Abstract
The paper offers an alternative perspective on the Romani communities that, by its very essence, contribute to peaceful coexistence with the majority population. Drawing on the comparison with Muslim communities in the Western world whose radicalization leading to terrorism is, among other factors, attributed to the set of socio-economic grievances, the Roma represent a striking instance of a social group that has remained immune to resorting to political violence.
Despite being confronted with social exclusion and isolation, stigmatization, socio-economic discrimination, deprivation, marginalization and cultural alienation, there has been no record of an act of political violence, let alone terrorism. The paper presents the main findings based on field research conducted in different locations in the Czech Republic and Slovakia in the years of 2019 and 2020.
It makes a contribution to our understanding of political violence in Social Sciences, but it can also offer a fresh impetus for Romani Studies scholars and extend an invitation for interdisciplinary dialogue. Moreover, by acknowledging the peaceful character of the community at the macro level, it challenges the dominant public and political discourse, in which the Roma are perceived as a societal and sometimes even a security threat, which it is comfortable to mobilize against.