Olga Nešporová
Olga Nešporová
QUALIFICATIONS
2008 Ph.D., Anthropology, Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, Prague
2004 Mgr., Anthropology, Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, Prague
2001 Bc., Humanities, Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, Prague
PRINCIPAL RESEARCH INTERESTS
Critical Heritage Studies; Burial and Funeral Ceremonies; Cemeteries and Burial Grounds; Religious Studies; Sociology of Family; Parenthood, Intergenerational Relations; Combining Work and Care; Homelessness; Family and Social Policy
RESEARCH PROFILE
My research currently follows two main strands. Firstly, I am interested in the process of heritagisation—how heritage is created and maintained—with a focus on marginal regions such as the so-called Sudetenland and other borderlands. Secondly, I examine attitudes and practices related to death, last rites, and funerals in contemporary Czech society, as well as their transformation over the past century.
Within this area, I have analysed the spread of cremation and civil funerals during the socialist period, and the subsequent rise in cremation without any funeral ceremony in the early 21st century. Most recently, my research has focused on the development of emergency medical services and how they handle death.
Over the past two decades, I have also studied family dynamics, intergenerational relationships, and the provision of care for children and older adults. I have conducted research projects on families with young children, exploring themes such as motherhood, fatherhood, gender norms, and the reconciliation of work and care responsibilities. Additionally, I have a keen interest in family and social policy.
In 2019, I led the first census of homeless people in the Czech Republic, contributing to a better understanding of this pressing social issue.
Books
2024 O smrti a pohřbívání [On Death and Burial]. 2nd revised edition. Brno: Centrum pro studium demokracie a kultury.
2021 Homoparentální rodiny [Same-sex Parented Families]. Praha: VÚPSV.
2021 Funerary Practices in the Czech Republic. Bingley: Emerald Publishing Limited.
2020 Populace osob bez domova v České republice. Osoby přespávající venku, v noclehárnách, v azylových domech a v obecních ubytovnách [Population of homeless persons in the Czech Republic. Persons sleeping rough, in night shelters, homeless hostels and municipal hostels.]. Praha: VÚPSV. (co-author Holpuch, Petr)
2019 Sčítání osob bez domova v České republice 2019: Kategorie bez střechy a vybrané kategorie bez bytu podle typologie ETHOS [Census of homeless persons in the Czech Republic 2019: Roofless and selected houseless categories according to the ETHOS]. Praha: VÚPSV. (co-authors Holpuch, Petr – Janurová, Kristýna – Kuchařová, Věra)
2018 Socioekonomické dopady úmrtí na české domácnosti [Socioeconomic impacts of deaths on Czech households]. Praha: VÚPSV. (co-authors Höhne, Sylva – Svobodová, Kamila)
Edited Volumes and Special Issues
2022 Rodičovství: plány, formy a zkušenosti [Parenthood: Plans, Forms and Experiences]. Special Issue of Sociální studia / Social Studies, 19(2). (co-editor Šťastná, Anna)
Journal Articles
2023 Communist Funeral Reform in Central Europe (1948–1989): From Religious to Civil Funerals in Czechoslovakia and Hungary. OMEGA—Journal of Death and Dying 87(2): 485–503. (co-author Tóth, Heléna)
2023 A Century of Funeral Change in Burial Practices: From Church Burial to Cremation Without a Ceremony. Ethnological Journal / Český Lid 110 (2): 127-156.
2022 Přechod k mateřství a otcovství a jeho dopady na každodenní život a identitu jedince [The Transition to Motherhood and Fatherhood and Its Impacts on the Everyday Life and Identity of an Individual]. Národopisná revue 32 (4): 307–318.
2022 Role sborů pro občanské záležitosti v rozšiřování občanských pohřebních obřadů [The Role of Committees for Civil Issues in the Spread of Civil Funeral Ceremonies]. Český lid / Ethnological Journal 109 (3): 275–298.
2022 „Já jsem právně úplně mimo“ – Zkušenosti rodičů z homoparentálních rodin v České republice [“I Am Legally Completely Excluded” – The Experiences of Parents in Homoparental Families in the Czech Republic]. Sociální studia 19 (2): 111–131.
