CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2015
| Author | Sali, Senada |
|---|---|
| Title | Romani Nation-building: The Claim for Recognition of a Non-Territorial Romani Nation (The Cases of Kosovo, Macedonia, and Serbia) |
| Summary | Today, there are an estimated 10-12 million Roma living dispersed all around Europe, lacking their own state and territory. After centuries of exclusion, facing hostile governments and bound by rules created without their participation, a number of Roma elites have come to the idea for claiming recognition of a single Romani non-territorial nation, as a method for improving the Romani position in Europe. The claim does not incorporate a demand for territory, and is mainly based on the argument that:‘Roma are a Nation, as all other nations, sharing same tradition, culture, origin, and language’. In this thesis, I problematize the claim for recognition of a ‘nonterr itorial’ Romani nation, put forward by the Romani elites and activists through the activities of the International Romani Union. I explore two main research questions (1) what are the perceptions of the Romani masses about their national identity, do they converge with the demands and claims of the Romani elites and activists? (2) to what extent is an elitist-constructed approach for national unity viable in cases of highly dispersed, heterogeneous, and stateless groups, such as the Roma?. In order to answer these questions, I will use the findings from my field research in Kosovo, Macedonia, and Serbia. |
| Supervisor | Akcali Emel |
| Department | International Relations MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2015/sali_senada.pdf |
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