Belonging and Conflict Avoidance: Towards Understanding the Resilience of the Romani Against Radicalisation

Abstract

This ethnographic study presents the results of a qualitative investigation into the absence of radicalisation that would lead to political violence among Romani in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Despite facing ethnic and socioeconomic grievances, the largest ethnic minority in Europe does not exhibit a marked tendency towards violent radicalisation. The study seeks to clarify how certain cultural and sociopsychological factors contribute to the resilience of the Romani against radicalisation. Their strong sense of belonging, in-group solidarity, and social cohesion represent fundamental characteristics that prevent community members from seeking alternative routes to fulfil their social needs, for example, through involvement in violent extremist groups. Furthermore, the study explores the coping mechanism for conflict avoidance that the Romani tend to use to avert violent conflict with the majority population. By presenting a case of non-radicalisation based on 54 in-depth interviews and 40 extensive mixed-method questionnaires, this article intends to stimulate further theoretical reflections on the role of grievances in the process of radicalisation, contribute to the debate about the character of resilience against radicalisation, and also prove the usefulness of investigating negative cases of political violence.

Keywords

• belonging
• conflict avoidance
• marginalised groups
• resilience factors
• non-radicalisation