SOGOLAS Research Seminar: Relations between Czechs and the European Union 1989-2019: Why Czechs are so Euro-sceptical?

The recent public opinion surveys shows that Czechs are one of the most euro-sceptical nations within the European Union. Referendum in Czechia about whether to remain or to leave the EU (if any) could lead to Czexit, despite generally positive macro-economic indicators (GDP growth, low unemployment, low inflation). The presentation seeks to examine potential reasons for scepticism of Czechs towards the European Union. Several potential underlying factors of euro-scepticism are examined:  1) the discrepancy between the optimistic expectations of early 1990’s and reality of the convergence process, 2) the specific reactions of Czech politicians, media and general public to the Great Recession, the European debt crisis, the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis, and the European refugee crisis, 3) the long-term specific features of public opinion of Czechs on their position in the international arena. The basic (macro)economic indicators and the data from public opinion surveys are used as the main source of information.

The presentation will be held by Tomáš Kostelecký who is the Director of the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences and is a senior researcher in the Department of Local and Regional Studies. He was a research fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington DC; he was a Marie-Curie Fellow at Science Po Bordeaux, and was a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. A key professional interest is the analysis of spatial aspects of human behaviour, socio-spatial inequalities and the process of  (non)convergence between “old” and “new” Europe.  He was the Chair of the Local Organizing Committee of 12th ESA Conference in Prague in 2015.

Schedule:

3.30pm-4pm Registration and welcome coffee

4.pm-5.30pm Presentation and discussion

Additional information:
Content-related questions: Airi-Alina.Allaste@tlu.ee
Organisational questions: Koidu.Saia@tlu.ee

Activity is supported by Estonian Academy of Sciences and Doctoral School of Behavioural, Social and Health Sciences (financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the institutional package measure for R&D institutions and higher education institutions (ASTRA)