Aspirations versus reality: Factors influencing the vertical social mobility of urban Roma mothers living in extreme poverty

Abstract

As a result of historical racism and stigmatization for Roma people, living their lives spatially segregated in extreme poverty, opportunities for individual, vertical social mobility are limited by a myriad of structural factors. In addition to this stark reality, no studies deal specifically with the vertical social mobility of extremely poor, stigmatized and segregated urban Roma mothers. The present study aims to contribute to filling this research gap by raising the following research question: What kind of aspirations do extremely poor, stigmatized and segregated urban Roma mothers have in relation to social mobility and, what are the factors that influence their (lack of) vertical mobility? Long term qualitative observations supplemented by semi-structured interviews were used in a Hungarian urban context to answer this research question. Our results indicate that aspirations of vertical social mobility among urban Roma mothers is not related to leaving class behind, and all that implies, but to provide basic material security for their children. However, this aspiration should still be realized in an essentially hostile environment characterized by racist everyday relations in the illiberal nation-state of Hungary. As a result, a number of factors that are linked to the core institutions of social reproduction limit vertical mobility, supplemented by certain internal norms of segregated Roma communities. Meanwhile, vertical mobility might also lead to loss of community ties and thus important material and emotional resources. Within such a context, Roma mothers' efforts towards vertical social mobility are a dramatic struggle. Our results reinforce the understanding that social mobility that indeed serves social justice should be considered as a collective endeavour that improves the situation of entire communities, instead of individualizing responsibility for one's own social position – especially if these “ones” are historically stigmatized and othered.