2020 Ekonomická aktivita, materiální situace a adaptace na chudobu vybraných skupin osob bez domova [Economic activity, material situation and adaptation to poverty of selected groups of homeless people]. Fórum sociální politiky 14 (3): 26-33. (co-author Holpuch, Petr)
2019 Náboženské tradice a jejich absence v současné české pohřební praxi [Religious Traditions and Their Absence in Present-Day Czech Funerary Practice]. Národopisná revue 29 (2): 144 – 153.
2019 Hazy Transition to Fatherhood: The Experiences of Czech Fathers. Journal of Family Issues 40 (2): 143-166.
2019 Obavy a těžkosti rané fáze rodičovství. Zjištění longitudinálního výzkumu prvorodičů [Fears and Difficulties in the Early Stage of Parenthood: Findings from a Longitudinal Study of First-Time Parents]. Sociologický časopis/Czech Sociological Review 55 (1): 3-30.
2016 The Initial Years of Motherhood and Fatherhood as Perceived by Expectant Parents: The Division of Care and Paid Work. Social Studies 13 (4): 9-25.
2014 Roadside memorials in the Czech Republic and Romania: Memory versus religion in two European post-communist Countries. Mortality 19 (1): 22-40. (co-author Stahl, Irina)
2014 Souvislosti mezi rodičovstvím a životní spokojeností v České republice a v zemích Evropské unie [The Relationship between Parenthood and Life Satisfaction in the Czech Republic and European Union]. Demografie 56 (3): 185-202. (co-author Hamplová, Dana)
2013 Století proměn v pohřbívání: od církevního uložení do země ke zpopelnění bez obřadu [A Century of Funeral Change: from Church Burial to Cremation without a Ceremony]. Český lid / Ethnological Journal 100 (2): 183-204.
2012 Mateřství a otcovství v současnosti s přihlédnutím k historickému kontextu [Contemporary Motherhood and Fatherhood in a Historical Context]. Lidé Města / Urban people 14 (3): 457-486.
2011 ‘V žáru lásky se život započal – v žáru ohně se končí.‘ Čtyři pohledy na vývoj kremačního hnutí v české společnosti [‘Life Begins in the Heat of Love and Ends in the Heat of Fire’: Four Views on the Development of Cremation in Czech Society]. Soudobé dějiny 18 (4): 563-602. (co-author Nešpor, Zdeněk R.)
2011 Obřady loučení se zesnulými: Sekulární, náboženské nebo raději žádné pohřby? [Last Rites: Secular, Religious or Rather No Funeral Ceremonies?] Sociální studia 8 (2): 57-85.
2011 Smrt a umírání: opomíjené téma veřejných politik [Death and Dying: Overlooked Public-Policy Topics]. Fórum sociální politiky 5 (6): 15-19.
2010 New Phenomenon: Roadside Memorials. Annales Universitatis Apulensis Series Historica. Special Issue 14(2): 423-439.
2010 Jak náboženství ovlivňuje rodinný život? Rozdíly v chování a postojích k rodině mezi českými věřícími a nevěřícími [The Effects of Religion on Family Life. The Differences in Familial Behavior and Attitudes on Families among Czech Christians]. Lidé města / Urban People 12 (1): 61-88.
2009 Religion: An Unsolved Problem for the Modern Czech Nation. Sociologický časopis/Czech Sociological Review 45 (6): 1215-1237. (co-author Nešpor, Zdeněk R.)
2009 Smrt jako konec nebo začátek? O (ne)víře v posmrtný život [Death as an End or as a Beginning? On (not) Believing in the Afterlife]. Lidé města / Urban People 11 (3): 463-491.
2008 Veřejná připomínka smrti – pomníčky u silnic obětem dopravních nehod [The Public Remembrance of Death – Roadside Memorials]. Sociologický časopis/Czech Sociological Review 44 (1): 139-166.
2007 Smrt, umírání a pohřební rituály v české společnosti ve 20. století [Death, Dying, and Funeral Rites in Twentieth-century Czech Society]. Soudobé dějiny 14 (2-3): 354-378.
2007 Believer Perspectives on Death and Funeral Practices in a Non-believing Country. Sociologický časopis / Czech Sociological Review 43 (6): 1175-1193.
2006 Preferenční způsoby pohřbu mezi současnými českými věřícími na příkladu čtyř pražských náboženských skupin. Český lid / Ethnological Journal 93 (4): 387-404.
2006 Otcové pečující o děti formou rodičovské dovolené [Fathers Caring for Children on Parental Leave]. Demografie 48 (3): 179-193.
