European Social Integration and the Roma : Questioning Neoliberal Governmentality

This book critically questions the current European neoliberal mentality of ‘social inclusion’ of Roma through a reflective historical ethnography of power relations among the Roma and state/non-state actors in Romania. It challenges the object of study within the field of Romani studies/policy oriented research, which concentrates almost exclusively on the ‘marginality’, ‘poverty’ and ‘vulnerability’ of the Roma. ‘Historical geographies of power’ are proposed as a new framework for the study of social power at group and individual level, in a dynamic historical perspective. This new framework can be applied to populations highly subjected to governmental power all over the world.

In the field of political sociology and European studies, there has long been a discussion on transnational neoliberal development and ethnic groups’ self-governance. Notwithstanding, there has been limited exploration in relation to modes of knowledge production associated with neoliberal governance of the Other (e.g. ethnic and indigenous groups), which capture its idiosyncratic modes of political expression and empowerment.

Drawing on Michel Foucault’s political philosophy, this book discusses European social integration as transnational neoliberal governmentality and challenges its epistemologically constituted subaltern subject. Neoliberalism is questioned in relation to its programs of securitisation of poverty and authoritarian models of self-governance associated with instrumentality of the market. In this context, the book’s rich political historical ethnography develops a new framework for the study of social power. Furthermore, inspired by Jacques Rancière''s radical philosophy, European Social Integration and the Roma proposes a new mode of knowledge production about populations excessively subjected to neoliberal governmentality, heralding the epistemological decolonisation of the neoliberal subject.

Presenting an insightful new prospect in critical sociology as well as the conceptualization of power and the application of theories of governmentality, this book will appeal to scholars interested in the areas of political sociology and anthropology, international relations, social and political theory/philosophy and post-development studies.