Doctoral Dissertation Research: Democratisation and the Production of New Political Geographies in Bulgaria, 1989-1994

9405254 PICKLES这项研究将调查当代保加利亚从国家社会主义过渡到新政治地理的产生。这些新的政治地理学的关键是在不同地理尺度（国家/地区/地方）运作的政治机构、行动者和利益之间不断变化的关系。这包括国家、地区和地方各级政府之间的政治权力分配。对于新的保加利亚政治地理来说，同样重要的是在不同的空间尺度上正在发展的各种机制，以分配、合法化和利用政治权力。利用民族志研究技术，本研究项目将对保加利亚Burgas obstina（县）的地方政府变化进行详细的案例研究。深入访谈，焦点小组，调查研究和档案资料将在研究中使用。这项研究将为东欧的民主化进程提供新的见解，并将为研究民主化的地理学和政治学方法的文献增添新的内容。作为博士论文研究进步奖，该项目也将提供支持，使有前途的学生建立强大的独立研究生涯。* * *

9405254 PICKLES This research will investigate the production of new political geographies in contemporary Bulgaria as that nation undergoes its transition from state socialism. Key to these new political geographies are the changing relations between political institutions, actors, and interests operating at different geographic scales (national/regional/local). This includes the distribution of political powers between national, regional, and local levels of governance. Also important for the new Bulgarian political geographies are the different mechanisms which are being developed at different spatial scales for apportioning, legitimizing, and utilizing political power. Utilizing ethnographic research techniques this research program will develop a detailed case study of local government change in Burgas obstina (county), Bulgaria. In-depth interviews, focus groups, survey research, and archival sources will be used in the research. This research will contribute new insights into the democratization process in Eastern Europe and will add to the literature in both geography and political science approaches to democratization. As a doctoral dissertation research improvement award, this project will also provide support to enable a promising student to establish a strong independent research career. ***