Emergence of Romanies as a pan-European Minority in 1990 - through 2005

Only abstract. Paper copies of master’s theses are listed in the Helka database (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Electronic copies of master’s theses are either available as open access or only on thesis terminals in the Helsinki University Library. Vain tiivistelmä. Sidottujen gradujen saatavuuden voit tarkistaa Helka-tietokannasta (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Digitaaliset gradut voivat olla luettavissa avoimesti verkossa tai rajoitetusti kirjaston opinnäytekioskeilla. Endast sammandrag. Inbundna avhandlingar kan sökas i Helka-databasen (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Elektroniska kopior av avhandlingar finns antingen öppet på nätet eller endast tillgängliga i bibliotekets avhandlingsterminaler. The study is aimed at clarifying the developments of political participation of the Romani minorities in European countries since 1989. The main argument in the study is that since the early 1990`s several processes and developments have contributed to an increasingly evident pan-Europeanization of Romani minorities. The study examines the issue from two angles. Firstly, the efforts to bring about a more active Romani participation in issues affecting them are considered, as well as the resulting developments in the political participation of the Romanies and the difficulties encountered in this work. Some consideration is also given to the growing perception of the Romanies as a political factor in their countries of residence, even if the hardships of life and marginalization still experienced by the Romanies would not necessarily suggest that. Secondly, the increasing international interest in the affairs of the Romanies is described. This interest has manifested itself in the agendas of all main European-level legal bodies and in the active foreign and national policies of many European countries. This part of the study also describes the most important steps taken by the international community, the adoption of the Copenhagen criteria in the EU enlargement process indicating the great importance given to the improvement of the situation of Romani minorities in the accession countries and the founding of the European Roma and Travellers Forum being perhaps the most notable of these. The greater part of the space is used in describing developments taking place in the so called transition region. As the majority of Romanies reside in that geographical area, the construction of a trans-national minority has drawn a lot of attention to the phenomena witnessed there. The commitment of many Western European nations - not the least that of Finland - proves, that the issue must logically and necessarily also be seen as a European one, reaching beyond the geographical area of the transition region. The primary sources used in this study consist mainly of official documents of intergovernmental organizations. Other source material is composed of research literature and selection of conference papers and other document produced by a wide range of relevant actors.