Democracy is a precondition for membership of the European Union (EU). What are the chances for democracy in the post-communist states of central and eastern Europe? The first section states arguments of doubters; the second and third present fresh empirical evidence from nation-wide surveys of...

There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that negative health lifestyles are the principal social determinants of the mortality crisis in the former socialist states. Little is known, however, about health lifestyles in Central Asia, where the downturn in life expectancy was also...

This paper considers the creation of a new region in Europe since the opening of the borders following the so-called "revolutions" in East-Central Europe. The "buffer zone" consists of a privileged group of post-Communist countries sandwiched between some of the most affluent countries of the...

This analytical report addresses the important question concerning the extent to which quality of work influences people’s overall quality of life. More specifically, the report undertakes a detailed analysis of how working conditions, job satisfaction and work–life balance affect life...