This book investigates the mechanisms by which individual behaviors perpetuate social exclusion and proposes a theoretical framework to interrupt these cycles. Ana Bracic, a political scientist, utilizes original fieldwork conducted among Roma and non-Roma populations in Central and Eastern Europe to analyze the feedback loops between discriminatory actions and minority survival strategies. She argues that majority groups often misinterpret the adaptive behaviors of marginalized populations as inherent cultural traits, thereby justifying further exclusion.

Scholars in the field of ethnic politics and social psychology recognize this work as a significant contribution to understanding the micro-foundations of discrimination. Readers frequently note the clarity of the author's theoretical model and the rigor of the field data presented.