Videos by Pavol Kosnáč
Video-summary for the Shape of (Central) Europe 2022 conference, Aspen Institute CE, Prague.
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Monographs & Edited Books by Pavol Kosnáč
Hodnotové líderstvo, aneb čo so spoločnosťou urobí masívny posun v hodnotách, 2022
Za posledných 30 rokov došlo k výraznému hodnotovému posunu na celom svete, no najmä na Západe. Z... more Za posledných 30 rokov došlo k výraznému hodnotovému posunu na celom svete, no najmä na Západe. Západnú kultúru sme optimalizovali na ochranu a blaho jednotlivca, smerom k hodnotám individualizmu, s dôrazom na osobné sebaurčenie a slobodu myslenia. O to sa západné krajiny snažili dlhodobo a ide o historicky bezprecedentný úspech. Každá zmena je však sociálnym stresorom, a v strednej Európe bola masívna. Existujú segmenty obyvateľstva, ktoré z tejto zmeny nemajú prospech. Výsledkom je polarizácia a kultúrne vojny.
Táto analýza slúži ako sociologická sonda do problémov vyplývajúcich z daného hodnotového posunu, ktorému budú čeliť budúci lídri vo väčšine európskych krajín. Analýza slúžila ako odborné podklady pre prednášajúcich na konferencii Aspen Inštitútu Central Europe „The Shape of (Central) Europe 2022“.
The academic field encompassed in Fiction, Invention and Hyper-reality: From Popular Culture to R... more The academic field encompassed in Fiction, Invention and Hyper-reality: From Popular Culture to Religion is that of contested contemporary religions that are: based on fictional texts (films, novels, manga, and so on) or include fictional texts in their canon of scriptures or inspirational phenomena. Scholarly investigation of these religions formally commenced in the early 2000s, but is still a small (though rapidly expanding) subfield. In their studies, scholars include both self-identified religious groups and non-self-identified, non-institutionalized religious and spiritual practices that are pursued by unorganized movements or by individuals under the rubrics ‘fictional’, ‘invented’ or ‘hyper-real’ religions. Various methodological lenses have been applied to the study of such phenomena; the most common being sociological and psychological approaches to questions arising about the claims to legitimacy of these religious groups and practices, such as how can they be distinguished from mock or parody religions (Chidester 2005) or from fandoms and fan communities; that is, groups of enthusiasts for certain film and music stars, and cult or popular film, television, and literary phenomena (Jindra 1994). Issues which follow on from such preliminary definitional questions include further questions concerning the motives of the movements’ originators (if there are known founders) in creating religions based on obviously human-generated stories or characters, when there are many other religions from which to choose (Lewis 2003). This question is particularly important as traditional religions claim to be authentically transcendent, ancient and true; many of the religions included in this volume sidestep or repudiate the usual legitimating claims that underpin the reputation of most existing religious groups. Within Religious Studies the closest subfield to that of ‘fictional’, ‘invented’ or ‘hyper-real’ religions is the study of new religious movements (NRMs).
Conference Presentations by Pavol Kosnáč
Pop-Culture based religions (PBRs) are new religious movements par excellence. They are based on ... more Pop-Culture based religions (PBRs) are new religious movements par excellence. They are based on a piece of pop-culture and developed by their authors, and are not trying to hide it. Some consider them parodies, and many criticize them for not being authentic and having no legitimacy. How do the PBRs themselves deal with it?
Papers by Pavol Kosnáč
Conspiracy theories are among the most vivid sociopathological phenomena of our times. As sociocu... more Conspiracy theories are among the most vivid sociopathological phenomena of our times. As sociocultural challenges of such an urgent kind, they require a thoughtful response from experts, state authorities and civil society. The publication you are holding in your hands offers such a thoughtful response from experts who gathered at the international conference “How do we discern conspiracy theories?” to discuss and propose qualified suggestions for addressing conspiracism in various areas of social life, including the state administration, the education system, the third sector, churches and religious societies. The original contribution of the conference can be considered the operationalization of the notion of discernment: Discernment is proposed as a key notion for approaching conspiracies from a prophylactic point of view. In its religious context, the notion of discernment is closely linked to spirituality and finds its prominent application in spiritual accompaniment as develo...
PLOS ONE
Paramilitary organizations have increasingly become a cause for concern among policy makers and t... more Paramilitary organizations have increasingly become a cause for concern among policy makers and the media in recent years, in part because the former are often seen as a potential threat to peace (or at least to the status quo of the current political systems) in the countries in which they emerge. Organizations such as the Oathkeepers and 3 Percenters (also known as III%ers) in the United States have grown significantly in the last two decades, while paramilitary organizations playing a key role in both offensive and defensive actions in Crimea and the Donbas Region have become a focus of discussion in the Russian war on Ukraine. Although they have not always garnered as much attention, paramilitary organizations in Central and Eastern Europe have a long history. While most are relatively inactive, others play a wide variety of active roles, sometimes even running operations in parallel with a state’s official armed forces (e.g., the PMO serving the state in Poland, or the Night Wo...
