The Idea of Central Europe ― Geopolitics, Culture and Regional Identity

Central Europe is one of the key notions of classical geopolitics yet it has always been a somewhat elusive concept. Originally perceived as a plan for a German dominated political and economic union, it subsequently emerged to threaten leaders in the East and West in a variety of forms. Otilia Dhand provides a critical examination of the concept of Central Europe, from its early inception to the present day. Making extensive use of archival material, she shows how successive manifestations of Central Europe - of whatever vintage have failed to bring about their intended changes on the international structure, and how customary claims about Central Europe are not supported by the original source material. The result is a work of outstanding scholarship that advances our understanding of regionalism and geopolitics in Europe.

Otilia Dhand is a Senior Vice President at Teneo Intelligence, a New York-based political risk consultancy, where she focuses on the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. She holds a PhD in geopolitics from Kings College London, a degree in Russian and East European Studies from St Antonys College, Oxford University, and a degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from Matej Bel University in Slovakia. She is regularly quoted in the international media, including the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal, CNN and Reuters, and she frequently appears in live commentaries and expert debates on the BBC, Sky News, Bloomberg TV, CNN and CNBC.