Czech Pagans’ Views on Extremism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/pome.33441Keywords:
Czech Republic, extremism, paganismAbstract
The chief aim of this paper is to describe the relationship of contemporary Czech Pagans-those who identify themselves as such and practice their belief in ritual-to what is described as extremism, using the methods of qualitative analysis, interviews and observation. The paper focuses on the subjective views of Pagans themselves, which allow us to understand the internal processes within this highly particular community. An important element of this is how Pagans themselves understand the term "extremism." The paper outlines specific positions taken by individual Pagans, proceeding to generalize in order to characterize the Czech Pagan community as a whole. It also analyses potential trigger mechanisms, which in some cases entice individuals from the community to take extremist positions.References
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Charvát, Jan. Sou?asný politický extremismus a radikalismus (Contemporary Political Extremism and Radicalism). Prague: Portál, 2007.
Daly, Steven, and Nathaniel Wice. Encyklopedie kulturních trend? devadesátých let [translation of Alt.Culture. An A-Z Guide to 90s America]. Brno: Jota, 1999.
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Janí?ek, Pavel. “Miky: Cítím se být pohanem” (Miky: I consider myself a Pagan). V?stník PFIcz (Bulletin of the Pagan Federation International-Czech), Samhain 2014, 15. http://www.pohanskafederace.cz/vestnik/vestnik-samhain-2014.pdf.
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Mezinárodní pohanská federace ?echy, Morava a Slezsko (Pagan Federation International of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia). “O pohanství” (About Paganism). http://www.pohanskafederace.cz/o-pohanstvi/.
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Smolík, Josef, and Petra Vejvodová. “Politický extremismus jako bezpe?nostní hrozba?” (Is political extremism a security threat?). In Vybrané bezpe?nostní hrozby a rizika 21. století (Selected security threats and risks in the 21th century), edited by Josef Smolík and Tomáš Šmíd, 43–67. Brno: Masarykova Univerzita, 2010.
Stezky pohanství (Pagan pathways). “Co je pohanství?” (What Is Paganism?). Accessed 18 November 2014. http://www.stezkypohanstvi.cz/pohanstvi/.
——. “Šedá zóna v pohanství” (Grey zone in Paganism). http://www.stezkypohanstvi.cz/seda-zona-extremismu-v-pohanstvi/.
Strmiska, Michael F. “Modern Paganism in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives.” In Modern Paganism in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives, edited by Michael F. Strmiska, 1–53. Santa Barbara: ABC-Clio, 2005.
Vinš, Petr Jan. “Nejnov?jší vývoj germánského pohanství v ?R: Neúsp?ch jednotících tendencí soudobého ?eského pohanství a radikalizace klanu Karpatských vlk?—terénní studie” (Most recent developments in Germanic Paganism in the Czech Republic: The failure of unifying tendencies in contemporary Czech Paganism and the radicalization of the Clan of Carpathian Wolves—A Field Study). Paper read at a research students’ conference at Charles University, Prague, 2006.
Vojtíšek, Zden?k. “Novopohanství a jeho p?ítomnost v ?eské spole?nosti” (NeoPaganism and its Presence in Czech Society). http://www.htf.cuni.cz/HTF-80-version1-NovopohanstviProTeologickouRevui.doc. 2009.
Vrzal, Miroslav. “‘Satan, Ódin, Hitler’: Spojení satanismu, pohanství a ultrapravicové ideologie v black metalové subculture” (“Satan, Ódin, Hitler”: The combination of Satanism, Paganism and extreme-right ideology in black metal bubculture). Sacra 7, no. 1 (2009): 5–25.
York, Michael. Pagan Theology: Paganism as a World Religion. New York: New York University Press, 2003.
?eská pohanská spole?nost. “Pohanství: Jak jej chápe ?eská pohanská
spole?nost” (Paganism: As understood by the Czech Pagan society). http://pohanskaspolecnost.cz/pohanstvi/.
Charvát, Jan. Sou?asný politický extremismus a radikalismus (Contemporary Political Extremism and Radicalism). Prague: Portál, 2007.
