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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · 14d

Democracy without protests? In parts of Europe, that’s unimaginable. Protest is not an isolated episode – it has shaped the political order for almost four decades through recurring cycles of crisis, mobilization, and renewal.
I call it protest democracy.
Read it here in @zois.bsky.social Spotlight👇

When Protest Becomes a Mode of Politics

ZOiS Spotlight 17/2025 by Ivaylo Dinev

www.zois-berlin.de

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · 15d

Our new article is out in Social Movement Studies!
We compare workers’ protests in Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy & Romania – from protest tactics to building alliances after Covid-19. It presents the first comparative data of workers’ protests since Covid-19, based on local sources.

Labour unrest in the context of multiple crises: a comparative perspective of Europe

By presenting the first comparative data of trade union and workers’ protests since Covid-19, based on local sources, this article attempts to fill a significant gap in the empirical research on cr...

www.tandfonline.com

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · 22d

Discuss Data in Bremen and Göttingen provides a ‘safe haven’ for research data on and from the countries in Eastern Europe thus establishing an interactive, community-led platform for like-minded researchers. Eduard Klein tells more about Discuss Data’s history and activities.

DataLab BLOG: The Story of Discuss Data – a Unique Data Hub for Scholars Working on Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia - KonKoop

What solutions do we have when statistics are censored and manipulated and space for academic freedom and discussion is shrinking? Discuss Data in Bremen and Göttingen provides a ‘safe haven’ for rese...

konkoop.de

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · Sep 8

In the last issue of the Swiss Forum RGOW – Religion & Society in East and West, I examine the repeating cycles of anti-corruption protests in Bulgaria (available in German).

Wiederkehrende Wellen. Proteste gegen den gekaperten Staat in Bulgarien

Forum RGOW - Religion & Gesellschaft in Ost und West vermittelt Wissen über das östliche Europa und setzt sich für sozial benachteiligte Gruppen ein

rgow.eu

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · Aug 19

In 2013, we rose against the oligarchic model in Bulgaria and demanded morality in politics — what dreamers we were! For months we occupied universities and filled the streets. The Balkans carry a long tradition of student movements. An interview for the Bulgarian National Radio.

Протест, морал и приятелство: Наследството на ”Ранобудните”

В рубриката "Разговорът" в ефира на БНР двама от лидерите на студентската окупация от 2013 г. – Ивайло Динев и Лазар Петков...

bnr.bg

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · Aug 19

The protests against the way the judicial system is being weaponised are a part of a new protest cycle – but won’t be the peak of it,” predicted Ivaylo Dinev, a researcher at the Centre for East European and International Studies in Berlin.

Bulgarians Ride New Protest Wave, But Question Potential Impact

Bulgarians are again on the streets demanding change – but whether this popular anti-establishment movement will succeed where earlier ones failed is an open question.

balkaninsight.com

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · Jul 23

Gave an interview to Bulgarian National Radio on the ongoing anti-corruption protests and the previous in 2013 and 2020.
In summary: Bulgaria is stuck in a repeating cycle—political crisis, protests, new formations, new crisis, more protests. This has continued since the transition.

Ивайло Динев: Протестите се повтарят, защото не се направи преосноваване на демокрацията

"България преповтаря един и същи цикъл. Намираме се в кръг, от който няма изход – политическа криза, протести, леко...

bnr.bg

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Reposted by Ivaylo Dinev

Jelena Brankovic @jelena3121.bsky.social · Jul 4

Students and citizens in #Serbia are being arrested, beaten, and declared enemies of the state for opposing Vučić's authoritarian regime.

Academic colleagues anywhere in the world, please sign this petition in solidarity with them & spread the message.

International Academic Appeal Against Repression in Serbia

We, members of the Serbian academic diaspora and our colleagues from the international academic community, are raising our voices in strong condemnation of the escalating violence, repression, and int...

docs.google.com

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · Jul 3

konkoop.de/index.php/bl...

