Introduction

In very much the same spirit in which the New School had created a University in Exile in the early 1930s, where scholars fleeing Hitler's Europe could pursue their work, in early 1990 the Graduate Faculty, direct descendant of that same safe haven, launched its East and Central Europe Program (ECEP). The initial goal was to assist scholars who were trying to free the social sciences in their respective post-Communist countries from the constraints so long imposed by ideology and isolation. ECEP built upon the efforts of Graduate Faculty members in the 1980s - sometimes working semi- clandestinely - to help support scholars and intellectuals in Poland and Hungary who were already trying to address some of the anticipated problems of democratization. Expanding on those original ties, ECEP has evolved into a trusted partner throughout the region in efforts to revitalize scholarly life in the social sciences. Our long-standing awareness of the region's intellectual capital, the dynamic and multifaceted situation of academia in the post-Communist countries, and the constant feedback from our long-time colleagues there, compelled us - early on in the process - to re-think traditional approaches to academic assistance and support. In the course of our collaborations we have learned that the building of a viable system of education and research in the social sciences and the strengthening of democratic discourse are mutually supportive in each country. We are fortunate to have at the Graduate Faculty (GF) a core group of faculty members participating in ECEP who are interested not only in the region itself but in the broader issues of civil society and democracy. With their help, and in collaboration with our counterparts in the region, we have been able to conduct projects that further the East and Central Europe Program's original goals. As new challenges arise - both in Europe and in America - and as our circle of collaborators and friends widens (now in 23 countries of the region), our mix of endeavors continually evolves. In 1997 ECEP became part of the Transregional Center for Democratic Studies (TCDS).

Narrative history of the Program

Our projects:

• Visiting Faculty and Students at the New School University:

• Curriculum Activities in the Regions:

• Projects initiating and supporting joint research projects and encouraging young scholars to stay in the academic community by engaging them in international collaborative projects:

• Projects cultivating a multifaceted forum (conferences, lecture series, publications) for on-going discussion of the ideas of democratization and for a broader exchange of ideas between American and East European scholars are:

• Our publications: