Young People in European Bulgaria a Sociological Portrait 2014
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YOUNG PEOPLE IN EUROPEAN BULGARIA A SOCIOLOGICAL PORTRAIT 2014 Petar-Emil Mitev and Siyka Kovacheva A SOCIOLOGICAL PORTRAIT 2014 YOUNG PEOPLE IN EUROPEAN BULGARIA ISBN 978-954-2979-23-4 YOUNG PEOPLE IN EUROPEAN BULGARIA A SOCIOLOGICAL PORTRAIT 2014 Petar-Emil Mitev and Siyka Kovacheva Sofia 2014 Published by: Friedrich Ebert Foundation Office Bulgaria P.O. Box 958 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria Authors: Petar-Emil Mitev, Siyka Kovacheva Responsible: Regine Schubert Final Editing: Michaela Mahler Translation: Katerina Popova DTP: Pro Creative Studio Ltd. Printed in Sofia, Bulgaria, November 2014 © Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung ISBN 978-954-2979-23-4 The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed in this volume do not necessarily reflect the views of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. YOUNG PEOPLE IN EUROPEAN BULGARIA: A SOCIOLOGICAL PORTRAIT 2014 Contents Preface ............................................................................................................5 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................6 1.1 Social construction of youth in scientific research................................6 1.2 Bulgaria’s young generation in a European context .............................8 1.3 The Bulgarian tradition in youth studies ............................................15 1.4 Methodological notes on this study ..................................................17 2. LEISURE TIME AND LIFESTYLES OF BULGARIAN YOUTH ...........................20 2.1 Main leisure time activities of young people .....................................21 2.2 Young people as consumers of products of the cultural and entertainment industries .....................................29 2.3 Sexual behaviour of young people ....................................................33 2.4 Social stratification in Bulgarian youth lifestyles ................................36 2.5 Material possessions of young people ...............................................43 2.6 Conclusions ......................................................................................49 3. VALUES AND BELIEFS OF BULGARIAN YOUTH .........................................50 3.1 Youth values ....................................................................................50 3.2 Trust and civic engagement – the basis of social capital ....................61 3.3 Religious beliefs and practices ..........................................................70 3.4 Conclusions ......................................................................................76 4. FAMILY TRANSITIONS ..............................................................................77 4.1 Transition from parental home to independent housing ....................78 4.2 Relationship with parents .................................................................82 4.3 Life plans for family formation ..........................................................88 4.4 Notions of gender equality in the family ...........................................96 4.5 Conclusions ....................................................................................100 5. YOUTH AND EDUCATION .....................................................................102 5.1 The problem situation ....................................................................102 5.2 Educational aspirations ...................................................................103 5.3 Financial difficulties ........................................................................104 5.4 Factors for obtaining desired education ..........................................107 5.5 Everyday life at school/university .....................................................110 5.6 Academic efforts and achievements ...............................................112 5.7 Corruption in the educational system .............................................114 5.8 Fashionable codes ..........................................................................115 5.9 Educational preferences and satisfaction levels ...............................116 5.10 Conclusions ....................................................................................119 6. YOUTH AND EMPLOYMENT ..................................................................121 6.1 The problem situation ....................................................................121 6.2 Preference for private sector employment .......................................121 3 YOUNG PEOPLE IN EUROPEAN BULGARIA: A SOCIOLOGICAL PORTRAIT 2014 6.3 Labour market participation and personal self-realization ...............124 6.4 Factors for transition from school to work ......................................128 6.5 Employment and education ............................................................131 6.6 Employment levels ..........................................................................132 6.7 Conclusions ....................................................................................135 7. YOUTH AND POLITICS ...........................................................................136 7.1 The problem situation ....................................................................136 7.2 The new young and the political past .............................................136 7.3 Political interest ..............................................................................138 7.4 Electoral participation .....................................................................140 7.5 Trust in institutions .........................................................................143 7.6 Political views and attitude towards political parties ........................146 7.7 Generational continuity ..................................................................148 7.8 Conclusions ....................................................................................151 8. BULGARIAN YOUTH AND EUROPEAN INTEGRATION .............................153 8.1 The problem situation ....................................................................153 8.2 Perception of the EU ......................................................................153 8.3 Attitude towards EU integration .....................................................155 8.4 Attitude towards European values ..................................................160 8.5 European identity ...........................................................................161 8.6 Conclusions ....................................................................................164 9. MIGRATION INTENTIONS .......................................................................165 9.1 The problem situation ....................................................................165 9.2 The two types of migration ............................................................165 9.3 Potential internal migration ............................................................167 9.4 Emigration intentions .....................................................................168 9.5 Conclusions ....................................................................................175 10. OPTIMISM AND FEARS OF YOUNG BULGARIANS ..................................176 10.1 The problem situation ....................................................................176 10.2 Personal prospects ..........................................................................177 10.3 Bulgaria’s future .............................................................................178 10.4 Ontological optimism .....................................................................179 10.5 Ontological fears ............................................................................181 10.6 Does EU integration pose risks? ......................................................184 10.7 Global fears ....................................................................................185 10.8 Conclusions ....................................................................................187 11. CONCLUSION .......................................................................................188 12. BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................191 13. ABOUT THE AUTHORS ...........................................................................199 4 YOUNG PEOPLE IN EUROPEAN BULGARIA: A SOCIOLOGICAL PORTRAIT 2014 Preface This book is a sociological portrait of young people in present-day Bulgaria – twenty-five years after the beginning of the Change and seven years after the country’s accession to the European Union. The path passed since 1989 is the result of the aspirations and efforts of several generations. Although social reality does not match the bravest expectations of the first postcommunist generation or the requirements of today’s youth, it has cre- ated a qualitatively new environment for young people making their life choices. At the crossroads to adulthood, Bulgarian youth feel free to choose from a much wider array of opportunities than their parents and grandpar- ents, even though today the risks to youth transitions are much greater too. The co-authorship of this book is the product of a long collaboration be- tween two Bulgarian researchers from different generations, but with a com- mon interest in the social changes embodied in the change of generations. The study on which the book is based was launched on the initiative of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung