Struktura demograficzna i społeczno-zawodowa mniejszości ukraińskiej w Polsce

Author(s): Magdalena Rudnicka / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2015

The problem of the Ukrainian minority was one of the extremely difficult and yet the most complex in internal politics of the Second Polish Republic. In a multicultural state Ukrainians were the largest group of non-Polish population, which lived in a compact area, in the great mass held national consciousness and found itself under the authority of the Polish government against its will. Attempts to fulfill its demands have become a source of anxiety, evoked fear of separatist tendencies, and violation of borders, as well as introduced concerns about state security. Moreover, in the way of satisfying Ukrainians’ demands stood the economic weakness of the Second Polish Republic and the nationalist attitude of the majority of its population. However, irrespective of nationality policy and despite the limitations in the development of Ukrainians’ national life, undeniable is the fact that in the Second Polish Republic independent judiciary protected property and personal freedom, there were private minority schools, legal, Ukrainian political parties and independent press. This article discusses definitions of: minority and ethnic minority as well as the origins of clusters of the Ukrainian minority in Poland, the number and distribution of Ukrainian population. In addition, article includes an overview of the social and professional structure as well as the legal status of the Ukrainian minority in the Second Polish Republic.

Česko-slovenství také z druhé strany

Author(s): Stanislav Brouček / Language(s): Czech Issue: 3/2018

The essay seeks to define “Czecho-slovakianism” as a supra-national non-institutionalised“organism”, as unity with a moral dimension that eliminates nationalism –both Czech and Slovak one. From the point of view of historic development, the essay notes that Czechoslovakianism has been existing continuously, despite many misunderstandings, as permanent cultural attractiveness born in the 19th century. It analyses the Czecho-Slovak convergence at the time of preparation of the Prague ethnographic exhibition in 1895 and observes the political positions of both nations living in one Austro-Hungarian state union, but seeking “their” own path towards a decent national perspective. The article subsequently deals with the World War I period which offered, under the influence of a series of circumstances, an exceptional chance to create a common state, the Czechoslovak Republic, backed by the state-building element of Czechs and Slovaks. This element was defined as the Czechoslovak nation. The political concept of the Czechoslovak nation, however,did not work. Not only because it was a political construct of the nation built on a top-down basis (as the German nation), but assumingly also because this concept had too few power ambitions. Such ambitions were present, for example, among the Germans in the 19th century, in the period of constitution of the German nation. The situation in the 20th century was, however, very different with respect to the existence of the “Czechoslovak nation”. In 1918–1992, the Czechoslovak concept was not characterised by any war aggression or internal defence, but was significantly influenced by a series of internal conflicts, i.e. conflicts inherited from the monarchy and conflicts arising with the new constitutional arrangement. Disagreements prevailed in ethnic relations: Czech-German, Slovak-Hungarian and Czech-Slovak,including other internal problems. In terms of politics and organisation, the structure of the Czechoslovak state was fragmented and was governed by the interests of global powers. Czecho-slovakianism was repeatedly tested and verified from the point of view of the power of its values on which it was based, not only within the borders of former Czechoslovakia, but also in the relations between foreign Czechs and Slovaks and in their relationship to their homeland.

Problemy rozwojowe Egiptu w aspekcie Arabskiej Wiosny

Author(s): Aleksandra Głuszkowska,Joanna Kusy / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2012

The social protests in the Middle East states (including Egypt) – so called Arab Spring – were a great shock for international community. The most popular slogans among the Arab protesters were the slogans of freedom, respect for human and civil rights but the real reasons for the mass social opposition were deep social problems, especially demographic and economic ones, which could not stay unsolved no longer. Since 2004 Egyptian authorities began to initiate the process of reforms due to liberate the Egyptian economy. They were welcomed with great applause by the international institutions and especially by the European Union. The western states however did not take into account the fact that this process had some negative impact on the condition of life of average Egyptian and included the social problems in their directives very rarely. This article is an attempt to examine if the cooperation between Egypt and European Union which in the past few decades tries to develop the partnership with all MENA states was effective and if there are the chances to strengthen it in the future, especially in the context of still changing situation in the region. One year since the beginning of Arab Spring is definitely too early for categorical evaluations of EU reaction to the changing partnership however past EU politics towards Egypt was not effective. The first reactions were only rhetorical. Past few months Brussels presented more concrete programs and the packages of support for Egypt and other MENA states. What is important, these propositions included not only the question of economic growth but also the problem of social reforms and development. Arab Spring is still the chance for EU to reformulate its politics towards Egypt but particularly important is the proper coordination of European support for Egyptian reforms.

