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UNWE — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:05:34 GMT

Welcome to the webpage of the Department of Economic Sociology at UNWE!

The Department of Economic Sociology was established in 1975, as the successor to the “Economic Sociology” section of the Department of Political Economy. You can find out more about the history of the department here.

The Department of Economic Sociology offers programmes in two fields of study:

3.1. Sociology, Anthropology, and Cultural Studies, major in “Sociology,” and

3.8. Economics, major in “Economic Sociology and Psychology.”

Education is organized into a three-tier structure: the Bachelor’s and “Master’s degree programs, and a Doctoral degree program in Sociology. For more information about different programmes and existing opportunities, follow the links below:

1. Bachelor's Degrees.

2. Master's Degrees.

3. Doctoral Degrees.

History

UNWE — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:05:20 GMT

The Department of Economic Sociology was established in 1975, as the successor to the “Economic Sociology” section of the Department of Political Economy. Its founders were Academician Jacques Nathan and Prof. Kiril Grigorov from the Department of Political Economy, as well as Prof. Zhivko Oshavkov, director of the Institute of Sociology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The first head of the department was Assoc. Prof. Tasho Pachev, and the research secretary was Senior Assistant Prof. Blagoy Kolev.

The following courses were first offered to students in the Faculty of General Economics:

- General Sociology by Prof. Mincho Semov, Ph.D. (Philosophy); Economic Sociology by Prof. Tasho Pachev, Ph.D. (Economics);

- Demography by Prof. Minko Minkov, Ph.D. (Economics);

- Social Psychology by Prof. Mincho Draganov, Ph.D. (Philosophy);

- Methodology and Methods of Empirical Sociological Research, taught by Prof. Ivanka Saykova, Ph.D. in Economics.

This development was a natural result of the qualitative leap that sociology in Bulgaria made after 1968. The main prerequisites for the development and progress of university sociology are as follows: During the period 1975–1984, the Department of Economic Sociology was headed by Prof. Tasho Pachev. The research secretaries were, in succession, Senior Assistant Professor Blagoy Kolev, Chief Assistant Professor P. Tsenov, Chief Assistant Professor D. Varzonovtsev, and Associate Professor Kolyo Ramchev, Ph.D. (1981–1990).

In 1959, the Bulgarian Sociological Association was founded.
The first large-scale sociological projects were developed under the leadership of Prof. Zhivko Oshavkov, Ph.D. in Philosophy, which became the intellectual foundation for sociology education and the professional development of several generations of sociologists.
In 1968, the Institute of Sociology was established, along with other sociological units—the Institute for Trade Union Issues, the Research Institute for Youth, the Institute for Culture, and other departmental units conducting sociological and interdisciplinary research— .
On the one hand, the international recognition that Bulgarian sociology received at the 7th World Congress of Sociology, held in 1970 in Varna; on the other hand, the intellectual impetus that the discipline gained from the congress.

During the period 1984–1986, the department was renamed “Sociology and Pedagogy.” By decision of the Academic Council, the Department of Economic Sociology was merged with the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology. The new department consisted of two structural units: the “Sociology” section, headed by Assoc. Prof. Blagoy Kolev, and the “Pedagogy and Psychology” section, headed by Assoc. Prof. Nayden Dimitrov, and later by Prof. Atanas Nikov. The head of the department was Prof. Tasho Pachev, and the scientifc secretary - Assoc. Prof. Kolyo Ramchev (1981–1990). In 1985–1986 academic year the department was divided into two separate departments: the Department of Economic Sociology and the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology. The department’s management remained unchanged.

During the period 1986–1990 the Department of Economic Sociology operated independently, headed by Prof. Tasho Pachev with Assoc. Prof. Kolyo Ramchev serving as scientific secretary.

