A new edition of this book is now available. Now in a fully updated edition, this essential text explores the other half of Europe―the new and future members of the European Union along with the problems and potential they bring to the region and to the world stage. Clear and comprehensive, it offers an authoritative and up-to-date analysis of the transformations and realities in Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltics, and Ukraine. Divided into two parts, the book presents a set of comparative country case studies as well as thematic chapters on key issues, including EU and NATO expansion, the economic transition and its social ramifications, the role of women, persistent problems of ethnicity and nationalism, and political reform. New to this edition is a chapter on Albania. Leading scholars provide the historical context for the current situation of each country in the region. They explain how communism ended and how democratic politics has emerged or is struggling to emerge in its wake, how individual countries have transformed their economies, how their populations have been affected by rapid and wrenching change, and how foreign policy making has evolved. For students and specialists alike, this book will be an invaluable resource on the newly democratizing states of Europe. Contributions by: Federigo Argentieri, Mark Baskin, Elez Biberaj, Janusz Bugajski, Valerie Bunce, Zsuzsa Csergo, Jane L. Curry, Daina Stukuls Eglitis, Sharon Fisher, John Gledhill, Charles King, Taras Kuzio, Ronald Linden, Paula Pickering, Marilyn Rueschemeyer, Jeffrey Simon, Joshua Spero, and Sharon L. Wolchik. “Wolchik (George Washington Univ.) and Curry (Santa Clara Univ.) have edited a useful textbook designed for undergraduate classes that includes chapters dedicated to various themes and countries in Central and East Europe. The first section surveys the political transition, the efforts to re-create the free market economy, the problems raised by ethnic diversity and nationalist sentiment, women's participation in post-communist politics, and the accession to NATO and the EU. The second section includes in-depth case studies of Poland, the Czech and Slovak Republics, Hungary, the Baltic states, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Ukraine, and the former Yugoslav republics. . . . Recommended. General readers, undergraduate students, graduate students, and research faculty.” ― Choice Reviews “A useful text and reference book. These essays are at their best in serving both area study and political sociology.” ― Slavic Review “Wolchik and Curry have assembled an all-star cast of experts for an authoritative assessment of the progress the region has made toward liberal democracy and a market economy in the last two decades. The book's particular strength is to cast the process in terms of a return to Europe. It thus pays attention not only to crucial developments in domestic politics but also to the influence of important international actors. Another exceptionally useful feature is the inclusion of essays that address important issues cross-nationally, as well as in-depth studies of each country individually, making the book especially valuable to students and scholars interested in the politics of the region and those interested in the interaction between domestic issues and global political and economic forces.” ―Michael Bernhard, Pennsylvania State University “This is a straightforward and lucid overview of the paths taken away from communism by Central and East European states. The authors effectively address the domestic and international influences on the course of political development in the former communist states. The book is highly recommended to anyone who wants a clear picture of a complex and important region and its constituent parts.” ―Zvi Gitelman, University of Michigan Sharon L. Wolchik is professor of political science at George Washington University. Jane L. Curry is professor of political science at Santa Clara University. Used Book in Good Condition