Book Chapters by Raluca Bejan
Marmol, E., Hande, M. J., Bejan, R. (2017). On strike in the ivory tower: Academic repression of labor organizing. In Nocella, A. J. & Juergensmeyer, E. (Eds.), Fighting academic repression and neoliberal education: Resistance, reclaiming, organizing, and black lives matter in education.
Journal Articles by Raluca Bejan
Canadian Ethnic Studies Journal , 2012
The purpose of this paper is to critically explore the meaning making theoretical perspectives un... more The purpose of this paper is to critically explore the meaning making theoretical perspectives underlying the creation and development of a public mentoring program, allegedly designed as an inclusionary strategy for facilitating newcomers' labour market integration. Building upon findings outlined in the program's latest Evaluation Report (Bejan 2011) and drawing upon participant-observation as an inductive field-based research strategy, this paper questions the uncontested legitimization of the cited program as a positive inclusionary strategy and claims it perpetuates the very same discriminatory practices and systemic barriers that impede immigrants' ability to fully participate within the Canadian labour market. It further argues that, despite its affirmed inclusionary objective, the program's formation is rooted in theoretical perspectives that justify exclusion, reproducing and maintaining, by extension, an exclusionary status quo. As a result, it rejects the application of social capital and social inclusion/exclusion theories, those hypothetically deemed to be guiding the program's development, and those traditionally used as explanatory for newcomers' inability to successfully participate within the labour market. It then proposes a structural perspective as a theoretical base to direct the program's future design. Its conclusion emerged from the author's interpretative framework, that only a structural approach will draw attention to the power imbalances and discrepancies between Canadian-born individuals and newcomers, as they relate to the issues of labour market participation and subsequent economic gains.
Social Work and Society , 2017
This paper discusses the legal-juridical framework that outlines the situation of unaccompanied r... more This paper discusses the legal-juridical framework that outlines the situation of unaccompanied refugee minors (UAM) in Romania. It reports on the numbers of underage migrant children in Romania, it examines some of the official ways of entry and claiming asylum, and it insists on the social policy responses formulated for this population, particularly within the context of the growing influx of refugees’ entries in Europe. It provides recommendations for social work practice and discusses social work implications on the matter.
EUI Working Paper RSCAS 2018/35, 2018
This paper problematizes the logic of the European Union (EU)’s provisional relocation system for... more This paper problematizes the logic of the European Union (EU)’s provisional relocation system for internally re-distributing asylum seekers. It argues that the tenets embedded in the current relocation scheme disregard the idea of distributive equity and apply the principle of solidarity and the fair sharing of responsibility asymmetrically between Member States. Equally matched levels of shared responsibility are not synonymous with fair responsibility. Member States are not equal actors across the EU’s political, economic and social spheres. To achieve fairness, the distribution of inter-state responsibility must use unequal rather than equal scaling weights. This paper proposes the concept of differing egalitarianism to guide inter-state responsibility sharing efforts vis-à-vis the transfer of people in need of international protection within the EU.
Committee on Refugees and Immigrants Society for Urban, National, and Transnational/Global Anthropology American Association, 2017
The Mediterranean, therefore, is the center of world history. Greece lies here, the focal point o... more The Mediterranean, therefore, is the center of world history. Greece lies here, the focal point of history. In [what is nominally] Syria there is Jerusalem, the center of Judaism and of Christianity. To the southeast are Mecca and Medina, the source of Islam. To the west are Delphi and Athens; and farther west there is Rome, with Alexandria and Carthage on the south side of the sea. Thus the Mediterranean is the heart of the Old World, that which conditions it and gives it its life. Without it we could not imagine world history-anymore that we could think of Rome or Athens without the forum where all things converged.
This paper presents findings from an exploratory study with Master
of Social Work (MSW) graduates... more This paper presents findings from an exploratory study with Master
of Social Work (MSW) graduates in Canada to explore the extent to
which their classroom and practicum learning addressed social justice
and anti-oppressive practice. Thirty-five MSW graduates took part in
a semi-structured online survey regarding the quality of social justice
knowledge and practice skills in their field instruction and coursework.
