In Between Europe
The In Between Europe podcast discusses politics and current events in in Central Europe. Hosted by Zselyke Csaky and Gergely Romsics
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#24 Judicial Independence in Hungary
12/17/2019
#24 Judicial Independence in Hungary
In the last episode of 2019, we look at the state of play in the judiciary in Hungary and what the most recent amendments mean for rule of law and the independence of the court system. To make sense of it all, we are joined by Dávid Vig, the director of Amnesty International Hungary and Ágnes Kovács, a lecturer at ELTE’s Department of Human Rights and Politics. History minute: The history of courts in Hungary Resources: , Joint report by Amnesty International Hungary & Hungarian Helsinki Committee, 10 July 2019 , Amnesty International Hungary, 19 November 2019 , Zoltan Simon, Bloomberg, 16 November 2019 , Kriszta Kovács & Kim Lane Scheppele, Communist and Post-Communist Studies, Vol. 51, Issue 3, September 2018 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#23 Visegrad and Growth in Europe
11/19/2019
#23 Visegrad and Growth in Europe
This episode is a forward-looking one, which builds on our previous discussion about the economic legacy of the transition. We discuss a new report from Visegrad Insight titled “European Futures,” the current state of EU budget negotiations when it comes to Central Europe, and the impact of regional politics on the economy. Guests: Daniel Gros, director of CEPS; Wojciech Przybylski, editor-in-chief of Visegrad Insight; and Tomasz Kaszprowicz, economic editor of Res Publica Resources: , CEPS and Visegrad Insight, October 2019 , European Union , Balkan Insight, 13 November 2019 , Politico Europe, 4 November 2019 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#22 Transition@30: The Economic Legacy
10/17/2019
#22 Transition@30: The Economic Legacy
In this episode we talk to Dóra Győrffy, a professor at the Pázmány Péter Catholic University in Hungary, about the economic legacy of the transition. We take stock of the frontrunners and those who did things by the book implementing neoliberal reforms, but we also touch on the failures, and the apparent decoupling of political and economic success. Resources: , Dóra Győrffy, Palgrave Macmillan, 2018 , Dóra Győrffy, In: Jensen, J; Miszlivetz, F (eds.) Reframing Europe’s future : challenges and failures of the European construction, Routledge, 2015, pp. 93–114 , Ben Hall, The Financial Times, 16 October 2019 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#21 EP Elections in the Visegrad Four
05/28/2019
#21 EP Elections in the Visegrad Four
This episode is the first segment of a two-part series with Talk Eastern Europe (TEE) on the results of the European Parliament elections in Central Europe. We talk to Edit Zgut, a visiting lecturer at the Center for Europe in the University of Warsaw and discuss the V4 and what is next for the opposition in Hungary and Poland. Stay tuned for part two on Bulgaria, Romania, and more Poland with TEE! History minute: The Left That’s Not There — Social Democratic Parties in Central Europe Resources: , European Parliament , Edit Zgut, Politico Europe, 21 May 2019 , Marcin Zaborowski & Wojciech Przybylski, Visegrad Insight, 27 May 2019 , New Eastern Europe, 2019 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#20 Presidential Elections in Slovakia
04/03/2019
#20 Presidential Elections in Slovakia
Progressive newcomer Zuzana Caputova secured a surprise victory in Slovakia’s presidential elections this past weekend. We talk about what led to her success and what it means for the future of the country with Oľga Gyárfášova, the director of the Institute of European Studies and International Relations at Comenius University in Bratislava. History minute: Presidents and their Powers Resources: , Olga Gyarfasova, Visegrad Insight, 27 April 2018 , Dariusz Kalan, Foreign Policy, 28 March 2019 , Emily Tamkin, Washington Post, 1 April 2019 , Olga Gyarfasova, New Perspectives, Volume 26, Nr. 1/2018 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#19 What Future for the Media in Central Europe?
03/03/2019
#19 What Future for the Media in Central Europe?
