History and Civilizations Department
Challenged Judicial Systems: Professor Robert Phillips’ Class Features Prominent Speakers
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.
AUBG Student Alexandra Gouleva Selected Student Delegate at the Athens Democracy Forum
Alexandra Gouleva, who studies Political Science and European Studies at AUBG, was among the students selected to participate at this year’s Athens Democracy Forum. The event, organized by the Democracy & Culture Foundation, in association with The New York Times, gathers together political, business and NGO leaders to discuss the pressing issues facing democracy. As part of her work as student delegate, Gouleva presented a video on capitalism in a post-COVID world. The video ended up being one of the eight selected to be screened at the Forum.
The POS and EU student, who’s also a participant at the AUBG MultiTalent Quest and member of the Better Community Club, shares her impressions of the forum and talks about what made her decide to study at AUBG and what are her plans for after graduation.
AUBG student Teodor Nedev ('24): 'Here I have the ability to choose, to try different things and to eventually decide'
First-year student Teodor Nedev from Bulgaria has a passion for creating visuals, learning foreign languages and exploring different topics in History and Geography. A current member of "Bulgaria of the Youth," Nedev has participated in Model Republic of Bulgaria and European Union and he plans to study Political Science & International Relations and Economics at AUBG. Read our interview with Nedev to learn more about his achievements, ambitions and favorite free-time activities.
Anatoly Prekrasnyy (’17): ‘The four years at AUBG had a profound impact on my life’
Anatoly Prekrasnyy (’17), who comes from Russia, graduated from AUBG with majors in Business Administration (concentration in Finance) and Political Science. He then went on to pursue a master’s degree in Quantitative Finance at Bentley and now works as a Senior Pricing Analyst at Dell Technologies.
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.
