My research covers several core areas, which you can explore below. A full list of publications is available at the bottom of this page, as well as on my profile at Google Scholar.
🔹 Protests and Social Movements
I study how collective actions shape democracy and political change in post-communist Europe. I focus on their strategies, repertoires, and long-term effects on societies.
🔹 Movement Parties and Protest Parties
I examine how protest movements transform into political parties and how “protest parties” influence party systems. My work analyzes their origins, development, and role in democratic party systems.
🔹 Triangulation of Methods and Datasets
I combine diverse methods and data sources to connect macro-historical processes with everyday practices. My research relies on protest event datasets, survey research, interviews, and archival materials—allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of social and political transformations.
🔹 Trade Unions and Collective Bargaining
I analyze trade unions and collective bargaining in comparative perspective. Specifically, what factors and mechanisms improve the strength of trade unions and collective bargaining in different industrial relations regimes.
Chapters in books
Dinev, Ivaylo; Stoyanov, Dragomir. Bulgaria—Protest Movements Transforming the Party System. In: Crăciun, C., Rammelt, H.P. (eds.) Power and Protest in Central and Eastern Europe. Palgrave Studies in European Political Sociology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2025, pp. 81–108.
Rone, Julia; Dinev, Ivaylo. Progressive politics in Central and Eastern Europe. In: Mattoni, A. (ed.) Handbook of Progressive Politics, ward Elgar Publishing: Cheltenham, 2025, pp. 70–91.
Dinev, Ivaylo. Протестен вот, протестни партии и движения партии: концептуализиране и тенденции. [Protest vote, protest parties and movement parties: conceptualization and trends]. In: Кризи, избори, пандемия [Crises, Elections, Pandemic]. Veliko Tarnovo: University of St Kiril and Metodii, 2022, pp. 37–46.
Peer-reviewed publications
Dinev, I.; Douglas, N. (2025) The Political and Cultural Future of Karabakh Armenians. Caucasus Analytical Digest (CAD), 140, pp. 4–13.
Dinev, I. (2022) Barricades and ballots: exploring the trajectory of the Slovenian left, In: East European Politics
Dinev, I. (2022) Historical processes and new-left movements: exploring the divergent paths of protest politics in Southeast Europe, In: Journal of Contemporary Central and Eastern Europe
Динев, И. (2022) Протестен вот, протестни партии и движения партии: концептуализиране и тенденции, В: Кризи, избори, пандемия
Dinev, I. (2022) Bulgaria and Slovenia Protest Event Dataset (2009-2017): Protest cycles and protest patterns in Southeast Europe, In: Intersections. East European Journal of Society and Politics
Dinev, I. (2021) The Protest Mobilizations in Bulgaria since the Great Recession: Characteristics and Periodization (2009-2017), In: Politicheski Izsledvania/Political Studies
Dinev, I. (2020) The Dynamics of Class Mobilisations: Evidence from Protest Event Analysis in Bulgaria and Slovenia, SEER Journal for Labour and Social Affairs in Eastern Europe 23 (2), 245-266.
Dinev, I. (2016) The Pendulum of the Mass Protest. The Winter of 2013, Bulgarian Ethnology, 1, 51-70.
Dinev, I. (2012) Between the Negative and the Positive protest. Pachkova, Petya (ed.). The civil protest: past, present, and future. Neofit Rilski, Blagoevgrad.
Spotlights and blogs
Dinev, Ivaylo. The Student Revolt in Serbia: Vučić’s Nemesis?. ZOiS Spotlight 2/2025.
Dinev, Ivaylo; Douglas, Nadja. The Political and Cultural Fate of Karabakh Armenians in Armenia. ZOiS Spotlight 16/2024.
Dinev, Ivaylo. Bulgaria’s New Political Crisis. ZOiS Spotlight 24/2022.
Dinev, Ivaylo. TikTok Politics is Making Its Way in Europe. Dnevnik 10 June 2024.
Dinev, Ivaylo; Bankov, Petar. Who will lead Bulgaria’s next government? In: LSE European Politics and Policy (EUROPP), 19. April 2021.
Dodov, Stanislav; Dinev, Ivaylo. Political compass of the elections – how parties position themselves. In: Dnevnik, 21. März 2021.
Dinev, Ivaylo. “Down with the red bourgeoisie”. The hot summer of ’68. Liberal Review, 29. November 2014.
Dinev, Ivaylo. The new rebels in Belgrade. In: Liberal Review, 22. November 2014.
Selected conference presentations
12/2021
“St. Cyril and St. Methodius” University of Veliko Tarnovo
Protest vote, protest parties and movement parties: conceptualization and trends in Bulgaria, Roundtable “Crisis, Conflicts, Pandemic”
10/2021 Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”
Protest vote, protest parties and movement parties in Southeast Europe, Conference “Doctoral Readings”
06/2021 Discussion Forum: Foundation “Friedrich Ebert – Bulgaria” and CITUB
“The future of work and the digitalization“.
11/2019
Scuola Normale Superiore, Florence
Conference “Class Without Consciousness” – the Politics of Fragmented Class Identities”
“Does class matter in the protest arena? Evidence from Eastern Europe”
09/2019
Società Italiana di Scienza Politica Conference in Lecce
“Protest politics and the rise of populism: evidence from Bulgaria and Slovenia”
09/2019
ECPR General Conference in University of Wroclaw
“Regime change and protest patterns in Eastern Europe”
09/2017
ECPR General Conference in University of Oslo
“Memory dynamics in the Bulgarian post-socialist protest”
05/2017
New Participatory Spaces Symposium, Westminster University, London
“Participatory spaces during mass mobilization”
Ivaylo Dinev 