We’re back! Here with us today is Marius Dragomir, the director of the Center for Media, Data, and Society at Central European University (CEU) and we discuss the crisis-ridden media environment in the region. Despite the doom and gloom around the failure of the old business model and increasing political control, there are some good examples emerging that provide reason for optimism. History minute: Media Pluralism in an Authoritarian Regime Resources: , Center for Media, Data, and Society, CEU, 2019 , Marius Dragomir, Journalism, Vol. 19, Issue 8, 2018 , Lenka Kabrhelova, Nieman Lab for Journalism, 27 February 2019 , Zselyke Csaky, Visegrad Insight, December 2017 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#18 Energy and Energy Security in Central Europe
12/18/2018
#18 Energy and Energy Security in Central Europe
In a long-awaited episode we tackle the important question of energy security in the Central European region. For this, we talk to András György Deák, senior fellow at the Institute of World Economy of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and a former consultant to several large energy companies in the region. History minute: The Function of the Economic Clout Resources: , Expert Forum / NED, May 2017 , Rick Noack, The Washington Post, October 2018 , David Koranyi, Foreign Policy, February 2018 , Ivan T. Berendt, Révue Économique, Année 2000, 51–2, pp. 315–322 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#17 Central European Futures
11/20/2018
#17 Central European Futures
In this episode we discuss a new report titled Central European Futures — Five Scenarios for 2025 that maps five possible futures for the region and offers insight as well as recommendations. A true discussion starter! The guests on the show are Joerg Forbrig, a director and senior transatlantic fellow at the German Marshall Fund and Wojciech Przybylski, the editor in chief of Visegrad Insight. History Minute: The Strange Case of Hybrid Alignments Resources: , Visegrad Insight, 2018 Recommended podcast: , New Eastern Europe, 2018 Subscribe via .
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#16 Slovenia's Politics = Normal?
09/16/2018
#16 Slovenia's Politics = Normal?
We talk to Aljaž Pengov Bitenc, a Slovenian journalist and fellow podcast host in this episode and navigate the not-so-choppy waters of Slovenian politics together. We talk about the outcome of the recent elections, the failure of Orbanization, the lack of illusions but also extremes, and many more. History minute: The Ambiguity of National History Resources: : A blog on Slovenian politics , Slavoj Žižek, The Independent, 4 June 2018 , Associated Press, 13 September 2018 , Nations in Transit, 2018 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#15 Slovakia and the Coming post-Fico Era
08/22/2018
#15 Slovakia and the Coming post-Fico Era
We’re back! In this episode we are talking to Milan Nič, a senior fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations. We discuss what has happened in Slovakia since the horrific murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancé this spring, how much influence does Russia have in the country, and where Slovak politics is going once former prime minister Robert Fico decides to fully retire.
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#14 Elections in Hungary: What Next?
04/14/2018
#14 Elections in Hungary: What Next?
We talk to Zsuzsanna Szelényi, an independent MP in the outgoing Hungarian parliament to make sense of Fidesz’s third supermajority and explore the future trajectory of Hungary’s politics. History Minute: Gramsci and the Rural Vote in Hungarian History Resources: , Zsuzsanna Szelényi, Visegrad Insight, 2 April 2018 , Zselyke Csaky, Foreign Policy, 12 April 2018 , Milan Nic & Peter Krekó, DGAP, 11 April 2018 , Antonio Gramsci, 1926 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#13 Special Episode: Memory Politics
03/15/2018
#13 Special Episode: Memory Politics
In this special episode we bring you an extended history minute. Gábor Egry, a historian at the Institute for Political History in Budapest is our guide as we try to construct a more nuanced interpretation of the current Polish memory row and touch on nation building and history building in Romania and Hungary. Resources: , Claus Leggewie, 20 December 2010, Eurozine , Heidemarie Uhl, 20 April 2017, European Network of Remembrance and Solidarity , Institute of Political History Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#12 What Will 2018 Bring for Central Europe?
01/24/2018
#12 What Will 2018 Bring for Central Europe?
Welcome to 2018! In this episode we look back at the tumultuous events of last year and discuss what 2018 has in store for the region. Our guest is Tsveta Petrova, faculty at the European Institute at Columbia University, where she teaches and advises the MA students in European History, Politics, and Society. History minute: The EU — an organization for democracies, not for democracy promotion Resources: , Freedom House, 2018 , Wojciech Sadurski, Sydney Law School Research Paper №18/1 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#11 Hungary — Illiberal or non-liberal?
