Changes in suicide trends are often assumed to correspond with macro-level societal changes that increase the level of anomie in a society. The post-socialist transformation in Eastern Europe can be considered as a profound and comprehensive set of changes, or at least perceived to be as one by the majority of the population. Hence, this context is very suitable for the type of analysis the working group wants to pursue.

For the comparison in suicide trends, we use Hungary and Romania. Hungary has traditionally high suicide rates in Europe, even compared to other Eastern European countries. Although the two countries are neighbors, they exhibit significant social and demographic differences that might be traced in suicide trends as well. Also, Romania has a sizeable Hungarian minority group which makes it possible to study the effect of culture through comparing the suicide patterns among Hungarians in Romania to the Romanian majority population or to the Hungarians living in Hungary.

Eastern European suicide rates (per 100,000) in the 1990s

Sources: European Mortality Database, World Health Organization

Project outcomes:

Cristina Bradatan, 2007. “On Some 19th Century Theories of Suicide - Interpreting Suicide in an East European Country”, International Journal of Comparative Sociology 48, pp. 417-432.