From Tackling Antigypsyism to Remedying Racial Injustice

The growing literature on racial justice in the field of normative political theory usually tracks the legacy of colonialism and imperialism, white settlement and African slavery, that systematically privileges whites globally, and that needs to be repaired. The moral grounding and forms of reparations are highly debated not only in academia but in countless political fora. However, both academic and political debates have largely taken place in post-colonial contexts and ignored the enduring forms of injustice Romani peoples face. The paper assesses the relevance of normative debates around racial justice for the case of Roma in four steps. First, it reviews the literature on racial justice, in particular on recognition, reparations, and reconciliation. Second, the emerging discourse of racial justice for Roma is illustrated with three examples from Germany, Sweden, and Romania. Third, some puzzles and dilemmas of such claims are studied. Finally, lessons are drawn from the case of Romani claims for theories of racial justice.