Questioning Inclusion: The Education of Roma/Traveller Students and Young People in Europe and England — A Critical Examination

Abstract

This article deals with issues pertinent to the ‘inclusion’ of Roma/Traveller children and young people in Europe and, in particular, England. It discusses some key issues that pertain to the inclusion of Roma/Traveller groups in society and it critically presents some key policies that have been advanced to tackle educational and social exclusion of these groups. The aim in this article is to explore the impact these approaches have had thus far and to unravel some of the contradictions, inconsistencies and tensions that permeate them. The critical examination of such approaches is principally located within the context of the United Kingdom, but relevant policies and initiatives that have been introduced by supra-national European organisations are also discussed in order to inform the reader about the wider context in relation to the issues many Roma/Traveller groups face. Inclusion does not operate in a vacuum. It is argued that a set of structural and ideological factors that impact on inclusion need to be identified and linked to a renewed and enriched inclusion approach. In fighting exclusion, holistic and sustained approaches are necessary, which cut across social, political, economic and cultural domains and extend well beyond the formal education of one group (the Roma/Travellers).