Central and East European Politics : From Communism to Democracy

by Wolchik, Sharon L.; Curry, Jane L.

• ISBN13: 9780742540675
• ISBN10: 0742540677
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-12-30
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Pub Inc

Summary

This long-needed text explores the other half of Europe, the new and future members of the EU along with the problems and potential they bring to the region and to the world stage. Clear and comprehensive, it offers an authoritative and up-to-date analysis of the transformations and realities in Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltics, and Ukraine. The book presents a set of comparative country case studies as well as thematic chapters on key issues, including European Union and NATO expansion, the economic transition and its social ramifications, the role of women, persistent problems of ethnicity and nationalism, and political reform. For students and specialists alike, this book will be an invaluable resource on the newly democratizing states of Europe.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. ix
List of Illustrations	p. xi
Introduction
Democracy, the Market, and the Return to Europe: From Communism to the European Union and NATO	p. 3
Policies and Issues
The Political Transition	p. 33
Re-Creating the Market	p. 55
Ethnicity, Nationalism, and the Expansion of Democracy	p. 87
Women's Participation in Postcommunist Politics	p. 113
EU Accession and the Role of International Actors	p. 129
Security Issues: NATO and Beyond	p. 147
Case Studies
Poland: The Politics of "God's Playground"	p. 165
The Czech and Slovak Republics: Two Paths to the Same Destination	p. 191
Hungary: Dealing with the Past and Moving into the Present	p. 215
The Baltic States: Remembering the Past, Building the Future	p. 233
Bulgaria: Progress and Development	p. 253
Former Yugoslavia and Its Successors	p. 281
Romania since 1989: Living beyond the Past	p. 317
Ukraine: Muddling Along	p. 339
Conclusion
What Now?	p. 371
Index	p. 379
About the Contributors	p. 385
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