Monitoring the Transition in the Czech Republic: Data, Surveys and Studies

Abstract

The description of postcommunist societies is still insufficient & contrasts with the rich knowledge on Western societies. The focus is still on economic &, in particular, macroeconomic data, while social data & reports are rather scarce. With regard to socioeconomic studies & analyses, the Czech Republic is even lagging behind other transition countries of Central Eastern Europe. To ease the access to basic social knowledge on Czech society, the author presents an overview of information sources including references to surveys & institutions. Among them, the author refers to analyses of international bodies, as well as to domestic efforts to launch more comprehensive social reports. The Czech government's recent projects regarding the visions, strategies & priorities for further development of society are referred to also. Surveys already collected in the Sociological Data Archive & available to the public provide a good opportunity for developing the study of Czech society from various angles.