Where are the siblings?

Roma friendship networks in 2004 and 2019

Abstract

In our study, the personal network characteristics of the Roma was described on the basis of two surveys taken in 2004 (N = 779) and in 2019 (N = 600). In the analysis, we examined the core network of confidants and friendship ties, focusing on stability as well as on potential changes. We encountered two aspects that did not change during these 15 years: the social exposure of Roma women and of those who are not in touch with a (minority) municipal representative. Otherwise, the characteristics of the personal network structure of the Roma sample in 2019 showed more similarities to that of the majority of society, i.e. the Roma who participated in the survey no longer attained the networking “advantage” that previous research has consistently reported. There is a decline in the number of friends, they are even more ethnically homogeneous, the proportion of relatives among their close relationships is lower and social isolation is increasing among them. For the time being, improving educational and economic indicators seem to favor only a narrow stratum of the population with additional network resources. At the same time, the disadvantaged Roma people are even more marginalized and isolated, as they can rely less and less on their Roma relations.