Ivaylo Markov | Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (original) (raw)
Papers by Ivaylo Markov
This edited volume tackles different topics concerning old/new conceptual, methodological and th... more This edited volume tackles different topics concerning old/new conceptual, methodological and theoretical dilemmas in migration studies. Papers written by ethnologists and cultural anthropologists, sociologists, geographers, and others are brought together in order to gain a better understanding of the social, economic, political, cultural and other processes connected with migration in modern European societies. While some of the papers focus on migration processes, others dwell on post-migration phenomena and migrants’ livelihoods in their places of immigration. Nineteen authors participated in writing thirteen papers, divided in four interrelated sections.
The article examines transnational migrations of Albanians from the Republic of Macedonia to Swis... more The article examines transnational migrations of Albanians from the Republic of Macedonia to Swiss Confederation, seen in the light of ongoing processes of their exclusion and inclusion in different social contexts at the both ends of the migratory chain – the places of origin and destination. It focuses on the social and cultural challenges that individuals and groups face, as well as on everyday strategies of coping with live in-between different localities. The analysis, in the article, proceeds from the assumption that the migratory experience in a transnational space can be analysed by taking into account that it is constituted within historically and geographically specific localities of origin and migration, and it depends on social, cultural, economical, political and legal opportunities and constraints, and this at the both ends of the chain. In the light of this conceptualization, the strategies of managing with the live in-between are seen as everyday practices, relations and interactions within localized transnational (trans local) social spaces.
Food and food processing are among those elements of cultural heritage which become invested with... more Food and food processing are among those elements of cultural heritage which become invested with considerable emotional charge. Food heritage is often constructed within particular national homogenization processes so these culinary traditions are usually considered typical and characteristic for the nation or the ethnic group. Yoghurt is typically perceived as a Bulgarian national symbol. During the last decade, however, it has been subjected to a specific process of localization related to the local cultural history and heritage of the municipality of Trun. Serving as prerequisites, the historical facts and genealogical memories create links with the significant figure of the microbiologist Dr. Stamen Grigorov, who comes from this region and his scientific discovery of the lactic acid bacteria. Thus yoghurt quickly becomes an important resource for the implementation of local development projects in the context of cultural tourism whereby it acquires new economic significance on the general level as well as for the individual owners oriented to retail production.
The article is focused on a border region between Bulgaria and Serbia which is geographically dom... more The article is focused on a border region between Bulgaria and Serbia which is geographically dominated by Ruy Mountain (whose ridge is the boundary between Bulgaria and Serbia) and the valley of Erma river forming two huge defiles along its way in this mountainous region – the Lomnishko defile (in Bulgaria) and the Poganovsko defile (in Serbia). The micro region (from natural and geographical point of view) shared until 1919 several cultural, social and economic characteristics (from an anthropological point of view), thus forming a common historical and geographical entity. The demarcation of the boundary between Bulgaria and Serbia as a result of the Treaty of Neuilly split the region between the two countries. The border regime, which was rigid and impermeable through the whole second half of the 20th century, made the zones on the both sides of the border well guarded, but industrially underdeveloped periphery. With the opening of the border in the period after 1989 and especially with the intensification of the European integration processes the character of the Bulgarian-Serbian border is undergoing changes and is gradually turning into a bridge for diverse trans-border initiatives. A great deal of these initiatives are connected with the well preserved ecology of the region, which is evaluated at present as a treasure by the local authorities and communities who believe it to be an important resource and instrument for the overcoming of the peripheral position of the region.
Labour migration has become a mass phenomenon among Albanians from the Republic of Macedonia – du... more Labour migration has become a mass phenomenon among Albanians from the Republic of Macedonia – during the last five decades, tens of thousands of people have left their native areas, seeking profit in Western European countries in order to better their living standard. Remittances sent by migrants are an important source of income for relatives in their places of origin.Most surveys examining the effects of migration tend to deal with remittances spent on food, clothing, housing, education, and health services. Investments in family-based business activities often are another accent of analysis. In this paper, however, I pay attention to issues of community-based or collective remittances. In the theoretical literature, collective remittances are seen as donations which are turned into investments of public interest. Various community projects financed through collective remittances have taken place in localities with high rates of migration. What distinguishes these projects is, namely, the collective benefit or good they provide.This paper examines different forms of such local projects based on collective remittances and mutual community engagement in Albanian villages in Macedonia. With such resources, people urbanize their villages and also support seriously ill people or people who have been devastated by a disaster. Questions about the existence, uses, and impacts of collective remittances are analysed in relationship to the broader discussion of remittances and development.
