‘Not Just Lucky White Heather and Clothes Pegs’: Putting European Gypsy and Traveller Economic Niches in Context

Abstract

Nomads and the state nearly always represent a conflict of interests, a conflict of government. But the prospect of ever greater numbers of nomads is evidently especially problematic in a small, densely populated post-industrial nation where land is at a premium and where, despite massive transformations in wage-labour and life-styles over two decades, the majority of people remain committed to the concepts of private property and inheritable wealth. Commercial nomadism is a historically recurrent form of economic and social adaptation (Griffin 1993: 12).

I would like to thank the editors of this volume, Steve Fenton and Harriet Bradley, for including a chapter that considers the economy and culture of Gypsies and Travellers. So often they are forgotten and rendered invisible when talking about ‘race’ and ethnicity (see note 3). I also thank them for their useful guidance, sharp editing skills and general help in preparing this chapter for publication. Thanks also − as ever − to Judith, Margaret and Mum.