Cilj ovoga rada jest povezivanje socijalne distance s fizičkom, odnosno pokušaj da se odgovori na pitanje ovisi li stupanj (ne)prihvaćanja Roma o njihovoj prostornoj udaljenosti/ blizini. Istraživanje je provedeno u Međimurju, regiji gdje su Romi najzastupljenija manjinska zajednica. Dobiveni rezultati pokazuju da se u uvjetima male fizičke međusobne distance, koja osigurava češći međuetnički kontakt, blizina Roma čak smanjuje stupanj prihvaćanja socijalnih odnosa s njima. Istraživanje je uključilo i mjerenje socijalne distance Roma Bajaša prema određenim drugim etničkim skupinama. Rezultati pokazuju visoki stupanj spremnosti Bajaša na socijalne kontakte s Hrvatima, ali istovremeno i izrazito visoku socijalnu distancu prema svim drugim ponuđenim etničkim skupinama, uključujući Lacatare –pripadnike drugih romskih skupina. Kako u uzorku većinskog stanovništva tako i u uzorku Roma može se zapaziti veća razina spremnosti na prijateljske nego na susjedske odnose. Ta inverzija na Bogardusovoj skali socijalnih odnosa, kada se prostorni javni kontakt prihvaća teže nego intimniji i osobniji kontakt, nesumnjivo čini izglednim održavanje visokog stupnja prostorne segregacije Roma.The aim of this study is to relate social and physical distance and to attempt to answer the question of whether the degree of (non) acceptance of Romani people by the majority population depends on their spatial distance / proximity. The study was conducted in Medjimurje, the region where the Roma are the most highly represented minority group. Research showed that in the areas where the physical distance between the Roma and the majority population is small and inter-ethnic contacts are frequent, proximity to the Roma reduces the level of acceptance of social contacts with them. The study also dealt with the Bayash Roma group’s degree of social distance toward certain ethnic groups. The results showed a high level of acceptance of social contacts with the Croats but, at the same time, extremely high social distance was expressed toward all other ethnic groups, including the Lacatare – members of the other Roma groups. As the study shows, both the majority group respondents and the Roma are more inclined to accept mutual relations of friendship rather than neighbourly relations. This inversion on the Bogardus social distance scale, when spatial public relation (to be a neighbour) is less acceptable than a more intimate and personal relation (to be a friend), certainly strengthens the prospect of the Romas’spatial segregation maintaining its high level