SITUATA DEMOGRAFIKE, ETNIKE, FETARE ETJ., NË VISET E “SHQIPTARËVE TË VERIUT” NË VITIN 1877, SIPAS VLERËSIMIT TË DIPLOMACISË AUSTRO-HUNGAREZE DHE NJË VËSHTRIM MBI SHPËRNGULJET NGA SANXHAKU I NISHIT

Author(s): Marenglen Verli / Language(s): Albanian Issue: 03-04/2021

Në gjysmën e dytë të shek. XIX, në dokumente të ndryshme të diplomacisë europiane të kohës, e posaçërisht asaj austro-hungareze, gjendet një informacion me vlerë për situatën demografike, etnike, fetare, por edhe sociale, ekonomike, kulturore etj., të Ballkanit osman e në kuadër të saj edhe për botën shqiptare. Aty kemi gjetur të dhëna edhe për numrin, përbërjen etnike dhe besimet fetare të popullsisë së sanxhaqeve ose vilajeteve të quajtura shqiptare, gjithashtu për tiparet e banorëve, të çdo kombësie, për gjendjen e tyre ekonomike, sociale, kulturore etj. Interesimi i posaçëm i Perandorisë Habsburge për rajonin e Ballkanit, në konkurrencë veçanërisht të ashpër me Perandorinë Ruse, për pasojë ngritja e dendur e konsullatave në territorin e Ballkanit osman, kualifikimi përgjithësisht i lartë i personelit të tyre dhe, po kështu, burimet mjaft të besueshme zyrtare e jozyrtare të informacionit që ato siguronin, janë tregues për të krijuar bindjen se të dhënat arkivore të diplomacisë vjeneze të kësaj periudhe meritojnë vlerësim serioz dhe janë për t’u marrë në konsideratë

Анализ на жилищния фонд в област Велико Търново

Author(s): Stefan Petkov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 3/2023

An analysis of the housing stock of the Veliko Tarnovo region was made. Ten indicators from the district were compared with the average for the country. The rate of decrease of the inhabitants of Veliko Tarnovo and the district with the country, the types of buildings built in the district, the average number of inhabitants of dwellings, the average number of dwellings, the types of buildings, etc., are compared.

ROMANIAN DIASPORA IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION IN LIGHT OF THE 2010 AND 2020 POPULATION CENSUSES

Author(s): Cubreacov Vlad / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

Among the 27 member states of the European Union, Romania has the second largest kin-minority inthe Russian Federation. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, the Romanian diaspora in Russia recorded the largest quantitative decrease after World War II, making it increasingly difficult to organize it and preserve its cultural-linguistic identity, given the absence of any important support from the Romanian kin-state. Hardly known in their ethnic homeland, Romanians in Russia do not have national institutions (schools teaching in Romanian, churches, press), being subjected to an intense process of acculturation and denationalization, gradually melting into the Russian mass or preferring to emigrate abroad.

THE CURRENT VITALITY OF THE ROMANIAN COMMUNITY LIVING IN HUNGARY

Author(s): Samira Cîrlig,Narcis Rupe / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

One of the Romanian communities living abroad is the one in Hungary. Separated from the Transylvanian Romanians in 1920, though it voted for union with the Kingdom of Romania. The small Romanian community faced then as it does now a serious problem in its own history – the lack of the necessary institutions, which would assure and guard its identity. Without such institutions and the support of the mother country, the small cultural and ethnic enclave is losing its life force with each passing day. The Romanian community from Hungary is feeling abandoned and alone, being forced to confront the onslaught of the host state, and the attempts thereof to undermine the continued existence of the small Romanian community. Among the policies of dissolutions that the Hungarian state is using against these Romanians native to Hungary, the following can be found: the counter-selection of community leaders, the management of self-perception through the falsification of censuses, and the cutting off of access to Romanian-language education at the secondary and higher levels of study. These policies are not only aimed at the Romanian community. Their ulterior gain is to obtain new privileges for the Hungarian community in Romania.

