Roast Chicken and other Gypsy Stories: Oral Narratives among Serbian Gypsies (Europäische Hochschulschriften / European University Studies / Publications Universitaires Européennes)

Book info: Roast Chicken and other Gypsy Stories: Oral Narratives among Serbian Gypsies (Europäische Hochschulschriften / European University Studies / Publications Universitaires Européennes) (Paperback, 132 pages) – Peter Lang GmbH, Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften, 2010. Language: English.

This book discusses narrative as an adaptive cultural mechanism among Gypsies in Serbia. As a key traditional trait of Serbian Gypsies, storytelling, conveyed along kin generations, influences the behavior of all who listen. Since their appearance in the Balkans centuries ago, an insecure social environment has shaped their cultural traditions, including that of storytelling. Their traditional stories reaffirm the strong identity with their kinship group, yet, at the same time, plead loudly for recognition from outsiders. The success achieved by Gypsies in maintaining themselves and their culture can be attributed, in large measure, to the power of their traditional stories. Editorial Reviews About the Author The Author: Jelena Čvorović completed her Ph.D. in socio-cultural anthropology at the Arizona State University in 2001. Her main research field are Serbian Gypsies and their traditions. She works as a research fellow at the Institute of Ethnography at the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.