Romani Studies

Producing prejudice: The rhetoric of discourses in and around current films on Roma-Hungarian interethnic relations

Romani Studies (2014), 24, (1), 1–24.

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3828/rs.2014.1
Language
English
Pages
24

Abstract

The rhetoric of discourses in and around current films on Roma-Hungarian interethnic relations prevents audiences from positively engaging with Roma characters. My analysis reveals the ways in which the two documentaries broadcast on national Hungarian television on Roma people since 2009 block the channels of identification between viewers and filmic characters. Additionally, this essay examines the rhetoric of the press release issued by the Hungarian Ministry of Public Administration and Justice on the film Just the Wind at the Berlin Film Festival. In the press release the Ministry actively seeks to widen the gap between the racially motivated killing series in 2008 and 2009 against Roma and the filmic representation of the same events, which in fact enables audiences to identify with the victims. I argue that the seemingly different discourses overlap in their efforts to distance the viewer from Roma, thereby contributing to the strengthening of majority society's prejudices against them.

Access Token

FormatArticle

£25.00
ReferencesPDF

Bairner, Alan. 2001. Sport, nationalism, and globalization. Albany: State University of New York Press. Sport, nationalism, and globalization Google Scholar

Balogh, Lídia. 2012. Possible responses to the sweep of right-wing forces and anti-Gypsyism in Hungary. In: Stewart, Michael, ed. The Gypsy ‘menace’: Populism and the new anti-Gypsy politics. London: Hurst & Co. 241-65. The Gypsy ‘menace’: Populism and the new anti-Gypsy politics 241 65 Google Scholar

Barany, Zoltan. 2002. The East European Gypsies. Cambridge University Press. The East European Gypsies Google Scholar

Bernáth, Gábor, and Messing, Vera. 1998. Cutaways, muted: Roma in Hungarian media. Report of the National Office for Ethnic Minorities [in Hungarian]. mek.oszk.hu/00100/00144/00144.pdf Google Scholar

Bernáth, Gábor, and Messing, Vera. 2001. A Roma character in Between Friends: The first swallow [in Hungarian]. Médiakutató. 2: 1. www.mediakutato.hu/cikk/2001_01_tavasz/01_roma_szereplo_a_baratok_koztben/01.html (accessed 19 Sept. 2012). www.mediakutato.hu/cikk/2001_01_tavasz/01_roma_szereplo_a_baratok_koztben/01.html A Roma character in Between Friends: The first swallow [in Hungarian] Médiakutató. 2 1 Google Scholar

Crowe, David. 2007. A history of the Gypsies in Eastern Europe and Russia. London: Palgrave-Macmillan. A history of the Gypsies in Eastern Europe and Russia Google Scholar

Dupcsik, Csaba. 2009. A magyarországi cigányság története [in Hungarian]. Budapest: Osiris. A magyarországi cigányság története [in Hungarian] Google Scholar

Ferge, Zsuzsa. 2008. Is there a specific East-Central European welfare culture? In: van Oorschot, Wim, Opielka, Michael and Pfau-Effinger, Birgit, eds. Culture and welfare state: Values and social policy in comparative perspective. Northampton: Edward Elgar Publishing. 141-61. Culture and welfare state: Values and social policy in comparative perspective 141 61 Google Scholar

Forgács, István. 2011. If you are Gypsies, I do not belong to you [in Hungarian]. hirszerzo.hu/velemeny/2011/10/10/20111010_forgacs_istvan_ciganysag Google Scholar

Gay y Blasco, Paloma. 2008. Picturing ‘Gypsies’: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Roma Representation. Third Text 22(3): 297-303. Picturing ‘Gypsies’: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Roma Representation Third Text 22 297 303 Google Scholar

Gyenge, Zsolt. 2012. Something reeks [in Hungarian]. Revizor. www.revizoronline.com/hu/cikk/3873/fliegauf-bence-csak-a-szel-62-berlinale Google Scholar

Hlavaty, Tamás. 2012. In the gate of the storm [in Hungarian]. Filmtett. www.filmtett.ro/cikk/3027/fliegauf-benedek-csak-a-szel (accessed 19 Sept. 2012). www.filmtett.ro/cikk/3027/fliegauf-benedek-csak-a-szel In the gate of the storm [in Hungarian] Filmtett Google Scholar

Imre, Anikó. 2005. Whiteness in post-socialist Eastern Europe: The time of the Gypsies, the end of race. In: López, Alfred J., ed. Postcolonial whiteness: A critical reader on race and empire. Albany: State University Press New York. 79-103. Postcolonial whiteness: A critical reader on race and empire 79 103 Google Scholar

Iordanova, Dina. 2003. Editorial. Romanies and cinematic representation. Framework 44(2) www.frameworkonline.com/Issue44/442editorial.html (accessed 19 Sept. 2012). www.frameworkonline.com/Issue44/442editorial.html Editorial. Romanies and cinematic representation Framework 44 Google Scholar

Kemény, István. 2005. Roma of Hungary. Boulder, Col.: Social Science Monographs; Highland Lakes, NJ: Atlantic Research and Publications. Roma of Hungary Google Scholar

Shohat, Ella, and Stam, Robert. 1994. Unthinking Eurocentrism. London: Routledge. Unthinking Eurocentrism Google Scholar

Smith, Murray. 1995. Engaging characters. Oxford University Press. Engaging characters Google Scholar

Stam, Robert, and Spence, Louise. 1983. Colonialism, racism and representation. Screen 24(2): 2-20. Colonialism, racism and representation Screen 24 2 20 Google Scholar

Szalai, Júlia. 2007. Nincs két ország [in Hungarian]. Budapest: Osiris. Nincs két ország [in Hungarian] Google Scholar

Tomlinson, Alan and Young, Christopher. 2006. National identity and global sports events. Albany: State University of New York Press National identity and global sports events Google Scholar

Zolnay, János. 2012. Abusive language and discriminatory measures in Hungarian local policy. In: Stewart, Michael, ed. The Gypsy ‘menace’: Populism and the new anti-Gypsy politics. London: Hurst & Co. 25-43. The Gypsy ‘menace’: Populism and the new anti-Gypsy politics 25 43 Google Scholar

If you have private access to this content, please log in with your username and password here

Details

Author details

Strausz, Laszlo