Sociologie Românească

Heroes Too, Need to Connect. A Hero/Heroin’s Journey to Community Belonging and Cohesion

Ștefan Cojocaru — 2025-06-24

The research discusses partial findings from the “Hero’s Journey” intervention program conducted in Jerusalem from October 2023 to June 2024 across three senior citizen clubs, with 39 women and one man participating. Based on Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey” model with contemporary adaptations, the 12-session program exposed participants to myths from around the world and their cultures. Participants shared personal stories and created artwork related to the meeting themes. The intervention sought to bring together personal stories and community narratives, using myths and legends to create positive change for individuals and communities. Out of the three parameters the study aimed to influence, the article focuses on two: a sense of belonging and social cohesion. Utilizing quantitative and qualitative data, the article addresses only the quantitative findings, which show a significant change in participants’ sense of belonging and group cohesion.

Practici de mediatizare a războiului ruso-ucrainean în talk-show-urile politice. O analiză de dispozitiv televizual

Camelia Beciu — 2025-06-24

The article approaches the mediatization of the Russian-Ukrainian war from the perspective of the predominant information and debate practices in two established political talk shows in the Romanian television sphere. Situated within a constructivist analytical framework, the research discusses the influence of television on audiences in the new media culture and, specifically, the production of regimes of event visibility and audience engagement. Methodologically, the research uses the dispozitive analysis to highlight the strategic organization of television mediatization in relation to the communication project of the media actor. The study demonstrates that both talk shows, conceptualized as dispozitives, have an analytical purpose (of explaining the event) and a warning/alert one. These purposes are, however, achieved differently, depending on the socio-institutional, symbolic and technological particularities of the talk show. The research results are interpreted from the perspective of the performativity of media (televisual) discourse (Broersma, 2019; Dayan, 2015; Chouliaraki, 2006), its potential to establish an emotionally and ethically significant reality for the audience.

Exploring Intergenerational Educational Mobility in Romania Based on the Intentions of Enrolling in Higher Education Among Upper Secondary Education Students

Ana-Maria Zamfir — 2025-06-24

While education is one of the most important determinants of social position, it remains largely influenced by parental education. Considering the key role of education in the socioeconomic attainment process, this paper explores patterns of intergenerational educational mobility in Romania. Analysing survey data collected from a sample of upper secondary education students regarding their intentions of enrolling in higher education, we highlight the influence of background factors and educational trajectories on the chances to display upward or downward educational mobility. The obtained results show the important role played by the selection of students in general and vocational tracks for their prospects of educational mobility. Our findings are relevant to inform education policy aiming to increase overall educational attainment, while reducing educational inequalities.

The Gender Paradox in Romania: Pay Equality, Workforce Disparity

Andreea-Denisa Trășcan — 2025-06-24

Romania's situation regarding gender equality is quite paradoxical: it has one of the lowest unadjusted genders’ pay gap in Europe, yet it holds a low position overall in gender equality among EU countries. This contradiction highlights serious inequalities in areas like labour force participation, political representation, education, and leadership roles. Despite minimal differences in gender pay, societal norms, occupational segregation, and discriminatory practices intensify gender gaps in employment and leadership. This article explores various aspects of gender inequality in the workplace, including payment disparities, workforce participation, and educational attainment. In addition, it will examine how Romania’s legal framework and government policies, such as maternal leave regulations, address these inequalities and aim to support gender equality, particularly in helping women balance work and family responsibilities. Challenging traditional gender norms, expanding access to education, and strengthening social protections are essential in addressing Romania's gender disparities. Redistributing care responsibilities and promoting flexible work arrangements are vital steps in this process. By tackling these inequalities, policymakers can simultaneously advance gender equality and align with the broader objectives of sustainable development, ensuring both immediate and lasting societal benefits.

Social Polarization and Economic Inequality: An Analysis of the Impact of Communist and Capitalist Policies on the Quality of Life of the Romani Community in Southern Muntenia

Miruna Pandele — 2025-06-24

This paper aims to provide an analysis of the social policies implemented in Romania in order to manage the Roma minority issue before and after the 1989 Revolution. Its main goal is to investigate whether Romania had a better social integration system put in place as to enable addressing the Roma minority issue during communism or afterwards. Today, the Romani community is dealing with systemic ethnic discrimination that brings about issues like poverty, unemployment, and homelessness. The lack of financial resources needed in order to survive in capitalism makes it hard for low-income families to ensure decent living conditions for themselves and their children. Negative attitudes towards the Romani affect their access to healthcare, counsel, education, and housing as they become systematically excluded from the social life of the majority and are made into outsiders in their own country. Thus, this study means to show the perspective of the Romani on the issue and how they feel the fall of communism has impacted their community by further exploring certain dimensions of social life in Romania - education, housing, and labour dynamics.

