Unfulfilled aspirations and anomie in post-transition Romania: A generational perspective

Abstract

This article uses a generational lens and a quantitative design to examine the relationship between unfulfilled aspirations and perceived anomie in post-socialist Romania. Drawing on Durkheim’s and Merton’s classical theories of anomie, as well as contemporary frameworks on aspirational identity (Markus & Nurius, Appadurai, Currid-Halkett), the study explores how blocked aspirations influence social disintegration. Quantitative data (CATI survey, N=1100) show that low perceived opportunity and self-assessed underachievement are significant predictors of anomie. Generation Z reports the highest levels of aspirational tension and anomie, while older cohorts express disillusionment with institutions. Regression analysis confirms that aspirational indicators (ideal-achievement gap, perceived inequality of opportunity) account for 19% of the variance in anomie. These findings suggest that aspirational identity mediates the relationship between inequality, symbolic selfhood, and social integration in transitional societies. The study contributes by integrating identity and norm breakdown theories and offering empirical evidence from Eastern Europe.