The Roma are one of the 13 indigenous nationalities in Hungary and are comprised of several subgroups. Among these, the largest group is the Romungro or Hungarian Gypsies, who arrived in Hungary earliest and have lost their ancestral language, speaking only Hungarian. The Oláh Gypsies are another significant group, who are bilingual in Hungarian and Romani and place a high value on ethnically homogeneous marriages. The Boyash Gypsies are also bilingual, but do not understand the language of the Olah Gypsies, and marry intra-group as much as possible. In addition to the three largest groups, there are other smaller communities (e.g. Sinti), and the groups are further subdivided into sub-groups.
In addition to the horizontal segmentation among the Roma, they are also characterized by vertical segmentation based on factors such as economic status, education, and occupation. Despite some improvement in recent decades, the Roma population still experiences disparities compared to the majority Hungarian population in areas such as education, employment, and housing.
Although numerous studies and initiatives have been undertaken to improve the social integration of the Roma, a comprehensive and effective solution has yet to be found. My research focuses on various aspects of Roma integration, including Roma college for advanced studies, interethnic relationships, and Roma friendships.
The Semmelweis University Institute of Mental Health has been conducting research on students enrolled in the Roma Colleges for Advanced Studies Network since 2011. The aim of the Colleges is to support Roma students in their academic pursuits, and the…
Research has shown that the proportion of interethnic couples in society is an indicator of the closeness of the majority and minority groups. The more a given minority group is integrated into society, the more this type of relationship can…
The study of friendship among the Roma population is particularly interesting because of the specific ethnic content of the word friend. For them, the term friend refers only to people of Hungarian ethnicity, while Roma friends are regarded by Roma…
