The purpose of this article is to introduce multi-agent modelling as an area of research that has developed rapidly in sociology over the last fifteen years. This article starts by outlining some characteristics of multi-agent modelling and then covers the history of sociological component of complexity science. In the following part, the fundamental concepts used in multi-agent modelling such as model, agent, environment and emergence are defined. Thereafter, the article focuses on the application of multi-agent modelling in sociology and identifies specific areas where it might be used productively. An illustrative example of a multi-agent model called ‘Slumulation’ that explores how slums emerge in the city is described. Finally, the advantages and limits of this approach are summarized., Anna Krčková., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The article presents the construction of an agent-based model of segregation step by step. The article is intended as a tutorial for the reader’s first steps with agent-based modeling. The model is programmed in the NetLogo software and provided in two versions: first as an online executable version, for first-impression purposes, and second as NetLogo code, for serious experiments and further model improvements by the reader. The article describes the user interface and source code of the model in close detail. Most of the article is dedicated to careful, in-depth explanation of the NetLogo code. The model aims to answer Schelling’s classical question: "Is it possible to obtain an ethnically segregated structure of a town with relatively tolerant inhabitants?" The model also aims to answer the question: "Does size of recognized neighbourhood suppress tendency to segregation?" Analysis of the data produced by the model informs us that the tendency to segregation decreased with larger recognized neighbourhood - the larger the neighbourhood the lower the number of inhabitants living in an ethnically homogenous neighbourhood. However, size of recognized neighbourhood did not moderate the relationship between intolerance and tendency to segregation - the slope of the relationship was still the same (or even steeper for larger neighbourhoods)., František Kalvas., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
Důvěra občanů České republiky v politické instituce a politiky je dlouhodobě nízká. V textu se zaměřujeme na perspektivu profesionálních politiků v hodnocení politiky, která je v českém kontextu neprobádaným tématem. Doplňujeme zároveň tradiční pohled na politickou kulturu o přístup vycházející z interpretativní a konstruktivistické sociologie. Soustředíme se přitom na konstrukci symbolických hranic u českých politiků, kdy si klademe otázku, mezi jakými skupinami politici symbolické hranice vytvářejí. Provádíme kombinaci narativní (Ricoeur) a kritické diskurzivní analýzy (Wodak) na 21 tematicky orientovaných biografických interview s politiky ze tří tradičních politických stran (ODS, ČSSD, KSČM), kteří byli aktivní v politice od začátku 90. let 20. století. Zjištění interpretujeme v tom smyslu, že symbolické hranice představují pro politiky kulturní nástroj legitimizace jejich identity, statusu a praxe „tradiční“ politiky. Díky symbolickému vymezování se vůči „jiným“ jsou politici schopni konstruovat realitu, ve které jsou s občany sice na stejné lodi a zároveň musí podle nich sami stát na kapitánském můstku., Levels of trust in political institutions and political actors are constantly low in the Czech Republic. This paper deals with the perspective of professional politicians, which is an unexplored topic in the Czech context. At the same time, we supplement the traditional view of political culture with an approach based on interpretive and constructivist sociology. We focus on the construction of symbolic boundaries by Czech politicians. We pursue a combination of narrative (Ricoeur) and critical discourse analysis (Wodak) based on 21 thematically oriented biographical interviews with politicians from three traditional political parties (ODS, ČSSD, KSČM) who have been actively involved in politics since the early 90´s. The findings suggest that the politicians use symbolic boundaries as a cultural instrument for legitimizing their identity, status and practice of „traditional“ politics. By defining „others“, the politicians are able to construct a reality in which they are on the same boat with citizens while standing on the command bridge., Tomáš Samec, Lucie Černá., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The paper focuses on the intergenerational and intragenerational transmission of religion in the Czech Republic. The authors start from the general statement that self-reported religious a liation in Czech society continued to decline during the second half of the 20th century. This trend has usually been explained by secularization theory and by speci cs of Czech social history, especially with regard to the anti-religious policies of the Communist regime. In their analysis of data from ISSP 2008 – Religion, the authors aim at a more detailed inquiry into the factors responsible for the decrease in self-reported religiosity in the Czech Republic. The results show that the key factor lies in de-conversion, which is not compensated su ciently by conversion in either type of transmission, inter- or intragenerational., Antonín Paleček, Roman Vido., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Based on ISSP 2012 Family and Health, this paper focuses on informal caregiving for elderly, sick or disabled family members in the Czech Republic. Specifically, it investigates the socio-demographic characteristics of family caregivers. The findings show that the carers are more likely to be female of a productive age; and thus they often have to combine childcare, care for other family member and employment. Findings from this study also demonstrate that in case of women partnership status also influences care involvement. However, socioeconomic status measured by education does not have an effect on the provision of informal care because the institutional context in which private formal care is not widespread., Jana Klímová Chaloupková., and Obsahuje bibliografii