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Oxford University Press, USA

Velvet Revolutions: An Oral History of Czech Society

Velvet Revolutions: An Oral History of Czech Society

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The Velvet Revolution in November 1989 brought about the collapse of the authoritarian communist regime in what was then Czechoslovakia, marking the beginning of the country's journey towards democracy. Though members of the elite have spoken about the transition to democracy, the experiences
of ordinary people have largely gone untold.

In Velvet Revolutions, Miroslav Vanek and Pavel Mücke examine the values of everyday citizens who lived under so-called real socialism, as well as how their values changed after the 1989 collapse. Based on 300 interviews, Vanek and Mücke give voice to everyone from farmers to managers, service
workers to marketing personnel, manual laborers to members of the armed forces. Compelling and diverse, the oral histories touch upon the experience - and absence - of freedom, the value of family and friends, the experience of free time, and perceptions of foreign nations. Data from opinion polls
conducted between 1970 and 2013 factor into the book's analysis, creating a well-rounded view of the ways in which popular thoughts, trends, and attitudes changed as Czech society transitioned from communism to democracy.

From this rich foundation, Velvet Revolutions builds a multi-layered view of Czech history before 1989 and during the subsequent period of democratic transformation.


Author: Miroslav Vanek, Pavel Mücke
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 02/01/2016
Pages: 264
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.30lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.20w x 1.10d
ISBN: 9780199342723

Review Citation(s):
Choice 03/01/2017

About the Author

Miroslav Vanek is Director of the Department of Oral History and Contemporary History at Charles University in Prague and President of the International Oral History Assocation.

Pavel Mücke is Lecturer of Oral History and Contemporary History at Charles University in Prague.

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