Sociologie Românească

From “At Risk” to “Dangerous” People. The Roma Between Development Policies and Practices of Expulsion

Ionuț Marian Anghel — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Over more than three decades since the fall of state socialism in Central and Eastern Europe, the position of the Roma in the region is rather ambivalent. Numerous European institutions, inter-governmental development agencies, national governments and European and national/local non-governmental organizations are involved in a pan-European effort to turn the tide for the Roma. The paper argues that although there are numerous efforts to implement development policies and programs to bridge the gap between Roma and non-Roma, there is still a gap between the discourses and inclusion policies developed at the European and national level and those at the sub-national level. There is a tendency to move away from the framing of Roma as an “at risk” group to seeing them as “dangerous people”, who pose threats to the security of others. The paper uses two sets of data sources. First, it employs a secondary analysis of three recent databases: – SocioRoMap – Sociographic mapping of Roma communities in Romania for community-level monitoring of changes regarding Roma integration (2017) and two surveys conducted by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (2011 and 2016). The second data source is based on semi-structured interviews carried out in several research projects that the author has participated in over the last few years. In conclusion, I argue that the two political projects of institutional developmentalism and securitization of the lifestyle of the poorest Roma can coexist, but the abandonment of the former can lead to complex social problems in the future.

Exploring the Gendered Dynamics of Work and Family Life. A Secondary Descriptive Analysis in the Romanian Context

Maria Simionescu (Vlăsceanu) — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

This paper focuses on work and family life in Romania, with particular emphasis on gender, seen as a social structure. The methodology employs the secondary descriptive analysis of data drawn from NIS, Eurostat, and the European Value Survey/World Value Survey datasets. The findings show a Romanian work landscape with slow progress in embracing work flexibility, with considerably lower percentages of remote work and part-time employment compared to EU averages. A notable gender disparity exists in the professional sector. Women exhibit a 18.8% lower participation in economic activities compared to men, a gap that increases with the number of children. Moreover, 36.5% of women, in contrast to 2.7% of men, are professionally inactive due to familial responsibilities. These results align with Nancy Fraser’s (2013) viewpoint on how the intersection between capitalism and patriarchy shapes women experiences. The lack of family-friendly work structures disproportionately impacts women, leaving them vulnerable professionally and financially. Family continues to be the most important institution for Romanians, with trends regarding age of marriage and child births mirroring previous years. While there's a gradual decrease in unpaid household and childcare activities, it is mostly due to technological progress (Popescu, 2009) while women still work “double shifts” (Hochschild, 2012). The paper’s findings highlight that cultural norms and societal pressure compels women to prioritize family responsibilities. Creating “brave new families” (Stacy, 1990) or fostering “confluent love” (Giddens, 1992) requires post-modern cooperation between partners, backed by multi-level actions (Walby, 1989) at individual, organizational and societal levels.

Răspunsuri la criza ocupării. Transformări digitale ale pieței muncii din România

Delia Bădoi, Ana Maria Preoteasa — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

The present article presents a sociological analysis of the sources of crisis in the context of the Romanian labour market, compared to post-socialist and post-Soviet countries. The study examines the labour market changes over the past two decades, from the economic crisis of 2008 to the COVID-19 crisis. The article shows how socioeconomic vulnerabilities during crises interacted with the transformations caused by employment policies, technological transformations of work and neoliberal measures on the labour market in Romania.

Adecvarea politicilor publice la tendințele demografice actuale

Daniel Arpinte — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

About most of types of crises we have got very few details about how they are starting, how they are developing or about their impact on immediate or long term. Either is the COVID-19 pandemic (nobody was able to anticipate the start of the pandemic, although such risk was known as probable, as well as the predictions about its evolution were extremely diverse), about the Ukrainian war or about the economic crisis which already is made visible by an increasing inflation and employment, but particularly about the cumulative effect of these crises, we are confronted with a high degree of uncertainty and with the difficulty to plan and implement a response. The article brings into discussion another type of crises, the family and child policy crisis, of which beginning was known (or rather ignored) but of which effects on long term are clearly identifiable. An important consequence, the demographic crisis, strongly tied to the child and family deficit protection, has built during a three decade period, the National Institute of Statistics (2021) showing that in 2060 the Romanian population will fall to 14.54 million people, because of significant fertility decline and because of an increasing emigration. Basically, the population of Romania was in 2021 slightly below to the population registered in 1966, although during the last over three decades of the communist regime was implemented an aggressive pro-natalist policies. The article aims to identify the main features of the family policies and those targeting the elderlies into the context of a sharp demographic decline.

