Marek works as Program Officer with the Open Society Foundations’ Public Health Program (PHP), where he focuses on health law and equality. He also teaches at the Institute of Politics and International Studies at Eotvos Lorand University Budapest (ELTE), Hungary. Marek previously worked as Head of Research and Human Rights Education of the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC), an international human rights and public interest law organization, the Secretariats of the Decade of Roma Inclusion and the European Sociological Association (ESA). In 2017, he was awarded the Martin Alexandersson Research Scholarship of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute and the CAS-SEE/University of Rijeka Fellowship for his work on the Roma’s right to water.
Marek recently published Mechanisms of empowerment for the Roma in a New Social Europe, in: Ryder, A. Taba, M., Trehan, N., (eds.) (2021) Romani Communities and Transformative Change: A New Social Europe, Bristol University Press, Policy Press, pp. 33-64
You can find more about Marek’s work here.
Research Interests
His primary research interest lies in the areas of sociology of (human) rights, political sociology and philosophy, socio-legal theory, citizenship, social inclusion paradigms, equality, environmental and social justice, criminal justice, inclusive education, all these with a particular focus on the situation of Roma people in European societies.
Publications
Szilvasi, M. (2018), “Parallel Claims for the Human Right to Water: The Case of Roma in Slovenia”, in: Archibugi, D., Benli A., E. (2018) Claiming Citizenship Rights in Europe: Emerging Challenges and Political Agents, London: Routledge.
Szilvasi, M., Albert, G. (2017) “Intersectional Discrimination of Romani Women Forcibly Sterilized in the Former Czechoslovakia and Czech Republic”, in: Health and Human Rights Journal 19/2, pp. 23-34.
Szilvasi, M. (2017) “Prisons for men, sterilisation for women, boarding schools for children – anti-Roma election campaigns in Slovakia in 2010-2014”, in: Central Council of German Sinti and Roma, Antigypsyism in Public Discourses and Election Campaigns, Heidelberg: Central Council of German Sinti and Roma, 2017, pp. 45-60.
Szilvasi, M., Ryder, A. (2017) “Marginality, Activism, and Populism: The Roma and Postcolonial Indian Thinkers”, in: The Indian Journal of Social Work, 78/1/2017, pp. 93-112.
Szilvasi, M., O’Reilly, K. Rorke, B. (eds.) (2017) Roma and Conflict: Understanding the Impact of War and Political Violence, Roma Rights Journal 1/2017, 16 May 2017, available at: http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/roma-rights-journal-1-2017.pdf.
Szilvasi, M. (2017) A Thirst for Justice: Europe’s Roma Denied Access to Clean Water and Sanitation, Budapest: ERRC, available at: http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/thirsting-for-justice-march-2017.pdf.
Filčák. R., Szilvasi, M., Škobla, D. (2017) “No Water for the Poor: The Roma ethnic minority and local governance in Slovakia”, in: Ethnic and Racial Studies, pp. 1-18, available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01419870.2017.1291984.
Szilvasi, M. Blus, A. (2017) A Lesson in Discrimination: Segregation of Romani Children in Primary Education in Slovakia, London/Budapest: Amnesty International and ERRC, available at: http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/report-lesson-in-discrimination-english.pdf (Lekcia z diskriminácie: Segregácia rómských detí v základnom vzdelávaní v Slovenskej republike, Slovak translation, available at: http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/report-lesson-in-discrimination-slovak.pdf).
Szilvasi, M. Stejskalová, M. (2016) Coercive and Cruel: Sterilisation and its Consequences for Romani Women in the Czech Republic (1966-2016), Budapest: ERRC, available at: http://www.errc.org/article/coercive-and-cruel-sterilisation-and-its-consequences-for-romani-women-in-the-czech-republic-1966-2016/4536 (Nucené a Kruté: Sterilizace a její důsledky pro Romské ženy v České Republice (1966-2016), Czech translation, available at: http://www.errc.org/reports-and-advocacy-submissions/nucene-a-krute-sterilizace-a-jeji-d%C5%AFsledky-pro-romske-%C5%BEeny-v-%C4%8Ceske-republice-1966-2016/4537).
Szilvasi, M. et al. (2016) Reference Paper on Antigypsyism, Brussels: Alliance against Antigypsyism, available at http://antigypsyism.eu/?page_id=17.
