Publisher's Synopsis
This new volume charts the discussions and debates which have led to the rediscovery of "Central Europe" within the political cultures of Eastern and Western Europe alike. The first section looks at the historical, intellectual, cultural and political traditions which have been cited in defence of a distinctly Central European identity and sensibility. From their various standpoints, the authors suggest that countries and cultures now divided by post–war geo–political boundaries in fact have common traditions and experiences which implicitly challenge these boundaries. In their attempts to give new meaning to the idea of Central Europe, the authors accord a central place to the roles played by "democracy" and "civil society". In the second section, the context in which the assertion of a central European identity has assumed so much importance for societies under Soviet domination is discussed and debated. Whether the traditions and values of Russia are qualitatively different from those of Central Europe is a pivotal issue addressed by the authors. This work is a contribution to the study of European history and culture. It will should interest students and academics in European Soviet history, culture and politics, and the informed general reader.
