Paper short abstract:

This paper discusses Roma folk theories of ethnic identity by fusing ethnographic knowledge with the results of experimental work. Employing an original task design attuned to local cultural relevance, our findings raise important questions for the study of cultural and psychological essentialism.

Paper long abstract:

Catalina Tesar's ethnography among Romanian Roma (Cortorari) revealed a folk theory of personhood centered around biological descent, with "blood" invoked as a trope both for transmission of physical and personality traits and for circulation of ceremonial wealth: chalices. This mode of reasoning of the strictly endogamous Cortorari seems to confirm theories of psychological essentialism with regards to ethnicity. However, achieving full Cortorari personhood is also associated with culturally-specific beliefs and practices which clearly set apart Roma and non-Roma (Gadje). Our collaborative experimental research used a Roma versus Gadjo "switched-at-birth story" to pry apart the role of nature and nurture in essentialist reasoning on ethnicity. Our study addressed directly our informants' cultural interests: aside questions regarding bodily traits, group-neutral and group-specific beliefs, we included an original task on taxtaj inheritance since completion of Cortorari social personhood is intimately related to the social transmission of heirlooms. Although we found a strong bias towards biological essentialism for trait inheritance and classificatory ethnicity, results on cultural inclinations and taxtaj rights suggest a more nuanced interpretation. A strong association between age and essentialist reasoning for men (but not women) may be explained by trajectories of kinship roles in personal life. Direction of adoption appeared as highly significant, suggesting an ethnocentric asymmetry between the salience of "nature" and "culture" in judging Roma and non-Roma "essences". We end with a discussion on the implication of fusing ethnography and experimental research in the study of ethnic essentialism, comparing our results with similar studies and possible developmental scenarios.