Nowadays the migrations (voluntary and forced) and concomitant processes of socio-cultural transf... more Nowadays the migrations (voluntary and forced) and concomitant processes of socio-cultural transformations are an important sphere of studies among the Balkan ethnologists and anthropologists. In our migration investigations we often follow “western” models of typologizations and theoretical explanations, regardless of the question whether they are relevant to the specific Balkan reality or not. The initial inspiration was the author’s inner conviction that we should not break the local/regional research traditions and neglect uncritically what was achieved by the scholars of generations before us. Jovan Cvijić is one of these early, influential and still frequently cited Balkan researchers among the pioneers taking interest in the study of migrations on the Balkan Peninsula, researching their causes, directions, characteristics and induced by them transformations of cultural patterns, languages, religions, and ethnicities. The paper critically examines his research work, discussing some of its controversies, on the one hand, and contributions and influence on the study of Balkan migrations, on the other. Simultaneously the author tries to put the methodological and theoretical achievements and findings of Cvijić in the broader context of some of the contemporary migration theories and compare them.
For more than four decades (since the end of the 1960s), the Albanian population in the Republic ... more For more than four decades (since the end of the 1960s), the Albanian population in the Republic of Macedonia has been intensively migrating to West-European countries in search of better livelihoods and living conditions. Due to certain historical circumstances and social dynamics, the nature and characteristic of their migration patterns have shifted. Initially, migrants were men and migration followed the temporary -gurbet model, which had been present in the Balkans for centuries. Under the gurbet system, the men sent all the money they saved back to their families in Macedonia. Thus, they established and maintained strong economical and social transnational practices oriented towards their villages of origin. During the 1980s and especially the 1990s, many Albanian migrants began taking their families to the host countries. Gradually, women and children became involved in the migratory processes. Living abroad with the family changed the migrants’ priorities: the focus of transnational practices turned towards integration into the new surroundings and earning enough to provide for the nuclear family abroad, while remitting money to villages of origin receded into the background. It is significant that during the last three decades “family migration” exists simultaneously with migration of single men.
On the basis of ethnographic fieldwork materials collected by the author, two main categories of migratory experience and narratives can be distinguished. The first one refers to the temporary migrants and/or the migrants who have been abroad without their wives and children, but have returned or plan to return to their places of origin. The second category refers to those who have settled abroad with their wives and have raised their children and grandchildren there. The main aim of the paper is to critically examine these two different narratives and stories about migratory experience, migrants’ attitudes towards the place of origin, and the perceptions of the location of “home”.
Shared (out) Heritage in the Borderlands: Cross-Border Cooperation, Cultural Tourism and Local De... more Shared (out) Heritage in the Borderlands: Cross-Border Cooperation, Cultural Tourism and Local Development. In: Luleva, A., I. Petrova and S. Barlieva (eds.) Contested Heritage and Identities in Post-Socialist Bulgaria. Sofia: Gutenberg Publishing House, 235–258.
Normally nature is examined as a phenomenon which is subject to natural laws; it belongs to the f... more Normally nature is examined as a phenomenon which is subject to natural laws; it belongs to the field of natural sciences. In constructivist perspective the environment is subsumed under the symbolism of humans’ tradition and culture. From such point of view the very notion of nature is unthinkable without taking into account its existence and understanding in a specific social, economic and cultural context of definite time, space and society. In the proposed paper I proceed from this paradigm in examination of a definite natural landscape which, however, is divided by the political border. The research attention is focused on a region of Bulgarian-Serbian borderlands – the area where the Erma River flows. The river takes its sources in Serbia and though it is not very long, it is notable for passing the Bulgarian-Serbian border twice, and for its two remarkable gorges – the Gorge of Tran in Bulgaria and the Gorge of Poganovo in Serbia. During the socialist period this border region was under strong military and police control. The crossing of the border was formally impossible; the borderlands remained peripheral industrially undeveloped areas and were putted under strong depopulation. However, the lands on either side of the border preserved its pristine nature. During the last two decades the preserved natural landscape and certain nature objects have been turned into more important landmarks and included in the value scale of local communities as symbols and heritage. In result, the above mentioned gorges have become more important part of strategic priorities in the local policies of revival of these economically undeveloped borderlands in the Western Bulgaria and Eastern Serbia. Nowadays the local efforts are uniting through different joint cross-border projects and activities in the sphere of nature preservation and eco-tourism.
Normally nature and nature objects belong to the field of natural sciences: biology, geography, p... more Normally nature and nature objects belong to the field of natural sciences: biology, geography, physics etc. and it is taken as datum which is external for humans. Nature is subject to natural laws and from this point of view it is a non-human and ahistorical reality. However, in fact the notion of nature is unthinkable without taking into account its existence and understanding through human culture/cultures. From this point of view nature is always inserted in a specific social, economical and cultural context of definite time, space and society. It turns into a social and cultural reality, which the humans co-construct by their experience and interpretations and which they endow with certain socio-cultural meanings.
The proposed paper is focused on the human socio-cultural activities and the processes of anesthetization and symbolization on basis of which nature environment and certain nature objects have been turned into landmarks and included in the value scale of society as heritage. Thus natural heritage becomes important resource and is used in one of the fastest developing spheres of public life nowadays – tourism. The inserting of natural objects into tourist sphere adds to their cultural value a new economic value. The natural heritage is called to become a base of the policy of sustainable local development, especially in industrial undeveloped and peripheral peasant regions, but which have preserved pure and attractive natural environment.
