Central Europe Revisited: Why Europe's Future Will Be Decided in the Region

Cover
Half Title
Series Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgements
Prologue: The geopolitical space between Germany and Russia and the rediscovery of the Mediterranean
1. Where victory in the cold war began…
	The breakthrough and its consequences
	Definitions of the concept of Central Europe
	The difficult relationships with neighbours
	Central Europe’s cultural identity
	History as a means to the construction of identity
	“Us” and “the others”
	Quo vadis Europe?
2. Central Europe: The long journey to integration
	Upheaval in the communist states
	No blueprints for Central Europe
	The long shadow of history
	The importance of regional co-operation
	The fragile stability of Central Europe
	Co-operation in Central and South-East Europe
		1 strategy - 12 priority areas
3. The EU expands eastwards
	On aspirations to freedom and life in the market economy
	The arrogance of the west
	The undervalued role of culture
	A Europe of variable speeds
	The significance of the visegrád group
	The European conundrum
	Ten measures for designing a new Europe
		Ten measures for reforming Europe
4. The crises at contested borders
	Between blocks and between epochs
	Ukraine
	Belarus
	Moldavia
	Imagining the Balkans as part of Europe
	The hurdles in the way of western Balkan integration in Europe
5. Powerful neighbours: Guarantee or danger?
	The foreign policy players in Europe
	A geopolitical patchwork
	On the need for restructuring European security
6. Nationalism without end?
	No resolution to boundary disputes
	Pawns in the hands of the great powers?
	The new nationalism
	Fewer borders, more solidarity
7. The economy as engine of development and mirror of its problems
	Economic integration – Mostly a success story
	Factors promoting or hindering growth
	Dangers for political stability
	The Danube: A missed opportunity?
	Economic and political initiatives for co-operation
	The opportunities of globalisation
8. The role of religion
	The Mediterranean as cradle of European culture
	Confrontation with orthodoxy – An unresolved schism
	Europe and Islam: “Society” versus “Community”
	The integration of Islam in Europe
	Migration, a herculean task for Europe
9. Migration: On moving in and moving out
	The importance of borders
	The challenge of migration for the EU
	Pluralism, a fundamental strength of Europe
10. The contribution of Central Europe to Europe’s future
	Austria and the Czech Republic – A complicated relationship
	The necessary dialogue with civil society
	A Europe of values instead of a Europe of markets
	Replacing the idea of “dominant culture” with the dialogue of civil society
	The ambivalent heritage of Central Europe
	From the periphery into the heart of Europe
	European integration on hold
	Central Europe: The future of Europe
Epilogue: Democratic development in Central Europe
	Direct democracy and populism
	The missed chances for regional co-operation
	Political errors
	The danger of a divided Europe
Bibliography
Index