The period 1990–1994 marked a new change — by decision of the Academic Council, a Department of Sociology and Political Science was established. The department comprised two sections: the “Sociology” section, headed by Assoc. Prof. Blagoy Kolev, and the “Political Science” section, headed by Assoc. Prof. G. Yankov. The department heads, in succession, were: Prof. Tasho Pachev (1990–1991), with Senior Assistant Professor Valentin Valov, as scientific secretary (1990–1991); Assoc. Prof. Blagoy Kolev (1991–1992), with Senior Assistant Prof. Andrey Nonchev as scientific secretary; and Assoc. Prof. Kolyo Ramchev (1992–1994), with Senior Assistant Prof. Andrey Nonchev as scientific secretary (1991–1994). In 1994–1995 academic year the department split in two new departments: the Department of Economic Sociology headed by Assoc. Prof. Blagoy Kolev, and the Department of Political Science, headed by Prof. Georgi Yankov.

From 1995–1999, the Department of Economic Sociology once again became an independent department. It was headed by Assoc. Prof. Blagoy Kolev, with Senior Assistant Prof. Vara Stoilova serving as scientific secretary.

During the period 1999–2004, the department was headed by Prof. Blagoy Kolev, with Assoc. Prof. Maria Stoyanova serving as scientific secretary.

During the period 2004–2008, a third change was made to the department’s name and composition. By a decision of the Academic Council of 9 February 2005, the Department of Psychology and Pedagogy became part of the Department of Economic Sociology. The merged department was named Department of Economic Sociology and Psychology. The chair was Prof. Blagoy Kolev and the research secretary - Assoc. Prof. Maria Stoyanova.

In the 2010–2011 academic year, by decision of the Academic Council, a fourth change was made to the department’s name, which remains in effect to this day. The Department of Economic Sociology and Psychology was renamed Department of Economic Sociology. Prof. Dr. Blagoy Kolev continued to serve as department chair and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maria Stoyanova - as research secretary.

In the period 2012–2022, the chair of the Department of Economic Sociology was Assoc. Prof. Andrey Nonchev. The academic secretaries during this period were Assoc. Prof. Donka Nikova (2012–2015), Senior Assistant Prof. Mihaela Misheva (2015–2017), and Senior Assistant Prof. Todorka Kineva (2017–2022).

In 2022, Prof. Georgi Petrunov was elected head of the Department of Economic Sociology. Starting this year, the department also has a deputy head — Assoc. Prof. Todorka Kineva. The department’s academic secretary is Assoc. Prof. Dragomir Draganov.

The Department of Economic Sociology offers programs in two fields of study:

3.1. Sociology, Anthropology, and Cultural Studies, major in “Sociology,” and

3.8. Economics, major in “Economic Sociology and Psychology.”

Student education is organized into a three-tier structure: the Bachelor’s and “Master’s degree programmes, and a Doctoral degree programme in Sociology.

50th Anniversary of the Department of Economic Sociology

UNWE — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 13:27:15 GMT

The anniversary conference dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Department of Economic Sociology was held on 29 April 2025.. The event was opened in the presence of the Rector of UNWE and the members of the Rector's Office, the deans of the UNWE faculties, department chairs, faculty members, doctoral students, and undergraduates. Official guests at the conference included two ministers — Krasimir Valchev, Minister of Education and Science, and Minister of Justice Georgi Georgiev — as well as Prof. Eliza Stefanova, Chair of the National Agency for Evaluation and Accreditation. To mark the anniversary, a state-of-the-art research facility was also inaugurated, equipped with modern technology and software for data processing.

Prof. Matilda Alexandrova, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs; Prof. Pencho Penchev, Chair of the Department of Political Economy; Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov, Rector of UNWE; Prof. Georgi Petrunov, Chair of the Department of Economic Sociology; Assoc. Prof. Ivaylo Beev, Chair of the Department of Economics; Prof. Tsvetana Stoyanova, Vice Rector for Institutional and Business Cooperation and Student Policies; and Assoc. Prof. Yanko Hristozov, Vice Rector for International Affairs (from left to right)

