography of Romani Rose, Chairman of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma, http://zentralrat.sintiundroma.de/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Biography_Romani_Rose.pdf.
12 European Parliament resolution of 15 April 2015 on the occasion of International Roma Day – anti-Gypsyism in Europe and EU recognition of the memorial day of the Roma genocide during World War II (2015/2615(RSP)), P8_TA(2015)0095.
13 Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (2017), Fundamental rights aspects in Roma integration in the EU: fighting anti-Gypsyism. European Parliament resolution of 25 October 2017 on fundamental rights aspects in Roma integration in the EU: fighting anti-Gypsyism (2017/2038(INI)), P8_TA-PROV(2017)0413.
14 In 2014, the Hungarian Minister of Human Resources, Zoltán Balog, denied that Romani people were deported to concentration camps from Hungary in the Second World War. After one year of protests, he apologized for his statement in 2015. http://hvg.hu/itthon/20150518_Balog_Zoltan_nyilvanosan_bocsanatot_kert.