A cigányság középosztályosodása
The Emergence of Romani Middle Class

Summary/Abstract: Romani population is considered traditionally as one of the most disadvantaged group in the society that needs a great amount of economic, social and cultural support. The author takes the opposite approach describing an emerging middle class in the Romani population in Hungary. It is a long lasting process that begun centuries ago according to the literature, though could not be monitored, since those who entered to the middle class left their Romani identities. A new phenomenon can be detected in this process during the recent years: the new Romani middle class members keep their original Romani names and identities. The schooling levels of the new Romani age groups are raising dramatically. Education research which traditionally dealt with the elementary schooling of this ethnic group is mainly concentrating to secondary and higher education today. A new actor entered in the supportive forces of Romani development, they are the traditional (Christian) churches. The author presents some life careers of Romani university students and their families to illustrate the cooperation of the major social institutions (school, university, church, civic organisation) in the emergence of a Romani middle class.

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