The department chair, Prof. Georgi Petrunov, who is also the dean of the Faculty of General Economics, opened the conference by honoring the founders and distinguished leaders, including Prof. Tasho Pachev, Prof. Dr. Blagoy Kolev, Assoc. Prof. Kolyo Ramchev, and Assoc. Prof. Andrey Nonchev: “Thanks to them and to all the faculty members who have worked in the department over the years, it has now established itself as an intellectual hub dedicated to seeking a deeper understanding of the dynamics of contemporary societies,” said Prof. Petrunov, expressing special thanks to the rector and the university administration for their support.
“It is an honor for us that the oldest independent department of economic sociology in Eastern Europe was established at our university. We are also proud of the fact that one of the first Eastern European textbooks on ‘Economic Sociology’ was developed by faculty members of the department in the 1990s. Over the course of half a century, the Department of Economic Sociology has established itself as a benchmark in the academic and research community, a recognized educational center that builds the human resources capacity of economic sociology in the country,” said Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov, Rector of UNWE, and presented Prof. Georgi Petrunov with a commemorative medal and a statuette of the founder and first rector of UNWE, Prof. Stefan Bobchev, on the occasion of the Department’s 50th anniversary. For his part, Prof. Georgi Petrunov presented the rector with a commemorative coin and a commemorative anthology titled “50 Years of the Department of Economic Sociology”:

“You can’t be a good economist unless you’ve first been a good sociologist,” said Assoc. Prof. Ivaylo Beev, head of the Department of Economics, and recalled that sociology as a major had been taught as early as 100 years ago at “our university,” establishing a strong tradition that has been enriched over time.
Prof. Pencho Penchev, head of the Department of Political Economy and chair of the General Assembly, addressed the audience with the following words: “It is an extraordinary privilege and honor for us to be part of the same faculty and the same university alongside our colleagues from the Department of Economic Sociology. I hope we will continue to work together and experience the synergy that makes UNWE the number one university.”
“I have the pleasant duty to carry out a decision by the Faculty Council of the Faculty of Finance and Accounting to award the Faculty of General Economics with our faculty’s honorary plaque as a token of appreciation for the long-standing and fruitful cooperation in teaching and research activities,” said Prof. Rumen Brusarski, dean of the Faculty of Finance and Accounting and chair of the Habilitation Council.

To mark the anniversary, a commemorative volume titled “50 Years of the Department of Economic Sociology” was published, containing 105 papers and 105 congratulatory messages received from the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, representatives of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, international organizations, labor unions, associations, university presidents, deans, and colleagues. The volume can be found here.

To mark the anniversary, a scientific conference was held, featuring several discussion panels on topics of importance to economic sociology:

“Economics and Sociology”;
“Domestic Violence and Violence Against Women: Typologies, Social and Economic Consequences”;
“Social Research, Inclusion, and Integration”;
“Quality of Education in Sociology and Economic Sociology.”

Minister of Justice Mr.. Georgi Georgiev attended the panel discussion “Domestic Violence and Violence Against Women: Typologies, Social and Economic Consequences.” “Unfortunately, domestic violence is a pressing issue, and such academic forums are extremely useful because, with the help of the academic community and the participation of young people, we can overcome and condemn—with categorical rejection—every single instance of domestic violence,” said Minister Georgiev, adding that intensive work is currently underway to establish a national network of counseling centers throughout the country for victims of domestic violence. These victims receive free legal representation and institutional protection.

Assoc. Prof. Zachary Tormanov, Chair of the Department of Private Law; Mr. Georgi Georgiev, Minister of Justice; Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov; and Prof. Georgi Petrunov, Chair of Economic Sociology Department and Dean of the Faculty of General Economics.

Mr. Krasimir Valchev, Minister of Education and Science, and Prof. Eliza Stefanova, Chair of the National Agency for Evaluation and Accreditation, actively participated in the panel discussion “The Quality of Education in Sociology and Economic Sociology.” “The quality of education depends on many things—on good, well-prepared faculty who are demanding of their students, who attract the best students, and who will become the future faculty. It depends on the curricula and course programs,” said Minister Valchev, who also addressed the issue of enhancing the relevance of the “Economic Sociology” major in the era of digital transformation.

Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov, Rector of UNWE, and Mr. Krasimir Valchev, Minister of Education and Science.

“Universities have varying levels of maturity, and this culture of quality is essential for all institutions of higher education,” said Prof. Eliza Stefanova.

