Parental involvement encompasses activities that support a child’s development and academic progress. Within this framework, home-based and school-based involvement can be distinguished; however, the literature also identifies a third dimension: academic socialization. This study hypothesizes that higher levels of parental involvement during secondary school positively influence achievement in higher education, despite the fact that most existing research does not address long-term effects. Using a large-scale dataset spanning five countries, we investigate the relationships between maternal and paternal involvement in secondary school and subsequent academic achievement in higher education. Our findings indicate that discussing the importance of learning – an indicator of academic socialization – is perceived as part of mothers’ everyday activities factor, while for fathers, it is associated with value transmission and emotional support factor. Notably, both factors were found to have a positive effect on higher education achievement. Based on these results, public education systems should implement programs that emphasize the long-term significance of learning for both parents and children.

In the member states of the European Union, the gender distribution of the NEET generation (young people aged 15–24 or 15–29 who are not in education, employment, or training) does not follow a uniform pattern. While in Western countries men tend to be overrepresented in this group, in Eastern European member states, including Hungary, women are affected disproportionally. In this study, beyond a review of the relevant literature, we also present the results of our qualitative research from 2024 carried out in Hungary’s Northern Great Plain region (Hajdú-Bihar, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg, and Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok counties). In this research, we examined the forms of gender inequality among NEET youth in terms of education and the labour market.  Our key finding is that although men have, on average, lower levels of educational attainment and a higher rate of early school leaving than women, their long-term labour market prospects are more favourable. This is due to their greater geographic and occupational mobility, broader employment opportunities, and smaller burden of family responsibilities.

The aim of this study is to conduct a comparative analysis of fertility trends in Hungary and Sweden by examining demographic indicators (1980–2022) and the temporal evolution of structural factors. The first part of the study analyzes changes in fertility patterns based on demographic indicators. This is followed by an empirical investigation relying on trend analysis of time series data from 1995 to 2022, using international statistical databases. The trend analysis focuses on the temporal development of total fertility rates (TFR), as well as female employment rates, educational attainment, gender wage gaps, and the share of family benefits relative to GDP. The findings indicate that fertility trends often coincided with economic, social, and institutional changes. In Hungary, the TFR began to rise following its 2011 low point, while in Sweden fertility has remained relatively stable, supported by the expansion of in-kind family benefits and high female employment rates, which facilitate the reconciliation of childbearing and participation in the labour market. The analysis highlights that the impact of family policy measures is strongly conditioned by the broader structural environment.

The role of the family is crucial for the development of juveniles, their behaviour and norm-following, and plays a key role in shaping their values and behaviour patterns. While a whole-family upbringing is important, several other factors are also determinants of rule-following behaviour, such as the level of family cohesion, the level of aggression that may be present in the family, and the degree of parental involvement. Parenting style also shapes children’s behaviour and influences the likelihood of offending, with loving, supportive and understanding families being more likely to promote appropriate and compliant behaviour. While positive parental involvement, support, and directive parenting are associated with lower offending rates, neglectful, strict, or overly permissive parenting styles can increase the risk of subsequent offending. Supporting families to provide a stable environment for their children is key, including encouraging positive behaviours or providing resources for families experiencing difficulties.

Csepeli György – Papp Richárd (2025): Kiáltó csend: A holokauszt helyi emlékezete Magyarországon. Múlt és Jövő Kiadó, Budapest, 278 oldal.

Szalai Erzsébet (2024): Mi a munka és mi a kapitalizmus? És mi jöhet utánuk? Napvilág Kiadó, Budapest, 126 oldal.