Volunteers and Volunteering in Central and Eastern Europe Cover Image

Dobrovoľníčky/ci a dobrovoľníctvo v strednej a východnej Európe
Volunteers and Volunteering in Central and Eastern Europe

Author(s): Malina Voicu, Bogdan Voicu
Subject(s): Social Sciences
Published by: Sociologický ústav - Slovenská akadémia vied
Keywords: Volunteer; Volunteering in Central and Eastern Europe; Participative Culture; Behaviour

Summary/Abstract: Volunteers and volunteering in Central and Eastern Europe. This paper focuses on volunteering behaviour, as an expression of a participative culture. We are interested in the cultural and social determinants of volunteering, both at individual level, but mainly at the aggregate (country) level. We note that the phenomenon has a lower incidence in the ex-communist countries as compared to the occidental democracies, and try to explain the discrepancies through cultural traditions, globalization and the economic background. We pay special attention to the relation between volunteering and social capital, in Central and Eastern Europe. We use multi-level regression models and the European/ World Values Survey data collected in 1999 – 2000 to provide evidence on a common post-Communist culture which tends to decrease the individuals propensity to volunteer. Sociológia 2009, Vol. 41 (No. 6: 539-563)

  • Issue Year: 2009
  • Issue No: 6
  • Page Range: 539-563
  • Page Count: 25
  • Language: English