‘There Is an Exemplar because I’m There.’ Professional Roles and Experiences of Roma Teachers in Rural Hungary

Teachers are fundamental actors in education; without their contribution even the most progressive pedagogical ideas fail. However, few studies address how their individual biographies, community belonging, and intersectional identities impact their pedagogical views and practices. Furthermore, while the Roma are the target of numerous social and pedagogical initiatives, they are rarely considered as actors who shape education. Through an analysis of ten ethnographic interviews with self-identified Roma teachers embedded in two local educational settings, this paper scrutinizes the potential and challenges associated with the presence of qualified Roma teachers in rural Hungarian schools. Interviewees demonstrated a high level of commitment to ‘leading by example,’ and this was embedded in their relations with students and parents. Most teachers also believed that, besides professional expertise, shared ethnicity provided them with a specific opportunity to build trust, express empathy, implement curricula, and incorporate locally and culturally relevant knowledge. However, while professionalism and ethnicity often complemented each other, difficulties also arose due to the differing expectations and heterogeneity of local Roma communities. The findings suggest that Roma teachers may bring valuable resources for education through mobilizing their personal experiences and social and cultural sensitivity, but tapping these resources is limited by structural and contextual constraints

Ki tanít? Roma pedagógusok vidéki oktatási terekben

Míg a hazai alapfokú oktatásban egyre több roma tanuló vesz részt, a tanári közösség alig változik: túlnyomórészt többségi, középosztálybeli pedagógusok alkotják. Eközben a kevés, szakmában dolgozó roma pedagógus tapasztalatait sem ismerjük. Az elemzés célja ezért, hogy interjúk felhasználásával bemutasson tíz szakképzett roma pedagógus helyi viszonyrendszerekbe ágyazott pályaképét és munkájának néhány aspektusát. Az elbeszéléseket átszövi a „példamutatás” vágya, mely beágyazódik a nevelés gyakorlatába, a tananyag átadásába, és a családokkal való kapcsolattartásba. Ezek egyben olyan területek, melyekben a tanárok szakmai felkészültségük mellett építenek etnikai kötődésükre is. Van, amikor a kettő kiegészíti egymást, ám előfordul, hogy az eltérő elvárások miatt konfliktusok keletkeznek. Az elemzés szemlélteti, hogy a roma pedagógusok maguk is aktív alakítói lehetnek az oktatási folyamatoknak

Ki tanít? : roma pedagógusok vidéki oktatási terekben = Who teaches? : Roma professionals in rural educational spaces

While there is an increasing number of Roma students in basic education in Hungary, the teacher force hardly changes: most teachers are of majority middle-class background. Meanwhile, we know little about the experiences of the few Roma in the profession. The paper shows, through the analysis of interviews, the career trajectories of ten Roma pedagogues, along with some aspects of their professional practice. The wish to lead by example is strong in all narratives, and it is embedded in the teachers’ way of educating pupils, conveying curricula, and keeping contact with families. These are also the areas, where in addition to professional expertise, interviewees build upon their ethnic belonging. Sometimes the two compliment each other, while in other cases conflicts arise due to differing expectations. The analysis reveals that Roma pedagogues can actively shape the educational practices

From Exclusion to Co-Optation: Political Opportunity Structures and Civil Society Responses in De-Democratising Hungary

While it is well-known that democratic backsliding imposes a variety of challenges on civil society organisations, it is often assumed that it represses civil society. However, a closer look at the impact of democratic backsliding on civil society organisations reveals that even in countries where democratic backsliding is fairly advanced, the relationship between civil society and the state is more complex. Close cooperation and partnership between civil society organisations and the state are scarce in backsliding countries; the relationship between civil society organisations and the state might, however, range from hostility to varying forms and degrees of co-optation. Based on interviews with representatives of civil society organisations and the examination of the sector-specific social and political environment, we aim to explore the forms and factors that shape the relationship between civil society organisations and the state in Hungary. More specifically, we analyse the impact of the changing political opportunity structures on three important sectors of civil society organisations: human rights organisations, environmental organisations, and women’s organisations. We argue that, to seize control over civil society the government applies sector-specific strategies, ranging from exclusion to co-optation. State strategies, in turn, spark different responses from civil society organisations

Report on legal and public policies proposals to address anti-gender hate speech

This report is the result of the European project titled "Hate speech, gender, social networks and political parties" (GENHA)(Reference: 875388

Anti-Gender Hate Speech in Populist Right-Wing Social Media Communication

This report is the result of the European project titled "Hate speech, gender, social networks and political parties" (GENHA)(Reference: 875388

Map of the main political parties using hate speech against the "ideology of gender" through the social networks and internet in Europe

This report is the result of the European project titled "Hate speech, gender, social networks and political parties" (GENHA)(Reference: 875388