The survey also examined how graduates employ social justice in
their current social work practice. The majority of the study sample
reported favorable educational outcomes and embraced social justice
goals in their current practice. Discourse analysis of written comments,
however, identified a disconnect between social justice theory, field
education, and the overall climate of the social work program. Despite
an explicit endorsement of social justice values by the program and
the profession, graduates reported limited opportunities to learn
anti-oppressive practice or apply social justice theories in their field
education. We argue that the ‘hidden curriculum’ in social work
education reflects market pressures that privilege task-oriented
goals while ‘mainstreaming’ social justice rhetoric. Skills to confront
oppression with transformative change are viewed as abstract goals
and thus less useful than clinical practice.
Op-Eds by Raluca Bejan
London School of Economics Brexit Blog, 2019
Labour’s electoral defeat falls in between the Leave and Remain ideological poles, writes Raluca ... more Labour’s electoral defeat falls in between the Leave and Remain ideological poles, writes Raluca Bejan (St. Thomas University). She explains that while austerity is partially to blame for the result of the recent general election, so is the nationalist, anti-immigrant rhetoric that pervades British society.
Oxford University, Centre on Migration, Policy, and Society (COMPAS) Blog, 2019
Translations by Raluca Bejan
Traducere Engleză-Română: Raluca Bejan GS + AC: Care au fost experiențele dvs. formative din punc... more Traducere Engleză-Română: Raluca Bejan GS + AC: Care au fost experiențele dvs. formative din punct de vedere politic si personal? SF: Cea mai importantă experiență de viață pentru mine a fost al doilea război mondial. Am crescut în perioada imediat ulterioară, când memoria războiului, adăugată la anii de fascism din Italia, era încă proaspătă. De la o vârstă fragedă am început să conștientizez că m-am născut într-o lume profund divizată si nelegiuită, că statul, de multe ori, înloc să protejeze, devine un dușman, că viața poate fi foarte precară, așadar, după cum sună căntecul lui Joan Baez, "there but for fortune go you and I". Să crești în perioada de după război, și mai ales în Italia post-fascistă, însemna să fi politizat. Am și copilărit cu o retorică anti-fascistă, mai ales prin povestiile spuse de părinți, dar și prin poziția tatălui meu, care se opunea complet regimului fascist.
Working Papers by Raluca Bejan
COMPAS Working Paper, University of Oxford, 2021
Romania is currently experiencing an increase in the number of asylum seekers, but little is know... more Romania is currently experiencing an increase in the number of asylum seekers, but little is known about the care arrangements and state-supported integration programs in the country for people in need of international protection. This paper addresses this gap and adds to the scholarly literature on forced migration by examining how integration processes for asylum seekers are represented in the public service and political discourse. Using interview data (n =14) with Romanian bureaucrats and elected representatives in national, regional, and municipal offices, this paper explores the institutional capacity of the Romanian state to integrate refugees.
RSCAS 2018/35 Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, 2018
This paper problematizes the logic of the European Union (EU)’s provisional relocation system for... more This paper problematizes the logic of the European Union (EU)’s provisional relocation system for internally re-distributing asylum seekers. It argues that the tenets embedded in the current relocation scheme disregard the idea of distributive equity and apply the principle of solidarity and the fair sharing of responsibility asymmetrically between Member States. Equally matched levels of shared responsibility are not synonymous with fair responsibility. Member States are not equal actors across the EU’s political, economic and social spheres. To achieve fairness, the distribution of inter-state responsibility must use unequal rather than equal scaling weights. This paper proposes the concept of differing egalitarianism to guide inter-state responsibility sharing efforts vis-à-vis the transfer of people in need of international protection within the EU.
