Alexander Marković is a cultural anthropologist interested in ethnicity, nationalism and the cultural politics of music and dance in the Balkans. He spent seventeen months doing ethnographic fieldwork with Romani musicians in Vranje, Serbia, for his doctoral dissertation, documenting community life, professional musical work and Romani musical culture. His research explores how Romani musicians use musical styles, performance strategies and ideas about cultural identity to try to maintain their livelihoods (and find new niches) despite post-socialist economic crises and rapid social change.