The demography of post-socialism: Social and economic challenges

Post-socialism is a unique social, economic, and cultural phenomenon. One particularly interesting aspect of this period was the rapidly changing demographic dynamics. These included falling birth rates, changes in morbidity and mortality statistics, new domestic migration streams, and the suddenly appearing mass international migration as well. The talk focuses on to what extent these trends were really new or simply the continuation of dynamics started well before the collapse of communism. It will also discuss what challenges these demographic trends hold for the future development of post-socialist nations.

Dr. László J. Kulcsár is a Professor of Rural Sociology and Demography, and Head of the Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education at the Pennsylvania State University. His field of expertise is social demography, with a particular emphasis on migration, urbanization, aging and regional development. He does research on population dynamics and community development in rural areas, focusing on aging, depopulation, and natural resource use. Dr. Kulcsár also studies the social and demographic transformation of post-socialist Eastern Europe from a historical perspective. In addition, he currently serves as the editor of Rural Sociology. Dr. Kulcsár holds a Ph.D. from Cornell University in development sociology (2005), and has written his dissertation on the legacy and policy effects on spatial development in Hungary and Bulgaria. His master’s degrees are in sociology (ELTE, 1998) and in public administration studies (CPA, 1995), both from Hungary. Prior to his academic career he was a consultant on various EU rural development projects, and has worked in the poll opinion industry in Hungary.

If you are interested in the lecture, kindly register at the website of the Department of Sociology.