On the east-west slope : globalization, nationalism, racism and discourses on Central and Eastern Europe

Melegh's work offers a powerful analysis of the sociological and symbolic meanings of East-West in Europe after the end of the Cold War. Melegh exposes the underbelly of liberal characterizations of East-West, highlighting the polarizing effect of extreme nationalism and ethnic racism. The theoretical underpinnings of this work involve the ideas of preeminent theorists such as Karl Mannheim, Michel Foucault and more recently Maria Todorova and Iver Neumann. The importance of this work lies in its ability to cast into fine relief how the "East-West Slope" oriented negatively from West to East has emerged from liberal characterizations of this project. In addition this is one of the first attempts to link post-colonial analysis to developments in Eastern Europe. While The Fundamental Poles Of East And West Remain, Both Their Meaning And Their Relationship To One Another Have Shifted Profoundly Since The Late 1970s. Melegh Offers A Powerful Analysis Of The Sociological And Symbolic Meanings Of East-west In Europe After The End Of The Cold War. This Book Exposes The Underbelly Of Liberal Characterizations Of East-west, Highlighting Its Polarizing Effect Related To Extreme Nationalism And Ethnic Racism.--jacket. Liberal Humanitarian Utopia And Eastern And Central Europe -- Exclusions East And West : Population Discourses And The Civilizational Slope -- Floating East : Eastern And Central Europe On The Map Of Global Institutional Actors -- I Am Suspicious Of Myself : East-west Narratives At The Turn Of The Millenium -- Conclusion. By Attila Melegh. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [199]-213) And Index. Melegh's work offers a powerful analysis of the sociological and symbolic meanings of East/West in Europe after the end of the Cold War. While the fundamental poles of East and West remain, both their meaning and their relationship to one another have shifted profoundly since the late 1970s. Melegh exposes the underbelly of liberal characterizations of East/West, highlighting the polarizing effect of extreme nationalism and ethnic racism. The theoretical underpinnings of this work involve the ideas of preeminent theorists such as Karl Mannheim, Michel Foucault and more recently Maria Todorova and Iver Neumann Frontmatter List of Tables (page vii) Acknowledgments (page ix) Preface (page 1) CHAPTER 1. Liberal humanitarian utopia and Eastern and Central Europe (page 9) CHAPTER 2. Exclusions "East" and "West". Population discourses and the civilizational slope (page 49) CHAPTER 3. Floating East. Eastern and Central Europe on the map of global institutional actors (page 97) CHAPTER 4. I am suspicious of myself. East-West narratives at the turn of the millenium (page 127) CONCLUSION The Sociology of the East-West slope and the recomposition of Eastern Europe (page 189) Bibliography (page 199) Index (page 215)