The analysis is organized around a definite example – the gorges of Erma River and near surroundings. Erma flows through central Balkans, but in lands situated on either side of the Bulgarian-Serbian borderline. Lomnica Gorge is located near to the town of Tran, Bulgaria; Poganovo Gorge is near to the town of Dimitrovgrad, Serbia. In the last two decades these natural objects have become more and more important part of strategic priorities in the local policies about revival of these two economically undeveloped border regions in the Western Bulgaria and East Serbia. Nowadays the local efforts are uniting through different joint trans-border projects and activities in the sphere of natural preservation and eco-tourism.
A focus of research interest is the rock church “Saint Petka” located in the town of Tran, close ... more A focus of research interest is the rock church “Saint Petka” located in the town of Tran, close to the Bulgarian-Serbian border. This religious site is connected to a strong and vigorous local worship toward the known in a wide Balkan perspective Saint Paraskeva/Petka. The cult is maintained by an interesting local legend according to which St. Petka has lived in the same small cave in which today the church is situated. Because of this St. Petka is considered as a saint-patron of Tran and its inhabitants. This worship site and the specific cult to St. Petka in the past, as well as nowadays, have an important role in the structuring of religious life and the constructing of identity of the local community. Proceeding from the historical preposition and formation of the St. Petka’s cult in the region the aim of the article is to examine some today’s characteristics of development and functioning of the rock church “St. Petka” as worship site, as well as to study the changes occurred during the last two decades when this religious site were identified as cultural heritage and resource for development of the local touristic product in a wide context of local sustainable development.
Labour migration among Albanians from Republic of Macedonia are a mass phenomenon – during last f... more Labour migration among Albanians from Republic of Macedonia are a mass phenomenon – during last five decades tens of thousands of people have left their native areas seeking profit in Western European countries in order to make better their living standard. Remittances sent by migrants are important sources of income for their relatives in place of origin. Most surveys examining the effects of migration mostly deal with remittances spent for food, clothing, housing, education, and health services. Investments in family-based business activities often are other accent of analyses. However in proposed paper I would like to pay attention to issues of community-based or collective remittances. In theoretical literature collective remittances are seen as donations turned into investments of public interest. Various community projects financed through collective remittances have taken place in the localities with high rates of migration. What distinguishes these projects is namely the collective benefit or good they provide.
The paper examines different forms of such local projects based on collective remittances and mutual community engagement in Albanian villages in Macedonia. With such resourses people urbanize their villages, seriously ill people or people hit by some disaster are also supported. Questions about the existence, uses and impacts of collective remittances are analyzed in relationship to the broader discussion of remittances and development.
During the socialist period Albanians from Macedonia, then a federal republic within the frame of... more During the socialist period Albanians from Macedonia, then a federal republic within the frame of the Yugoslavian federation, get the opportunity to go as workers in a number of West-European countries in accordance to the signed in late 1960s by the Yugoslav government official agreements for labor recruitment with Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France etc. Initially (first two decades) migrants were solely men and migration was temporary. These trips did not differ so much from the traditional gurbet patterns. The women’s share in the host places has increased since the mid 1980s due to various factors and reasons. Notwithstanding, the taboo woman to go and work alone abroad is still in force. On the other side, nowadays there are many women who were born and grown abroad. The article seeks to examine the changes in social structure and in relations within the Albanian household and to describe some aspects of varying and dynamically changing male positions and statuses among Albanians at condition of intensive and ongoing migration.
The main goal of this article is to study the memories and perceptions of the Yugoslav times amo... more The main goal of this article is to study the memories and perceptions of the Yugoslav times among Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia. My respondents were former and present labour migrants and the studied phenomenon is viewed in the context of labour mobility. In spite of the ethnic conflict and the political and social tensions between Albanians and Yugoslav authorities in the past, today the nostalgia for the Yugoslav times exists, but because of the reasons described in this text, the Albanian migrants’ nostalgia is of a specific character. Their longing for these past times could be called “Titostalgia” rather than “Yugonostalgia”, the term which is more common in academic studies and in the public space. My analysis proceeds from the assumption that this nostalgia is a reaction to the present state and at the same time turns the attention to aspirations, expectations, and a vision of the future.
This article examines the patterns of contemporary labour mobility and migrations in search of be... more This article examines the patterns of contemporary labour mobility and migrations in search of better living conditions and livelihoods amongst the Albanian population in the Republic of Macedonia. Effects of migration are studied in the context of the social and cultural practices and connections which individuals and groups carry and develop, and their reflections on the places of origin. Special attention is paid to the effects of financial and social remittances upon living conditions, infrastructure and architecture in home places; the changes in local social organization and family–kin relationships; and the ways connections and relationships between migrants and non-migrants affect individuals’ roles and social status.
Labour mobility of individuals and groups in the Balkans has existed for centuries. People search... more Labour mobility of individuals and groups in the Balkans has existed for centuries. People searching for profit and livelihood leave their home and part with their relatives and friends for short or long periods of time. In this chapter, I examine from a socio-cultural point of view some crisis moments at the individual and group level in this process of movement from one place to another.
