Facets of a Harmony

In this important contribution to contemporary Romani Studies, Jan Ort focuses his anthropological research on a village in eastern Slovakia with a reputation for the ‘harmonious coexistence’ of its ethnically and linguistically heterogeneous populace.
The author offers an ethnographic critique of this idyllic view, showing how historical shifts, as well as the naturalization of inequality and hierarchies, have led to the present situation; however, he also shows examples and methods of subversion and resistance to the village’s current power dynamics.
Based primarily on participant observation within Romani families, the author's long-term research results in a fascinating text replete with ethnographic descriptions that allow readers to understand local, experiences, contexts, and divisions. These insights about the village lead to the key question of the book: Who actually is a local?