Petya Kabakchieva majored in Philosophy and Sociology at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski". She defended her PhD thesis in Sociology on the topic "Political power and elites. Bulgarian transition: 1989 – 1997". For six years (1980 to 1986), she worked as a research associate at the Youth Research Institute. Between 1987 and 2000, she taught at Sofia University, Sociology Department. Since 2001, she is an Associate Professor at the same Department of Sofia University. Petya Kabakchieva is a member of the European Sociological Association. She is Deputy Head of the Bulgarian Sociological Association. She is Director of the Association for Social Investigations and member of the Advisory Board of the Group for Research of Civil Sector. Her theoretic and research interests are focused on the subject of Transition. Petia Kabakchieva is chairperson of the board of trustees of Open Society Insitute.