Abstract
Anchored in the area of Radicalization Studies, the paper offers a fresh perspective on the Romani community in Europe that proves resilient to violent radicalization. Drawing on the initial comparison with Muslim communities in the West whose radicalization leading to terrorism is, among other factors, attributed to the set of socio-economic grievances, the Roma represent a striking puzzle of a social group that has remained immune to resorting to political violence.
The paper will present the main findings based on field research conducted in different locations in Europe between 2019 and 2021. It aims to introduce factors that contribute to radicalization resilience of the Romani: the role of motivated leadership willing to mobilize towards the majority society in a violent way; a highly cohesive community based on traditional kinship together with associated heightened sense of belonging; self-isolation as a protective mechanism that prevents the community from entering into a conflictual relationship with the majority; the ability to forgive for the perceived and experienced wrongs as a strong emotional 'relief' mechanism preventing the build-up of frustration and the ensuing urge to act in a violent way to take revenge; and finally the ability of mindfulness serving as an additional coping mechanism.