ABSTRACT
This chapter considers how political and social polarization has affected divisions within civil society and activists’ responses. Some of the polarization that plagues so many societies in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) can be traced to the effective populist rhetoric of their political leaders. These divisions have also been exacerbated by social media. We first profile a well-known Hungarian activist representing Hungarian Environmental Partnership Foundation who addresses polarization among civic actors by establishing bridges among generations of activists and organizations that share similar goals. Our second activist from Poland is a representative of Odra-Niemen Association, which works on historical remembrance, patriotism, and responsibility for places of historical importance and takes apolitical approach to its own mission. The aim of the chapter is to examine different responses to the problem of polarization among CEE activists who then apply various tactics to build bridges among divided groups, engaging citizens in dialogue and cooperation.
