Programme for Lithuanian Studies as a National Priority (2025–2030) (Research Council of Lithuania)
History of Lithuanian Sociology: Personalities and Institutionalization
Project team: dr. dr. Diana Janušauskienė (leader), dr. Inga Gaižauskaitė, dr. Anna Lipnevič, dr. Giedrė Plepytė-Davidavičienė, dokt. Agota Vaitkienė
Duration: 2025 10 01 – 2029 06 31
Source of funding: Research Council of Lithuania (Nr. S-LISm-25-23)
Summary
This study aims to analyze and systematize the history of sociology in Lithuania. In this project, special attention is devoted to highlighting the contributions of individual scholars, analyzing the development and characteristics of the discipline’s institutionalization and professionalization, and assessing its social impact. For the first time in the history of Lithuanian sociology, the recollections of senior-generation sociologists will be collected and examined, alongside a comprehensive survey of sociologists. By integrating approaches from the fields of sociology and history, the study will also analyze archival data. Additionally, the project envisions the creation of an open-access database on the history of Lithuanian sociology, encompassing scholarly sources, historical documents, and other data documenting the development of the discipline in Lithuania.
The Lithuanian Urban System: the Impact of Immigration from Third Countries on Development Prospects
Project team: dr. Gintarė Pociūtė-Sereikienė (vadovė), dr. Donatas Burneika, dr. Rūta Ubarevičienė, dr. Simona Ščerbinskaitė, dokt. Dovydas Vidzbelis
Duration: 2025 10 01 – 2027 11 30
Source of funding: Research Council of Lithuania (Nr. S-LISm-25-27)
Summary
The research focuses on Lithuanian cities as socio-spatial entities that have undergone significant demographic and socio-economic changes since 2020, largely due to unexpected and weakly regulated immigration flows. The study is based on the analysis of immigration as an external factor that can significantly affect the development of cities depending on the existing social structure, the composition of immigrants and the decisions of local actors. The main objective is to identify the key drivers of recent immigration to Lithuania and to assess their impact on the development trajectories of cities of different sizes. The project will seek to identify the regional distribution of immigrants from third-countries in the territory of Lithuania and in urban spaces of different rank, in the context of previous ethnic and occupational segregation. The research aims to answer the question of what factors determine the integration and/or segregation of immigrant communities in Lithuanian cities of different sizes, and how these processes are influenced by local political, business and NGO leaders, thus revealing the role of the human agency in urban development processes. Three case study cities will be identified through quantitative research and examined in depth. After revealing the quantitative characteristics of immigration in urban spaces, the attitude of local actors to how newcomers determine or can determine the directions of the development of the urban system will be studied. They are analyzed in the form of semi-structured interviews. The qualitative survey will aim to reveal what circumstances determine the successful or problematic role of newcomers from different countries to urban development from the point of view of leaders of local governments, communities, or businesses.
Understanding Immigration: Big Data in the Study of Social and Demographic Immigration Processes in Lithuania
Project team: dr. Vytenis Juozas Deimantas (vadovas), dr. Aušra Maslauskaitė, dokt. Dmytro Mamaiev, dokt. Olga Novash, dokt. Ugnė Gudžinskaitė
Duration: 2025 10 01 – 2028 10 31
Source of funding: Research Council of Lithuania (Nr. S-LISm-25-20)
Summary
In recent years, Lithuania has undergone a significant transformation from a country of emigration to a new destination for immigration. To better understand these changes, the project will analyse how immigration affects Lithuanian society at the demographic, social, and political levels by applying big data analytics and computational social science methods. The study takes an integrated approach, combining administrative (e.g., population registers) and digital data sources (e.g., online media texts, social networks, search engine data). The project will develop socio-demographic profiles of immigrants, assess territorial differences (at the municipality/county level), and conduct sentiment analysis to evaluate how immigrants are received by society. It will investigate immigration trends and their impact on population structure, as well as public narratives related to immigration. The study is methodologically innovative. It is the first in Lithuania to systematically apply computational social science methods to immigration research. The insights gained will contribute to evidence-based migration policy-making and help strengthen social cohesion and immigrant integration in Lithuania.
Researcher groups projects (Research Council of Lithuania)
Ethnicity and social (in)justice in the urban spaces: investigation of historical and comtemporary processes (the cases of Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda)
Project team: dr. Kristina Šliavaitė (leader), dr. Monika Frėjutė-Rakauskienė, dr. Andrius Marcinkevičius, dokt. Kornelija Čepytė
Duration: 2024 09 01 – 2027 08 31
Source of funding: Research Council of Lithuania
Summary
The project will investigate the historical and contemporary processes of socio-ethnic differentiation and segregation in major Lithuanian cities. The research is planned to be carried out in several directions: a) analysis of scientific literature, published sources (censuses, press) and archival (historical) sources, b) analysis of social, educational, cultural, and crime protection policies and measures of specific urban districts, c) field research by conducting interviews and observations in targeted districts of the cities of Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipėda, which are characterised by ethnic and social diversity of the population. The project aims to find out whether and how residents of urban neighbourhoods of different generations and nationalities differentiate between urban neighbourhoods on the basis of ethnic, cultural and social criteria and access to services. More broadly, the study will reveal whether and how urban spaces are seen and experienced as socially, economically and ethnically differentiated and thus determining the social mobility opportunities of their inhabitants.
