Central Europe Thirty Years after the Fall of Communism: A Return to the Margin?

The book explores Central Europe's politics and international relations after the fall of communism, focusing on the Visegrád Four countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia). It examines the challenges and dependencies these countries face, including differences in their approach to the European Union and the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on political discourses.

Format: Hardback
Length: 226 pages
Publication date: 15 June 2022
Publisher: Lexington Books

This comprehensive book delves into the intricate politics and international relations of Central Europe, known as the Visegrád Four, three decades after the fall of communism. Once united by a shared geopolitical aspiration to rejoin the West, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia have now found themselves in a more complex and ambiguous position. The 2015 European migration crisis brought to light significant normative differences with Western Europe, sparking a collective rebellion among the V4 countries against the European Union's migration policies. Despite this rift and the democratic backsliding observed in some of these nations, the book highlights their continued deep dependence on the West in both symbolic and material terms. Furthermore, the individual positioning of Central European states towards the West displays notable variations, influenced by their distinct political and cultural legacies. The author explores these differences in separate country chapters, while also offering a chapter that examines the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on political discourses within the V4. This insightful analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of the complex dynamics shaping Central Europe's relationship with the West and its implications for regional and global politics.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781498599610