Editorial Introduction: Exploring Return Migration and its Transformative Potential in Romania and Beyond

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

Throughout this research we reflect on how the convergence of technology and migration is changing highly skilled labour mobility and the relationship between place and value production. We reflect on the impact of these transformations on the tech sector and IT labour market in Cluj-Napoca. We aim to understand how the pandemic coupled with the current trends in labour mobility and value production have affected labour markets and highly skilled labour migration. The paper stems as reflection from a fieldwork which are currently conducting in Romania with a focus on transnational entrepreneurship, social networks of innovation and labour migration in the tech industry. The article brings forward findings from the field, drawing on the developments that accelerated and changed the way we work in the post-pandemic period and analysing what implications these trends could have on the nature of migration and the connection between value production and place.
</abstract>

Department of Political Science, College of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences

Back to the Future: How the Convergence of Globalization and Technology is Changing Labour and Mobility

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

The occurrences of “brain-gain” and “brain-loss” are significant concerns for both the countries experiencing the departure of intellectual talent and those that ultimately receive such individuals. The phenomenon holds significance for stakeholders and their policy recommendations on social, economic and political areas. Moreover, there exists extensive literature elucidating the reasons behind certain nations encountering the phenomenon of “brain loss” while simultaneously observing the return of individuals to their homelands. Simultaneously, there is a limited amount of research conducted regarding the observation and comprehension of the activities in which the returning diaspora is involved post their return. Even more, there is less research done on the way the return diaspora is influencing regional innovation performance. To enhance comprehension, this article introduces a novel theoretical and empirical approach aimed at understanding the engagement of the returning diaspora in the innovation process and its impact on regional innovation performance. The novelty of this approach consists in the combination of classical theories on returning diaspora, Regional Innovation Performance and Social Fields Theory. As a result, the focus will be on the combination of the three social forces (institutions, networks, and cognitive frames) and returning diaspora. The evaluation of diaspora’s impact on regional innovation performance primarily hinges on the combination and comprehension of these two factors. However, this article serves as a theoretical proposal aimed at enhancing understanding of the phenomenon and establishing a model for systematic data collection. The empirical results could lead to policy recommendations for various stakeholders and bring improvements for helping and encouraging innovation activities in the region.
</abstract>

The Diaspora’s influence on Regional Innovation Performance – a new theoretical and empirical approach toward understanding it

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

The study explores the situation of Romanian work migrants employed in elderly home care (badanti) in Italy, in the context of temporary restrictions on the freedom of movement within the European Union during the coronavirus pandemic. The general objective of the research consists in contributing to the understanding of how a particular situation of crisis and the subsequent restrictions enforced may impact the socio-professional category in question. In this context, an exploratory investigation was conducted, by the use of semi-structured interviews with people who have or used to have this occupation in Italy. The aim of the interviews was to identify particular, subjective aspects of their experiences, and, at the same time, to investigate their perception of the transformations occurred due to this crisis. The results of the study offer insight on the individual decision-making process in the matter of remaining in Italy, returning to the country of origin or re-migrating, and the ways in which short-time legislative changes affected these decisions, as well as the effects of the pandemic on this specific socio-economic category.
</abstract>

To return or to stay? The situation of Romanian badanti in Italy during the Coronavirus pandemic

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

This paper links the concept of social trust and that of migration by exploring the interactions and dependencies between Romanian emigrants and returnees and various institutional and social actors. Consequently, the underlying question of the research is: ‘What are the ways in which migration experience is associated with social trust?’. This research discusses how experiences with public agencies in Romania or in the host country determine trust or conversely, induce the feeling of distrust. Common specific elements were taken into account, such as determinants and effects of trust, life experience as immigrants, level of integration, and level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with public entities, which linked empirically the two concepts. Drawing on a set of interviews with Romanian emigrants and Romanian returnees1, this research tackles the peculiarities of emigrants’ and returnees’ experiences as key factors in identifying the levels of social trust.
</abstract>

Here or there, who do you trust? Patterns of social trust following the migration experience of Romanians in Spain and France

