The Convolutions of Historical Politics

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“ is the first comparative study of the politics of The Convolutions of Historical Politics memoryincontemporaryEasternEurope. PuttingarangeofEastEuropeancasestudies in a wider pan‐European context, this excellent collection of essays shows how and why history politics has recently re‐emerged as a major element of foreign and domes‐ tic policies in Eastern Europe. Contributors explore the ways in which multiple agents and institutions construct and disseminate historical narratives not only within, but also across national boundaries. The essays highlight both broad common trends, as well different specific approaches to instrumental uses of history, and thereby make a majorcontributiontothestudyofmemorypoliticsfromatransnationalperspective.” —VeraTolz, Sir William Mather Professor of Russian Studies, the University of Manchester, UK “This volume provides essential insights into the enduring importance of the contested past in institutionalized democracies like Germany and Japan, in fragile democracies in Eastern Europe, and in hybrid regimes like Russia. It is a very timely book: if the current crisis in European integration deepens, it may undermine the advances in historical reconciliation in 'Old Europe' at the national and inter‐state levels and further exacerbate the politicization of history in Eastern Europe and Russia. A crucial method to offset this threat is to understand the complex sources and charac‐ ter of divisive historical politics in the post‐communist era. This outstanding work providestheconceptualtoolsandempiricaldetailtoaccomplishthisessentialtask.” —Thomas Sherlock, Professor of Politics, United States Military Academy, West Point. Author of Historical Narratives in the Soviet Union and Post‐Soviet Russia (Palgrave‐McMillan, 2007) “This is the first thoroughly conceived analysis of practices, actors and institutions of historical politics in Eastern and Central Europe. Based on long term research and seen against the background of the evolution of politics of history in some other major countries of the world in the second half of the twentieth century, this remarkable collection of articles is to be highly recommended to all those who are painfully aware of the particular complexity of the link between history, politics and 'collective memory' in post‐Soviet Eastern andCentral Europe.” —Jutta Scherrer, Directeur d'études, Ecole des hautes études en sciences sociales, Paris, France Central European University Press Budapest–NewYork Sales and information: ceupress@ceu.hu Website: http://www.ceupress.com ...