“Pogodi ti živce i pakao se otvori”. Psihičke tegobe izbrisanih u Sloveniji (Sažetak)

The Erased residents of Slovenia comprise a group of 25,671 individuals, who found themselves without political, economic and social rights soon after Slovenia became independent. The present article discusses a number of aspects of economic and social exclusion of the Erased, as well as the impact of the mentioned exclusion on their bodies and state of mind. Amongst others, the incidence of živci (“upset nerves”) and živčnost (“nervousness”) as the embodied metaphor of socio-political and economic inequality brought about by the erasure is analyzed through a medical anthropological perspective.Izbrisani u Sloveniji označavaju skupinu od 25 671 ljudi koji su nakon slovenske nezavisnosti izgubili sva politička, ekonomska i socijalna prava. Članak navodi neke od aspekata ekonomskog i društvenog isključivanja izbrisanih te raspravlja o utjecaju koji je navedeno isključivanje imalo na njihovo stanje svijesti. Između ostalih, analizira se i pojavnost potrošenih živaca i živčanosti kao utjelovljenih metafora društveno-političke i ekonomske nejednakosti kao posljedice brisanja, kroz medicinsko-antropološku perspektivu

Predodžbe o neosiguranicima: ljudi bez medicinskog državljanstva promatrani od strane slovenskih zdravstvenih radnika

The paper deals with medical aspects of migration by first focusing on legal, economic and socio-cultural factors that threaten migrants’ health and by then identifying how these factors affect access to medical facilities. Using the case of Slovenia, I will prove that, despite apparently formally regulated access to health services, migrants often remain without health care or without medical citizenship. Because of the frequent inability of migrants to access their formally guaranteed rights, it is crucial to assess how they are perceived by health workers - the second part of the article therefore analyses some of their responses.Članak se bavi medicinskim aspektima migracije i prvo propituje pravne, ekonomske i sociokulturne faktore koji ugrožavaju zdravlje migranata, a zatim identificira načine na koje ti faktori utječu na pristup medicinskim institucijama. Koristeći primjer Slovenije, pokazati ću kako, usprkos naočigled formalno reguliranom pristupu zdravstvenim ustanovama, migranti često ostaju bez zdravstvene skrbi ili bez medicinskog državljanstva. Zbog česte nemogućnosti migranata da koriste svoja formalno zagarantirana prava, važno je bilo promotriti kako ih doživljavaju zdravstveni radnici – stoga drugi dio članka analizira neke od njihovih odgovora

“Pogodi ti živce i pakao se otvori”. Psihičke tegobe izbrisanih u Sloveniji (Sažetak)

The Erased residents of Slovenia comprise a group of 25,671 individuals, who found themselves without political, economic and social rights soon after Slovenia became independent. The present article discusses a number of aspects of economic and social exclusion of the Erased, as well as the impact of the mentioned exclusion on their bodies and state of mind. Amongst others, the incidence of živci (“upset nerves”) and živčnost (“nervousness”) as the embodied metaphor of socio-political and economic inequality brought about by the erasure is analyzed through a medical anthropological perspective.Izbrisani u Sloveniji označavaju skupinu od 25 671 ljudi koji su nakon slovenske nezavisnosti izgubili sva politička, ekonomska i socijalna prava. Članak navodi neke od aspekata ekonomskog i društvenog isključivanja izbrisanih te raspravlja o utjecaju koji je navedeno isključivanje imalo na njihovo stanje svijesti. Između ostalih, analizira se i pojavnost potrošenih živaca i živčanosti kao utjelovljenih metafora društveno-političke i ekonomske nejednakosti kao posljedice brisanja, kroz medicinsko-antropološku perspektivu

Predodžbe o neosiguranicima: ljudi bez medicinskog državljanstva promatrani od strane slovenskih zdravstvenih radnika

The paper deals with medical aspects of migration by first focusing on legal, economic and socio-cultural factors that threaten migrants’ health and by then identifying how these factors affect access to medical facilities. Using the case of Slovenia, I will prove that, despite apparently formally regulated access to health services, migrants often remain without health care or without medical citizenship. Because of the frequent inability of migrants to access their formally guaranteed rights, it is crucial to assess how they are perceived by health workers - the second part of the article therefore analyses some of their responses.Članak se bavi medicinskim aspektima migracije i prvo propituje pravne, ekonomske i sociokulturne faktore koji ugrožavaju zdravlje migranata, a zatim identificira načine na koje ti faktori utječu na pristup medicinskim institucijama. Koristeći primjer Slovenije, pokazati ću kako, usprkos naočigled formalno reguliranom pristupu zdravstvenim ustanovama, migranti često ostaju bez zdravstvene skrbi ili bez medicinskog državljanstva. Zbog česte nemogućnosti migranata da koriste svoja formalno zagarantirana prava, važno je bilo promotriti kako ih doživljavaju zdravstveni radnici – stoga drugi dio članka analizira neke od njihovih odgovora