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

This paper analyzes Romania’s dynamic migratory process with a focus on the return migration from Norway and the sociocultural changes that it might involve for Romanian migrants and their home societies. The focus on Norway as a case study can bring a valuable, accurate, and deep understanding of Romanian immigration. These indicate that Romanians faced many challenges in their migratory journey in Norway, but that for a source country like Romania, return migration could, in the long term, contribute to its social and cultural changes. This research resulted in three key findings. Firstly, through their migratory experience from Norway, Romanian returnees internalized social remittances, and changed their attitudes, behavior, values, and expectations before disseminating their knowledge in their family -and social environment. Secondly, the prevalence of social remittances might be dependent on the motivation of returnees to transfer their knowledge, ideas, and practices in the scope of contributing to social change. The prevalence of social remittances might also be dependent on the way the societies of origin receive the resources that returnees attempt to transmit and culturally diffuse. Thirdly, Romania, as an emigration society, has had a relaxed attitude towards change. However, repatriated Romanians maintain a confident outlook on the potential of their skills and know-how conferring them influence over certain cultural aspects in the spheres of work and social relationships.
</abstract>

Change starts from within: Migration and processes of social and cultural change. A Romanian case

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

Social solidarity is increasingly under scrutiny in the contemporary world. Modern phenomena such as individualization, globalization, and migration have sparked inquiries into the dynamics and transformations of solidarity. Within this context, our study seeks to address one dimension of solidarity: the actions that embody it. We embark on a two-fold mission. On the one hand, we delve into the characteristics of the people engaging in solidarity actions. On the other hand, we compare results regarding acts of solidarity in Romania across different time frames. Our analysis mainly draws from the data collected through the European Values Survey in 2018. Comparisons are made with results from previous analyses and data from the 2012 World Values Survey. To accomplish these ends, we rely on both descriptive and multivariate analyses. Results suggest that approximately two-thirds of Romanians engage in solidarity actions. The likelihood of involving in solidarity actions is mainly influenced by age, religious behaviour, individualization, membership in associations, and recent volunteering behaviour.
</abstract>

Examining Traits of Engagement in Solidarity Actions in Romania: An Analysis of Findings from Social Values Studies with a Comparative Emphasis

Book Reviews

AHEAD OF PRINT

Volume 21 (2023): Issue 1 (December 2023)

Volume 20 (2022): Issue 1 (December 2022)

Volume 19 (2021): Issue 1 (December 2021)

Volume 18 (2020): Issue 1 (December 2020) Special issue: Migration, food and agriculture: Insights into what we eat and how our food is produced at the beginning of the third millennium

Volume 17 (2019): Issue 1 (December 2019)

Volume 16 (2018): Issue 1-2 (December 2018) Special issue: Debating Immigration in a Country of Emigration

Volume 15 (2017): Issue 1-2 (December 2017)

Volume 14 (2016): Issue 2 (December 2016)

Volume 14 (2016): Issue 1 (July 2016)

Volume 13 (2015): Issue 2 (December 2015)

Volume 13 (2015): Issue 1 (July 2015)

Volume 12 (2014): Issue 2 (December 2014)

Volume 12 (2014): Issue 1 (July 2014)

Volume 11 (2013): Issue 2 (December 2013)

Volume 11 (2013): Issue 1 (July 2013) Risks and Outlooks

Volume 10 (2012): Issue 2 (December 2012)

Volume 10 (2012): Issue 1 (June 2012)

Volume 9 (2011): Issue 2 (December 2011)

Volume 9 (2011): Issue 1 (June 2011)

Volume 8 (2010): Issue 2 (December 2010)

Volume 8 (2010): Issue 1 (July 2010)

Social Change Review

 Publishing House and Owner: Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania  Social Change Review was founded in 2003. Between 2003 and 2009 the journal appeared under the name Revista de Sociologie covering a wide range of issues related to sociology, social work and social policy. The journal was relaunched with a new Editorial Board and a new name in 2010. Currently, the accepted manuscripts are published online first, in a continuous process, being then included in an annual volume, at the end of each calendar year.  Why subscribe and read   covers a wide range of issues related to sociology, social work and social policy;  high quality of papers;   Why submit   fair and constructive peer review by experts in the field  provide high-quality editing  indexed in many international databases   Rejection Rate   35-40%   Subjects  Social Sciences, Sociology, Social Policy, Social Work  Archiving  Sciendo archives the contents of this journal in Portico - digital long-term preservation service of scholarly books, journals and collections.  Plagiarism Policy  The editorial board is participating in a growing community of Similarity Check System's users in order to ensure that the content published is original and trustworthy. Similarity Check is a medium that allows for comprehensive manuscripts screening, aimed to eliminate plagiarism and provide a high standard and quality peer-review process. 