From Eastern Europe to Central Europe and back? On regions, transatlantic relations, and Central Europe

This essay explores the impact of transatlantic relations since the late 1990s on understandings of Central Europe as a region in international politics. It argues that developments in transatlantic relations and especially the Central European countries' positioning in them have been crucial in bringing about the return of the label Eastern Europe. The essay examines the sources of this change, in particular the view of transatlantic relations deeply embedded in the Cold War confrontation with the Soviet Union/Russia. The final part of the essay discusses why the shift in terms of references to the region matters and what could be done to halt the vanishing of Central Europe. Here the essay proposes to ground Central Europe not only in transatlantic relations but also firmly in Europe.