The book presents many important pieces of evidence which, taken together, document the developments and the images of transformation that have led to the disillusionment of the majority of the population in the region today. It is therefore not only a valuable contribution to the transformation discussion across different academic fields but also has an appeal for general audiences.
Kristen R. Ghodsee is Professor of Russian and East European Studies and a Member of the Graduate Group in Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania. Her articles and essays have been translated into over twenty languages and have appeared in publications such as The New Republic, The Lancet, Ms. Magazine, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. She is also the author of nine books, most
recently: Second World, Second Sex and Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism, which has already had thirteen foreign editions.
Mitchell A. Orenstein is Professor and Chair of Russian and East European Studies and a Senior Fellow of the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He is the prize-winning author, editor, and co-author of eight books on the social policy and political economy of postcommunist states, including From Triumph to Crisis, Privatizing Pensions, and Roma in an Expanding Europe. He has consulted for the World Bank, USAID, and the
government of Slovakia.