Kulturne kompetencije i zdravstvo. Iskustva iz Slovenije

This paper seeks to contribute to critical reflection on the importance, dilemmas and problems that arise in educating health professionals about the socio-cultural dimensions of health and healthcare. In the first part of the paper the authors show that although educational programmes in the field of cultural competences have experienced a remarkable upswing, they are accompanied by many ambiguities and shortcomings. Based on numerous anthropological criticisms, the authors highlight the major conceptual and methodological problems that accompany many cultural competence efforts. The second part of the article focuses on an analysis of the multi-year process of introducing a training course in cultural competence in Slovenia, in which over 500 health professionals have been trained since 2016. Based on the results of the participants’ quantitative evaluation and educators’ selfevaluation, the authors critically analyse the contributions of this training course, while highlighting some of the key dilemmas and difficulties that have accompanied this process.Ovim se radom želi pridonijeti kritičkom promišljanju o važnosti, dvojbama i problemima u obrazovanju zdravstvenih djelatnika o društveno-kulturnim dimenzijama zdravlja i zdravstva. U prvom dijelu rada autorice pokazuju da obrazovne programe u području kulturnih kompetencija, iako su doživjeli izvanredan uspon, prate mnogobrojne nejasnoće i nedostaci. Na temelju brojnih antropoloških kritika autorice ističu glavne konceptualne i metodološke probleme koji prate aktivnosti u području kulturnih kompetencija. Drugi dio članka usmjeren je na analizu višegodišnjeg procesa uvođenja obrazovnog programa iz područja kulturnih kompetencija u Sloveniji, koji je od 2016. godine pohađalo više od 500 zdravstvenih djelatnika. Na temelju rezultata kvantitativne evaluacije polaznika i samoevaluacije predavača, autorice kritički analiziraju doprinos tog programa, naglašavajući neke od ključnih dilema i poteškoća koje su pratile taj proces

Perinatal outcomes of pregnant refugees/asylum seekers in Slovenia during the 2015–2016 humanitarian corridor

Introduction. During 2015 and 2016, a large number of refugees, including women, travelling along the so-called Balkan route crossed Slovenia. Studies increasingly show that women who migrate have different perinatal health outcomes compared to citizens. Aim. To review perinatal outcomes in pregnant refugees/asylum seekers giving birth in Slovenia during the 2015–2016 “humanitarian corridor”. Methods. Questionnaires on numbers of pregnant refugees/asylum seekers giving birth in Slovenia during 2015–2016, their perinatal outcomes and their perinatal care were sent to state institutions (Ministry of Health, Ministry of Internal Affairs, and National Institute for Public Health) and all 14 country’s maternity hospitals. Results. Data on perinatal outcomes in refugees/asylum seekers were available only at maternity hospitals, suggesting there is no national governmental system for collecting information on health of pregnant refugees/asylum seekers in Slovenia. Twelve refugees/asylum seekers who delivered in Slovenia during the “humanitarian corridor” in 2015–2016 were identified. Three (25%) of these deliveries were preterm births (<37 weeks of gestation). There were two (16%) emergency cesarean deliveries and no stillbirths or neonatal deaths. Average neonatal birth weight was 3130 g. Discussion. A very high (25%) preterm birth rate and a high emergency cesarean rate (16%) in the population of refugees/asylum seekers delivering in Slovenia during 2015–2016 “humanitarian corridor” was found. This study also identified several inadequacies in perinatal data collection in pregnant refugees/asylum seekers in Slovenia. Conclusions. Given the potentially higher incidence of perinatal complications, such as preterm birth or need for emergency cesarean delivery, seen in the present study, it is important to develop systems of data collection in pregnant refugees/asylum seekers

Contemporary Migration Trends and Flows on the Territory of Southeast Europe

This edited volume tackles different topics con­cerning old/new conceptual, methodological and theoretical dilemmas in migra­tion studies. Papers written by ethnologists and cultural anthropologists, sociologists, geographers, and others are brought together in order to gain a better understanding of the social, economic, political, cultural and other processes connected with migration in modern European societies. While some of the papers focus on migration processes, others dwell on post-migration phenom­ena and migrants’ livelihoods in their places of immigration.&nbsp;Nineteen authors participated in writing thirteen papers, divided in four interrelated sections.&nbsp

