Legacies of Communism? Russia and Eastern Europe since 1989/91: A Reassassnent

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Brief Description

Recent political and social developments in Eastern Europe and the post-Soviet space haven been contradictory. Countries have seen a resurgence of authoritarian rule, autocracy, populist rhetoric and illiberal values, while others, like Georgia and Ukraine, have experienced large-scale protests and the overthrow of authoritarian regimes. Paradoxically, both instability and
authoritarianism are characteristic of post-communism. The roundtable will examine to what extent authoritarian tendencies may be interpreted as legacies of communist rule or as products of the post-communist transformation. The interdisciplinary discussion will advance our understanding of post-communism and contribute to debates about authoritarianism and the rise of populism in the 21st century. The roundtable will thus address questions of relevance to European, Eurasian and, indeed, to global politics.

Sub Unit

• History: Russian and Eurasian, since 1924

Chair

• Jan Claas Behrends, Center for Contemporary History (Germany)

Roundtable Members

• Michael H. Bernhard, U of Florida

• Stefano Bottoni, U of Florence (Italy)

• Michael David Kennedy, Brown U

• Karen Petrone, U of Kentucky