In this study, we analyze the hardships and absenteeism levels of Roma children during their educational lives. Based on this analysis, we would like to find out the current integration problems and the factors with a more intensely negative impact. Each phenomenon that plays a key role in this process has been analyzed, and its favorable and unfavorable effects have been assessed. By examining the research results, the aim is to highlight unresolved issues that require further attention and possible solutions to advance children’s educational experiences. Roma children face numerous problems in daily life and in the process of integration into education, such as having to struggle with discrimination, feeling alienated due to cultural incompatibilities, and having difficulties in accessing the education system due to unemployment or the limited income levels of Roma families. Field research in six Turkish provinces (Erzurum, Samsun, Konya, İstanbul Ataşehir, İzmir Bergama, and Hatay) revealed that most Roma children are unable to attend school owing to financial constraints and prefer to work to assist their families (Ertan, 2011: 65). According to the FRA report (2021: 16), an analysis of the school absenteeism of Roma children in European countries indicates that 70 percent of them still drop out of school at a very early age. In this study, comprehensive field research was conducted by interviewing 20 parents in Timişoara, Romania, and 20 parents in Adana and Izmir, Turkey, to examine the subject in greater depth.
This article explores how startup founders justify AI-related strategic decisions and negotiate boundaries of responsibility, legitimacy, and ethical acceptability in resource-constrained organizational environments. Drawing on a sociological framework of justification and boundary-work, the analysis uses mixed-method survey data from 72 founders. Results show that most respondents employ efficiency-based justifications, while ethical and civic rationales remain largely symbolic or anticipatory. Despite widespread recognition of AI-related risks, only a minority of founders have implemented concrete governance mechanisms, with most relying on informal practices and shifting responsibility across actors. The findings demonstrate how symbolic legitimacy is constructed through selective invocation of moral logics and illustrate the contingent, negotiated nature of ethical boundary-setting in early-stage AI adoption.
This article examines how Tarot has been transformed through digitalization, focusing on its dual reconfiguration: both as an infrastructure for learning and symbolic legitimation, and as a cultural technology for navigating everyday uncertainty. Based on semi-structured interviews with fifteen young practitioners, the study highlights how social platforms (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube) become constitutive spaces for the formation of interpretative communities around Tarot, in which traditional authorities are replaced by emerging forms of credibility based on expressive authenticity, symbolic coherence and ethical accountability to the public. The research documents the emergence of a ‘digital spiritual habitus’ - a system of aesthetic dispositions and practices adapted to the online environment - whereby traditional symbolism is reconfigured for algorithmic transmission. The article also analyzes the functioning of Tarot as a ‘symbolic refuge’ in a society marked by uncertainty, highlighting the specific ways in which young people integrate this practice into everyday rituals of emotional self-sustainment and narrative construction of meaning. Through a close analysis of digital spiritual bricolage processes and symbolic coping strategies, the study contributes to our understanding of how spiritual practices are transformed by the digital environment, offering empirical insights into contemporary forms of meaning-making in the absence of stable institutional frameworks.
This article examines modern medicine as a hybrid social artifact that exists at the crossroads of science, magic, and commerce. Drawing on insights from medical sociology, medical anthropology, and science–technology–society (STS) studies, it develops an integrated theoretical framework that views medicine as an epistemic object, a cultural symbol, and a product of the global political economy. The analysis explores how the processes of medicalization, biomedicalization, and pharmaceuticalization reshape the relationship among the body, identity, and governance, transforming health into a continuous biotechnological endeavor managed through risks, algorithms, and pharmaceutical infrastructures. At the same time, it investigates the symbolic and ‘magical’ aspects of medicine, from the ambivalence of pharmakon and daily rituals of administration to pharmaceutical lives, belief, hope, and conspiracies and demonstrates how these elements intertwine with the economic logic of the globalized pharmaceutical market, characterized by the fetishization and spectacle of commodities, inequalities in access, and regimes of pharmapower. Methodologically, the analysis relies on a theoretical and interpretative review of specialized literature, providing a critical synthesis that considers medicine as a “total social fact” (Mauss, 1925). The article argues that understanding modern medicine requires an interdisciplinary approach that addresses both the physical existence of molecules and their symbolic and economic circulation.
