SOCIO-CULTURAL DETERMINANTS OF ATTITUDES TOWARDS REFUGEES IN BULGARIA

Abstract

The paper examines the perceptions and assessments of the refugee crisis in Bulgaria and the attitudes of the population towards refugees. The first part presents the situation in Bulgaria as a part of the refugee flow route to Western Europe – size and dynamics of the refugee flows and the socio-demographic profile of the asylum seekers. The state of society as a background in which assessments and attitudes towards refugees are formed is also outlined. The second part describes the attitudes of the population towards refugees and perceptions about the risks associated with their presence in the country. The differences of opinions between the country as a whole and the places with refugee camps are highlighted.
The analysis is based on statistical data provided by SAR and results of two empirical sociological surveys, conducted in December 2017 – one nationally representative and another one – in two areas with refugee camps.