Country of residence

Czech Republic

Brief introduction

PhD candidate, Faculty of Humanities, Charles University in Prague

Education

Mgr., Sociology: Social Construction of Identities, 2008, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University in Prague

Academic profile

Stepan Ripka is social researcher and policy analyst. His research experience covers municipal housing policies towards Roma, institutionalization of Romani children, ethnographic research of marginalized communities in Czech Republic, and ethnically disaggregated statistical data estimations. He worked as Roma program coordinator for Open Society Fund in Prague where he advocated for desegregation of Czech primary education system, and inclusive housing policies for low-income households. He has conducted ethnographic research on Pentecostal Romani congregations in Mexico and Czech Republic. He is currently carrying out fieldwork in Romany pentecostal congregation in Western Bohemia where he is interested in  the transmission of religious knowledge through a Bible school. Most of the students were Romani men, several women also attended. Now, in their 20s – to 40s, after all they seem to be very well „educable”, which challenges their former segregation to state schools designed for mentally handicapped children, and also the view on the ineffectiveness of the adult education.

Publications

• ERRC (2011): “The Czech Republic Country Report. Protecting the Rights of Romani Children in the Child Protection System in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Romania and Slovakia.” (together with Kateřina Hrubá)
• Organization of international conference (2011) “Improving access to housing for Roma: Good local practices, funding and Legislation” webpage: http://www.romadecade.org/czech_housing_conference
• Kašparová, I., Ripka, Š., Sidiropolu Janků, K. eds. (2008): "Long-term Monitoring of situation of socially excluded Roma communities: Moravian localities." Praha: Úřad vlády ČR (in Czech)

Keywords

Roma/Gypsies, Religion, Housing, Education, Policy

Contact

stepanripka@gmail.com browse members list