22 Jul

Why Are Winnetou and Mirek Dušín No Longer Today’s Heroes? Pavel Pospěch Interviewed by Seznam Zprávy

Pavel Pospěch, sociologist at the Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, recently spoke with Seznam Zprávy about changing ideas of heroism, individualism, and the culture of autonomy in contemporary society. Drawing on insights from his new book Lonely Heroes, he explains why today's audiences are more drawn to characters with inner conflicts and personal struggles than to flawless heroes such as Winnetou or Mirek Dušín. The interview also explores the declining influence of institutions and how the growing emphasis on authenticity and individual responsibility can contribute to feelings of uncertainty and loneliness.

The article is available in Czech.

22 Jul

Family Life in Times of Uncertainty: FSS MU Researchers Present Their Findings at the European Population Conference 2026

How do social crises affect plans for parenthood? Did the pandemic change decisions about marriage? And how are reproductive experiences linked to relationship stability? At the European Population Conference 2026, held 3–6 June 2026 in Bologna, Italy, researchers from the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University presented several studies exploring family formation, partnerships, and reproductive behaviour.

29 Jun

Household Resources and Reproductive Plans: Research Shows Changes in Fertility Intentions During Crisis

How did women in the Czech Republic respond to the overlapping crises of 2020–2022 when planning parenthood? Research by Martin Kreidl and Darina Kmentová, presented at the Annual Conference of the Czech Sociological Society, examines how short-term fertility intentions evolved depending on education and household income.

26 Jun

Infertility and Relationship Stability: Darina Kmentová presented her research in Dublin

How does the first experience of trying to have a child shape the stability of a relationship? Research by Darina Kmentová at the 2026 Annual Conference of the European Consortium for Sociological Research in Dublin examines how the outcome of the first attempt to conceive—and the length of time spent trying—relates to the risk of partnership dissolution.

26 Jun

Reproductive Plans and Partnership Types: Eva Waldaufová Presented Research at the Czech Demographic Society Conference

Changing partnership patterns and reproductive behaviours are key topics in contemporary demography. Research by Eva Waldaufová from the Faculty of Science at Charles University examines how different forms of partnership influence both intentions to have children and their subsequent realization. The study was presented at the 55th Conference of the Czech Demographic Society.

26 Jun

Partnership History and Parental Support: Veronika Corradi‑Eiger Presented Research in Bologna

Changes in partnership patterns across Europe affect not only individual life trajectories but also the functioning of family solidarity. Research by Veronika Sofia Corradi‑Eiger from the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University focuses on how adult children’s partnership histories shape their access to parental support. The findings were presented at the European Population Conference 2026 in Bologna.

26 Jun

Martin Kreidl in a Respekt article on changes in marriage in the Czech Republic

Sociologist Martin Kreidl from the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University highlights changes in marriage in the Czech Republic in an article for Respekt. He describes how entry into marriage is shifting to later ages and is preceded by a longer period of “testing” the relationship, with marriage being more common among individuals with stable backgrounds and higher education. The article also addresses growing social inequalities between married and unmarried couples and explains the factors behind declining divorce rates.

The article is available in Czech.

2 Jun

Family Background and Educational Inequality: Tomáš Katrňák Presented Research in Seville

Inequality of educational opportunities remains a central topic in sociological research. A study by Tomáš Katrňák from the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University offers a new perspective on its sources: in addition to traditionally examined social origin, it highlights the importance of broader family background factors. The findings were presented at the RC28 ISA conference on Social Stratification and Mobility, held in Seville.

2 Jun

Changing Partner Selection in a Time of Educational Imbalance: Tomáš Doseděl Presented at a Conference in Seville

European societies are undergoing a significant transformation in their educational structure—highly educated women now outnumber men. This shift is fundamentally altering the dynamics of partner selection and challenging long-standing assumptions about who partners with whom. These issues were addressed by Tomáš Doseděl from the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University at the RC28 ISA conference on Social Stratification and Mobility, held in Seville.

18 May

“If women could turn back time, would they choose to become mothers again?”

This question is explored by Lenka Štěpánková. Building on the work of Israeli sociologist Orna Donath, who posed it to women in her research—with some answering “no”—her work opens up the topic of maternal regret, which had long remained largely unspoken.Lenka Štěpánková’s research, currently under peer review, shows that this is not an isolated experience in the Czech context either.In the podcast Ľudskosť (@denniksme) with Barbora Mareková, she discusses what women in her study shared, explains the differences between maternal regret, burnout, and depression, and highlights why paternal regret remains far less researched and understood.

Podcast is available in Czech/Slovak.

