Members from the Balkan Ethnology Department at the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences took part in the international conference “Generations – Memory, Dialogue, Conflict,” held on 24–25 April 2026 at New Bulgarian University in Sofia.
The forum brought together scholars from different countries to discuss the role of memory, intergenerational dialogue, and conflict in contemporary societies, with a focus on historical legacies and their present-day interpretations.
Assoc. Prof. Yelis Erolova presented a paper titled “Chernobyl as a Dark Tourism Site,” examining the transformation of the Chernobyl area into a destination associated with memory, risk, and heritage tourism.
Dr. Inxhi Brisku delivered a presentation on “Nursing Homes in Socialist Albania: Care in Times of Financial Restriction,” focusing on institutional care practices and social policies in the context of socialist-era Albania.
Dr. Behrin Shopova presented a paper titled “Repressed Memory and Cultural Marginalization: The Case of Ali Dervish,” addressing issues of memory suppression and the marginalization of cultural figures.
The participation of the researchers reflects the ongoing engagement of the Balkan Ethnology Section with key debates in contemporary anthropology, particularly those related to memory studies, social transformation, and cultural heritage in Southeast Europe.