12/11/2017
#11 Hungary — Illiberal or non-liberal?
This is a special episode that features a discussion and review of two books about contemporary Hungarian politics. In the first half, we tackle veteran journalist Paul Lendvai’s new book about Viktor Orbán, while in the second half, we discuss the system that Orbán has built up since 2010 with András Lászlo Pap, a constitutional scholar and research chair at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. History minute: The agent-structure problem in democratic backsliding Resources: , Paul Lendvai, Hurst Publishers, 2017 , András L. Pap, Routledge, 2017 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#10 When EU Funds Go Awry
11/06/2017
#10 When EU Funds Go Awry
In this episode, we talk with Balázs Váradi, an economist and cofounder at the Budapest Institute for Policy Analysis and we discuss the (obscure) funding mechanisms of the European Union and their use and abuse. While corruption has always been an issue with cohesion funds, Brexit and the looming reform of the union could fundamentally change these mechanisms in the long term. History minute: Backwardness and its historical context Resources: , Budapest Institute, Anita Győrfi, Tamás Molnár, Petra Reszkető, Balázs Váradi, 31 August, 2016 , KPMG, 2016 , European Commission , Eszter Zalan, EUObserver, 24 October 2017 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#9 Elections in Czechia — A Quick Take
10/23/2017
#9 Elections in Czechia — A Quick Take
The Czech elections have brought a number of smaller and bigger surprises over the weekend, including the comfortable victory of a billionaire businessman and the rise of antiestablishment parties. In this episode, we talk to Michael Colborne, a journalist based in Prague, and Sean Hanley, a senior lecturer at University College London (UCL). We ask them about the mood in Prague and implications for the trajectory of Czech democracy. History minute: The East Central European Pendulum Resources: , Idnes.cz, 22 October 2017 , Sean Hanley, LSE EUROPP Blog, 16 October 2017 , Martin Ehl, Visegrad Insight, 22 October 2017 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#8 What's Going on in Visegrad?
09/28/2017
#8 What's Going on in Visegrad?
We tackle the Visegrad Four cooperation in this episode, talking about its past, present, and future with Wojciech Przybylski, the editor in chief of Visegrad Insight and chairman of Res Publica Nowa. The V4 group made up of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia has received much attention since the European migration crisis broke out in 2015. This attention, however, might have overshadowed the fact that Visegrad has often found it hard to stake out common positions and that its role, in a coming potential multi-speed Europe, could be upended even more. History minute: Why Central Europe matters — at least for Central Europeans Resources: , Visegrad Group official website , VoteWatch Europe, Visegrad Insight, 15 May 2017 , Nézőpont Intézet, 14 September 2017 , Lili Bayer, Politico Europe, 31 August 2017 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#7 Corruption in Romania
09/01/2017
#7 Corruption in Romania
In this episode we talk about corruption trends and the trajectory of the anticorruption fight in Romania with Laura Stefan, an anticorruption expert with the Romanian think tank Expert Forum. Laura tells us about the incentives in Romania’s political system that sustain corruption and the potential problems stemming from the use of criminal law to tackle an ultimately political issue. History minute: Historical determinism meets norm entrepreneurship Resources: , Daniel Brett, LSE EUROPP Blog, 2 February 2017 , annual report, Expert Forum, 2017 , Alina Mungiu-Pippidi, European Center for Anticorruption and State Building, 2017 , Nations in Transit 2017 country report, Freedom House, 2017 [Graduation], Cristian Mungiu, 2016 [Why Me?], Tudor Giurgiu, 2015 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#6 The Numbers Game in the Age of Information Warfare
08/10/2017
#6 The Numbers Game in the Age of Information Warfare
We tackle propaganda, fake news, and numbers in general in this episode. For this enormous task, we talk to freelance Canadian journalist Michael Colborne, who is currently based in Prague and has written for Coda Story, Al-Jazeera, CBC, and others. History minute: Traditions of mistrust and distrust in East Central Europe Resources: , Michael Colborne, 27 April 2017 , Michael Colborne, 11 June 2017 , Globsec, May 2017 , Joe Parkinson & Georgi Kantchev, WSJ, 23 March 2017 , May 2017 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#5 Law and Justice in Poland (Part II)
