Conference on Capitalist Transformations in Eastern and Central Europe

The conference, now in its third edition, builds on the critical legacies of Karl Polanyi and György Lukács, whose work continues to shape analyses of capitalism, social protection, and class formation in Eastern and Central Europe. Against the backdrop of rising inequalities, illiberalism, and right-wing populism, the conference provided an important space for critical debate and exchange.

CareOrg team members Noémi Katona (Corvinus University of Budapest) and Dóra Gábriel (HUN-REN Centre for Social Sciences) contributed to Panel 26: “Social reproduction in neoliberal times: welfare states, health and the family in Eastern Europe.”
Their presentation was titled: “The Political-Economic Construction of Low Professional Standards in Home-based Senior Care in Hungary.” The panel was moderated by Camil Pârvu (University of Bucharest).

CareOrg team members Neda Deneva, Mihaela Haraguș and Ionut Földes presented on: "Transformations of Care: Family, Migration, and the Emerging Landscape of Elderly Support in Romania".

CareOrg team member Oksana Dutchak delivered her presentation on the Ukrainian situation of elderly care and labor engaged in the sector. The radically shifting demography in Ukraine due to Russia invasion additionally highlight the importance of various segments of care labor for the society: childcare becomes even more essential in the light of shrinking childbirth, care for people with disabilities – in the light of increasing number of wounded (both civilians and soldiers), and, finally, care for elderly – in the light of dramatic acceleration of demographic “ageing”. At the same time, there is a persistent disproportion in the amount of public and political attention to these different segments of care, with the issues of elderly care – either as access to or remuneration for – being sidelined and depoliticized, and the corresponding labor remains demobilized. While the significance of elderly care for the current and future social reproduction has been increasing in the context of war-related dynamics, there are no signs of increase in carers’ bargaining power.

What are the results of years-long sidelining of elderly care for the families and labor involved and how does the Russia’s invasion exacerbate the existing chronic problems, created by the capitalist-patriarchal productivist approach and neoliberal policies? How does hierarchization and fragmentation of care contribute to depoliticization of elderly care and demobilization of the labor involved? And what are the political prospects of (elderly) care in Ukraine?

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