Autoři analyzují vzájemně související, avšak – alespoň z pohledu české společnosti – ne vždy přímo na sobě závislé stránky kremačního hnutí ve 20. století: vzestup a důsledky prokremační propagandy, budování nových krematorií, rozšiřování popularity kremace jakožto způsobu pohřbívání ve společnosti a změny v obřadech, které jsou s kremací spojeny. Dlouhodobá nadvláda ideologie nad společenskými zájmy je v případě kremace jasně viditelná například na skutečnosti, že v první polovině 20. století kremační hnutí získalo výrazně více příznivců, než bylo lidí, kteří se pro tento způsob pohřbu skutečně rozhodli. Jednalo se přitom o způsob pohřbu, který byl později propagován a nakonec akceptován širokými vrstvami české společnosti v důsledku tlaku vyvíjeného komunistickým režimem. Po mnoho let navíc výstavba a výzdoba krematorií stejně jako obřady spojené s kremací odrážely ideologická východiska spíše než praktické potřeby společnosti, což autoři vysvětlují specifickým přístupem české společnosti k náboženství, ovlivněným řadou faktorů (mimo jiné, avšak nikoli výlučně, působením komunistického režimu). Následné odideologizování různých výše zmíněných jevů bylo poměrně pomalé a projevilo se pouze v omezené míře ke konci 20. století. Soudobá česká společnost vykazuje nejvyšší (či jedno z nejvyšších) procento pohřbů žehem v Evropě. Tato skutečnost souvisí se silně zakořeněným českým antiklerikalismem a zaběhnutým sledem pohřebních obřadů, jež s postupem času v komunistickém režimu pevně zakotvily jako součást společenského řádu. and In this article the authors analyse mutually related but, at least as regards Czech society, not always directly interdependent aspects of the cremation movement in the twentieth century: the growth in pro-cremation propaganda and its impact, the establishment of new crematoria, the spread of the popularity of cremation as a method of disposing of the dead throughout society and changes in the rituals associated with it. The long domination of ideology over social interests with regard to cremation is evident, for example, in the fact that in the first half of the twentieth century the cremation movement attracted substantially more followers than those who eventually chose this method of disposal for themselves, a method that was later encouraged and eventually accepted throughout Czech society as a result of pressure from the Communist régime. Furthermore, for many years, the construction and decoration of crematoria, as well as ceremonies connected with cremation, reflected ideological perspectives rather than practical social needs. The authors explain this in terms of Czech attitudes towards religion, which were influenced by a number of factors, not just the Communist regime. The subsequent de-ideologization of these various aspects was quite slow, not taking place till the late twentieth century, and then only to a limited extent. Contemporary Czech society has one of the highest cremation rates in Europe, a fact connected both with deep-rooted Czech anticlericalism and with the path dependence of funeral rituals that became firmly entrenched during the Communist era.
The article describes attitudes towards death and funeral rites in contemporary Czech society. It begins by revealing the attitudes to death held by the majority of the Czech population - non-believers. The customary secular funeral ceremony, held in a crematorium, is not entirely well suited to meeting the needs of the bereaved, and this is borne out by the fact that about one-third of all cremations are held without a funeral ceremony. The author argues that the current situation is not solely the result of the economic situation of individuals but also stems from the deeply rooted attitudes and values and the approach to religion of the Czech population. The second part of the article is devoted to the attitudes towards death and the funeral rite preferences of believers, based on a survey conducted with members of three religious groups: Roman Catholics, Protestants (Church of the Czech Brethren), and Jehovah's Witnesses. Finally, the author compares the attitudes of the secular majority and believers, and also outlines the connections between conditions today and under the former communist regime regarding the general approach to death and funeral rites.
The article focuses on the concerns of Czech expectant parents and their subsequent life difficulties. A qualitative longitudinal methodology was used to study parental experiences for a period of around four years. Three waves of semi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen dual-earner parental couples who had their first child in 2011 or 2012. An analysis of 93 interviews revealed that the fears of the parents-to-be principally concerned childcare, paid work, free time, the relationships, and health. Actual experience of difficulties in these areas was often mentioned by different respondents from those who had expected to have them. The theory of intensive motherhood was employed to underscore the heavy demands and responsibilities placed on contemporary parents and the difficulties that accompany the use of a child-centred approach. The heavy demands on childcare felt by mothers who adhered to the intensive mothering model were cited as causing difficulties in the everyday lives of parental couples; the fathers mainly complained of a lack of rest and quality time with their partners.
The article focuses on roadside memorials (RSMs) created for the victims of traffic accidents in the Czech Republic. It provides the results of longitudinal field research conducted in central and northern Bohemia in the periods 2005-2008 (first research wave) and 2011-2014 (second research wave). Attention is devoted particularly to the temporality of such memorials. The research, consisting of the study of a sample of 69 roadside memorials, was repeated after a period of around seven years and the data from both waves sebsequently compared; the final sample consisted of 89 memorials.
The article provides a detailed insight into a critical stage in the life course of young women. It focuses on the transition to first-time motherhood among women with tertiary education in heterosexual dual-earner couples in the Czech Republic. The plans of pregnant women regarding their working lives following the birth of their first child are compared with the subsequent realities of their lives (the first eighteen months of their motherhood). The study is based on longitudinal qualitative research conducted between 2011 and 2014. The research revealed that pregnant women did not consider motherhood and paid work as contradictory and that most of them anticipated working before their child´s third birthday. Due to the reality of motherhood and the chances of combining childcare and work, a number of the women in the sample changed their plans, did not return to work once their children reached eighteen months of age and did not expect to return to work in the near future. The lack of available non-maternal childcare or the unwillingness to take advantage of it were found to be the key factors in their decision not to work, coupled with a shortage of part-time work and flexible working arrangements (working hours and place of work). Conversely, the offer of flexible working conditions, the prospect of good financial rewards and a positive relationship between the woman and her work constituted the key reasons for women to return to work during the first eighteen months of their child’s age. With regard to the fulfilment of their plans, structural conditions and constraints were identified as being of greater importance than personal preferences.
In contemporary societies religion has still a great influence on the culture and the way of organizing social life. Consequently family, its structure, norms, functions and roles are determined by the religion and its values. The paper presents the role of marriage in the Christian and Islamic societies. Whereas for Christians the celibate plays a key role as it is seen as the most desirable way of life, Islam religion does not recommend the state of womanlessness. However, the status of women in both Christian and Muslim families is shaped by patriarchal attitudes rooted in the social values. The author discuss pre-marital institution, e. g. an institution of ''mahr'' - a gift of money or valuables given by the bride's family to that of the groom to permit their marriage which serves afterwards as a private savings of the wife in the case of divorce. Furthermore, she compares ways of upbringing of children and attitudes to divorce in both religions. Finally, the author considers both religions similar in their concept of family due to their common Judaic origin.