The Minister of Education, together with the rector of UNWE, were invited to inaugurate the Quality Research Lab, which is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and software for data processing.

Prof. Georgi Petrunov, Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov and Minister Krasimir Valchev.

“This research facility will enable UNWE faculty staff members, doctoral students, and undergraduates to enhance their capacity to conduct high-quality empirical research; it will establish yet another area in which UNWE will be No. 1 as the first—and, for now, the only—Bulgarian university with such a hall,” said Prof. Petrunov as he explained in detail to the ministers and the university’s leadership the specific features of the lab and its wide range of functions.

Doctoral Degree in Sociology

UNWE — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 12:51:27 GMT

Area of Study: 3. Social Sciences, Economics and Law.

Field of Study: 3.1. Sociology, Anthropology and Cultural Studies.

Form of study: Full-time or Independent.

Duration of study: Full-time - 3 years; Part-time - 4 years; Independent - 3 years.

Credits: 190.

Programme Curicullum:

The programme curriculum include two block of doctoral courses (block A and B).

Block A consists of the following courses:

Methodology of scientific research.
Academic writing.
Statistical data analysis.
Qualitative research methods.
Sociology of social transformation.
Study visit abroad (min. 3 months).

Block B consists of the following courses:

Abstract on PhD Thesis.
Social and economic inequalities.
Social and human capital.
Organization and behaviour.
Social innovation and entrepreneurship.
Social impact assessment.
Sociology of migration.
Crises and conflicts in modern societies.
Sociological Studies of Organized Crime.
Innovations and innovation activity.

PhD students shall prepare the individual study plan together with their scientific supervisor immediately after they are enrolled for doctoral studies and shall submit the plan for discussion to the departmental council.

The subjects by professsional field (Block А) are at least two and should not exceed three in number. The subjects under the doctoral program (Block B) are at least two and should not exceed three in number. At the discretion of the scientific supervisor, the subjects from Block А and Block B may be grouped in another way. One or more subjects from Block А together with or one or more subjects from Block B may be due to be covered within the first year, while the remaining subjects should be allocated to be covered within second, third, fourth or fifthyear.

The published research papers, articles, studies, chapters from books and other shall bring a minimum of 30 credits. The publications that are deemed valid are those published in research journals with an editorial board. In the case of publications with co-authors, the credits shall be determined on the basis of each author’s proportional contribution. The number of credits for each publication is determined at the discretion of the scientific supervisor and following a decision of the department, in compliance with the minimal national requirements.

The seminars that the doctoral student may deliver to students shall not exceed 60 academic hours for the whole period of doctoral studies.

The doctoral students shall be subject to appraisal by the Faculty Council at the end of each academic year. The full-time doctoral students shall report on their work also at the end of each quarter (March, June, September and December). To meet the requirements of the quarterly reports and the annual appraisals, doctoral students shall prepare a report in a unified form and shall submit the report to the head of the department.

Bachelor's Degrees

UNWE — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 21:29:33 GMT

1. Bachelor's Degree in Sociology.

2. Bachelor's Degree in Economics - Economic Sociology and Psychology.

Master's Degrees

UNWE — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 21:29:16 GMT

1. Master's Degree in Sociology - Sociology with Social Research, Analysis and Projects Specialization.

2. Master's Degree in Economics - Business Psychology and Sociology.

Master's Degree in Sociology

UNWE — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 21:15:30 GMT

Bachelor's Degree Programme in Sociology with Social Research, Analysis and Project Specialization

Area of study: 3. Social, Economic and Legal Sciences.

Field of study: 3.1. Sociology, Anthropology and Studies of Culture.

Educational and Qualification Degree: MA in Sociology.

Form of Study: Regular.

Duration: 1 year (2 semesters), 540 hours.

Credits: 61.

Form of graduation: Diploma Master Thesis.

The curriculum for the Masters’s degree program in Sociology (Social Research, Analysis and Project Specialization) includes compulsory, optional and facultative courses taken over two semesters.

