Civil society in Central and Eastern Europe

More about the book

The Changing Europe series features edited volumes focused on political, economic, and social issues in Eastern Europe and the expanded EU. It primarily consists of contributions from the Changing Europe Summer Schools organized by the Research Centre for East European Studies at the University of Bremen. Edited by Dr. Sabine Fischer, Dr. Heiko Pleines, and Prof. Dr. Hans-Henning Schröder, the series employs a variety of empirical cases to explore the multifaceted role and development of civil society in Central and Eastern Europe. The book is structured into several parts: the first examines dissent under socialism; the second investigates civil society's role in the Western Balkans amid the disintegration of Yugoslavia and associated ethnic conflicts. The third part addresses civil society in the post-Soviet region, characterized by authoritarianism. The fourth part analyzes the influence of EU accession on civil society in Central Eastern Europe, alongside the theme of a ‘common European memory.’ Finally, the book presents two case studies—one from Central Eastern Europe and another from the CIS region—focusing on political participation and lobbying by civil society organizations. This volume showcases papers from the Changing Europe Summer School on ‘Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe’ held at NAUKMA, Ukraine, in July 2009.