Contested Czech Cities

This research was supported by Grant no. 14-24977P from the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic as part of the project Contested Czech cities: Citizen participation in post-socialist urban restructuring.
This book focuses on urban grassroots movements in post-socialist Czechia and their struggle against unprofessional and nondemocratic urban processes in their cities. It shows that in the context of neoliberal urban restructuring, weakly consolidated democracy, and corporate capture of the local state, urban activists often resort to entering electoral competition as the only efficient way of improving the situation in their cities. The book is based on four case studies from different Czech cities, narrating stories of activists struggling against a controversial flood protection project, the demolition of public buildings,an unhealthy land-use plan, arrogant development, and overpriced city halls. It offers valuable insight into the obstacles created by institutionalized forms of power abuse which urban activists must deal with and discusses the pro-democratic potential of urban grassroot movements' efforts to overcome their limited ability to influence political processes via standard means of civic engagement and protest activities.

Sheds light on the current state of Czech civil society and its relationship with the neoliberal urban development Contributes to literature on post-socialist social movements - an emerging and rapidly expanding field Provides a fresh contribution to the fields of social movement studies, urban studies, anthropology of post-socialism and critical geography

Autorentext
Michaela Pixová, Ph.D., is a human geographer engaging in research, writing, teaching, and activism. Her professional and personal interests span a wide range of socio-spatial themes, particularly those centering around urban space and urban life, and most recently climate change, environmental crises, and movements surrounding these issues.

Klappentext
This book focuses on urban grassroots movements in post-socialist Czechia and their struggle against unprofessional and nondemocratic urban processes in their cities. It shows that in the context of neoliberal urban restructuring, weakly consolidated democracy, and corporate capture of the local state, urban activists often resort to entering electoral competition as the only efficient way of improving the situation in their cities. The book is based on four case studies from different Czech cities, narrating stories of activists struggling against a controversial flood protection project, the demolition of public buildings, an unhealthy land-use plan, arrogant development, and overpriced city halls. It offers valuable insight into the obstacles created by institutionalized forms of power abuse which urban activists must deal with and discusses the pro-democratic potential of urban grassroot movements' efforts to overcome their limited ability to influence political processes via standard means of civic engagement and protest activities.

Inhalt
1 Urban Grassroots Movements in Post-socialist Czechia: Spatial, Social, Cultural, and Political Context.- 2 Four Case Studies: Jablonec nad Nisou, eské Budjovice, Prostjov, Prague.- 3 Frames, Mobilizing Structures and Political Opportunities.- 4 Conclusion.