Introduction

This chapter examines the notions of ‘justice’ and ‘empowerment’ as they relate to Gypsies and Travellers. It aims to provide a theoretical basis on which to understand the ideas. In a time when the Conservative-led Coalition Government aims to empower everyone to take part in a ‘Big Society’ (as discussed in Chapter One, this volume), it is important to assess the extent to which Gypsies and Travellers will be included in this aim.

Theories of power will provide a framework, and will include the notion of discourse as control (Richardson, 2006a). Within this debate we will examine the extent to which Gypsies and Travellers are marginalised by wider society, but also the resistance to control and discrimination by the travelling communities through different forms of representation. Hence, part of the chapter focuses on a process of ethnogenesis, namely the political and cultural mobilisation and growing sense of self-identification by Gypsies and Travellers.

The chapter's discussion on justice is centred on a brief debate on policing Gypsies and Travellers, in a wider societal sense, but also looks at the relationship between the police force and travelling communities. We do not propose to look at issues of crime and criminality here, but more to examine notions of justice in how police treat victimisation and discrimination against Gypsies and Travellers. We will ask, do the police, and local politicians, view the travelling communities as part of their constituency, and are they treated fairly?

Theories of power and empowerment

Traditional notions of power centre on one dimension: decision making (Dahl, 1961). Bachrach and Baratz (1970, p 24) further define power as follows:

Power here seems to be simple and overt. B does something he would not otherwise do because he is fearful of what A might do to him otherwise. However, Bachrach and Baratz add a further second dimension to our understanding of power: non-decision making.