Празнувайки промяната
Celebrating the Change

Summary/Abstract: The democratic changes started in 1989 Bulgaria are actually the latest wave of its modernization. The transitional period that accompanies them poses serious identity problems while at the same time the contemporary Bulgarian culture producing their textual solutions. The Bulgarian folklore scientists and ethnologists have been utilizing for some years the chance to document different forms of civil and cu1ural activisms on the field. Using this kind of data together with his own personal impressions, as well as relying on some of the conclusions of several folklore studies, ethnologist, sociologist and historical analysts, the author of the artic1e presents particular events from the post-totalitarian period bearing the specifics of Bulgarian modernity. Generally speaking, they ail result from the Jack of self-sufficiency and deep intermingling of public and private spheres of life, and also of power and society, which have characterized Bulgarian social dynamics since the beginning of the country’s modernizing processes. Following that paradigm, one could draw out the conclusion that the processes and the events of the democratic changes strongly resemble а carnivalesque topsy-turnway-down of the socio-cultural reality and are far from а realistic rationalization of the social life. The author strongly advocates that this is to be related not to non-modernity or pre-modernity, but rather to the particular specifics of the Bulgarian modernity still waiting to be investigated.

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