This study explores the intersections between art and sociopolitical engagement, with a particular focus on Romanian contemporary art and its manifestations of artivism. Drawing on theoretical perspectives from Bourdieu’s analysis of cultural capital to situationist and artivist approaches, the research examines how artistic practice simultaneously reflects and shapes sociopolitical realities. The project employed a qualitative methodology based on six semi-structured interviews with artists from Bucharest and Cluj, chosen for their engagement with socio-political themes. The findings confirm the assumption that contemporary art is inherently political, whether explicitly framed as activism or subtly encoded in creative expression. Artists perceive their work as a form of public discourse that can amplify marginalized voices, provoke debate, and stimulate social awareness. While aesthetic value remains important, participants emphasized the ethical and political responsibilities of art, often prioritizing social relevance over stylistic concerns. Their artistic interventions address issues such as capitalism, environmental crises, feminism, minority rights, and armed conflict, situating Romanian art within broader global currents of resistance and critique. At the same time, the study highlights tensions between art as a tool for activism and art as an autonomous creative pursuit, reflecting debates over representation, accessibility, and cultural gatekeeping. Interviewees also expressed pragmatic views on the social impact of art, recognizing its role in fostering dialogue and micro-level change, while remaining skeptical of its capacity to drive systemic transformation. Finally, discussions on artificial intelligence revealed openness to its potential as a creative tool and as a catalyst for collaborative rather than competitive artistic practices. Overall, the research demonstrates that in Romania, as elsewhere, art functions both as a mirror of societal struggles and as an active agent in shaping sociopolitical consciousness.
This article examines the commemorative practices surrounding the 1992 Transnistrian War as a key arena in which collective memory, national identity, and political legitimacy are constructed and contested in the Republic of Moldova. Grounded in the theoretical frameworks of Maurice Halbwachs, Pierre Nora, Jan and Aleida Assmann, Paul Connerton, James Young, and Jeffrey Olick, the study argues that commemoration in Moldova operates simultaneously as an instrument of state legitimation and as a site of competing narratives of the past. Adopting a qualitative, multi-method approach—combining documentary and legal analysis, participant observation, and discourse analysis—the research investigates the legal framework, monuments, public rituals, and media representations associated with remembrance on both banks of the Dniester River. This qualitative design follows sociological approaches to cultural memory as social practice, enabling contextual interpretation of symbolic and discursive forms of commemoration. The findings show that official commemorations in Chișinău institutionalize communicative memory into cultural memory, reinforcing discourses of sovereignty and Romanian identity, while Transnistrian commemorative practices perpetuate a pro-Russian narrative of victimhood, self-defense, and resistance. This fragmentation of memory across the Dniester reflects Moldova’s broader political and cultural divisions, demonstrating that remembrance remains a deeply politicized process. The article concludes that fostering inclusive and dialogic forms of memory is essential for advancing reconciliation and democratic consolidation in a post-conflict society.
Identity is understood as a set of ideas and roles embedded within the individual self, representing a social construct based on learning processes and the assimilation of specific behaviors. Identity is not a “given”, but rather a trajectory of becoming. This study aims to investigate the process of constructing the social career of theatre actors, analyzing how individuals build their professional and social identity around this occupation. The research is based on a sociological investigation conducted through semi-structured interviews with thirteen participants. The central question is: “How does a person undergo the process of becoming a performing artist?”. The main objective is to identify and describe the stages through which an individual becomes an actor, both in terms of professional trajectory and in relation to the processes of socialization and recognition within the artistic field. The study is grounded in social career theory, offering a sociological interpretation of how individual experiences and institutional structures contribute to identity formation. The results indicate that the professional trajectory of actors follows a structured process, thereby demystifying the romantic perception of the innate artist and talent as a gift. The analysis reveals how artistic identity is constructed through the internalization of institutional norms, transforming individual predispositions into a form of professional competence that is collectively validated. The research data make contributions to the sociology of professions, the study of artistic labor, and theories of identity formation.
This article examines the traditional status of the family in the contemporary Arab Gulf, highlighting how Arab families maintain their cultural identity amid rapid modernization. The focus is on the enduring importance of family unity and family life as key dimensions of both social cohesion and individual quality of life. The analysis draws on research findings concerning the Arab family in the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states: Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, the Emirate of Dubai (UAE), and Saudi Arabia. Established in 1981, the GCC represents a regional alliance shaped by shared cultural and economic interests. This study explores how traditional family structures persist and adapt in a region undergoing major socio-economic changes. It considers the transformation of the Arab family from traditional to modern forms, reflecting on broader themes such as multiculturalism, feminism, and modernity. These shifts occur in the context of rapid development driven by the capitalization of oil and gas resources since the 1970s. This article emphasizes the deeper cultural and social foundations that continue to define Arab identity. The resilience of family structures offers insight into how modernization can coexist with tradition.
Romanian migration to the United States is shaped by a set of distinctive characteristics generated by socio-economic and cultural factors, which significantly influence the processes of adaptation and reconfiguration of social values within the migratory experience. This study aims to examine the social values underlying the emigration decisions of Romanians settled in American communities, drawing upon the motives identified through research and outlining the defining features of this phenomenon. The analysis is grounded in two major analytical perspectives: migration theories — represented by the push–pull model and Douglas Massey’s theory — and social value theories, as formulated by authors such as Thomas R. Rochon, Raymond Boudon, Rudolf Rezsohazy, Shalom H. Schwartz, and Ronald Inglehart. Methodologically, a thematic analysis was applied to a corpus of 18 semi-structured interviews conducted with members of Romanian communities in the American diaspora. The findings reveal four central dynamics: (1) family remains a core value, but its meaning shifts toward ensuring stability, intergenerational security, and access to opportunities unavailable in Romania; (2) work is reinterpreted through meritocracy and fairness, contrasting with corruption and nepotism in the country of origin; (3) education emerges as both a pathway to professional advancement and a mechanism for transmitting new values to younger generations; and (4) cultural identity, while preserved through language and traditions, is continuously renegotiated in interaction with American norms. A key contribution of the study is the identification of a value gap between Romanian migration to North America and to Europe: while European migration is often driven by short-term economic motives, U.S. migration is strongly associated with aspirational, identity-based goals centered on self-actualisation, dignity, and long-term integration. This research highlights migration as not merely a geographical relocation, but a profound process of value transformation and self-reconstruction, aligning individual trajectories with ideals of freedom, recognition, and social justice.
Contemporary spiritual practices like Tarot reading exist in contested epistemic spaces, requiring users to negotiate legitimacy and meaning in skeptical cultural contexts. This study examines how Tarot users construct and maintain the credibility of their practice through online discourse. Based on our thematic content analysis of three Reddit threads totaling 250 user comments, this article identifies how users deploy vocabularies of motive, boundary-work, and collective rationalization to justify and protect Tarot engagement. These findings emerge from empirical data, rather than being solely derived from existing literature. Users frame Tarot as emotional reflection and symbolic self-work rather than supernatural prediction, distinguishing it from religion, science, and superstition through hybrid stances emphasizing therapeutic dimensions. When readings appear inaccurate, users collectively rationalize these moments through symbolic reinterpretation and peer reinforcement, preserving the practice’s value. Three theoretical contributions emerge: distributed vocabularies of motive function as shared explanatory resources that persist across digital interactions as collective interpretive repertoires; boundary-work operates as flexible epistemic positioning, creating permeable spaces through strategic code-switching between knowledge frameworks; collective rationalization prioritizes affective regulation over logical consistency. These findings demonstrate how contemporary spiritual practices sustain legitimacy through flexible, collectively maintained discursive strategies rather than dogmatic belief systems, contributing to sociological understanding of meaning-making in digital contexts.
In the context of the proliferation of anti-aging discourse on social media platforms, this study investigates how Romanian women aged between 49 and 80 relate to digital content that promotes aesthetic youth as an aspirational norm. Grounded on a sociological theoretical framework integrating capital theory (Bourdieu, 1986), neoliberal aesthetic governance (Rose, 1999; Gill, 2007) and age social constructionism (Gullette, 2018; Berger & Luckmann, 1966), the research analyzes data from a questionnaire administered to a sample of 110 women. The study explores the relationship between exposure to anti-aging content, its perceived realism and attitudes towards aging, highlighting processes of internalization, reflexive complicity and aesthetic resistance. Contingency analyses show that frequency of content viewing is correlated with perceptions of realism and attitudes towards ageing, while active engagement (like, comments) is associated with increased internalization of aesthetic norms. The results suggest, based on a small sample of 110 Romanian women, that social media may function as an algorithmic visibility regime that potentially amplifies neoliberal ideals of youth, while also indicating possible spaces for identity and counter-narrative negotiation. The study contributes to the digital sociology of ageing by exploring, within the limitations of a non-representative sample, how female ageing may not only be a biological process but also a symbolic territory of contestation and social resignification, where agency appears to be mediated by technological, affective, and discursive infrastructure.
