Balkans of Colour - A Handbook for Decolonial Encounters: The Case of Bulgaria
The research team of the project “Balkans of Colour – A Handbook for Decolonial Encounters” is thrilled to present the first section of their work regarding the case of Pomaks in Bulgaria.
This section was organised, curated, and authored by Francesco Trupia. It begins with a theoretical introduction to the historical and political legacies of racialisation of Pomaks in Bulgaria. It is followed by a three-level component of practical exercises and activities.
This first section of the handbook is meant to engage a wide range of students, scholars, experts, and youngsters who might be interested in knowing more about Muslims and Pomaks in Bulgaria and the Balkans.
Theory: “Speaking of Race in Bulgaria” – DOWNLOAD HERE.
1) Beginners: “Discovering Pomak Ontologies and Epistemologies”
This part is meant to engage a group of beginners with little knowledge about Pomak communities, identities, and histories. DOWNLOAD HERE.
2) Medium: “Decolonial Encounters in Bulgaria: The Pomak Rebels”
This part is meant to engage an audience who is already familiar with minority issues in the Balkans, as well as with histories and legacies of socialism in the region. DOWNLOAD HERE.
3) Advanced: “The Pomak Amazons: Anti-Revitalism and Gender Perspectives”
This part is meant to engage an audience of people with advanced knowledge of minority groups, gender studies, and post-/de-colonial perspectives. DOWNLOAD HERE.
Each of these sections is provided with a guideline, including some suggestions and recommendations for educators, teachers, and practitioners who would like to use the handbook for potential training and workshop.
More Info:
Author: Francesco Trupia is an Adjunct Researcher at the University Centre for Excellence IMSErt at the Nicolaus Copernicus University, Poland. He holds a PhD in Philosophy from the Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Bulgaria. Since 2014 he has been working in the Balkans and the Caucasus, contributing to many research projects in both regions. He is also a KRAF Fellow at the Kosovo Foundation for Open Society (KFOS) and senior researcher at the Center for Security Analysis and Prevention, Czech Republic. In the 2022 summer fall, he was visiting scholar at Humboldt University, Germany.
This project was implemented as a part of Europe Lab, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the European Union. The toolkit’s contents are the authors’ responsibility and can in no way be taken to reflect the views and opinions of Europe Lab, their donors, and the NGO Forum for Glocal Change. The opinions expressed by the authors are their own and do not represent the views of the institutions, organisations, and professional entities they are professionally affiliated.