This paper will be concerned with the ways in which the Gypsies form a unique sociological group. It has been estimated that there are 4 to 5 million Gypsies in Europe; 1 million in Asia; 400,000 in America; and 50,000 in North Africa ("Gypsies" 775). The Gypsies originated in India and they apparently began migrating westward during the early Middle Ages (Gmelch & Gmelch 52). The Gypsies received their name because the Europeans who first encountered them believed they were from Egypt. The Gypsies themselves did little to correct this misconception. In fact, as noted by sociologist Thomas Acton, it probably benefited the Gypsies to pretend that they were Christians from the Mid-East because "at the time the stereotypic image of Christians fleeing Islamic religious persecution was very favorable" (Gmelch & Gmelch 52).
The Gypsies are unique among the social groups that surround them because they are adapted to a nomadic way of life. Rejecting the comforts of an established home, the traditional Gypsy family travels in a caravan and camps out in tents. As a result of this lifestyle, Gypsies have become an "alternative society," living "always temporarily - at the edges of cities, at the edge of our society" (Greenfeld 1). The decision to live on the edge of society is partly that of the Gypsies themselves, and partly the result of the persecutions they have experienced over the years. The various Gypsies scattered throughout the world are far from being a cohesive group. As noted by Charlemagne: "More than a common 'Gypsyness' shared by all members of the group, a culture gap separates Gypsies from the rest of the community, whatever their country or place of residence" (12). This sense of separation has resulted in prejudice and repression wherever the Gypsies have traveled. In many cases, local governments have made laws against Gypsies, and there have also been reports of violent attacks on Gypsies by local resident...