Language as a trigger for racism

The article analyzes the impact of language barriers on the medical treatment of foreignspeaking patients and illustrates that the absence of systemic, institutional responses to language barriers in healthcare facilities exacerbates racist attitudes toward migrants and ethnic groups. The article is based on 201 interviews with healthcare workers, employees of public or non-governmental institutions as well as users of healthcare services that were conducted between 2018 and 2019 in twelve local communities in Slovenia. Following the methodological and conceptual framework, the first part of the article highlights the various negative consequences of language barriers experienced by healthcare workers and foreign-speaking patients. The second part shows that in the absence of an accessible network of professional intercultural mediators or interpreters, healthcare workers are left to their own devices with respect to overcoming language barriers. Finally, the last part of the article shows that many interlocutors are increasingly searching for the culprit for this situation. Some healthcare workers attribute the responsibility to the abstract concept of the “system”, while others attribute the responsibility exclusively to migrants, thus perpetuating key elements of the culture of racism present in Slovenia. In this culture of racism, knowledge of Slovene language becomes one of the most important criteria that distinguishes deserving from undeserving migrants. The latter are a privileged object of racist responses at the level of cultural, institutional and personal racism, which is proving to be mutually toxic

Language as a Trigger for Racism: Language Barriers at Healthcare Institutions in Slovenia

The article analyzes the impact of language barriers on the medical treatment of foreign-speaking patients and illustrates that the absence of systemic, institutional responses to language barriers in healthcare facilities exacerbates racist attitudes toward migrants and ethnic groups. The article is based on 201 interviews with healthcare workers, employees of public or non-governmental institutions as well as users of healthcare services that were conducted between 2018 and 2019 in twelve local communities in Slovenia. Following the methodological and conceptual framework, the first part of the article highlights the various negative consequences of language barriers experienced by healthcare workers and foreign-speaking patients. The second part shows that in the absence of an accessible network of professional intercultural mediators or interpreters, healthcare workers are left to their own devices with respect to overcoming language barriers. Finally, the last part of the article shows that many interlocutors are increasingly searching for the culprit for this situation. Some healthcare workers attribute the responsibility to the abstract concept of the “system”, while others attribute the responsibility exclusively to migrants, thus perpetuating key elements of the culture of racism present in Slovenia. In this culture of racism, knowledge of Slovene language becomes one of the most important criteria that distinguishes deserving from undeserving migrants. The latter are a privileged object of racist responses at the level of cultural, institutional and personal racism, which is proving to be mutually toxic

Avtonomija in nadzor migracij v evropskih »tamponskih conah«

Two key concepts that intertwine throughout the text are immigration control and the autonomy of migration. It is important to emphasize that in practice, the former is a response to the latter and not the other way around. The concept of the autonomy of migration makes it possible to consider refugees and migrants without resorting to victimization and security discourse. Control is broken down by presenting typical discourses (the distinction between refugees and economic migrants, security discourse, victim discourse, asylum abuse) and countermeasures (incarcerating “illegal” migrants and the externalization of European borders). The main argument is that in practice, immigration control blocks not only the autonomy of migration, but also the system of international protection (asylum). These concepts and practices are reflected in Europe’s externalized borders – “buffer zones” which are supposed to support the European asylum system and also protect the EU from migrations. The paper views practices in these buffer zones from the perspective of the autonomy of migration, and thus goes beyond the narrow framework of oppression and the ineffective system of protection.Avtonomija in nadzor migracij v evropskih »tamponskih conah«Dva ključna koncepta, s pomočjo katerih avtorici v članku mislita migracije in se prepletata skozi celotno besedilo, sta nadzor nad priseljevanjem in avtonomija migracij, pri čemer poudarita, da je v praksi prvi odgovor na drugega in ne obratno. Koncept avtonomije migracij omogoča razumeti begunce/begunke in migrante/migrantke onstran viktimizacije in varnostnega diskurza. Nadzor razčlenita s pomočjo prikaza tipičnih diskurzov (ločevanje beguncev in ekonomskih migrantov, varnostni diskurz, diskurz žrtve, zloraba azila) in značilnih ukrepov (zapiranje »nelegalnih« migrantov in eksternalizacija evropskih meja). Ključni argument je, da v praksi nadzor nad priseljevanjem ne blokira le avtonomije migracij, temveč tudi sistem mednarodne zaščite. Omenjeni koncepti in prakse se odslikavajo na eksternaliziranih evropskih mejah – »tamponskih conah« – ki naj bi prevzele evropski sistem med­narodne zaščite ter varovale EU pred migracijami. Prakse v »tamponskih conah« avtorici obravnavata s perspektive avtonomije migracij, torej tudi onstran zatiranja in neučinkovitega sistema zaščite