Историски, етнолошки и фолклористички перспективи во истражувањата на Ромите во Европа и во Македонија
Historical, ethnological, and folkloristic perspectives in the study of the Roma in Europe and Macedonia

Summary/Abstract: The study of the Roma and their identity is a complex process, conditioned by the historical, political, and cultural contexts in which scholarly works have been published. Historically, the Roma were perceived as a “strange people”, leading to stereotyping and marginalization, while terminology, especially the word “Gypsy/Gypsies”, carried negative connotations and influenced societal and academic perceptions. From administrative records in the 15th – 19th centuries to the first linguistic studies in Europe, the Roma were often treated as subjects of control rather than as an autonomous cultural community. Linguistic studies from the 18th century, particularly the works of Johann Christoph Rüdiger and Heinrich Grellmann, indicated the Indian origin of the Roma but overlooked the complex cultural and social reality. In the South Slavic area, ethnologists and folklorists in the early 20th century collected materials on Roma culture “from the outside”, with limited analysis of the community’s internal perspective. Researchers such as Tihomir Đorđević, Rade Uhlik, and others documented Roma music, language, and customs, often through nationalistic or descriptive paradigms. Contemporary romology, through interdisciplinary approaches and the emergence of Roma researchers like Rajko Đurić and Trajko Petrovski, integrates external and internal perspectives, recognizing Roma identity as dynamic, complex, and culturally valuable. This study provides a systematic overview of historical and contemporary approaches to the study of the Roma and their identity, with an emphasis on ethnological and folkloristic contexts. Through the analysis of European and Yugoslav researchers, as well as contemporary romologists, it demonstrates how scientific methodology has influenced the construction of the image of the Roma, from stereotypical representations toward critical, emancipatory, and integrative perspectives.

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