1. www.esf.org Central and Eastern Europe beyond Transition: Convergence and Divergence in Europe Forward Look Final Conference Berlin, 16 February 2011 Karen Henderson, University of Leicester, Silvia Miháliková, Comenius University

2. www.esf.org Origins of project ESF Strategic Workshop Budapest May 2008 ‘Beyond Transition’ Looking at future research agendas Decision to apply for ESF ‘Forward Look’ Scientific committee from different EU countries and social sciences

3. www.esf.org ESF Forward Looks Flagship activity of ESF’s strategic arm Medium to long-term analyses of future research agendas Aim of defining research agendas at national and European level Meeting + location and date3

4. www.esf.org General objectives Summing up the ‘state-of-the-art’ of research in selected disciplinary areas of the project Defining the scientific challenges in the field Presenting a vision for medium and long term research directions Identifying stakeholders key to realising the vision Providing targeted recommendations for actions Defining follow-up mechanisms Meeting + location and date4

5. www.esf.org Why a Forward Look? Previous ESF initiatives have looked at research infrastructure in CEE The FL will look at the content of research agendas Setting new frontiers in social science research on Central and Eastern Europe Meeting + location and date5

6. www.esf.org Why now? 1990s: ‘transition phase’ looked at fall of communism and analysing subsequent changes 2000s: ‘consolidation phase’ where European integration begins to dominate research agendas Forward Look: Post-integration agendas Meeting + location and date6

7. www.esf.org Why ‘convengence and divergency’? The FL considered research agendas looking specifically at CEE countries AND......hopes to input into transnational research agendas, which means reassessing convergence and divergence Removing the normative assumption that convergence with Western Europe is the major aim of social development in CEE… …and looking at the domestic dynamic of change The CEE countries are not the ‘other’ in the EU; post-communist democratisation after 1989 is one of the most common democratisation paths in the EU Meeting + location and date7

8. www.esf.org Foci of research Assessing the consequences of the communist experience Investigating the consequences of rapid transition and radical social change (positive and negative) Critically evaluating the effects of the EU integration process Foresight into future developments Meeting + location and date8

9. www.esf.org Areas addressed Economics Social structure Democratic institutions Local governance within CEE states that are ESF members Meeting + location and date9

10. www.esf.org Some major challenges Tight timeframe for the project Complex nature of ‘state of the art’ survey Adaptation of foresight methods for broad geographic and discipline field Meeting + location and date10

11. www.esf.org Work schedule Oct 2009: First Scientific Committee meeting Dec 09: Survey begins (Dec 09-July 10) 4-5 Feb 2010: Workshop I, Bratislava 13-14 May 2010: Workshop II, Leicester 24-25 June 2010: Workshop III, Sofia Feb 2011: Consensus conference, Berlin June 2011: Publication of Science Policy Briefing and final report Oct 2010-April 2012: Outreach activities Meeting + location and date11

12. www.esf.org Challenges of the foresight method... Difficult for social scientists - immediately identify methodological complexities So identify current issues rather than factors causing change Very broad thematic area Imposed external agenda Meeting + location and date12

13. www.esf.org Output Creativity – where are we going – a CEE perspective Generating new research questions: challenging assumptions on relations between old and new EU How should future research be structured? What new inputs are required? Meeting + location and date13

14. www.esf.org Today and tomorrow... Overview of other agenda-setting exercises in Europe Introduction of the survey Tomorrow’s scenarios Project recommendations Meeting + location and date14