Historical Legacies of Communism in Russia and Eastern Europe

Historical Legacies of Communism in Russia and Eastern Europe

Author: Mark Beissinger

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2014-07-07

Total Pages: 259

ISBN-13: 1107054176

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This book takes stock of arguments about the historical legacies of communism that have become common within the study of Russia and East Europe more than two decades after communism's demise and elaborates an empirical approach to the study of historical legacies revolving around relationships and mechanisms rather than correlation and outward similarities. Eleven essays by a distinguished group of scholars assess whether post-communist developments in specific areas continue to be shaped by the experience of communism or, alternatively, by fundamental divergences produced before or after communism. Chapters deal with the variable impact of the communist experience on post-communist societies in such areas as regime trajectories and democratic political values; patterns of regional and sectoral economic development; property ownership within the energy sector; the functioning of the executive branch of government, the police, and courts; the relationship of religion to the state; government language policies; and informal relationships and practices.


Book Synopsis Historical Legacies of Communism in Russia and Eastern Europe by : Mark Beissinger

Download or read book Historical Legacies of Communism in Russia and Eastern Europe written by Mark Beissinger and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2014-07-07 with total page 259 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book takes stock of arguments about the historical legacies of communism that have become common within the study of Russia and East Europe more than two decades after communism's demise and elaborates an empirical approach to the study of historical legacies revolving around relationships and mechanisms rather than correlation and outward similarities. Eleven essays by a distinguished group of scholars assess whether post-communist developments in specific areas continue to be shaped by the experience of communism or, alternatively, by fundamental divergences produced before or after communism. Chapters deal with the variable impact of the communist experience on post-communist societies in such areas as regime trajectories and democratic political values; patterns of regional and sectoral economic development; property ownership within the energy sector; the functioning of the executive branch of government, the police, and courts; the relationship of religion to the state; government language policies; and informal relationships and practices.


Interpreting Emotions in Russia and Eastern Europe

Interpreting Emotions in Russia and Eastern Europe

Author: Mark D. Steinberg

Publisher: Northern Illinois University Press

Published: 2011-06-01

Total Pages: 313

ISBN-13: 1501757172

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Bringing together important new work by an international and interdisciplinary group of leading scholars, Interpreting Emotions in Russia and Eastern Europe approaches emotions as a phenomenon complexly intertwined with society, culture, politics, and history. The stories in this book involve sensitive aristocrats, committed revolutionaries, aggressive nationalists, political leaders, female victims of sexual violence, perpetrators and victims of Stalinist terror, citizens in the former Yugoslavia in the wake of war, workers in post-socialist Romania, Balkan Romani "Gypsy" musicians, and veterans of the Afghan and Chechen wars. These essays explore emotional perception and expression not only as private, inward feeling but also as a way of interpreting and judging a troubled world, acting in it, and perhaps changing it. Essential reading for those interested in new perspectives on the study of Russia and Eastern Europe, past and present, this volume will appeal to scholars across the social sciences and humanities who are seeking new and deeper approaches to understanding human experience, thought, and feeling.


Book Synopsis Interpreting Emotions in Russia and Eastern Europe by : Mark D. Steinberg

Download or read book Interpreting Emotions in Russia and Eastern Europe written by Mark D. Steinberg and published by Northern Illinois University Press. This book was released on 2011-06-01 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bringing together important new work by an international and interdisciplinary group of leading scholars, Interpreting Emotions in Russia and Eastern Europe approaches emotions as a phenomenon complexly intertwined with society, culture, politics, and history. The stories in this book involve sensitive aristocrats, committed revolutionaries, aggressive nationalists, political leaders, female victims of sexual violence, perpetrators and victims of Stalinist terror, citizens in the former Yugoslavia in the wake of war, workers in post-socialist Romania, Balkan Romani "Gypsy" musicians, and veterans of the Afghan and Chechen wars. These essays explore emotional perception and expression not only as private, inward feeling but also as a way of interpreting and judging a troubled world, acting in it, and perhaps changing it. Essential reading for those interested in new perspectives on the study of Russia and Eastern Europe, past and present, this volume will appeal to scholars across the social sciences and humanities who are seeking new and deeper approaches to understanding human experience, thought, and feeling.


