Migrant Roma in the United Kingdom and the need to estimate population size

Abstract

Within the political framework of the European Union (EU), there has been long standing recognition that the on-going exclusion of Roma represents a key challenge for human rights, justice and social inclusion agendas. By introducing a requirement for Member States to produce National Roma Integration Strategies (NRIS), the European Commission hopes that Member States will work in partnership with the EU and key stakeholders to achieve inclusion objectives in respect of housing, health, education and employment. The form and content of the United Kingdom's (UK) NRIS submission has been criticised in a number of key areas; notably its 'migrant blind' approach . This article draws on recent research undertaken by the authors (Brown, Martin and Scullion, 2013), which aimed to estimate the size of the recently arrived Roma population in the UK and document some of the local level responses as a result of this migration. It provides an overview of the context giving rise to the research, and how previous population estimates have been attempted, both across the EU and in the UK. The paper considers whether conventional methodologies can be fit for purpose when attempting to assess the population size of a transnational and highly mobile ethnic group, or whether more experimental approaches might yield a fresh approach. More specifically, it examines the strengths and weaknesses of adopting a place typology approach (Lupton et al., 2011). Finally the paper looks at the publication of research about Roma populations in a highly politicised arena in the wake of ongoing national and international attention on Roma.

‘I Would Never Have Come If We’d Know It Might Be Like This’

“…These experiences of poverty and precarious employment are coupled with the impacts of low levels of literacy and limited access to agencies working with and supporting Roma clients (Morris, 2016), language barriers, low levels of knowledge of welfare entitlements in the UK, an increased risk of exploitation by employers, perhaps associated, too, with anti-Roma racism (McGarry, 2017), and a willingness to accept housing and working conditions which may be worse than those available to non-Roma migrants (Brown et al, 2013). Hence, the potential mix for a toxic and declining situation exists which greatly diminishes the security of EU Roma migrants in the UK.…”

“…This mitigates the impact of low wages and the three-month new migrant 'penalty period' (post-2014), during which time new migrants are unable access Housing Benefit or other forms of welfare support in the UK. Accordingly, the location and format of these 'new migrant enclaves' are typically high-density, lowquality, private rented housing in excluded neighbourhoods populated by diverse migrant communities (Brown et al, 2013). In some cases, housing and employment were both arranged by a middle-man who may themselves be a Roma who had become more established within a local neighbourhood, a finding which Nagy (2018) has also highlighted.…”

3 Ethnolinguistic Landscaping in Sheffield: The Invisible Repertoires of the Slovak Roma

“…This trans-national Roma migration to Sheffield is fuelled by a combination of 'push' factors in Slovakia, e.g. lack of employment opportunities and discrimination (Mušinka & Kolesárová, 2012;Scheffel, 2013), and 'pull' factors in the UK, such as increased employment prospects and perceived better schooling (Brown, Martin, & Scullion, 2014). The move from such settlements in Slovakia to other countries in the EU could be termed a natural move from 'periphery' to 'centre' in globalisation discourse (Blommaert, 2010).…”

The reproductive behaviour of the female population in the only Roma governed community in Europe

“…Outside the EU countries, the largest percentage share of the total population in the country is recorded in Serbia, Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro (European Commission, 2011). A large number of Roma migrated to Great Britain, France, Italy, and Germany (Brown et al, 2014;Clough Marinaro, 2003;Maestri, 2014).…”