Virgil I. Bărbat

Virgil Iuliu Bărbat (April 24, 1879—November 23, 1931) was a Romanian sociologist.

Born in Rasa, Călărași County, he graduated from Brăila's Nicolae Bălcescu High School in 1897, followed by the social sciences faculty of the University of Geneva, where he received his degree in 1905. Subsequently, he took courses on sociology, ethics and economics at Heidelberg and Leipzig. In 1909, he defended his thesis, in philosophy, at the University of Bern. After taking his doctorate, he remained abroad, embarking on a number of study trips. In the early 1910s, he wrote frequently, and his contributions were largely found in the pages of Constantin Rădulescu-Motru's Noua Revistă Română. He was assistant professor during 1921-1922, then working as full professor until his premature death.

A prolific author, Bărbat penned articles and studies in sociology, pedagogy and politics in a number of magazines, both domestic and foreign, as well as books. Among his volumes of sociology are "Naționalism" sau "Democrație" ("'Nationalism' or 'Democracy'", 1911), Extensiunea Universitară ("The University Extension", 1926); Premisele umane ale culturii moderne ("The Human Premises of Modern Culture", 1927); Dinamism cultural ("Cultural Dynamism", 1928), and Exproprierea culturii ("The Expropriation of Culture", 1928). In 1924, he founded an institution he called the university extension, meant to bring culture to the masses and through which he intended to apply his plan for cultural politics. In 1931, he established Revista de sociologie, the only magazine devoted to sociology in interwar Cluj. By the 1920s, he was writing intensely for five or six journals, while the extension, centered on a group of prestigious Cluj professors who would hold lectures throughout Transylvania, including in isolated villages, managed to hold over 900 conferences in four years.