Conservatism and Memory Politics in Russia and Eastern Europe

Conservatism and Memory Politics in Russia and Eastern Europe

Author: Katalin Miklóssy

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2021-12-13

Total Pages: 261

ISBN-13: 1000516768

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This book discusses the diverse practices and discourses of memory politics in Russia and Eastern Europe. It argues that currently prevailing conservativism has a long tradition, which continued even in Communist times, and is different to conservatism in the West, which can accommodate other viewpoints within liberal democratic systems. It considers how important history is for conservatism, and how history is reconstituted according to changing circumstances. It goes on to examine in detail values which are key to conservatism, such as patriotism, Christianity and religious life, and the traditional model of the family, the importance of the sovereign national state within globalization, and the emphasis on a strong paternal state, featuring hierarchy, authority and political continuity. The book concludes by analysing how far states in the region are experiencing a common trend and whether different countries’ conservative narratives are reinforcing each other or are colliding.


Book Synopsis Conservatism and Memory Politics in Russia and Eastern Europe by : Katalin Miklóssy

Download or read book Conservatism and Memory Politics in Russia and Eastern Europe written by Katalin Miklóssy and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-12-13 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book discusses the diverse practices and discourses of memory politics in Russia and Eastern Europe. It argues that currently prevailing conservativism has a long tradition, which continued even in Communist times, and is different to conservatism in the West, which can accommodate other viewpoints within liberal democratic systems. It considers how important history is for conservatism, and how history is reconstituted according to changing circumstances. It goes on to examine in detail values which are key to conservatism, such as patriotism, Christianity and religious life, and the traditional model of the family, the importance of the sovereign national state within globalization, and the emphasis on a strong paternal state, featuring hierarchy, authority and political continuity. The book concludes by analysing how far states in the region are experiencing a common trend and whether different countries’ conservative narratives are reinforcing each other or are colliding.


The Russian Economic Grip on Central and Eastern Europe

The Russian Economic Grip on Central and Eastern Europe

Author: Ognian Shentov

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2018-10-08

Total Pages: 246

ISBN-13: 1351109375

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This book is about the use of economic and state capture levers for achieving political clout. It details how Moscow has been able to exploit governance deficits and influence decision-making in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe through a range of economic means. The comparative country by country perspective on Russia’s corporate presence, trade, and investment in particular sectors of the region, especially energy, shows the patterns of the Kremlin’s use of economic presence and state capture tactics to amplify political and social leverage. By collating economic data with an analysis of governance loopholes and the political process, the authors reveal the Kremlin’s methods for swaying national policies, especially through the exploitation of governance failures in these countries. The book thereby highlights how Russia’s economic power is related to its wider strategic goals. It concludes that Russia’s economic grip, both direct and indirect, is tighter than official statistics imply.


Book Synopsis The Russian Economic Grip on Central and Eastern Europe by : Ognian Shentov

Download or read book The Russian Economic Grip on Central and Eastern Europe written by Ognian Shentov and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-10-08 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is about the use of economic and state capture levers for achieving political clout. It details how Moscow has been able to exploit governance deficits and influence decision-making in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe through a range of economic means. The comparative country by country perspective on Russia’s corporate presence, trade, and investment in particular sectors of the region, especially energy, shows the patterns of the Kremlin’s use of economic presence and state capture tactics to amplify political and social leverage. By collating economic data with an analysis of governance loopholes and the political process, the authors reveal the Kremlin’s methods for swaying national policies, especially through the exploitation of governance failures in these countries. The book thereby highlights how Russia’s economic power is related to its wider strategic goals. It concludes that Russia’s economic grip, both direct and indirect, is tighter than official statistics imply.


