CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2025
| Author | Michailovskis, Gopalas |
|---|---|
| Title | Reimagining Roma Heritage: Parubanka, a Demolished Roma Settlement in Vilnius, Lithuania |
| Summary | This thesis explores the dichotomic nature of Roma heritage —a heritage that is valued by the community and official perceptions of Roma heritage. As a case study, the case of Parubanka, a demolished Roma settlement in 2020 in Vilnius, Lithuania is presented in the thesis. It argues that official perceptions and management of Roma heritage is far too often rooted in racialized and reductive conceptions pertaining to the supposed “Gypsy” culture which overshadows and may lead to destruction of heritage that is valued by Roma communities. Drawing on interviews with the former residents of Parubanka, the study demonstrates the significance of the settlement by displaying its affective heritage qualities embedded in concepts such as places of memory, identity, or belonging. These concepts, as observed in the study, are absent from institutional narratives. I argue that these omissions reveal official attitudes impacting the way Roma heritage is perceived and managed. As a result, the voices of the Roma community are marginalized, and structural inequalities and epistemological violence reinforced. Using a critical heritage approach, this thesis frames the prevailing narratives on Roma heritage as an Authorized Heritage Discourse. I propose a move towards recognizing Roma heritage as a dynamic, community-driven, inclusive, plural, and emotionally resonant process that grants agency to individuals and communities. It suggests that the loss of Parubanka can be meaningfully addressed through reconciliation — a concept pertinent to a racial justice framework. In this regard, the thesis concludes that the destruction of Parubanka cannot be fully addressed until such a perspective is adopted. |
| Supervisor | Mérai, Dóra; Rövid Márton |
| Department | Historical Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2025/michailovskis_gopala.pdf |
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