Papers by Biljana Stankovic
Sociološki pregled, 2019
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Stanovnistvo, 2018
Widowed persons represent a vulnerable population group, especially because the loss of a spouse ... more Widowed persons represent a vulnerable population group, especially because the loss of a spouse is usually a part of old people?s experience. In old age, people are typically faced with multiple constraints, related to health, financial resources, family and other social relationships. Changes that accompany the death of spouse and widowhood are generally long-term and largely negative for many widowed persons. With advanced population ageing, the share of the widowed in the total population is increasing, and this is also true for Serbia. With a crude widowhood rate of 11.7% in 2011, Serbia is at the very top of the list of European countries and has the highest widowhood rate of men (5.2%). However, widowhood primarily affects women, and 78% of the widowed in Serbia are widows. This paper analyses the widowhood in Serbia from 1980 to 2016. The main objective is to describe the trends and characteristics of widowed persons in this period. This article is primarily based on the ana...
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The social, economic, and cultural changes that have taken place in Europe in the past few decade... more The social, economic, and cultural changes that have taken place in Europe in the past few decades in the field of fertility have been accompanied by an increase in permanent childlessness. The childlessness level among women born in 1968 is 12% in Serbia, slightly below the European average (14%). The aim of this paper is to explore in more detail the level of childlessness in Serbia and the characteristics of women aged 15-49 without live births. Changes in childlessness over a 60-year period (1961-2020) by five-year age groups were analysed. The basic characteristics of childless women of reproductive age by education, marital status, and age were observed from 1991 to 2011. The paper is based on census and vital statistics data. The authors introduce two new indicators of childlessness: the general childlessness rate (GChR) as the share of women without live births in the total female population aged 15-49, and the age-specific childlessness rate (ASChR) as the percentage of chi...
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Stanovništvo
Trends of Extramarital Births in Serbia in the Second Half of the 20th and at the Beginning of th... more Trends of Extramarital Births in Serbia in the Second Half of the 20th and at the Beginning of the 21st Century in the Wider European Context Summary The paper analyses the phenomenon of extramarital births in Serbia in the period of 1950-2008. Great changes that European countries have been undergoing in the last half-century related to fertility and family forms were also followed by an intense increase in the share of extramarital births. This is also true for Serbia (excluding Kosovo), where the share of extramarital births in total live births for the period of 1950-2008 increased almost 3 times (from 8.0% to 22.8%), and their number increased by a fifth (from 13,1 to 15,7 thousand). At the beginning of the observed period, significant differences existed in the percentage shares of extramarital births in the main regions, with the share in Vojvodina several times that of Central Serbia. Subsequent divergent dynamics led to the disappearance of regional differences and, after 1...
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Zbornik Matice srpske za drustvene nauke, 2010
With approximately 20 suicides per 100.000 inhabitants, Serbia is placed in the upper half of all... more With approximately 20 suicides per 100.000 inhabitants, Serbia is placed in the upper half of all European countries based on the suicide rate. There are differences between Central Serbia and Vojvodina, which are more pronounced than the existing differences in overall mortality. Although these differences are becoming smaller, they are still present and related to the age structure and ethnic composition of the population, as well as religious affiliation and sociocultural factors present in these two regions. According to data for 2008, the suicide rate in Vojvodina was 23,4 per 100.000. The paper focuses on the analysis of data on mortality due to suicide of two vulnerable age groups, youth aged 15-24 and the elderly over 65 years of age, in the last four decades (1966-2008). In the youth group, differences by age and sex are observed, with a focus on prevention, while in the elderly group there was also a focus on differences in marital status, ethnicity and education. .
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Stanovni?tvo, 2010
Over the last five decades the share of extramarital births in the total number of live births ha... more Over the last five decades the share of extramarital births in the total number of live births has been increasing in all European countries. This is also true for Serbia (excluding Kosovo), where the share of extramarital births in the period of 1950-2009 increased by 3 times (from 8.0% to 23.2%), and their number increased by a fifth (from 13,141 to 16,294). Women under 25 years of age and over 40-49 years have a substantially higher share in extramarital births than in the total number of births. Almost every second extramarital child's mother is younger than 25, and changes in the period of 1961-2008 developed in the direction of a decreasing share of women under the age of 30, and especially under 25, as well as an increased share of women above 30. According to the latest data, more than a half of extramarital children are first, although their share is decreasing. At the same time, the percentage of births of second and especially of third and higher orders is increasing....
