Quo vadis Bulgarian studies: Prof. Machiel Kiel on Bulgaria and Bulgarians. Part I

Why Bulgarian studies? Each professional in the field has a personal story to tell on the subject. For Bulgarians it is a matter of definite interest to find out why a foreigner may choose to dedicate their professional life to Bulgaria and Bulgarians instead of many other possible alternatives. In this discussion article I will look for clues of what may have motivated Prof. Machiel Kiel to undertake research in Bulgarian studies in the Balkan context and later move to Ottoman studies with the orientation toward ‘Bulgaria during the Ottoman period’. Part I of the article aims to identify the leitmotifs in the oeuvre of Kiel and the corresponding intentional stance in dealing with subjects related to Bulgarian studies. Part II will be dedicated to case studies (microanalyses) of his way of thinking and coding the products with linguistic means, as well as to general conclusions, including the challenge of Kiel’s professional identity.