The Kremlin and the media Maria Lipman   On coming to power, Vladimir Putin set about restricting the freedoms that Russian media enjoyed under Yeltsin. After the protests of 2011–12, …

The transformation of Germany and east central Europe after 1989 Philipp Ther   The strength of the German economy is often attributed to the shock therapy of the 1990s. But …

Deceptions and scams in the age of Trump Sidney Tarrow   ‘Deep fakes’ – the latest phase in the use of artificial intelligence to simulate reality – are increasingly being …

Corruption, everyday managing and civic mobilization in post-socialist Romania Jill Massino The strategies that Romanians employ to negotiate the capitalist economy are much like those they used under socialism. Nepotism …

Wojciech Siegień Concerned to avert a ‘singing revolution’ in Russia, the Kremlin has co-opted the country’s independent music scene. Apolitical and nihilistic, it is doubtful whether Russian artists could ever …

The Trump–Ukraine controversy in perspective Nataliya Gumenyuk   Coverage of the Trump–Ukraine controversy has focused on the political fall-out in the US. But the harm done to Ukraine may be …

Adam Ramsay An investigation by openDemocracy into the financing of the Brexit campaign in 2016 has raised far-reaching questions about connections between neoliberal elites, the tech industry and the private …

Hopes of a smooth transition from ‘goulash communism’ to market economies have long since been dashed by the ‘post-Soviet mafia-state’ in Hungary. But to what extent are liberal intellectuals themselves …

The Czech Republic’s leading theologian, dissident and philosopher speaks out on the debate as to whether to have the funeral of the recently deceased singer Karel Gott in the national …

PRAGUE (Reuters) – Fizzled investments, cyber security warnings and a Prague mayor defying Beijing by forging his own diplomatic path are muddying inroads China has made into the Czech Republic …

Czech Republic, Spain, Norway and Belgium after the EP elections After May’s elections, Prague saw the largest public demonstration since the Velvet Revolution. The country now hosts the strongest Pirate …

Many Russians were happy to exchange the freedoms of the 1990s for a stream of oil money and a concept of ‘order’ guaranteed by a paternalistic leader. Putin’s popularity may …

Interviewed by Ludger Hagedorn, Czech political scientist Pavel Barša makes the case for a balance between the ideals of liberalism and collective sovereignty. Barša argues that individual freedom and civil …

Disinformation in the EP election Although the Kremlin did try to interfere in European politics, focusing on Russia is misleading. Since some governments in the European Union are more interested …