International Collaboration
The department engages in international collaboration both in its teaching programs and in its research. Examples include:
EMES — a European research network targeting research into social entrepreneurship and the social and solidarity economy. Collaboration takes place under the auspices of the ISCEM project (International Comparative Social Enterprise Models) and aims at mapping social entrepreneurship and the social economy in the Czech Republic. See http://www.iap-socent.be/icsem-working-papers.
The SEiSMiC Project (Societal Engagement in Science, Mutual Learning in Cities): This project addresses the most pressing issues confronting European cities by gaining the involvement of their citizens, identifying social innovation needs, and contributing to the creation of future municipal policies and strategies. More details are available at: http://seismicproject.eu/
University of Humanistic Studies at Utrecht: We began collaboration with the University in 2008. The Department of Civil Society Studies of the Faculty of Humanities at Charles University took part in preparing and implementing the EDIC project (Education for Democratic and Intercultural Citizenship). This project saw an annual, two-week international course organized for students from all the universities that participated in the program. Utrecht and the Faculty are also engaged in an ongoing exchange of information and expertise. More general information
CCEG (Centre for Citizenship, Enterprise and Governance): Acting on behalf of the CR, we have established collaboration as part of a CCEG project whose goal is to collect data that measures personal values.
European Center for Not-for-profit Law (ECNL): Our collaboration with ECNL was established by Lenka Deverová. An opportunity exists for further collaboration between ECNL and the Department of Civil Society Studies in the form of a comparative study that focuses on the impact of current and future changes to the legal code in Hungary and the Czech Republic on the environment in which CSOs operate.
Interface: a journal for and about social movements—edited by J. Navrátil.
Teaching, Study and Research and Study Stays
Under the Fullbright program for visiting professors, our department welcomed American Prof. Tom Holland (Non-Profit Sector in the United States, 2009/10) and Edward Shippen Bright, also from the USA (Social Entrepreneurism—How to Make a Difference, 2012/13), who is the Principal of BrightNGOsolutions and is planning to return to our department. Regular lectures for Ph.D. students are also given by Prof. Fred Eidlin of Canada (Research Methodology: A Problem-oriented Approach, since 2012).
On April 8, 2014, as part of the CEEPUS program, Dr. Grzybowska-Walecka presented a lecture entitled “The Role of Civil Society and Political Society in Democratization”.
The department also invited the postdoctoral researcher Timothy Weldon from Rutgers University to work in the department during spring semester 2016.
In the other direction, during the 2015/16 academic year, Selma Muhič Dizdarevič visited the University of California as a Fulbright scholar. Selma Benyovzsky visited the Université de Montréal. Marek Skovajsa studied at Rockefeller Archive Center, Tarrytown, New York, USA (2013), Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley (2014) and at the Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library (2015).
Other Visitors
In addition to those noted above, other visitors we have welcomed from abroad over the past five years have includeProf. Ludovic Tournès (2014)—a French historian, professor at Université de Genève, expert in the operational history of US foundations in Europe.
Prof. Martin Bulmer (2014)—professor at University of Surrey, Director of Question Bank, University of Surrey, member of Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences, 2015-2016 Chairman of the Committee for the History of Sociology of the American Sociological Association, Editor in Chief of Ethnic and Racial Studies. Expert in the history of social sciences and the operation of US foundations.
Prof. Jacques Defourny (2013)—founder of EMES, a research network focused on social economy and social enterprises, Director of the Centre for Social Economy, University of Liege, Belgium.
Dr. Douglas Rutzen (2013)—President of the International Centre for Not-for-profit Law – ICNL, Washington, D.C., USA. [1]
Terry O´Leary (2012)—instructor of the action research by the Theatre of the Oppressed, Great Britain.
Prof. Alicia Cabezudo, (2012)—expert in human rights, education to democracy and peace culture, University of Barcelona, Spain.
Prof. Giuliana Gemelli (2012)—Professor of Contemporary History; Director of PHaSI Philanthropy and Social Innovation research center, University of Bologna, Italy.
Prof. Gojko Bežovan (2012)—expert in human rights, University of Zagreb, Croatia.
Lectures
Selma Muhič Dizdarevič—Sabanci University, Istanbul, Turkey (2012): lecture on the transformation of Czech society post the Velvet Revolution.
Selma Muhič Dizdarevič—Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, Croatia (2014): lecture on Czech social policy on vulnerable groups.
Selma Muhič Dizdarevič—Tel Aviv University, Israel (2012) - The 2nd Ruppin International Conference on Immigration and Social Integration: lecture on public policy on the Romany people in the CR.
Marek Skovajsa—University of Warsaw, Warsaw (2012). “Cultural sociology and the problem of agency.” Institute of Sociology, invited lecture.
Dana Moree—University of Fribourg, Switzerland (2013). The Transforming Society as a Challenging Environment for Qualitative Research.
Departmental faculty present papers at conferences organized by international academic associations, particularly the International Society for Third Sector Research, European Educational Research Association, EMES, European Sociological Association and International Sociological Association (detailed information is available at the individual personal websites of departmental faculty).
[1] More information on Dr. Rutzen and ICNL is available at www.icnl.org/about/bios/rutzen.html
