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Book abstract:
With the end of the Soviet Union came the desire of the former Communist states to rejoin Europe, and the contemporary meaning of 'Central Europe' and of its role in the wider process of European integration, is the main question for this volume. The contributions are based on papers presented at the fourth Eleni Nakou Foundation, which was established in 1990 with the aim of promoting cultural contact and understanding between European peoples.
Leading historians, specialists in art and literature, economists and political scientists from East and West give a wide ranging picture of this complicated region at the turn of the century. Russian and German commentators explain the view from Moscow and Berlin. The essays are completed by an afterword from the Croatian novelist Slavenka Drakulic.
The chapters are grouped under a number of headings. Historical background includes three essays: Central Europe - the rise and fall of an historical region; Central Europe in art history; and Is there a Central European identity in literature? The second section, Interrupted progress, looks at discontinuity in Central and South-Eastern Europe, examining the self-image and perception of history of the region as being constantly at the mercy of others leading to a strong sense of powerlessness. The second essay in this section reflects on the theme of continuity and discontinuity, particularly looking at today's Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia. The third section, Economic factors, considers the question of whether the region is the backyard of Western Europe and considers the centrality or otherwise of the Central European economies within Europe. The fourth section looks at the current issues and possible consequences for joining an enlarged European Union. Section five looks at the view from Moscow and Berlin, focussing on the future role for Russia and German foreign policy towards Eastern Central Europe. Finally, section six examines issues of identity. Contributors include academics, politicians and civil servants from various European countries and the United States.
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