Economic and Religious Studies

The research department was established in the early 1990s on the initiative of Jiří Večerník, and analyzed the ongoing economic and social transformation using the methods and approaches of economic sociology. The expansion of research topics and research approaches led to the gradual crystallization of two main directions within the department, oriented towards economic and religious studies, both directions developing in close cooperation.

In the field of economic research, social and economic inequalities, income differentiation, objective and subjective factors of well-being, poverty, and issues of satisfaction in work and life are examined. Everything in a wide range from theoretical questions to empirical research. Current projects are focused on measuring poverty and on new dimensions of social stratification in a Central European comparison.

In the field of religious studies, emphasis is placed on the growing plurality of religious forms, while being aware of the cultural and institutional anchoring of religiosity and other sources of identity and values. The influence of these factors on social institutions and their dynamics is examined, as well as, in a broader sense, the historical anchoring of culture and its various manifestations. Current research projects focus on the transformations of Czech and Slovak religion and spirituality in the European context, religious organizations, and post-secular trends in society.

The members of the department have long strived to go beyond particular topics and gain a deeper understanding of social institutions and processes. Under the leadership of Jiří Večerník, two reports on the development of Czech society were produced, among others (Report on the Development of Czech Society 1989–1998, 1998, Czech Society in the 2000s, 2009), Zdeněk R. Nešpor led a team focused on the history of Czech sociology from its beginnings in the 19th century to the present day (Dictionary of Czech Sociologists, 2013, History of Czech Sociology, 2014). The effort to make existing sociological knowledge accessible led to the creation of the online Encyclopedia of Sociology (encyklopedie.soc.cas.cz) in 2018, which was supplemented in 2020 by the Encyclopedia of Religion (rg-encyklopedie.soc.cas.cz). We are continuing to work on expanding both projects.