An inheritance of exclusion: Roma education, genetics and the turn to biosocial solutions

Abstract

Since the 1990s an increasing body of genetic studies of Roma people has been conducted and used to understand their lives. This includes research on health issues such as genetic predispositions to obesity or high cholesterol levels and the migration of European Roma from the Indian subcontinent. Such work needs to be contextualised within the wide-ranging historical oppression of Roma people including their enslavement, the Holocaust, denial of human rights and a lack of access to education. Aligning genetics research to educational policy has often been problematic in the context of discredited, ‘race’ science; recently more nuanced arguments have promoted ‘post-genomic’ solutions, such as biosocial strategies, that address social justice issues. This article argues that an economy of knowledge emerges in the ‘postgenomic era’ that privileges predominantly White European, majority populations and this is particularly apparent in the context of the Roma. The promotion of educational solutions framed by genetics research underpins how cultural capital, in this case scientific knowledge and its framing within social theory such as Deleuzian assemblage will, in all likelihood, maintain the status quo for the Roma.

Mental health support needs within Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities: a qualitative study

“…Consequently, future research should control for social desirability bias. Finally, researching the differences between ethnic groups could promote the false concept of “race,” which promotes division (Myers, 2019). It is vital that research and practise recommendations do not further marginalise groups by perpetuating false images of otherness, a message heard from the participants throughout this research.…”

“…The term “Gypsy” is applied here as it is an accepted term in the British Isles, where the study takes place; however, care is taken to avoid offense where possible. The authors are aware that the grouping of GRT people can dismiss the uniqueness of each culture and add to feelings of seclusion (Myers, 2019). Nevertheless, highlighting inequalities is necessary to produce meaningful change and the net beneficence of this study (Gillon, 1994) lies in the hope that the identification and acknowledgement of health inequalities will assist in the formation of parity (Thornton et al , 2020).…”

Nationality as an Influential Variable with Regard to the Social Skills and Academic Success of Immigrant Students

“…In this case, in Spain, their relationship with the marginal world positions them as students with low academic performance and high levels of school absenteeism [74], anspect that has been aggravated due to the lack of resources in online teaching [75]. In addition, the scarce training and the little value that Roma parents place on their children's education have overshadowed their academic expectations [76], giving priority, as fwith other ethnic groups, to professional goals. Faced with these problems, there are initiatives that seek to increase the school integration of these students, as well as their academic level, a fact that is sometimes hampered by cultural roots and the discrepancy in educational values on the part of these families [77].…”

Representing vulnerable populations in genetic studies: The case of the Roma

“…Genetic studies on Roma, however, have hardly been the focus of social scientists, or at least not in comparable depth (Cazacu et al 2013;Myers 2019). Nevertheless, these very few social sciences studies have added new insights: Geneticists have conceptualized Roma as different from other genetic isolates, as a very specific isolate indeed.…”