Assoc. Prof. Yelis Erolova, PhD

Associate Professor and Head of the Balkan Ethnology Department
in Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum-BAS

Contact Information:
Sofia 1000, 6A “Moskovska” str.
+359 2 805 26 14;
E-mail: yelis.erolova@iefem.bas.bg

Researcher Profile


Bionote: Yelis Erolova completed a master’s degree in Ethnology in 2003 and a bachelor’s degree in History and Ethnology at the Faculty of History of Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’. In 2009, she defended his doctoral dissertation on the topic “Borders and Identities. Diaspora Communities in Dobrudzha” in the Institute of Ethnology with Museum at Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Since 2025, Y. Erolova has held the position of associate professor at the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with the Ethnographic Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Her research work focuses on local and ethnic communities, cultural heritage and memory, and contemporary migrations from and towards Bulgaria. She has specialised in scientific and applied research in Poland (Warsaw University), Italy (European University Institute), Germany (Regensburg University) and China (Central Academy of Culture and Tourism and Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage). She is an author and co-author of over 70 scientific and popular publications in Bulgarian, English, Russian, Turkish and Romanian. Currently, Y. Erolova serves as a member of the National Council on Intangible Cultural Heritage to the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture.

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-3578-9852
WoS Researcher ID: NMK-0141-2025
Scopus ID: 57406906000
ResearchGate: Yelis Erolova
Academia.edu: Yelis Erolova

Selected Conference Presentations:

  • International scientific conference “Between the Worlds: Crossroads, Dialogues, and Stories, organized by IEFSEM – BAS, Sofia, October 29-31, 2025. Paper: ‘Safeguarding Cultural Heritage in EU Context: Good Practices and Challenges’.
  • Annual Meeting of the Gypsy Lore Society and Conference on Romani Studies”, organized by Gypsy Lore Society, Sao Paulo, Brazil, October 3-6, 2023. Paper: ‘The Impact of Migration on Quality of Life: The Case Study of Roma Families Left-behind in Northeastern Bulgaria’.
  • International conference ‘The 2nd Kurultai of the Endangered Cultural Heritage’, organized by AKECH, Constanta, Romania, June 20-23, 2019; Paper: ‘Ethnic and Social Challenges of Post-Disaster Housing: Case Studies of Asparuhovo and Hitrino, Northeast Bulgaria’.

 Selected Public Lectures:

‘The role of innovation in the sustainable development of local communities – examples from Bulgaria and China’ within the framework of the forum “The advantages of new technologies and innovative practices in contemporary economic cooperation”, organized by the China Media Group and the Central Management of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria, November 24, 2025.

Selected Publications:

Selected Projects:

  • Coordinator of the project ‘Policies for conservation and promotion of immovable cultural heritage of local importance in Bulgaria. Ethnological analysis on the examples of the municipalities of Balchik, Kavarna, Garmen and Sandanski’ within the project BG05M2OP001-1.001-0001 Creation and Development of the “Heritage BG”, Centre of Excellence, Scientific Programme B, funded by European Regional Development Fund, OP Science and Education for Smart Growth. July 1, 2021 – July 1, 2023.
  • Coordinator of the project ‘Re-discovering the Cultural Heritage of Muslims in Bulgaria (1920-1950)’, funded by the British Library’s Endangered Archives Programme. October 1, 2021 – October 1, 2022.
  • Investigator in the National Interdisciplinary Research Infrastructure Bulgarian Language and Cultural Heritage Resources and Technologies Integrated within the European Infrastructures CLARIN and DARIAH (CLADA-BG) financed by the Ministry of Education and Science. 2018 – 2023.

For further information, please see Yelis Erolova’s curriculum vitae.