In this timely volume, Rachel A. May and Andrew K. Milton have assembled an array of scholars from different disciplines to examine transitional governments in Eastern Europe and Latin America. Although policy makers and scholars often conflate them, the processes of democratization and the institutionalization of human rights are interactive, and the successful completion of each requires the parallel development of both. Drawing on specific political conditions and organized around topics such as the media, political parties, and political violence, (Un)Civil Societies broadens the discussion about democratization both thematically and geographically. This book is a valuable resource for students of comparative politics and anyone interested in the ongoing dialogue about human rights and democracy.

Originally published in 1990, Polish Journalists: Professionalism and Politics is a study of how, in the face of constant political instructions and restrictions, Polish journalists act as independent forces in their society. Based on a survey of Polish journalists and interviews carried out with working journalists and editors before and after the Solidarity era, as well as published and unpublished studies, documents, and discussions, the book examines how individuals who go into journalism come to think of themselves as journalists, create a strong community of fellow professionals, and work publicly and privately to protect their own interests and serve their own goal of being the 'watchdogs and advocates for a better society'. In doing this, the book answers questions of how groups come to be independent critical forces lobbying for their own interests and influencing broader public policy when the ideology denies their existence.

Originally published in 1990, Polish Journalists: Professionalism and Politics is a study of how, in the face of constant political instructions and restrictions, Polish journalists act as independent forces in their society. Based on a survey of Polish journalists and interviews carried out with working journalists and editors before and after the Solidarity era, as well as published and unpublished studies, documents, and discussions, the book examines how individuals who go into journalism come to think of themselves as journalists, create a strong community of fellow professionals, and work publicly and privately to protect their own interests and serve their own goal of being the 'watchdogs and advocates for a better society'. In doing this, the book answers questions of how groups come to be independent critical forces lobbying for their own interests and influencing broader public policy when the ideology denies their existence.

In this timely volume, Rachel A. May and Andrew K. Milton have assembled an array of scholars from different disciplines to examine transitional governments in Eastern Europe and Latin America. Although policy makers and scholars often conflate them, the processes of democratization and the institutionalization of human rights are interactive, and the successful completion of each requires the parallel development of both. Drawing on specific political conditions and organized around topics such as the media, political parties, and political violence, (Un)Civil Societies broadens the discussion about democratization both thematically and geographically. This book is a valuable resource for students of comparative politics and anyone interested in the ongoing dialogue about human rights and democracy.

This is a history of Poland's post-World War II Communist era, that approaches the transition from Communism to democracy through an analysis of Poland's political crises, beginning with the 1956 uprising and culminating in the 1990 collapse of the former Communist regime.