Who Accommodates Meaning? The Privileges of Being Interpreted and Housed from the Perspective of Ukrainians in Slovakia
Who Accommodates Meaning? The Privileges of Being Interpreted and Housed from the Perspective of Ukrainians in Slovakia

Summary/Abstract: Displaced populations experience heightened levels of inequality and injustice in their access to society, where epistemic dimensions contribute to these injustices. Policies that inadequately address the needs of forced migrants often result in restricted access to translation and interpretation services. By failing to address the lived experiences and voices of these populations, systems further perpetuate social inequalities and obstruct the development of inclusive, equitable practices. This paper argues that epistemic injustices, as a specific, nuanced layer, contribute to the production of vulnerability of refugees. In particular, it examines the systemic disregard for refugees' lived experiences and the misrecognition of language use in administrative contexts and in interpreting, demonstrating these processes in housing practices towards Ukrainian refugees. The empirical examples are drawn from qualitative research conducted in Slovakia from 2023 to February 2025, involving displaced persons from Ukraine, ad hoc interpreters and institutional actors responsible for refugee integration and support. The analysis is grounded in translation policy studies, the ethnography of communication and the anthropology of housing, providing a multidisciplinary perspective on the challenges faced by displaced populations.

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