This paper presents the findings of a systematic review of 255 texts published between 2004 and 2023 on the Roma population in Catalonia (Spain), two decades after the enactment of the Integral Plan for the Roma People in Catalonia 2005 (PIPG; Generalitat de Catalunya, 2005), a pioneering public policy aimed at fostering the inclusion and advancement of the Catalan Roma community through recognition and enhanced redistribution. This study specifically analyses publications within the domain of education. Over the past 20 years, education has been the predominant topic of research outputs, accounting for 73 texts, which constitute 28.8% of the publications reviewed. 

Drawing on a quantitative analysis of the main characteristics of the texts, and a qualitative examination of the subtopics explored, this literature review aims to identify key findings, shifting methodological and epistemological principles and interests, gaps, and the practical application of academic research on education and the Roma population in Catalonia. Additionally, the paper analyses the convergences and divergences between research findings and educational policies. The significance of this work lies in its emphasis on the need to bridge the dialogue between research and policymaking to enhance the social impact of evidence-based academic production. Given that the Roma population is the most discriminated minority group in Europe and Catalonia (FRA, 2022; Hellgren & Zapata-Barrero, 2022), a more in-depth analysis of research output is necessary to strengthen the transfer of knowledge from evidence-based research into policymaking. This, in turn, aims to improve the living conditions of the Roma community through the development of an inclusive society founded on the principles of social justice (Kiwan, 2016; Padrós et al., 2015; Pica-Smith et al., 2019). 

Advancing towards an approach rooted in the principles of social justice and inclusion (e.g. Macías & Redondo Sama, 2012), the analysis of the reviewed publications centers on two key dimensions. Firstly, we examine the predominant trends and shifts in the representation and inclusion of this marginalised group within the Catalan educational system and society. In doing so, we assess in what sense there has been a transition from a deficit-based framework to approaches grounded in social justice and equity within educational research (Bereményi & Carrasco, 2015), identifying the key elements of this shift in the literature and its implications for policy and future research. 

Secondly, from a different analytical perspective on the inclusion of minority groups, this paper also explores the conditions in which Roma authors and researchers increasingly participate in the academic knowledge production, in search of native epistemologies. It is essential to question the potential causes and consequences of this trend. We aim to critically examine the transformations within minority communities, the educational system, and academic fields that may have contributed to it. This analysis adopts a critical and constructive stance, highlighting the risk of tokenistic participation. While active and empowered participation is key to challenge epistemologies, the presence of Roma co-authors and co-researchers may as well serve to legitimise the research conducted by mainly non-Roma academics.  

To compile and analyse academic publications of Roma population in Catalonia (Spain) from 2004 to 2023, we conducted a systematic search and selection process following the principles of the PRISMA methodology (Moher, 2009). The inclusion criteria encompassed texts produced between 2004 and 2023 that were authored by scholars affiliated with Catalan universities or institutions, or that focused on the Roma population in Catalonia. The databases consulted included Scopus, Web of Science, Dialnet Plus, and ‘Tesis Doctorals en Xarxa’. A total of 661 publications were identified, in addition to 140 previously collected texts. After removing 160 duplicates, we screened 637 and selected 304 publications. Finally, 260 texts met the inclusion criteria; however, five were inaccessible, resulting in a final corpus of 255 texts analysed in the report commissioned by the Catalan Government. From this corpus, we selected 73 publications for this specific study, considering only those in which education was the primary focus. To systematize the information from all texts we used 46 categories. Besides standard descriptors (authors, text type, year, title, journal name, and language), we included quantitative predefined subcategories and qualitative, open-ended information. From the quantitative categories, we identified universities and research groups of the first four authors, their gender, disciplinary affiliation and assessed whether they were Roma (through our personal fieldwork with Catalan Roma communities). We also identified the second topics of the texts under 20 categories (e.g., discrimination culture, housing), the methodology used in empirical studies (quantitative, qualitative, mixed) and noted if studies were comparative. Additionally, we identified various characteristics of the study population: socioeconomic level, age range, gender, and territory. Finally, we included a qualitative category summarizing and highlighting the most relevant aspects of each text and providing a critical evaluation. We conducted two types of quantitative analyses: simple descriptive analysis and descriptive analysis of combinations. The simple descriptive analysis involved analyzing the frequency and distribution of each category. The descriptive analysis of combinations involved examining the existence and frequency of collaborations between universities and the disciplines of authors in the same text and identifying frequent thematic combinations. For the qualitative analysis, we focused on 11 themes central to the Integral Plan for the Roma People. For each theme, we identified subthemes, explained the content covered, relevant methodological approaches, and characteristics of the population focused on. We analyzed how texts relate to the PIPG's proposed lines, identifying key areas for future studies or projects and recommendations.

Educational research of Roma population in Catalonia has undergone a gradual shift from a deficit-view to an achievement-oriented perspective. Culturalist arguments which attribute social, educational, and economic failure to family-school discontinuities are progressively being replaced by analyses that focus on the factors contributing to achievement, resilience, and empowerment. Aligned with this perspective, research on Roma individuals who pursue university studies has gained increasing relevance. These studies examine the trajectories of Roma university students in Catalonia, their involvement in intervention projects, and the structures and networks that support their academic and social mobility. At the same time, however, the volume of investigations on non-academic post-compulsory education lack behind. The insufficient implementation of inclusive public policies has been consistently highlighted in both theoretical and empirical studies. Thus, the deficit perspective is now increasingly attributed to the educational system and public policies. Research underscores the lack of training for teachers in intercultural, inclusive, and anti-racist competencies (Bereményi, 2011; Hellgren & Gabrielli, 2021). From the perspective of the research authorship, we found that the participation of Roma scholars is an emerging trend. Specifically, only 15 publications include contributions from 8 Roma authors. While the increasing access of Roma individuals to higher education may partially explain this phenomenon, the recognition of Roma people through authorship is also closely linked to their political or community engagement (e.g. Drom Kotar Mestipen, 2006). Moreover, publications involving Roma authors exhibit diverse approaches. While some demonstrate a clear commitment to social transformation and empowerment of Roma people, others reflect a pattern of symbolic participation primarily serving to legitimize studies conducted predominantly by non-Roma academics. A more pluralistic debate, further research and policy measures are necessary to foster more meaningful and effective inclusion of Roma researchers in academia.

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