Impact of International Contacts on Muslim Cultural Practices in Bulgaria

This manuscript offers an insider investigation of an understudied area within the lives of those who live in Bulgaria. Post-communism Bulgarian Muslims like the Pomacks, or those with Turkish or Roma backgrounds, began to witness re-established links with the wider Muslim world through various Islamic NGOs or foreign government influence, an example being the diplomatic agreement between Bulgaria and Turkiye and the creation of Islamic schools. The research within this manuscript hopes to answer whether these links have continued and if they have influenced the behavior of the Muslims who were in contact with them. It is seen in specific communities that these links have caused further pious behavior, like young women wearing the hijab, within Bulgarian Muslim communities, but are these increased behaviors isolated instances, or is there a genuine link between these communities receiving interest and work from these Islamic NGOs or foreign government influence?