Colin Clark

A literature review of the health of Gypsy/Traveller families in Scotland: the challenges for health promotion

In this paper, findings from a detailed literature review (which was commissioned in March 2002 by Queen Margaret University College, UK) on Gypsy/Travellers’ health are presented as well as suggestions on where “gaps” exist in related empirical research. The review found that much of the existing research is out of date and found few thorough empirical studies of the health of Gypsy/Traveller communities in Scotland. The authors found that a predominant focus within the literature concerns health beliefs and cultural practices, with far less discussion about the material problems of poverty and social exclusion which affect Traveller communities. Emphasis is given in this paper to problems of access, health inequalities and wider concerns with social inclusion/exclusion. The authors identify the main challenges for health promotion among Gypsy/Traveller families in Scotland and argue that a key route to tackling social exclusion may lie in adopting a community development approach.

Power, privilege and justice: intersectionality as human rights?

ABSTRACT How can we best connect and understand issues of power, privilege and justice in a human rights framework? One approach is to explicitly position intersectionality as a theoretical lens that can assist a critical understanding of the connections between these concepts and realities. The paper does this through an examination of the situation in Scotland via Show Racism the Red Card, an anti-racist non-governmental organisation that works with school-age children to raise awareness on the power of prejudice and discrimination in everyday, interrelated lives. It is shown that despite its complexities, intersectionality can work both conceptually and methodologically in complex environments such as classrooms. The realisation of rights is foregrounded and an appreciation of context, politics, social divisions and outcomes vis-à-vis inclusive equalities needs to be fully grasped. The case study of Show Racism the Red Card situates the nuances of intersectionality as both theory and method, illustrating the need for human rights to be mindful of past, present and future. Overall, it is argued that the example of Scotland offers opportunities to witness a critique of how power, privilege and justice are connected and challenged in a human rights context and how rights can be realised in everyday settings.

Is nomadism the ‘problem’?:The social construction of Gypsies and Travellers as perpetrators of ‘anti-social’ behaviour in Britain

When it comes to defining and theorizing ‘anti-social’ behaviour in relation to Gypsies and Travellers in Britain, there is no shortage of historical and contemporary sources.1 Today, in the Houses of Parliament and on the front pages of tabloid newspapers, in small town council meetings or live talk-show radio programmes, everyone seems to have a view to share on the ‘problems’ caused by Gypsies and Travellers and their ‘anti-social’ behaviours. Wherever and whenever a new Gypsy site is in development or a roadside encampment appears on the outskirts of town, a well-worn accusatory list of ‘anti-social behaviours’ — litter, tax avoidance, noise, crime, welfare fraud, illiteracy and truancy — is circulated and signed (Clark and Cemlyn, 2005; Clark and Greenfields, 2006). It is accurate to state that the vast majority of views are overwhelmingly negative when it comes to public discourses about Gypsies and Travellers (Powell, 2007; Richardson, 2006). Behind statements of their inherent asociality, lies a deep suspicion about their (presumed) mobility, with their marginalization regarded as a ‘natural’ consequence of their nomadism and perceived lack of ‘attachment’ to ‘fixed’ local geographies (Shubin and Swanson, 2010).

Useful Sources – Roma, Gypsies and Travellers

The electronic age has not ignored the existence of Roma, Gypsy and Traveller communities. Detailed below are thirty key websites that provide a variety of information regarding the position of Roma, Gypsies and Travellers across the UK and internationally. The sites are divided into three main categories: government sources, independent sources and international sources. Although this list is not exhaustive, it does illustrate the range of policy issues that touch the lives of Roma, Gypsies and Travellers across the world.