After decades as the official 'ruling class' of ostensible 'workers' states, ' labor in Eastern Europe has fallen dramatically. Although the painful consequences of market transformation have hit workers hardest of all, protests have been surprisingly few and ineffective. More than ten years after the start of the transition, trade unions are among the weakest institutions of postcommunist society, unable to influence policymaking or secure material rewards for workers. Why, given unprecedented political freedoms coupled with such adverse economic change, has labor been so quiescent since the fall of communism in Eastern Europe? And what are the political consequences of that weakness for societies trying to build lasting democracies? This book, through the use of comparative case studies, explores the causes, extent, significance, and implications of this weakness. The ten cases-Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine-focus on the status of trade unions and the relationship between labor and politics in each country. Comprising a full array of postcommunist societies, these countries represent a wide variation in labor institutions, political experiences, and economic outcomes. In their introduction and conclusion the editors consider structural, sociological, and ideational explanations for labor decline in the postcommunist era and assess the impact of that weakness on the consolidation of democracy in the region.

With the upsurge of nationalist sentiment in post-communist societies, the problem of political rights for ethnic minorities became a dangerous flashpoint. The introduction of electoral competition, the rewriting of constitutions, the breakup of federations, the weakness of civic institutions, and the social and economic dislocations associated with marketization have all contributed to the salience of majority-minority relations. This collection systematically analyzes different models of minority politics in Eastern Europe, in an effort to understand why tensions are manageable in some contexts, uncontainable in others. Anchoring the volume are essays by Carlos Flores Juberias on electoral systems, and Janusz Bugajski on national minority parties. Six case studies examine the interaction of different types of institutional arrangements (which structure political participation) and different demographic conditions (ethnic balances and territorial concentrations) in Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, and Romania. Framing these studies are overviews by the editors and by Jack Snyder.

LOL is a common sense approach to improving your self and your life. There is no "secret" here but rather many perspectives and philosophies to set you on a path of evolution. Unlike other books in the genre, LOL knits wisdom from a myriad of backgrounds with anecdotal and worldly experience. You have a unique story to tell but it might be hidden among the blur of the masses. Jonathan Stein shares his unique life story to help you uncover your distinct life apart from the crowd. Humour mixed in the right amount keeps this profound book lighthearted. If you are looking for a change in attitude, life, dreams or just are curious about what else is possible, LOL is for you. It was written for a wide range of people who might be experiencing challenges. Learn how to benefit from your past, appreciate the present and be excited for the future! Live and love life!

Some frightening things have been happening to Jim Salvino. Certain people, very bad people, are interested in his help. It's 1985. Steel is dying and Jim, who brokers the foreign variety, is visiting Miami. Recovering from a rough divorce, full of confusion about himself and with a hot Italian temper, he just may be ready to play. But as he becomes more and more deeply involved and starts to resolve his own ambivalence he begins to unravel the many layers of deceit enmeshing him. A ship from South America is moving closer and his options are getting fewer-and scarier. The action moves between the Brazilian jungle, Rust Belt snow and a cooking Miami sun, and it's propelled by real characters, smart guys, tough guys and beautiful women, all full of complexity and hidden motives-and capable of anything when the stakes are high enough.