The leaving and travelling, the hard work and loneliness, and the everyday thoughts about family and relatives are very painful moments in the life of the migrants. Returning home after a long stay abroad can be no less crucial. For a migrant’s parents, wives and children this also is connected with various emotional crises. Here, the researcher can view not only psychological moments as this problem also has socio-cultural dimensions. I examine migrations and mobility through the dynamics of the cultural models that individuals and groups carry and develop, and their reflections on the sending societies, as well as among the people who live temporarily or for a longer time in diasporas. Moreover, this type of migration changes the ritual and feast calendar, and the social roles and relations in the family.
The basis of the paper is ethnographic fieldwork from the last three years among Albanian labour migrants from the Republic of Macedonia. My work encompasses interviews with former and present migrants in their home villages, with their friends and relatives, who have not migrated, as well as interviews with Albanian migrants from Macedonia who work in Slovenia.
The aim of the article is to explore migration strategies among Albanian migrants who started to ... more The aim of the article is to explore migration strategies among Albanian migrants who started to migrate in large numbers towards Western European countries at the end of the 1960s. While labour migration is part of broader strategies of households to improve their living standards and material wellbeing, the study reveals that motivations to migrate and to return or not are highly diverse and suggests that this can be a significant source of intra-household conflicts. We assume that theories which describe international migration only as the outcome of household decisions run the risk of reifying the household as a unit which takes unanimous decisions to the benefit of all, which may mask significant changes in household structure and relations and a number of intra-household gender and age inequalities and collisions which arise in the conditions of continued migration.
The main focus of the article is the dynamics of family structures and relationships in the proce... more The main focus of the article is the dynamics of family structures and relationships in the process of labour mobility during the second half of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century. In the text I present a comparative study of two groups in the Republic of Macedonia: Muslim Macedonians and Albanians.
I chose to present two personal stories: the first is the story of Tefic, Macedonian Muslim from Janče village; the second is that of Imer, an Albanian from Skopje. These are the stories not only of two men, but of them and their relatives and friends. Both stories are different, but comparable when put into the more general context of labour mobility patterns in Macedonia. These two case studies allow for the examination of the atypical process when migrants return and start their own business, namely in the context of a previous and/or ongoing migratory experience.
The chosen presentational strategy presumes that migrations and migration experience are a part of reality that does not exist separately from people’s perceptions – on the contrary, they exist within and throughout the perceptions of that reality; through and in people’s attitude toward it, depending on the circumstances in their experience of life.
Books by Ivaylo Markov
The study focuses solely on families and individuals in active age – between 20 and 65 years old,... more The study focuses solely on families and individuals in active age – between 20 and 65 years old, both living in the country and abroad, who chose to reside permanently in the countryside or to divide their time between two or several locations (both rural and urban). The monograph is aiming at extending the knowledge of urban–rural migration in Bulgaria by determining a number of prerequisites, conditions, processes, and consequences, related to the change of residence and lifestyle. Such as: motives for such residential change; reasons for choosing the particular settlement, including the role of kinship ties; the state of infrastructure and telecommunications in the process of choosing a place to settle and the everyday life that follows; the patterns of sociocultural and economic adaptation in the village; forms of economic and social entrepreneurship in the new settlement; economic, social, cultural, educational, and consumption practices from the city life which are being maintained after the change; the place of mobility within the new lifestyle. The study of all these factors and processes is of great importance for understanding the nature of this type of migrations and movements, which possess the capacity to transform themselves from “exotic” to “standard” way of living in Bulgaria.
Maeva, M., Slavkova, M., Stoyanova, P., Hristova, M. (eds.). Between the worlds: Migrants, margins, and social environment. Vol. 3. Sofia: IEFSEM-BAS & Paradigma, 2021
Mobility and migration are no new phenomena, but their importance and topicality for modern socie... more Mobility and migration are no new phenomena, but their importance and topicality for modern societies presuppose the search for specific interdisciplinary studies
and approaches. This procedure is relatively new, but a growing number of novel
research in the area is positioned at the crossroads of a multitude of disciplines – history, sociology, political science, demography, geography, law, and economy. In the
past decade, an even wider range of humanity and social sciences representatives
have joined the efforts, including anthropologists, linguists, cultural, health, and local studies, researchers, to build upon the knowledge produced by the main fields.
A number of specialised research groups and institutes were formed globally as a
result of this multidisciplinary approach. That led to the amplification of academic
studies in migration and, logically, to its recognition as a separate scientific field.
We stand this volume in the depicted context. It is the result of the rich and fruitful academic debates that formed during the International conference: ʽBetween the
Worlds: Migrants, Margins, and Social Environmentʼ that was held in Sofia, Bulgaria, on the 1st and 2nd of December, 2021. The diversity of the research approaches
was predicated by the sociocultural and individual background of the academics,
coming predominantly from the humanities and the social sciences such as history,
political science, ethnology, musicology, social, cultural, and visual anthropology,
folklore studies, and oral history. For that reason, the studies in this volume are
based predominantly on qualitative methods through which micro-and macro- perspectives on migration are described and analysed.