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The paper explores a link between suicides and cultural, social, political and economic influence... more The paper explores a link between suicides and cultural, social, political and economic influences. Among the protective factors that lower suicide probability are proper treatment of mental illness and substance abuse, good social support, favorable socio-economic conditions, religious and cultural beliefs which do not accept suicide as an option in solving problems, adequate representation of suicides in the media, as well as restricted access to means of suicide. The analysis of statistical facts about suicides in Serbia in the second half of the 20th century, especially during the 2000s, encompasses the most significant trends in number of suicides as well as differences by sex and age. Special attention is paid to regional differences and, in connection with that, differences according to ethnic affiliation. Specificities related to the frequency of suicides depending on marital status and level of education were also explored. It is concluded that efficient carrying out adopte...
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Stanovni?tvo, 2007
In 2006 in Serbia, 1444 persons committed suicide (19.5 per 100.000 population. Compared to the e... more In 2006 in Serbia, 1444 persons committed suicide (19.5 per 100.000 population. Compared to the early 50s of the 20th century, the number of suicides has nearly doubled, but there has been a moderate decrease in the last 15 years. Similar, but somewhat more moderate tendencies are noted in the change of the value of the suicide rates. The lowest suicide rates were recorded during the 1950s, around 12 per 100.000, and the highest in the last decade of the 20th century when the rate reached 20 suicides per 100.000 inhabitants. The highest suicide rate is among the elderly, and there is also a noticeable tendency of increase in the share of the elderly in the total number of suicides, which is primarily the consequence of intense demographic aging. With youth, the last thirty years note a decline of both the number of suicides and the value of the suicide rates. The number of young people aged 15-24 who have committed suicide in 2006 is less than half of the number from 1971 (decreased...
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Lone Mothers and their Network Support: Sociodemographic Research of Nonmarital Parenthood in Ser... more Lone Mothers and their Network Support: Sociodemographic Research of Nonmarital Parenthood in Serbia Summary The aim of this paper is to identify and describe the difficulties faced by families with nonmarital children (especially single-parent), available help and support, participation of the father in raising a child, and expected institutional help. That represents a first step toward better understanding of these families. The paper presents part of the results of research carried out in Belgrade with the aim of insight into the phenomenon of nonmarital childbearing at the individual level. It was conducted on a sample of 100 respondents, mothers of nonmarital children, who attend preschool. The survey was anonymous, carried out by the interview method. For this purpose a questionnaire with more than 50 questions was made, standardized to a great extent. In this paper, the focus is on the hardships and needs of the group of lone mothers. Though some issues take into account the answers of all respondents (21 cohabited mothers and 79 lone mothers), the analysis is largely related to the experiences and reflections of lone mothers. The 2011 Census data on prevalence of consensual unions and characteristics of persons living in them, as well as earlier data on the acknowledgment of paternity, do not indicate that nonmarital childbearing in Serbia takes place primarily in stable unions. It is realistic to assume that a large percentage of mothers with nonmarital children are lone mothers. The research results are generally consistent with the findings of relevant studies from our and foreign countries. As the largest difficulties, lone mothers empha-size financial problems, unemployment, housing difficulties, and child care, as well as a pronounced feeling of loneliness. Most of them in solving problems and rising children rely on their parents and siblings, with whom they often live in the same household. Every fifth lone mother when faced with a major problem, and every ninth in everyday raising a child can count on the father of the child. About a third of the children have no contact with their father, and as many fathers do not make any financial contribution. Actually, insufficient presence and partici-pation of the father, in the lives of children and in daily performing parental responsibilities of their mothers, is one of the most important aspects that deserve the attention of researchers and policy-makers when it comes to lone mothers with unmarital children. The realization of children's rights in relation to financing and visitation the fathers after parental separation, is far more difficult than in divorced or widowed single-parent families. Some considerations about measures of state and local community support can be based on the selected research results presented in this paper. Support measures are possible in multiple domains, social policy (financial support and assistance in employment), institutions of preschool education, as well as in health, education, pre-school and social system counseling services. Greater involvement of men in family life and parenthood stands out as a very important objective, as well as motivation of fathers to involve in raising their nonresident children, including financial support. Three-quarters of the total number of respondents expect the state support to lone unmarried mothers. Three-quarters of lone mothers and one third of cohabited mothers expressed the need for state assistance in solving their own most important existential issues. Key words: nonmarital childbearing, lone mothers, nonresident fathers, social support
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Proceedings for Social Sciences Matica Srpska, 2018
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Stanovnistvo, 2018
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Stanovni?tvo, 2010
The paper analyses the phenomenon of extramarital births in Serbia in the period of 1950-2008. Gr... more The paper analyses the phenomenon of extramarital births in Serbia in the period of 1950-2008. Great changes that European countries have been undergoing in the last half-century related to fertility and family forms were also followed by an intense increase in the share of extramarital births. This is also true for Serbia (excluding Kosovo), where the share of extramarital births in total live births for the period of 1950-2008 increased almost 3 times (from 8.0% to 22.8%), and their number increased by a fifth (from 13,1 to 15,7 thousand). At the beginning of the observed period, significant differences existed in the percentage shares of extramarital births in the main regions, with the share in Vojvodina several times that of Central Serbia. Subsequent divergent dynamics led to the disappearance of regional differences and, after 1970, the level of extramarital fertility was mostly balanced. From a European aspect, the increase in the share of extramarital births in Serbia was m...