Russia And Eastern Europe After Communism

Russia And Eastern Europe After Communism

Author: Michael Kraus

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2019-06-04

Total Pages: 326

ISBN-13: 1000310558

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The conference on "Russia and East Europe in Transition," held at Middlebury College in May 1994 under the auspices of the Center for Russian and East European Studies, provided the impetus for this volume. The two-day gathering was made possible by a Title VI grant from the U.S. Department of Education and the Jessica Swift Endowed Lecture Fund of Middlebury College, for which we are most grateful. Apart from the contributors to this volume, the conference participants included: George Bellerose, Raymond E. Benson, Valery Chalidze, Michael Claudon, David Colander, Guntram H. Herb, Lars Lib, Tamar Mayer, Noah M.J. Pickus, Sunder Ramaswamy, David A. Rosenberg, and Mitchell Smith. Acting as discussants, panel chairs, or interested participants, their efforts, individually and collectively, have made this a better book and their contribution to this project is gratefully acknowledged.


Book Synopsis Russia And Eastern Europe After Communism by : Michael Kraus

Download or read book Russia And Eastern Europe After Communism written by Michael Kraus and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-06-04 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The conference on "Russia and East Europe in Transition," held at Middlebury College in May 1994 under the auspices of the Center for Russian and East European Studies, provided the impetus for this volume. The two-day gathering was made possible by a Title VI grant from the U.S. Department of Education and the Jessica Swift Endowed Lecture Fund of Middlebury College, for which we are most grateful. Apart from the contributors to this volume, the conference participants included: George Bellerose, Raymond E. Benson, Valery Chalidze, Michael Claudon, David Colander, Guntram H. Herb, Lars Lib, Tamar Mayer, Noah M.J. Pickus, Sunder Ramaswamy, David A. Rosenberg, and Mitchell Smith. Acting as discussants, panel chairs, or interested participants, their efforts, individually and collectively, have made this a better book and their contribution to this project is gratefully acknowledged.


Democracy and Myth in Russia and Eastern Europe

Democracy and Myth in Russia and Eastern Europe

Author: Alexander Wöll

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2007-10-18

Total Pages: 262

ISBN-13: 1134089074

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In the absence of democratic state institutions, eastern European countries were considered to possess only myths of democracy. Working on the premise that democracy is not only an institutional arrangement but also a civilisational project, this book argues that mythical narratives help understanding the emergence of democracy without ‘democrats’. Examining different national traditions as well as pre-communist and communist narratives, myths are seen as politically fabricated ‘programmes of truth’ that form and sustain the political imagination. Appearing as cultural, literary, or historical resources, myths amount to ideology in narrative form, which actors use in political struggles for the sake of achieving social compliance and loyalty with the authority of new political forms. Drawing on a wide range of case studies including Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia, this book argues that narratives about the past are not simply ‘legacies’ of former regimes but have actively shaped representations and meanings of democracy in the region. Taking different theoretical and methodological approaches, the power of myth is explored for issues such as leadership, collective identity-formation, literary representation of heroic figures, cultural symbolism in performative art as well as on the constitution of legitimacy and civic identity in post-communist democracies.


Book Synopsis Democracy and Myth in Russia and Eastern Europe by : Alexander Wöll

Download or read book Democracy and Myth in Russia and Eastern Europe written by Alexander Wöll and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2007-10-18 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the absence of democratic state institutions, eastern European countries were considered to possess only myths of democracy. Working on the premise that democracy is not only an institutional arrangement but also a civilisational project, this book argues that mythical narratives help understanding the emergence of democracy without ‘democrats’. Examining different national traditions as well as pre-communist and communist narratives, myths are seen as politically fabricated ‘programmes of truth’ that form and sustain the political imagination. Appearing as cultural, literary, or historical resources, myths amount to ideology in narrative form, which actors use in political struggles for the sake of achieving social compliance and loyalty with the authority of new political forms. Drawing on a wide range of case studies including Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia, this book argues that narratives about the past are not simply ‘legacies’ of former regimes but have actively shaped representations and meanings of democracy in the region. Taking different theoretical and methodological approaches, the power of myth is explored for issues such as leadership, collective identity-formation, literary representation of heroic figures, cultural symbolism in performative art as well as on the constitution of legitimacy and civic identity in post-communist democracies.


