Research Information System
JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SERVICE RESEARCH, 2025 (SSCI)
This study examines environmental inequalities between Roma and non-Roma communities in K & imath;rklareli, T & uuml;rkiye, through the lens of environmental justice, emphasizing the role of environmental discrimination in reinforcing structural disadvantage. Using a cross-sectional quantitative design, survey data were collected from 405 individuals and analyzed with SPSS to compare socioeconomic conditions, environmental quality, access to municipal services, and knowledge of participatory mechanisms. The findings reveal that Roma communities experience substantial disadvantages, including lower educational attainment, higher unemployment, poorer access to basic utilities, and greater exposure to environmental health risks such as pollution and inadequate waste management. Furthermore, Roma participants reported significant gaps in awareness of environmental participation mechanisms, although many expressed willingness to engage if provided with appropriate opportunities. By systematically documenting environmental rights inequalities, this study makes a pioneering contribution to environmental justice and green social work in the Turkish context. It highlights the urgent need to integrate environmental justice principles into policymaking and social work practice to promote Roma inclusion. Future research is recommended to extend this framework to socially mixed neighborhoods and vulnerable groups-such as women, the elderly, people with disabilities, and children-to deepen understanding of the intersection between environmental and social inequalities.