The Integration of the Roma in a Democratic Society

AuthorElena Nedelcu
Pages456-462

Elena Nedelcu. Associate Professor, Ph.D., Social and Administrative Sciences Faculty, “Nicolae Titulescu” University (e-mail: doina.nedelcu@yahoo.com).

Page 456

Introduction

Motto: “In Romania, wherever you might be, you are 15 minutes walking distance, in any direction, from a community of poor gypsies. With the exception of a minority enriched at the limit of law, for more than two thirds of the approximately 1,5 million Romanian gypsies, the confusing years after the fall of the communist regime meant a transition towards hopeless poverty, delinquency and violence. They were among the first fired during the restructuring in the 90s and many of them haven’t managed to find another job. Almost 75% of the gypsies live on state welfare and occasional activities. 80% have no profession. Like in the village of Mocirla, where almost all poor gypsy communities are affected by the same problems concerning work, income, education, access to medical services, ID-s, property titles, poverty and overcrowded houses”2.

The present paper discusses the following issues: the economic and social situation of the Roma in present Romanian society; the causes of poor social inclusion; the identification of the factors which contribute to the improvement of this situation and the role of the agencies of socialisation in a more efficient social inclusion process of the Roma. The paper focuses especially on the identification of the main causes which led to this situation.

What is the relation between the paper and the already existent specialized literature? The paper turns to account the results of some renown sociological researches in Romania, done in the past 20 years, as well as the results of national investigations made within the ETNOBAROMETRU of CRDE program. We used also certain statistics from the Roma Inclusion Barometer as well as direct observation of the interethnic relations in the educational environment.

The subject we approach in this paper is of major importance in a well-functioning society, its democratic evolution, for growing cohesion, cooperation and social trust.

It was noticed that in the societies with a low level of social inclusion, the numbers of districts and areas where people live in miserable conditions is growing: the economic resourcesPage 457 are at the limit of subsistence or even worst, the levels of education and social assistance are insufficient.

Such a life generates and deepens the frustrations, anger, “street culture” or the so-called “around the block subcultures”, at the same time leading to the rejection of projects, institutions, values and norms of the “marginalizing” society. Studies show that where the number of the people and marginalized groups is growing, democracy is in danger. Social exclusion is a failure both for society as well as the individual. Romanian society is also affected by this phenomenon. The Roma population is one of the most disadvantaged social categories – a well-known fact especially in the last decade. In other words, the social inclusion of the Roma is a real problem in Romania which should bring together all agents of socialisation involved. The study of the causes which brought about discrimination, of the factors which contribute to the improvement of the situation of the Roma in Romanian society could offer solutions for solving this problem.

1. The Economic and Social Situation of the Roma

The integration of the Roma is one of the important problems the present Romanian society is confronted with. Democracy is by definition a society for all, where every human being, meaning every social category – Roma also- must find their place and role, must enjoy equal chances and must turn to good account its aptitudes and talents. But, in comparison with the rest of the population, we notice that the Roma are lagging. The biggest part of the community continues to live, somewhere, at the outskirts of society, in poverty, with a minimum level of education and social security, or even under this level. Under these circumstances, sociological studies show that 2/3 of the Roma live in poverty and a quarter of them in extreme poverty, in improvised or abandoned houses, in small spaces, lacking sanitary facilities and heat. Within this ethnic group, 24% of the people aged 10 or more do not go to school and 84% of the Roma aged 14 or more never worked with a workman’s pass, do not have secure income, health insurance, unemployment or retirement benefits. Why are the Roma in this situation? What should society do to correct this situation? What should the Roma community...

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