“Free Choice” in Marriage-making among Romanianized Roma

Abstract

Anthropological research with Roma has consistently shown the significance of marriage-making practices in the reproduction of distinctiveness relative to non-Roma. Yet, my research with Ursari Roma—who identify as Romanianized Roma—indicates that marriage-making and family ideals can also bring out commonalities between Roma and non-Roma, thus complicating the notion of clear-cut Roma/non-Roma distinctions. In this article, I analyze how free choice claims assist Roma in negotiating similarity and distinction between “we-Romanianized Roma” and other Roma, non-Roma, and own ideals of the past. I suggest that the claimed freedom to choose whom to marry/love and the asserted capacity to choose between “viable” and “unviable” practices are central to the repertoire of self-identification as Romanianized Roma.