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policy is necessary or when targeted initiatives are more appropriate (based on an
understanding of emergence); provides the capacity to identify and utilize relevant and
diverse data (recall the center of study advantage discussed above); and makes it easier
for the anthropologist to write recommendations that will be appropriate to more than one
(cultural) group. It is important to stress that this policy aspect of the MERIA advantage
is independent of the research and analysis phases of a given anthropological project; it
can be argued, however, that a lot of anthropological data is inaccessible or at least lost in
translation between the researcher and those it might interest or who might benefit from it
outside of the discipline. A research device such as MERIA may help to correct that
problem by providing the anthropologist with the tools to present a more accessible
analysis of a given reality, when appropriate.
The Roma of Greece are a fascinating group to work with in the field, although
those familiar with the exercise will attest that this is not always easy. Beyond the
resistance strategies, trust issues, problems with access, and needs for analytical freedom
in dealing with a markedly unconventional population, the anthropologist must also deal
with the sometimes intolerable conditions Greek Roma endure.
One afternoon while discussing a project with several consultants at the Alpha
compound, we were interrupted by a car full of non-Romani teenagers yelling, “tell us the
future, Gypsy!” and throwing garbage. My consultants shrugged off the affront, but it
has always stayed with me as a potent example of why anthropology is necessary and
how the knowledge we create is unique and important. MERIA has simply given me the
opportunity to better understand the field in which I work and to make a positive