Why we must go beyond the “backsliding paradigm”

Seán Hanley, Associate Professor in Comparative Central and East European Politics, UCL SSEES and Licia Cianetti, Research Fellow at the Royal Holloway University of London, argue why we must move beyond the “backsliding paradigm” by demonstrating how it can lead to reproducing, in reverse, the transition paradigm. They draw on lessons from East-Central Europe to propose a broader focus. Continue reading Why we must go beyond the “backsliding paradigm”

Does Eastern Europe have lessons for Brexit Britain?

Seán Hanley, Senior Lecturer in Comparative Central and East European Politics at UCL, examines lessons learned from historical political change in Central and East Europe, and asks whether any parallels can be drawn with post-Brexit Britain. In the aftermath of the EU referendum a number of Central and South East Europeanists wrote blogs reflecting on possible parallels between Brexit and break-ups of multinational socialist states … Continue reading Does Eastern Europe have lessons for Brexit Britain?

Has liberalism gone missing in East Central Europe, or has it always been absent?

The refugee crisis highlights that it is time to reassess the contribution of East Central Europe’s mainstream parties of ‘liberals’ who are better at winning elections than at being liberal. James Dawson and Seán Hanley, experts in Central and East European politics at UCL, investigate. Images from Hungary showing security forces turning tear gas and water cannon on refugees from behind a newly fortified border … Continue reading Has liberalism gone missing in East Central Europe, or has it always been absent?