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Stanovni?tvo, 2010
The paper analyses the phenomenon of extramarital births in Serbia in the period of 1950-2008. Gr... more The paper analyses the phenomenon of extramarital births in Serbia in the period of 1950-2008. Great changes that European countries have been undergoing in the last half-century related to fertility and family forms were also followed by an intense increase in the share of extramarital births. This is also true for Serbia (excluding Kosovo), where the share of extramarital births in total live births for the period of 1950-2008 increased almost 3 times (from 8.0% to 22.8%), and their number increased by a fifth (from 13,1 to 15,7 thousand). At the beginning of the observed period, significant differences existed in the percentage shares of extramarital births in the main regions, with the share in Vojvodina several times that of Central Serbia. Subsequent divergent dynamics led to the disappearance of regional differences and, after 1970, the level of extramarital fertility was mostly balanced. From a European aspect, the increase in the share of extramarital births in Serbia was m...
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Socioloski pregled
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Socioloski pregled
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Stanovni?tvo, 2010
The paper analyses the phenomenon of extramarital births in Serbia in the period of 1950-2008. Gr... more The paper analyses the phenomenon of extramarital births in Serbia in the period of 1950-2008. Great changes that European countries have been undergoing in the last half-century related to fertility and family forms were also followed by an intense increase in the share of extramarital births. This is also true for Serbia (excluding Kosovo), where the share of extramarital births in total live births for the period of 1950-2008 increased almost 3 times (from 8.0% to 22.8%), and their number increased by a fifth (from 13,1 to 15,7 thousand). At the beginning of the observed period, significant differences existed in the percentage shares of extramarital births in the main regions, with the share in Vojvodina several times that of Central Serbia. Subsequent divergent dynamics led to the disappearance of regional differences and, after 1970, the level of extramarital fertility was mostly balanced. From a European aspect, the increase in the share of extramarital births in Serbia was m...
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Zbornik Matice srpske za drustvene nauke, 2014
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Papers by Biljana Stankovic
In this context, the paper determine a change occurred in Serbia's ranking on the European list according to suicide rate, as well as what types of differences exist in the dynamics of these changes in comparison to other countries. Special attention is paid to the trends in ex-communist European countries, including former Yugoslav republics. Trends in Serbia resemble those recorded in some other transition countries, but the increase in the suicide rate in Serbia in the first subperiod and its subsequent decrease was less intensive.
Suicides do not equally affect the old and the young, men and women. Therefore the paper observes suicides in Serbia in relation to most significant characteristics of the deceased, age and sex, aimed to explore not only the differences at the level of suicides but also similarities of the changes in the observed subperiods. This is especially relevant for determining the level differences of male and female suicide rates by age and simultaneity of the highest overall and age-specific suicide rates. The number of suicides for men and women changed in the same direction, but the decrease among women was greater, which increased the pre-existing differences.
The country report was prepared within the SEEMIG activity Conceptual framework for modelling longer term migratory, labour market and human capital processes coordinated by the University of Vienna.
Executive Summary
SFR Yugoslavia, and thereby Serbia as well, was considerably more liberal in comparison to other European socialist countries of real socialism in the economic and political sense from the 1950s up to the end of the 1980s. Numerous economic and social reforms, especially in period of crisis of mid-1960s, aimed to strengthen the economy of the country. In the late 1980s a program of economic reforms and the Law on Social Capital were adopted, which was the beginning of the transition to the market economy. However, the changes started too late considering the presence of very strong disintegration processes that resulted in the break-up of the SFR Yugoslavia in the early 1990s.
The dissolution of the SFR Yugoslavia in 1991 and the ensuing wars and international sanctions imposed to Serbia led to a major decrease in economic activities and to the blocking of the transition process. After the fall of Milošević's regime in 2000 and complete lifting of severe international sanctions, comprehensive political and economic reforms began, as well as intensification of Euro-Atlantic integrations (the stabilisation and Association Agreement was signed in 2008, and visas for Schengen area were abolished in 2009). It is also a period of intensified increase of GDP per capita (the level of 1980 was achieved in 2005) which again started to decrease with the beginning of the global economic crisis in 2009 together with a general trend of increased unemployment.
