Community mapping methodology - researching the heritage of the Romani women emancipation

Abstract

This paper presents the relatively new - in local framework of humanities rarely applied - method of community mapping is introduced and explored. Community mapping is a participatory research approach that focuses on the needs of social groups, that are evaluated and holistically understood in the process; and used as a ground for designing policies for the further development of community research. The main case study of the analysis is the project - ?HEROINES: Heritage of Emancipation - Empowering Roma Women through Networks of Solidarity?, implemented by Institute of Ethnography SASA, Roma Women Center ?Bibija? and the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade. The project is supported by the Center for the Promotion of Science (CPN). This citizen?s research project uses community mapping as its main method, with Roma women - as simultaneously marginal and marginalized in the broader society - being the main target group and the main representative of the other in their social reality.