1st Edition

The Path to Democratic Reform Bulgaria in Comparative Perspective

By Muzaffer Kutlay Copyright 2025
    160 Pages 2 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    This book offers a comparative study of minority-majority relations in post-conflict societies. Drawing on three contentious cases – Bulgaria, Croatia, and Montenegro –it explores how pluralist governance structures are established in the area of minority rights in new EU member and candidate states and how reform resilience is ensured. The author shows the importance of cooperation and moderation between political elites in democratizing countries developing a comparative analysis of three understudied cases in the Balkans region and offers a conceptual framework drawing on extensive field research data and archive materials. Of great interest to both scholars and practitioners alike, this book identifies transferable policy lessons of interest to a global audience and specifies under which conditions substantial reforms should be carried out. It will appeal to a broad audience of students interested in international politics, European studies, state-mandated displacement, and ethnic studies.

    1.     Introduction

    2.     Conceptual framework

    3.     Political transformation in Bulgaria (1989-1999)

    4.     Reform and stagnation in Bulgaria (post-1999)

    5.     Different paths to minority rights regimes

    6.     Conclusion

    Biography

    Muzaffer Kutlay is a Senior Lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church University.