The Memory of Opposition and Dissent Against State Socialism. The Bulgarian Case
The Memory of Opposition and Dissent Against State Socialism. The Bulgarian Case

Summary/Abstract: This article explores the context of researching opposition under state socialism in Bul-garia, with a particular focus on cultural opposition. After a brief discussion of the development of research on state socialism and dissent in Bulgaria, it presents the major institutions involved in researching and documenting the socialist past. It highlights the importance of the legal and political framework. It argues that Bulgaria, in contrast to other post-socialist countries, lacks a strong government-initiated engagement with the socialist past. This is why there are not specialized public research institutes for that purpose. On the other hand, the lack of political intervention also means that there are no dominant interpretations imposed on scholars. The second part of the articles analyses public and private efforts to maintain the material legacy of cultural opposition. It describes the Bulgarian collections in the EU funded “COURAGE” Project, which deals with the his-tory of cultural opposition in state socialism. These collections are an illustration of the wealth of artefacts on dissent that should be maintained and prepared for research. The authors conclude with recommendations, such as the necessity to provide more financial means to preserve this heritage.

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