Citizenship in an enlarging Europe: from dream to awakening

Abstract

Citizenship in an Enlarging Europe considers the impact of economic, political and social transformation in Central and Eastern Europe in the context of EU enlargement. In a lively and engaging narrative, Barbara Einhorn uses gender as the lens through which to examine the processes of democratization, marketization and newly emergent nationalism, revealing the centrality of gender to these processes and the ways in which rigid codes of masculinity and femininity limit individuals' choices. Including an examination of mainstream politics versus the promotion of civil society as routes to empowerment and participation, this study highlights the growing public-private divide in the region, pinpointing the negative influences of the neo-liberal market model and its gendered media representations. With great clarity, Einhorn reveals the relevance of fully active citizenship within a vibrant civil society as a measure of democracy and gender equitable societies. Now available in paperback, this new edition includes a substantial new introduction, which revisits the central issues regarding citizenship in the European Union after the second round of enlargement in 2007 (after the hardback edition was published). In particular it address the role of nationalism, gender mainstreaming policies, and migration, making specific reference to Bulgaria and Romania.