Out of and Into Authoritarian Law

The essays in this collection reflect on the promises, hopes and fears dominant in the narratives on and realities of doing away with authoritarian regimes. The experiences of post-communist transition are matched with accounts on authoritarian traits present in established constitutional democracies and on authoritarian inclusions preserved in the new regimes in the post-transition phase. The essays combine first-hand insider accounts with interdisciplinary scholarly analysis. The first part of the collection focuses on considerations marking the way out of authoritarian - not restricted to socialist - regimes. The second part centers around experiences and problems which surface following the days of totalitarianism, both in newly emerged democracies and in well-established constitutional systems. Issues covered range from police practices to the role of the 'people' in post-authoritarian regimes. The dilemma transparent in all essays is whether 'coming out' of authoritarianism is possible at all.