First semester: Globalistics; Risk Society and Social Transformations; Social Research and Analyses; Civic Publicity and Social Movements or Political and Electoral Research; Social Protection and Empowerment of Vulnerable Groups or Social Assessment and Projects.

Second semester: Comparative Social Policies; Management of Research Agencies and NGOs; Ethnic and National Relations or Migration Studies; Personality and Social Structure.

Master's Degree in Economics

UNWE — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 21:15:14 GMT

Bachelor's Degree in Economics - Business Psychology and Sociology Programme

Area of study: 3. Social, Economic and Legal Sciences.

Field of study: 3.8. Economics.

Educational and Qualification Degree: MA in Economics.

Form of Study: Regular.

Duration: 1 year (2 semesters), 540 hours.

Credits: 61.

Form of graduation: Diploma Master Thesis.

The curriculum for the Masters’s Degree Program in Economics (Business Psychology and Sociology) includes compulsory, optional and facultative courses taken over two semesters.

First semester: Business and Crime; Societies and Crisis; Psychological Business Consulting; Business Psychology; Industrial Relations and Social Dialogue or Contemporary Risk Society and Business Sociology of Risk.

Second semester: Professional Selection and Personal Maching; Psychological Change: Contemporary Theories; Business Networks and Virtual Communities or Heuristics and Innovative Thinking; Management of European Projects.

Bachelor's Degree in Economics

UNWE — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 20:29:03 GMT

Bachelor's Degree in Economics - Economic Sociology and Psychology Programme

Area of study: 3. Social, Economic and Legal sciences.

Field of study: 3.8. Economics.

Educational and Qualification Degree: Bachelor in Economics.

Form of Study: Regular.

Duration: 4 years (8 semesters), 2430 hours.

Credits: 240.

Form of graduation: State Exam/ Research Study.

The Economic Sociology and Psychology Programme curriculum includes a range of compulsory, optional and facultative disciplines taught in eight semesters.

In the first and second year, all students take courses providing fundamental economic, sociological and humanitarian training:

Compulsory courses: Mathematics I part; Microeconomics; Academic ethics; Principles of Law; Principles of Management; Informatics; Macroeconomics; Principles of Finance; Statistics; Corporate Finances; Marketing; Principles of Accounting.

Optional courses:

One of the following courses: History of economic Thought; Principles of Economic Theory; Economic History; Philosophy.
One of the following courses: Labour Economics; Economic Sociology.
One of the following courses: Economics of Entreprise; Mathematics Part II; Principles of Entrepreneurship.
One of the following courses: Business logistics; Corporative Security; Strategic Planning; International Tourism; International Economics;
One of the following courses: Transport and Mobility; Trade.
One of the following courses: Ecological Economics; Intellectual Property and Creative Industries.
One of the following courses: Econometrics; Real Estate; Financial Control.

In their third year of study, students take the following courses:

Compulsory courses: Economic Culture; Social Policy; Human Resources; Public Sector Economics; Economic Policy; Industrial Relations.

Optional courses:

One of the following courses: Green Economy; Microeconomic Theory; Organizational Behavior; Fundamentals of Social Audit; Philosophy of Economics.
One of the following courses: Introduction to Political Economy; Economic Crises; Classical and Modern Sociological Theories; Motivation at Work.
One of the following courses: Risk Management; Banking Systems and Cryptocurrencies; Demography; Demographic Analyzes and Forecasts; Institutional Economics; International Migration.
One of the following courses: Investments in Human Capital; Innovations; Political and Economic Systems; Human
Resources Development; Social Networks and Social Capital.

In their fourth year of study, students take the following courses:

Compulsory courses: Sociology of deviant behavior and crime; Data Processing and Data Analysis with SPSS; Social Psychology.

Optional courses:

One of the following courses: Social Stratification and Mobility; Sociology of Conflicts; Company Culture.
One of the following courses: Introduction to Psychology; Psychology of Personality.
One of the following courses: Qualitative Research Methods; Methodology and Organization of Empirical Research; Sociology of Social Communities.
One of the following courses: Intergroup Relations and Social Persuasion; Behavioural Change: Assessment and Decision Making; Social Cognition and Social Thinking.

