A Socio-Economic Survey on Gypsies in Kocaeli, Turkey

Öz

Anahtar Kelimeler

• -

A Socio-Economic Survey on Gypsies in Kocaeli, Turkey

Öz

The Gypsies, identified as “the largest ethnic minority group in Europe,” have also been known as the most dis-criminated and marginalized ethnic group, and faced severe difficulties in social, cultural and economic terms in Turkey. This study focuses on Gypsies living in Kocaeli, Turkey, probably the least known group in the literature. The aim of the study is to identify the situations of this  disadvantageous group in Kocaeli and to develop policy re-commendations regarding their problems. The study also aims to find out basic demographic, educational, social, habitual and economic situations of Gypsies, in order to explore strategies for integration to the urban life in Kocaeli. This study, which is probably the first and most comprehensive research on the specific Gypsy group living in Kocaeli, is based on empirical data collected from a survey applied to a total of 3517 Gypsies living in three districts of Kocaeli between 2 and 19 February, 2011. In this survey, it has been found out that Gypsies in Kocaeli are socio-economically living under extremely hard conditions and facing serious problems in terms of social discrimination, education, working, social security, and housing. The paper will first give basic information regarding Gypsies of Turkey in general and of Kocaeli in particular. Then, findings of the survey will be shared. The study will end with a general evaluation and policy recommendations regarding problems of Gypsies living in Kocaeli.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Romans/Gypsies, discrimination, social, economic, Kocaeli, Turkey

Kaynakça

1. Aras, Fatma Erdoğan (2009) “Etnik (Çin- gene) İşgücünün Enformel İşgücü Piya- sasına Katılım Biçimleri ve Bu Süreçte Etkili Olan Faktörler: İstanbul (Cankur- taran) ve Edirne (Menzilahır) Örnek- leri,” Gazi Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi, 11/1, 75-100.
2. Arayıcı, Ali (2008) Avrupa’nın Vatansızları Çingeneler, Kalkedon Yayınları: İstan- bul.
3. Arayici, Ali (2009) “Gypsies: The Forgotten People of Turkey,” International Social Science Journal, 59/193–194, 527–538.
4. Crowe, David M. (2003) “The International and Historical Dimensions of Romani Migration in Central and Eastern Eu- rope,” Nationalities Papers, 31/1, 81– 94.
5. Duygulu, Melih (2006) Türkiye Çingeneleri Müziği, Pan Yayıncılık: Istanbul.
6. EveryOne Group (2007) “European Motion to Oppose the Phenomenon of Discri- mination against the Gypsies in Italy. Presentation of the Romanesia Project to Encourage the Integration of Gypsies into Italian and Romanian Society, the Development of Their Traditional Acti- vities and the Divulging of Their His- tory and Culture (Prepared for Parlimantary Assembly by Roberto Ma- lini, Matteo Pegoraro, Dario Picciau), November 7.
7. Fogg, Shannon L. (2008) “’They Are Undesi- rables’: Local and National Responses to Gypsies during World War II,” French Historical Studies, 31/2, Spring, 327-358
8. Fraser, Angus (2005) Avrupa Halkları Çin- geneler (Translation to Turkish by İlkin İnanç), Homer Kitabevi: İstanbul.

9. Gültekin, Nevin (2009) “The Impact of Social Exclusion in Residential Segregation: A Gipsy Neighbourhood Fevzi Pasa in Turkey,” Gazi University Journal of Sci- ence, 22(3), 245–256.
10. http://www.kocaeli.bel.tr/Content.aspx?C ontentID=22760&CategoryID=2368 (22 Mayıs 2011)
11. Kaya, İlkim ve Zengel, Rengin (2005) “View Point: A Marginal Place for the Gypsy Community in a Prosperous City: Izmir, Turkey,” Cities, 22/2, 151–160.
12. Kavak, Yüksel (1997) “Eğitim, İstihdam ve İşsizlik İlişkileri,” Hacettepe Üniversi- tesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi 13: 21-26.
13. Kenrick, Donald (2006) Çingeneler: Ganj’dan Thames’e (Translation to Turkish Bahar Tırnakcı), Homer Kitabevi: İstanbul.
14. Kolukırık, Suat (2006–2007) “Tarlabaşı Çin- genelerinde Dilin Sosyal İşlevi: Dil, Kül- tür ve Kimlik, Akademik Araştırmalar Dergisi, 31, 197–209.
15. Kolukırık, Suat (2008) “Türkiye’de Rom, Dom ve Lom Gruplarının Görünümü,” Hacettepe Üniversitesi Türkiyat Araş- tırmaları Dergisi, 5/8, 143–153.
16. Le-Roi, Choisy (2010) “French Crackdown on Gypsies Raises Concerns about Dis- crimination,” The Canadian Press, Aug 18.
17. Özaydın, Mehmet Merve, Banu Metin ve Işıl Kurnaz (2009) “The Role of Education in Labor Markets in Turkey: A Labor Demand - Side Approach,” Gazi Üni- versitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fa- kültesi Dergisi, 11/2, 141-170.
18. Ravnbİl, Camilla Ida (2010) “The Human Rights of Minority Women: Romani Women’s Rights from a Perspective on International Human Rights Law and Politics,” International Journal on Mi- nority and Group Rights, 17, 1–45.
19. Uçum, Özgür (2008), Kocaeli Çingenelerinde Evlenme Geleneği, Kocaeli Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü (Yayınlanma- mış Yüksek Lisans Tezi).
20. Uzpeder, Ebru, Savelina Danova/Roussi- nova, Sevgi Özçelik, Sinan Gökçen (ed.) (2008) “Eşitsiz Vatandaşlık: Türkiye Çingenelerinin Karşılaştığı Hak İhlal- leri,” Biz Buradayız: Türkiye’de Ro- manlar, Ayrımcı Uygulamalar ve Hak Mücadelesi, Edirne Roman Derneği, European Roma Rights Center, Helsinki Yurttaşlar Derneği, Mart Matbaacılık: İstanbul.