Pesimism, optimism și încredere în instituții în România actuală

Alexandra Deliu — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

This article uses data from the Eurobarometer series to comparatively present Romania's evolution of optimism/pessimism and trust in institutions, compared to the EU from 2017 to 2023. The premise of the discussion is that the overlap of multiple crises – the health crisis associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the geopolitical crisis stemming from the war in Ukraine, and the economic crisis resulting from both – leads to changes regarding individuals' outlook on both their own future (optimism/pessimism) and the social environment around them (trust in institutions). The data presented here suggest that Romania stands out from the EU due to a high degree of instability in perceptions, as well as the observation that politics and daily life seem to be two disconnected domains in Romania.

De la criză la „permacriză” în comunicarea mediatică din România

Alina Pop, Filip Alexandrescu — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

The article examines how the crisis phenomenon is discussed in the Romanian public communication environment. The authors argue that in the current context, where society is marked by multiple crises, the term "permacrisis" has become relevant, describing a state of permanent crisis affecting the society at multiple levels. The authors analysed how the topic of crisis has been represented in the Romanian media, focusing on articles published online between 2017 and 2022. Through quantitative and qualitative analysis, the study highlights a significant increase in crisis-related mentions since 2020, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This increase indicates a shift in public perception and media discourse, suggesting the normalisation and acceptance of the crisis as a constant state. Four dominant themes associated with the crisis were identified in media discourse: the economic crisis, the health crisis generated by COVID-19, the domestic political crisis and the crisis generated by the war in Ukraine. These themes illustrate the different facets of the permacrisis in Romania, from the economic and social impact, to political uncertainty and the consequences of pandemics and geopolitical conflicts. The paper highlights the importance of recognising and understanding the phenomenon of permacrisis in Romanian society in order to develop more effective strategies for managing crises and building a more resilient society.

Perspectives on religious denominations and social crises in Romania

Laurențiu D. Tănase, Cezar Dascălu — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

The relationship between social crises and religious cults in Romania is a topic neglected by the specialized literature. In this paper, we propose a series of analyses regarding how social crises have influenced religious life in Romania and the mechanisms by which religious cults have played a role in solving or amplifying them. We will refer to the Romanian Orthodox Church, the majority religious denomination, and some of its positions on events/stages of these social phenomena between 1990 and 2023. This text does not propose a thorough examination of these relationships but attempts to sketch perspectives of analysis in response to the following research questions: What do Romanians think about the Church's involvement in the life of society and implicitly in social crises? Why is it important to understand the position of religious actors on the evolution of social crises? How have religious denominations influenced the improvement/aggravation of some dimensions of social crises? Official stances of Religious Cults during different social crises were examined, alongside instances of informal religious practices aimed at enhancing societal conditions. In Romania, religious cults have been essential partners of the State in reducing social crises, providing support through their rich infrastructure and human resources or their symbolic position in society. However, there have also been cases in which religious cults have generated conflictual social states and tension, producing or aggravating social crises.

Return Intentions of Romanian Migrants From the United Kingdom: An Exploratory Approach

Aniela Matei, Cătălin Ghinăraru, Mihaela Ghența, Louise Mladen-Macovei — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Return migration is a complex phenomenon driven by a combination of individual, familial, societal, and economic factors. This study aims to discover the key reasons that limit return intentions of Romanian migrants from United Kingdom to their country of origin. Using a mix of qualitative and quantitative research methods, semi-structured interviews with experts involved in the integration of Romanians in the United Kingdom, and an online survey among Romanian migrants, this study identifies a series of factors that determine Romanian workers’ return intentions. The results indicate that available jobs in the communities of origin in Romania where they have families, and where family solidarity networks are created, are important drivers of return migration. The need to improve government measures to stimulate the return of Romanian workers must be seen in the broader context of the functionality of families with migrant workers, considering both the positive and negative consequences of labour migration for the quality of family life, and the care provision for dependents (children and elderly people).

