ANTIGYPSYISM AND INSTITUTIONAL MISTRUST: ROMA EXPERIENCES WITH PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS IN SLOVAKIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/2956-333X/2026-7-5Słowa kluczowe:
Roma, anti-Roma racism, discrimination, institutional trust, public institutions, social exclusion, SlovakiaAbstrakt
Anti-Roma racism is a persistent social and institutional problem in Slovakia that goes beyond individual manifestations of discrimination. The aim of the study is to analyze how Roma people’s everyday experiences with public institutions can influence institutional trust and strategies for using or avoiding services. The study is a theoretical-analytical synthesis of Slovak and international scientific literature focused on anti- Roma racism, institutional discrimination, public services, institutional trust and system avoidance. The analysis shows that anti-Roma racism can be reproduced through segregation, organizational practices, stereotypical expectations and everyday interactions. Slovak research points to unequal experiences, especially in healthcare, education and access to public services. Negative institutional experiences can weaken trust and encourage limiting contact with institutions. The proposed analytical framework links anti-Roma racism, negative institutional experience, weakening of trust and avoidance of the system. For social work and public policies, this implies the need to focus not only on the formal availability of services, but also on the fairness, quality and dignity of everyday institutional contact
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