We analyze the role of intimate social ties and community in the processes of homemaking and soci... more We analyze the role of intimate social ties and community in the processes of homemaking and social integration of highly skilled migrants who are members of the local international Catholic community in Brno, Czech Republic. We use the concepts of bonding and bridging social capital developed by Michael W. Foley and Dean R. Hoge and follow their attention to the effects of the worship communities’ organizational culture on migrants’ integration. In the article, we show that the Catholic community mediates its members’ homemaking efficiently by providing them with rich bonding social capital, generated through close social ties in the community. However, it does not provide them with enough bridging social capital, and their social integration, thus, remains restricted to the company of international fellows. We compare it with the strategies of homemaking used by settling migrants who have integrated more successfully into the Czech social environment.
formulated the principle of symmetry in the sociology of knowledge very simply: "The symmetry pos... more formulated the principle of symmetry in the sociology of knowledge very simply: "The symmetry postulate (...) enjoins us to seek the same kind of causes for both true and false, rational and irrational beliefs." This formulation has far reaching consequences. With such an approach, the study of scientific knowledge can be conducted in the same manner as the study of the knowledge practices of "ordinary" people in everyday situations, including the variety of practices called "religion". In this case, the study of ordinary practices as well as the study of scientific knowledge changes radically; the "Great Divide" (Bruno Latour), which makes them completely incommensurable, vanishes; they appear side by side, all open to the same kinds of questions and open-ended research into their complex relations, all treated with the same respect. "Anthropology comes home from the tropics," as Bruno Latour put it. Another consequence is that "there is no privilege (...). [Symmetry] erodes distinctions that are said to be given in the nature of things, and instead asks how it is that they got to be that way" (John Law).
Annales Universitatis Paedagogicae Cracoviensis | Studia de Cultura
The term “female metalhead” may sound rather abstract. What does she look like and what does she ... more The term “female metalhead” may sound rather abstract. What does she look like and what does she think? Is there a typical female metalhead? This article summarizes qualitative research on woman’s motivational resources for participation in the contemporary Czech metal subculture. It discusses factors related to why women listen to metal and the role of men in this process. The research is based on seventeen semi-structured interviews with women in Czech metal. Respective research questions focus on female metalheads’ understanding of their position inside the subculture, their visual appearance, reasons for inclination to metal(e.g., partner’s influence or an attraction to the metal community), the issue of sex symbols in the metal industry, and issues of elitism and exclusivity. Results show that women within the metal subculture strike a balance between masculinity and femininity and often judge their surroundings from the perspective on these two poles. However, the primary insp...
In the context of a process of return of religion to the public sphere, this article deals with C... more In the context of a process of return of religion to the public sphere, this article deals with Christian discursive strategies in public struggles against selected metal concerts and festivals since 2013 in highly secularized Czechia and in Slovakia with a close connection of religion (especially the Catholic Church) to the state. Membership categorization analysis identified three main categories used in the construction of metal as an enemy: ‘religious struggle’, ‘danger for society/state’ and ‘danger for morality and health of individuals’. Christian opponents of metal use in their discourse sets of rhetorical tactics with both religious (i.e. fight against Satan) and secular pieces (i.e. supposed extremism of some bands) to mobilize Christian community and also to attract politics and the public. In Czechia it was targeted mainly to the Christian minority and local politics, while in Slovakia religious actors were able to mobilize broader networks against metal concerts/festivals, including nation-wide politics.
Annales Universitatis Paedagogicae Cracoviensis | Studia de Cultura
In 2022, the association of scholars interested in metal studies in Czechia, Czech Metal Studies,... more In 2022, the association of scholars interested in metal studies in Czechia, Czech Metal Studies, (CMS) celebrated its fifth anniversary. The article retrospectively looks at the origins of CMS in the context of the deficit of academic study of metal in Czechia and reflects on the development of metal studies abroad. The very origin of CMS was closely connected with the Department for the Study of Religions at Masaryk University in Brno, resulting in the primary research orientation of CMS toward the topic of metal and religion. The text surveys the current academic production of CMS members and other CMS activities, including the organization of Czech academic conferences on metal. Finally, the further direction of CMS is discussed in connection with the effort for greater ultidisciplinarity and internationalization. The multidisciplinarity of CMS is manifest in attracting scholars from outside the field of religious studies, and internationalization is apparent in the founding of...
