This study examines discrimination against Roma migrants from South-East Europe and their strategies for dealing with antiziganism in Germany. A special focus is placed on continuities and ruptures in the experience of this discrimination and the development of resilience. While most of the interviewees have their own experience of migration or flight from Bulgaria, Romania, North Macedonia, Serbia or Kosovo, some interviewees were born in Germany as children of migrant Roma. In life history and topic-centered interviews, participants in this study reported discrimination in almost all areas of life. In their countries of origin, people describe a climate of antiziganistic normality with insults and violence in everyday life, systematic exclusion from education, health and social security systems, as well as a cycle of poverty and prejudice-based hopelessness in the labor market. Immigration to Germany can be seen as a resilience strategy to protect themselves from discrimination.
However, Roma in Germany also report discrimination in almost all areas of life. Problems are particularly virulent in the education sector (Roma children are not classified according to their abilities for secondary schools or receive lower grades; discrimination in everyday school life is not prevented) and in contact with authorities (antigypsyist prejudices in asylum applications; refusal of support; additional bureaucratic hurdles). In addition, Roma experience discrimination in the labor market, when looking for housing and in the healthcare system and are sometimes suspected rather than supported by society and government agencies such as the police due to prejudice. In everyday life, interviewees report that they often feel 'different' as Roma people in Germany and that this leads to prejudiced looks, comments and insults. These prejudices are also passed on in the media.
In the face of these overwhelming experiences of discrimination, Roma develop individual and collective resilience strategies. While Roma are clearly recognizable in their countries of origin, some interviewees hide their Roma identity in post-migrant Germany to avoid discrimination; some also distance themselves from (potentially) discriminatory situations and relationships and withdraw into social spaces perceived as safe. Others actively seek support within and outside the Roma community, or choose more active strategies by demanding their rights, countering stereotyping attributions and campaigning for structural improvements. Many interviewees see a perspective for resilience in integration in Germany (especially through education and work), which for some complement or conflict with forms of cultural resilience (preserving traditions, language, values).
Methodologically, the study is based on a participatory approach, for which the State Council of Roma NRW collaborated with the scientific team of the University of the Federal Armed Forces Munich (Prof. Dr. Timothy Williams, Kirsty Campbell). Initially, ten Roma from the community were trained in conducting interviews, who conducted life history interviews with 55 Roma. After a joint evaluation of these life history interviews, the interviewers and the research team developed guidelines for topic-centered interviews, which were conducted in depth with the same interviewees. After the transcription and translation and the subsequent analysis of all the data, the scientific team discussed the results of the study with the interviewees. With this participatory approach from research conception to report, this study is not only intended to research discrimination and resilience in the Roma community, but to be from the community and for the community.
You can download the full report here.
The project was carried out in cooperation with the Roma Council of North Rhine-Westphalia and supported by the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency.
