This book deals with the social exclusion of Romanies ( Gypsies ) in Italy. Based on interviews with Romani individuals, institutional and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) representatives, participant observation and a broad range of secondary sources, the volume focuses on the conditions of those living in Rome s urban slums and on the recent implementation of the so-called Emergenza Nomadi (Nomad Emergency). The enactment of this extraordinary measure concealed the existence of a long-established institutional tradition of racism and control directed at Romanies. It was not the result of a sudden, unexpected situation which required an immediate action, as the declaration of an emergency might imply, but rather of a precise government strategy. By providing an investigation into the interactions between Romanies, local institutions and CSOs, this book will deliver a new perspective on the Romani issue by arguing that the camp is not only a tool for institutional control and segregation, but also for resistance , as well as a huge business in which everyone plays their part.
