How the former USSR has transformed
The collapse of the Soviet Union brought about a great deal of change in the region which has been a focus of much research. One area that had not been fully explored is the relationship between social and political change and democratization in the former Soviet states. An EU-funded project, TRANSFOR (Transition versus Transformation: comparing paths to democratic change in the former USSR using case study based evidence from civil society, international aid and domestic politics) investigated this topic. An international and intercultural team of researchers was formed. The collaboration explored how post-Soviet consolidation has functioned across the region. Work involved research coordination, collaborations between organisations and training. The training included network partners becoming familiar to different work culture and disciplinary focus. Workshops and conferences took place to discuss findings and enable further collaboration. Dissemination also occurred through joint publications and follow-up activities. TRANSFOR has managed to create experts in the field who can pave the way for future studies.
Keywords
Civil society, post-Soviet consolidation, Soviet Union, international politics, domestic politics