Employment challenges and resilience in the labor market: social and individual resources and directions for their strengthening
Project team: dr. Laima Okunevičiūtė Neverauskienė (leader), dr. Arūnas Pocius, dr. Dalia Bagdžiūnienė, dr. Irena Blaževičė, dokt. Emilija Webster
Duration: 2024 09 01 – 2027 08 31
Source of funding: Research Council of Lithuania
Summary
Recent years have marked significant changes in areas of social life, including the business environment and employment. Therefore, it is relevant to analyze employment challenges in the post-crisis labor market, to examine not only the effectiveness of the assistance provided by state institutions, but also the job seekers‘ and employed persons‘ resilience in the modern labor market. Resilience is defined as person’s ability to adapt to changes and difficult situations related to real or potential job loss, maintain emotional balance and actively apply constructive coping strategies. Research on resilience in the labor market is a new, relevant field from a theoretical and practical point of view, which is still poorly developed in Lithuania and other countries. This project is the first study of resilience in the labor market in Lithuania, taking into account the employment status and the specifics of social and individual resources in samples of unemployed and employed people. The aim of the project is to examine employment challenges, the social and individual resources of the resilience in the labor market of unemployed and employed persons, the significance of the resilience and directions for its strengthening. Main objectives: to perform a complex analysis of the Lithuanian labor market situation and changes; identify employment challenges; prepare research model; carry out two representative surveys of the unemployed and the employed persons; reveal the resources of resilience in the labor market taking into account the employment status. The results will complement the studies of resilience in the labor market carried out by Lithuanian and foreign researchers, will highlight the theoretical contribution and directions for future research. Empirically revealed factors of the resilience in the labour market of unemployed and employed persons will have an applied value in implementing employment policy and overcoming challenges in the modern labor market.
Ensuring Housing Needs: Challenges and Prospects in Lithuania
Project leader: dr. Jolanta Aidukaite
Duration: 2023 04 01 – 2026 03 31
Project team: dr. Kristina Senkuviene and dr. Ruta Ubareviciene.
Summary:
The aim of the project is to investigate the housing needs in Lithuania through the prism of housing as a social right, including the expectations of the population and the preferences of housing policy makers. Housing need is understood as a discrepancy between existing housing and desired housing. The need for housing includes all housing estates (own housing, public / social housing, rented housing in the private market). Housing as a social right is understood as the state’s obligation to provide a decent housing to every citizen / resident, regardless of their income. However, housing is increasingly perceived as an investment and commodity, and the state’s responsibility to guarantee decent housing for everyone, regardless of income, is decreasing. Therefore, questions arise: How can we guarantee everyone’s right to a decent home? What type of housing do Lithuanian residents most need? What is the demand for social/public housing as well as private rental housing? The answers to these questions will allow us to predict long-term housing needs and find appropriate solutions to social problems in the area of housing.
Ethnic, national and transnational identities and geopolitical atitudes of third-country nationals in Lithuania in the context of the war in Ukraine
Project leader: dr. Monika Frėjutė-Rakauskienė
Duration: 2023 04 03 – 2026 03 31
No. S-MIP-23-39, Research Council Lithuania
Project partner is Vilnius University’s Institute of Asian and Transcultural Studies
Project team: dr. Monika Frėjutė-Rakauskienė (Institute of Sociology LCSS), specialist Janina Koliato (Institute of Sociology LCSS), dr. Kristina Garalytė (Institute of Asian and Transcultural Studies, VU), dr. Kristina Šliavaitė (Institute of Asian and Transcultural Studies, VU).
Summary:
This project aims to research the nexus between identities (ethnic, national, transnational) and geopolitical atitudes of migrants in Lithuania from Ukraine, Belarus and India in the context of the war in Ukraine. We understand the war in Ukraine as a long-term process that began in 2014, including its causes, course and consequences that will likely span long atier the war will be over. We also view the war in Ukraine not merely as a regional, but also as a global event, creating food, energy and financial crises, restructuring the world’s geopolitical relations and directly affecting the lives and identities of people in different regions, directly or indirectly affected by war. The three groups of migrants (Ukrainians, Belarusians and Indians) were chosen for research due to their different proximity to the war and their home countries’ differing positioning with regards to the war. The research will focus on ethnically and regionally diverse groups of migrants, whose geopolitical atitudes are also likely to be significantly different and possibly even conflicting. Analyzing and comparing the narratives of migrants will allow us to understand how their identifications and geopolitical atitudes are affected by the immigration experiences in Lithuania in the context of the war in Ukraine. This will enable us to understand the points of contact and conflict among migrants in their perception of war and national belonging. The research is innovative because it explains underexplored processes of how national identities and geopolitical atitudes interact at the micro level. This research can be relevant in seeking a beter migrants’ integration into Lithuanian society.
