Hungarian Review of Sociology

Pathways to a stable labour market position through the narratives of people coming from a disadvantaged background in Pécs

Éva Gerőházi — 2024-04-15

A large body of research shows that vulnerable people face limited choices when deciding on educational or labour market opportunities. Their decisions are strongly influenced by a number of factors (e.g. their ethnic background, family circumstances or previous schooling) and limit their possibilities to realize their room of manoeuvre. The study focuses on nine out of 40 people from an in-depth interview conducted in 2021-2022 who have achieved stable labour market positions. The practical application of the Capability Approach reveals the discrepancies between the perceived and the real opportunities. In addition, based on the narratives of the interviewees who were considered successful, it is possible to define the ‘changes in viewpoints’ and the related factors in the specific institutional environment of Pécs that helped to reduce these discrepancies and, as a consequence, to make pathways available that led to their relative success in the labour market. By grouping the nine interviewees into three, it becomes easier to understand the role of the family in the change of viewpoints and thus the substantive differences behind the interviewees’ choices. At the same time, two important common factors stand out for all 9 interviewees — unlike the other interviewees who have already entered adulthood: the role of parents who worked continuously even in times of crisis and thus provided direct or indirect models; and the role of the institutional system of Pécs in leading the interviewees through crises, notably in the case of Gandhi Secondary Grammar School in Pécs and some civil society organizations. They highlight the role of Pécs as a city with a high level of human services in Hungary.

Young police officers' alcohol consumption and motivation of alcohol use

Ákos Erdős — 2024-04-15

Alcohol consumption is a serious risk factor in some age groups and professional cultures, such as young adults and police officers. The aim of the this study was to examine the alcohol consumption of Hungarian police students and their motivations for alcohol consumption. A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted among police students at the Ludovika University of Public Service Faculty of Law Enforcement. The sample designed by convenience sampling included a total of 270 respondents. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to assess problematic substance use. Motivation for alcohol use was measured using the Drinking Motives Questionnaire Revised Short Form (DMQ-R-SF). The prevalence of current alcohol abuse was 85.2 percent in the total sample. In the year before the survey, 77.0 percent of the students were involved in excessive alcohol use (binge drinking), and 18.5 percent were classified as problem drinkers (AUDIT 8+). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of current alcohol abuse (p = 0.496) or problem drinking (p = 0.173) between men and women. Police students’ alcohol consumption was most influenced by social motivations (M = 6.36; SD = 1.63). Social motivation increased the risk of drinking alcohol in the past month by 50 percent (OR = 1.51; p = 0.001) among police students. For problem drinking, socilal motives (OR = 1.52; p = 0.002) and enhancement motives (OR = 1.53; p = 0.006) were risk predictors.

Data for equal opportunities

Mónika Földvári — 2024-04-15

In the paradigm shift in the approach to disability and health-related limitations that dominated the early 2000s, the emphasis gradually shifted from the biological/medical model to the so-called social model. Disability is less and less seen as a mere health problem, but is examined in a broader context, taking into account the role of the environment in determining the extent to which a given health problem limits participation in society.

A change in approach leading to new definitions and methodologies will enable a better understanding of the factors that influence the opportunities for children with disabilities to participate in relationships, normal activities and education, and build on this to better promote their future well-being.

The measurement of children's disabilities/disabilities is specific in several ways. Although many efforts have been made at international level to provide standard measurement tools and comparable data in this area, there are still significant blind spots in the information available. In this paper, we outline the main international and national trends in the measurement of disability/disability in children; the challenges, efforts and achievements to date.

Mobile sociology?

Flóra Zsinka — 2024-04-15

The aim of this paper is to present and critically evaluate the interdisciplinary research direction known as the new mobilities paradigm, with particular reference to the programme that John Urry has set out to renew sociology. In his writings, Urry argues that trends in the 21st century, such as increasing mobility enabled by technological innovation, growing networking, hybridisation and complexification, requires a reconsideration of the previous territoriality-centred approach and the development of conceptual frameworks and methods that can be used to study the changing forms of social life. After summarising this agenda, this paper first assesses the innovations proposed by Urry and his co-authors from a theoretical and methodological perspective, and then examines the impact of the mobility turn based on a review of studies published in the Mobilities journal between 2006 and 2023. On this basis, the paper argues that, despite their shortcomings, the theoretical and methodological considerations offered by the proponents of the new mobilites paradigm can enrich the toolkit of sociological research in many respects and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of certain social phenomena, but cannot be considered a theoretically coherent paradigm. The theoretical synthesis developed by Urry draws heavily on the work of other authors, and the novelty of the approach seems in many cases to be more a feature of the theories he refers to. Based on the journal articles examined, it can be concluded that it has not become a uniformly accepted framework of understanding even in the field of mobilities studies.