This article examines the social, economic, and professional consequences of volunteering in Romania, drawing on a national doctoral research programme combining opinion surveys, a Delphi expert consultation, and a critical analysis of the legal framework. It synthesises evidence on the contribution of volunteering to social capital, democratic participation, community cohesion, and the national economy, and reviews the theoretical foundations - experiential learning, transformative learning, adult development, and human capital theory - that explain how volunteering generates transferable competencies and facilitates labour-market integration. Empirical findings indicate that while Romanian volunteering remains below the European average (8-12% active participation) and is concentrated among urban, educated youth, it produces measurable wage premiums, faster transitions to employment, and organisational efficiency gains, while also functioning as an early-warning system for emerging social needs. The article identifies structural limitations and proposes policy directions for legislators, public authorities, and non-governmental organisations aimed at consolidating volunteering as a pillar of participatory democracy and sustainable social development.
Urbanization in Bangladesh is advancing at one of the fastest rates in South Asia, yet its gendered consequences in peri-urban and rural hinterlands remain insufficiently examined. This study investigates how urbanization processes have reshaped the socioeconomic conditions, household roles, cultural norms, and political agency of rural women in two strategically selected upazilas of Mymensingh Division: Bhaluka, an industrially active growth node, and Trishal, a semi-rural upazila experiencing indirect urban pressure. Using a quantitative-dominant mixed-methods design, primary data were gathered from 200 women respondents (100 per site) through a structured questionnaire, supplemented by 20 in-depth interviews and four focus group discussions. Secondary data were drawn from census records, government reports, and peer-reviewed academic literature. Cross-tabulation and chi-square analysis with Cramer's V effect sizes reveal statistically significant site differences across most major outcome domains, including employment, income, cultural norms, and empowerment. The study argues that urbanization in these upazilas has produced gains without comprehensive relief, and that gender-responsive policy must address the full architecture of women's lives, not merely their labour market participation.
European private international law increasingly encounters transnational family relations connected to foreign personal status norms derived from Shari'a, especially in matters involving marriage effects, divorce, inheritance, and maintenance. These cases raise questions regarding European public policy and how forums should deal with the effects of Shari'a-based norms when they are in abstracto discriminatory, but their concrete effects are not manifestly incompatible with public policy. Drawing on the established concept of "ordre public attenue", this study argues that the public policy exception should not be an automatic mechanism of exclusion of norms, nor should cultural or religious identity justify the recognition of in concreto discriminatory effects. Building on this framework, the article proposes an "intensified concrete-effects test". Under this test, the forum should analyse the disadvantage of the protected party, verify whether the applicable law provides for social or economic compensatory mechanisms or protections, the existence of a valid and freely expressed consent where relevant, and whether the exclusion of the foreign norm or the non-recognition of its effects may be detrimental to the protected party.
Communal violence has become a major social issue in Bangladesh, challenging long-standing traditions of religious tolerance and social harmony. This study examined the impact of communal violence on the Hindu minority in Pirganj, Rangpur. Using a qualitative approach, we conducted fifteen (15) in-depth interviews and seven (7) case studies. The findings of the study revealed that communal violence has caused significant social and economic damage by disrupting social cohesion, breaking down social and family relationships, causing employment shortages, destroying homes and businesses, and leading to the loss of means of subsistence. Moreover, the deities and religious cultures of the temples were damaged. Participants experienced various psychological issues, including emotional distress, post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and fear. Although law enforcement agencies intervened and security measures were implemented, response delays and justice gaps remain critical concerns. The study highlights the need for locally grounded interventions, including community-police liaison committees at the union level, an early warning system involving mosque and temple leaders, monitoring of social media incitement, targeted rehabilitation programs for affected households, and community-based mental health support. These findings contribute to understanding the intricate nature of communal violence and offer practical recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders.
This article offers an integrated sociological analysis of the contemporary family in Romania, bringing together theoretical, empirical, and policy-relevant perspectives on a social institution undergoing rapid transformation. It begins by delimiting the concept of family from both a sociological and a legal standpoint and reviewing the functions that the family institution has historically performed, with particular attention to its educative function. The article then examines how globalization - through the emancipation of women, the redistribution of domestic tasks, and the pervasive presence of digital technology - has reshaped the way families raise and educate children, a process further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. It subsequently maps the principal structural challenges confronting the contemporary family: the postponement of marriage, declining fertility, the normalization of cohabitation, and the rising incidence of divorce. Drawing on national survey data, the article documents how Romanians perceive the family institution today. Finally, the article presents original mixed-methods findings from a study of 106 students at the "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iasi, examining how young people themselves perceive the Internet's role in their socialization and, indirectly, in the erosion and reconfiguration of the family's educative monopoly.
