How To Speak About Communism?

Despite a daring title, our ambitions are rather modest. We offer neither a synthetic nor systemised view on "Communism." Quite the contrary – since this topic is extremely extensive, we have decided to publish papers that offer some perspectives for further research and discussion about this current issue. As one of the authors has stated, the aim is rather to "start the ball rolling." One of the reasons for compiling this issue has been the fact that both the far-left and the communist movement have ended up on th emargin of academic interest, while the topic of "communism" is still a significant subject as far as public discourse is concerned. A new generation of scholars who deal with this topic have grown up in the last few years. They are bringing a reflection which also offers other possibilities and methods of work than those we have been used to in the current dominating traditional historiography.