Negotiating Religious Freedom in Central Europe: Czechoslovakia and Its Successor States (1945–2010s)
Public support
Provider
Czech Science Foundation
Programme
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Call for proposals
SGA0202600005
Main participants
Ústav pro soudobé dějiny AV ČR, v. v. i.
Contest type
VS - Public tender
Contract ID
26-22970O
Alternative language
Project name in Czech
Negotiating Religious Freedom in Central Europe: Czechoslovakia and Its Successor States (1945–2010s)
Annotation in Czech
This project examines how religious freedom was negotiated in postwar Czechoslovakia (1945–2010s), focusing on transitions through people's democracy, communism and the post-communist era, culminating in the church-state property settlements in the 2010s. Rather than a straightforward progression toward greater liberty, the research explores how shifting political frameworks and local power dynamics reshaped the accepted form of religious expression. Grounded in Bourdieu's concept of the religious field, this study analyses archival records, legal texts, media discourse and personal accounts to capture the interplay between state institutions and four religious communities: the Roman Catholic Church, Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, Jewish community and Jehovah's Witnesses. By investigating how these faiths navigated evolving regulatory frameworks, the project illuminates broader patterns of church-state negotiation. Placing these findings in a European context underscores how historical precedents continue to influence religion-state relations and debates on religious freedom.
Scientific branches
R&D category
ZV - Basic research
OECD FORD - main branch
60101 - History (history of science and technology to be 6.3, history of specific sciences to be under the respective headings)
OECD FORD - secondary branch
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OECD FORD - another secondary branch
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CEP - equivalent branches <br>(according to the <a href="http://www.vyzkum.cz/storage/att/E6EF7938F0E854BAE520AC119FB22E8D/Prevodnik_oboru_Frascati.pdf">converter</a>)
AB - History
Solution timeline
Realization period - beginning
Jan 1, 2026
Realization period - end
Dec 31, 2028
Project status
Z - Beginning multi-year project
Latest support payment
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Data delivery to CEP
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data delivery code
CEP26-GA0-GN-R
Data delivery date
Apr 27, 2026
Finance
Total approved costs
4,376 thou. CZK
Public financial support
4,376 thou. CZK
Other public sources
0 thou. CZK
Non public and foreign sources
0 thou. CZK