The aim of this special issue is to study the Middle East and Eastern Europe, including South-Eastern Europe, as one interwoven space and to use it as a laboratory to explore conceptual issues regarding modern societal transnational and state international history. The special issue covers the time from the nineteenth century to the Cold War, teasing out not only changes but also important continuities, and hence resituating the Cold War. Eight articles covering a century of history develop specific aspects of these relationship and perceptions between empires, countries and social groups in this space.