%0 Journal Article %T The Concept of the Self in Explaining Post-1989 Bulgarian Physicians¡¯ Emigration %A Stefaniya BEKYAROVA %J Journal of Identity and Migration Studies %D 2011 %I Research Centre on Identity and Migration Studies-RCIMI, University of Oradea %X This article presents the results of the methodological and empirical efforts for exploring and understanding the emigration of Bulgarian physicians, after 1989. The study applies a biographical approach through a conceptual framework, which utilizes concepts from social theory and social anthropology. Using in-depth interviewing as the main research tool, complemented by a secondary data gathering technique, the study offers an explanation of the migration decision as generated in a conflict of the migrant¡¯s understanding of his/her self and of the desired relation of the self to society on one hand and the migrant¡¯s understanding of his/her society on the other. The concept of the self (self-identity, self-consciousness) proves effective in explaining the migration decision. %K migration %K Bulgarian physicians %K biographical approach %K self %U http://e-migration.ro/jims/Vol5_No2_2011/Articles/JIMS_Vol5_No2_2011_pp_20_42_BEKYAROVA.pdf