IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nwe/natrud/y2026i3p83-101.html

The Gagauz in Bessarabia as an Imagined Ethnocultural Community: Memory, Symbols, and Transnational Identity

Author

Listed:
  • Dimiter Georgiev

    (University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria)

Abstract

The article examines the Gagauz community in Bessarabia as an “imagined†ethnocultural community, in the sense proposed by Benedict Anderson, formed through collective memory, symbols, and transnational ties. The aim is to analyze the mechanisms for the preservation of ethnic identity under conditions of migration and globalization. The study employs qualitative analysis of interviews and ethnocultural practices within the Gagauz community in Bessarabia. The findings indicate that traditions, language, and family memory function as key markers of identity, despite the geographical distance from the national center – Bulgaria. The role of transnational networks in sustaining cultural continuity is also emphasized.

Suggested Citation

  • Dimiter Georgiev, 2026. "The Gagauz in Bessarabia as an Imagined Ethnocultural Community: Memory, Symbols, and Transnational Identity," Nauchni trudove, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria, issue 3, pages 83-101, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nwe:natrud:y:2026:i:3:p:83-101
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://unwe-research-papers.org/bg/journalissues/article/11800
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nwe:natrud:y:2026:i:3:p:83-101. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Vanya Lazarova (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/unweebg.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.