The Rise of Populist Electoral Authoritarianism in Turkey: a Case of Culturally Rooted Recidivism

Author(s): İlter Turan / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2017

The trend in Turkey’s politics toward “electoral authoritarianism” is rooted in the long history of modernization. Tensions between traditional society and modernizing elites (with strong links to the military) resulted in the series of military coups in the 20th century and weak civilian regimes. The originality of the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) since its coming to power in 2002 is that it has been able to consolidate the support of less privileged strata and to establish full control over the state. How durable is this system remains an open question.

Partition, Violence and Humanism in Tabish Khair’s Filming

Author(s): Om Prakash Dwivedi / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2019

Tabish Khair’s novel, Filming (2007), highlights many deeply vexed issues that are central to any discussion on colonial/postcolonial humanism. The novel presents the film industry of Hindustan and the lives of people associated with this charismatic industry. It also deals with the maltreatment of women and the manner in which their voices are muffled by the male chauvinistic society, thus making them the subaltern that cannot speak, or if they do manage to speak, they are brusquely silenced, because it questions the authority of those in power, and concomitantly tries to reroute the established power relations, and hence these voices and demands are to be viewed as something that deserves immediate disapproval and censorship.

Ежегодни Кюстендилски четения 2016 г.

Author(s): Albena Simova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 3/2016

Annual Kyustendil Readings 2016

Немско-български културни отношения от началото на ХХ век до средата на 40-те години на века

Author(s): Rozaliya Guigova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2016

The aim of this article is to present the results of the author’s profound investigation on German-Bulgarian cultural relations since the beginning of the 20th century to the mid-1940s of the 20th century and to give an assessment of the cultural contacts between both countries in the context of Bulgarian political and historical development. The article reveals different aspects of the cultural contact between Germany and Bulgaria in the fields of theatre, fine and applied arts. The author emphasizes the role of the training of many Bulgarian artists in German art institutions and the establishment of German-Bulgarian cultural associations. The article is based on the findings of published studies as well as on the author’s own research undertaken in many museums, archives, private and institutional art collections, situated in Germany and Bulgaria.

Perceiving Religious Mysticism in the Key of Political Repression.

Author(s): Ioana Ursu / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2019

L’effondrement des États communistes de l’Europe de l’Est a mis en lumière des histoires d’héroïsmependant la répression et fait parler d’oppression, de survie et de dignité. Cependant, les tendances historiogra-phiques récentes cherchent désormais à comprendre les aspects systémiques des quarante-cinq années de Régimecommuniste en Roumanie. Les études culturelles et sociales, l’histoire comparée, la et l’histoire orale, entre autres,interprètent et redimensionnent nos conceptions sur le mode de vie pendant le communisme. En partant d’uneapproche post-révisionniste, s’appuyant sur une analyse du discours et sur la sémantique, la présente étude sepropose d’interpréter quelques extraits des archives de la police politique (Securitate) concernant l’histoire dugroupe d’intellectuels et de clercs connu sous le nom de Rugul aprins (Buisson ardent), qui ont été cibles de la ré-pression communiste et incarcérés ensemble pour agissements contre l’ordre social. Puisque leurs préoccupations spirituelles et leur philosophie culturelle témoignaient pleinement d’une attitude anti-communiste et d’une cri-tique du régime socialiste, ils sont devenus l’objet d’un suivi informatif de la Securitate, puis inculpés lors d’un procès mené pendant la seconde vague répressive du régime, en 1958. La présente recherche suit la trame narra-tive et les thèmes du discours de la Securitate, en essayant en même temps de proposer une interprétation de la façon dont les institutions répressives se rapportaient face à l’idée de religiosité et de ‘mysticisme’.

Книги 2019

Author(s): Emiliya Voleva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 39/2019

Selected bibliography in the field of Bulgarian Studies published in the current year.

Периодика 2019

Author(s): Emiliya Voleva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 39/2019

Content of the main Bulgarian scientific journals for the current year in linguistics, literature, history, folklore, ethnography, archaeology and art studies.

