An intervention-research with Roma living in extreme poverty - Methodological and ethical challenges

Since Free Movement of Persons for European Citizens to Switzerland was implemented, extremely poor Roma from Romania come to Geneva expecting to earn some money. They live outdoors, the municipality only providing shelters... [ view full abstract ]

Since Free Movement of Persons for European Citizens to Switzerland was implemented, extremely poor Roma from Romania come to Geneva expecting to earn some money. They live outdoors, the municipality only providing shelters during the winter. Their presence in Geneva provokes the same hostile reactions as have been observed all over Europe.
In view of the severe daily difficulties experienced by the Roma and regarding the paradoxical reactions of the local population and of the authorities, a network of social workers and local authorities is attempting to find pragmatic local solutions.
The research presented here works alongside this network and seeks to contribute to public policy in a context in which experts and politicians address “the Roma problem”, without taking into account the voices of the Roma themselves concerning the problems they face.
When undertaking research with underprivileged groups, researchers cannot restrict themselves to collecting data, they also have to heed the possible impact of research on the persons themselves. As a group difficult to reach, a proximity approach is needed, including a significant period of local immersion and trust-building; especially because the Roma constitute a highly marginalized population discriminated against not only by public services, but also by social workers, in the past as well as and in present.
The research team has opted for a methodology based on group discussions for persons not familiar with articulating life-stories and experiences; following the principles of community action, they combine social intervention with tools for collecting research data.
The presentation will focus on methods, results, and discuss dilemmas and challenges related to the enormous inequality of power between the researcher-team and these Roma.

Battaglini, Eckmann, Hasdeu & Savelieff (2015 tbp). Roms en Cité. Genève : ies éditions.