Municipal mediators as a cooperation network for the social integration of Roma community: a qualitative study

• Date: 03 June 2024
• Pages: 1276-1294
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-09-2023-0309
• Published date: 03 June 2024
• Author: Júlio Costa,Mário Franco

Municipal mediators as a

cooperation network for the social

integration of Roma community:

a qualitative study

J

ulio Costa

Department of Management and Economics, Universidade da Beira Interior,

Covilha, Portugal, and

M

ario Franco

Management and Economics Department, CEFAGE-UBI Research Center,

Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilha, Portugal

Abstract

Purpose –This study aims to understand in what way municipal mediators can function as a cooperation

network, promoting better social and economic inclusion of Roma community.

Design/methodology/approach–To fulfil this objective, a qualitative approach was adopted, holding semi-

structured interviews with various partners involved in an inter-organisational cooperation network: the

DiverCity project. This project aims to combat the discrimination of Roma community living in the local

authority.

Findings –The empirical evidence obtained shows that the most important factors for the successful social

and economic inclusionof Roma community are networking andthe trust created between the parties involved.

Communication, flexibility and common goals are other essential relational factors for the social and economic

inclusion of the Roma community in this cooperation network.

Practical implications –This study shows how trust and networking are fundamental for the social

and economic inclusionof Roma community. When minoritiesand the majority community are in harmony and

consider factors such as trust and communication, social inclusion is found to be the case. From networking and

the trust established between partners, this study shows how municipal mediators can facilitate inclusion of

Roma community.

Originality/value –As there is little research onthe role of municipal mediators in social inclusion, this study

is particularly importantand innovative by proposing a model for project development aiming for the inclusion

of minority groups such as Roma community.

Keywords Municipal mediator, Cooperation network, Minority, Trust, Social integration

Paper type Case study

1. Introduction

The way governments handle diversity is fundamental for the future of peace and democracy

in Europe (Csergo et al., 2017). In this connection, minorities are social groups with different

characteristics from the majority of the population, regarding race, gen der, sexual

orientation, religion, ethnicity or other characteristics (Yohannes et al., 2022). These groups

may suffer discrimination or social exclusion due to being a minority, which can lead to

conflicts with other groups or with the authorities.

According to Constant et al. (2009), the social and labour integration of ethnic minorities in

the European Union (EU) is still a major political, social and economic challenge. Ethnic

EDI

43,8

1276

The authors are grateful to the anonymous referees of the journal for their extremely useful suggestions

to improve the quality of the paper. The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from National

Funds of the FCT –Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology within the project «UIDB/

04007/2020».

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

https://www.emerald.com/insight/2040-7149.htm

Received 17 September 2023

Revised 7 March 2024

Accepted 4 April 2024

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

An International Journal

Vol. 43 No. 8, 2024

pp. 1276-1294

© Emerald Publishing Limited

2040-7149

DOI 10.1108/EDI-09-2023-0309

minorities include indigenous, linguistic and religious minorities; gypsies, people in exile and

immigrants. The EU recognises that culture and diversity are vital elements of countries’

economy and competitiveness and for their international relations with other countries.

The growing gap between knowledge of the problem of discrimination of minorities as

systemic and the predominance of an approach that individualises minority questions

reveals a disconnection between a rhetoric of values and a political approach that is unable to

give visibility to these values, classing them as secondary to key economic objectives

(Cianetti, 2018). The wa y this question is artic ulated and addressed h as changed

significantly, as European governments and social actors respond to problems of regional

security, internal political unrest and economic well-being (Csergo et al., 2017).

A fundamental tension underlying this objective has been that ethnic minorities are seen

as both vulnerable in the structures of majority nation-states and potentially threatening

states’stability and European security (Kymlicka, 2007). Influential researchers have argued

that EU integration has contributed significantly to pacifying inter-ethnic relations in a

region (Jenne, 2015;Kelley, 2010).

In this context, various projects have emerged aiming to promote social and economic

inclusion. One of these projects consists of forming teams, called municipal mediators, where

professionals working in local public organs aim to mediate in conflicts between different

groups in society. These mediators facilitate dialogue and seek consensual solutions for

conflicts that arise, aiming to avoid legal actions or other forms of litigation. Municipal

mediators can be an important tool to handle conflicts involving minorities, since these

groups often find it difficult to access public services and ensure their rights. Through

forming cooperation networks, mediation can help to resolve these conflicts pacifically and

effectively, promoting inclusion and equal rights for all citizens.

Roma community are an important ethnic minority, the community originating in

northern India and spreading over many parts of the world, including Europe, Asia and

America. In many countries, Roma community have faced discrimination and social

exclusion throughout history, which has affected their quality of life and access to

opportunities. Roma community are often associated with poverty and crime, and are seen as

a threat to a territory’s socio-economic well-being (Csergo et al., 2017).

Close analysis of the EU’s political approaches to the social inclusion of minorities reveals

three key questions. Firstly, there is a chronic lack of systematic data on the ethnic geography

of socio-economic disadvantages, and so there is no clear picture of minorities’socio-economic

exclusion in Europe as a whole, in different countries, and for different minorities. This makes

it difficult to understand the problem and find political solutions. Nevertheless, there is

sufficient proof to show that minorities everywhere in Europe have consistently been at a

socio-economic disadvantage. Secondly, there is a gradual discrepancy between, on one hand,

the growing recognition that European minorities suffer from persistent socio-economic

exclusion, and on the other, the growing dependence on the fight against social exclusion.

This gap is the reflection of contradictory pressure from different actors in the EU. Thirdly,

despite not creating this imbalance, the economic crisis has added to it (Cianetti, 2018).

Although inclusive policies have been formulated, implementation has not been complete

(Okros and Scott, 2015), and so this study intends to identify in what way municipal

mediators, as a cooperation network, can achieve greater integration of Roma community.

The aim is therefore through a case study –the DiverCity Project –to identify the main factors

in selecting partners for the cooperation network, the phases of implementing this project and

how municipal mediators’intervention leads to better integration of minorities.

Consequently, as there is little research on the role of municipal mediators in social

inclusion, this study is particularly important and innovative as it proposes a model to

develop projects related to the inclusion of minority groups such as Roma community.

Equality,

Diversity and

Inclusion: An

International

Journal

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