07/13/2017
#5 Law and Justice in Poland (Part II)
This is the second part of In Between Europe’s explainer on what is happening to the independent judiciary in Poland with Christian Davies of the Guardian. In part I, we looked at the big picture, while in this episode we go down the nitty-gritty of laws and the main ideas around democracy and separation of powers. History minute: The Failure of Democratic Processes in Interwar Poland in Resources: , Christian Davies, The Guardian, 16 February 2016 , Marcin Matczak, Verfassungsblog, 23 June 2017 , Laurent Pech & Kim Lane Scheppele, Verfassungsblog, 3 March 2017 , Annabelle Chapman, The Spectator, 21 July 2016 , Zselyke Csaky, Freedom at Issue, 19 December 2016 God’s Playground: A History of Poland, Norman Davies, Oxford University Press, 1981 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#4 Law and Justice in Poland (Part I)
07/09/2017
#4 Law and Justice in Poland (Part I)
In this episode we address recent developments in Poland and the threat to judicial independence since Law and Justice came to power with Christian Davies of the Guardian. This is only part I of a mega Poland explainer — part II will go more into detail on what has happened to the Constitutional Tribunal and other judicial organs. History minute: The Failure of Democratic Processes in Interwar Poland Resources: , Christian Davies, The Guardian, 16 February 2016 , Marcin Matczak, Verfassungsblog, 23 June 2017 , Laurent Pech & Kim Lane Scheppele, Verfassungsblog, 3 March 2017 , Annabelle Chapman, The Spectator, 21 July 2016 , Zselyke Csaky, Freedom at Issue, 19 December 2016 God’s Playground: A History of Poland, Norman Davies, Oxford University Press, 1981 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#3 Austria — the Country that Gave Us Muddling Through as an Expression
06/14/2017
#3 Austria — the Country that Gave Us Muddling Through as an Expression
We focus on Austrian politics in this third episode, talking to Anton Pelinka, a professor of political science at the Budapest-based Central European University. Austria has received much attention recently due to problematic presidential elections and a strong comeback by the far-rightist Freedom Party. We talk about how things got here and about potential changes to the Austrian political field ahead of parliamentary elections later this year. History minute: Conflicting Traditions of Austrian Democracy Resources: , Matthew Karnitschnig, Politico Europe, 12 May 2017 , Benjamin Opratko, JacobinMag, 10 December 2016 , Anton Pelinka, The Journal of the International Institute, University of Michigan, 2001 , Anton Pelinka, Routledge, 2002 , The World of the Habsburgs, Habsburger.net Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#2 Are the Czechs Having a Populist Moment?
05/18/2017
#2 Are the Czechs Having a Populist Moment?
In this episode we talked with Martin Ehl, the chief international editor of the economic daily Hospodarske noviny. We covered all things Czech Republic, including the ongoing government crisis, instability in Czech politics, and the chances of Orbanization in the near future. History minute: Švejk and anti-elitism Resources: , Martin Ehl, Visegrad Insight, 5 May 2017 , Benjamin Cunningham, Politico Europe, 29 October 2015 , Ondrej Cisar, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, January 2017 , Jiří Pehe, Heinrich Böll Stiftung, 2014 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#1 Extremism in Hungary
05/14/2017
#1 Extremism in Hungary
In this first episode of the In Between Europe podcast, we discussed extremism and xenophobia in Hungary and the interesting trajectory of the infamous Jobbik party with Bulcsú Hunyadi, a senior analyst at Political Capital. History Minute: Resentment and exclusion in 20th century Hungary Resources: , Political Capital , Dániel Róna and Gergely Karácsony, Journal of East European and Asian Studies, 2011 , Political Capital, April 28, 2017 , Anne Applebaum, The New Yorker, November 11, 2013 , Zselyke Csaky, Freedom at Issue, October 4, 2016 , Menyhért Lakatos, 2015 Subscribe via . Our iTunes listing is pending but should be live soon.
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