This article uses a generational lens and a quantitative design to examine the relationship between unfulfilled aspirations and perceived anomie in post-socialist Romania. Drawing on Durkheim’s and Merton’s classical theories of anomie, as well as contemporary frameworks on aspirational identity (Markus & Nurius, Appadurai, Currid-Halkett), the study explores how blocked aspirations influence social disintegration. Quantitative data (CATI survey, N=1100) show that low perceived opportunity and self-assessed underachievement are significant predictors of anomie. Generation Z reports the highest levels of aspirational tension and anomie, while older cohorts express disillusionment with institutions. Regression analysis confirms that aspirational indicators (ideal-achievement gap, perceived inequality of opportunity) account for 19% of the variance in anomie. These findings suggest that aspirational identity mediates the relationship between inequality, symbolic selfhood, and social integration in transitional societies. The study contributes by integrating identity and norm breakdown theories and offering empirical evidence from Eastern Europe.
This empirical study examines European public attitudes and perceptions, focusing on Romania, regarding digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI). Using data from the Eurobarometer 95.2, the study reveals that Romanian attitudes, while generally aligned with the EU28 average, exhibit slightly more pessimism in several areas. Romanians display a balanced view of AI’s potential benefits and risks, similar to the broader European attitudes, but are more apprehensive about the impact of AI on job creation and the relationship between science, technology, and human rights. Perceptions of digital technology and ICT in Romania are positive but tempered with more caution compared to the EU28 average. These findings underscore the importance of developing cohesive EU policies that address shared concerns and promote public trust in technological advancements, while also considering the specific apprehensions and perspectives of Romanian citizens.
The substantial and continuous influx of Romanian emigrants who have maintained ties with their homeland and/or engaged in a form of migratory commute contribute to the cultural exchanges evident in social values. The current study presents an analysis conducted as part of the research on the dynamics of social values in Romanian communities in the United States. A total of 18 semi-structured interviews were conducted online with stable members of Romanian communities in the American diaspora. The qualitative data from the interviews was processed using a coding software, which helped discover indicators of values as important topics for migrants. The analysis of the interviews revealed the existence of two categories of values with a significant impact at the community level and implications beyond the geographical, economical, and cultural boundaries. These were identified as materialist-economic and cultural-identity. The two lenses through which migrants view their country of origin afford a deeper understanding of the process of change at the level of mentality and values. Also, the data reveals the stages through which these changes occur, and the types of connections established between the Romanians who emigrated and those remaining in Romania. There are three key factors in the process of changing social values specific to Romanian immigrant communities in America: triggering (related to well-being, such as values related to basic needs), mediating (related to cultural values, valuing tradition and customs) and repurposing (an alternative interpretation of values in the context of solving the signaled problems). These factors facilitate the rapid change of values for migrants.
The article analyzes the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgment in Perinçek v. Switzerland, addressing the conflict between freedom of expression and the victims’ right to memory, particularly in the context of the Armenian Genocide. The scope of the research is to explore how the ECtHR interprets freedom of speech in cases involving historical denialism and to assess the Court’s application of human rights principles in genocide-related matters. The primary objective is to evaluate the Court’s decision in balancing these rights and to highlight the implications of allowing the denial of the Armenian Genocide as protected speech under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The research problem lies in the Court’s inconsistent approach to historical atrocities, wherein Holocaust denial is treated as hate speech while Armenian Genocide denial is protected as free expression. The academic value of the paper lies in its interdisciplinary approach, blending legal analysis with sociological insights, to critique the ECtHR’s judgment and its broader impact on international human rights law. The paper contributes to discussions on the role of memory in transitional justice and the ethical responsibility of international courts to protect historically marginalized communities. Ultimately, the article underscores the need for a more consistent legal framework to address genocide denial, ensuring both freedom of expression and the protection of victims’ rights are appropriately balanced.