Szilvasi, M., O’Reilly, K. et al. (eds.) (2015) Nothing About Us without Us? Roma Participation in Policy Making and Knowledge Production, Roma Rights 2/2015, 7 December 2015, available at: http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/roma-rights-2-2015-nothing-about-us-without-us.pdf.
Szilvasi, M., Rostas I., Rovid, M. (2015) ‘On Roma Civil Society, Roma Inclusion, and Roma Participation’, in: Roma Rights 2/2015, December 2015, pp. 7-10, available at: http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/roma-rights-2-2015-nothing-about-us-without-us.pdf.
Bitu, N., Szilvasi, M., O’Reilly K. (eds.) (2015) In Search of a Contemporary Roma Identity: in Memoriam – Nicolae Gheorghe, Roma Rights 1/2015, 3 July 2015, available at: http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/roma- rights-1-2015-in-search-of-a-contemporary-roma-identity-in-memoriam-nicolae-gheorghe.pdf.
Guild, E., Szilvasi, M., O’Reilly K. (eds.) (2014) Going Nowhere? Western Balkan Roma and Visa Liberalisation, Roma Rights 1/2014, 1 October 2014, available at: http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/roma- rights-1-2014-going-nowhere-western-balkan-roma-and-eu-visa-liberalisation.pdf.
Kovacs, M., Szilvasi, M., O’Reilly K. (eds.) (2013) National Roma Integration Strategies: What Next? Roma Rights 1/2013, available at: http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/roma-rights-1 2013-national-roma-integration-strategies.pdf.
Szilvasi, M. (2013) ‘“Nothing but Humans” and their Freedom’ (in Czech), in: Nejeschleba, T. et al. (ed.) The Concept of Freedom in the History of Philosophy and Today, (in Czech), Brno: CDK, pp. 159-170.
Szilvasi, M., Alekseeva, D., Zalešák, M. et al. (2013) Czech Republic: Country Profile 2011-2012, Budapest: ERRC, available at: http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/czech-republic-country-profile-2011-2012.pdf.
Szilvasi, M., Alekseeva, D., Zalešák, M. et al. (2013) Slovakia: Country Profile 2011-2012, Budapest: ERRC, available at: http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/slovakia-country-profile-2011 2012.pdf.
Szilvasi, M., Černušáková, B. (2012) Five More Years of Injustice: Segregated Education for Roma in the Czech Republic, London/Budapest: Amnesty International/ERRC, available at: http://www.amnesty.eu/content/assets/081112_Czech-Roma_-_report.pdf (Česká vláda propadá už pátým rokem: školy stále diskriminují Romy, Czech translation, available at:
http://www.errc.org/article/%C4%8Ceska-vlada-propada-u%C5%BE-pat%C3%BDm-rokem-%C5%A1koly-stale-diskriminuji-romy/4068; Čechiko rajariben na kerel lačhi buťi imar pandž berš: o školi diskriminen le romen, Romani translation, available at: http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/cechiko-rajariben-na-kerel-lachi-buti-imar-pandz-bers-november-2012.pdf.
Rostas, I., Szilvasi, M., O’Reilly K. (eds.) (2012) Challenges of Representation: Voice on Roma Politics, Power and Participation, Roma Rights 1/2012, available at: http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/roma-rights-1-2012-challenges-of-representation.pdf.
Szilvasi, M. (2012) ‘On AntiGypsyism’, in: H.Kyuchukov & J. Balbin (eds.) New Faces of AntiGypsyism in Modern Europe, Prague: Slovo21, pp. 91-95, available at: http://www.slovo21.cz/nove/images/dokumenty_integrace/antigypsyism.pdf.
Szilvasi, M. (2011) ’Between Askesis and Normativity: Subject in Work of Michel Foucault (in Czech), in: Nejeschleba And Husek (eds.) Conception of the Human Being in the History of Philosophy and Contemporary Philosophy, Brno: CDK, pp. 147-163.
Szilvasi, M. (2011) ‘Peter Sloterdijk‘s Falls Europa erwacht: Gedanken zum Programm einer Weltmacht am Ende des Zeitalters ihrer politischen Absence’, in: Czech and Slovak Journal of Humanities, 1/2011, pp. 34-37.
