The impact of labelling theory on the Gypsies and Travelers in the United Kingdom.

Abstract

The persecution of Gypsies and Travelers in the United Kingdom is not a new phenomenon. It goes back many centuries when Gypsies first set foot on the European continent. It was estimated that over half a million Gypsies were exterminated by Adolf Hitler in Germany during the Holocaust. In today‟s France under President Francois Hollande, the Gypsies are still being persecuted. The effects of labeling theory has made the Gypsies undoubtedly and unarguably among the most hated groups living in Europe today. They have endured societal rejection, hatred, discrimination, cruelty and inhumane treatment, and denial of the basic necessities of life, for example housing, education and healthcare. Their ability to endure hardship (stoicism) and a total rejection (alienation) from the wider society over the years is inspiring to us in academia. This article is a clarion call to all men and women of good conscience all over the world to come together to consign the persecution of Gypsies to history.