How Small Countries in Central Europe Help Answer Big Questions of Politics

Inaugural Lecture of Professor Tim Haughton

Join Professor Tim Haughton for his inaugural lecture on "How Small Countries in Central Europe Help Answer Big Questions of Politics" with an introduction from Professor Nick Vaughan-Williams. 

We live in turbulent times. Democracy appears under threat, voters have lost faith in established political parties and politicians employing populist appeals have grown in popularity. Scholars, journalists and commentators often draw on the experiences of large and well-known countries when exploring and explaining the challenges faced by democracies. But smaller and less well-known cases are often better guides. Central and Eastern Europe has been on a rollercoaster journey over the past three decades: democratization, marketization, integration into Western clubs, the Great Recession, democratic erosion, a pandemic and war in Ukraine. 

Drawing on the experiences of the region, this lecture will explore why party politics is so volatile, why democracies are under pressure, and why there are some signs of resilience and sources of optimism in these turbulent times. 

Closing remarks will be given by Professor Stefan Wolff. The event will be followed by a drinks reception.

You can register for a Zoom link by emailing coss-communications@contacts.bham.ac.uk