Live & Work in Russia and Eastern Europe

Live & Work in Russia and Eastern Europe

Author: Jonathan Packer

Publisher: Vacation Work Publications

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 333

ISBN-13: 9781854581914

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A reference for those interested in finding temporary or permanent work, starting a business or living in Russia or one of the Eastern European countries. It features information on the local way of life and explains how to tackle the inevitable red tape.


Book Synopsis Live & Work in Russia and Eastern Europe by : Jonathan Packer

Download or read book Live & Work in Russia and Eastern Europe written by Jonathan Packer and published by Vacation Work Publications. This book was released on 1998 with total page 333 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A reference for those interested in finding temporary or permanent work, starting a business or living in Russia or one of the Eastern European countries. It features information on the local way of life and explains how to tackle the inevitable red tape.


Understanding Energy Security in Central and Eastern Europe

Understanding Energy Security in Central and Eastern Europe

Author: Wojciech Ostrowski

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2018-04-09

Total Pages: 240

ISBN-13: 1317311043

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The purpose of this book is to move beyond the approach which views energy as a purely geopolitical tool of the Russian state and assumes a 'one size fits all' approach to energy security in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). It argues that in order to fully understand Russian involvement in the regional energy complex, the CEE-Russian energy relationship should be analysed in the context of the political and economic transitions that Russia and the CEE states underwent. The chapters on individual countries in the book demonstrate that, although Russia has and will continue to play a substantial role in the CEE energy sector, the scope of its possible influence has been overstated.


Book Synopsis Understanding Energy Security in Central and Eastern Europe by : Wojciech Ostrowski

Download or read book Understanding Energy Security in Central and Eastern Europe written by Wojciech Ostrowski and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-04-09 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this book is to move beyond the approach which views energy as a purely geopolitical tool of the Russian state and assumes a 'one size fits all' approach to energy security in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). It argues that in order to fully understand Russian involvement in the regional energy complex, the CEE-Russian energy relationship should be analysed in the context of the political and economic transitions that Russia and the CEE states underwent. The chapters on individual countries in the book demonstrate that, although Russia has and will continue to play a substantial role in the CEE energy sector, the scope of its possible influence has been overstated.


Russia on the Danube

Russia on the Danube

Author: Victor Taki

Publisher: Central European University Press

Published: 2021-09-21

Total Pages: 388

ISBN-13: 963386383X

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One of the goals of Russia’s Eastern policy was to turn Moldavia and Wallachia, the two Romanian principalities north of the Danube, from Ottoman vassals into a controllable buffer zone and a springboard for future military operations against Constantinople. Russia on the Danube describes the divergent interests and uneasy cooperation between the Russian officials and the Moldavian and Wallachian nobility in a key period between 1812 and 1834. Victor Taki’s meticulous examination of the plans and memoranda composed by Russian administrators and the Romanian elite underlines the crucial consequences of this encounter. The Moldavian and Wallachian nobility used the Russian-Ottoman rivalry in order to preserve and expand their traditional autonomy. The comprehensive institutional reforms born out of their interaction with the tsar’s officials consolidated territorial statehood on the lower Danube, providing the building blocks of a nation state. The main conclusion of the book is that although Russian policy was driven by self-interest, and despite the Russophobia among a great part of the Romanian intellectuals, this turbulent period significantly contributed to the emergence, several decades later, of modern Romania.


