The emergence of East Central Europe and approaches to internal differentiation

Apart from the dynastic ties, religious and commercial contacts studied by Raffensperger, there are also other aspects that could contribute to the task of viewing Kievan Rus&s; as part of a European medieval world. Considering the aspect of diversity and interreligious relations on the European eastern periphery, it is notable that this diversity is most discernible in the late medieval and Early Modern times. However, medieval Eastern Europe remained on the margin not simply due to modern political geography and Soviet/non-Soviet or EU/non-EU dichotomies, but because of the lack of genuine interest in comparative studies in both eastern&s; and western&s; scholarship. Speaking of the coexistence of different religious groups in medieval and early modern Europe, historiography usually focuses on the Iberian Peninsula or Mediterranean regions, ignoring the eastern periphery of th.