This edited volume tackles different topics concerning old/new conceptual, methodological and th... more This edited volume tackles different topics concerning old/new conceptual, methodological and theoretical dilemmas in migration studies. Papers written by ethnologists and cultural anthropologists, sociologists, geographers, and others are brought together in order to gain a better understanding of the social, economic, political, cultural and other processes connected with migration in modern European societies. While some of the papers focus on migration processes, others dwell on post-migration phenomena and migrants’ livelihoods in their places of immigration. Nineteen authors participated in writing thirteen papers, divided in four interrelated sections.
The article examines transnational migrations of Albanians from the Republic of Macedonia to Swis... more The article examines transnational migrations of Albanians from the Republic of Macedonia to Swiss Confederation, seen in the light of ongoing processes of their exclusion and inclusion in different social contexts at the both ends of the migratory chain – the places of origin and destination. It focuses on the social and cultural challenges that individuals and groups face, as well as on everyday strategies of coping with live in-between different localities. The analysis, in the article, proceeds from the assumption that the migratory experience in a transnational space can be analysed by taking into account that it is constituted within historically and geographically specific localities of origin and migration, and it depends on social, cultural, economical, political and legal opportunities and constraints, and this at the both ends of the chain. In the light of this conceptualization, the strategies of managing with the live in-between are seen as everyday practices, relations and interactions within localized transnational (trans local) social spaces.
Food and food processing are among those elements of cultural heritage which become invested with... more Food and food processing are among those elements of cultural heritage which become invested with considerable emotional charge. Food heritage is often constructed within particular national homogenization processes so these culinary traditions are usually considered typical and characteristic for the nation or the ethnic group. Yoghurt is typically perceived as a Bulgarian national symbol. During the last decade, however, it has been subjected to a specific process of localization related to the local cultural history and heritage of the municipality of Trun. Serving as prerequisites, the historical facts and genealogical memories create links with the significant figure of the microbiologist Dr. Stamen Grigorov, who comes from this region and his scientific discovery of the lactic acid bacteria. Thus yoghurt quickly becomes an important resource for the implementation of local development projects in the context of cultural tourism whereby it acquires new economic significance on the general level as well as for the individual owners oriented to retail production.
The article is focused on a border region between Bulgaria and Serbia which is geographically dom... more The article is focused on a border region between Bulgaria and Serbia which is geographically dominated by Ruy Mountain (whose ridge is the boundary between Bulgaria and Serbia) and the valley of Erma river forming two huge defiles along its way in this mountainous region – the Lomnishko defile (in Bulgaria) and the Poganovsko defile (in Serbia). The micro region (from natural and geographical point of view) shared until 1919 several cultural, social and economic characteristics (from an anthropological point of view), thus forming a common historical and geographical entity. The demarcation of the boundary between Bulgaria and Serbia as a result of the Treaty of Neuilly split the region between the two countries. The border regime, which was rigid and impermeable through the whole second half of the 20th century, made the zones on the both sides of the border well guarded, but industrially underdeveloped periphery. With the opening of the border in the period after 1989 and especially with the intensification of the European integration processes the character of the Bulgarian-Serbian border is undergoing changes and is gradually turning into a bridge for diverse trans-border initiatives. A great deal of these initiatives are connected with the well preserved ecology of the region, which is evaluated at present as a treasure by the local authorities and communities who believe it to be an important resource and instrument for the overcoming of the peripheral position of the region.
Labour migration has become a mass phenomenon among Albanians from the Republic of Macedonia – du... more Labour migration has become a mass phenomenon among Albanians from the Republic of Macedonia – during the last five decades, tens of thousands of people have left their native areas, seeking profit in Western European countries in order to better their living standard. Remittances sent by migrants are an important source of income for relatives in their places of origin.Most surveys examining the effects of migration tend to deal with remittances spent on food, clothing, housing, education, and health services. Investments in family-based business activities often are another accent of analysis. In this paper, however, I pay attention to issues of community-based or collective remittances. In the theoretical literature, collective remittances are seen as donations which are turned into investments of public interest. Various community projects financed through collective remittances have taken place in localities with high rates of migration. What distinguishes these projects is, namely, the collective benefit or good they provide.This paper examines different forms of such local projects based on collective remittances and mutual community engagement in Albanian villages in Macedonia. With such resources, people urbanize their villages and also support seriously ill people or people who have been devastated by a disaster. Questions about the existence, uses, and impacts of collective remittances are analysed in relationship to the broader discussion of remittances and development.
