How are education and minority status connected: The case of Romanian Roma in Wrocław

Authors

  • Michalina Marczak Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw,J. Wl. Dawida Street 1, 50-527 Wroclaw

Keywords:

Roma, minority education, Cultural-Ecological Theory of School Performance.

Abstract

This paper aims to discuss the connection between compulsory schooling and minority status, and how they are related to differential performance of minorities in national education systems. After describing the theoretical framework based on the works of John Ogbu, I will attempt to present how his Cultural-Ecological Theory of School Performance refers to Romanian Roma community in Wrocław, Poland, which is a group systematically excluded from the dominant society. The analysis suggests that systemic forces act against Roma. This is marked by discrimination towards them in schools and in the labour market. On the side of Roma, mistrust in public institutions, fear of loosing cultural identity and seeing escaping the pariah status as unobtainable leads to lack of investment in formal education.

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Author Biography

  • Michalina Marczak, Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw,J. Wl. Dawida Street 1, 50-527 Wroclaw

    Graduate in Psychology at the University of Wrocław.

    Main research interests: migration psychology, environmental psychology.

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Published

2016-09-10

Issue

Section

LOCAL CULTURES AND SOCIETIES

How to Cite

Marczak, M. (2016). How are education and minority status connected: The case of Romanian Roma in Wrocław. Journal of Education Culture and Society, 7(2), 388-397. https://jecs.pl/index.php/jecs/article/view/10.15503.jecs20162.388.397