ПОПИС 2022. ДЕМОГРАФСКИ ИЗАЗОВИ И ПЕРСПЕКТИВЕ СТАНОВНИШТВА СРБИЈЕ

Author(s): Daniela Arsenović / Language(s): English,Serbian Issue: 189/2024

Polskie społeczeństwo wobec uchodźców wojennych z Ukrainy

Author(s): Piotr Długosz,Dominika Izdebska-Długosz / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2024

Upon a mass influx of Ukrainian war refugees to Poland, initially positive attitudes were gradually accompanied by negative stances. This article aims to characterize the attitudes of the Polish society towards Ukrainian war refugees, and identify the areas where dysfunctions emerge due to the arrival of a large group of war refugees. The study also demonstrates the factors associated with the development of negative attitudes towards the war refugees. Empirical material for this research is derived from survey research carried out with the use of the Ariadna panel. The respondents were selected using stratified-random sampling. The research sample consisted of 1141 respondents from all regions in Poland. The survey was conducted with the use of the Computer-Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) technique. The results of the study indicate that one-third of the respondents hold negative attitudes towards the refugees. The respondents stated that the arrival of Ukrainian war refugees in Poland would have a negative impact on the housing market, increase in the prices of goods and services and the condition of healthcare services. Factors such as poor financial status, younger age, the conviction of a decrease in one’s social status, a diminished sense of security, subjective experience of anomie, lack of trust and neuroticism significantly impact the attitudes of the surveyed Poles towards the war refugees from Ukraine.

Współzamieszkiwanie. O wykorzystaniu wielostronnego studium przypadku w metodologii badań migracyjnych

Author(s): Kamil Łuczaj / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2024

The primary objective of this paper is to address the methodology employed in qualitative migration research. It involves a theoretical analysis of the methodological challenges associated with a case study design, necessitating the collection of accounts from multiple individuals participating in the studied process or event. The second aim is to empirically illustrate these considerations through a study focusing on the relationship between Polish hosts and Ukrainian guests (2022–23). The gathered empirical material indicates the effectiveness of applying the technique of cross stories (récits croisés) derived from biographical research, along with the ontological-epistemological difficulties encountered. The paper does not aim to offer a comprehensive analysis of the cohabitation phenomenon. Instead, it contributes to the field by explicitly citing significant portions of raw material and elucidating their context. Its impact on migration studies lies in demonstrating, from a methodological perspective, that the simultaneous examination of various viewpoints and definitions of situations allows researchers to leverage the full potential of qualitative research. Through cross stories, a more profound understanding of interviewees’ perspectives on the world emerges, enabling researchers, when necessary, to question common-sense meanings of certain categories and highlight gaps in biographical accounts.

Compulsive sexual behaviour in Iranian married women: Prevalence, sociodemographic, sexual, and psychological predictors across-country

Author(s): ELNAZ KHAYER,REZVAN ZAREI,MARYAM DAMGHANIAN,Beáta Böthe,FARNAZ FARNAM / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2024

Background and Aims: This study addresses the scarcity of research on Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder (CSBD) in non-Western cultures and women, exploring its prevalence, sociodemographic, sexual history characteristics, and sexual and psychological health factors in Iranian married women. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 772 heterosexual married women was conducted between 2022 and 2023, covering all 31 provinces of Iran. Participants were categorized as CSBDþ (at-risk individuals) and CSBD (low-risk individuals) based on a pre-established cut-off point of ≥18 by the Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder Scale 7. Depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, self-esteem, sexual distress, sexual satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, and sexual dysfunction were assessed as psychological and sexual health variables by standardized scales. Results: The prevalence of CSBD was 3.8% in women. Linear regression analysis showed that lower education, being jobless, substance use, pornography use, paraphilic behaviors, conflict on sex frequency, relationship, orgasm and sexual dissatisfaction, higher sexual arousal, depression, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms were positively associated with CSBD. The univariate analysis, at a stringent significance level of 0.005, mirrored the regression findings. Additionally, women with CSBDþ exhibited lower religiousness and higher anxiety compared to those without CSBD. Discussion and Conclusions: Raising awareness of CSBD is crucial for health systems and individuals for better policy-making and help-seeking behavior. Identifying risk factors like substance use presents opportunities for prevention, and the association of CSBD with sexual and mental health variables suggests addressing co-occurring issues for improved treatment outcomes. Recognizing culture and gender-specific sexual and psychological correlates enables targeted and effective treatment approaches.