Daly, Steven, and Nathaniel Wice. Encyklopedie kulturních trend? devadesátých let [translation of Alt.Culture. An A-Z Guide to 90s America]. Brno: Jota, 1999.
Fiala, Petr. “?eský politický extremismus a radikalismus z hlediska politologie” (Czech political extremism and radicalism from the viewpoint of political science). In Politický extremismus a radikalismus v ?eské republice (Political extremism and radicalism in the Czech Republic), edited by Petr Fiala, 7–16. Brno: Masarykova Univerzita, 1998.
Janí?ek, Pavel. “Miky: Cítím se být pohanem” (Miky: I consider myself a Pagan). V?stník PFIcz (Bulletin of the Pagan Federation International-Czech), Samhain 2014, 15. http://www.pohanskafederace.cz/vestnik/vestnik-samhain-2014.pdf.
Mareš, Miroslav. Pravicový extremismus a radikalismus v ?R (Right-wing extremism and radicalism in the Czech Republic). Brno: Barrister a Principal, Centrum strategických studií, 2003.
Mezinárodní pohanská federace ?echy, Morava a Slezsko (Pagan Federation International of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia). “O pohanství” (About Paganism). http://www.pohanskafederace.cz/o-pohanstvi/.
Mudde, Cas. The Ideology of the Extreme Right. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2000.
Pohanský kruh. “Organizace” (Organization). http://pohanskykruh.wordpress.com/organizace/.
Smolík, Josef. Národní strana v kontextu krajní pravice: 2003–2012 (The National Party in the far-right context: 2003–2012). Brno: Centrum pro studium demokracie a kultury, 2013.
Smolík, Josef, and Petra Vejvodová. “Politický extremismus jako bezpe?nostní hrozba?” (Is political extremism a security threat?). In Vybrané bezpe?nostní hrozby a rizika 21. století (Selected security threats and risks in the 21th century), edited by Josef Smolík and Tomáš Šmíd, 43–67. Brno: Masarykova Univerzita, 2010.
Stezky pohanství (Pagan pathways). “Co je pohanství?” (What Is Paganism?). Accessed 18 November 2014. http://www.stezkypohanstvi.cz/pohanstvi/.
——. “Šedá zóna v pohanství” (Grey zone in Paganism). http://www.stezkypohanstvi.cz/seda-zona-extremismu-v-pohanstvi/.
Strmiska, Michael F. “Modern Paganism in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives.” In Modern Paganism in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives, edited by Michael F. Strmiska, 1–53. Santa Barbara: ABC-Clio, 2005.
Vinš, Petr Jan. “Nejnov?jší vývoj germánského pohanství v ?R: Neúsp?ch jednotících tendencí soudobého ?eského pohanství a radikalizace klanu Karpatských vlk?—terénní studie” (Most recent developments in Germanic Paganism in the Czech Republic: The failure of unifying tendencies in contemporary Czech Paganism and the radicalization of the Clan of Carpathian Wolves—A Field Study). Paper read at a research students’ conference at Charles University, Prague, 2006.
Vojtíšek, Zden?k. “Novopohanství a jeho p?ítomnost v ?eské spole?nosti” (NeoPaganism and its Presence in Czech Society). http://www.htf.cuni.cz/HTF-80-version1-NovopohanstviProTeologickouRevui.doc. 2009.
Vrzal, Miroslav. “‘Satan, Ódin, Hitler’: Spojení satanismu, pohanství a ultrapravicové ideologie v black metalové subculture” (“Satan, Ódin, Hitler”: The combination of Satanism, Paganism and extreme-right ideology in black metal bubculture). Sacra 7, no. 1 (2009): 5–25.
York, Michael. Pagan Theology: Paganism as a World Religion. New York: New York University Press, 2003.
Published
2018-08-23
Issue
Section
Special Section: Paganism and Politics
How to Cite
Merička, J., & Smolik, J. (2018). Czech Pagans’ Views on Extremism. Pomegranate, 20(1), 45-70. https://doi.org/10.1558/pome.33441
