Colleague Michal Illner

The author recalls his friendship with the Czech sociologist Michal Illner on the occasion of the latter's 70th birthday. Following their initial meeting at a 1990 conference in Madrid, the two have engaged in a series of provocative & inspiring conversations on regional models for democratic reform in Central & Eastern Europe (cf, Local Democracy and Innovation), & the importance of the "return to Europe" to these countries. Also discussed is the complementary work of some other Central European political scientists & sociologists, among them Hellmut Wollmann, Gabor Peter, & Geza Blaas. A. Siegel