MACMILLAN Civic and Uncivic Values in the Czech Republic: Value Transformation, Politics, Education, and Gender Equality

About the Author Sabrina P. Ramet is Professor Emerita of Political Science at the Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Norway. Vladimir Ðorđević is Assistant Professor in the Department of Territorial Studies of the Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies of Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic. Christine M. Hasenstab is a retired attorney who also worked as an Adviser in the EU Grants Office at the Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Norway. Product Description This book considers the state of Czech democracy, following the rise of authoritarian regimes in Poland and Hungary and the ascent of billionaire oligarch Andrej Babiš to the office of prime minister of the Czech Republic, leading to concerns about conflict of interest. The authors argue that civic values, such as tolerance, respect for the equality of people, and readiness to play by the rules of the political game, are key factors in determining whether the Czech Republic will maintain its democracy in the coming years. The book employs a broad perspective, bringing together insights from political science, sociology, cultural studies, and other disciplines to analyse changes in the democracy of the Czech Republic since 1989, taking into consideration various dimensions of civic values, including politics, gender inequality, film, and the media. Review “This new book is a worthy contribution to our understanding of the state of democracy in Czechia because it focuses on different yet essential issues. … it is a perfect springboard for anyone who wants to get accurate and up-to-date information. Even a Czech Republic specialist or enthusiast will find valuable information and inspiration to ask further questions about how Czech politics is impacted by the set of values and attitudes shared by the majority of Czech citizens.” (Vít Hloušek, Czech Journal of Political Science, Issue 3, 2022) Review “This absorbing multi-authored volume puts contemporary Czech democracy under the microscope, observing and recording local attitudes towards politics, civil society, minorities, race, feminism, and much else besides. The result is a fascinating glimpse into the complexities and contradictions of Czech democracy three decades after the end of Communist rule and at a time of deep political crisis internationally. This book will be of particular interest to political scientists, historians, sociologists, and journalists.” ― Mary Heimann, Cardiff University, UK “This is a really astonishing book, readable and informative even for somebody who knows Czech reality. This comprehensive volume deals with the course of the transformation of the post-communist country from the former Eastern bloc. It does not remain on the level of description of the democratization process in the 1990s, but also analyses the opposing tendencies and challenges of the last decade. The international team of authors offers both the insight of Czechs with inside knowledge and reflections on changes from an international perspective.” ― Renáta Sedláková, Palacký University, Czech Republic From the Back Cover This book considers the state of Czech democracy, following the rise of authoritarian regimes in Poland and Hungary and the ascent of billionaire oligarch Andrej Babiš to the office of prime minister of the Czech Republic, leading to concerns about conflicts of interest. The authors argue that civic values, such as tolerance, respect for the equality of people, and readiness to play by the rules of the political game, are key factors in determining whether the Czech Republic will maintain its democracy in the coming years. The book employs a broad perspective, bringing together insights from political science, sociology, cultural studies, and other disciplines to analyse changes in the democracy of the Czech Republic since 1989, taking into consideration various dimensions of civic values, including politics, gender inequality, film, and the media. Sabrin