Other national projects
Culture and public well-being: the social impact of the cultural and creative industries and its measurement
Project team: dr. Lilija Kublickienė (project leader), dr. Ingrida Gečienė-Janulionė, dr. Laima Nevinskaitė, dr. Tadas Šarūnas.
Project partner: Vilnius university
Duration: 2024 07 01 – 2025 12 31
Source funding: Research Council of Lithuania
Summary
The cultural and creative industries (CCIs) sector is a significant source of jobs and income, and has an impact on the wider economy as a driver of innovation and a source of creative skills. In addition to its economic impact, CCIs also have significant social impacts, from supporting health and well-being, to promoting social inclusion and social capital. However, the lack of research, scientific evidence and methodological tools to measure the social impact generated by CCI also means that the sector remains undervalued. The aim of the study “Culture and Social Well-being: the social impact of the cultural and creative industries and its measurement” is to investigate the social impact of CCIs in Lithuania on different groups of society and to develop a methodology for measuring the social impact of CCIs. Objectives of the study: 1) Identify the key elements of the social impact assessment of the CCIs and the indicators that reflect them; 2) To investigate the social impact of Lithuanian CCIs on different groups of society and the contribution of these industries to addressing current social challenges; 3) Develop a methodological tool for measuring the social impact of CCI activities; 4) Based on the results of the research, formulate recommendations on measures to ensure the positive impact of CCIs on different groups of society; 5) Publicise the results of the project to the target audiences (CCI representatives, academia) and the general public. The developed methodology for measuring the social impact will enable CCI representatives and policy makers to carry out a science-based assessment of the social impact of CCIs and to ensure evidence-based policy making and effective planning. Based on the results of the study, it will identify measures that have the potential to increase the social impact of CCI on different groups in society. The study will also contribute to raising the awareness of the importance of the social impact of CCIs in society.
Postdoctoral fellowship projects
Navigatng Aging in Place: The Perspectve of Older People Aging Solo
Summary
The aim of the project is to explore the solo aging in place focusing on the complex interplay of community engagement, the use of technology and social support. In this research, technology is understood in a broad sense and encompasses various electronic devices and apps, products and services, such as e‐government, e‐health, e‐education, robotics, smart homes, etc. The research will take place in Lithuania and Italy, two countries with similar cultural attitudes and expectayions towards long‐term care of older people, but with different histories of the development of social service systems, traditions of long‐term care organisation and social contexts. The findings of this extensive international qualitative research will shed light on the diverse experiences of solo aging in place and enhance the understanding of how to increase the quality of life for older people living alone by providing more insight into prerequisites for successful aging in place.
Identities of National Minority Youths: From Regional to Supranational (the Case of Šalcininkai District)
Postdoctoral fellow: dr. Vidmantas Vyšniauskas
Postdoctoral supervisor: dr. Kristina Šliavaitė
Duration: from February 01, 2024 to January 31, 2026.
Summary
The research conducted in Lithuania up to this point to show that the identity of older generations of people belonging to ethnic minorities has been sufficiently and thoroughly studied. However, young people (i.e. born in 1990 and later) were either not included in these identity studies due to their age, or were underrepresented. Therefore, it is currently difficult to get a clear picture of the identity of the youths of national minorities. Increased knowledge in this area can help Lithuanian state institutions and non-governmental organizations to adjust their policies and services, and better respond to the needs of youths from national minorities. Considering the aforementioned lack of scientific knowledge the study aims to investigate the identification trajectories of youths born in Lithuania and living in Šalčininkai district from ethnic minorities, focusing on their tendencies to identify with a territory and/or community.
Results
Publications
Vyšniauskas, V., Pilarczyk-Palaitis, A. (2024). Contemporary Self-identification as a “Tutejszy” in Southeastern Lithuania. Český lid, 111(2), p. 173–198.
Exploring middle-aged women’s aging anxiety: used coping strategies and associated factors
Postdoctoral fellow: dr. Goda Gegieckaitė.
Postdoctoral supervisor: dr. Gražina Rapolienė.
Duration: 2024 03 01 – 2026 02 28.
Promoting successful aging is one of the priorities in rapidly aging Western societies. Individuals’ aging anxiety has been found to negatively impact successful aging later in life, therefore it is an important issue to understand and address. Aging anxiety is defined as the concern and anticipation of adverse losses centered around aging (Lasher & Faulkender, 1993). Given the distinct societal pressures and concerns that middle-aged women face related to age-related changes, there is a need for targeted research on middle-aged women’s aging anxiety. While there is some research on risk factors of aging anxiety, coping strategies used to deal with aging anxiety and factors associated with it are scarcely researched.
The aim of the proposed project will be to explore factors associated with aging anxiety and related coping strategies among middle-aged women. A qualitative and a quantitative study will be conducted to meet the objectives of the project. Objectives of the project will be to identify and analyze factors associated with aging anxiety and coping strategies used for aging anxiety among middle-aged women, and to analyze the association between aging anxiety, used coping strategies, and depression and anxiety symptoms. Possible differences in aging anxiety, used coping and their associations with other factors in different stages of middle adulthood will be analyzed as well.