Nia Raycheva

  Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences | Bachelor European Studies

"Victims of Demographic Engineering: The Bulgarian Violence against Muslim Minorities during the Balkan Wars (1912-1913)"

Nia's elevator pitch
"The Balkan Wars (1912-1913) were a ferocious conflict in which civilians from all sides became the victims of horrific crimes, such as murder, expulsion and forced conversions. This violence is often attributed to a state-led campaign to construct a homogenous nation-state, but is that the case? This thesis offers a new understanding of the events through the theoretical lens of demographic engineering. By comparing the Bulgarian treatment of Turkish and Bulgarian Muslims, it demonstrates that violence was inflicted by multiple agents in a mostly uncoordinated manner for different reasons. Meanwhile the state had an ambiguous role simultaneously allowing or preventing violence against civilians."