Collective Identity Resources for Positive Well-Being Among Turkish-Bulgarian and Muslim-Bulgarian Minority Adolescents in Bulgaria

• This chapter advances research in understudied minority groups in Eastern Europe by providing empirical evidence on a novel approach that examines collective identity assets for optimal well-being of youth. We apply collective identity perspective conceptualized in terms of strong relationships among ethnic, familial, and religious group memberships in comparing adolescents from two stigmatized ethnic minority groups and their mainstream Bulgarian peers. Turkish-Bulgarians and Muslim-Bulgarians historically experienced continuous assimilation attempts and severe discrimination, effectively limiting their religious and ethnic minority rights (Vassilev R, Glob Rev Ethnopolitics 3:40-51, 2004). This chapter furthers our understanding of multiple identity resources as core component of well-being of ethnic minority youth with Turkish-Bulgarian and Muslim-Bulgarian background. These results further extend findings on identity and well-being conducted in Western European and American settings to the unique and scarcely researched context of long-term acculturating ethnic minority groups in Eastern Europe.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Collective identity

Well-being

Ethnic minority adolescents

Bulgaria

Psychology

psykologi

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kap (subject category)