Facultative courses: Economic Psychology; Sociology of Markets.

Bachelor's Degree in Sociology

UNWE — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 20:27:36 GMT

Bachelor's Degree Programme in Sociology

Area of study: 3. Social, Economic and Legal sciences.

Field of study: 3.1. Sociology, Anthropology and Studies of Culture.

Educational and Qualification Degree: Bachelor in Sociology.

Form of Study: Regular.

Duration: 4 years (8 semesters), 2610 hours.

Credits: 252.

Form of graduation: State Exam/ Research Study.

The curriculum for the Bachelor’s degree program in Sociology includes compulsory, optional and facultative courses taken over eight semesters.

In their first and second years, students take compulsory and elective university courses that provide a fundamental background in sociology, economics, and the studies of culture:

Compulsory courses: Introduction to Sociology; Economics; Academic Ethics; Political Sciences; Theory of Media; Media and Politics; Principles of Law; Public Power and Policy; Social Psychology; Economic Sociology; Ethnopsychology; Statistics for Journalists and Sociologists; Media Culture; Social Stratification and Mobility.

Optional Courses:

One of the following courses: History of Bulgarian Journalism; History of Sociology.
One of the following courses: Sociology of Communication; Theory and Practice of Texts.
One of the following courses: Economic Culture; Communication Management.
One of the folloiwng courses: Sociology of Personality; Foreign Journalism.
One of the following courses: Digital Sociology; Digital Journalistic Competences.
One of the following courses: Economics of Media and Culture Industries; Social and Media Research.

In their third year of stydy, students take the following courses:

Compulsory Courses: Methodology and organization of Empirical Research; Data Processing and Data Analysis with SPSS; Organizational Behavior; Social Policy; Sociology of Family; Sociology of Work.

Optional Courses:

One of the following courses: Economic Psychology; Applied Psychology for Contemporary Organizational Management.
One of the following courses: Anthropology; Sociology of Social Communities; Sociology of Education and Science; Company Culture.

In their fourth year of study, students take the following courses:

Compulsory Courses: Qualitative Methods in Empirical Research, Sociology of Management: the Self, Interpersonal Relationships, Groups, Theory and History of Civilizations, Social Interaction and Sociometry, Sociology of Conflicts, Sociology of Religions.

Optional Courses: Sociology of Politics or Sociology of Publicity.

Facultative Courses: Sociology of Markets; Sociology of Deviance and Crime.

Education

UNWE — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 19:15:07 GMT

The Department of Economic Sociology offers programmes in two fields of study:

3.1. Sociology, anthropology and culture sciences.

3.8. Economics.

Institutions and Social Exclusion: An Examination of the Institutional Logics That Hinder Participation in Society

UNWE — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 18:50:58 GMT

The research project “Institutions and Social Exclusion: A Study of the Institutional Logics That Block Participation in Society” is being carried out by a research team from the University of National and World Economy (host institution), through the Center for Sociological and Psychological Research at the Department of Economic Sociology, as part of the 2023 Call for Proposals for Funding of Fundamental Scientific Research by the “Scientific Research” Fund (Contract No. KП-06-N75/5 of 7 December 2023).

The project has a duration of 36 months and a budget of EUR 76,3 thousand.

The project’s research strategy is based on the central thesis that the large proportion of people living in poverty and social exclusion in Bulgaria can also be explained by the existence of so-called “institutionalized models of social exclusion,” which are historically and culturally conditioned and which reproduce existing power imbalances regarding the distribution of resources, benefits, and opportunities at the micro-, meso-, and macro-levels.

The main objective of the project is to identify and describe, in terms of their causal manifestations, the main institutionalized models of social exclusion in Bulgaria. The specific objectives are as follows:

1. To empirically identify the institutionalized models of social exclusion with the most significant impact.

2. To empirically identify the social mechanisms through which the models of social exclusion with the greatest impact have acquired and maintained their status as elements of the institutional order.

A variety of quantitative and qualitative research methods will be employed to achieve these objectives.

The project is led by Prof. Vyara Stoilova.

