Gypsy and traveller families in West Sussex: Safety, community and identity
Gypsy and traveller families in West Sussex: Safety, community and identity
How far do Gypsy, Roma and Traveller see educational interventions as an external attempt to change them, and how far do they see them as a tool to achieve their own aspirations? This paper will examine some preliminary findings from a study carried out in one local authority in England to examine and assess the role and effectiveness of the Traveller Education Service (TES). The research is based on qualitative in-depth interviews with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) and with members of the TES and members of the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service. The interviews were tape-recorded and the data transcribed. The families who participated in the research were selected by the TES for interview. All of the interviews took place in the homes of the respondents and for some interviews the respondents wanted a member of the TES to be present. Our preliminary findings indicate that families feel the TES are a useful service and it is because of their relationship with the TES that they send their children to school. They also indicate that they want their children to go to school as long as they feel their children will be safe and looked after. Our research also revealed there are differing meanings of the term ‘community’ in relation to how GRT families live their lives. This paper will attempt to shed light on how GRT families view the role of the TES, their children’s education and how definitions of ‘community’ fit into these meanings and how identities for GRT parents and children, and their local understandings of the global context are negotiated and re-negotiated within the context of different communities.
Myers, Martin
7c2c36aa-1db3-425c-9bab-cbb5f7b70ee1
Bhopal, Kalwant
5ac0970e-1c42-4757-87df-6fdb6f826314
McGhee, Derek
a71a2bbb-9966-48a2-afc1-7b4ae7f96361
June 2008
Myers, Martin
7c2c36aa-1db3-425c-9bab-cbb5f7b70ee1
Bhopal, Kalwant
5ac0970e-1c42-4757-87df-6fdb6f826314
McGhee, Derek
a71a2bbb-9966-48a2-afc1-7b4ae7f96361
Myers, Martin, Bhopal, Kalwant and McGhee, Derek
(2008)
Gypsy and traveller families in West Sussex: Safety, community and identity.
The 38th World Congress of International Institute of Sociology Conference, Budapest, Hungary.
25 - 28 Jun 2008.
Record type:
Conference or Workshop Item
(Other)
Abstract
How far do Gypsy, Roma and Traveller see educational interventions as an external attempt to change them, and how far do they see them as a tool to achieve their own aspirations? This paper will examine some preliminary findings from a study carried out in one local authority in England to examine and assess the role and effectiveness of the Traveller Education Service (TES). The research is based on qualitative in-depth interviews with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) and with members of the TES and members of the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service. The interviews were tape-recorded and the data transcribed. The families who participated in the research were selected by the TES for interview. All of the interviews took place in the homes of the respondents and for some interviews the respondents wanted a member of the TES to be present. Our preliminary findings indicate that families feel the TES are a useful service and it is because of their relationship with the TES that they send their children to school. They also indicate that they want their children to go to school as long as they feel their children will be safe and looked after. Our research also revealed there are differing meanings of the term ‘community’ in relation to how GRT families live their lives. This paper will attempt to shed light on how GRT families view the role of the TES, their children’s education and how definitions of ‘community’ fit into these meanings and how identities for GRT parents and children, and their local understandings of the global context are negotiated and re-negotiated within the context of different communities.
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Published date: June 2008
Venue - Dates:
The 38th World Congress of International Institute of Sociology Conference, Budapest, Hungary, 2008-06-25 - 2008-06-28
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 59228
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/59228
PURE UUID: 3e11177e-a3ad-47fb-ba51-290858a2acb4
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Date deposited: 28 Aug 2008
Last modified: 11 Dec 2021 17:59
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Contributors
Author:
Martin Myers
Author:
Kalwant Bhopal
Author:
Derek McGhee
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