The political and socio-economic situation in the SFR Yugoslavia considerably affected international migration. After the Second World War, the communist regime almost completely suppressed legal international migration. In case of Serbia, the exception were the controlled emigration of the majority of remaining ethnic Germans (beginning of the 1950s) and Turks, namely population of Islamic affiliation (based on Balkan pact from 1954). Political liberalization from the middle of the 1960s was followed by an expansion of international economic migration. The emigration stock continually increased until the figure of 270,000 persons in 1991. Emigration intensified during the 1990s, so the stock rose to 415,000, according to the 2002 Census, while the 2011 Census showed that it decreased by more than 25 per cent in relation to 2002. However, based on available data on main countries of destination, it may be concluded that the emigration stock was considerably higher.
During and after the wars in the Western Balkans in the 1990s Serbia became one of the main destinations for refugees (mainly ethnic Serbs) from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia (more than 600,000 according to refugee census from 1996). Right before and during the NATO military campaign in 1999, over 200,000 internally displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija came to Serbia. The refugees from Croatia are mainly settled in Vojvodina, and the refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina and internally displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija in Central Serbia excluding Belgrade.
Serbia never had a complex migration policy as an independent country or as a part of Yugoslavia (from 1950 to 2006). The Yugoslav government led a very rigorous migration policy all up to the mid 1960s. Emigration was possible only based on bilateral agreements with other countries. Strict limitations for leaving the country were abolished in the mid 1960s, employment abroad and emigration were completely liberated, and there was an effort to protect the legal rights of Yugoslav citizens “temporarily” working abroad through bilateral international agreements. During the 1970s, the government helped returnees to start their own business in the country, but only as a response to intensive return migrations (after the 1973 Oil Crisis).
If we consider the case of Serbia’s joining the EU as a realistic future, we would not expect it could happen before 2021 given the current status of the country in respect to the joining process. In the meanwhile, the negative net migration, roughly estimated to be around 15,000 persons per year in the period 2009-2011, might reduce slightly, owing to the financial crisis in Europe. In addition, the perspective of Serbia’s joining the EU may generate a deferred demand for emigration, to be realized after Serbia’s accession.
Serbia’s accession to the EU would surely have an important effect, namely, a large-scale emigration of an explosive but relatively short-lived nature, as it happened with emigration flows of Poles, Lithuanians, Latvians and Slovaks after the 2004 EU enlargement. This is supported by the results of the representative survey from 2010 aimed at estimating potential for emigration from Serbia. However, the post-accession negative net migration from Serbia should be relatively lower, as compared to the situation in the new, post-socialist Member States during the period from 2004 to 2009, mainly due to retiring of the vast majority of the post-war baby boom generations. After the short period of high volume emigration induced by the EU accession, it is reasonable to expect a rapid reduction of negative net migration and, finally, a turn towards positive net migration some 10-15 years later. In that sense, the significance of immigration from third countries will most likely rise over time. However, migration component of the population development is not visible in the political, economic, academic and public discourse of Serbian society. In the strategic documents which the state adopted towards migrations, there has not even been an attempt to find solutions regarding a more complete political response towards international migrations.
In the absence of official Serbian statistics, the best source of information on international migration flows from and to Serbia are the data from the destination countries. However, it is probably even impossible to give a reliable estimate of the flows and its changes in time due to political changes in respect to borders and name of the country during the last decade, which particularly affected quality of the destination countries’ migration data by citizenship. Consequently, even in those countries with good registration systems and good statistics on international migration, there are no series of data covering the period prior to 2009 and relating specifically to migrants coming from, or departing to, the territory of the present-day Republic of Serbia excluding Kosovo and Metohija. Furthermore, there is a lack of data for some important destination countries, particularly in respect of return flows.
A sufficiently developed consciousness in the political and public discourse on the significance of the migratory phenomenon does not exist in Serbia, nor are the potentials completely recognized of including migrations in development programmes for the country’s revival, including demographic revitalization, and particularly the requirement to comprehensively act in this sphere is underdeveloped. Thus it is necessary to convey the findings of various research regarding migrations to decision makers.
The necessity for understanding the emigration drivers should especially be underlined. In that sense, the least what is expected from the state is to strengthen the economy, support health, educational and ecological programmes, develop democratic processes and create an atmosphere of optimism. At the same time, it is important to promote circular movements, accelerate reintegration of returnees and stimulate transfer of knowledge, enhancing the role of Serbian diaspora.
Economic and social development of Serbia would not only contribute to a decrease of emigration but would also accelerate immigration into the country. Apart from that, it is important to promote registration of all types of immigrants, define target groups of immigrant population and develop integration measures such as language learning, education or active measures of employing foreigners. At the same time, it is important to create a positive climate towards immigration, develop tolerance and acceptance of immigrants in Serbia.