С поглед към света и България

Author(s): Evgenia Kalinova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2020

Междувоенна България в изображения. Диагностично проучване по история и цивилизация в VI клас

Author(s): Maria Nikolova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 6/2015

The article presents the results of а didactic diagnostic test which was conducted among students of VI degree in 138. „Prof. Vassil Zlatarski“ School. The results of the diagnostic study reveal the students’ abilities to work with images, such as explaining the causes and consequences of historical events, comparing images and compilation of short text answers.

Годишно съдържание

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 6/2015

Обществени колекции с музеен профил в българските висши училища: създаване, управление, перспективи

Author(s): Vera Boneva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2020

University museums in Bulgarian higher education institutions are described and analyzed in the context of the current educational and cultural trends. The important features of this specific academic units are highlighted with specification of some distinguishing museum collections, which work fruitfully inside and outside of their own university space. Administrative improvement and more active promotion are recommended as key paths for a more positive prospect ahead of the whole 27 Bulgarian university museums. In the article are involved data, extracted from the cited sources and from the official internet sites of the mentioned higher education institutions.

Лабиринт и избор в творческите търсения на Христо Попконстантинов – виден родопчанин и общественик

Author(s): Maria Glavcheva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2020

In this article, we aim to reveal some of Hristo Popkonstantinov's rich literary heritage, as well as biographical details about him. We study archival materials and information in literary resources. The scientific methods used are: the historical-chronological as well as the specific methods of archivism. The depth of the author's searches in the novel “The Physics of Sorrow” by contemporary Bulgarian writer Georgi Gospodinov, intertwining the past and present in a special and successful way, led us to think that we could connect our scientific study of one of the most prominent Rhodopes with the topic of the maze and the choice that must inevitably be made. In the complicate labyrinth of Bulgarian post-liberation reality,Hristo Popkonstantinov masterfully overcomes the confusion of many possible exits through his sense of the right direction – namely tireless and stubborn self education,preservation of the Bulgarian historical and folk heritage and respect to the Motherland. Hristo Popkonstantinov stands out as the first Rhodope writer and public figure of national importance.

Мегданът на българските емигранти

Author(s): Julia Popcheva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2020

With its fifth edition in 2019, the festival ‘Na Megdana na Drugata Bulgaria’ (At the Public Square and Gathering Point of the Other Bulgaria) establishes itself as one of the main events for Bulgarian emigrants in Europe. It gathers folklore enthusiasts and besides a dancing stage, it is a ground for new friendships, meetings, and exchange of expertise. The article examines the festival as a place of contact of informal migration-based groups of interest and as a trigger for developing an imagined community around symbols such as origin, clothes, music, dance and food. The ‘megdan’ is considered a community centre existing mainly in people’s mind but not as a geographic location. The article searches for the link between the event and the ways of preserving and transmitting cultural heritage in migration. The study was conducted in three stages: a preliminary online survey; fieldwork in the period May 10 – 12, 2019 in La Nucia, Spain; an additional digital data gathering.

Център и периферия на европеизираните публични сфери

Author(s): Ralitsa Kovacheva,Ralitsa Kovacheva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 3/2018

The text presented is dealing with the current transformations of the Europeanised public spheres. The author argues that depending on the level of presence of the current European debates in the national public sphere, we can highlight centre and periphery and in parallel with the process of Europeanisation, the opposite process is also taking place – a process of peripheralization. Besides the theoretical arguments, the book presents the results of a comparative analysis of 2014 European elections` media coverage in the most popular newspaper websites in Bulgaria and the UK (February-June 2014). 3356 publications from 8 media outlets (The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Independent, Daily Mail, 24chasa.bg, Dnevnik.bg, Trud.bg and Segabg.com) have been coded and analyzed.

THE ALBANIAN QUESTION AT THE PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE DURING 1919-1920

Author(s): Erjon Dervishi / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2020

This paper aims to bring to the public one of the most important moments in the history of modern times of Albania. After the Albanian independence on 28 November 1912 and international recognition of Albanian state on 29 July 1913, in 1919-1920, many national and international events unraveled which initially posed a real danger for Albania to become an independent state. The Paris Peace Conference, organized after the First World War by the Great Powers which win the war, and in which 27 winning states took part, became the real world center of that time. The Albanian point of view was headed directly at this Conference, with the hope to gain its independence and to win the right of self determination for its people. The main issues of the Conference were: border correction, especially in the southern part of Albania, relations between the Balkan states regarding Albania, the position of Italy, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and the position of Greece over Albania, and the real threat of secret pact during the First World War and the new role of American President, Woodrow Wilson. This paper also aims to bring the attitude of the Albanian delegation at the Paris Peace Conference and the position of Italy, France, Great Britain and Greece.

