György Csepeli on the roots of the prejudices towards Roma

In the left-leaning daily Népszava social psychologist György Csepeli reflects on the roots of the prejudices towards the Roma in the Hungarian majority society . "Science studies these hate-filled prejudices because they cause wars, genocide, pogroms, the discrimination that poisons everyday life as well as attacks and murders. … The minority always defines itself in terms of the majority. The very word invokes inadequacy because of its associations with the terms 'reduced', 'less' and 'substandard'. Belonging to the minority as opposed to belonging to the majority is therefore a handicap from the very start. … The image the majority society has of the Roma has always been based on their appearance [skin colour], their clothing, their language, their lifestyle and their name. These points of differentiation have been compounded by stereotypical characterisations. These are nurtured by behaviour patterns that run counter to the norms of the majority society. … The Nomadic life ascribed to Roma and the freedom, lack of restraint and unruliness associated with this life trigger a strong sense of counter-identification among non-Roma."

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