| The transition to democracy and capitalism in the Czech Republic following the Velvet Revolution means a new role is emerging for citizens who live in a markedly different community with freedoms, opportunities, and pressures not experienced under communism during the previous 40 years. Changes necessitated an evolving new Czech citizenship which, while rooted in the long history of the country, also is responsive to the demands of a dynamic modern Czech society that is defining its place in the region and world.; The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of citizenship to young adult Czechs who came of age since the end of communism in their country At the heart of the study was the phenomenological research question: (1) What does citizenship mean to young adult Czechs?" To fully understand this topic, additional research questions asked, (2) In what ways are young adult Czechs active in the public arena? and (3) What public issues do young adult Czechs consider most significant?; In-depth interviews with a purposive sample of education students at Charles University examined their perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, and experience surrounding citizenship and identity; sources influencing their concepts of citizenship; their perspectives on civics education; opportunities to discuss democracy and citizenship, activity in the public arena; political activity; attitudes toward public institutions; and what public issues they considered most influential in a former communist country in transition to democracy and a market economy. The predominant themes found in the meaning of democratic citizenship to these students were (1) nationalism and group membership and (2) freedoms, rights, and equality. |
