STRUGGLES IN THE REPRESENTATIONS OF ROMA IMMIGRANTS IN THE NORTH OF FRANCE: FROM MIGRATION MANAGEMENT TO PUBLIC DISCOURSE
STRUGGLES IN THE REPRESENTATIONS OF ROMA IMMIGRANTS IN THE NORTH OF FRANCE: FROM MIGRATION MANAGEMENT TO PUBLIC DISCOURSE

Summary/Abstract: In this article we seek to unveil the intricacies of Roma migration in the north of France and the shift in the public discourse calling for the protection of human rights. In the first part of the article, we will establish the general framework for the migration of the Roma population in the region of Lille, France and Romanians’ perception regarding this matter. In this paper, we attempt to present, in a concrete manner, how the faults in the management of immigration and politics have influenced the alleged relationship between ethnicity and crime, taking into account concepts such as Roma population exclusion, poverty and marginalisation at home and abroad. Moreover, we will show the important changes presented by the public opinion, taking into consideration several highly publicized events that cast a shadow upon the situation of the Roma population in the region. After the Romanian integration in the European Union, the issue of the Roma people has been discussed by the media from all parts of the continent, sliding from a tone of disapproval to proclaiming the need to take political measures. The migration of Roma Romanians in the north of France is a result of an influx of immigrants that grew in the last five years. The dramatic changes happened, especially after 2007, and were followed by a stabilization of migration flows after Romania joined the European Union. As expected, the latest statistics on Romanian immigrants into the French community continue to indicate their important presence in the region.

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