International University Seminar for Balkan Studies and Specialization

The International University Seminar for Balkan Studies and Specialization (IUSBSS) was founded in 1990 by a decision of the Academic Council of the South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, Blagoevgrad. Its initiator and honorable President is Prof. Dr. Ilia Konev. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elena Tacheva is IUSBSS’s current executive President of the Managing Board.

Members of the Managing board:

prof. Ilija Konev

prof. Kostadin Dinchev

assoc. prof. Kristina Popova

assoc. prof. Marinela Valchanova

assoc. prof. Ilija Nedin

assoc. prof. Petar Vodenicharov

assistant PhD Milena Angelova

assistant Mihaela Kuzmova

assistant Nurie Muratova

PhD student Doncho Georgiev

Secretary: Ph.D student Elina Popova

The Seminar was founded in 1990 and since then the Seminar has been working on many research and social projects, supported by the Bulgarian Ministry of Education, UNESCO, “Open Society”, “Conrad Adenauer” Foundation, CEEPUS program of the European Union.

IUSBSS organizes regular program “Winter Balkan Meetings” in February. The program includes:

• International Language Course for Foreign Students interested in the languages, culture and history of the Balkan people;

• International Round Table on an interdisciplinary topic;

• International Historical Anthropology Course for students and young scholars from the Balkan countries, in cooperation with the professors and students from the University of Vienna and History of South-Eastern Europe in Graz;

• International student round table;

• Publishing of “Balkanistic Forum” periodical;

• Publishing proceedings of the conferences.

IUSBSS is a non-governmental organization. The budget is secured from grants and projects obtained from national and international organizations. IUSBSS has organized the following International Round Tables:

1992: “Ideas about Europe in the Balkan Literatures”;
1993: “The Reflection of the Balkans in Literatures and Cultures”;
1994: “Human Being on the Balkans – Historical and Artistic Existence.”;
1995: “Holy Places on the Balkans”;
1996: “Ancestors and Predecessors. Myths and Utopias on the Balkans”;
1997: “Gifts and Treasures. Spiritual continuity on the Balkans”;
1998: “The Balkan and the Sea. Messages towards Epochs and Generations”;
1999: “University and Youth on the Balkans”;
2000: “She on the Balkans”;
2001: “Knights and Peacemakers on the Balkans. Conquests, Pilgrimage, and Migrations”;
2002: “Custom and Law on the Balkans”;
2004: “Intimate and Public Worlds on the Balkans”;
2005: “Terrorism, Iintellectualism – Balkan Troubles”;

2006: Balkans, United Europe and Balkan Studies in the Beginning of the XXI-th Century.

The papers presented on the first three Round Tables were published in the “Balkanistic Forum” Journal.

The following proceedings of the conferences were published:

“Holy Places on the Balkans”(Sofia, 1996), “Ancestors and Predecessors. Myths and Utopias on the Balkans” (Sofia, 1997), “Gifts and Treasures. Spiritual Continuity on the Balkans (Sofia, 1998), “The Balkan and the Sea. Messages towards Epochs and Generations” (Sofia, 1999), “University and Youth on the Balkans.” (Blagoevgrad, 2000), "She on the Balkans" (Blagoevgrad, 2001), “Knights and Peacemakers on the Balkans. Conquests, Pilgrimage, and Migrations” (Blagoevgrad, 2001), "Terrorism, Iintellectualism – Balkan Troubles" (Blagoevgrad, 2006).

"Custom and Law on the Balkans" (Blagoevgrad, 2004) and “Intimate and Public Worlds on the Balkans” (Blagoevgrad, 2005) were published in the “Balkanistic Forum” Journal.

The mass media cover regularly the activities of the IUSBSS. Winter Balkan Meetings contribute for promoting Bulgarian language and Balkan studies. They offer also excellent possibilities for interesting discussions and new contacts.

IUSBSS has published the following “Balkanistic forum” issues:

2/1995 – “Nation and language”
3/1995 – “Contemporarity of non Contemporary Events”
1-2/1996 – “Images … Propaganda”
3/1996 – “Language, Kinship, Tradition”
1/1997 – “Earth … Space … Territory”
2/1997 – “The Town and the Peninsula”
3/1997 – “Society … Community”
1-2-3/1998 – “Norm and Marginality”
1-2-3/1999 – “Migration … Self-Reflection … Memory”
1-2-3/2000 – “Classical, Popular, Underground”
1-2-3/2001 – “Defeat – Cultures and Politics”
1-2-3/2002 – “Custom and Law on the Balkans”
1-2-3.2003 – “Machine worlds and Social Technology”
1-2-3/2004 – “Neighborhood and Barriers. Experience of Closeness on the Balkans”

1-2-3/2005 -" Intimate and Public Worlds on the Balkans"

CONTACTS:

ISUBSS keeps contacts with Institute for History of South-Eastern Europe in Graz, Institute for Eastern and South-Eastern Europe in Vienna, Institute for Social History in Belgrade, Institute for Ethnology in Skopie, the Institutes for Slavonic Studies in Madrid, Rome, Moscow, Kiev, Lodz, Krakow, Bratislava, Budapest, Vilnius, Preshov, Beijing, Marburg, Leipzig, Montpellier, Athens, Istanbul, etc.

PROJECTS:

IUSBSS works on the following projects:

• “Terrorism, Intellectualism – Balkan Troubles” (2005) supported by Conrad Adenauer Foundation.

• "Historical Anthropology of South-Eastern Europe" (2005-2006).

In cooperation with Vienna University and Graz University. Student and PhD students from Austria, Germany, Macedonia, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia, Romania and Bulgaria took part in the Seminars. The project was supported by the EU and the District Government of Shtiria.

• "History and History Teaching in South-Eastern Europe ” (2002- 2003).

In cooperation with Graz University and Belgrade University. Additional Teaching Materials in Social History and Communication promoting the dialogue between the Balkan countries were developed and published:

• “Childhood in the Past. 19th and 20th century”
• “Women and Men in the Past. 19th and 20th century”.

Project was supported by the Stability Pact in South-Eastern Europe and Austrian Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

• “History of South-Eastern Europe as European History”, 2003-2004.

In cooperation with Leipzig University and Freie Universität Berlin. Teaching History students from South-Eastern European countries in 6 different topics (Project of DAAD);

• European Thematic Network for Health and Social Welfare Policy, 2003-2004.

In cooperation with “Compostela” group, Portugal. Phoenixtn.net. Project of ERASMUS;

• Postgraduate Program for Journalists and Media Managers from Southeastern Europe, 2003-2004.

Organized by South-Eastern European Media Center, Sofia University “Kliment Ohridski” and “Viadrina” University – Frankfurt am Oder. Project was supported by the Stability Pact in South-Eastern Europe and German Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

• CEEPUS – European Union Program for Mobility of Students, PhD students and lecturers, 2003-2006.

Exchange of students and lecturers from the Universities in Bucharest, Sofia, Blagoevgrad, Graz, Zagreb, Prague, Bratislava, Lubliana, Krakow, Sagged;

• Balkan Worlds and Identities – New Master Program in Balkan Studies, 2004-2005.

In cooperation with Universities in Belgrade, Korcha and Graz. Supported by Open Society Fund.

• Guide of Cultural Tourism in Goce Delchev Region (in Bulgarian and German), 1999.
  Supported by Open Society Fund and  CVSCouvert Verstand Service Gmbh - Berlin 

International University Seminar for
Balkan Studies and Specialization
1 ”Ivan Mihailov” St., room 433
2700 Blagoevgrad, BULGARIA
tel. +359 73 8889/198
e-mail: bforum@ aix.swu.bg