Историческите изследвания от периода 1984 – 2011 г. за електоралните регулации и изборния процес в докомунистическа България: тенденции и проблеми

Author(s): Svetoslav Zhivkov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 4/2020

The article analyzes the historical surveys concerning the elеctoral regulations and the competition between the parties at the parliamentary elections in Bulgaria from the Liberation (1878) to the WW2. The reasons of the lack of scientific interest in the years of the communist rule are pointed out. The revival of the competitive elections since 1990 brought about for the growth of the surveys concerning the Bulgarian electoral past. There are some gaps, however. Yet many issues are unresearched. The article analyzes the historical surveys concerning the electoral regulations and the competition between the parties at the parliamentary elections in Bulgaria from the Liberation (1878) to the WW2. The reasons of the lack of scientific interest in the years of the communist rule are pointed out. The revival of the competitive elections since 1990 brought about for the growth of the surveys concerning the Bulgarian electoral past. There are some gaps, however. Yet many issues are unresearched.

Европейската интеграция на Гърция (1955 - 1981 г.)

Author(s): Ani Istatkova-Ivanova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 4/2020

This article studies Greek European policies and the country's strife for European integration, the negotiations and the obstacles it goes through from 1955 until the signing of the Treaty of Accession to the European Community on 28 May 1979. The role of Konstantinos Karamanlis and the geopolitical situation at the moment are identified as major factors in Greece becoming the first Balkan country to join the EU community at the very beginning of its expansion. The article also examines the attitudes of the Greek political parties and the reactions of the Greek society throughout the various stages of the European accession policies of the ruling government.

Russian Orthodox Art in the Bulgarian Lands from the 16th until the Late 19th Century:

Author(s): Ivanka Gergova / Language(s): English Issue: 4/2020

Dès le milieu du XXe siècle, les chercheurs bulgares s’intéressent à l’étude des œuvres d’art religieux russe qui sont arrivées dans l’aire culturelle bulgare; mais ces études n’ont jamais été menées de manière intensive. Les futures approches devront collecter, cataloguer et étudier les collections plus importantes d’icônes, d’estampes et d’objets russes de culte, en rassemblant toutes les informations nécessaires qui concernent les modalités d’acqui- sition de ces objets, leurs donateurs et leurs histoires individuelles. Une attention particulière devra être accordée aux peintres russes qui ont vécu en Bulgarie, ainsi qu’aux Bulgares qui ont étudié les arts en Russie, sachant que ces derniers ont peint des icônes après le retour en Bulgarie. L’influence de l’art orthodoxe russe sur les sujets abordés et les styles utilisés dans l’art bulgare pourra compléter ce panorama. La présente étude se propose de faire le bilan des recherches en cours.

Icons as Marketable Objects

Author(s): Katerina Seraïdari / Language(s): English Issue: 4/2020

L’étude examine les raisons pour lesquelles les icônes russes, ou imitant un style russe, sont devenues des objets à la mode, commercialisés en Grèce du milieu du XIXe au début du XXe siècle. Elle met ainsi en lumière un phénomène social : la diffusion et la popularité des icônes russes dans ce pays, mais aussi au Mont Athos – une région considérée comme étant le ‘gardien’ de la tradition orthodoxe et de l’authenticité qui faisait encore partie de l’Empire O1oman pendant l’époque en question. Les conséquences de ce1e circulation sont également analysées. Ce phénomène culturel a mené à une banalisation du commerce des icônes et à une confusion croissante entre le domaine de la spiritualité et celui des transactions économiques. La production d’icônes émerge donc comme une arène d’intérêts concurrents; ce qui révèle l’asymétrie de l’influence que la Grèce (un état récemment fondé et économiquement instable) et l’Empire russe exerçaient dans le monde orthodoxe.

Две гледни точки към историята и историците по време на преход

Author(s): Harald Hepner,Roumiana Preshlenova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2021