Szilvasi, M. (2009) Reflection on Imperial Thinking in the Heart of Europe: Géographie Moralisé versus Cosmopolitan Europe, MA thesis, University of Groningen, available at: https://theses.cz/id/2cv6b2/68587-663331698.pdf.
Szilvasi, M. (2007) The Technology of Existence or a Human Being in the Work of Michel Foucault (in Czech), MA thesis, Department of Philosophy, Palacky University Olomouc, available in Czech at: http://www.kfil.upol.cz/doc/mgr-dipl/dipl_prace_mszilvasi.pdf?lang=en.
Selected Articles and Blogs
Szilvasi, M., Rorke, B. ‘What’s it going to take to end school segregation in Slovakia?’ in: ERRC blog, 1 March 2017, available at: http://www.errc.org/blog/whats-it-going-to-take-to-end-school-segregation-in-slovakia-new-report-exposes-the-depths-of-discrimination-faced-by-romani-children/159.
Szilvasi, M., Rafael, V. ‘Zo škôl zmizli tisíce chudobných detí‘, in: DennikN, 28 February 2017, available at: https://dennikn.sk/693781/zo-skol-zmizli-tisice-chudobnych-deti/.
Szilvasi, M., Rorke, B. ‘Racism’s cruellest cut: Coercive sterilisation of Romani women and their fight for justice in the Czech Republic (1966-2016)’ in: Open Democracy, 24 January 2017, available at: https://www.opendemocracy.net/can-europe-make-it/bernard-rorke-marek-szilvasi/racisms-cruelest-cut-coercive-sterilization-of-roman.
Szilvasi, M., ‘The ‘success story’ that wasn’t: Slovakia’s EU Presidency and access to water’, in: ERRC blog, 13 January 2017, available at: http://www.errc.org/blog/the-success-story-that-wasnt-slovakias-eu-presidency-and-access-to-water/150.
Szilvasi, M., Navrotskyy, V., ‘Access to clean water for Roma in Ukraine: a grim tale of local barons, leaky pipes and dry wells’, in: ERRC blog, available at: http://www.errc.org/blog/access-to-clean-water-for-roma-in-ukraine-a-grim-tale-of-local-barons-leaky-pipes-and-dry-wells/121.
Szilvasi, M. (2016) ‘When words fall on stony soil and hearts harden in the face of injustice: On coercive sterilisation and social theatre’, in: Romea, available at: http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/when-words-fall-on-stony-soil-and-hearts-harden-in-the-face-of-injustice-on-coercive-sterilisation-and-social-theatre, (‘Když slova padají na neúrodnou půdu a srdce se tváří v tvář nespravedlnosti svírá: Nedobrovolná sterilizace a sociální divadlo’, Czech translation, available at: http://www.romea.cz/cz/zpravodajstvi/kdyz- slova-padaji-na-neurodnou-pudu-a-srdce-se-tvari-v-tvar-nespravedlnosti-svira-nedobrovolna sterilizace-a-socialni).
Szilvasi, M., Zaharieva, R. (2016) ‘Denied the Right to Water: the Miserable Fate of Roma in France’, in: ERRC blog, available at: http://www.errc.org/blog/denied-the-right-to-water-the-miserable-fate-of-roma-in-france/101.
Shadow Reports to International Human Rights Bodies
I (co-)authored ERRC submissions to UN UPR on the Czech Republic (March 2017), UN CRC on Slovakia (April 2016), UN CEDAW on the Czech Republic (June 2015), UN CERD on Macedonia (August 2015), UN CERD on the Czech Republic (July 2015), UN CAT on Slovakia (July 2015), UN CRC on Slovakia (June 2015), UN CESCR on the Czech Republic (March 2014); 8-11th DH case implementation submissions to the Committee of Ministers, Council of Europe (June 2012, November 2012, November 2013, February 2015); Reviews of the Decade Civil Society Monitoring Reports (2012, 2013-2014), Submission to UN HCR on the Czech Republic (June 2013) and on Slovakia (June 2013); Submission to the European Commission on the Czech Republic (April 2013) and on Slovakia (April 2013); UN CERD on Slovakia (January 2013), UN UPR on the Czech Republic (April 2012).