Mihaela Robila

Economic pressure and social exclusion in Europe

Abstract This study examines peoples perceptions of poverty and social exclusion in 12 countries in Europe: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Data come from the 1993 Euro-barometer and a model of the dynamics among feelings of social exclusion, community poverty and social exclusion, and economic pressure was tested for the goodness-of-fit using structural equation models (AMOS 4.0) techniques by the method of maximum likelihood. The goodness-of-fit provided evidence that the hypothesized model was stable. The results also showed significant differences in the attitudes toward poverty and social exclusion according to country of residence, gender, and age of the participants.

FAMILIES IN EASTERN EUROPE: CONTEXT, TRENDS AND VARIATIONS

Eastern Europe has been recognized as a region that has experienced major socio-political and economic changes in the last decades. The impact of these transitions on families and their functioning has also been significant. Although understanding of families in different cultures in the last years has considerably increased, little has been written on Eastern European families. This book fills the void in literature and provides a timely and comprehensive analysis of family issues in Eastern Europe. It brings together scholars from fourteen Eastern European countries. The authors explain family processes in that particular country focusing on the historic, social and economic contexts and the impact they have on families. The scholars also provide demographic information about families and discuss cultural traditions, marital and gender roles, parenting processes, family policy and programs within the society, and the state of research on family issues. The first chapter provides both an overview of family changes in Eastern Europe and an introduction to the subsequent chapters.

Eastern European immigrants in the United States: A socio-demographic profile

Abstract Immigration to the United States has experienced a phenomenal increase in the last decades. Following the dissolution of the “Iron Curtain” in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Eastern Europeans have been free to emigrate. Since then, there has been an increase in their numbers in the U.S. This study is an analysis of the socio-demographic profile characterizing the immigration from Eastern Europe. It examines income levels and the poverty status for Eastern European immigrants (at the individual and family levels). The study also examines educational attainment and language proficiency. The findings show that, generally, the educational attainment of people coming form Eastern European (e.g., Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia) countries is high compared to those coming from other region (e.g., Mexico). The results also indicate that while some immigrants from Eastern Europe have relative low levels of poverty (e.g., Slovenia), the majority of them are confronted with high levels of economic strain.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY FUNCTIONING WITHIN THE ROMANIAN CONTEXT

Romania is located in the southeastern part of Europe and has a population of 21.68 million, with 52% residing in urban areas. Ninety percent of the people identify themselves as Romanian, 7% Hungarian, and 3% belong to other ethnic groups (Census, 2002; Government White Book, 2001). In 100 AD., the Roman Empire conquered the local population, the Geto-Dacians, and established a province covering a large part of the current Romanian territory. Following hundreds of years of foreign influence and organization into smaller principates, present-day Romania took shape in two stages, through the union of Moldavia and Wallachia Provinces in 1859, and with the annexation of Transylvania in 1918. Following World War II, Romania fell under Soviet influence and a communist regime was established.

Teaching About International Families Across the United States

Abstract Due to increasing globalization, teaching students about international families is important in preparing them to become competent multicultural educators. This study assessed the current existence of family studies courses across the United States which focus on international families. More than 110 undergraduate and 76 graduate family science/studies programs were reviewed. However, only 20 undergraduate and 10 graduate courses on international families or cross-cultural perspectives on families were identified. Recommendations are provided for including this type of course in family studies curricula, and several textbooks on international families are suggested.

Family Life Education in the United States

Family life education (FLE) is a growing area of family practice in the United States. This chapter provides a broad overview of FLE in the United States including demographic and societal trends that shape FLE programs. Program content, family life educator qualifications, and program implementation including approaches, settings, and modes of delivery are discussed. Examples of FLE programs are included throughout the chapter to illustrate the breadth of FLE programs and practices in the United States.

Global Perspectives on Family Life Education: Synthesis and Future Directions

Throughout this book, each set of authors has encouraged readers to gain a better understanding of how family life education is perceived and accomplished in each of the highlighted countries. While various educational practices unique to each country’s cultural and political/economic situation have been highlighted, several themes have emerged to exemplify just how similar or congruent some of the educational practices that have been implemented throughout the world are. In this concluding chapter, we felt it important to highlight some of these overarching themes.

Global Perspectives on Family Life Education: Introduction

This introductory chapter sets the stage for this Global Perspectives on Family Life Education volume and provides an overview of the advancements and challenges encountered in the development of different family life education services for families and their members. Contemporary global changes have significant impact on families all around the world. Developing effective services to support families in facing these changes and living fulfilling lives is thus of outmost importance. This chapter provides an overview of family life education program design, implementation, and evaluation, underlying strengths and challenges encountered during this process. The book uses the Framework for Best Practices in Family Life Education introduced by Ballard and Taylor (Family life education with diverse populations, 2012) to reflect on these issues. The Introduction presents a short overview of the included chapters which are from across the world.