In the context of a process of return of religion to the public sphere, this article deals with C... more In the context of a process of return of religion to the public sphere, this article deals with Christian discursive strategies in public struggles against selected metal concerts and festivals since 2013 in highly secularized Czechia and in Slovakia with a close connection of religion (especially the Catholic Church) to the state. Membership categorization analysis identified three main categories used in the construction of metal as an enemy: ‘religious struggle’, ‘danger for society/state’ and ‘danger for morality and health of individuals’. Christian opponents of metal use in their discourse sets of rhetorical tactics with both religious (i.e. fight against Satan) and secular pieces (i.e. supposed extremism of some bands) to mobilize Christian community and also to attract politics and the public. In Czechia it was targeted mainly to the Christian minority and local politics, while in Slovakia religious actors were able to mobilize broader networks against metal concerts/festiva...
The main thesis of this work is an argument that the Study of religions can be (for one part of s... more The main thesis of this work is an argument that the Study of religions can be (for one part of students) an important component of their individual religious development. The paper is focused on individual religiosity/spirituality, model of religious market and actually religious situation in Czech Republic. On basis of market metaphor I can analyse relation between spiritual oriented students (“spiritual seekers”), which represent a side of religious demang in the market metaphor, and the study of religions, which represent a side of supply. Study of this discipline , which is accredited by secular state, can represent one of the opportunity how to assemble a personal religious “bricolage”.
Podle dat ziskaných v ramci vlastniho výzkumu v prostředi Ustavu religionistiky Filozoficke fakul... more Podle dat ziskaných v ramci vlastniho výzkumu v prostředi Ustavu religionistiky Filozoficke fakulty v Brně někteři studenti religionistiky spojuji studium tohoto oboru s duchovnim hledanim. Pro cast studentů se tedy sekularni (nenaboženske) akademicke studium naboženstvi stava prostředkem osobniho spiritualniho rozvoje. Text si klade otazku, jakou roli v tom vlastně hraje jeho sekularně-vědecka povaha. K uchopeni problematiky vztahu osobni spirituality a sekularniho studia religionistiky je v přispěvku použit koncept reflexivni spirituality. S jeho pomoci se clanek snaži ukazat, že religionistika zprostředkovava pro reflexivni spiritualitu klicova temata v podobě naboženskeho pluralismu a reflexivity. Vlastni spiritualni světonazor je zde utvařen nejen z transcendentnich významů různých naboženstvi, ale i z racionalizovaneho odborneho věděni. Sekularně-vědecký charakter religionistiky pak poskytuje odstup od jednotlivých naboženských perspektiv, což umožňuje jejich kriticke srovnava...
Studie se zabýva pocatecni fazi studentske socializace do akademickeho studia naboženstvi a jeho ... more Studie se zabýva pocatecni fazi studentske socializace do akademickeho studia naboženstvi a jeho vlivem na jejich osobni vztah k naboženstvi. Z pohledu socialniho konstruktivismu je akademicke studium naboženstvi specifickou socialni realitou, ve ktere jedinci internalizuji normy během procesu socializace. Vědecka identita se zacina tvořit pravě v zacatcich studia, kdy se studenti uci, jak by měli myslet a jednat jako idealni vědecký pracovnik v oblasti studia naboženstvi. Text ukazuje, jak tento socializacni proces ovlivňuje uvažovani studentů o naboženstvi a jake ma důsledky pro jejich osobni život – obzvlasť vzhledem k jejich naboženske identitě. Empiricka cast studie je založena na kvalitativnich rozhovorech se sesti bývalými studenty religionistiky na Filozoficke fakultě Masarykovy univerzity v Brně.
Pomegranate: The International Journal of Pagan Studies, 2017
The church burnings wave of the early 1990s in Norway, connected with the emerging black metal su... more The church burnings wave of the early 1990s in Norway, connected with the emerging black metal subculture of the time, is often associated with Satanism, and the burnings are sometimes labeled as “Satanic terrorism.” Instead, the text argues that some arsons may be rather seen as Pagan terrorism, since some of the leading figures in the early Norwegian black metal subculture (especially Varg Vikernes) have indicated that their acts were inspired by their own personal versions of Paganism. These church-burners have described themselves as the successors of the Vikings of old and as “Pagan warriors” continuing an age-long war against Christianity and its culture. Using Mark Juergensmeyer’s terms we can understand such actions against Christianity as a type of cosmic war, employing public performances with high shock value.
