L'Europe Centrale et Orientale: terroir de la recherche en science politique

Abstract

The paper is a transcription of the speech given by the author in acceptance of the title of doctor honoris causa of the University of Bucharest. The discourse is at the same time a personal statement of commitment to the study of Central and Eastern European politics and society, and an appraisal of the problématique of the researches conducted in and on the area. The assertion is that, despite a relative decline of the intellectual interest in the region of mainstream political science, Central and Eastern Europe might still provide valuable insights into the core issue of the discipline: the nature and predicament of democracy, the production of political regimes, how do cleavages appear and how they can be observed, how does politics affect the make-up of societies.