History and Civilizations Department

Miladin Bogetic ('03) Discovered AUBG by Chan…

May 2010. A team of diplomats is returning home from their mission in Vienna. In the private jet of the Government of Montenegro, a foreign minister talks to a 29-year-old diplomat. “Think about it. If you want to go, we will send you for four years. You will have your first posting abroad!” said the minister, inviting a young man to the embassy in Washington, DC.

Victoria Antonova (’15): “I loved my time at AUBG!…

_Victoria Antonova is a Russian alumna who graduated in 2015. She double-majored in Political Science and International Relations and Business Administration and minored in European Studies. Victoria pursued her Master’s degree at Aarhus University in Denmark and is currently employed as a management consultant at Bain & Company, one of the world’s largest consulting companies. Read our interview with her to learn more about her experience with AU…

Challenged Judicial Systems: Professor Robert Phil…

Journalists Kanna Racheva, Rossen Bossev and Sylvia Velikova, U.S. Embassy Resident Legal Advisor Jessica Kim, Bilyana Gyaurova-Wegertseder, Director at the Bulgarian Institute for Legal Initiatives – these are just some of the prominent speakers that discussed Bulgaria’s judicial system with AUBG students. The guest lectures were part of Professor Robert Phillips’ Challenged Judicial Systems class, which is held online.

Lika Tsintsadze (’19): ‘The decision to come to AU…

_Lika Tsintsadze is a Georgian alumna who graduated from AUBG in 2019. She double-majored __in Political Science and International Relations & European Studies. Currently, Lika is a USAID Good Governance Initiative Fellow at the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia. She works at the Infrastructure Policy and Development Partners Relations department and recently co-founded a non-governmental organization in Georgia, that…

Understanding humanity through studying what’s gone before

Where better to gain unique insight into how the world evolved, by studying alongside fellow students from over 40 countries. Disciplines like history, philosophy and anthropology are crucial in organizing and assessing evidence, interpreting complex events and issues and evaluating and solving problems. Students in this department learn to process information and express their ideas with elegance and rigor. This is a critical skill in all fields of decision-making and research such as academia, government, law, journalism and even marketing.

By understanding the past, embracing cultural differences and delving into sources of conflict, in other words, by studying “the other”, you will not only experience the diversity of the world, but also learn to relativize and reconsider your own identity. Thus, you will develop a better understanding of who and what you actually are.

Students take part in regular debates, exhibitions and projects and set off to explore museums, archaeological sites and places of historical interest in Bulgaria and the region. Many students contribute to the undergraduate academic journal Thoth as well as presenting their projects at the annual AUBG Student-Faculty Research Conference.

The department offers a major in History & Civilizations. Minors include History, Anthropology, Philosophy & Religion, and Southeast European Studies. Most of AUBG’s graduates with a History & Civilizations Major enrolled in highly prestigious graduate programs.

Did you know that:

Students in the honors track in History and Civilizations work on original research projects over two consecutive semesters and under the supervision of faculty.
AUBG is part of the oral history project “Topoi of Historical Memory,” a multidisciplinary study of the national and minority realms of historical memory.
Students present scholarly work in history and philosophy at the annual Student-Faculty Research Conference.
AUBG organizes educational trips to museums, archeological sites and places of historical interest in Bulgaria and the region.
AUBG organizes a history retreat in Blagoevgrad or places of historical interest in Bulgaria and the region every year in the spring semester.
The departments hosts weekly debates, exhibitions, movie screenings, and guest lectures with the participation of prominent scholars and intellectuals from Bulgaria and abroad.
The undergraduate academic journal Thoth is run by AUBG students and publishes scholarly work in the humanities and social sciences.