HIV Trajectories
A longitudinal, multi-sited ethnographic research project examining how HIV-positive migrants from Poland and the Baltic states navigate healthcare and social welfare systems in Berlin.
I explored how HIV intersects with migration, institutional borders, and citizenship rights—revealing how healthcare access is shaped by medical, social, and political structures.
Deep Ethnographic Research Across Institutions
I conducted immersive fieldwork (participant observation) and led over 40 interviews inside anti-HIV organizations, hospitals, clinics, and social welfare offices, following participants through their everyday interactions with healthcare and state systems.
Revealing HIV as a Social, Medical, and Political Agent
The research showed that HIV cannot be understood only as a medical condition—it is also shaped by stigma, bureaucracy, migration policy, and citizenship rights. In such a perspective HIV creates a space for negotiations and resilience and is a productive agent.
Research Driving Advocacy and Policy Discussion
The findings contributed to academic publications, international conferences, and collaboration with anti-HIV organizations supporting migrants in Berlin. The project strengthened advocacy efforts around healthcare access and highlighted the need for broader policy reform for vulnerable EU migrants.
