The occupations of the “other”: Case of Bohçaci (Boxčadži) Roma women in Türkiye

This research aims to examine the cultural representation of peddling, a longstanding occupation practiced by Bohçaci (Boxčadži) Roma women in Türkiye, who are part of various groups. The study investigates the occupation’s impact on socio-economic and cultural aspects of Turkish society, focusing on cultural identity, interaction with dominant identities, and the perception of the Roma as the “other.” Predominantly performed by Roma women who self-represent themselves primarily based on social rather than ethnic identity, peddling has, over time, become intertwined with the concept of the “other.” To explore the specific cultural heritage of the Roma and its broader position within Turkish society’s cultural landscape, a multidimensional analysis is proposed. The study examines the hypothesis that intergroup economic activities, including verbal communication, cultural behaviors, and marketing techniques significantly contribute to the flexibility or dissolution of boundaries between different cultural communities and identities within society. This article was published open access under a CC BY-NC-ND licence: https://creativecommons.org/licences/by-nc-nd/4.0 .