Roma in the integration process inSlovenia and in Europe
Sergeja Gomboc Mrzlak

Summary:  Roma represent the largest ethnic minority in Europe and can be found in every country in Europe. Intolerance throughout history led to the poor development of their communities and aggravated their integration into the broader society. Despite these obstacles, various cases of well-planned practices in Europe show that problems with the integration of Roma into the broader society can be solved. The key element is the participation of all affected clients in efforts to improve educational conditions for Roma, namely Roma themselves, as well as competent institutions, local authorities and various government- and non-governmental organizations. If we examine the situation in Slovenia, we can see that the Roma population is not homogenous. As communities or ethnic groups, Roma differ amongst themselves in their levels of social, economic and political development and in their levels of integration into Slovene society. Among all gypsy-populated regions, Prekmurje, with its many positive improvements and incentives, has contributed the most to a more successful socialization of Roma and has helped to raise their social, economic and political status.

Journal of Contemporary Educational Studies is
published with support of Slovenian Research Agency.