Communicating the Sacred: Varieties of Religious Marketing, 2022
How do you communicate your case if you are a puritan anti-modernist jihadi organization? ISIS ha... more How do you communicate your case if you are a puritan anti-modernist jihadi organization? ISIS has demonstrated, that pushing a blend of victory, victimhood, community and purpose works. Adding vengeance opportunities and promising women as well. Blending in a message of compassion and religion gives the message depth and transcendence. It makes all the difference. Head-chopping will not be a simple act of killing a prisoner and a war crime; it will be an act of protection and service to the community, an act of justice manifested on an oppressor and an offering to God. As it was very publicly demonstrated by Islamic State, it can be very effective. The key for that to work is — it must be believed. It cannot be pretended. It is very hard to persuade someone to undergo a suicide mission if both him and the one that is sending him do not believe it makes sense. I will argue that we do not have a good reason to doubt the honesty of most members of Islamic State when it comes to their hopes for building a utopia, authentic yearning for purpose and their belief in their interpretation of the Islamic faith—ahistorical and alternative as it may be. This chapter describes what marketing strategies, communicating tools and narratives were most commonly used by ISIS propagandists, which facets of the environment in which ISIS operated allowed and contributed to its propaganda success that was manifested in the reach, influence and its ability to recruit tens of thousands of international volunteers and fighters. It will also elaborate on motivation of ISIS fighters, including the motivation factor of Islamic religion and/or their Muslim identity. Finally, it will look into how resilient is the ISIS narrative and what are the chances it will outlive its heralds.
Journal of Religious & Theological Information, 2018
Almanach znalca, 2021
The article summarizes the short history of the birth of the youngest expert witness specialisati... more The article summarizes the short history of the birth of the youngest expert witness specialisation created by the Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic, namely the specialisation of „Social Sciences and Humanities“, which was established in an effort to professionalize expert witness practice in the area of political and religious extremism. It describes the reasons that laid the foundations of the specialization, the mechanism of creation of an experts, the position of an expert witness in the judical system and the legal tradition and the specific legislation on which the factual nature of the crimes of extremism is based. Finally, the article deals with the existing practical problems of this young area of expertise, from the reasons behind the lack of experts who would be willing to practice this service to the academic problem of defining extremism and the application of social scientific knowledge in the environment of judicial system and law enforcement.
Fiction, Invention and Hyper-reality: From Popular Culture to Religion, 2016
Led by Brookings Senior Fellows Vanda Felbab-Brown, Shadi Hamid, and Harold Trinkunas, the Brooki... more Led by Brookings Senior Fellows Vanda Felbab-Brown, Shadi Hamid, and Harold Trinkunas, the Brookings Seminar on Reconstituting Local Orders seeks to better understand how domestic political order breaks down and is reconstituted. It draws out policy implications and recommends more effective action for local governments and the international community. It examines these issues by bringing together top-level experts and policymakers. The present disorder in the international system is significantly augmented by the breakdown of domestic order across a number of key states. Around the globe, the politics of identity, ideology and religion are producing highly polarized societies and deepening conflicts among non-state actors and between non-state actors and the state. In the Middle East, the Arab Spring disrupted long calcified political systems in ways that are still producing unpredictable effects on the regional order. The collapse of political order in Libya has wideranging consequences for governance across the Sahel, intensifying Mali and Nigeria's fragility and highlighting the many deficiencies of their states. Meanwhile, Russia's annexation of Crimea was facilitated by a breakdown of political order in Ukraine, and Russia's aggressive external posture also partially reflects and compensates for its internal weaknesses. But even emerging powers such as India and Brazil face profound and persistent governance problems, including in public safety and the rule of law. Among the topics explored in the Seminar are the construction of institutions and counter-institutions in the Middle East and South Asia; the role of external interveners and local militias in conflict settings; and forms of governance in slums and prisons, such as by criminal groups. The Seminar is a collaborative research space that serves as a launching pad for cutting edge debate and research around questions of local and transnational order. The core of the analytical and policy-prescriptive exploration focuses on how political and social orders are reconstituted, the resulting impact on regional order and the international system, and what roles the international community should play. Among the products of the Seminar are analytical and policy papers as well as shorter articles and blog posts that examine crossregional comparisons and identify policy implications and recommendations.
