The Grooves of Change: Eastern Europe at the Turn of the Millennium

Running the risk of repeating myself, I will once again restate the title of my review and describe "Grooves of Change" as a uniquely fine book written by a fine man and an excellent teacher. I had the pleasure of taking two courses with J. F. Brown at the American University in Bulgaria last fall, both of which were more or less based on the material covered in the book. It presents a substantial and thorough analysis of the dynamics currently in process in Eastern Europe; written in a lucid and easy to comprehend wording, this masterpiece of post-Soviet East-European studies is also the most readable work on this region that I have so far encountered. The bulk of the book is focused on the 20th century developments in Eastern Europe after the breakup of the Habsburg and the Ottoman Empires. Carefully assessing all factors playing part in the political and socio-economic processes in the region, and following them closely but without lapsing into too much boring detail, Brown has managed to determine the exact balance between factology and analysis to make "Grooves of Change" both a pleasant and an educational reading. An interesting concept is developed in the section of the book devoted to the relations of Eastern Europe with the Soviet Union in the aftermath of WW II. Analyzing Communist rule in the region and reflecting on the reasons for the ultimate failure of Kremlin to establish effective and lasting domestic regimes, Brown develops the concept of "cohesion and viability" as teh two Soviet objectives in the region. For him, the reason underlying the ousting of Communist governments in Eastern Europe was grounded in the failure of the Soviet leaders to find the exact balance between these two while trying to come up with a consistent East European policy.The book also gives the readers a close look into the development of democracy in the region, discussing the obstacles and impediments hindering its progress, its interrelation with the globalizing forces on the one hand, and the omnipresent ethnic factor on the other as a major challenge to its survival. An instructive discussion of the Yugoslav wars as an indicator that something was obviously going wrong with the transition in the region adds to the value of the book. The minority issue is given due significance and a coverage that it rightfully deserves. In view of the latest bloody conflicts that have taken place subsequent to the fall of Communism, it is indeed high time that people start heeding these issues. Thus, I find it admirable that authors like J.F.Brown have devoted their professional careers to untangling these complicated matters. To make the long story short: I personally enjoyed every page of this masterfully written peice. Read it yourself; it will in all probability profoundly impact your understanding of the regional processes and dinamics. Such an understanding will be vital for the future not only of the region per se, but also for its intercation with the rest of