CAS Newsletter 2008 / No 1
Articles, pictures and interviews can be reprinted only with the consent of Centre for Advanced Study Sofia (CAS - Sofia). Any citations should be duly acknowledged.
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Articles, pictures and interviews can be reprinted only with the consent of Centre for Advanced Study Sofia (CAS - Sofia). Any citations should be duly acknowledged.
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Articles, pictures and interviews can be reprinted only with the consent of Centre for Advanced Study Sofia (CAS - Sofia). Any citations should be duly acknowledged.
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A collection of late medieval and early Renaissance finds stored in the museum of Dulovo; the items were found south-east of Okorsh village, Dulovo municipality, Silistra region. Out there, in the area called „Beiska mahala”, a big Ottoman-time settlement was found, which is possibly the original source of the finds, which include 36 pafta clasps discussed in the article.According to the numismatic information and the dating of the other finds, the settlement can be dated within the 17th and the first half of the 19th century. According to an Ottoman census of 1676, a village called Abdarrahman seems to be listed in Silistra kaza.The pafta clasps from the collection of Dulovo museum can be divided into 5 types, with their own subtypes. The first type includes small round, cup-shaped pafta clasps, without ornament. Most of the clasps have granular trimming on the periphery, always with a small sharp widening. There are no analogues from closed archaeological sites dated within the period from the 10th to the 14th century. Surely, the dated finds from Niculitel and Silistra are dated within the 17th — the 18th centuries. The second type are round, cup-shaped pafta clasps with a stylized rosette in the center. This type has three subtypes. Most of the clasps are with granular trimming on the periphery, with a small sharp widening. Surely, dated finds from necropolis in Romania are from the period of the 17th—18th centuries. The third type are cup-shaped pafta clasps with radial ornament. This type is a stylized variant of the pafta clasps with a rosette in the center. There are no finds dated within the 10th—16th centuries. The finds from the graves around the church in Arnautkoy village (Poroishte, Bulgaria) are dated within the 17th—18th centuries. The fourth type are shield-like paftas, divided in five subtypes. According to the analogies from surely dated archaeological sites — the church in Arnautkoy and Corinth, we can assume that this type is dated within 18th century. Subtype IVa is dated later — by the first half of the 19th century. The fifth type are leaf-shaped pafta clasps. According to their form, we can add to this type two belt applications with a shape of pafta clasps. According to some analogies from Isakcha, we can date them back in 18th—19th century. According to the surely dated finds, we came to the conclusion that until 16th century the pafta clasps are unknown type of jewelry. The first appearance of pafta clasps on the Balkans and in Bulgaria can be dated by the beginning or the mid of the 17th century. One way for their appearance in this area could be transfer of traditions from Asia Minor, due to relocation of hundreds of Alevi (Shiite) villages in 16th—17th centuries in Eastern Bulgaria.
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Without doubt, every migratory wave begets serious problems with many dimensions in the fields of education, employment, integration, or gender issues. A recent mass migratory move, if more numerous, can cause delays in policies towards an older refugee group. The Syrian war and the subsequent mass migration towards Turkey channeled both academic and administrative focus towards this group. As the transformative power of migration increases, so does the academic interest in this topic. In this respect, we can understand the abundance of research on Syrians compared to the paucity of studies on African refugees as a reflection of the size and impact of the Syrian stock and flows.
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The destructive effects of the Second World War, which resulted in great loss and suffering in the not so distant past, still has an important place in the lives of countless people living in different geographical locations. German families constitute a population whose members witnessed the bitter outcomes of the war in no small measure. War-related memories of families have been handed down from generation to generation up to the present day. Despite many of the generation who actually lived through the war preferring to erase the traces of it from their day to day lives, their children and even their grandchildren have taken on board this memory (Koçyiğit, 2016).
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This article is part of a study by the author made in the 2016-2019 year of the Balkan Regional Development Agencies. Regional competitiveness is viewed in terms of psychological, cultural and behavioral aspects. These characteristics are specific to each territorial community and have a significant impact on economic processes and hence on the competitiveness of the region. The article presents the individual elements of the community culture of the territory, each element being defined individually in view of its importance as a factor for competitiveness. The author has used in his article the ideas of a number of authors with significant contributions in the field of psychological, social and cultural studies of the regions. At the end of the article the author has formulated conclusions that can be a starting point for taking into account the influence of psychological and cultural aspects of competitiveness and their incorporation into the policies for effective regional economic development.
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The paper problematizes on the urban spaces, analyzing the discourses of: (national) majority, minorities, the newcomers (migrants), the others, emphasizing on the forms of visualization. The case of the towns of Tsarevo and Pomorie in Bulgaria and Edirne in Turkey are presented by the two migrant groups that have crossed the Bulgarian-Turkish border and settled in particular urban neighbourhoods. The visual approach in the urban anthropology requires a specific methodology starting from the material environment of the city and its public spaces to the social and cultural relationships of the urban inhabitants and the invisible aspects of their symbolic layer as memory and heritage. The paper analyzes the strategies and valorization and legitimation of the heritage of migration and heirs, who trace their places of everyday life and festivity. The fieldwork research was done among the heirs of the so called “Thracian Bulgarians”, living in Tsarevo and Pomorie and the Turks, born in Bulgaria and resettled in Turkey in Edirne.
