Wednesday, May 13 20151Myth(s) in the Social Sciences and Humanities, University of York...

Wednesday, May 13 2015 1Myth(s) in the Social Sciences and Humanities, University of York

Transnational mythscapes and the (new) Enlighteners: young

Bulgarian skilled migrants in the UK

Elena Genova- School of Sociology and Social Policy

Wednesday, May 13 2015 Myth(s) in the Social Sciences and Humanities, University of York

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Overview:

•Context

•The study

•On myths

•Transnational mythscapes

•A transnational mythscape: UK myths

•A transnational mythscape: BG myths

•The (new) Enlighteners


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Context: Pre- EU accession


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Context: January 1st 2014


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The Study:

Multi-sited ethnography:• 37 semi-structured interviews• Young professionals and

students• Various location across

England, Scotland and Wales


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On Myths


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(Transnational) mythscapes

‘[…] a mythscape can be conceived as the discursive realm, constituted by and through temporal and spatial dimensions, in which the myths of the nation are forged, transmitted, reconstructed and negotiated constantly’ (Bell, 2003, p. 75)

•Transnational mythscapes?


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A Transnational Mythscape: BG

‘Question: What are the two solutions to the crisis in Bulgaria? Answer: Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 of Sofia Airport’ (Bozhidarov, 2012)


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A Transnational Mythscape: UK• ‘Post- colonial melancholia’ (Gilroy, 2006 )


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The (new) Enlighteners: Who are they?The First Bulgarian Revival- 18th century

The Second Bulgarian Revival?


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The (new) Enlighteners: A Success Story

‘My goal is […] to get the best possible education and one day to apply it in such a way which will benefit my people’ (Delyan, 21, m)


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The (new) Enlighteners as Ambassadors

‘We are not traitors at all because we carry the Bulgarian within us and nobody is hiding or ashamed of the fact that they are Bulgarian. Right on the contrary. I would say we even resound our country with what we do’ (Ignat, 20, m)


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The (new) Enlighteners as Ambassadors

• Be the ‘best Bulgarian’:

‘I have been thinking lot about the fact that I always explicitly say that I am Bulgarian. I almost view it as a cause. I mean, in spite of people who suck, I label myself as a Bulgarian and I try to be the best version of myself and of a Bulgarian that someone can meet’ (Kamelia, 20, f)


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The (new) Enlighteners and national identity

‘I am Bulgarian and I belong to Bulgaria. Despite the fact that I never limited myself to stay in the country. And I will keep on doing things for Bulgaria’. (Vasil, 23, m)


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References:Barthes, R. (2006). Myth Today. In Storey, J. (ed). Cultural Theory

and Popular Culture: A Reader, Volume 1.(3rd ed.). Harlow: Pearson Education Limited, pp. 293- 302.

Bauman, Z. (2007). Liquid Fear: Living in an Age of Uncertainty. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Bell, D. S. A. (2003). Mythscapes: Memory, Mythology, and National Identity, British Journal of Sociology, 54 (1), pp. 63-81

Bozhidarov, D. (2012). Samo dva izhoda ot krizata- terminal 1 I terminal 2, [Only two exits from the crisis: terminal 1 and terminal 2], Webcafe [online]. Retrieved from http://www.webcafe.bg/id_1342784288.

Craven, N. & Arbuthnott, G. (2013). Thousands of Bulgarians and Romanians ‘plan to flood the UK in 2014’ as employment restrictions relax. Available on The Mail [online]. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2268952/Thousands-Bulgarians-Romanians-plan-flood-UK-2014-employment-restrictions-relax.html.

Delanty, G. (2008). Fear of Others: social exclusion and the European crisis of solidarity, Social Policy and Administration, 42 (6), 676- 690.

Dimitrov, I. (2013). D-r Ivan Gadzhev: Davaha mi $2 mln za arhiva na emigratsiata. [Dr Ivan Gadzhev: I was offered $2mln for the emigration archives]. Available on the 168 Chasa [online]. Retrieved from http://www.168chasa.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=897013 .

Gilroy, P. (2006). Multiculture in times of war, Critical Quarterly, 48 (4), 27- 45.

Mahmood, M. (2013). Bonus Bulgar benefits rackets exposed, The Sun [online]. Retrieved from

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4845502/Bonus-Bulgarian-benefits-rackets-

exposed-by-The-Sun.html.

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Transgranichnata Migratsia na Rabotna Sila I Svobodnoto Dvizhenie na Hora- Efekti za

Bulgaria [Bulgarian emigration to Britain: London and Brighton. In Tendencies of the

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debate, Focaal- European Journal of Anthropology, 51, 73-90.

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Soodin, V. (2013). Crazed Bulgarian Who Beheaded Brit Gran is Found Guilty, The Sun [online].

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beheaded-brit-gran-in-tenerife-is-found-guilty.html.

The Telegraph. (2013). Bulgarian Midwife Almost Injected New- Born Baby with Lethal Air Bubble , The

Telegraph, [online]. Retrieved from

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new-born-baby-with-lethal-air-bubble.html.

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to nationalism. In G. Delanty & K. Kumar (eds.), The SAGE Handbook of Nations and

Nationalism (pp. 285- 294). London: SAGE Publications.


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