Национална идентичност, политическо лидерство и обществена поляризация
National Identity, Political Leadership and Polarisation of Society (The Role of These Factors for the Integration of Bulgarian Society into Europe)

Summary/Abstract: This paper tries to formulate a theoretical framework for studying the integration of Bulgarian society into emerging pan-European sociocultural space; the framework is based on the analysis of several historical variables: strength of national identity; innovativeness of its (re) interpretation by national political leaders; level of post-totalitarian ideological polarisation of society. For this purpose our analysis concentrates on three interrelated but insufficiently examined issues of considerable sociological interest. First, characteristics and historical dynamics of what we call the “inferiority complex” of Bulgarian people regarding members of the “advanced (western) societies”. Second, specific features and impact on the strength of national identity of the “left-right” ideological polarisation of the Bulgarian post-totalitarian society. Third, historical metabolism between the sense of national identity and the innovative political leadership including specific requirements addressed to national leaders by the highly polarised society.

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