I am an academic with a background in International Relations and European Studies. I did my first degree (BA in International Relations) in my home country, Bulgaria. I came to do a Masters in European Studies at the University of Exeter and then pursued a PhD at the University of Birmingham. My PhD thesis analysed how European Commission documents configured borders in four EU policy areas. After I completed by PhD I worked as a Research Associate on an ESRC-funded project examining EU’s democracy promotion efforts in the Middle East. In July 2012 I took up a Lectureship at the University of Buckingham. Since then I have been involved in the teaching of various modules in my area of expertise at different levels. I also researched EU’s relations with the Arab Gulf countries. The unexpected result of the 2016 referendum on the UK’s membership into the EU prompted me to turn my attention to British politics. I have published my research in various academic outlets, including leading peer-reviewed journals.
My academic work is inspired by social constructivism and more recently, critical political economy. I have had enduring interest in democratic practice, which has informed my more recent research. The other recurring themes in my research are the workings of complex polities and the development, implementation, and repercussions of measures in various policy areas.
Following the decision of the UK public to leave the EU, I have been investigating the reasons behind it and am currently writing the results of this up with a view of publishing it in an academic outlet. I am currently in the early stages of a research project, which aims to examine Welsh social movements with a view of pinpointing their contribution/s to democratic practice, the obstacles they face and the responses they receive from the devolved and the national government. These will enable highlighting the contributions Welsh social movements make to democratic practice, as well as the obstacles they face. The latter will be used to generate ideas of steps that can be taken to address these impediments, thus contributing to the improvement of democratic practice in Wales and beyond. Empirically, this research will focus on social movements active in the areas of poverty, environmental, and the Palestine issues.