Two teams from DIDS have published chapters in the book “Civic and Uncivic Values in the Czech Republic”
Book abstract: The Czech Republic (also known as Czechia since 2016) has had a troubled post-communist transition, in particular with the ascent of billionaire oligarch Andrej Babiš to the office of prime minister of the Czech Republic in 2017, returning in 2015. The second edition of this book adds chapters on the Catholic Church, sexual minorities, and xenophobia, together with a completely new conclusion and updating to most of the remaining chapters. The authors demonstrate that civic values, such as tolerance, individual rights, respect for the harm principle, the principle of equality, and the rule of law, are key factors in determining whether the Czech Republic will maintain its democracy in the coming years.
Kočí, K., Nodes, K., Přikryl, P. (2026). The Situation of LGBT+ Rights in Czechia: Is the Glass Half Empty or Half Full?. In: Ramet, S.P., Ðorđević, V., Hassenstab, C.M. (eds) Civic and Uncivic Values in the Czech Republic. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-26492-3_9
Chapter abstract: This chapter focuses on the relationship between the Czech Republic and LGBT+ rights, with particular attention to the challenges and violations associated with their enforcement. It explores the current social climate in the country and examines how the position of sexual minorities impacts the Czech Republic’s regional as well as international image. The chapter also discusses the ongoing ideological pushback in post-communist countries, where LGBT+ rights are more often restricted than in the Western Europe. In this context, the Czech Republic is seen relatively as an exception within Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), demonstrating a higher degree of acceptance of LGBT+ rights compared to other Visegrad Group countries (V4 countries), particularly Hungary and Poland. Nevertheless, significant barriers still exist in the Czech Republic, including the lack of legal recognition for same-sex marriages, which reflects the deeper social attitudes that resist full equality for LGBT+ individuals. The aim of this work is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of LGBT+ rights in the Czech Republic. It analyzes the country’s legislative framework and evaluates how discriminatory policies impact its reputation. The research examines the period from the Czech Republic’s accession to the European Union (in 2004) up to the present day, exploring whether and how the treatment of LGBT+ rights has influenced the country’s position and its image. In addition, the chapter investigates how the main decision-makers as well as the public respond to pressure from internal and international institutions responsible for monitoring human rights and whether the mechanisms in place are effective in promoting and protecting the rights of LGBT+ individuals. The chapter on Czech Women in Political Participation and Representation since 1989 is going to examine women’s role in various aspects of domestic political life in the Czech Republic following the Velvet Revolution of 1989 and the birth of independent Czech state in 1993. In that regard, this chapter is to provide an analysis of the format and the changing role of women in politics in the given period (that is from 1989 to present), and additionally to pay attention to whether and how Czech entry into the EU in 2004 has influenced women’s role in politics, particularly in terms of equal opportunities and gender equality being achieved.
Hennlichová, M., Kristek, T., Rolenc, J.M. (2026). Church, Faith, and Czech Society in the Age of Transformation. In: Ramet, S.P., Ðorđević, V., Hassenstab, C.M. (eds) Civic and Uncivic Values in the Czech Republic. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-26492-3_10
Chapter abstract: Czech society is frequently cited as the most secularized in the world, yet this designation often overlooks a complex landscape of individualized spirituality and institutional skepticism. This chapter investigates the “Czech Paradox”: the gap between low official religious affiliation and the reality of lived faith. By tracing the historical genesis of Czech anticlericalism—from the post-White Mountain recatholicization to Communist-era repression—the authors argue that current low census figures are driven less by dogmatic atheism and more by a profound distrust of religious institutions. This distrust has been exacerbated in the post-1989 era by controversies surrounding property restitutions, clerical abuse, and the Vatican Treaty. Utilizing a unique comparative analysis of the 2021 national census, the 2024 Roman Catholic internal census, and an exploratory 2025 survey of 12 parishes, this study demonstrates that a significant cohort of active believers deliberately opt out of official religious declaration. The findings suggest that Czech “non-religiosity” is frequently a manifestation of privacy norms and institutional protest, requiring a fundamental reassessment of how secularization is measured in Central Europe.
More information: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-26492-3
