vi
Katina Englezos. Although you are gone, your lives and our many conversations remain
in my thoughts and in my heart. You also influenced this work.
As ever, I wish to thank my parents, Roula and Costas Alexandrakis, for their
support and fierce encouragement. A special thanks to Roula for her careful editing of
the Greek in the text that follows. Finally, my sister Catrina Alexandrakis lived the trials
and tribulations of the grad student life along with me, albeit in Calgary, Canada, where
she is pursuing a Ph.D. in the Geosciences. Her deep intelligence and intuition helped me
to work through various professional and theoretical issues along the way.
Last, but certainly not least, I also extend heartfelt thanks to my consultants in the
field. The people I worked most closely with were patient and kind; I owe them an
enormous debt. Also, warmest thanks to my Romani and undocumented migrant
consultants, whose names I cannot reveal. Among the many things I learned while
working with and alongside these gentle people was that endurance can come from hope,
and that strength of spirit can turn sorrow to wisdom. While some of these consultants
remain in Athens, I know that many found new pathways that have taken them, variously,
away. I wish everyone luck, health, happiness, and to those still searching, bon voyage,
κaλo δpoμo.