Ghettos in Slovakia. Confronting Roma Social and Enviromental Exclusion

Abstract

More than half of the Roma population in Slovakia lives in spaces that are segregated or separated from dominant non-Roma communities. The socio-spatial marginalization of Roma is both generated and reinforced through open and discrete social processes and measures largely orchestrated by local governments, enabled by an ineective state and reinforced by the general socio-economic policy framework. This article builds on extensive eld research on predominantly Roma-occupied spaces (i.e.,`settlements') in Slovakia and focuses on the nature and function of Roma segregation and separation in Slovakia from an ecological socio-political, and economic standpoint. Based on Loïc Wacquant's work on ethno-racial segregation and the concept of environmental justice, we discuss social and environmental discrimination as one of the constituent elements in understanding Roma socio-spatial marginalization and its functions, and employ the neologism,`hyper-osada' as a tool to conceptually and analytically investigate the new impetus and recent trajectory of Roma segregation and separation.

Sanitation Infrastructure at the Systemic Edge: Segregated Roma Settlements and Multiple Health Risks in Slovakia

“…According to international comparative surveys, 87% of the Romani population in Slovakia live below the poverty line and are the victims of unequal treatment and victimisation by the majority of the population, authorities and the media [ 2 , 3 ]. There are an estimated 250,000 marginalised Roma (approximately 5% of the total population of the country) who suffer from profound institutional discrimination and face widespread unemployment and poverty [ 4 ]. They are often scapegoated and blamed by right-wing populists for general social problems and economic misery [ 5 ].…”

“…Furthermore, it was proven that Roma, especially those living segregated on the outskirts of municipalities, are often treated discriminatively by local authorities with regard to the provision of public utilities [ 22 ]. Institutional discrimination and the lack of compliance with technical and health norms and standards pertain also to waste collection carried out by municipal authorities in Roma settlements [ 4 , 5 , 24 ].…”

“…Roma in the settlements are often “pushed out” and getting off the standard governance practices resting on the law and norms, and are gravitating towards zones in which the “normal” or “standard” rules do not apply and extreme poverty of inhabitants is complemented by intense policing and repression [ 21 , 22 , 25 ]. At the same time, the absence of physical infrastructure in settlements and the non-observance of norms and standards in the sphere of public health on the part of municipal authorities are largely overlooked [ 4 , 5 ].…”

The Class-to-Race Cascade

“…Within the literature on U.S. racism, the urban is a crucial mechanism for understanding racial dispossession, and there is an emerging body of literature in Romani Studies that highlights that the same is true for racism against Roma (Filcak and Steger 2014;Ivancheva 2015;Picker 2017). This literature has highlighted that the state plays a substantial role in producing discourse that perpetuates racism against Roma; the urban fabric, in part an outcome of state planning regimes, both shapes and has been shaped by racism.…”

Untitled

“…Within the literature on U.S. racism, the urban is a crucial mechanism for understanding racial dispossession, and there is an emerging body of literature in Romani Studies that highlights that the same is true for racism against Roma (Filcak and Steger 2014;Ivancheva 2015;. This literature has highlighted that the state plays a substantial role in producing discourse that perpetuates racism against Roma; the urban fabric, in part an outcome of state planning regimes, both shapes and has been shaped by racism.…”