Russian and East European Institute 
The Hour of Romania, International Conference
Impoverishment and the Rise of New Urban Poor in Romania Sociological aspects of coping with poverty
Laszlo Peter,
Lecturer in Sociology, Babeş-Bolyai University
After 1989 the economical structure has radically changed. A new and highly visible social stratum has appeared due to the decline of some economic sectors: the (urban) "losers" of transition. The mining and heavy industry represented one of the most problematical enterprises in Romania. That is why the former workers from those industries represent a considerable percent among the "new urban poor".
The proposed presentation tries to highlight the principal stages of the impoverishment process in the case of several Romanian mono-industrial towns (inserted in the general Romanian trends) and to present some reactive surviving strategies specific to the new urban poor.
Practically - based on anthropological researches carried out by our department and statistical data - I am going to present two inter-related "pictures". On one hand, a thick sociological images about the impoverishment process taking place in some specific local contexts seen throw the life course of the new urban segregated poor. The typical trajectories are presented and explained in detail. On the other hand, the social context and resources specific surviving strategies will be traced and modeled. Those strategies strongly connected with previous work experience, social networks, roles and symbolic and informational resources and structural possibilities - can be good analytical tools to describe and to understand the mechanism of individual actions and decisions dealing with the consequences of transformations.
Conference Co-sponsors
Indiana University Russian and East European Institute
Indiana University Office of Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculties, Multidisciplinary Ventures and Seminars Fund
Indiana University College of Arts and Sciences
Indiana University College Arts and Humanities Institute
Indiana University Office of International Programs
Indiana University Department of Comparative Literature
Indiana University Department of History
Indiana University Department of Political Science
Indiana University Department of Sociology
Indiana University European Union Center of Excellence
Romanian Cultural Institute - Institutul Cultural Roman
Consulate General of Romania – Chicago, IL
Georgetown University - Ratiu Chair
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