Moderating effects of PER3 gene DNA methylation on the association between problematic mobile phone use and chronotype among Chinese young adults: Focus on gender differences

Author(s): Tingting Li,YUMING CHEN,Yang Xie,Shuman Tao,Liwei Zou,Yajuan Yang,Fangbiao Tao,Xiaoyan Wu / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2024

Objective: To investigate the rates of problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) and chronotypes in young adults, and examine the associations of PMPU with chronotypes, as well as its gender differences. Furthermore, we explored the moderating role of PER3 gene DNA methylation on the associations. Methods: From April to May 2019, a total of 1,179 young adults were selected from 2 universities in Anhui and Jiangxi provinces. The Self-rating Questionnaire for Adolescent Problematic Mobile Phone Use (SQAPMPU) and reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ) were adopted to investigate PMPU and chronotypes in young adults, respectively. Moreover, 744 blood samples were collected to measure PER3 gene DNA methylation. Multivariate logistic regression models were established to analyze the associations between PMPU and chronotypes. Moderating analysis was used to determine whether PER3 gene DNA methylation moderated the relationships between PMPU and chronotypes. Results: The prevalence of PMPU, morning chronotypes (M-types), neutral chronotypes (N-types), and evening chronotypes (E-types) of young adults were 24.6%, 18.4%, 71.1%, and 10.5%, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression results indicated that PMPU was positively correlated with E-types (OR 5 3.53, 95%CI: 2.08–6.00), and the association was observed only in females after stratified by gender (OR 5 5.36, 95%CI: 2.70–10.67). Furthermore, PER3 gene DNA methylation has a negative moderating role between PMPU and chronotypes and has a sex-based difference. Conclusions: This study can provide valuable information for the prevention and control of circadian rhythm disturbance among young adults from the perspective of epidemiology and biological etiology.

ПОПУЛАЦИОНА ДИНАМИКА НАСЕЉА ГРАДА ПРОКУПЉА У ПЕРИОДУ 1991−2022.

Author(s): Marija Mihajlović,Maja Novović / Language(s): English,Serbian Issue: 20/2023

The observed period of demographic development of the City of Prokuplje (1991−2022) was largely marked by unfavorable demographic processes. Depopulation is the most prominent in the paper, because it represents the main feature of demographic development. Depopulation begins with the long-lasting emigration, and in the last years the negative natural increase has contributed the most to it. Decades of continuous emigration have left long-term consequences, as a large number of young and active residents moved out, as well as their potential descendants, which affected not only the total number of residents, but also the natural movement and structures. The characteristics of unfavorable biodynamics are particularly visible in the last inter-census period, when low birth rates and high mortality rates were recorded, primarily due to the aging of the population (Lajić et al, 2010). The contemporary demographic development of the municipalities of the Toplički District is accompanied by major changes in population movements, natural and mechanical movements of the population and population structure. The statistical analysis of previously collected and processed data led to the conclusion that these changes are the result of a series of mutually conditioned factors, which led to changes in the development of the population, and which had a negative impact on the demographic development of the City of Prokuplje in recent decades (Novović & Mihajlović, 2017). Rural depopulation is an important problem of global proportions. Therefore, models should be created using global open data to cluster wider regions according to their risk of rural depopulation and drivers in different contexts (Jato−Espino & Mayor−Vitoria, 2023). The main factors of the process of depopulation and demographic aging are: emigration, as well as the direct and indirect consequences of the process of emigration and the process of industrialization in which there was a concentration of industry in urban settlements outside the studied territory. This led to an accelerated and disorganized process of deagrarianization; unfavorable agrarian policy, which did not encourage the young population to stay in rural areas, and underdeveloped infrastructure in the territory of the City of Prokuplje. Those continuous migrations have changed the age structure of the population in its most vital part (20-40 years), which resulted in not only a change in the total number of inhabitants, but also in the natural change of the population. The unfavorable age structure of the population has a negative impact on central functions in rural settlements (closing of shops, schools, clinics, post offices, etc.). This situation will largely lead to the demographic emptying of not only small settlements, but also medium-sized ones. The results of the paper indicate a poor demographic perspective for the City of Prokuplje. Smaller and higher altitude settlements are especially at risk, which will soon be emptied at this rate.

