Mara Birou is a PhD candidate in Sociology at Babeș-Bolyai University and a teaching assistant at Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu. Her current research interests focus on migration issues, as well as political and social behavior. She is involved in several research projects, particularly those using qualitative methodologies, and has experience in field research, conducting interviews with various vulnerable groups, authorities, governmental institutions, and NGOs in Romania.