18 May

Hynek Cígler commented on the psychological assessment of new prevention officers for MF DNES

The Prague Municipal Police is introducing a new role of unarmed prevention officers to address the shortage of officers. Our colleague Hynek Cígler explained to MF DNES that, due to their lower level of responsibility, the psychological assessments for these positions can be less stringent than those required for standard police forces. According to him, an interview is sufficient to assess cognitive abilities and personality, supplemented by more in-depth diagnostics only in cases of doubt. The goal is to filter out unsuitable applicants while maintaining an efficient selection process.

The article is available in Czech.

18 May

“We still need physical contact; a screen cannot replace it,” Anna Ševčíková told Seznam Zprávy

Our colleague Anna Ševčíková, in a new interview for Seznam Zprávy, explores how modern technologies are reshaping the dynamics of romantic relationships. The interview discusses the impact of online communication on intimacy between partners, examines the phenomenon of sexting, and explains why physical contact remains an irreplaceable pillar of closeness even in the digital age.

The article is available in Czech.

12 May

Small apartments are no longer a stepping stone—they are increasingly becoming a long-term standard, says Jana Závodská

Jana Závodská from the Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, highlights shifting realities of housing in an article published in Respekt. Changes in the housing market are leading families to reconsider their expectations regarding privacy, comfort, and everyday household functioning. Shared spaces, temporary arrangements, and compromises are becoming a common part of daily life. What impact does this situation have on family relationships, working from home, or decisions about having children?

The article is available in Czech.

13 Apr

Tax reform and plans to have children: Darina Kmentová and Martin Kreidl presented their research in Budapest

The Czech Republic has been experiencing a record decline in birth rates in recent years. This trend cannot be attributed to a single factor – it is the result of several overlapping crises. The research of Darina Kmentová and Martin Kreidl from the Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, examines how the so-called polycrisis of recent years has affected the short-term reproductive intentions of Czech women – and whether the 2021 tax reform was able to mitigate this decline in any way.

10 Apr

What is the role of great-grandparenthood in today's family?

Sociologist Zuzana Talašová (MUNI, MENDELU) presented the findings of her research at the British Sociological Association conference in Manchester. The research shows that great-grandparenthood is not merely a matter of age or biological position in a family tree, but represents a specific family role that, while it exists, remains socially almost invisible. Nevertheless, it is precisely great-grandparents who play an important role in maintaining family cohesion – not through everyday care, but through rituals, their presence, and the symbolic bridging of individual generations.

10 Mar

Who really benefits from family safety nets, and who falls through the cracks?

Veronika Corradi-Eiger from the Department of Sociology at FSS MU presented preliminary results of her study at the FACES conference in Munich that focuses on how the partnership histories of adult children influence whether their parents provide them with support. The data suggest that parents respond mainly to visible partnership changes (divorce, widowhood), that is, to transitions that are clear and socially recognisable.

11 Feb

COVID-19 vaccination and declining fertility? The trend is unrelated to vaccination.

Does COVID-19 vaccination affect fertility? A new analysis of Czech population data shows that public debates about the impact of vaccines on fertility are not based on reality. Eva Waldaufová from the Faculty of Science, Charles University, presented her findings at the Young Demographers conference, showing that differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated women existed even before the pandemic. We are seeing a significant decline in fertility after the pandemic in both groups, and the data does not suggest that this is caused by vaccination. Differences in reproductive behaviour are more likely related to structural and socioeconomic factors than to vaccination itself.

10 Feb

“Living off parental care?” Young people remain at home for other reasons.

We often hear about a generation of “mama’s boys” or the Italian bamboccioni, but sociological data tell a different story. Preliminary findings from research by Jana Závodská at the Department of Sociology, FSS MU, suggest that prolonged co-residence of young adults with their parents is not a sign of comfort-seeking, but an adaptation to the current housing crisis. Analysis of data from the GGS survey confirms that the key factors shaping residential independence are not low ambition, but rather subjective financial insecurity and family background. Young people in Czechia are simply adjusting their housing aspirations to the harsh realities of the market.

18 Nov 2025

Do Czech women want children? Darina Kmentová presented GGP data in Estonia

Darina Kmentová from the Department of Sociology at Masaryk University's Faculty of Social Studies, together with other colleagues, participated in a conference organized by the Generations & Gender Programme (GGP), of which the Department of Sociology has been a long-term member. Kmentová presented data on whether Czech women want and plan to have a child in the next three years. The intention to have a child is related to education and income, according to the data.

15 Nov 2025

Lecture on Open Science in Qualitative Research (21 November)

13 Mar 2025

What are challenges of individualising society?

Doing it all on our own: the opportunities and risks of the individualisation of society. This is the title of a project that will be conducted by experts from the MU Faculty of Social Studies over the next several years. The project has received almost 150 million crowns from the Jan Amos Komenský Operational Programme.

24 Nov 2024

MU succeeds with four strategic projects worth CZK 600 million

Four Masaryk University projects have been recommended for funding in the call of the Johannes Amos Comenius Operational Programme focusing on social sciences and humanities.