No water for the poor: the Roma ethnic minority and local governance in Slovakia

• Published in: Ethnic and racial studies Vol. 41; no. 7; pp. 1390 - 1407
• Main Authors: Filčák, Richard, Szilvasi, Marek, Škobla, Daniel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group 28.05.2018
• Subjects: Access; Affordability; Bourdieu, Pierre (1930-2002); Cultural capital; Decision making; Ethnic groups; Ethnicity; Fieldwork; Governance; Habitus; Inequality; Local government; Marginality; Minority groups; Power; Romani people; Settlements & damages; Social exclusion; Social inequality; Water quality; Water supply; Slovakia
• ISSN: 0141-9870; 1466-4356
• DOI: 10.1080/01419870.2017.1291984

This article contributes to the emerging critiques of inequalities in the access to water by focusing on three inter-related aspects: affordability, accessibility and quality of water. Based on extensive fieldwork, the paper explores the situation in segregated Roma settlements in Slovakia and highlights the critical role of power asymmetries at a local level. It builds a conceptual framework using Bourdieu's notions of "social field", "habitus", "doxa", and "capital", highlighting the central role of power asymmetries at a local level. Insights are drawn on how dominantly positioned social actors command decision-making regarding water supply, and how social hierarchies, inequalities and the "positionality" of Roma as a marginalized group are functional to the lack of political will to address insufficient water access for Roma in any efficient manner.