A border and related concepts of “abroad” and “a foreigner” are analyzed from the linguistic, semiotic and sociocultural points of view with regard to the USSR (Russia) –Bulgaria relations. In spite of being very close to, even regarded as the 16th republic of the USSR and imitating many Soviet ideas, Bulgaria was a foreign country. The reasons for that on the lingua-cultural data partly of biographical character are discussed in the paper. The border can be a synonym to the language barrier, which exists or does not exist between native speakers of Bulgarian and Russian. The new developments of mutual Russian-Bulgarian language communication on the Bulgaria seashore provide us new data of the symbolism of temporal and spatial borders.
H. Rheyngold (1993) introduces the concept of "electronic agora", claiming that virtual communities act on the square - an open space where it all happens. The theoretical framework of this paper will be set by the theory of Schutz for multiplication of reality and will build on the theory of Muggleton virtual identity. Commonwealth in Bulgaria communicates in a parallel to the real world to the virtual. Through virtual identity can reinvent itself, moving freely between multiple online roles, to be the opposite sex, younger, older, anonymous and thus to avoid the presentation of the true self. What roles occupy the British in Bulgaria in the early 21st century in cyberspace and how it used? Do they experiment with their identity? Do they develop strong relationships in social groups? Answers to these questions will be looking for in this study.
One widespread proverb in Bulgaria, knowing some different versions, says that: A man, who cannot passed conscription is not a man, A boy, who failed to enter military service is second-hand man, A man, who has not walked a soldier knows nothing. What exactly is conscription according to public understanding of the Bulgarians? What attitudes have the society to compulsory conscription? Frontier of what is the portal on the military unit? These and other questions related to conscription during socialism will be explored.
This paper is an attempt to show the culturally constructed boundary between women and men and how socialism blurs these boundaries. Women are officially recognized as equal citizens, including creators of the socialist state par with men. How it is possible this combination of male-female traits? How women think and feel about themselves during this period? These are just some of the questions that I try to give an answer.
Hygiene of the body is an important element of family rites associated with the birth and raising of a child. It depends on both Кoran requirements of Islam, and rituals for acquiring new social status on a level of Islam taught within the family. The report follows this boundary between the Koranic tradition and the Islam in traditional folk customs, connected with the ritual purity in customs related to childbirth and child rearing of Bulgarian Sunni-Muslims. The main focus is on customs relating to the child and the woman in labor during the first 40 days after birth, and one of the biggest and most important celebrations in Muslim family - the circumcision ceremony of boys at the age of 6-7 years, called syunnet.
From the Ancient times Danube River acts as stabile and almost uncontested Northern border of Bulgarian lands. For a very long period it divides different populations speaking different languages, developing different cultures and political units. In the same times Danube River unites it is both banks by cheap and easy to manage transportation. More than this Danube as a liquid border connects populations from the both banks with Central Europe serving as a vehicle for people, goods, money and ideas. The aim of this article is to explore one particular segment of culture connections - the evolution of traditional jewelry from 19th to early 20th century in the region of Northern Bulgaria and Southern Romania. The focus is on snake or dragon motifs carved on belt buckles originated from both sides of the border. This and related believes and cult practices reveals close cultural and commercial ties crossing Danube River. During my research I came across material that showed that those motifs were found in several Balkan countries (Serbia and Greece). The decoration of this traditional jewelry is typical for the Orient, but it is common among the Christian population of the Balkan Peninsula. It shows that in those times the Danube River was acting mostly as natural, not as a political or cultural border.
Traditions in the decoration of Christian temples on the Balkans are largely related to strictly established rules, deriving from Byzantium and developed in the theological ranges in the empire. The holy fathers like John of Damascus and Theodore the Studite announced themselves in defense of veneration of the icons (overcoming the crisis of persecution), something more – their theological insights and logically consistent studies give the possibility to artists to express their feelings and conceptions but taking into consideration the ecclesiastical rules – canons. The article explores process of breaking the boundaries of canon set by Church Fathers as a result of unpreparedness, ignorance and total aesthetic decline after Ottoman invasion. It is appeared various levels of naive art and breaking of the canon established by the Orthodox Church. Many examples passing beyond the boundaries of ecclesiastical rules are presented.
Libraries are fundamental institutions for the life under socialism in Bulgaria (1944-1989). They provide studies and readings for big part of society. This is time when television was very rare in Bulgarian homes and the newspapers were totally controlled by Communist party. This way a library served as the main source of information. Seemingly ordinary cultural centers, they become a powerful tool in the hands of the communist state. They are the ones who are actively worked to impose new socialist thinking trough setting limits on access to readers and therefore control the flow of information. The aim of this article is to trace the influence of restricted by communist censorship institution Glavlit literature. Or to put it another way – what was the role of censorship in the process of establishment of borders created by prohibited access to scientific information.
Bulgaria was liberated from Ottoman rule in 1878. Then this day was one of the holidays of the Kingdom of Bulgaria. However, it was not an official holiday during the communist era. In this paper the author share her impressions how this day was celebrated in 1978.
This is a book for the participation of Bulgaria in the First World War (1915-1916). The compilers have collected a large number of stories for martial feats of Bulgarian officers and soldiers at the fronts of the war. These stories were published in different sources during or after the war.
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