State dependence: The case of the Roma in the Czech Republic. Projects, grants, policies and the Roma.

Tolgonai SHUKURBEKOVA

Master's thesis

Abstract:

The Czech Republic was the country against which the first European court case was initiated [D.H. and Others v. the Czech Republic], the solution of which highlighted the problem of segregation of Roma children in schools. Since then, the Czech Republic has tried to implement policies to remedy this problem. National policies demonstrated to be ambiguous in nature, and their application and implementation was vague and ineffective. Along with the national policy, non-governmental organizations began to be initiated and created in the Czech Republic, which tried to highlight the problem of segregation of Roma children in schools and to contribute to the joint campaign against segregation. This study intends to examine the perceptions of NGOs, operating at present, towards the state's policies and methods in the context of desegregation and inclusion, and the impact and consequences of these policies towards Roma. As the results of the study show, despite the existing state policy to combat segregation and the official ban on special schools, Roma children are still segregated and placed in segregated schools. The role of NGOs and their position in the desegregation process is also one of the important objectives of the study. Combining these to objectives the target goal of the study will also be to understand the approaches of the two actors within desegregation: NGOs and State. Semi-structured interviews with six representatives of NGOs from the Czech Republic were conducted to examine their perceptions of government involvement, its methods and impact in the context of desegregation, as well as their position in the desegregation process. All NGOs specialize in desegregation and inclusion of Roma children in schools.

Abstract:

The Czech Republic was the country against which the first European court case was initiated [D.H. and Others v. the Czech Republic], the solution of which highlighted the problem of segregation of Roma children in schools. Since then, the Czech Republic has tried to implement policies to remedy this problem. National policies demonstrated to be ambiguous in nature, and their application and implementation was vague and ineffective. Along with the national policy, non-governmental organizations began to be initiated and created in the Czech Republic, which tried to highlight the problem of segregation of Roma children in schools and to contribute to the joint campaign against segregation. This study intends to examine the perceptions of NGOs, operating at present, towards the state's policies and methods in the context of desegregation and inclusion, and the impact and consequences of these policies towards Roma. As the results of the study show, despite the existing state policy to combat segregation and the official ban on special schools, Roma children are still segregated and placed in segregated schools. The role of NGOs and their position in the desegregation process is also one of the important objectives of the study. Combining these to objectives the target goal of the study will also be to understand the approaches of the two actors within desegregation: NGOs and State. Semi-structured interviews with six representatives of NGOs from the Czech Republic were conducted to examine their perceptions of government involvement, its methods and impact in the context of desegregation, as well as their position in the desegregation process. All NGOs specialize in desegregation and inclusion of Roma children in schools.

Keywords

Roma, Czech Republic, School Segregation, School Desegregation, NGO, Project, Policy, Dependence, Welfare.

Jazyk práce: English

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 1. 8. 2021

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedúci: Mgr. Jaroslav Šotola, Ph.D.

Palacký University Olomouc

Faculty of Arts

Master programme / odbor:
Humanities / Euroculture