Theodora Dragostinova

Theodora Dragostinova is Professor of History at The Ohio State University's College of Arts and Sciences. Her research examines Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and Bulgaria through comparative nationalism, migration, and global Cold War dynamics. She explores how geopolitics, nationalism, and displacement shape state and individual choices.

Education includes a BA from Kapodistrian University (Athens), MA from University of Florida, and PhD from University of Illinois. Her research interests focus on comparative nationalism, migration/mobility, and Cold War cultural exchange.

Her publications analyze patterns of nationalism in Balkan borderlands, Bulgaria's Cold War cultural diplomacy, and transnational history methodologies. Recent work examines children repatriation in post-WWI Balkans. She leads interdisciplinary collaborations like the Migration, Mobility, and Immobility project.

Teaching awards include the Alumni Distinguished Teaching Award (Ohio State's highest teaching honor). Professional service includes editorial roles for American Historical Review and elected board membership of the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies.