Title: Professor

Faculty/ Department: Institute for the Study of Societies and Knowledge 
at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Field of study: Sociology

Subject areas: Educational inequalities, University models,
Education and social justice, Educational policy, Lifelong learning

Contact: pepka7@gmail.com

 

 

About

I have a master degree in philosophy and sociology from the University of Sofia (1976) and a PhD degree and a Doctor of Sciences degree in sociology from the Institute of Sociology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (1980 and 1999). During my professional career I have combined social research (from 1980 at the Institute of Sociology) and teaching at universities (mainly at the Sofia University). Being a Professor of Sociology since 2000, I am currently also an Honorary Professor of Sociology of Education, University of Nottingham, and a Cair of the Board of Trustees of Open Society Institute, Sofia. I was awarded the Andrew Mellon Fellowship twice – at the Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Edinburgh in 1999 and at the American Academy in Rome in 2003. In 2007 I was selected for Fulbright’s New Century Scholar Program. I am a member of the editorial board of the ISA’s SSIS series Sage Studies in International Sociology Books and of the editorial boards of International Journal of Lifelong Education, Journal of Social Science Education, and Sociological problems. I was a group leader of the Bulgarian team in the 6th FP project “Towards Society of Lifelong Learning: The Contribution of the Educational System” (2005-2011). Currently, I direct a project funded by the National Scientific Fund on the Culture of Giving in Education (2014-2016). I am also leader of the Bulgarian team in the project “Youth in Transition Countries” (2013–2016) and a partner in other cross-national projects. Since 2005 I have been acting as evaluator and independent expert for the European Commission.