When the West Meets the East: Exploring Ethnic Diversity in Eastern Europe

Abstract

This articles analyses the factors shapping nationalism in Eastern Europe with a particular attention to the post-Soviet states.

This is an introductory article for a special issue of the Nationalities Paper, which consists of six academic papers, which were delivered by the RIME project (2003-06) run by the University of Birmingham and then Warwick, UK.

All the contributions aim to establish what role, if any, western concepts of multiculturalism, minority rights, discrimination and, where appropriate, xenophobia and racism play in shaping domestic discourses and policy making in the countries concerned. The effects of the transposition of Western concepts are assessed against the background of inter-ethnic relations and state policies on ethnic relations.

Keywords: nationalism, nation-state, Eastern Europe, Post-Soviet states, national identity, minorities, xenophobia, racism, Ukraine, Georgia