Questioning the policy framing of Roma in Ghent, Belgium: some implications of taking an insider perspective seriously

The recent flow of Roma immigrants to Western Europe has caused a lot of societal and political discussion. Initiatives and policy measures are introduced at the European and national or local level in order to deal with this situation. This article explores to what extent experiences and self-perceptions of Roma immigrants in Western Europe correspond with the constructed discourse in terms of "Roma inclusion". In policy practices, there seems to be a tension between a willingness to strengthen the particular identity of Roma on the one hand ("targeting"), and a desire to fit those people int... Mehr ...