In 2006, while spending my holidays in Romania, I read a newspaper article which reported that the village Glod, in the county of Maramures despite the bad infrastructure and unsealed roads, has a high number of cars reported to the number of inhabitants in comparison to other villages with asphalted streets and better infrastructure. I was surprised to read such news about the village where I grew up and I lived until the age of 12, and I asked myself what could be the reasons of this fact. I began to compare the villages of Maramures and I observed certain particularities regarding the different stages of development.
Later being again in Germany for continuing my study of International Social Sciences I realised that researching the causes of development in Glod would be a really interesting issue for my M.A. graduation thesis. Is Glod generally more developed than other villages of Maramures or are there particular reasons for the increased number of cars in the village? What are the factors playing a role in the developmental process of Glod? Which social security schemes are there in Romania? Which ones are functioning in Glod? How is the impact of transition on the citizens in rural areas and what future perspectives have the people living in the villages of Maramures? Are the rural areas less affected by the transition than the urban space in Romania? Is Glod more developed than other villages of Maramures because of the placement, being situated away from the main street having the possibility of developing some internal, specific strategies? (What actually would be against the rule: more developed are usually localities situated centrally, with a good infrastructure). The size of the village was also taken into consideration that could have a certain positive influence on the development of the village: a relatively small village with households situated side by side where everybody knows everybody and many activities are done together from related or neighbouring groups of people. The close relationships between the people could be a key to development of the village too.
By means of triangulation of more research methods (interviews, self-completion questionnaires, household assessment, literature research, indirect observation) that will be presented in detail in the first chapter, I tried to find answers to these (research) questions and to confirm or infirm the set hypothesises.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction.
- 1.1. Why research about the village Glod?
- 1. Description of journey- reflections on my research approaches
- 1.2. The procedure in the research field..
- 1.3. About the difficulty to use the right research method in the right way.
- 1.3.1. Ethnography and participant observation....
- 1.3.2. Self-completion questionnaire.....
- 1.3.3. Study of wealth..
- 1.3.4. Key informant interview
- 1.3.5. Focussed group interview.
- 1.3.6. Communicative validation – the attempt to use participatory methods .
- 1.3.7. Indirect observation....
- 1.3.7.1. Physical proof: Jewish gravestones.
- 1.3.7.2. Written material – content analysis: essays of school children..
- 1.4. About the difficulty to be a research scientist all the time
- 1.5. About the difficulty to stay objective.......
- 1.6. Analysis of the material: About the difficulty to balance out the scientific exactness
- 2.1. What is development?.
- 2.2. Classical development theories and strategies- some views
- 2.3. New approaches in development cooperation.....
- 2.3.1. Democratisation and good-governance.
- 2.3.2. EU development instruments- structural and cohesion funds.
- 3.1. Definition and concepts of social security
- 3.2. History of Social Security
- 4.1. Brief history of Romania..
- 4.2. Country brief- demography and economic insights.
- 4.3. Human development in Romania..
- 4.4. Formal Social Security in Romania
- 4.4.1. Formal Social Security before 1989.
- 4.4.2. Formal Social Security after 1989.
- 4.4.2.1. The national social assistance system- Law 47/2006.
- 4.4.2.2. A guaranteed minimum income- Law 416/2001.
- 4.4.2.3. Health insurances system- Law 145/1997......
- 4.4.2.4. The public pension system and other social insurance rights- Law 19/2000.
- 4.4.2.5. Rights of the child- Law 272/2004..
- 4.4.2.6. The national education system- Law 84/1995.
- 5.1. Brief history of Glod.
- 5.2. Demography and infrastructure..
- 5.3. A study of wealth in Glod
- 5.3.1. Family in Glod
- 5.3.2. Education..
- 5.3.3. Buildings structure and properties.
- 5.3.4. Transportation and livestock
- 5.3.5. Communication facilities
- 5.3.6. Occupational allocation and job migration
- 5.3.7. Religion and values.
- 5.4. Strategies of social security in Glod..
- 5.4.1. Rotating working of fields and sitting clubs
- 5.4.2. Organised seasonal labour migration.
- 5.4.3. Loan providers.....
- 5.4.4. Help and assistance to life events..
- 5.4.5. Help and assistance in case of disasters.
- 5.4.6. Help to expensive medical interventions
- 5.4.7. Help to children's education
- 5.4.8. Collectively cattle breeding..
- 5.4.9. Help for old-age and orphans.
- 5.4.10. Other helping schemes
- 6.1. Corruption as a limit for development
- 6.2. Rural regional development projects as a chance
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This M.A. thesis examines the factors influencing social and economic development in rural Romania, using the village of Glod in Maramures County as a case study. The research explores various aspects of life in the village, from its history and demographics to social security strategies and the impact of development programs.
- Social and economic development in rural Romania.
- Impact of social security strategies on rural communities.
- The role of traditional social networks in providing support.
- Challenges and opportunities for rural development.
- The influence of European Union policies on rural development.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction. This chapter sets the context for the research, outlining the rationale for focusing on the village of Glod and describing the methodologies used. The author discusses the challenges of applying various research methods effectively in the field, including ethnography, participant observation, questionnaires, interviews, and content analysis.
- Development- concepts and strategies. This chapter provides a conceptual framework for understanding development, examining classical development theories and strategies and exploring contemporary approaches such as democratization, good governance, and the role of EU development instruments.
- Social Security. This chapter delves into the concept of social security, defining key terms and providing a historical overview. It examines the evolution of social security systems in various contexts.
- Romania- a transition country. This chapter offers a brief historical overview of Romania, examining its transition from communism to a market economy. It provides insights into Romania's demographics, economic situation, and human development indicators. The chapter further explores the formal social security system in Romania, detailing its development before and after 1989, including the national social assistance system, guaranteed minimum income, health insurance, and public pension system.
- Case study- village Glod, Maramures. This chapter presents a detailed case study of the village of Glod, focusing on its history, demographics, infrastructure, wealth, and social security strategies. The author analyzes the village's social fabric, including family structures, education, housing, transportation, communication, occupational patterns, and religious values. This chapter provides insights into the unique ways villagers have created social security mechanisms to address their needs.
- Chances and limits for the rural areas in Romania.. This chapter examines the challenges and opportunities facing rural areas in Romania. It discusses the detrimental impact of corruption and the potential of rural regional development projects to promote growth and improve living conditions.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The research focuses on rural development, social security, transition economy, Romania, case study, ethnographic methods, participant observation, social networks, and EU development policies. The study also explores key themes like poverty, inequality, migration, education, and access to healthcare in rural Romania.
- Quote paper
- M.A. International Social Sciences Paulin Giurgi (Author), 2009, Factors of social and economic rural development, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/153874
