Exploring opportunities in
internationally mobile higher
education: Intersections of
gender and HE experience for
Roma students
Tamsin Hinton-Smith, University of
Sussex
Tamsin Hinton-Smith, Senior Lecturer in Higher
Education and Associate Director, University of
Sussex Centre for Gender Studies
j.t.hinton-smith@sussex.ac.uk
Emily Danvers, Doctoral student: Students'
experiences of critical thinking in HE.
e.danvers@sussex.ac.uk
Tanja Jovanovic, Doctoral student:
Roma Student Access to HE in Serbia:
Challenges and Promises tj54@sussex.ac.uk
Higher Education Internationalisation
and Mobility: Inclusions, Equalities and
Innovations (HEIM)
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/education/che
er/researchprojects/rise
Centre for Higher Education and Equity
Research
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/education/che
er/
‘I had nice teachers all the way... Many good and supportive
teachers in both primary and secondary school. They were not
the big enthusiastic kind, but gave me constant support when I
needed it. So, I want to serve other kids, show them they can do
it.’
Aishe, Roma university student
‘I am aware that we have got opportunities. We have the same
purpose, to change things for our community. We are here and
think we can do it. When your family wants the best for you and
invests in your education, I feel that I have to give the best of
myself.’
Lala, Roma university student
‘It can be a burden on my shoulders to always be seen
as a Roma - the expectation to give back. Giving back to
the community is a personal choice, but I do not see it as
my personal responsibility.’
Asti, Roma university student
‘Should we all work on Roma questions? We can’t all
work with that - we must work in public organisations etc.
and show that Roma can do that as well.’
Gabi, Roma university student
The ERASMUS study found that mobile
students ‘still came from privileged socioeconomic backgrounds and acadmeic family
background played an important role in
determining eductaion abroad.’
2014:38
‘I don’t know whether University broke my marriage or
opened my eyes. Men don't necessarily want a
professional woman next to them, it becomes too
much. I realised that I could do more than iron my
husband's shirts’
Mariam, Roma woman graduate professional
‘Gender, as well as other characteristics such as nationality, age,
language and socio-economic background intersects with Roma
ethnicity to produce a complexity of factors defining becoming
and being a Roma student in higher education.’
Emily Danvers, 2015: 18
‘When we speak of Roma women,
discrimination becomes three-fold: for being
women, for being Roma and for belonging
to an ethnic minority.’
Maria José Jiménez Cortiñas and Aurora
Fernández, Roma Feminist Association for
Diversity, 2014
‘While [minority women] face racism and sexism
from the majority society, they also confront sexism
and male domination in their own community. In this
bind, speaking out about oppressive practices in
their own community, such as gendered violence,
can result in being treated like a traitor by their own
community, while also reinforcing negative
stereotypes of the majority society of oppressive,
backward cultures.’
Christina Ho, 2007: 296
‘Roma women’s empowerment should be
fostered through inclusive education
systems and their participation at all levels
of decision-making’
European Roma Information Office, 2015
Thank you
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