We analyze the role of intimate social ties and community in the processes of homemaking and soci... more We analyze the role of intimate social ties and community in the processes of homemaking and social integration of highly skilled migrants who are members of the local international Catholic community in Brno, Czech Republic. We use the concepts of bonding and bridging social capital developed by Michael W. Foley and Dean R. Hoge and follow their attention to the effects of the worship communities’ organizational culture on migrants’ integration. In the article, we show that the Catholic community mediates its members’ homemaking efficiently by providing them with rich bonding social capital, generated through close social ties in the community. However, it does not provide them with enough bridging social capital, and their social integration, thus, remains restricted to the company of international fellows. We compare it with the strategies of homemaking used by settling migrants who have integrated more successfully into the Czech social environment.
formulated the principle of symmetry in the sociology of knowledge very simply: "The symmetry pos... more formulated the principle of symmetry in the sociology of knowledge very simply: "The symmetry postulate (...) enjoins us to seek the same kind of causes for both true and false, rational and irrational beliefs." This formulation has far reaching consequences. With such an approach, the study of scientific knowledge can be conducted in the same manner as the study of the knowledge practices of "ordinary" people in everyday situations, including the variety of practices called "religion". In this case, the study of ordinary practices as well as the study of scientific knowledge changes radically; the "Great Divide" (Bruno Latour), which makes them completely incommensurable, vanishes; they appear side by side, all open to the same kinds of questions and open-ended research into their complex relations, all treated with the same respect. "Anthropology comes home from the tropics," as Bruno Latour put it. Another consequence is that "there is no privilege (...). [Symmetry] erodes distinctions that are said to be given in the nature of things, and instead asks how it is that they got to be that way" (John Law).
Annales Universitatis Paedagogicae Cracoviensis | Studia de Cultura
The term “female metalhead” may sound rather abstract. What does she look like and what does she ... more The term “female metalhead” may sound rather abstract. What does she look like and what does she think? Is there a typical female metalhead? This article summarizes qualitative research on woman’s motivational resources for participation in the contemporary Czech metal subculture. It discusses factors related to why women listen to metal and the role of men in this process. The research is based on seventeen semi-structured interviews with women in Czech metal. Respective research questions focus on female metalheads’ understanding of their position inside the subculture, their visual appearance, reasons for inclination to metal(e.g., partner’s influence or an attraction to the metal community), the issue of sex symbols in the metal industry, and issues of elitism and exclusivity. Results show that women within the metal subculture strike a balance between masculinity and femininity and often judge their surroundings from the perspective on these two poles. However, the primary insp...
In the context of a process of return of religion to the public sphere, this article deals with C... more In the context of a process of return of religion to the public sphere, this article deals with Christian discursive strategies in public struggles against selected metal concerts and festivals since 2013 in highly secularized Czechia and in Slovakia with a close connection of religion (especially the Catholic Church) to the state. Membership categorization analysis identified three main categories used in the construction of metal as an enemy: ‘religious struggle’, ‘danger for society/state’ and ‘danger for morality and health of individuals’. Christian opponents of metal use in their discourse sets of rhetorical tactics with both religious (i.e. fight against Satan) and secular pieces (i.e. supposed extremism of some bands) to mobilize Christian community and also to attract politics and the public. In Czechia it was targeted mainly to the Christian minority and local politics, while in Slovakia religious actors were able to mobilize broader networks against metal concerts/festivals, including nation-wide politics.
Annales Universitatis Paedagogicae Cracoviensis | Studia de Cultura
In 2022, the association of scholars interested in metal studies in Czechia, Czech Metal Studies,... more In 2022, the association of scholars interested in metal studies in Czechia, Czech Metal Studies, (CMS) celebrated its fifth anniversary. The article retrospectively looks at the origins of CMS in the context of the deficit of academic study of metal in Czechia and reflects on the development of metal studies abroad. The very origin of CMS was closely connected with the Department for the Study of Religions at Masaryk University in Brno, resulting in the primary research orientation of CMS toward the topic of metal and religion. The text surveys the current academic production of CMS members and other CMS activities, including the organization of Czech academic conferences on metal. Finally, the further direction of CMS is discussed in connection with the effort for greater ultidisciplinarity and internationalization. The multidisciplinarity of CMS is manifest in attracting scholars from outside the field of religious studies, and internationalization is apparent in the founding of...
