The Gypsy Problem

Paper Summary:

This text exposes the origins of the clash between the Gypsies and the cultures of Western society. The paper presents two contrasting perspectives, that is a description of the way the Gypsies see themselves, as revealed in their folklore, in addition to a view of how non-Gypsies see the Gypsies, as revealed in newspaper articles.
Following an introduction to the customs, history, and present day persecution of the Gypsies, the mentioned exploration of the differing perspectives toward Gypsies is presented. The article presents a description of the way Gypsies look, how and where they live, a history of their migration into the West and subsequent persecution and an account of present-day persecution of Gypsies in Central and Eastern Europe.
In this article, the writer also describes the importance of the Gypsy oral tradition and presents an understanding of Gypsy attitudes toward themselves and toward non-Gypsies, as is revealed in their folktales.

Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: Who Are the Gypsies?
Who Are the Gypsies?
A History of Persecution
Present-Day Persecution
Chapter 2: The Non-Gypsy Perspective of Gypsies
"Gypsy" in the Press
Focus on Britain: Prejudice in the Press
Chapter 3: The Roma's Self-Perception
Gypsy Storytelling
Tales of Gypsy Origins
Gypsy Superiority
Inter-Racial Conflict
Chapter 4: A Contrast of Two Perspectives
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Although the Roma are Europe's largest minority and are common throughout North and South America, they are one of the least understood ethnic groups in these regions. The ideas that most people have of Gypsies are usually very limited and vague. If one does not have meaningful interaction with a culture, one's conception of it will rely totally on second-hand sources of information, which can be bias or false. In order to gain a general understanding of the non-Gypsy perspective of Gypsies, the present writer sought insight from the most commonly read of information sources: newspapers. In seeking an understanding of how Gypsies are portrayed in newspapers, two studies were conducted. The first is very broad, in order to gain a general sense for what the word Gypsy most often means in press media. The second study focuses on the press reaction to a specific event involving the Rom, and is a deeper analysis that accounts for more detail."

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