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The aim of this brochure is to present current knowledge on migration narratives about the European Union (EU) and current approaches to migration since 2015 across the 15 countries in which PERCEPTIONS research is conducted. It maps the landscape of narratives on migration and Europe as a basis to understand migration flows and decisions as well as migration-related policies, perceived threats, and best practices to address migration challenges on local, national and international levels.
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Research on language acquisition is a central theme in sociolinguistic research. Contemporary social, economic and political processes affect the life of communities and the languages what they speak. Globalization, migration and the enlargement of the European Union can significantly change the role and the future of majority and minority languages. In this research, we aim to reveal the family level language choice strategies of the Hungarian community in the small town of Margitha (Bihor County, Romania), discussing the role of family related social framework that positively or negatively influences the motivation of minority students to acquire knowledge of the Romanian language. For this purpose, we used both quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches. The results of research confirm that in multi-ethnic communities perhaps the most important, however at the same time the most vulnerable component of ethnic identity is the linguistic identity, which plays a key role in shaping the cultural landmarks and contents that determine the social integration of the individual. The positive family effects of socialization with the Hungarian language can be observed mostly in the ethnically homogeneous family. However, if one of the spouses is ethnic Romanian, the dominant language of communication within the family is more likely to be the Romanian language.
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Ukraine is a multinational and multicultural country. Though Ukrainian scientists have studied the issue of multicultural education from different aspects, nevertheless, there is no special or ideal model of multicultural education. That is why we decided to monitor the students’ multicultural education state at secondary schools of Ukraine. In order to identify the state of multicultural education in Ukrainian schools we conducted an empirical study in schools of Cherkasy region among primary, secondary and senior level students. The main method was determined as questionnaire, which is provided for clarification of issues of national-patriotic and multicultural orientation. Accordingly, questionnaires that combined quantitative and qualitative data collection were offered to the 4th, 6th and 11th grade students in some schools in Uman and Uman district, covering 296 respondents. Thus, the monitoring of the state of multicultural education in Ukrainian school education has shown that the problem of multicultural upbringing of children and young people is addressed at the government level, relevant research is conducted, some aspects of multiculturalism are observed in educational programs of some subjects, but the level of multicultural education of students should be higher.
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One of the most enduring tensions in human history has been the clash between the East and the West. This is not simply a geographical division, but a difference in worldviews that has led to much conflict over the centuries. The East is often seen as mysterious and inscrutable, while the West is associated with rationalism and progress. These differing perspectives have led to clashes on everything from political ideologies to economic systems. Even today, there is a great deal of mistrust between the East and the West, with each side looking at the other with suspicion and misunderstanding. However, it is important to remember that there is far more that unites us than divides us, and that we can learn from one another if we are willing to open our minds. This article is an in-depth analysis of the differences in mentality between East and West and contributes to a better understanding and explanation of the current tensions and conflicts on the European border. The war in Ukraine is not only a military conflict but also the expression of an accumulation of tensions between different mentalities and cultural models.
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The article is devoted to the problem of intellectual development of children of preschool age in the process of studying folk riddles. The author reveals the concept of "riddle", highlights the principles of the selection of riddles and groups of riddles that are used in pre-school. The work details the methods of work: a) with riddles – descriptions, b) with riddles containing the key distinguishing feature of the object, c) with riddles in which the description of the object is given through negation; it proved that the effectiveness of this technique has a positive effect on children's intellectual development.
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The process of globalization and the mobility of human resources pose new tasks and challenges towards the foreign language education in theoretical and practical aspect nowadays. It focuses on the development of competences outside the classroom that help smooth interactions and co-existence between members in multicultural societies. The aim of the present paper is to: 1) Introduce to the reader some of the methods used in teaching Japanese language as a second language in higher education institutions in Japan; 2) Focus on contemporary methods that meet the requirements of the process of globalization.The process of globalization and the mobility of human resources pose new tasks and challenges towards the foreign language education in theoretical and practical aspect nowadays. It focuses on the development of competences outside the classroom that help smooth interactions and co-existence between members in multicultural societies. The aim of the present paper is to: 1) Introduce to the reader some of the methods used in teaching Japanese language as a second language in higher education institutions in Japan; 2) Focus on contemporary methods that meet the requirements of the process of globalization.The process of globalization and the mobility of human resources pose new tasks and challenges towards the foreign language education in theoretical and practical aspect nowadays. It focuses on the development of competences outside the classroom that help smooth interactions and co-existence between members in multicultural societies. The aim of the present paper is to: 1) Introduce to the reader some of the methods used in teaching Japanese language as a second language in higher education institutions in Japan; 2) Focus on contemporary methods that meet the requirements of the process of globalization.The process of globalization and the mobility of human resources pose new tasks and challenges towards the foreign language education in theoretical and practical aspect nowadays. It focuses on the development of competences outside the classroom that help smooth interactions and co-existence between members in multicultural societies. The aim of the present paper is to: 1) Introduce to the reader some of the methods used in teaching Japanese language as a second language in higher education institutions in Japan; 2) Focus on contemporary methods that meet the requirements of the process of globalization.