Încadrarea mediatică a inteligenței artificiale: o analiză a framingului din publicațiile online din România

Lucian Artene — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly at the center of public discourse. Considering the current importance of AI technologies, but also the influence that the mass media has on users' adoption of new technologies and their regulation, the article aims to analyze the attitudes of online publications in Romania towards AI. By using content analysis, the attitudes and themes of 100 articles selected from the most visited Romanian news websites were examined. The results reveal a relatively balanced distribution of attitudes, with 37% of articles expressing negative sentiments, 35% positive and 28% neutral. The most frequently addressed topics include the impact on jobs, especially the negative one, regulations in the field and new functionalities. Compared to the publications in English, as can be seen from the specialized literature, the Romanian articles present a more balanced attitude towards technology, with less emphasis on the dangers. However, the analysis shows that current events can strongly influence public discourse, and approaches vary by publication. These findings suggest a diverse debate, subject to rapid changes, with important implications for AI communication, education and policy in the Romanian space.

Imunizarea. Controversele vaccinurilor [Immunization: How Vaccines Became Controversial]. Prestige Publishing House, Bucharest, 2023. Stuart Blume

Simona-Nicoleta Vulpe — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

In Imunizarea. Controversele vaccinurilor [Immunization: How Vaccines Became Controversial] (original title), Stuart Blume provides an in-depth analysis of vaccines, emphasizing their role beyond medicine into social, political, and economic realms. The book traces the history of vaccine hesitancy, linking it to socio-political changes, such as neoliberalism and commercialization processes. Blume highlights the dual nature of vaccines as public health instruments and commercial products, and how this duality contributes to vaccine hesitancy. He challenges common views on vaccine disparities between developed and developing nations, and examines the evolution of public attitudes towards vaccination. The transition from public to private vaccine production and the focus on profitable vaccines, often at the expense of less developed countries' needs, are some of the key themes in this book. Blume also discusses the redefinition of health risks and diseases, influencing vaccination policies and public perceptions. The book delves into the historical and evolving nature of resistance to vaccination, ultimately arguing that vaccine hesitancy is deeply rooted in both the commercial and public health significance of vaccines.

SOCIAL ANALYSIS, VOLUME 13, 2023, SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF SAPIENTIA HUNGARIAN UNIVERSITY OF TRANSYLVANIA

Sorin Mitulescu — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Volume 13 of 2023 of the journal Social Analysis contains several contributions on sociology in Romania and Hungary at different moments of evolution during the twentieth century. The first four articles deal with aspects of the activity of the Bucharest Sociological School, while four other contributions concern sociology in Hungary. In several articles there are comparisons between the two sociological movements or references to broader developments in Central and Eastern Europe. If about Romanian sociology we receive only information related to the Monographic School, regarding Hungary the articles have a much wider area: from nationalist sociological concerns at the beginning of the twentieth century, to the reorganization of sociology after the Revolution of 1956 and reaching biopolitical approaches with echoes in contemporary Hungary.

Respectarea drepturilor omului în sistemul penitenciar românesc. Bune practici în sistemele penitenciare la nivel internațional. Editura Pro Universitaria, București, 2024. Alexandru Petre

Ștefan Adrian Neagoe — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Respecting human rights in prison represents one of the most important issues when we speak about detention. The quality of prison life is depending on a series of factors, which can influence the behaviour of detainees. Romania is subject of criticism regarding the prison condition, with multiple convictions at European Human Rights Court and still the number of incidents are not higher than those happening in other countries with better detention conditions. The author presents the results of a research focused on the relation between prison service quality, detention condition and medical treatment of the inmates and their behaviour. The conclusion of his study complemented with the good practices identified at international level can represent a guide for improvement of practices and policies within prison service.