Rural sociology in the Czech Republic after 1989

Abstract

Rural sociology came through different development etaps in the CR, during which it was alternately abolished and again gained in importance. During the socalled First Republic (between WW1 and WW2), attention was paid namely to the monographic research of Czech and Slovak villages. After WW2, rural sociology remained silent for a period of time. It started developing again only at the beginning of the 60s, when it was aimed at the large-scale socialist agriculture development. After the Soviet occupation in 1968, rural sociology was suppressed again; it survived, in a reduced form, only in research. After 1989, rural sociology has been revived again, both in research and in teaching. Since mid90s, a systematic empirical research of Czech countryside is done. Czech sociologists are again included into the international co-operation and rural sociology becomes an important discipline in revival and development of rural areas.