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NEOLIBERALISM AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT VOLUNTEERING IN A POST-SOCIALIST CONTEXT: THE CONTRADICTORY UTOPIA OF PEACE CORPS/BULGARIA (1991 – 2013) By Svetla Stoeva Dimitrova A DISSERTATION Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Sociology - Doctor of Philosophy 2016 ABSTRACT NEOLIBERALISM AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT VOLUNTEERING IN A POST-SOCIALIST CONTEXT: THE CONTRADICTORY UTOPIA OF PEACE CORPS/BULGARIA (1991 – 2013) By Svetla Stoeva Dimitrova This dissertation examines the interaction between neoliberal and alternative approaches to development in a post-socialist context using the Peace Corps/Bulgaria program as a case study. I use the notion of transition to complex interdependence as a framework to theorize and conceptualize the role of Peace Corps in the post-socialist development of Bulgaria and Bulgaria’s insertion into processes of neoliberal globalization. I build a conceptual framework for the study of international development volunteering that separates mechanisms that promote neoliberal social transformation from alternative or counter-neoliberal mechanisms for social transformation. The research design utilizes a mixed-methods and multiple sources data collection strategy encompassing document analysis, surveys, interviews, focus groups, and participant observation informed by the actor-oriented approach to development studies. This approach allows me to examine how differently positioned actors in the Peace Corps/Bulgaria partnership structure - staff, volunteers, and their local partners – created and contested notions of “development” and the kind of social transformation that was enabled by Peace Corps during its operation in Bulgaria. I argue that Peace Corps/Bulgaria represents a case of a contradictory “real utopia”: a development model that simultaneously promotes, conforms to, and resists processes of neoliberalization; a model that has the potential to facilitate a transformation of the current global order towards a more equitable world based on the values of social and environmental justice rather than market rationality. To Stoyo, my Father Loosing you to postsocialism compelled me to go back to graduate school And to workers for peace and friendship everywhere iii AKNOWLEDGEMENTS It is humbling to think about all the people and organizations that supported me through graduate school and the dissertation process. I first, thank the people who agreed to answer my survey, interview, and focus group questions and those who provided me with documents and information about the Peace Corps/Bulgaria program. Without your willingness to share your thoughts and personal archives with me this research would not have been possible. In fact, in moments when I was thinking about quitting, knowing that many of you were looking forward to reading this dissertation was the most completing reason to carry on and finish it. This was a rewarding, albeit a difficult process as it enveloped during two life transitions: moving from Lansing, MI to Blacksburg, VA in the middle of my graduate studies and welcoming two beautiful children – Kosara and Devin - to this world. I could not have done it without the love and support of my partner, Tyler, our parents, and other family members. Tyler did not only allow me to balance work and family he made sure that we balanced work and family time. He listened to me talking through my ideas and concerns, made sure that my computer did not crash, and even drove me to my research sites. He also insisted that I take regular breaks and that we go out for walks with the children and drinks with our friends every so often. I am also grateful for the continuous support of our parents – my mother Todora and my in-laws Robert and Marilou Fox – for their belief in me and especially for helping with the care of their grandchildren. I also want to thank cousins Susan and Peter Omberg who hosted me during my field work in Washington, D.C. and my sisters – Krasimira and Petya – who took care of Kosara during my field work in Bulgaria. I was also fortunate to have a dissertation committee that was committed to seeing me through this process. My chair, Brendan Mullan, epitomized the notion of the advocate adviser. iv He supported my decision to change the topic of my dissertation research early on and helped me put together a committee that was willing to work with me while I lived off-campus. He was always there for me, reading and commenting on drafts, writing letters of recommendations to funding sources, providing advice on teaching and job applications, helping me expand my professional networks, celebrating my successes, and most importantly believing in me when I felt discouraged. I learned tremendously from Lawrence Busch, who planted the seeds for this dissertation during a course on “Neoliberalism: The Making of Contemporary Society.” As a former Peace Corps Volunteer himself, he was also uniquely positioned to advice me on the research design and interpretation of the research findings. Xufei Ren encouraged me to articulate more clearly the major contributions of this dissertation. Norm Graham always had a suggestion on new literature on the post-socialist transitions that made my work stronger. Steve Gold served on my comprehensive exam committee and remained supportive of my research and a great help with my teaching and job searches. I also want to thank Stan and Toba Kaplowitz who listened to my dissertation proposal and dissertation defense mock-up presentations and provided much needed feedback on how to improve the clarity and brevity of my talks. I relied on Tammy Spangler, the Sociology department’s graduate secretary, and Roseann Bills who succeeded her, to navigate the dissertation process. I am grateful for their prompt replies to all of my questions. The other staff members – Shannon, Debbie, John Duda, and John Schwartz – were also always most helpful. During my years in graduate school, I met many wonderful people that enriched my life. Among the many colleagues at the Sociology department, I feel that I should mention at least two that I relied on the most: Cristián Doňa Reveco and Erica Giorda, both international students with children who had started the program ahead of me. As the more advanced in the program v student of Brendan Mullan, Cristián, served as my mentor and offered valuable advice on coursework, teaching, and research. Erica offered much needed encouragement during our weekly check-ins when I was writing this document. When we moved to Blacksburg, VA, I was fortunate to meet another off-campus graduate student parent, Vitoria Blanchard, who was at the same stage of the dissertation process. Our monthly meetings kept me on track with the completion of my tasks. Outside of academia, I want to thank my Earth Spirits Sisters and my UU Parents’ Group for helping me deal with the stress that comes with dissertating. Last, but not least, I owe much gratitude to my dear friend, Tatum Branaman, for proofreading this document. In addition to individuals, I benefited from the support of several organizations. The Peace Corps/Bulgaria office provided me with copies of all legacy materials and helped me write my FOIA request to Peace Corps for other documents that needed official clearance. The Areté Youth Foundation provided me with a work space during my research in Bulgaria. I received several Michigan State University (MSU) grants to fund the research and writing stage of this dissertation. The John and Ruth Useem Endowment Award from the Sociology Department helped finance my pre-dissertation research. The MSU Graduate School helped finance my data collection and write-up. In addition, I received several MSU Child Care grants, which secured the free time to work on my dissertation. Research for this dissertation was also supported in part by a fellowship from IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) with funds provided by the United States Department of State through the Title VIII Program. Neither of these organizations are responsible for the views expressed herein. Blacksburg, VA, May 2016 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................... xii LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................... xiv KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................. xviii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 1 SOCIOLOGY OF POST-SOCIALISM(S) ................................................................................. 1 RESEARCH PROBLEM ............................................................................................................ 2 INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT VOLUNTEERING WITH PEACE CORPS ................ 3 RESEARCH QUESTION AND OBJECTIVES ......................................................................... 7 RESEARCH RELEVANCE ....................................................................................................... 8 DISSERTATION STRUCTURE ................................................................................................ 8 CHAPTER 2: CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK ..................................................................... 11 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................

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