The Politics of a Disillusioned Europe

Moving from the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 to the present day, this book traces the trajectory of the six East Central European former satellites of the Soviet Union (Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria) that have joined the European Union. It seeks in particular to explain these countries' disenchantment with the return to Europe in spite of their significant advances. The book proceeds country by country and then devotes chapters to some contemporary issues, such as minorities, migration, and the relations of these new members with the European Union as a whole. The book eschews theory and is intended for a general audience, including students at all levels in political science and history classes devoted to the EU and to contemporary Europe, and to an academic and practitioner audience interested in world affairs and the evolution of the European Union. The book strives to fill a persistent knowledge gap in the English-speaking world concerning East Central Europe, and to offer fresh insights about the region in the context of contemporary geopolitics.

Presents a concise history of Central and Eastern Europe since 1989 Seeks to understand the region's disenchantment with the EU as a result of political and economic circumstances Offers thought-provoking observations regarding the adoption of neo-liberal economics by the countries concerned

Auteur

André Liebich is Honorary Professor of International History and Politics at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Switzerland.

Résumé
"The scientific contribution of the book is credible and welcomed. ... it contains extensive footnotes, which has not only references but also supplementary considerations and explanations. ... The author's effort to characterize all these countries' political, social, and economic evolution is remarkable. ... Throughout the book, clear language is used, easy to understand by the specialists and the general public." (Gabriel Camara, Southeast European and Black Sea Studies, May 12, 2022)

Contenu

1. Introduction.- 2. Poland.- 3. Hungary.- 4. Czech Republic.- 5. Slovakia Romania.- 6. Bulgaria.- 7. Minorities.- 8. Migration.- 9. The European Union.- 10. Conclusion.