J15 - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor DiscriminationReturn

The article examines the differences in individual discount rates among the Roma ethnic group (Gypsies) and the Czech ethnic group. Low income, low education, and currently unemployed participants (Roma N=27, Czechs N=23) were subjected to pilot experiments based on in-depth questionnaires. In addition to impulsivity (delay-discount rates), the correlation with cognitive aptitude, risk attitudes, and various socioeconomic and demographic characteristics were analysed. Even though the Roma group was characterised by lower cognitive abilities, education, and financial literacy, our results indicate that participants from both groups appear to be equally impatient, with discount rates close to the values of individuals dependent on addictive substances (according to the results of some earlier foreign studies). Nevertheless, the Roma ethnic group is better characterised by inconsistent discounting compared to the Czechs who behave more consistently. However, these results are not robust to alternative estimation characteristics. We also found a positive effect of financial literacy on savings in the Roma sample. The conclusion discusses the influence of the environmental context on impulsivity and reviews the limitations of the study.

The aim of this study is to present the contemporary research of the Schengen area and to prove theoretically as well as empirically that the notion of Fortress Europe is only a misleading conception that the media may find attractive, but which does not depict the reality fully. The reason is, that he concept of a fortress evokes a contrast between the inside and the outside. Nevertheless, the empirical data show that the binary oppositions like 'inside - outside', 'security - free movement' or 'EU citizens - third country citizens' are simplified. Firstly, the paper focuses on the Schengen area itself. Secondly, the contemporary research in the field of the Schengen co-operation is presented. Thirdly, the study aims at the analysis of the current situation and links it to the context of the contemporary research. It presents quantitative as well as qualitative data. This is the main contribution of the paper since the current development is not very well explored.

The paper offers a framework for an acculturation strategy for the Czech Republic. The survey aims to detect the situation of the three biggest immigrant groups in the Czech Republic (Slovaks, Ukrainians and Vietnamese) and their strategies of acculturation. Berry's theoretical concept of acculturation proposes four different acculturation strategies termed assimilation, integration, separation and marginalization. The model is based on the assumption that the way in which individuals acculturate depends on how they simultaneously deal with two fundamental issues. The first is the extent to which acculturating individuals regard maintenance of their cultural heritage as important or not. The other issue is concerned with the extent to which individuals regard contact with other cultural groups and participation in the new society as important or not. The paper reveals what effect prejudice, cultural differences, activities of expatriate organizations and other phenomena have on acculturation strategies of immigrants that are applied in the Czech Republic.