AbstractsPolitical Science

The aim of this project is to examine how the Roma in Hungary has been approached politically and how their socio-economic status have evolved after the fall of communism. To do this we have focused on three main areas of analysis: The status of the Roma in the fields of education and employment, the field of hungarian politics with an extensive focus on The Minorities Law, and how the EU has impacted the situation in Hungary. Our main curiosity stems from the fact that there has been virtually no development in important socio-economic areas for the Roma, while the majority of Hungarian society has developed significantly. We have found that after the fall of communism nationalism has been a vital factor in identity politics in Hungary and that the Roma has not been the target of efficient social policies and that there has been a prevalent negative political discourse in Hungary. In the EU the Roma has not been treated as a prime political issue and the situation that they have faced have not been seen as an obstruction for accession to the EU. However they have had an influence through the funding of NGOs which has carried out social inclusion and anti-discriminatory programs, though it has also been a political arena where representatives can abstain from taking responsibility. Lastly we have discussed the ambiguity of one unified classification, for what seems to be a very diverse group of human beings.