Turns and Transitions. The cultural policy of Bulgaria, 1989-2012

Culture is a social phenomenon with very varied modes of action. On the one hand, it brings together visions from science and art and on the other hand, it functions just as every industry does a marketing of products, authors and creative works. However, culture also reflects the social standards of a country and has at the same time an important function in the socialisation of generations and their general development. My thesis is to be regarded as a review of the cultural history of Bulgaria, since the revolution until the present day and as an attempt to look into the future, in order to recognise the possible shaping of the future. The political cultural development of Bulgaria bas to be viewed in the context of the country`s political transformations and cataclysmic economic changes, which begs the question in what way the culture has managed to survive at all during a time of hyperinflation (1995). Only three studies are to be found which analyse the state of Bulgarian cultural politics. Two of these are from prior to 1995, the third from 200. The whole period from 1995 to 2012 remains totally inaccessible for those who wish to inform themselves about Bulgarian cultural politics and are not aware of the internal processes of the country, as although some events are of themselves documented in detail, there is no overview of a national development of culture, nor of the influence of political changes by those empowered to make decisions. The main aim of this investigation was to fill these gaps and provide a framework for further discussion in the political Cultural arena. When politicians maintain that culture is important for Bulgaria, so was it an objective of this thesis to appraise what the reality of political culture is and how this is reflected in legislation and life. The information to facilitate this, which has been lacking until now, has been brought together in this study, so that a basis for further research bas been established.