Unveiling Societal Discourses: Online Commentary on Legal Protections for the Roma Rights in Slovakia

Slovakia was the first EU member state to be sued by the European Commission in 2023 over the educational segregation of Roma students. To obtain a better understanding of this prejudice, this thesis examines how significant discrimination against the Roma population in Slovakia persists despite the existence of countless national and international legislative frameworks intended to ensure equality. Utilizing qualitative content analysis to investigate internet comments under articles on violations of Roma rights, prejudice in education, and worldwide criticism of Slovakia's treatment of the Roma, this thesis examines the sociocultural discourses surrounding Roma rights. The results show a widespread anti-Roma sentiment that is characterized by negative stereotypes, attribution of blame to the Roma for their marginalized position, and the perception of the majority as the discriminated one. Furthermore, the discourse becomes more nuanced with holding the government responsible for the situation and the perception of the Roma as not responsible. However, instead of alleviating some discrimination from the Roma, this is used to further the societal divide. Attempts to alleviate systematic prejudice are made more difficult by criticism of the government for poor management and mistrust of foreign criticism. These findings increased the understanding of prejudice and highlighted Slovakia's societal divide, which is a necessary step in attempting to promote a more inclusive society.