Film Reviews by Raluca Bejan
Urbanities – Journal of Urban Ethnography, 2019
Review Essays by Raluca Bejan
Papers by Raluca Bejan
Safe at Work, Unsafe at Home COVID-19 and Temporary Foreign Workers in Prince Edward Island, 2021
and Wellness conducted 64 inspections of dwellings housing temporary foreign workers. Half of the... more and Wellness conducted 64 inspections of dwellings housing temporary foreign workers. Half of these inspections found several code violations at multiple houses, including damaged or missing smoke detectors; missing or outdated fire extinguishers; missing or damaged furnishings, windows and window screens; insufficient beds; ceiling, wall and floor damage; insufficient washrooms and kitchen facilities; heating concerns; and evidence of rodents. The Workers Compensation Board conducted 47 inspections at worksites that employ temporary foreign workers in Prince Edward Island. They issued 11 orders to employers found in violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act on matters related to scaffolds, ladders, runways and ramp guardrails, falls, harassment, and job-related training. Unscrupulous Staffing Practices Some agricultural workers have to pay for a portion of their flights. They are also required to cover the costs of medical examinations, work permits, biometrics data processing, passport and visa fees, and their transportation to the city in their home countries where their flights depart. Some fish plant workers also pay for their protective work equipment, such as garments and gloves. Some employers, especially in the seafood processing industry, engage in illegal contracting practices. They withhold workers' passports and their contracts. As their work permits are tied to a single employer, migrants feel they have no say about these issues, fearing having their contracts revoked or being deported back home. Crowded Houses: A Health and Safety Concern "Overcrowded," "expensive," and "inadequate." These were the words used by migrant workers to describe their housing. It was typical to have several people living in single family homes. In one instance, close to 70 people shared a larger dwelling. In some cases, sleeping arrangements Key Findings What happens if a worker falls sick? Or in cases of workplace abuse? What are the consequences of restricting workers' mobility? And what steps are employers, managers, and different levels of government taking to protect migrant workers from the potential community spread of COVID-19? The purpose of this report is to answer these questions by examining the social impact of COVID-19 on the occupational and living conditions of temporary foreign workers in the seafood and agricultural sectors of Prince Edward Island.
Ревија за социјална политика/Journal of Social Policy
Left History: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Historical Inquiry and Debate
Sre´cko Horvat and Slavoj Žižek, Ce vrea Europa? Uniunea şi Necazurile cu Ea [What Does Europe Wa... more Sre´cko Horvat and Slavoj Žižek, Ce vrea Europa? Uniunea şi Necazurile cu Ea [What Does Europe Want? The European Union and its Troubles] (New York: Columbia University Press, 2015).
Transnational Social Review
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Book Chapters by Raluca Bejan
Journal Articles by Raluca Bejan
of Social Work (MSW) graduates in Canada to explore the extent to
which their classroom and practicum learning addressed social justice
and anti-oppressive practice. Thirty-five MSW graduates took part in
a semi-structured online survey regarding the quality of social justice
knowledge and practice skills in their field instruction and coursework.
The survey also examined how graduates employ social justice in
their current social work practice. The majority of the study sample
reported favorable educational outcomes and embraced social justice
goals in their current practice. Discourse analysis of written comments,
however, identified a disconnect between social justice theory, field
education, and the overall climate of the social work program. Despite
an explicit endorsement of social justice values by the program and
the profession, graduates reported limited opportunities to learn
anti-oppressive practice or apply social justice theories in their field
education. We argue that the ‘hidden curriculum’ in social work
education reflects market pressures that privilege task-oriented
goals while ‘mainstreaming’ social justice rhetoric. Skills to confront
oppression with transformative change are viewed as abstract goals
and thus less useful than clinical practice.
Op-Eds by Raluca Bejan
Translations by Raluca Bejan
Working Papers by Raluca Bejan
Film Reviews by Raluca Bejan
Review Essays by Raluca Bejan
Papers by Raluca Bejan
of Social Work (MSW) graduates in Canada to explore the extent to
which their classroom and practicum learning addressed social justice
and anti-oppressive practice. Thirty-five MSW graduates took part in
a semi-structured online survey regarding the quality of social justice
knowledge and practice skills in their field instruction and coursework.
The survey also examined how graduates employ social justice in
their current social work practice. The majority of the study sample
reported favorable educational outcomes and embraced social justice
goals in their current practice. Discourse analysis of written comments,
however, identified a disconnect between social justice theory, field
education, and the overall climate of the social work program. Despite
an explicit endorsement of social justice values by the program and
the profession, graduates reported limited opportunities to learn
anti-oppressive practice or apply social justice theories in their field
education. We argue that the ‘hidden curriculum’ in social work
education reflects market pressures that privilege task-oriented
goals while ‘mainstreaming’ social justice rhetoric. Skills to confront
oppression with transformative change are viewed as abstract goals
and thus less useful than clinical practice.