Civilising offensives and ambivalence: the case of British Gypsies

This paper utilises Norbert Elias's theory of the civilising process to examine British society's response to Gypsies and Travellers and explore the perception of this group as in 'need of corrective treatment'. It demonstrates how state policies towards Gypsies and Travellers are presented as improving their welfare but are in fact characterised by ambivalence. It is argued that mechanisms employed with the expressed goal of 'civilising' behaviour actually exhibit decivilising elements in terms of their effect upon Gypsy culture. The paper concludes by pointing to the concept of a civilising offensive, a deliberate civilising project targeting Gypsies and Travellers, as a means of elucidating the oppressive and damaging nature of policies towards them and their cultural continuity.