| Abstract [eng] |
The Soviet Union’s ideological objective of shaping the New Soviet Man profoundly influenced the education of ethnic minorities, including the Roma. This article investigates the education of Lithuanian Roma in the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (LSSR) as a mechanism of social engineering and ideological assimilation within broader Soviet policies. The study focuses on the period from 1956 – marked by the decree on forced sedentarisation and the beginning of Roma integration into the education system – until 1985, the onset of Gorbachev’s perestroika. The research addresses the question: How did Soviet education policy in the LSSR function as a means of ideological assimilation and social engineering for the Roma, and how do Roma individuals recall experiencing this process? It explores key dimensions of Roma education, including the construction of the New Soviet Man, the impact of forced sedentarisation, and the role of schooling in promoting linguistic assimilation, discipline, and social control. Furthermore, it examines how educational institutions were instrumental in advancing the Soviet visions of “socialist welfare”, atheism, and “friendship between nations” through russification. Employing an oral history approach, the study incorporates testimonies of Roma who attended Soviet schools alongside document analysis. Findings reveal that while Soviet education policies sought to promote literacy, they simultaneously acted as instruments of cultural assimilation – reinforcing Soviet identity at the expense of ethnic distinctiveness. This research contributes to the broader discourse on education, ideology, and minority identity under Soviet rule, offering a nuanced perspective on Roma experiences in the LSSR. |
