Identity Conflict in Bulgaria: The Dynamics of Non-Violence

After the end of the Cold War, unlike the aggressive manifest conflict processes in former Yugoslavia, identity based conflicts in other parts of the Balkans - particularly in Romania and Bulgaria - remained latent and did not escalate into manifest forms. Notably, in the Bulgarian case, despite the policies of assimilation as well as deportation campaigns against minority Turks, and the ensuing human suffering, the identity conflict ended without direct violence. While neighboring Yugoslavia was torn apart by conflicts, Bulgaria remained peaceful, “despite similar religious divides, severe economic hardships, and massive social and political changes that followed the arrival of democracy and free markets” (Ghodsee, 2009, p. 12). This relative success led many to argue the existence of a “Bulgarian ethnic model.” Despite the terrible human suffering marked by forceful deportations, assimilation campaigns, and incarcerations in the Bulgarian case, no major war, no genocidal explosions, and no mass killings occurred. This research will answer the important questions of “why did the conflict not escalate into direct violence?” and “what were the factors that deterred an aggressive manifest conflict?”