Nowadays the migrations (voluntary and forced) and concomitant processes of socio-cultural transf... more Nowadays the migrations (voluntary and forced) and concomitant processes of socio-cultural transformations are an important sphere of studies among the Balkan ethnologists and anthropologists. In our migration investigations we often follow “western” models of typologizations and theoretical explanations, regardless of the question whether they are relevant to the specific Balkan reality or not. The initial inspiration was the author’s inner conviction that we should not break the local/regional research traditions and neglect uncritically what was achieved by the scholars of generations before us. Jovan Cvijić is one of these early, influential and still frequently cited Balkan researchers among the pioneers taking interest in the study of migrations on the Balkan Peninsula, researching their causes, directions, characteristics and induced by them transformations of cultural patterns, languages, religions, and ethnicities. The paper critically examines his research work, discussing some of its controversies, on the one hand, and contributions and influence on the study of Balkan migrations, on the other. Simultaneously the author tries to put the methodological and theoretical achievements and findings of Cvijić in the broader context of some of the contemporary migration theories and compare them.
For more than four decades (since the end of the 1960s), the Albanian population in the Republic ... more For more than four decades (since the end of the 1960s), the Albanian population in the Republic of Macedonia has been intensively migrating to West-European countries in search of better livelihoods and living conditions. Due to certain historical circumstances and social dynamics, the nature and characteristic of their migration patterns have shifted. Initially, migrants were men and migration followed the temporary -gurbet model, which had been present in the Balkans for centuries. Under the gurbet system, the men sent all the money they saved back to their families in Macedonia. Thus, they established and maintained strong economical and social transnational practices oriented towards their villages of origin. During the 1980s and especially the 1990s, many Albanian migrants began taking their families to the host countries. Gradually, women and children became involved in the migratory processes. Living abroad with the family changed the migrants’ priorities: the focus of transnational practices turned towards integration into the new surroundings and earning enough to provide for the nuclear family abroad, while remitting money to villages of origin receded into the background. It is significant that during the last three decades “family migration” exists simultaneously with migration of single men.
On the basis of ethnographic fieldwork materials collected by the author, two main categories of migratory experience and narratives can be distinguished. The first one refers to the temporary migrants and/or the migrants who have been abroad without their wives and children, but have returned or plan to return to their places of origin. The second category refers to those who have settled abroad with their wives and have raised their children and grandchildren there. The main aim of the paper is to critically examine these two different narratives and stories about migratory experience, migrants’ attitudes towards the place of origin, and the perceptions of the location of “home”.
Shared (out) Heritage in the Borderlands: Cross-Border Cooperation, Cultural Tourism and Local De... more Shared (out) Heritage in the Borderlands: Cross-Border Cooperation, Cultural Tourism and Local Development. In: Luleva, A., I. Petrova and S. Barlieva (eds.) Contested Heritage and Identities in Post-Socialist Bulgaria. Sofia: Gutenberg Publishing House, 235–258.
Normally nature is examined as a phenomenon which is subject to natural laws; it belongs to the f... more Normally nature is examined as a phenomenon which is subject to natural laws; it belongs to the field of natural sciences. In constructivist perspective the environment is subsumed under the symbolism of humans’ tradition and culture. From such point of view the very notion of nature is unthinkable without taking into account its existence and understanding in a specific social, economic and cultural context of definite time, space and society. In the proposed paper I proceed from this paradigm in examination of a definite natural landscape which, however, is divided by the political border. The research attention is focused on a region of Bulgarian-Serbian borderlands – the area where the Erma River flows. The river takes its sources in Serbia and though it is not very long, it is notable for passing the Bulgarian-Serbian border twice, and for its two remarkable gorges – the Gorge of Tran in Bulgaria and the Gorge of Poganovo in Serbia. During the socialist period this border region was under strong military and police control. The crossing of the border was formally impossible; the borderlands remained peripheral industrially undeveloped areas and were putted under strong depopulation. However, the lands on either side of the border preserved its pristine nature. During the last two decades the preserved natural landscape and certain nature objects have been turned into more important landmarks and included in the value scale of local communities as symbols and heritage. In result, the above mentioned gorges have become more important part of strategic priorities in the local policies of revival of these economically undeveloped borderlands in the Western Bulgaria and Eastern Serbia. Nowadays the local efforts are uniting through different joint cross-border projects and activities in the sphere of nature preservation and eco-tourism.
Normally nature and nature objects belong to the field of natural sciences: biology, geography, p... more Normally nature and nature objects belong to the field of natural sciences: biology, geography, physics etc. and it is taken as datum which is external for humans. Nature is subject to natural laws and from this point of view it is a non-human and ahistorical reality. However, in fact the notion of nature is unthinkable without taking into account its existence and understanding through human culture/cultures. From this point of view nature is always inserted in a specific social, economical and cultural context of definite time, space and society. It turns into a social and cultural reality, which the humans co-construct by their experience and interpretations and which they endow with certain socio-cultural meanings.
The proposed paper is focused on the human socio-cultural activities and the processes of anesthetization and symbolization on basis of which nature environment and certain nature objects have been turned into landmarks and included in the value scale of society as heritage. Thus natural heritage becomes important resource and is used in one of the fastest developing spheres of public life nowadays – tourism. The inserting of natural objects into tourist sphere adds to their cultural value a new economic value. The natural heritage is called to become a base of the policy of sustainable local development, especially in industrial undeveloped and peripheral peasant regions, but which have preserved pure and attractive natural environment.