Book Synopsis Russia on the Danube by : Victor Taki

Download or read book Russia on the Danube written by Victor Taki and published by Central European University Press. This book was released on 2021-09-21 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the goals of Russia’s Eastern policy was to turn Moldavia and Wallachia, the two Romanian principalities north of the Danube, from Ottoman vassals into a controllable buffer zone and a springboard for future military operations against Constantinople. Russia on the Danube describes the divergent interests and uneasy cooperation between the Russian officials and the Moldavian and Wallachian nobility in a key period between 1812 and 1834. Victor Taki’s meticulous examination of the plans and memoranda composed by Russian administrators and the Romanian elite underlines the crucial consequences of this encounter. The Moldavian and Wallachian nobility used the Russian-Ottoman rivalry in order to preserve and expand their traditional autonomy. The comprehensive institutional reforms born out of their interaction with the tsar’s officials consolidated territorial statehood on the lower Danube, providing the building blocks of a nation state. The main conclusion of the book is that although Russian policy was driven by self-interest, and despite the Russophobia among a great part of the Romanian intellectuals, this turbulent period significantly contributed to the emergence, several decades later, of modern Romania.


Eastern Europe!

Eastern Europe!

Author: Tomek E. Jankowski

Publisher: New Europe Books

Published: 2014-05-20

Total Pages: 600

ISBN-13: 0985062339

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Eastern Europe! is a brief and concise (but informative) introduction to Eastern Europe and its myriad customs and history. When the legendary Romulus killed his brother Remus and founded the city of Rome in 753 BCE, Plovdiv -- today the second-largest city in Bulgaria -- was already thousands of years old. Indeed, London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Madrid, Brussels, Amsterdam are all are mere infants compared to Plovdiv. This is just one of the paradoxes that haunts and defines the New Europe, that part of Europe that was freed from Soviet bondage in 1989 which is at once both much older than the modern Atlantic-facing power centers of Western Europe while also being in some ways much younger than them. Even those knowledgeable about Western Europe often see Eastern Europe as terra incognita, with a sign on the border declaring "Here be monsters." This book is a gateway to understanding both what unites and separates Eastern Europeans from their Western brethren, and how this vital region has been shaped by, but has also left its mark on, Western Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. Ideal for students, businesspeople, and those who simply want to know more about where Grandma or Grandpa came from, Eastern Europe! is a user-friendly guide to a region that is all too often mischaracterized as remote, insular, and superstitious. Illustrations throughout include: 40 photos, 40 maps and 40 figures (tables, charts, etc.) From the Trade Paperback edition.


Book Synopsis Eastern Europe! by : Tomek E. Jankowski

Download or read book Eastern Europe! written by Tomek E. Jankowski and published by New Europe Books. This book was released on 2014-05-20 with total page 600 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Eastern Europe! is a brief and concise (but informative) introduction to Eastern Europe and its myriad customs and history. When the legendary Romulus killed his brother Remus and founded the city of Rome in 753 BCE, Plovdiv -- today the second-largest city in Bulgaria -- was already thousands of years old. Indeed, London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Madrid, Brussels, Amsterdam are all are mere infants compared to Plovdiv. This is just one of the paradoxes that haunts and defines the New Europe, that part of Europe that was freed from Soviet bondage in 1989 which is at once both much older than the modern Atlantic-facing power centers of Western Europe while also being in some ways much younger than them. Even those knowledgeable about Western Europe often see Eastern Europe as terra incognita, with a sign on the border declaring "Here be monsters." This book is a gateway to understanding both what unites and separates Eastern Europeans from their Western brethren, and how this vital region has been shaped by, but has also left its mark on, Western Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. Ideal for students, businesspeople, and those who simply want to know more about where Grandma or Grandpa came from, Eastern Europe! is a user-friendly guide to a region that is all too often mischaracterized as remote, insular, and superstitious. Illustrations throughout include: 40 photos, 40 maps and 40 figures (tables, charts, etc.) From the Trade Paperback edition.