Lukes in The Globe Post on Protests in the Czech Republic
Igor Lukes, Professor of International Relations and History at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, published a recent article examining whether political protests in the Czech Republic can lead to meaningful change.
The article, entitled “Can Czech Republic’s Massive Protests Translate into Real Political Change?” was published in The Globe Post on June 25, 2019.
From the text of the article:
The Czech economy is going great guns, and the capital Prague – with its ancient palaces, churches, and golden spires – attracts armies of tourists who come to spend happily and with abandon. The country has enjoyed a degree of prosperity that is without precedent. Yet, its public squares are full of angry protesters reminiscent of the famous Velvet Revolution of 1989 that brought down the old regime and freed the country after 40 years of Moscow-imposed communism.
Why do successful citizens protest in the middle of their lucky streak? It is a paradox that deserves explaining. But first some background.
The Poles resisted communism from the moment the Red Army entered their country at the end of the war. In 1980, they formed Solidarity, an independent trade union that helped delegitimize Soviet rule over Eastern Europe and brought about its dissolution 30 years ago. It was in Poland that communism was defeated, and it was the Poles who gave the impetus for the collapse of the Soviet bloc.
Igor Lukes writes primarily about Central Europe. His publications deal with the interwar period, the Cold War, and contemporary developments in East Central Europe and Russia. His work has won the support of various other institutions, including Fulbright, Fulbright-Hays, the Woodrow Wilson Center, IREX, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. In 1997 Lukes won the Metcalf Award for Excellence in Teaching at Boston University.