The analysis is organized around a definite example – the gorges of Erma River and near surroundings. Erma flows through central Balkans, but in lands situated on either side of the Bulgarian-Serbian borderline. Lomnica Gorge is located near to the town of Tran, Bulgaria; Poganovo Gorge is near to the town of Dimitrovgrad, Serbia. In the last two decades these natural objects have become more and more important part of strategic priorities in the local policies about revival of these two economically undeveloped border regions in the Western Bulgaria and East Serbia. Nowadays the local efforts are uniting through different joint trans-border projects and activities in the sphere of natural preservation and eco-tourism.
A focus of research interest is the rock church “Saint Petka” located in the town of Tran, close ... more A focus of research interest is the rock church “Saint Petka” located in the town of Tran, close to the Bulgarian-Serbian border. This religious site is connected to a strong and vigorous local worship toward the known in a wide Balkan perspective Saint Paraskeva/Petka. The cult is maintained by an interesting local legend according to which St. Petka has lived in the same small cave in which today the church is situated. Because of this St. Petka is considered as a saint-patron of Tran and its inhabitants. This worship site and the specific cult to St. Petka in the past, as well as nowadays, have an important role in the structuring of religious life and the constructing of identity of the local community. Proceeding from the historical preposition and formation of the St. Petka’s cult in the region the aim of the article is to examine some today’s characteristics of development and functioning of the rock church “St. Petka” as worship site, as well as to study the changes occurred during the last two decades when this religious site were identified as cultural heritage and resource for development of the local touristic product in a wide context of local sustainable development.
Labour migration among Albanians from Republic of Macedonia are a mass phenomenon – during last f... more Labour migration among Albanians from Republic of Macedonia are a mass phenomenon – during last five decades tens of thousands of people have left their native areas seeking profit in Western European countries in order to make better their living standard. Remittances sent by migrants are important sources of income for their relatives in place of origin. Most surveys examining the effects of migration mostly deal with remittances spent for food, clothing, housing, education, and health services. Investments in family-based business activities often are other accent of analyses. However in proposed paper I would like to pay attention to issues of community-based or collective remittances. In theoretical literature collective remittances are seen as donations turned into investments of public interest. Various community projects financed through collective remittances have taken place in the localities with high rates of migration. What distinguishes these projects is namely the collective benefit or good they provide.
The paper examines different forms of such local projects based on collective remittances and mutual community engagement in Albanian villages in Macedonia. With such resourses people urbanize their villages, seriously ill people or people hit by some disaster are also supported. Questions about the existence, uses and impacts of collective remittances are analyzed in relationship to the broader discussion of remittances and development.
During the socialist period Albanians from Macedonia, then a federal republic within the frame of... more During the socialist period Albanians from Macedonia, then a federal republic within the frame of the Yugoslavian federation, get the opportunity to go as workers in a number of West-European countries in accordance to the signed in late 1960s by the Yugoslav government official agreements for labor recruitment with Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France etc. Initially (first two decades) migrants were solely men and migration was temporary. These trips did not differ so much from the traditional gurbet patterns. The women’s share in the host places has increased since the mid 1980s due to various factors and reasons. Notwithstanding, the taboo woman to go and work alone abroad is still in force. On the other side, nowadays there are many women who were born and grown abroad. The article seeks to examine the changes in social structure and in relations within the Albanian household and to describe some aspects of varying and dynamically changing male positions and statuses among Albanians at condition of intensive and ongoing migration.
The main goal of this article is to study the memories and perceptions of the Yugoslav times amo... more The main goal of this article is to study the memories and perceptions of the Yugoslav times among Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia. My respondents were former and present labour migrants and the studied phenomenon is viewed in the context of labour mobility. In spite of the ethnic conflict and the political and social tensions between Albanians and Yugoslav authorities in the past, today the nostalgia for the Yugoslav times exists, but because of the reasons described in this text, the Albanian migrants’ nostalgia is of a specific character. Their longing for these past times could be called “Titostalgia” rather than “Yugonostalgia”, the term which is more common in academic studies and in the public space. My analysis proceeds from the assumption that this nostalgia is a reaction to the present state and at the same time turns the attention to aspirations, expectations, and a vision of the future.
This article examines the patterns of contemporary labour mobility and migrations in search of be... more This article examines the patterns of contemporary labour mobility and migrations in search of better living conditions and livelihoods amongst the Albanian population in the Republic of Macedonia. Effects of migration are studied in the context of the social and cultural practices and connections which individuals and groups carry and develop, and their reflections on the places of origin. Special attention is paid to the effects of financial and social remittances upon living conditions, infrastructure and architecture in home places; the changes in local social organization and family–kin relationships; and the ways connections and relationships between migrants and non-migrants affect individuals’ roles and social status.
Labour mobility of individuals and groups in the Balkans has existed for centuries. People search... more Labour mobility of individuals and groups in the Balkans has existed for centuries. People searching for profit and livelihood leave their home and part with their relatives and friends for short or long periods of time. In this chapter, I examine from a socio-cultural point of view some crisis moments at the individual and group level in this process of movement from one place to another.
