The staff of the Diaspora Studies Department conducted field research in the cities of Sofia, Plovdiv, and Brussels.

Within the framework of the SSAH 2024 24SSAH-6A008 project, entitled “THE INTERACTION OF ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS COMPONENTS IN THE IDENTITY OF DIASPORA ARMENIANS: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS,” the field research was conducted in the Armenian communities in Sofia and Plovdiv (Republic of Bulgaria) and Brussels (Kingdom of Belgium) during the periods 21 November–2 December and 11–16 December. The study was carried out by the project principle investigator Nelli Khachaturyan, a researcher at the Department of Diaspora Studies, and the project participant Sona Nersisyan, a senior researcher in the same department.

The research employed sociological and ethnographic methodologies. There were conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with the representatives of the communities and the community structures. There was also used an observation method, accompanied by photo and video recording. The study examined the communities’ current institutions (religious, cultural, educational, civic, etc.), their place and role within community life, the communities’ history and cultural heritage, the specific features of interactions between new and old communities, identity-related issues, current dynamics and transformations, and the factors influencing these processes.