Liberal Nationalism in Central Europe

Multiple democracies: political cultures and democratic variety in post-enlargement Europe

“…In Auer's view, it is necessary to identify various types of nationalism, some of which are evidently illiberal, but others largely compatible with liberal democracy. In the case of at least some of the post-communist transformations, these have contributed to democracy's relative success (Auer 2004). Similarly, Kymlicka has argued that in conventional liberalism the issue of identity is ignored, rendering its relevance in Central and Eastern Europe problematic given the high prominence of ethnocultural diversity in the region.…”

Managing Diversity : Practices of Citizenship

“…Otherwise there is a danger that the very term "post-national politics" will signify rejection of the particular and vernacular, the ties that have bound people together in webs of solidarity, democracy, and identity that make up the nation state. Liberal nationalism recognizes the continuing importance of anchoring universal values in the actual experience of people with national citizenship and state-building (see Auer 2004).…”

The Normalisation Regime and its Impact on Slovak Domestic Policy after 1970

“…While the extraordinary Congress of the KSS (26-27 August 1968) did decide on the removal from the Central Committee of the most prominent representatives of the hard-line wing, including its most active representative, Vasil Bil'ak, at the same time the Congress became the official forum for Party consolidation in Slovakia when, under the command of the new first secretary of the Slovak communists Gusta´v Husa´k, its delegation prevented the legitimisation of the extraordinary party congress in Prague. The victory of the former reformist politician and concerning the effects of the past on post-communist policy in this region (Auer 2004;Bugajski 1994;Cohen 1999). 2 There were a few exceptions however, including Michal Chudı´k, then speaker of the Slovak National Council (Slovenska´na´rodna´rada).…”

“…On the contrary, in the case of Slovakia in the 1990s nationalism was used for the legitimisation of semi-authoritarian methods of government. Due to their suspicious attitude towards the West and liberalism, post-communist nationalists could find a common language with the representatives of right-wing nationalism appealing to the fascist Slovak Republic in 1939-1945(Auer 2004. A new, civic and pro-European Slovak nationalism has emerged only recently in the context of Slovakia's admission to the EU and NATO.…”