The leaving and travelling, the hard work and loneliness, and the everyday thoughts about family and relatives are very painful moments in the life of the migrants. Returning home after a long stay abroad can be no less crucial. For a migrant’s parents, wives and children this also is connected with various emotional crises. Here, the researcher can view not only psychological moments as this problem also has socio-cultural dimensions. I examine migrations and mobility through the dynamics of the cultural models that individuals and groups carry and develop, and their reflections on the sending societies, as well as among the people who live temporarily or for a longer time in diasporas. Moreover, this type of migration changes the ritual and feast calendar, and the social roles and relations in the family.
The basis of the paper is ethnographic fieldwork from the last three years among Albanian labour migrants from the Republic of Macedonia. My work encompasses interviews with former and present migrants in their home villages, with their friends and relatives, who have not migrated, as well as interviews with Albanian migrants from Macedonia who work in Slovenia.
The aim of the article is to explore migration strategies among Albanian migrants who started to ... more The aim of the article is to explore migration strategies among Albanian migrants who started to migrate in large numbers towards Western European countries at the end of the 1960s. While labour migration is part of broader strategies of households to improve their living standards and material wellbeing, the study reveals that motivations to migrate and to return or not are highly diverse and suggests that this can be a significant source of intra-household conflicts. We assume that theories which describe international migration only as the outcome of household decisions run the risk of reifying the household as a unit which takes unanimous decisions to the benefit of all, which may mask significant changes in household structure and relations and a number of intra-household gender and age inequalities and collisions which arise in the conditions of continued migration.
The main focus of the article is the dynamics of family structures and relationships in the proce... more The main focus of the article is the dynamics of family structures and relationships in the process of labour mobility during the second half of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century. In the text I present a comparative study of two groups in the Republic of Macedonia: Muslim Macedonians and Albanians.
I chose to present two personal stories: the first is the story of Tefic, Macedonian Muslim from Janče village; the second is that of Imer, an Albanian from Skopje. These are the stories not only of two men, but of them and their relatives and friends. Both stories are different, but comparable when put into the more general context of labour mobility patterns in Macedonia. These two case studies allow for the examination of the atypical process when migrants return and start their own business, namely in the context of a previous and/or ongoing migratory experience.
The chosen presentational strategy presumes that migrations and migration experience are a part of reality that does not exist separately from people’s perceptions – on the contrary, they exist within and throughout the perceptions of that reality; through and in people’s attitude toward it, depending on the circumstances in their experience of life.
The study focuses solely on families and individuals in active age – between 20 and 65 years old,... more The study focuses solely on families and individuals in active age – between 20 and 65 years old, both living in the country and abroad, who chose to reside permanently in the countryside or to divide their time between two or several locations (both rural and urban). The monograph is aiming at extending the knowledge of urban–rural migration in Bulgaria by determining a number of prerequisites, conditions, processes, and consequences, related to the change of residence and lifestyle. Such as: motives for such residential change; reasons for choosing the particular settlement, including the role of kinship ties; the state of infrastructure and telecommunications in the process of choosing a place to settle and the everyday life that follows; the patterns of sociocultural and economic adaptation in the village; forms of economic and social entrepreneurship in the new settlement; economic, social, cultural, educational, and consumption practices from the city life which are being maintained after the change; the place of mobility within the new lifestyle. The study of all these factors and processes is of great importance for understanding the nature of this type of migrations and movements, which possess the capacity to transform themselves from “exotic” to “standard” way of living in Bulgaria.
Maeva, M., Slavkova, M., Stoyanova, P., Hristova, M. (eds.). Between the worlds: Migrants, margins, and social environment. Vol. 3. Sofia: IEFSEM-BAS & Paradigma, 2021
Mobility and migration are no new phenomena, but their importance and topicality for modern socie... more Mobility and migration are no new phenomena, but their importance and topicality for modern societies presuppose the search for specific interdisciplinary studies
and approaches. This procedure is relatively new, but a growing number of novel
research in the area is positioned at the crossroads of a multitude of disciplines – history, sociology, political science, demography, geography, law, and economy. In the
past decade, an even wider range of humanity and social sciences representatives
have joined the efforts, including anthropologists, linguists, cultural, health, and local studies, researchers, to build upon the knowledge produced by the main fields.
A number of specialised research groups and institutes were formed globally as a
result of this multidisciplinary approach. That led to the amplification of academic
studies in migration and, logically, to its recognition as a separate scientific field.
We stand this volume in the depicted context. It is the result of the rich and fruitful academic debates that formed during the International conference: ʽBetween the
Worlds: Migrants, Margins, and Social Environmentʼ that was held in Sofia, Bulgaria, on the 1st and 2nd of December, 2021. The diversity of the research approaches
was predicated by the sociocultural and individual background of the academics,
coming predominantly from the humanities and the social sciences such as history,
political science, ethnology, musicology, social, cultural, and visual anthropology,
folklore studies, and oral history. For that reason, the studies in this volume are
based predominantly on qualitative methods through which micro-and macro- perspectives on migration are described and analysed.