SOCIOEKONOMSKA STRATIFIKACIJA I URBANO STANOVANJE U POSTSOCIJALISTIČKOM BEOGRADU

Author(s): Nikola Jocić,Aljoša Budović,Ivan Ratkaj / Language(s): English,Serbian Issue: 21/2024

Socialism introduced the ideology of egalitarianism and aimed to create a fairer society, which was spatially embodied in large-scale modernist housing estates. These estates housed populations from various socioeconomic backgrounds, reducing overall segregation. However, in the post-socialist period, growing socioeconomic differentiation has led to market-driven housing projects primarily targeting the upper and middle classes. Despite these market mechanisms, both in the socioeconomic and housing spheres, residential segregation in Belgrade has not yet significantly increased. The “socialist suburb” zone in Belgrade still maintains a socioeconomically mixed population and keeps city-wide segregation lower than market dynamics might suggest. The high rate of homeownership, as a result of privatization, reduces residential mobility and contributes to the stability of the socioeconomic attributes of many parts of the city over time. The decline in socioeconomic status from the city centre to the periphery reflects a consistent pattern not only in the observed period but also throughout a longer historical timeframe. This pattern, established in the late 19th century, has been reinforced by various economic and political mechanisms. Pronounced economic differentiation during the transition period, as well as prior to World War II, coupled with rudimentary social housing and the neglect of the unemployed, created similar effects. Urban areas in the central zone with a predominantly lower socioeconomic status, which existed before the war and persisted through the socialist era, are now being displaced by gentrification processes. The phenomenon of informality in Belgrade was never completely eradicated; instead, it was continuously pushed to the periphery as the city expanded. Established peripheral informality, associated with urban poverty, remains a significant aspect of Belgrade’s residential segregation with strong temporal consistency. However, in the post-socialist period, informal housing has started to extend beyond the periphery and into central areas. The contextual dependence of residential segregation patterns is an ongoing research topic in urban studies, particularly for dynamic urban environments like Belgrade.

Možnosti merania vitality lokálnych spoločenstiev pomocou obydlí

Author(s): Jaroslav Hanko / Language(s): Slovak Issue: 3/2024

This article approaches the concept of the “vitality of local com-munities” and the possibilities of its measurement. It describes the efforts of researchers to define vitality at the level of regions, cities, or even neighborhoods. With the advent of new technologies, we are experiencing an increase in possibilities and tools to visualize vitality in the form of maps or interactive databases. We are witness to numerous projects that explore the vitality of communities in the USA and Canada, but this approach has penetrated the rest of the world only to a lesser extent and in a significantly altered form. The article notes a selected parameter – the dwellings that people build,adapt, or abandon. Dwellings are a well-researched feature from various anthropological perspectives even historically. Thanks to this, it is possibleto quantify the level of vitality of cities through houses. We have much datafrom field research in a specific location in South-Central Slovakia. With the help of said data, it will be possible to create a locally adapted tool formeasuring the vitality of the local community. It can be used as an indicator of the quality of life in terms of local policy-making, urban planning, or development forecasting. Therefore, it can be an important tool in the study of depopulating regions.

ПОРОДИЦАМА, ГЕНЕРАЦИЈАМА И СОЛИДАРНОСТИ: ТРАГАЊЕ ЗА ОДГОВОРИМА НА САВРЕМЕНЕ ДЕМОГРАФСКЕ ИЗАЗОВЕ

Author(s): Milica A. Vlajić / Language(s): English,Serbian Issue: 4/2024

Review of: Milica Vesković Anđelković, Intergenerational Solidarity as a Response to Contemporary Demographic Challenges. Beograd: Institute for Sociological Research, 2024, 164 pp.

