Reclaiming the Narrative: A Critical Turn in Romani Studies

Abstract

This article explores the evolution of Romani Studies from a frequently stereotyped field that reified Romani people and fostered several grave misconceptions and biases, such as “Gypsies” are thieves, criminals, or beggars, to a more compounded and interdisciplinary academic field. Initial studies conducted in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries often romanticised and differentiated Romani people. However, from the mid-twentieth century, studies have encompassed a wider range of perspectives and a more critical examination of the experiences of Roma. Today, studies on Roma aim to dispel prejudice while critically analysing their social realities, histories, and cultural heritages. Through activism, policy involvement, and interdisciplinary research, it seeks to advance Romani agency, inclusion, and rights.