Book Chapters
2019 Non-Normative Parents in the Gender-Traditional Czech Republic. In: Grunow, Daniela – Evertsson, Marie (eds): New Parents in Europe. Work-Care Practices, Gender Norms and Family Policies. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 207-224.
2018 Working Fathers and Childcare in the Czech Republic. In: Musumeci, Rosy – Santero, Arianna (eds.): Fathers, Childcare and Work: Cultures, Practices and Policies. Bingley: Emerald Publishing Limited, pp. 103–128. (co-author Janurová, Kristýna)
2016 Constructions of Parenthood in The Czech Republic: Maternal Care and Paternal Help. In: Grunow, Daniela - Evertsson, Marie. Couples´ Transitions to Parenthood. Analysing Gender and Work in Europe. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 243-265. (co-author Horňáková Stuchlá, Růžena)
2014 Pohřbívání bez obřadu z perspektivy sociologie [Burial without Ceremony from a Sociological Perspective] . In: Špatenková, Naděžda et al. O posledních věcech člověka. Praha: Galén, pp. 219-231.
Ongoing Projects and Grants
2025–2028 The Land Gone Wild: Archaeology and Transdisciplinary Research of Resilience Strategies in 20th Century. CZ.02.01.01/00/23_025/0008705. OP JAK, (MEYS / MŠMT). Member of the Research Team.
2023–2025 Minutes Between Life and Death: Changes in Emergency Medical Service and the Professional Identity of its Employees in the Czech Lands 1952–2003. Standard project (GA CR 23-05753S). Co-Principal Investigator.
Past Projects and Grants
2019–2021 Changes in Funerary Rites in Bohemia and Moravia during the 20th Century. Standard project (GA CR 19-09208S). Principal Investigator.
Board Memberships
Ongoing Member of the evaluation Panel of The Czech Science Foundation (P404 – Sociology, demography, social geography and media studies)
Ongoing Editorial Board of the Journal Lidé města / Urban People
2019–2023 Editorial Board of the Journal Social Policy / Polityka Społeczna
2013–2017 Member of the Evaluation Panel of The Czech Science Foundation (P404 – Sociology, demography, social geography and media studies)
External Reviewing
Project Evaluation: Grant Agency of the Czech Republic; Nadace "Nadání Josefa, Marie a Zdeňky Hlávkových"; Technology Agency of the Czech Republic; National Science Centre Poland
Book Proposal and Manuscript Evaluation: Sociologické nakladatelství (SLON)
Journal Articles Manuscript Review: AntropoWebzin; Český lid / Ethnological Journal; Demografie, revue pro výzkum populačního vývoje / Review for Population Research; Ethnologia Europae Centralis; Fórum sociální politiky; Gender a výzkum / Gender and Research; Journal of Family Issues; Journal of Family Research; Journal of Men's Health; Lidé Města / Urban People; Mortality. Promoting the Interdisciplinary Study of Death and Dying; Národopisná revue / Journal of Ethnology; OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying; Sociální práce / Sociálna práca; Sociální studia / Social Studies; Sociologický časopis / Czech Sociological Review; Teologická reflexe / Theological Reflection
Doctoral Thesis Examination: Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Philosophy, Charles University, Prague
Invited Talks, Public Lectures or Roundtables
2024 July, 26. Cremation and funeral ceremonies in contemporary Czech Republic and CEE countries. Anthropology of Cremation Summer School, Brno, Masaryk University.
2024 May, 29. O pohřbívání a pohřebních obřadech v české společnosti [On burial and funeral ceremonies in the Czech society], Praha, Centrum paliativní péče.
2023 July, 18. A century of funeral change: from church burial to cremation without a ceremony. Anthropological Summer School, Baptism of Fire, Brno, Masaryk University.
Teaching Experience
Ongoing Lecturer, Department of Historical Studies, Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, Prague.
Ongoing Visiting Lecturer, Department of European Ethnology, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, Brno.
2007–2008 Lecturer, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, Prague.
Conference and Workshop Organisation
2024 September, 26-27. Transformations of the Emergency Medical Services in the 20th and 21st Centuries: Actors - Organization - Technology – Innovation. Conference, Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, Prague. (co-organisers Hlaváček, Jiří – Bortlová-Vondráková, Hana – Klečatský, Martin – Krátká, Lenka – Svobodný, Petr)
