"The opening of communist archives has prompted a resurgence of historical interest in this most seminal of twentieth-century political movements. Ironically, however, given the diversity of domestic contexts within which communist parties operated, scholars have rarely undertaken a comparative approach to their subject, presupposing instead the existence of broad defining patterns across national boundaries. More recently, such presumptions have been challenged, with research focusing not just on the extent but on the character of Moscow's political authority and the complex forms of interaction that can be traced between communism and its different national milieux. Bringing together leading authorities and cutting-edge scholars of the younger generation, this collection provides a new perspective on these issues through a re-examination of the defining concepts of Stalinism and Stalinization."--BOOK JACKET.