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.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Description of journey– reflections on my research approaches
1.1. Why research about the village Glod?
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 and the confidential attitude of the village people
2. Development- concepts and strategies
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. Social Security
3.1. Definition and concepts of social security
3.2. History of Social Security
4. Romania- a transition country
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. Case study- village Glod, Maramures
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. Chances and limits for the rural areas in Romania
6.1. Corruption as a limit for development
6.2. Rural regional development projects as a chance
Research Objectives and Topics
The research aims to investigate the factors influencing social and economic development in the Romanian village of Glod. By exploring transition challenges, local social security strategies, and the role of cultural and religious values, the thesis seeks to understand why Glod demonstrates specific developmental patterns despite infrastructural limitations.
- Analysis of rural development concepts, theories, and sustainable strategies.
- Examination of the formal social security framework in post-communist Romania.
- Case study of Glod, focusing on wealth indicators, household dynamics, and infrastructure.
- Evaluation of informal social security schemes practiced within the village community.
- Investigation into the impact of corruption and migration on rural development.
- The influence of religion, particularly Protestant ethics, on social and economic behavior.
Excerpt from the Book
1.3.1. Ethnography and participant observation
Actually there are two possibilities to look at the way I used this method. Because since I spent my childhood in the village and was attached to the village during holidays and through the phone-calls with my parents, one could say, that my role as an observer was a complete participant of the village and that my parents were my key informants. But even when I observed the things going on in the village over several years, I didn’t do it with the purpose of writing about these people in a research. But still this long period of time had a great impact in how I saw the people during my stay for the research. While staying in the village this time, I would call my observant roll a participant-as-observer, because I informed the people of the village about my micro-ethnography, and I concentrated myself on the aspect of development during my six-week stay. In my case I would state that the method of participant observation was the prevalent research method of my total research, because it was the basis to develop hypotheses and assumptions, which I scrutinised through all the other research methods.
When I look at my micro-ethnography, I would rather call my research approach a rapid rural appraisal (RRA) with some additional participatory elements of the villagers. One key assumption of RRA is that it is necessary to collect as much and as clear data as possible, but knowing, that the data is not completely accessible in a very short timeframe, and therefore to ignore the information not needed, or not accessible (optimal ignorance).
Summary of Chapters
1. Description of journey– reflections on my research approaches: The author details the methodology used for the case study, including participant observation, surveys, and interviews, while reflecting on the challenges of maintaining objectivity.
2. Development- concepts and strategies: This chapter reviews various definitions of development, sustainability, and classical theories, contrasting modernisation and dependency approaches within a global context.
3. Social Security: Provides definitions and the historical evolution of social security systems, distinguishing between formal state institutions and informal community-based safety nets.
4. Romania- a transition country: Offers an overview of Romania’s history, demographic insights, and the national legal framework for social security and education following the fall of communism.
5. Case study- village Glod, Maramures: Presents a detailed empirical analysis of the village Glod, examining its history, demographics, wealth indicators, and the diverse informal social security strategies employed by villagers.
6. Chances and limits for the rural areas in Romania: Discusses the obstacles to development, primarily corruption, and the potential of regional development projects and participatory strategies to foster growth.
Keywords
Rural Development, Romania, Glod, Social Security, Transition, Modernisation, Participation, Corruption, Informal Economy, Household Assessment, Sustainable Development, Protestant Ethics, Migration, Infrastructure, Community.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this thesis?
The thesis focuses on the factors of social and economic development in the Romanian village of Glod, examining how it has managed to develop despite significant infrastructural challenges.
What are the central themes of the work?
Key themes include rural development theories, the transition from a communist to a market economy, the role of informal social security networks, and the impact of religious and social values on local development.
What is the main research question?
The research investigates the drivers of development in Glod, questioning whether specific social strategies, religious factors, or internal organisation have enabled it to be relatively more developed than neighboring villages.
Which scientific methods were applied?
The author uses a triangulation of research methods: participant observation (micro-ethnography), self-completion questionnaires, household assessments, key informant interviews, and focused group discussions.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers the theoretical framework of development, the history of social security, Romania's transition status, and a comprehensive case study of Glod, including its demographic, economic, and social structures.
What keywords define this work?
Core keywords include Rural Development, Romania, Glod, Social Security, Transition, Participation, Corruption, and informal Social Security.
How does the Protestant faith influence the development of the village?
The author suggests that the Protestant community, influenced by the concept of "Protestant work ethics," acts as a leading group in the village, fostering industriousness, sobriety, and a proactive economic approach.
What role does corruption play in the development of the rural areas studied?
The author identifies corruption as a significant barrier to development, explaining how it leads to poor infrastructure quality and the misuse of public funds, affecting the trust of villagers in state institutions.
- Citar trabajo
- M.A. International Social Sciences Paulin Giurgi (Autor), 2009, Factors of social and economic rural development, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/153874
