From Obscurity to a Point on the Map: The Socio-Spatial Development of Selected Roma Settlements in Slovenia

Primarily due to the specific lifestyles of the Roma, their history, culture, and relations with the surrounding majority population, Roma settlements in Slovenia are relatively recent in comparison to others. Unlike (parts of) settlements of the majority population, these were not developed or expanded through a planned or systematic approach. Furthermore, Roma settlements—and, of course, their inhabitants—have been marginalized in many respects and are very often a hidden element of the Slovenian cultural landscape. Due to settlement-related or demographic factors, all these settlements exhibit a high intensity of spatial and social dynamics.

These include the (rapid) spatial and demographic growth of settlements and the changing opportunities and circumstances for the integration of the Roma population into all strata of society. This most often brings significant social, economic, and environmental challenges and issues for both the immediate and broader context of Roma settlements.

-From the Introduction