Violence Against Women: Typologies, Social and Economic Consequences

UNWE — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 18:47:36 GMT

The research project “Violence Against Women: Typologies, Economic and Social Consequences” is being carried out by research teams from the University of National and World Economy, through the Centre for Sociological and Psychological Research at the Department of Economic Sociology, and Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” (partner institution), through the Faculty of Economics, as part of the 2023 Call for Proposals for Funding Basic Scientific Research by the “Scientific Research” Fund (Contract No. KП-06-N75/2 of 7 December 2023).

The project has a total duration of 41 months and a total budget of EUR 155.1 thousand.

The main objective of the project is to expand fundamental knowledge about the typical forms of violence against women in Bulgaria and their social and economic consequences. By adopting an approach aimed at fostering a sustainable partnership between two of Bulgaria’s leading universities in the field of social sciences, the project will seek opportunities to investigate the main factors and causes of the phenomenon, to classify its manifestations, and to analyze its negative consequences. The knowledge gained will be used to develop practice-oriented recommendations regarding public policies, including improvements to the regulatory framework and institutional practices. Last but not least, the project also aims to raise public awareness about the causes of violence against women and ways to prevent it.

Methodologically, the project relies on so-called “mixed methods research”, i.e., a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to address specific research questions.

A desk study is planned, which will establish a conceptual and methodological framework for researching violence against women. A review of the literature and existing scientific publications will support the preparation of the other empirical studies included in the project.

In addition to the desk study, the project plans to conduct focus groups and in-depth interviews to gather expert opinions on the prevalence and manifestations of violence against women in Bulgaria and its social and economic consequences.

The empirical data from the focus groups and in-depth interviews will be supplemented by a nationally representative survey on the prevalence and manifestations of violence against women, public perceptions of violence against women, and its social and economic consequences.

A variety of research methods and techniques from the fields of sociology, economics, law, criminology, psychology and social psychology, statistics, and econometrics will be applied to analyze the data.

The project is led by Prof. Georgi Petrunov, Chair of Economic Sociology Department and Dean of the Faculty of General Economics, UNWE. The leader of the research team at Sofia University is Prof. Albena Vutsova.

Consultative Council (2023-2027)

UNWE — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 18:39:26 GMT

Assoc. Prof. Donka Nikova-Tsiutsiu

Assoc. Prof. Dragomir Draganov

Chief Asst. Prof. Marieta Hristova

Chief Asst. Prof. Maria Brestnichka

Director (2023-2027)

UNWE — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 18:38:40 GMT

Assoc. Prof. Todorka Kineva

Department of Economic Sociology

Faculty of General Economics

t.kineva@unwe.bg

Office 2106

Centre for Sociological and Psychological Research

UNWE — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 18:29:44 GMT

CSPR was established in 2016 in response to the growing need for applied research in psychology and sociology at the University of National and World Economy. The Centre is a service unit of World Economy under Art. 25, of the Higher Education Act and Art. 16 para. 1 pt. 1 of the Rules of Procedure of the World Economy. The Centre is not a separate legal entity from UNWE.

CSPR main activities are preparation and implementation of sociological and psychological research, training and consultation with theoretical and practical character in the field of economic and social life, as well as the development, implementation and evaluation of social and economic national and European policies.

The main objectives of the Centre are:

1. To carry out sociological and psychological studies and create scientific developments of the ongoing transformation of social, economic and political processes and conflicts in the world today, emerging global, regional and national risks, crises and conflicts.

2. To develop new sociological and psychological knowledge and skills with which to increase the potential of modern knowledge in the field of economic sociology and psychology as well as in public administration.

3. To support the integration of science, education and economic practice in Bulgaria to the European and world achievements in the field of interdisciplinary research, development and implementation of public policies.

4. To promote the transfer of knowledge and experience between higher education institutions at national and international level in the field of economic sociology and psychology, to create and maintain scientific contacts with organizations from home and abroad to develop such activities and participate in the development of joint research and applied research projects.

To create dynamic project-based research teams to carry out research, expert analysis and evaluations with active involvement of senior scholars and teachers, young scientists, PhD students.

