معرفی
Andrej Belák is a medical anthropologist and researcher at the Institute of Ethnology and Social Anthropology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. He holds a PhD (2019) and has teaching appointments at the Medical Faculty of Pavol Jozef Šafárik University (LF UPJŠ), where he teaches Social Epidemiology, Ethnic and Migrant Health, and Social and Cultural Aspects of Health.
His educational background spans multiple institutions and disciplines: University of Vienna (Philosophy-Ethnology, 1998-2000), Charles University in Prague (Philosophy, 2000-2003; Biology-Anthropology and Human Genetics, 2000-2005), and Charles University/University of Groningen (Anthropology-Integrated Human Studies/Health Sciences, 2014-2019).
- PhD in Anthropology (2019)
- Mgr. degree (2005)
- Fluent in English, Romani, and German
Belák's research focuses on medical anthropology with particular emphasis on health inequalities, Roma health, anthropology of power, and related fields. His work combines ethnographic methods with policy-oriented research to address healthcare access issues for marginalized populations, particularly segregated Roma communities in Slovakia. He employs longitudinal case studies and comparative analyses to understand structural barriers in healthcare systems.
His recent publications (2014-2019) demonstrate a consistent focus on Roma health disparities, with increasing sophistication in methodology and policy relevance. His research trajectory shows movement from descriptive ethnographic work toward developing practical interventions and clinical guidelines, reflecting an applied anthropological approach to health equity.
Belák actively contributes to policy development through multiple roles: Member of the Working Group of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic (since 2019), Expert consultant for the European Commission (2018), WHO Europe consultant (2017), and External expert for public health initiatives (since 2016).
He leads and participates in significant research projects including TAČR's ROMZAVIP, EC Horizon 2020's EURO-HEALTHY, and EC 7thFP's SOPHIE, all addressing health equity and policy innovations for marginalized populations. His collaborative approach is evident in his numerous co-authored publications with international researchers.
