Notes On Romanian Sociology

Abstract

publications. I am glad to report that Dimitrie Gusti who gained a reputation for his studies of rural communities in Romania, lately again experienced a renewed interest. Generally, as in other East European states and Soviet Union since Stalin's death sociology has experienced a recognition gradually. As far as D. Gusti and Petru Andrei are concerned, I am glad to report that their works have been published and analyzed by Ovidiu Badina, Octavian Neamtu, and M. Maciu. Restoration of sociology in Romania has also been characterized by another interesting fact; Miron Constantinescu is not only a professor of sociology at the University of Bucuresti but also a member of the presidium of the central committee of the Romanian Communist Party. It is, in itself, characteristic of the situation of sociology in Romania. To my knowledge, no other sociology professor in the world occupies such a high political position in his country. Let me also add that Constantinescu's sociological development is probably best represented by a collection of his articles in Cercetari Sociologice 1 938-19 71.2 In the same VI. issue of the Romanian Journal of Sociology, Virgil Constantinescu and Pompiliu Grigorescu describe sociology at the University of Bucuresti, and other authors concern themselves about sociology at other Romanian universities as well as the Academy of Social and Political Sciences.3 An article by Ioan I. Matei, published in the Revue Internationale de Sociologie provides a summary discussion of rural sociology in Romania.4 Industrialization and urbanization, expansion of education, and the rule of the Romanian Communist Party have been among the most significant social changes in Romania during the last twenty years. What