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Romani Writing

Literacy, Literature and Identity Politics

By Paola Toninato

To Be Published November 1st 2013 by Routledge – 176 pages

Series: Routledge Research in Literacy

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    978-0-415-80590-2
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Description

The Roma (commonly known as 'Gypsies') have largely been depicted in writings and in popular culture as an illiterate group. However, as Paola Toninato demonstrates, the Roma have a deep understanding of literacy and its implications, and use writing for a range of different purposes. While some Romani writers adopt an 'oral' use of the written medium, which is instrumental in opposing and 'deconstructing' anti-Gypsy stereotypes, other Romani authors use writing for purposes of identity-building. Writing is perceived by Romani activists and intellectuals as a key factor in establishing a shared identity and introducing a common language that transcends linguistic and geographical boundaries between different Romani groups. As Toninato makes clear, Romani authors, acting in-between different cultures and communication systems, regard writing as an act of 'cultural mediation' through which they are able to 're-write' and 'negotiate' their identity while retaining their ethnic specificity. Indeed, Toninato concludes by emphasizing how Romani authors have started to create self-images in which the Roma are no longer portrayed as 'objects', but become 'subjects' of written representation.

Contents

Foreword by Professor Judith Okely

Introduction

PART ONE: ROMANI LITERACY

Chapter 1 The construction of the "primitive ‘Gypsy’"

Chapter 2 The Romani approach to education

Chapter 3 The Romani approach to literacy

PART TWO: The Politics of ROMANI WRITING

Chapter 4 The rise of Romani writing

Chapter 5 "From the native’s point of view": the use of writing for counter-hegemonic purposes

Chapter 6 Re-writing ‘Gypsy’ history: the use of writing for identity-building purposes

Chapter 7 The female voice: the case of Slovenian-Croatian Roma and Sinti women writers

PART THREE: ROMANI WRITING AS INTERCULTURAL PRACTICE

Chapter 8 Hybridity and bricolage: the key to Romani writing

Chapter 9 Romani writing as negotiation of ‘Gypsy’ identity

CONCLUSION

Bibliography

Index

Author Bio

Paola Toninato is an Associate Research Fellow at the University of Warwick. Her publications include The Creolization Reader, co-edited with Robin Cohen, and Differences on Stage, co-edited with Alessandra De Martino and Paolo Puppa.

Name: Romani Writing: Literacy, Literature and Identity Politics (Hardback) – Routledge 
Description: By Paola Toninato. The Roma (commonly known as 'Gypsies') have largely been depicted in writings and in popular culture as an illiterate group. However, as Paola Toninato demonstrates, the Roma have a deep understanding of literacy and its implications,...
Categories: Language & Literacy, Educational Research, Language and Education, International & Comparative Education