In the context of a process of return of religion to the public sphere, this article deals with C... more In the context of a process of return of religion to the public sphere, this article deals with Christian discursive strategies in public struggles against selected metal concerts and festivals since 2013 in highly secularized Czechia and in Slovakia with a close connection of religion (especially the Catholic Church) to the state. Membership categorization analysis identified three main categories used in the construction of metal as an enemy: ‘religious struggle’, ‘danger for society/state’ and ‘danger for morality and health of individuals’. Christian opponents of metal use in their discourse sets of rhetorical tactics with both religious (i.e. fight against Satan) and secular pieces (i.e. supposed extremism of some bands) to mobilize Christian community and also to attract politics and the public. In Czechia it was targeted mainly to the Christian minority and local politics, while in Slovakia religious actors were able to mobilize broader networks against metal concerts/festiva...
The main thesis of this work is an argument that the Study of religions can be (for one part of s... more The main thesis of this work is an argument that the Study of religions can be (for one part of students) an important component of their individual religious development. The paper is focused on individual religiosity/spirituality, model of religious market and actually religious situation in Czech Republic. On basis of market metaphor I can analyse relation between spiritual oriented students (“spiritual seekers”), which represent a side of religious demang in the market metaphor, and the study of religions, which represent a side of supply. Study of this discipline , which is accredited by secular state, can represent one of the opportunity how to assemble a personal religious “bricolage”.
Podle dat ziskaných v ramci vlastniho výzkumu v prostředi Ustavu religionistiky Filozoficke fakul... more Podle dat ziskaných v ramci vlastniho výzkumu v prostředi Ustavu religionistiky Filozoficke fakulty v Brně někteři studenti religionistiky spojuji studium tohoto oboru s duchovnim hledanim. Pro cast studentů se tedy sekularni (nenaboženske) akademicke studium naboženstvi stava prostředkem osobniho spiritualniho rozvoje. Text si klade otazku, jakou roli v tom vlastně hraje jeho sekularně-vědecka povaha. K uchopeni problematiky vztahu osobni spirituality a sekularniho studia religionistiky je v přispěvku použit koncept reflexivni spirituality. S jeho pomoci se clanek snaži ukazat, že religionistika zprostředkovava pro reflexivni spiritualitu klicova temata v podobě naboženskeho pluralismu a reflexivity. Vlastni spiritualni světonazor je zde utvařen nejen z transcendentnich významů různých naboženstvi, ale i z racionalizovaneho odborneho věděni. Sekularně-vědecký charakter religionistiky pak poskytuje odstup od jednotlivých naboženských perspektiv, což umožňuje jejich kriticke srovnava...
Studie se zabýva pocatecni fazi studentske socializace do akademickeho studia naboženstvi a jeho ... more Studie se zabýva pocatecni fazi studentske socializace do akademickeho studia naboženstvi a jeho vlivem na jejich osobni vztah k naboženstvi. Z pohledu socialniho konstruktivismu je akademicke studium naboženstvi specifickou socialni realitou, ve ktere jedinci internalizuji normy během procesu socializace. Vědecka identita se zacina tvořit pravě v zacatcich studia, kdy se studenti uci, jak by měli myslet a jednat jako idealni vědecký pracovnik v oblasti studia naboženstvi. Text ukazuje, jak tento socializacni proces ovlivňuje uvažovani studentů o naboženstvi a jake ma důsledky pro jejich osobni život – obzvlasť vzhledem k jejich naboženske identitě. Empiricka cast studie je založena na kvalitativnich rozhovorech se sesti bývalými studenty religionistiky na Filozoficke fakultě Masarykovy univerzity v Brně.
Pomegranate: The International Journal of Pagan Studies, 2017
The church burnings wave of the early 1990s in Norway, connected with the emerging black metal su... more The church burnings wave of the early 1990s in Norway, connected with the emerging black metal subculture of the time, is often associated with Satanism, and the burnings are sometimes labeled as “Satanic terrorism.” Instead, the text argues that some arsons may be rather seen as Pagan terrorism, since some of the leading figures in the early Norwegian black metal subculture (especially Varg Vikernes) have indicated that their acts were inspired by their own personal versions of Paganism. These church-burners have described themselves as the successors of the Vikings of old and as “Pagan warriors” continuing an age-long war against Christianity and its culture. Using Mark Juergensmeyer’s terms we can understand such actions against Christianity as a type of cosmic war, employing public performances with high shock value.
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Papers by Miroslav Vrzal