Afloat on a Turbulent Ocean : A Reflective View of Austria in the 20th Century

A fortuitous confluence of Austrian anniversaries provides the impetus for a prominent Austrian of international stature to reflect on Austrian history of the twentieth century.

A fortuitous confluence of Austrian anniversaries provides the impetus for a prominent Austrian of international stature to reflect on Austrian history of the twentieth century. This illustrates very clearly the extent to which the post-war Second Republic has been a success story without parallel, encompassing economic prosperity, social change, and progress in welfare services. On all sides, the world has been experiencing dramatic change. Geopolitical upheaval, strategic realignment, and radical alterations to economic systems, have all been part of the immense changes the century has given rise to. At the dawn of the twenty-first century, a Europe in the making is located precariously between an American superpower on the one hand, and ambitious and dynamically growing Asian economic giants on the other. How does the world appear today? What is the status of Europe? Is there any meaningful international role a small country such as Austria can perform? These are some of the questions addressed by Dr. Androsch when considering the opportunities and responsibilities facing both Austria, and Europe, in a changing world order.