Hristo Kyuchukov

Hristo Slavov Kyuchukov or Christo Slavov Kütchukov ( (born Hyusein Selimov Kyuchukov; 19 July 1962). He was born with the Muslim name Hyusein Selimov Kyuchukov, but in 1980-s his name was changed by the communist government of Bulgaria during the "bulgarization" process towards the Muslims in Bulgaria. He is a leading specialist in the field of Romani language and education of Roma children in Europe. In December 2024 he took his Muslim name back and now his name is Huseyin Selim Kyuchuk.

Education Kyuchukov holds a PhD in general linguistics (psycholinguistics) from the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands (1995), a PhD in education (1998) and a DrSc in the theory of education and didactics (2002), both from Bulgaria. His habilitation, also in education, was obtained in Bulgaria. He holds the academic title of professor of general linguistics (psycholinguistics), with a focus on the Romani and Turkish languages, from Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.

Research His research interests include bilingualism, the education of Romani and Turkish children in Europe, language acquisition, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, languages in contact, the Romani Holocaust and antiziganism in Europe. His linguistic work covers Romani, Balkan Turkish, Gagauz and Tatar in Bulgaria, as well as Bulgarian, Slovak, Russian and German.

He has received fellowships from the Swedish Institute in Stockholm, the University of Amsterdam, the Pro Helvetia Foundation in Switzerland, the Soros Foundation in New York, the Bulgarian Fulbright Commission, the Slovak government, the University of Silesia in Katowice, and the Amaro Drom Foundation in Berlin.

Romani language Kyuchukov introduced Romani-language education for primary and secondary school children in Bulgaria in the early 1990s. He also established university programmes in Romani-language education in Bulgaria (University of Veliko Tarnovo, 2003–2010) and Slovakia (Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, 2008–2012; St Elizabeth University in Bratislava, 2012–2015).

In 2006 he received a Fulbright scholarship and worked at the Laboratory of Psycholinguistics at Smith College in Massachusetts, United States, together with the psycholinguist Jill de Villiers, developing the first theory of mind tests in Romani. Between 2006 and 2015 the two also developed the first psycholinguistic tests for assessing Romani, and organised international research with Romani children in a number of European countries.

Since 2010 he has collaborated with William New of Beloit College in Wisconsin on research into the education of Romani children in Europe.

In 2020 he was elected High Commissioner of the Commission on Romani Language, Culture and Education of the International Romani Union.

Publications and organisational work Kyuchukov has published on Romani, Turkish, Gagauz, Bulgarian and Russian in contact; the acquisition of Romani and Turkish; and the education of minority children in Europe. He has also written children's books in Romani, German, Turkish, Arabic, English and Bulgarian. Among his best-known works are A History of the Romani People (2005), co-written with Ian Hancock, and My Name Was Hussein (2004), published by Boyds Mills Press.

In 1995 he founded the Diversity Balkan Foundation for Cross-cultural Education and Understanding in Sofia, Bulgaria, and served as its executive director until 2007. Between 1998 and 1999 he worked at the Institute of Educational Policy of the Open Society Institute in Budapest, where he was responsible for developing educational strategies for Romani and minority children in Central and Eastern Europe.

Between 2000 and 2004 he was secretary general of the International Romani Union.

In 2011 he established the Roma Center for Intercultural Dialogue in Berlin, which he directs.

In 2018, together with Ian Hancock and Orhan Galjus, he founded the Eurasian Romani Academic Network (ERAN), a network of scholars of Romani origin in Europe and Asia, and has since served as its vice-president. In 2021 he founded the European Young Roma Scholars Network (EYRSN) in Berlin, intended to bring together Romani doctoral students and early-career scholars across Europe.

He was vice-president of the Gypsy Lore Society from 2018 to 2020 and again from 2021 to 2023.

In 2020 he established the Roma Research Center at the University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland, and has since served as its director.

Kyuchukov founded the International Journal of Romani Language and Culture and edited it between 2011 and 2013.

Between 2014 and 2016 he trained in child and adolescent psychotherapy in Berlin, and works and conducts research on psychotherapy with migrant and refugee children and young people.

Editorial work Kyuchukov edits several book series published by LINCOM Academic Publisher in Germany: Roma (with Ian Hancock), Interculturalism and Intercultural Education, Lincom Studies in Language Acquisition and Bilingualism, Turkish and Turkic Languages and Cultures (with Suer Eker) and Lincom Studies in Romani Linguistics (with Milan Samko).

In 2005 he was proposed as deputy minister for Romani educational integration at the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science.

Selected publications

Monographs Kyuchukov, H. (2022) Bulgarian Roma and the Holocaust. Veliko Tarnovo: Faber. Kyuchukov, H. (2020) Socio-cultural and Linguistic Aspects of Roma Education. Katowice: University of Silesia Press. Artamonova, E., Kyuchukov, H. and Savchenko, E. (2017) Professional Teacher Training under Current Social and Cultural Conditions. Munich: Lincom Academic Publisher. Kyuchukov, H. (2010) Essays on the Language, Culture and Education of Roma. Uppsala: The Hugo Valentin Centre. Kyuchukov, H. (2007) Turkish and Roma Children Learning Bulgarian. Veliko Tarnovo: Faber. Kyuchukov, H. (2006) Desegregation of Roma Schools in Bulgaria. Sofia: S.E.G.A. Kyuchukov, H. (2006) Educational Status of Roma Women. Sofia: Ictus. Kyuchukov, H. (1995) Romany Children and Their Preparation for Literacy: A Case Study. Tilburg University Press.