DataLab BLOG: Inventorying to Occupy – Lists of 'Ownerless' Dwellings as Markers of Russian Occupation in Ukraine - KonKoop

Author: Guénola Inizan | 02.07.2025 How does the Russian occupation in Ukraine work? What are the institutional regimes implementing this occupation? Guénola Inizan introduces the lists of 'ownerless'...

konkoop.de

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · Jul 3

New publication in the DataLab Blog by Guenola Inizan!

Guénola Inizan @guenolainizan.bsky.social · Jul 3

Hello Bluesky !

First post to share a short piece on my current research: dispossession and erasure in occupied #Ukraine through the lens of housing seizures.

This still raises many questions, some are outlined here. I’d be happy to connect with anyone interested in this subject!

Zentrum für Osteuropa- und internationale Studien (ZOiS) @zois.bsky.social · Jul 2

'As the lists of dwellings seized by the Russian administration allow the occupation to be documented, the research imperative becomes an ethical one.'

guenolainizan.bsky.social on lists of so-called 'ownerless' properties in occupied #Ukraine in #data-driven research. #KonKoop's DataLab BLOG⤵️

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · Jun 10

Our new publication by Gaëlle Le Pavic (Ghent University and United Nations University – CRIS).

Zentrum für Osteuropa- und internationale Studien (ZOiS) @zois.bsky.social · Jun 10

Occupation line, Boundary Line, border – the Georgian-Abkhazian divide has many names, reflecting its contested nature.

Gaëlle Le Pavic provides an overview of the transformation of the ceasefire line and the material and immaterial realities it creates.

Read now on the #KonKoop DataLab Blog.

DataLab BLOG: In/visible Contested Border: Im/material Evolutions of the Georgian-Abkhazian Divide - KonKoop

How can you study a contested border that is not a fixed line, but an evolving assemblage of material and immaterial elements – including infrastructure, narratives, security practices and lived experiences? Gaëlle le Pavic does so in the case of the Georgian-Abkhazian divide.

konkoop.de

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · May 16

My analysis of the presidential election in Romania:
Simion's high results in the first round are a signal for further restructuring of the political landscape across the region. The multiple crisis creates an opportunity for anti-establishment parties.

Zentrum für Osteuropa- und internationale Studien (ZOiS) @zois.bsky.social · May 16

Am Sonntag findet in #Rumänien die Stichwahl zur Präsidentschaft statt. Der rechtspopulistische Kandidat George Simion hatte in der ersten Runde deutlich vorn gelegen. Wofür er und seine Partei stehen, erklärt @ivodinev.bsky.social in einer neuen Expert*innenstimme www.zois-berlin.de/presse/exper...

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · May 15

How many people protested?
It's not just a matter of numbers—it’s a question of legitimacy and power.
🎙️ New episode of Roundtable Osteuropa with Kerstin Bischl, Felix Herrmann (DiscussData), and me — on the goals, opportunities, and challenges of researching Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Visibility, Access, Power: Why research data infrastructure matters

With Felix Herrmann, Ivaylo Dinev and Kerstin Bischl

www.zois-berlin.de

Reposted by Ivaylo Dinev

Zentrum für Osteuropa- und internationale Studien (ZOiS) @zois.bsky.social · Apr 7

#KoDaNetOst, a new project by @centremarcbloch.bsky.social, @ecmiflensburg.bsky.social & ZOiS, was launched with a workshop & website.

Its aims: making #data for social sciences & humanities accessible & discussing means for sustainable collaboration with partners in Eastern Europe: bit.ly/4liXXor

Group photo from KoDaNetOst, 17 people looking at the camera.

Photo from KoDaNetOst kickoff workshop at the ZOiS library, ZOiS researcher Sabine von Löwis is standing on the stage with a microphone, holding a powerpoint presentation, the photo is taken from the perspective of the audience, some audience members are in the image, listening to the presentation.

