In May 2001, the Marjorie Mayrock Center for Russian, Eurasian, and East European Research and the Department for Russian and Slavic Studies of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem held a conference titled “The Fall of Communism in Europe: Ten Years On.” Most of the essays collected in this book were first presented in preliminary form at the conference. A few of the papers were solicited later to provide a more comprehensive overview of developments following the dissolution of the communist system in Europe. In this, its final form, updated through mid-2003, the book focuses primarily on the Russian Federation, although a number of its authors have adopted a strongly comparative approach. (Peter Rutland in his introductory essay briefly touches on events through the end of 2003).

The conference was organized as a tribute to Theodore (Ted) H. Friedgut, who had just retired from his professorial post in Russian history and Soviet/post-Soviet politics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Ted received a B.A. in political science and economics at the Hebrew University in 1965 and went on to take courses in the newly formed Department of Russian and Slavic Studies, then jointly led by Michael Confino and Leah Goldberg. After receiving his M.A. from the University in 1967, he took graduate studies at Columbia University, where his advisor was Seweryn Bialer. Awarded his doctorate in 1972, he returned to Jerusalem to join the faculty of the Russian Studies Department.