Mapping Roma and Romani in Europe: Approaches and Challenges

Description

Until recently the Roma have remained the ‘great invisible’ of European history. Rarely do they and their language(s) feature on ethnolinguistic maps that became a leading genre of political cartography in Europe during the last two centuries. In my work-in-progress, Atlas of Language Politics in Modern Europe, I have attempted to depict the Roma and their language(s). Now, in collaboration with Elena Marushiakova and Veselin Popov, I am developing a multifaceted map that depicts Central Europe’s most important Roma communities and settlements. Two years ago I devised a ‘Romani-language map of Central Europe in 2009,’ because each and single ethnolinguistic group (or nation) in this part of Europe does produce maps of this continent in their own specific languages, bar the Roma. However, the challenge of the Roma’s multiudialecticism and multilingualism stalled the project which now came to a methodological standstill. Besides presenting the completed maps, I hope to discuss with the audience how they could be improved, and especially how the challenges of producing a Romani-language map of Central Europe could be scaled.

Gypsy Lore Society Conference, Chișinău, Moldova, September 10-12, 2015

Period	12 Sept 2015
Event title	Mapping Roma and Romani in Europe: Approaches and Challenges
Event type	Other
Sponsor