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Developing a Taste for Difference

Developing a Taste for Difference

“No pizza, Viennese Schnitzel, Goulash, not even a Kebab to go…” This is how the Slovak Catholic Charitas imagines life without migrants under the hashtag #24hwithout. Another picture has the caption „Slovakia would lack many skillful hands and us at home groceries“. The thoughts and […]

Betwixt and between: Is it easy or difficult to be a broker of migration?

Betwixt and between: Is it easy or difficult to be a broker of migration?

„My job is easy because I’m Slovak. I already know most of the things my clients ask me about and if I don’t, I call someone and find out.“ „It’s hard because we’re always standing between everybody else. The Migration Office, the independent NGOs, and […]

One body, many members: About religious self-expression and belonging

One body, many members: About religious self-expression and belonging

I step into the cool, dimly lit chapel on the second floor of the theological college. The air is heavy with incense. People greet me on all sides, children run between the benches, some are sitting motionlessly in silent prayer. It’s time for the Holy Mass […]

Guests and other mortal enemies: How refugees experience hospitality

Guests and other mortal enemies: How refugees experience hospitality

If asked which qualities are typical for their country, Slovaks frequently respond with “hospitality”. The touristic website “Authentic Slovakia” even declares Slovakia the most hospitable country in the world! No offense, dear Slovaks, but that statement is somewhat unoriginal. Hearing citizens declare their country inhospitable is […]

Innocent, tormented. Proving deservingness, part 1: Politics.

Innocent, tormented. Proving deservingness, part 1: Politics.

In the past few weeks, an ad campaign of an international liquor brand has caused quite a stir in the Slovak media landscape. The slogan on the posters displayed around cities and on social networks sounds “Slovak moms, you have beautiful daughters”. The illustrative picture […]

Hosting the hegemon: My experience at the 18th IUAES World Congress in Brazil

Hosting the hegemon: My experience at the 18th IUAES World Congress in Brazil

„Bananas and Ropes“ by Antonio Henrique Amaral, Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo. His work addresses identity issues and stereotypes regarding Brazil and South America. „What is the correct language, mom? The language everyone should speak?  It’s Portuguese, right? It can’t be English!” This question […]

Looking for (a) home: Returnees and refugees in Slovakia

Looking for (a) home: Returnees and refugees in Slovakia

Who are the people helping refugees in Slovakia? They are female, under 50 years old, and have spent several years abroad. This minimal definition accounts for virtually everyone active in public or voluntary refugee care. Take the staff of Mareena, the new-born civic association for […]

„I feel at home“

„I feel at home“

In the framework of the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Social Anthropology, I filmed several videos refugees and asylum contestants in Bratislava. The conference theme was „displacements“ and it was created to be an online only, multimedia, carbon-conscious gathering. I wanted to take advantage of […]

Revoluntionary Decency

Revoluntionary Decency

The candles are still burning in schools, dorms and public places, around the portraits of Jan Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová, the young couple whose murder shook the Slovak public one month ago and catapulted it onto news desks of media around the world in an […]

About dreams and nightmares

About dreams and nightmares

I had an interview with a refugee today – a young man who has suffered persecution in his home country. “I came to Slovakia voluntarily, you know – I chose this place. It’s not a rich country, but a good one. Money isn’t everything. You […]