Edited books Kyuchukov, H., Marushiakova, E. and Popov, V. (eds) (2020) Preserving the Romani Memories. Munich: Lincom. Kyuchukov, H., Balvín, J. and Kwadrans, L. (eds) (2019) Life with Music and Pictures: Eva Davidová's Contribution to Roma Musicology and Ethnography. Munich: Lincom. Kyuchukov, H., Ushakova, O. and Yashina, V. (eds) (2019) Acquisition of Russian as L1 and L2. Munich: Lincom. Kyuchukov, H. and New, W. (eds) (2017) Language of Resistance: Ian Hancock's Contribution to Romani Studies. Munich: Lincom Academic Publisher. Kyuchukov, H. (ed.) (2016) New Trends in the Psychology of Language. Munich: Lincom Academic Publisher. Kyuchukov, H., Marushiakova, E. and Popov, V. (eds) (2016) Roma: Past, Present, Future. Munich: Lincom Academic Publisher. Kyuchukov, H. (ed.) (2015) Acquisition of Slavic Languages. Munich: Lincom Academic Publisher. Kyuchukov, H., Kwadrans, L. and Fizik, L. (eds) (2015) Romani Studies: Contemporary Trends. Munich: Lincom Academic Publisher. Kyuchukov, H., Lewowicki, T. and Ogrodzka-Mazur, E. (eds) (2015) Intercultural Education: Concepts, Practice, Problems. Munich: Lincom Academic Publisher. Kyuchukov, H., Kaleja, M. and Samko, M. (eds) (2015) Linguistic, Cultural and Educational Issues of Roma. Munich: Lincom Academic Publisher. Selling, J., End, M., Kyuchukov, H., Laskar, P. and Templer, B. (eds) (2015) Antiziganism: What's in a Word? Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Kyuchukov, H. and Rawashdeh, O. (eds) (2013) Roma Identity and Antigypsyism in Europe. Munich: Lincom Academic Publisher. Balvín, J., Kwadrans, L. and Kyuchukov, H. (eds) (2013) Roma in Visegrád Countries: History, Culture, Social Integration, Social Work and Education. Wrocław: Prom. Kyuchukov, H. and Artamonova, E. (eds) (2013) The Educational and Social Sciences in the 21st Century. Bratislava: VŠZaSP "Sv. Alžbety". Kyuchukov, H. (ed.) (2012) New Faces of Antigypsyism in Modern Europe. Prague: Slovo 21. Stoyanova, J. and Kyuchukov, H. (eds) (2011) Психология и лингвистика [Psychology and Linguistics]. Sofia: Prosveta. Kyuchukov, H. and Hancock, I. (eds) (2010) Roma Identity. Prague: Slovo 21. Kyuchukov, H. (ed.) (2009) A Language without Borders: Endangered Languages and Cultures, vol. 5. Uppsala: Uppsala University Press. Kyuchukov, H. (ed.) (2002) New Aspects of Roma Children Education. Sofia: Diversity Publications. Bakker, P. and Kyuchukov, H. (eds) (2000) What Is the Romani Language? Hertfordshire: University of Hertfordshire Press. Matras, Y., Bakker, P. and Kyuchukov, H. (eds) (1997) The Typology and Dialectology of Romani. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.

Textbooks Kyuchukov, H. (2013) Die Folklore der Gagausen aus Bulgarien. Munich: Lincom. Kyuchukov, H. (2010) Textbook of Romani Songs. Munich: Lincom Europe.

Children's books Kyuchukov, H., Panchenko, Ya. and Savislak, S. (2024) Bubili. Sofia: Paradigma (in English and Romani). Kyuchukov, H. and Giray, B. (2022) Leo si tarsi topkata / Leo sucht seinen Ball. Veliko Tarnovo: Faber. Kyuchukov, H. and Giray, B. (2022) Leo topunu arıyor / Leo sucht seinen Ball. Veliko Tarnovo: Faber. Kyuchukov, H. (2021) Zamfiran'ın hikâyesi / E Zamfiraki historiya. Veliko Tarnovo: Faber; Berlin: Amaro Foro. Kyuchukov, H. (2021) Историята на Замфира / E Zamfiraki historiya. Veliko Tarnovo: Faber; Berlin: Amaro Foro. Kyuchukov, H. (2021) The Story of Zamfira / E Zamfiraki historiya. Veliko Tarnovo: Faber; Berlin: Amaro Foro. Kyuchukov, H. (2021) Miro anav sas Hjusein. Veliko Tarnovo: Faber (in Arabic and Romani). Kyuchukov, H. (2021) Benim adım Hüseyindi / Miro anav sas Hjusein. Veliko Tarnovo: Faber (in Turkish and Romani). Kyuchukov, H. (2021) Аз се казвах Хюсеин / Miro anav sas Hjusein. Veliko Tarnovo: Faber (in Bulgarian and Romani). Kyuchukov, H. and Hancock, I. (2005) A History of the Romani People. Honesdale: Boyds Mills Press. Kyuchukov, H. (2004) My Name Was Hussein. Honesdale: Boyds Mills Press. Kjučukov, X. (2002) Me ginav dži ko deš. Sofia: Iktus (in Romani). Kjučukov, X. (2001) Amari Romani Lumja, vol. 4: Romane lava phure Romendar. Sofia: Iktus (in Romani). Kjučukov, X. (2001) Amari Romani Lumja, vol. 3: Romane gilya. Sofia: Iktus (in Romani). Kjučukov, X. (2000) Amari Romani Lumja, vol. 2: Romane paramisya. Sofia: Tilia (in Romani). Kjučukov, X. (1997) Amari Romani Lumja, vol. 1: Romane poeme. Sofia (in Romani).