Governance and Public Management
Analysis of the rising phenomenon of "combat charities,” or idealistic entities consisting mostly... more Analysis of the rising phenomenon of "combat charities,” or idealistic entities consisting mostly of volunteers that seek to provide military and political assistance to weaker armed groups or minorities resisting the military onslaught of others, such as of ISIS in the Middle East and North Africa.
A brief introduction to the spread of the idea of "reconquista" and its development during the p... more A brief introduction to the spread of the idea of "reconquista" and its development during the period of 8th to 16th century Iberian peninsula.
The category of “non-religious”, or “nones”, is still a sociological term widely used to describe... more The category of “non-religious”, or “nones”, is still a sociological term widely used to describe people who do not consider themselves religious. There is a whole new field of religious studies and sociology of religion developing around this category. But the term itself raises some problems, which may eventually be more of an obstacle than an aid in the methodology of these academic disciplines. The example of Czech Republic, the most "non-religious" country in the world will be used as a case study to demonstrate, why it does not work, because it fails to account for non-institutionalized religiosity, implicit religiosity and generally problematic self-identification in quantitative polls.
This text originated during my studies at Oxford university, and gained the Peter B. Clarke Memorial Prize 2013 from the British Sociological Association´s Sociology of Religion Study Group.
Cathar Refugees in Middle Ages describe the situation of war refugees, mostly Cathars, in 13th ce... more Cathar Refugees in Middle Ages describe the situation of war refugees, mostly Cathars, in 13th century Okcitania (southern France), during the Albigensian crusade.
Historická revue, Dec 2013
Papacy and the Third Reich: Relationship of Vatican and the Nazi Germany in the light of diplomat... more Papacy and the Third Reich: Relationship of Vatican and the Nazi Germany in the light of diplomatic correspondence
Historická revue, Oct 2013
Pilgrimages in Medieval Christian Europe
Historická revue, May 2014
What formed the religious imagination of a medieval person.
Articles, Chapters & Introductions by Pavol Kosnáč
DEKK Analysis: What a Massive Shift in Values Does to a Society, 2022
In the last 30 years, there has been a significant value shift all over the world, but especially... more In the last 30 years, there has been a significant value shift all over the world, but especially in the West. We have optimized Western culture for the protection and well-being of the individual, towards the values of individualism, emphasizing self-determination and freedom of thought. This is what Western countries have been striving for for a long time, and it is a historically unprecedented success. However, every change is a social stressor, and in Central Europe, it was a massive one. There are segments of population, that do not benefit from this change. The outcome is polarization and culture wars. This analysis serves as an exploration of problems arising from the value shift that future leaders will be facing in majority of European countries. It served as an expert paper for the Aspen Institute CEE conference "The Shape of (Central) Europe 2022".
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Videos by Pavol Kosnáč
Monographs & Edited Books by Pavol Kosnáč
Táto analýza slúži ako sociologická sonda do problémov vyplývajúcich z daného hodnotového posunu, ktorému budú čeliť budúci lídri vo väčšine európskych krajín. Analýza slúžila ako odborné podklady pre prednášajúcich na konferencii Aspen Inštitútu Central Europe „The Shape of (Central) Europe 2022“.
Conference Presentations by Pavol Kosnáč
Papers by Pavol Kosnáč
This text originated during my studies at Oxford university, and gained the Peter B. Clarke Memorial Prize 2013 from the British Sociological Association´s Sociology of Religion Study Group.
Articles, Chapters & Introductions by Pavol Kosnáč
Táto analýza slúži ako sociologická sonda do problémov vyplývajúcich z daného hodnotového posunu, ktorému budú čeliť budúci lídri vo väčšine európskych krajín. Analýza slúžila ako odborné podklady pre prednášajúcich na konferencii Aspen Inštitútu Central Europe „The Shape of (Central) Europe 2022“.
This text originated during my studies at Oxford university, and gained the Peter B. Clarke Memorial Prize 2013 from the British Sociological Association´s Sociology of Religion Study Group.
"The Sunday Assembly was started by Sanderson Jones and Pippa Evans, two comedians who were on the way to a gig in Bath when they discovered they both wanted to do something that was like church but totally secular and inclusive of all—no matter what they believed.
The first ever Sunday Assembly meeting took place on January 6th 2013 at The Nave in Islington. Almost 200 people turned up at the first meeting, 300 at the second and soon people all over the world asked to start one.
Now there are over 70 Sunday Assembly chapters in 8 different countries where people sing songs, hear inspiring talks, and create community together.
Why do we exist? Life is short, it is brilliant, it is sometimes tough, we build communities that help everyone live life as fully as possible."