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The present work is devoted to Chinese traditional family institution and organization of traditional family relationships in China. The present paper analyzes the noble and rural family in imperial China. The relationships between spouses are described, and the social roles of men, women and children in the family group are clarified. Paper also reveals some interesting cultural practices related to important life events, family cults in China in the past and the institution of concubines.The present work is devoted to Chinese traditional family institution and organization of traditional family relationships in China. The present paper analyzes the noble and rural family in imperial China. The relationships between spouses are described, and the social roles of men, women and children in the family group are clarified. Paper also reveals some interesting cultural practices related to important life events, family cults in China in the past and the institution of concubines.
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This work is a part of much broader and extensive research. The data was collected on the field, namely Beijing, by observing and interviewing Bulgarians residing in the city for different period of their lives. The current work briefly points out some cultural differences between China and Bulgaria and the way they affect the celebration of several traditional Bulgarian holidays, e.g. Christmas Eve, Easter etc. The most notable difference can be observed in the ways of preparing certain cuisines, the products (meat, vegetables, white cheese etc.) which the Chinese market offers to the customers as well as their quality or even their lack of. Another factor that influences the ways of celebration is whether the migrants have moved to Beijing alone or with their families or relatives. In the first case a close circle of friends takes on the role of the family. The work concludes with that the Chinese culture rarely influences the celebration of Bulgarian traditional holidays and they are comparatively preserved in the form they exist in back in Bulgaria.This work is a part of much broader and extensive research. The data was collected on the field, namely Beijing, by observing and interviewing Bulgarians residing in the city for different period of their lives. The current work briefly points out some cultural differences between China and Bulgaria and the way they affect the celebration of several traditional Bulgarian holidays, e.g. Christmas Eve, Easter etc. The most notable difference can be observed in the ways of preparing certain cuisines, the products (meat, vegetables, white cheese etc.) which the Chinese market offers to the customers as well as their quality or even their lack of. Another factor that influences the ways of celebration is whether the migrants have moved to Beijing alone or with their families or relatives. In the first case a close circle of friends takes on the role of the family. The work concludes with that the Chinese culture rarely influences the celebration of Bulgarian traditional holidays and they are comparatively preserved in the form they exist in back in Bulgaria.
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The publication examines the use of personal seals during the Bulgarian National Revival in the Middle Rhodopes. The specificity in the graphic layout of the inscriptions on the stamps is shown. The spelling patterns of the anthroponyms are presented. The symbolism included in the inscriptions is described and characterized.
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The Great Flood is a legendary story known from many ancient civilizations. The general idea is that the gods or god decide to destroy sinful humanity, but in the end they spare it by leaving a representative to repopulate the earth. Hardly anyone has not heard of the biblical Noah, God’s chosen one who survived the flood, but few know that long before history was recorded in the Bible, there was Ziusudra – the chosen one of the Sumerian gods who decided to destroy humanity as they unleash the waters and flood the earth. This paper presents a historical, geographical and substantive description of the cuneiform tablet revealing the history of the flood. Examples of other Sumerian cultural artifacts related to the myth are presented, as well as analogies with civilizations far and close to the Sumer, which in turn brings information about international relations in antiquity and the significance of a history present in human global civilization over the millennia.
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The Christian doctrine regulates human life, behavior, and relationships with relatives and strangers through the commandments. Breaking the commandments is considered a sin, and overcoming one’s own weakness leads to one’s betterment and one’s coming closer to God, which is ultimately the goal of every Christian’s life. The desire for wealth and well-being is characteristic of human nature, but the Bible says otherwise: “Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." (Luke 18, 25). This article examines the characteristics of the perception of wealth and work from the perspective of popular culture and religion.
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I am a sportsperson, she thought, trying to express her very thoughts on a platform she had never hoped to appear on; I fight to be better, for myself, for my team, for my country, which I have represented in dozens of international tournaments. We work with team spirit, friendships, and perseverance. This is what I was trained for, day and night, strict as military drills… although I stand for peace and understanding. I want to show what we, the women, neither repressed nor privileged, can achieve when we set our minds and hearts! I wish to inspire youth to be steadfast and independent! Otherwise, what’s the point of this much sweat… and blood… and tears? It means so much that we cannot lose them! I’ll no longer pretend to simulate this passion for machines!
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