Head of Section: Prof. Lora Taseva, PhD
Secretary: Assist. Prof. Georgi Dimov, PhD

Associates:

• Assoc. Prof. Vladislav Ivanov, PhD
• Assoc. Prof. Zlatomira Gerdzhikova, PhD
• Assist. Prof. Ekaterina Dikova, PhD
• Angel Velinov, PhD, historian

The main research areas are history, religion and culture of Balkan people from the 4th through the 15th century. The scientific works follow the latest trends in the Medieval History worldwide. Research activities of the members of this section include the following topics:

• place and role of the Balkans in the European and world history in the Middle Ages
• the Balkans as center and transit area in long-distance trade and communication
• imagology and stereotypes in creating the image of the Other in the mentality of the Balkans and Western Europe;
• social role of the Church in the Medieval Balkan societies;
• ethnic and religious issues in the Balkans, as markers of the forming identity of Balkan people
• diplomacy and religious diplomacy of Byzantium and Medieval Balkan states
• medieval literature of Balkan Slavs; perception and transfer of texts from Byzantium to the Eastern Orthodox world
• rethinking of the ancient cultural heritage and placing it in the context of Medieval Christian civilization in Byzantium and the Balkans

These are important issues in the context of deepening European integration, which also includes the Balkan countries. Studying the roots of their political, religious and ethno-cultural diversity will help creating the modern vision of the Balkans as "diversity in unity and unity in diversity".

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