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · Apr 15

Link for registration: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Reposted by Ivaylo Dinev

Zentrum für Osteuropa- und internationale Studien (ZOiS) @zois.bsky.social · Apr 1

The people' - the use of this term is often a signifier of one's political position. Researcher Bojidar Kolov scrutinises how this reference can have several political implications.

Read more in his text for the #KonKoop DataLabBLOG👇

DataLab BLOG: Constructing ‘the People’: Strategies, Modes, Scales

What does it mean when a political actor refers to ‘the people’? Where do we locate him or her in a political discourse? Bojidar Kolov presents a model that could help answer these questions and much more.

konkoop.de

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · Apr 1

📢 New publication!

Constructing ‘the people’ often signals a political stance. Bojidar Kolov examines how this reference carries different political implications—illustrated through the migration debate in Europe and the political theology of the Russian Orthodox Church.

DataLab BLOG: Constructing ‘the People’: Strategies, Modes, Scales

What does it mean when a political actor refers to ‘the people’? Where do we locate him or her in a political discourse? Bojidar Kolov presents a model that could help answer these questions and much ...

konkoop.de

Reposted by Ivaylo Dinev

Discuss Data @discussdata.bsky.social · Mar 21

Reminder for the #CfA for our very first #DiscussDataLab on „Challenges of Data Collection, Re-use, and Analysis: Public Opinion, Political Debates, and Protests in the Context of the Russo-Ukrainian War“ that will take place in Bremen from 25-27.08.2025.
Info & application: discuss-data.net#datalab

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · Mar 21

As a Bulgarian who studied Albanian history, I found Free truly impressive. It offers a much-needed, nuanced perspective on our shared past in the former communist countries. I’m looking forward to the Bulgarian edition!

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · Mar 21

I'm glad to contribute to this new blog, which aims to explore Eastern and Central Europe, as well as the Balkans, from a scientific perspective. My first essay focuses on the recent developments in Serbia.
views-from-central-and-balkan-countries.eu/the-largest-...

The Largest Protest in Serbia’s History. – Views from Central Europe and the Balkans

views-from-central-and-balkan-countries.eu

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Reposted by Ivaylo Dinev

Leibniz-Institut für Ost- & Südosteuropaforschung @leibniz-ios.de · Mar 21

Protests in #Serbia are more than political demonstrations; they fuel a ‘cultural explosion’. Symbols like #Pumpaj and #Ćaci have evolved from peripheral phenomena to central political symbols, shaping collective memory & the political landscape, @katarina-damcevic.bsky.social writes on our blog. ⬇️

Serbia’s Protests as a Cultural Explosion: Symbols, Memory, and the Struggle for Meaning

by Katarina Damčević The protests in Serbia are not only political demonstrations; they are also fueling a ‘cultural explosion’. Symbols of protest, such as ‘Pumpaj!’ and ‘Ćaci’, have evolved from bei...

ostblog.hypotheses.org

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · Mar 19

Both cases are very similar, still the protest in Serbia is much larger. We wanted morality, transparency, accountability, no corruption etc. www.iwm.at/transit-onli...

Students Take Bulgaria’s Protests to the Next Level. Can They Break the Political Stalemate?

Tom Junes assesses the prospects of the Bulgarian student protest movement and asks if it has the power to effect real political change in the country.

www.iwm.at

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · Mar 19

Sure, but systemic change requires political power. We believed we could change the country through ideas and leading by example, driven by strong anti-party sentiments. Twelve years later, Bulgaria remains in political deadlock.

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · Mar 19

When I was a student and we occupied universities in Bulgaria, we said the same—we weren’t offering an alternative political party, but an alternative way of life. Yet, years after that, another movement emerged, and soon, there will be another. The cycle continues, and dissatisfaction remains.

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Ivaylo Dinev @ivodinev.bsky.social · Mar 13

📢 New public research resource!

Looking for data on conflict & cooperation in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the South Caucasus? I compile key datasets and platforms on armed conflicts, public opinion, elections and more.

Explore now: konkoop.de/index.php/da...

Catalog of Conflict and Cooperation Datasets - KonKoop

konkoop.de