This article addresses the reverse gender gap in the performance of high school students through a case study in Ialomița County. The results show that boys face an average disadvantage compared to girls, which is a phenomenon consistently observed nationally and internationally. The study examines how the Covid-19 pandemic, gender, residence, specialization and other socio-demographic predictors contribute to educational inequalities. On one hand, it discusses the over-representation of girls in domains characterized by higher Baccalaureate graduation rates (theoretical and vocational). On the other hand, it documents the over-representation of boys in domains characterized by lower Baccalaureate graduation rates (technological). Moreover, the results indicate that high school admission and high school graduation average grades are predictors of Baccalaureate success, but they differ significantly between specialization domains. The article creates a typology of high school graduates and highlights problems related to grade inflation. These problems may hide the real competences of students, especially in the technological specialization areas. The study also notes a specific disadvantage for pupils affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This article examines the processes of professional heritage and socialization among Lăutari, traditional Roma musicians in Romania. Drawing on autoethnographic data and thematic content analysis of interviews published in Formula AS magazine, the study explores how musical skills, cultural knowledge, and professional identities are transmitted across generations. The research confirms the predominantly patrilineal nature of occupational inheritance in this community, but reveals a more complex picture of professional socialization. It highlights the crucial role of immersion in a musical environment from an early age, the importance of family and community networks in facilitating learning, and the often overlooked contributions of women in sustaining these traditions. The study also examines the tensions between traditional modes of transmission and modern educational pathways, reflecting broader social changes affecting the Lăutari community. By focusing on this specific group, the article contributes to sociological discussions on occupational inheritance, cultural capital transmission, and the negotiation of traditional identities in modernizing societies, while also shedding light on the adaptations of a marginalized ethnic minority maintaining their professional traditions in contemporary Romania.
This article presents the research results of a qualitative study on children’s nutrition from the perspective of parents. The research question I started from was the following: In what way do parents contribute to the construction of their children’s food consumption behaviors? In order to answer this question, I used a qualitative survey based on 20 interviews conducted using the semi-structured interview technique (Kauffman, 2008). Therefore, in the following, I will analyze in detail the themes that constitute the symbolic universe of parents regarding children’s food consumption, as I discovered them following the research interviews. Likewise, each thematic category will be theoretically anchored with the aim of building a sociological explanation both for the way parents construct their representation of children’s food consumption, and for the existence of their food consumption practices.
People are starting to notice the effects of climate change more and more in their daily lives. People must be aware of their behaviors and how they affect the environment as long as they are trying to reduce climate change. People don’t realize how their actions affect the environment or how they can help lessen the effects of climate change because they don't have clear and accurate understanding about the causes and solutions to the problem. The purpose of this study is to determine how young people perceive climate change in a number of ways, including their perspectives, opinions, and beliefs about its causes, effects and solutions; their level of knowledge about the tactics of international climate actors; their involvement in and opinions about the necessity of these actions; and their perceptions of the importance of environmental and climate education in schools. The results show that the majority of respondents think that economic activity and human activity are the primary causes of climate change and that it is currently a severe concern. Nearly half of respondents consider that they are not affected by climate change now, despite the fact that the majority of them think it will have an impact on their lives in the future. The respondents are in favor of tougher sanctions and penalties for environmental crimes, as well as the creation of an Environmental Court in Romania to handle such cases. The majority of respondents believe they know very little about global climate actors and initiatives. The respondents claim to have a high or very high level of knowledge about climate change mitigation, deforestation, flooding, deforestation, desertification, and extreme weather occurrences.
Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, has been a persistent global health challenge for thousands of years, known historically by various names and often romanticized in 19th-century literature. Despite advancements in medical science, TB remains a significant issue, particularly in economically disadvantaged regions like Romania, which has one of the highest TB mortality rates in the European Union. The disease’s ability to remain latent and become active when the immune system is weakened contributes to its persistence and danger. Adherence to TB treatment is crucial for controlling the disease and preventing the development of drug resistance. Factors affecting adherence include socio-economic status, education, access to healthcare, and social support. Financial incentives have been shown to improve treatment adherence among vulnerable populations, suggesting that addressing economic barriers is essential for effective TB control. This study explores the socio-historical context of TB and evaluates the effectiveness of financial incentives in improving treatment adherence, especially for multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB). Moreover, a quantitative analysis was performed on MDR-TB and XDR-TB patients in order to achieve a comprehensive grasp on the interaction between financial incentives and adherence to treatment. This article highlights the importance of a patient-centered approach in TB treatment, incorporating psychological and social support to enhance adherence. More precisely, the combination of socio-historical and quantitative analyses pinpoints the fact that improving living conditions and providing financial aid are vital components in the battle against TB.
