Bulgaria to Bellisario: Martin Marinos connects media, politics and the world

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — When Martin Marinos immigrated to the United States in 2001, his home country of Bulgaria and much of Eastern Europe were still reeling from a tumultuous decade of political upheaval and economic collapse. After just two weeks living in New York, the Sept. 11 terror attacks occurred. Those two historic events would set his career path and greatly influence his research interests.

Today, Marinos is an assistant professor of film production and media studies. He joined the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications in 2020 and teaches classes on international mass communication, world media systems and political economy of communication. His expertise in economics, media and politics is rooted in his life story.

“It was a pretty unique situation growing up,” Marinos said. “I am a child of the 1990s. From an Eastern European context, we’re often described as the Lost Generation. … We were born in the last decade of communism and grew up during the transition period, which was very messy.”

Marinos said he had a great childhood and is grateful Bulgaria was not engaged in war like other countries during those times. The country’s struggles, however, were evident. He considered other careers, including dentistry, but that era in Eastern Europe history kept calling him back.

“It was a crazy time with 600% inflation and so many other things happening,” he said. “I thought it was normal as a kid, but growing up I realized it’s completely insane.”

As fate would have it, his first moments living in the United States would correspond with his new country’s own turbulent times. He moved to New York in August of 2001.

In addition to his native country’s own complex political transition, the 9/11 attacks and subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq sparked Marinos’ curiosity about how media impacts political change. By his junior year at the State University of New York at Binghamton, Marinos was hooked.

Majoring in history, he wrote his senior thesis about how the collapse of Yugoslavia was covered in Serbian and U.S. media. He examined the differences and framing. He attended Florida Atlantic University, where he earned a master’s degree and later, Marinos earned his doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh.

No passport? No problem.

In the classroom, Marinos presents these global intricacies to his students. Through discussion, he connects historical and current events and compares how they’re portrayed in media around the world. Even though his curriculum has a global scope, Marinos said he appreciates it when students who have not yet traveled abroad choose his course. He recognizes that they are trying something new and possibly stepping out of a comfort zone. He embraces the role of introducing them to a world of opportunities through a lens that’s both historic and relevant.

“Students don't have to sign up with a knowledge of international issues,” Marinos said. “I make sure that they know that they're welcome.”

He added, “Sometimes during the first class, someone will almost feel embarrassed that they’ve never left central Pennsylvania. I try to explain that’s precisely the students I like — ones that are open — and I tell them to just wait to see how much they’ll learn.”

Over spring break of this year, Marinos brought a group of students to Bulgaria. The trip was part of his world media systems class, and, with Marinos’ knowledge and connections, students got an especially unique experience.

Assistant Professor of Media Studies Sara Liao, who was also on the trip, said Marinos was a “guiding light” for the students. She said that Marinos’ generous spirit shines through when he is leading and teaching.

“During our embedded trip to Bulgaria, Martin was always kind, helpful and full of valuable insights,” she said. “He created countless learning opportunities while also being someone you could turn to for a great conversation about culture, food, drinks or just to share a laugh.”

Liao, who is from China, and Marinos joined the Bellisario College during the COVID pandemic in 2020. She said the Marinos family eased the transition to a new country by welcoming her into their home and feeding her home cooked meals.

“Martin and his warm, welcoming family truly helped me feel supported during that transition,” she said. “He is a kind and generous soul … and a great cook! I feel incredibly lucky to have a colleague like Martin.”

Dissertation to book

Beyond his work with students, Marinos published a book in 2023 on post-1980s media privatization in Bulgaria, “Free to hate: How media liberalization enabled right-wing populism in post-1989 Bulgaria.” The text originated from his doctoral dissertation and was published by the University of Illinois Press.

The book explores the complex relationship between media, politics and economics in Eastern Europe, particularly Bulgaria, during the post-socialist transition. It also examines how media’s transformations contributed to the rise of far-right political movements.

Through ethnographic research and extensive interviews with around 60 media professionals, Marinos suggested that these political movements are caused by external factors like misinformation, but they also originate from the contradictions of liberalism. “Free to hate” provides a nuanced understanding of media's role in political transformation. Much of the book’s research was conducted in the 2010s. Unsurprisingly, according to Marinos, a lot has changed.

“I wouldn’t write the same book today,” he said. “But one of my main arguments is that political far right moments are connected to media, and they’re kind of a big deal. They’re not a flash in the pan.”

Today, Marinos is also looking at the media’s increased role in social support. Many outlets in Bulgaria have gotten involved in initiatives usually handled by churches and governmental organizations. For example, a news outlet might raise funds for cancer research.

“I was intrigued by this phenomenon,” he said. “And while I am critical of media being a long-term solution to systemic problems like healthcare, I am impressed by the genuine commitment of journalists to help people.”

Recently, he started a study on supernatural sightings, specifically how and why reports of UFOs became normalized after the collapse of communism. Marinos said he hopes to continue his research on politics and media in Eastern Europe and the effects related to the historic changes the region was facing when he was a kid. Today, he said he is thankful for his life in Happy Valley and the opportunities to expand his research and teach at the Bellisario College.

“Penn State has been a really fantastic place and experience,” Marinos said. “I don't take it for granted. It's a very nice environment to work in. There's a lot of assistance. If you want to do something, there's someone that can push you and help you open a door.”