“Roma” labelling, identity politics and EU-integration: The case of Montenegro

Rok, strany: 2018, 419 - 435

The article makes an overview of the groups labelled as Gypsy/Roma and the mi- nority policies related to Roma in present day Montenegro, and discusses how – in view of the processes in the region and in the course of the state’s EU-integration – the top-down approach of adopting definitions centred on the terms “Roma and Egyptians” and “Roma” have influenced the state politics of identity regarding sup- porting and promoting new identities, as well as reinforcing the label “Roma” and “Romani” for all communities considered of common (Gypsy/Roma) origin. Fur- ther on, the impact of the EU-integration discourse on legislation and setting up Ro- mani and Egyptian organizations is discussed within the public policies sector. Fi- nally, I discuss initiatives and resources for publishing in Romani language in a country where a great part of the groups considered being of Romani origin speak another language as a mother tongue. My main argument is that the minority pro- tection EU-conditionality and the special focus on the rights of the Roma, have led to an “import” of Roma issues for “solving”, along with copy-pasting of activities that supposedly aim to flag Romani identity and language even though neither Ro- mani identity nor Romani language are characteristic for all communities labelled as “Roma”.

ISO 690:

Zahova, S. 2018. “Roma” labelling, identity politics and EU-integration: The case of Montenegro. In Slovenský národopis / Slovak Ethnology, vol. 66, no.4, pp. 419-435. 1339-9357. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26363/SN.2018.4.03

APA:

Zahova, S. (2018). “Roma” labelling, identity politics and EU-integration: The case of Montenegro. Slovenský národopis / Slovak Ethnology, 66(4), 419-435. 1339-9357. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26363/SN.2018.4.03

Vydavateľ: Ústav etnológie a sociálnej antropológie SAV