IKG Blog
Anna Dobai (University of Dundee): Resisting anti-Roma prejudice in everyday interaction: The role of humour
The 8th of April is the International Roma Day. On this occasion, Anna Dobai from University of Dundee writes her research observations. Anna Dobai is a member of the research team on "Miscrecognition of Minorities in Europe" (MisMIE), which is funded by the Volkswagen Foundation.
Europe’s Roma communities remain subject to discrimination in health care, educational provision and employment opportunity. Moreover, they face prejudiced treatment in everyday interaction – even when they visit the grocery store. Sometimes this is explicit as when Roma are subject to verbal insult. Sometimes it is less explicit as when Roma are subject to special security surveillance as they browse the shop’s shelves. Resisting such everyday and routine prejudice can be difficult. Explicit resistance can easily provoke retaliation. However, in some situations, humour can be a vehicle with which to limit the ability of others to act on their prejudices. [...]