Central and Eastern Europe beyond Transition: Convergence and Divergence in Europe

1. Central and Eastern Europe beyond Transition: Convergence and Divergence in Europe Forward Look Final Conference Berlin, 16 February 2011 Karen Henderson, University of Leicester, Silvia Miháliková, Comenius University

2. Origins of project • ESF Strategic Workshop Budapest May 2008 ‘Beyond Transition’ • Looking at future research agendas • Decision to apply for ESF ‘Forward Look’ • Scientific committee from different EU countries and social sciences

3. ESF Forward Looks • Flagship activity of ESF’s strategic arm • Medium to long-term analyses of future research agendas • Aim of defining research agendas at national and European level Meeting + location and date

4. General objectives • Summing up the ‘state-of-the-art’ of research in selected disciplinary areas of the project • Defining the scientific challenges in the field • Presenting a vision for medium and long term research directions • Identifying stakeholders key to realising the vision • Providing targeted recommendations for actions • Defining follow-up mechanisms Meeting + location and date

5. Why a Forward Look? • Previous ESF initiatives have looked at research infrastructure in CEE • The FL will look at the content of research agendas • Setting new frontiers in social science research on Central and Eastern Europe Meeting + location and date

6. Why now? • 1990s: ‘transition phase’ looked at fall of communism and analysing subsequent changes • 2000s: ‘consolidation phase’ where European integration begins to dominate research agendas • Forward Look: Post-integration agendas Meeting + location and date

7. Why ‘convengence and divergency’? • The FL considered research agendas looking specifically at CEE countries AND... • ...hopes to input into transnational research agendas, which means reassessing convergence and divergence • Removing the normative assumption that convergence with Western Europe is the major aim of social development in CEE… • …and looking at the domestic dynamic of change • The CEE countries are not the ‘other’ in the EU; post-communist democratisation after 1989 is one of the most common democratisation paths in the EU Meeting + location and date

8. Foci of research • Assessing the consequences of the communist experience • Investigating the consequences of rapid transition and radical social change (positive and negative) • Critically evaluating the effects of the EU integration process • Foresight into future developments Meeting + location and date

9. Areas addressed • Economics • Social structure • Democratic institutions • Local governance within CEE states that are ESF members Meeting + location and date

10. Some major challenges • Tight timeframe for the project • Complex nature of ‘state of the art’ survey • Adaptation of foresight methods for broad geographic and discipline field Meeting + location and date

11. Work schedule • Oct 2009: First Scientific Committee meeting • Dec 09: Survey begins (Dec 09-July 10) • 4-5 Feb 2010: Workshop I, Bratislava • 13-14 May 2010: Workshop II, Leicester • 24-25 June 2010: Workshop III, Sofia • Feb 2011: Consensus conference, Berlin • June 2011: Publication of Science Policy Briefing and final report • Oct 2010-April 2012: Outreach activities Meeting + location and date

12. Challenges of the foresight method... • Difficult for social scientists - immediately identify methodological complexities • So identify current issues rather than factors causing change • Very broad thematic area • Imposed external agenda Meeting + location and date

13. Output • Creativity – where are we going – a CEE perspective • Generating new research questions: challenging assumptions on relations between old and new EU • How should future research be structured? • What new inputs are required? Meeting + location and date

14. Today and tomorrow... • Overview of other agenda-setting exercises in Europe • Introduction of the survey • Tomorrow’s scenarios • Project recommendations Meeting + location and date