History, Slavic Studies, and the Rest Research on Eastern Europe in Germany

News from Eastern Europe dominates the headlines. Politicians and the general public need information about Poland, Russia, or the South Caucasus. However, the field of East European studies cannot satisfy the demand. There is a shortage of academics. Expertise in politics, law, economics, and sociology is poor. Only in history and Slavic studies is the situation better. To remedy the situation, structural changes in scientific funding and the organization of universities are necessary. The federal government should provide permanent funding for area studies.