Helena Tuzinska

Helena Tuzinska is Associate Professor and Departmental Coordinator for Mobility at the Department of Archaeology and Cultural Anthropology, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University in Bratislava. She is actively engaged in research and teaching, with a focus on ethnographic methods and intercultural communication in institutional contexts.

Her research interests include Linguistic Anthropology, Evolutionary Anthropology, Anthropology of Law, Symbolic Anthropology, and Ritual Studies. She explores how communicative space is constructed in legal settings, particularly asylum courts, and investigates the role of interpreters as cultural mediators. Her work also extends to education, migration, and public service interpreting.

The most recent articles reflect a strong trend in legal anthropology and ethnography of communication, examining courtroom dynamics, credibility assessment, and the socio-pragmatic dimensions of language. Other works delve into crisis communication, aging environments, and historical narratives, showcasing her interdisciplinary reach.

She has led significant research projects such as RESPLAIN - Research and Response: Plain Language in Administrative Communication with Refugees (UNHCR, 2023) and contributed to VEGA and APVV-funded studies on moral narratives, symbolic representations, and democratic citizenship. Her educational initiatives under the Erasmus+ programme focus on internationalization, teacher competencies, and curriculum development in migration studies.

Scientific Contributions and Projects:

• Principal Investigator, RESPLAIN (2023–2025)
• Deputy Lead, VEGA 1/0203/23 on moral evaluations of ethnic groups
• Team member, GlocalEAST, ENLIGHT, IMPACT (Erasmus+)
• Author of ethnographic studies on asylum interpreting, humor in crisis, and language in legal settings

She mentors and collaborates widely, with co-authors from Comenius University, Slovak Academy of Sciences, and international institutions. She has published extensively in journals such as Social & Legal Studies, Jindal Global Law Review, and Slovenský národopis, and has contributed to edited volumes on applied anthropology and public service interpreting.

She is affiliated with research platforms including Academia.edu and ResearchGate, and maintains an active presence in the academic community through publications, projects, and consultation hours.