ЕМПИРИЧЕН АНАЛИЗ НА ВЪЗПРОИЗВОДСТВЕНИТЕ НАГЛАСИ НА МЛАДОТО НАСЕЛЕНИЕ НА БЪЛГАРИЯ – ДЕМОГРАФСКИ ПОТЕНЦИАЛИ И ПРЕДИЗВИКАТЕЛСТВА

Author(s): Desislava Botseva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 02 BG/2024

This study explores the reproductive attitudes of the young population in Bulgaria and examines the trends in birth rates over the period 2013-2023, with a focus on the determinants of reproductive behavior. The research utilizes a combination of empirical data collected through a survey, alongside official statistics from the National Statistical Institute. The primary objective is to investigate the motivating and constraining factors that influence the decision to start a family and to identify key trends in the country's demographic development. The analysis reveals that while there is a predominance of positive attitudes toward family formation, the decision to have children remains strongly shaped by critical socio-economic factors. The study also underscores the need for regionally differentiated research that considers local socio-economic conditions and cultural specificities affecting reproductive intentions. The findings highlight the importance of developing empirically grounded demographic policies to address the challenges of declining birth rates and evolving social attitudes. Strategic approaches and policy mechanisms should be based on comprehensive analysis and an integrated framework, aimed at providing economic support and a stable social environment for young families.

Impact of Infertility on the Institution of Marriage in Modern Society

Author(s): Farida ASHIRBAYEVA,Bayan SMAGAMBET,Almash TLESPAYEVA / Language(s): English Issue: 88/2025

The research relevance is determined by the demographic issues and psychological studies that have recently attracted the attention of specialists and the public, which highlight various problems of families with reproductive health disorders, and the reaction of society to infertility is one of the problems bothering people diagnosed with infertility. However, the issue of the psychological and reproductive characteristics of such families requires further study and elaboration. The research aims to study the impact of infertility problems in marriages of urban and rural women in Kazakhstan and the reaction of society to infertile couples. The study examines the main factors of impact on reproductive health, the causes of female and male infertility, and society’s assessment of childless couples. The experimental research was conducted in the central part of Kazakhstan: in the clinic of reproductive medicine and women’s consultation of a rural hospital. A total of 198 women from among the patients diagnosed with infertility were interviewed. The research showed that due to childlessness, women face stigmatisation in society: 21% of urban women and 78% of rural women. According to the medical anamneses studied, 154 infertile women were registered with the diagnosis of primary infertility. According to examination data, 44 women were found to have congenital or hereditary infertility. Almost all the women interviewed are satisfied with their family life. The method of comparative, systemic, logical, and content analysis, as well as the method of synthesis and analogy, were used in the study of this topic. The practical value of this article lies in the fact that the main provisions and obtained conclusions of the analysed material can be used in conducting classes in sociology, and psychology, used by students specialising in the field of infertility, conception, and reproductive health.

STRATEGIC GUIDELINES AND REGULATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF SERVICES FOR OLDER PEOPLE AND ELDERLY PEOPLE

Author(s): Tanya Vazova / Language(s): English Issue: 5/2024

This paper examines international and national legal frameworks, policy documents and initiatives that aim to improve the quality and accessibility of social services for older people. It focuses on the importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Social Charter, which lay the foundations for the protection of the rights and dignity of this group. At the national level, Bulgaria implements numerous laws, including the Social Services Act and the Disability Act, which guarantee legal protection and access to social services. Despite the established legal framework, challenges have been identified such as fragmented legislation, insufficient resources and lack of coordination between institutions. The study highlights the need for an integrated approach to provide quality services, including active living, deinstitutionalisation and social integration measures. Guidelines for policy improvement and adaptation to demographic and socio-economic changes are proposed.

ACCESSIBILITY AND QUALITY OF SOCIAL SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY IN BULGARIA: IMPACT OF DECENTRALIZATION AND DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION

Author(s): Tanya Vazova / Language(s): English Issue: 5/2024

This article examines the development of social services in Bulgaria after 2002, with an emphasis on decentralization and deinstitutionalization as key processes for the transformation of the system. It analyses the main reforms introduced through new legislation, including the Social Services Act (2019), and their impact on the accessibility, quality and efficiency of services provided. Special attention is paid to the role of municipalities and private providers in providing social support, as well as the transition from institutional care to home- and community-based services. The study highlights the significant progress in increasing the number and capacity of day and residential care units, but also identifies critical challenges such as uneven distribution of services, lack of resources and lack of sustainability of project-based initiatives. It also discusses good practices related to the integrated approach and the need for more effective collaboration between the public and private sectors. In conclusion, the paper offers recommendations for the future development of social services, including expanding capacity, improving the quality of care and introducing innovative models of support. This study provides valuable insights for improving the social system in Bulgaria in order to more effectively meet the needs of vulnerable groups and improve quality of life.