Probing the limits of integration: Romani and Traveller minorities in Europe

Romanis in Europe sees itself as an interdisciplinary network initiative that brings together scholars, researchers and practitioners sharing a specific interest in limitations of present European policies aiming at Roma integration. The specific interest of the network lies with the evaluative research with the focus on policies targeting Roma communities, allowing their geographic mobility and determining their relationship with the national and the European institutions. We believe this research is important for several reasons.  

The issue of Romanis' exclusion was brought to attention of the wider European public with the 2010 expulsions of the EU citizens from France, the events that are yet to change the ways in which we perceive and analyse the issues of European integration, cross-border migration and minority rights protection. Across Europe, Romanis are the largest minority group. Traditional policies of group protection, cultural diversity and minority inclusion have failed to redress social deprivation and exclusion of Romanis and were largely unsuccessful in changing the perceptions of the dominant societies about Romani communities. With no kin-state of their own and lacking opportunities for mobilising political or economic resources, Romanis remain poorly organised, disempowered and largely marginal communities living in parallel to dominant societies.