Abstract

My thesis explores the association between Roma's perceptions of discrimination against them by native populations and electoral support of populist or extreme right-wing parties in Central and Eastern Europe. Roma communities have historically been discriminated and persecuted; however according to findings in the literature, during the Cold War there had been improvements in terms of protection of their rights and their economic advancement. Following the end of the Cold War, however, Roma lost these protections and their status worsened. This deterioration is partly attributed to the rise of far-right parties in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe; this connection, however, is understudied in the literature. Based on data gathered from a 2016 EU survey of the Roma populations in countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and electoral data, i.e., the vote share of parties of the far right, I conduct a cross-country comparison of the link between Roma's perceived discrimination against them by native populations and far-right parties' electoral support.

Thesis Completion

2023

Semester

Spring

Thesis Chair/Advisor

Kinsey, Barbara

Degree

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Politics, Security, and International Affairs at University of Central Florida

Degree Program

International and Global Studies

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Release Date

5-15-2023

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