In this ambitious work, Bennett Kovrig lucidly traces the economic, political and ideological developments that have characterized U.S. relations with Eastern Europe since World War II. Kovrig provides a refreshingly objective examination of the complex evolution of events that led to the end of the cold war. His account of the days prior ro America's global confrontation with the U.S.S.R. when U.S. interests in Eastern Europe were minimal, of the economic and psychological warfare of the cold war, and of the growing diversity of Eastern European nations that contributed to the upheavals of 1989 offers a rich and comprehensive background to the current scenario.

Exploring the controversies and problems surrounding post-communist transitions, this innovative volume brings together a distinguished group of political scientists, economists, historians, and sociologists. Within a strong theoretical framework, the book moves between general issues of transitology and specific analyses. Hungary, a state that has weathered political and economic transition more successfully than most, is used as the volume's case study for illuminating both comparative and regional issues. By bridging the divide between area studies and comparative politics, this book will be a key resource for advanced students and for scholars in East-European/post-communist studies, comparative politics, and international relations.