Intellectuals and Politics in Central Europe
Edited by András Bozóki,
Central European University, Budapest
"A unique insight into the supportive and/or critical
oppositional relationship between the Central and Southern
European intellectuals and their regimes." - Nations
and Nationalism
"An interesting, insightful, and quite edgy collection
of essays" - Slavic Studies
Discussing the role of intellectuals in the political
transition of the late 1980s and early 1990s and their
participation in the political life of the new democracies
of Central Europe, this book presents original essays
from authors who discuss the eight countries in the
region.
In the Introduction, the editor gives a historical
overview of the tradition of the political involvement
of intellectuals in these countries, especially in the
nineteenth century. The chapters which follow describe
the typical political and social attitude of Central
European intellectuals, including writers, poets, artists,
and scientists. A unique feature of the book is that
it deals not only with the role of intellectuals in
the preparation of the peaceful revolutions in the individual
countries, but also critically analyzes their role in
the transition and their behavior in the emerging democracies.
The most striking phenomenon, common to all the countries
studied, is the disillusionment of intellectuals and
their disappointment in the years following the transition,
a period when the role of prophet should be replaced
by that of politician for those who have chosen to stay
in politics. This phenomenon has, in general, been much
less subjected to systematic study than the role of
intellectuals in the changes themselves.
Contributors:
Ivan Bernik, University of Ljubljana * József Böröcz,
Rutgers University* András Bozóki, Central European
University, Budapest * Irina Culic, University of Cluj-Napoca
* Nenad Dimitrijevic , Central European University,
Budapest * Helena Flam, University of Leipzig * Marian
Kempny, Polish Academy of Sciences * Ándrás Körösényi,
Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest * Bill Lomax,
University of Nottingham * AlinaMungiu-Pippidi, Romanian
Academic Society; University of Bucharest * Edward K.
Snajdr, University of Pittsburgh * Aviezer Tucker, Palacky
University, Olomouc
Contents
Introduction. Part 1: Exits from communism:
the strategies of intellectuals Part 2: Politics
of identity: political intellectuals in the new democracy
Part 3: The rhetoric of action: the power and poverty
of critical intellectuals
1998
248 pages
ISBN 978-963-9116-22-1 cloth $49.95 / €42.95 / £33.00
ISBN 978-963-9116-21-4 paperback $21.95 / €18.95 / £13.95
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