Coming To And Staying In The Poorest Country In The Eu

This book is a multi-layered scientific study of the immigrants who have come to Bulgaria since 1990 – specifically, their patterns of movement, settlement, social networks, identity dynamics, integration and adaptation, their impact on the social environment, and changes in the cultural specifics. Until recently, studies on immigration in Bulgaria have mainly been oriented towards particular communities within the framework of ethnic studies. The chapters in this volume do not ignore immigrants’ ethnicity and origins, but their main focus is reasons for migration, be they economic, educational, political, marital, or lifestyle-based. The book examines several important factors of settlement in Bulgaria: interaction between the local population and immigrants, stereotypes and attitudes towards the newcomers, as well as the influence of local, kinship, and social networks and contacts.