Roma–non-Roma interethnic relationships and identity
Background and aims
The number of Roma–non-Roma interethnic relationships and marriages has been increasing in Hungary. Although these interethnic relationships can be related to the social integration of the Roma people, still little research has been focused on the study of this so far. The focus of our research was ethnic identity and Roma identity strategies, by involving different Roma subgroups (Beas, Oláh, Romungro). We intended to find the answer to how these constructs relate to whether the respondents have ever had a non-Roma partner in their lives.
Methods
In our questionnaire-based, quantitative, cross-sectional, exploratory research with 533 Roma respondents in Hungary, we examined Roma–non-Roma interethnic relations in terms of ethnic identity (MEIM scale), Roma identity strategy (separated, integrated, assimilated) and belonging to a Roma subgroup (Oláh, Beas, Romungro).
Results
In our study, while ethnic identity did not correlate with whether respondents had a non-Roma partner in their lives or not, the Roma identity strategy did. Those who claimed to belong to the majority of society were more likely to choose a non-Roma partner. While those who proudly professed to belong to the Roma community preferred to choose a Roma partner in their life. Level of education showed interrelation with the Roma identity strategy and the ethnicity of the partner.
Conclusions
The fact that there was no difference in ethnic identity according to the origin of the partner, however, the Roma identity strategy is in connection with the partner choice, may indicate that the partner choice in this case is more about the relationship between the majority and the minority and its internal representation, than how an individual of a minority behaves and thinks about his or her ethnic group.
Komolafe Cinderella, Csordás Georgina, Dávid Beáta (2023): Roma -nem roma interetnikus párkapcsolatok és identitás. Magyar Pszichológiai Szemle. https://doi.org/10.1556/0016.2022.00041