7. To assist in solving problems in practice and public management and qualification of practitioners in the field of economic sociology and psychology.

8. To support the research of students and doctoral students at the UNWE.

Director: Assoc. Prof. Todorka Kineva

Deputy-director: Chief. Asst. Prof. Marieta Hristova

Contact: cspr@unwe.bg

Projects

UNWE — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 18:07:41 GMT

The Department of Economic Sociology considers the advancement of sociological science to be a top priority in its work. The department’s research activities are aligned both with the development goals of UNWE as a leading university in the field of economics and other related social sciences, and with society’s need for sociological and economic research, analysis, and forecasting of new phenomena, processes, and trends.

Our goal is to create and disseminate timely intellectual research outputs through which we can contribute to the development of a dynamic and sustainably growing economy and society; to stimulate the enrichment of academic educational programs with the world’s cutting-edge achievements in knowledge; and to meet high standards for the creative development of the department’s academic staff.

We work in a collegial environment characterized by mutual commitment to individual scholarly development and an appreciation for the benefits of a rich diversity of people and ideas. We strive to enhance the prestige and self-esteem of the department’s academic staff as scholars and university professors who make unique contributions to sociological science and societal development. We are building a strong connection between the sociological education we provide and the business sector, the government, and society as a whole.

We are actively developing research and applied projects that are a priority for today’s globalized information society.

The research focus of the Department of Economic Sociology centers on the study—guided by sociological, economic, and psychological theoretical knowledge—of current development issues and economic problems at the macro- and micro-levels, in both the public and private sectors, as well as on sociological understanding of the economy and economic life. We explore the potential of sociological theory and method as the core of an interdisciplinary approach to contemporary phenomena, processes, and trends.

The research focus of the Department of Economic Sociology is reflected in the wealth of individual and collective scholarly publications, research projects, and scholarly activities by members of the department’s academic staff.

The research and applied scientific contributions of the department’s faculty members make them sought-after and highly regarded researchers and experts in public, private, and nongovernmental organizations; agencies specializing in sociological, marketing, and advertising research; in the media and public relations departments; in companies and corporate structures; and in universities and research centers in Bulgaria and abroad.

Contacts

UNWE — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 18:03:54 GMT

Department of Economic Sociology

sociology@unwe.bg

+ 359 2 8195 444

Room 3084

1700 Sofia, Student Town "Hristo Botev", UNWE

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https://www.facebook.com/EconomicSociologyDepartmentUNWE/

Centre for Sociological and Psychological Research

cspr@unwe.bg

Office 5020

1700 Sofia, Student Town "Hristo Botev", UNWE

Partners

UNWE — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 17:16:04 GMT

Office of General Prosecutor of Bulgaria

http://www.prb.bg/

Bulgarian Sociological Associaltion

http://www.bsa-bg.org/index.php

The Institute of Philosophy and Sociology

https://ips-bas.org/en/home/

TREND - Research Centre

https://rctrend.bg/en/

National Network for Children

https://nmd.bg/en/

About us

UNWE — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 10:55:10 GMT

Economic Sociology Departmen at UNWE was established in 1975. Read more about our history here.

The National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency rewarded our efforts over the past six years and rated 9,03 for Bachelor and Master and 9,1 for Doctor of Sociology at the University of National and World Economy.

https://www.neaa.government.bg/images/Criteria_EN/Kriterii_PN_SRP_EN.pdf

Conferences and Seminars

UNWE — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 09:02:30 GMT

ECONIOMIC SOCIOLOGY 4.0

40 years of Economic Sociology Department at UNWE

November 19, 2015

Conference opening

dean of General Economics Faculty - Lily Iotova, prof. Blagoy Kolev, prof. Statev - Rector of UNWE, Nadrey Nonchev - Head of Economic Sociology Department

Conference participants

Students panel

The cake! It is a 40 years birthady!

Lecturers' Office Hours

UNWE — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 08:41:10 GMT

http://departments.unwe.bg/soc/bg/structure/staff

Publications

UNWE — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:13:41 GMT

No information available