Between 6 and 11 July 2025, the 5th ISA Forum of Sociology took place in Rabat, Morocco, bringing together researchers from around the world to discuss pressing social challenges and inequalities.
Dr. Lyuba Spasova from the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciencesparticipated in the Forum with a presentation entitled “Workplace Discrimination in Bulgaria: Trends, Risk Factors, and Coping Mechanisms.”
The paper presents findings from research conducted under the project “Personal and Institutional Strategies for Risk Prevention and Management,” funded by the Bulgarian National Science Fund (BNSF). The study explores workplace discrimination in Bulgaria within the context of growing labor insecurity, focusing on discriminatory trends during recruitment processes and in everyday workplace interactions.
It examines the intersections of protected characteristics such as gender, age, ethnicity, and disability, showing how discrimination manifests and accumulates across multiple dimensions. The study also assesses public awareness of anti-discrimination rights and identifies the coping strategies individuals employ to address workplace discrimination.
The findings reveal that women with children and persons with disabilities face increased risks of discrimination during hiring, while older workers and ethnic minorities experience more unequal treatment within established employment relationships.
The study highlights low legal awareness and limited institutional responsiveness to cases of discrimination, as well as a lack of trust in institutions – many individuals refrain from seeking assistance or choose to consult a lawyer directly, reflecting an organizational culture that often normalizes discriminatory practices.
Dr. Spasova’s presentation was part of the session “Power, Inequalities and Social Representations” organized by RC26 Sociotechnics, Sociological Practice.
