A state of methodical insensitivity? Ethnographic research on the utility of modern socio-scientific tools for managing ethnic inequalities in health

The aim of the research is to explore to what extent, how, and why central institutions in Slovakia succeed or fail in the long term to enhance the sensitivity of their approach in managing health inequalities between marginalized Roma and the rest of the population, in line with international recommendations and trends—specifically through the use of modern social science methods.

The research strategy is ethnographic exploration: through detailed direct testimonies and interviews from long-term participant observations of institutional practices, we will use content analysis to propose a model of the causes behind the issue being studied. Logistically, the research builds primarily on the unique experience of the project’s principal investigator, who has been directly engaged in biomedical research and various intervention practices addressing these inequalities as a “Roma health expert” (2014–present). Beyond outlining methodological approaches for making state governance more sensitive to the needs of marginalized Roma, the research will contribute to a broader understanding of the methodologies and epistemology of the modern nation-state in the region.

Keywords: anthropology of power, state methodology, applied medical anthropology, marginalized Roma, health inequalities.