After the collapse of socialism, the countries of post-socialist Eastern Europe have experienced such divergent trajectories of political development. This text looks at why this is the case, based on the assumption that societies, or social orders, can be distinguished by the extent to which competitive tendencies contained within them.
After the collapse of socialism, the countries of post-socialist Eastern Europe have experienced such divergent trajectories of political development....
After decades of turmoil and trauma, the Brezhnev era brought stability and an unprecedented rise in living standards to the Soviet Union, enabling ordinary people to enjoy modern consumer goods on an entirely new scale. This book analyses the politics and economics of the state's efforts to improve living standards, and shows how mass consumption was often used as an instrument of legitimacy, ideology and modernization. However, the resulting consumer revolution brought its own problems for the socialist regime. Rising well-being and the resulting ethos of consumption altered citizens'...
After decades of turmoil and trauma, the Brezhnev era brought stability and an unprecedented rise in living standards to the Soviet Union, enabling...
From its inception in 2001, the United Russia Party has rapidly developed into a hugely successful, organisationally-complex political party and key component of power. This book provides a much needed analysis on United Russia by exploring the role of the party in the Russian political system, from 2000 to 2010.
From its inception in 2001, the United Russia Party has rapidly developed into a hugely successful, organisationally-complex political party and key c...
This book examines the 'preventive counter-revolution,' a programme of reforms and repression that transformed the face of Russian politics during Vladimir Putin's second term as president. Kremlin propagandists hailed this programme as a defence of national sovereignty against Western attempts to foment a 'velvet revolution' in Russia. But this book shows that the Putin regime was reacting to a real domestic threat: opposition leaders and youth activists who had begun to employ 'velvet' revolutionary methods in a campaign to harness popular grievances and to challenge Putin in the streets...
This book examines the 'preventive counter-revolution,' a programme of reforms and repression that transformed the face of Russian politics during Vla...
This book seeks to "re-think democracy." Over the past years, there has been a tendency in the global policy community and, even more widely, in the world's media, to focus on democracy as the "gold standard" by which all things political are measured. This book re-examines democracy in Russia and in the world more generally, as idea, desired ideal, and practice. A major issue for Russia is whether the modernization of Russia might not prosper better by Russia focusing directly on modernization and not worrying too much about democracy. This book explores a wide range of aspects of this...
This book seeks to "re-think democracy." Over the past years, there has been a tendency in the global policy community and, even more widely, in the w...
Following the demise of the USSR in 1991, and the ensuing collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe, widespread population movements took place across Central and Eastern Europe. Whole nations disappeared and (re)-emerged and diasporic transnational ties and belonging have experienced a revival. This book explores some of the many different facets of diasporic life and migration across Central and Eastern Europe by specifically employing the concept of cosmopolitanism. It examines aspects of migrants' everyday lives and identities, considers some of the difficulties faced by migrant...
Following the demise of the USSR in 1991, and the ensuing collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe, widespread population movements took place ...
"This book explores the reinterpretations of Poland's past which have been undertaken by Polish national and local elites since the fall of communism. It focuses on commemoration, memorials, monuments and the creation of ideologies, identities and myths - and on the de-commemorating of communism"--
"This book explores the reinterpretations of Poland's past which have been undertaken by Polish national and local elites since the fall of communism....
Unlike in other countries of Eastern Europe where the opposition to communism came in the form of single mass movements led by charismatic leaders such as Vaclav Havel and Lech Wa sa, in Hungary the opposition was very fragmented, brought together and made effective only by the authoritative, significant but relatively unknown Arpad Goncz, who subsequently became Hungary s first post-communist president.
This book charts the political career of Arpad Goncz, outlining the outstanding contribution he made to Hungary s transition to democracy. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including...
Unlike in other countries of Eastern Europe where the opposition to communism came in the form of single mass movements led by charismatic leaders ...
Unlike other books on civil society in Russia which argue that Russia's civil society is relatively weak, and that democratisation in Russia went into reverse following Vladimir Putin's coming to power, this book contends that civil society in Russia is developing in a distinctive way. It shows that government and elite-led drives to encourage civil society have indeed been limited, and that the impact of external promotion of civil society has also not been very successful. It demonstrates, however, that independent domestic grassroots movements are beginning to flourish, despite...
Unlike other books on civil society in Russia which argue that Russia's civil society is relatively weak, and that democratisation in Russia went i...