Între inovație și provocări etice: impactul utilizării inteligenței artificiale în cercetarea în științele sociale

Adrian Hatos — 2025-06-24

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly influencing scientific research by improving the reliability and efficiency of literature reviews, data collection and analysis, as well as of academic writing. While AI offers significant advantages in automating repetitive tasks and streamlining research workflows, it also raises concerns about accuracy, transparency, and ethical integrity. This paper examines the dual impact of AI in social science research, highlighting its potential to improve efficiency while underlining the need for critical oversight of processes and outcomes. Experience to date suggests that researchers need to validate all AI-generated outputs and adopt a critical stance toward the use of AI in the creative stages of scientific endeavor. In addition, academic institutions should establish clear policies to regulate the use of AI, ensuring compliance with international standards and promoting ethical research practices. The future of AI in research depends on balancing the efficiency calculations supported by technological innovation with ethical responsibility and that of upholding the credibility and integrity of scientific knowledge.

In memoriam dr. Szabó Béla, conferențiar universitar (1977–2025)

Éva László — 2025-06-24

Szabó Béla (1977-2025) tragically passed away at 48, leaving behind a family in grief, colleagues, and an academic community in mourning. His journey was characterized by a strong dedication to social work, social policy, and the social economy. He significantly contributed as a member and researcher within the SOWOSEC – Social Work and Social Economy Program – a cooperation of European social work universities. Much of his effort focused on establishing distance learning programs, modernizing social work education, and improving access to high-quality training for students throughout Romania and Europe. His lectures at the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work at Babeș-Bolyai University inspired generations of students to think critically, act with compassion, and pursue social justice.

Efecte ale crizei actuale asupra sărăciei din România – politici antisărăcie. Editura Pro Universitaria, Bucureşti, 2024. Mariana Stanciu (coordonator), Adina Mihăilescu, Cristina Humă, Livia Ștefănescu, Bianca Buligescu, Horia Mihai

Mihnea Tudor Preotesi — 2025-06-24

The volume published in 2024 and written by a team of researchers from the Quality of Life Research Institute covers a very complex issue, that of poverty and social exclusion, on the one hand, and social protection policies, focused on poverty reduction, on the other hand. Even if the proposed analysis is a synthetic one, the information density is high, and covering such a complex issue required structuring on a fairly large number of chapters. In addition to a consistent introductory chapter of conceptual clarifications, the volume contains ten more chapters.

CERCETARE, DEZVOLTARE ȘI INTERVENȚIE ÎN ASISTENȚĂ SOCIALĂ. Editura Tritonic, București, 2024. Doru Buzducea (coord.)

Adrian Cristian Titorencu — 2025-06-24

The coordinator of the book is Doru Buzducea, university professor and at the same time, starting with 2024, director of the Doctoral School of Social Work, within the University of Bucharest. The work, consisting of 15 chapters, is based on a detailed analysis of the triad research – development – intervention in social work. Offering a modern perspective, it addresses a wide range of topics, bringing current topics in the field of social work to the general public and to the specialized public.

YOUTH AND THE DIGITAL ERA. HOW DOES GENDER IDENTITY INFLUENCE SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT PRODUCTION? ProUniversitaria Publishing House, Bucharest, 2024. Corina Seserman

Mădălina Căpraru — 2025-06-24

This book is a breakthrough in studying the social media usage by teenagers and gender studies altogether. The author manages to pinpoint how gender identity influences social media behaviour of teenagers, which, in turn, is used to affirm and act one’s gender in front of the peers. The author begins by contextualizing gender identity studies within the current theoretical frameworks, including third gender theory, gender ambiguity, and feminist approaches. She then details her mixed-methods research design, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative techniques to capture the complex ways in which teenagers produce and consume social media content through a gendered lens. The book concludes by emphasizing the social implications of gendered digital practices, and the critical need for continued research. Seserman’s work offers a compelling look at how digital spaces act as arenas for both self-expression and social validation among youth shaped fundamentally by gender identity.