The Disappointed and Disgruntled: A Study of the Return in the 1990s of Czech Emigrants from Communist Era

Abstract

Any in-depth research on Czech emigration to the West in the communist era, and on the return of these emigrants in the 1990s, has until now been almost nonexistent, although it could provide a deeper comprehension of present Czech society and its cultural values. The article provides a strong theoretical basis for this kind of study, which starts out from P. Berger's and T. Luckmann's theory of socialisation, and compares it with the socio-economic point of view, considered the most useful research method for this particular field. After a brief description of former developments, the article concentrates on a more detailed analysis of the recent process of the emigrants' return, which is described on the basis of qualitative biographical research. The author attempts to explain why the emigrants decided to return, including the factors of their prosperity abroad and their attitudes to modern capitalism and analyses the process of their (re-)integration into Czech society. The main conclusion is that economic and work characteristics have played the most important role in the decision, although some other factors (especially time) must also be taken into account. The emigrants who have returned to the Czech Republic have found above-average employment positions in the country. However, their social adaptation contrasts sharply with this prosperity, partly owing to the envy of other people, and partly as a result of the significant difference in attitudes towards individual-collective relations.

Discourse of nostalgic experiences of reemigrants in the Post-adaptation Period: historical and linguistic Parallels

“…Zdenek R. Nespor describes the results of a biographical study of twenty Czechs who emigrated at different times (1940-1980-ies), but decided to return to the Czech Republic after 1989. The author explains the reasons for the return of immigrants, taking into account the factors of their success abroad, and analyzes the process of their re-integration into Czech society [14]. The main conclusion of Zdenek R. Nespor is as follows: economic factors and performance characteristics played the most important role in deciding whether to re-emigrate, although some other factors (especially time) should also be taken into account.…”

‘Not anymore, not yet’: Australian–Hungarians rediscover the ‘old‐new’ Hungary

“…We know very little of the similar orientalist discourse within Eastern European diasporas (except for Nešpor 2002 and Winland, 2002). According to the studies that do exist, immigrants believe that those who stayed—demoralised and corrupted victims of the past—must learn new standards and change their mentality in order to join the ‘better’ part of humanity.…”

The Re-emigration of Czech Western Emigrants in the 1990s from the Perspective of Economic Sociology

“…30 Na prvním místě je to striktní, původně emické (F. Peroutka), rozlišování mezi "politickými uprchlíky/exulanty" a "ekonomickými emigranty" na Západ, které se potom projevilo i v hodnocení a sebehodnocení reemigrantů. Jak jsem již ukázal jinde, žádné striktní dělení na politické a ekonomické emigranty není možné [Nešpor 2002a: 10], což je i závěr ke kterému dospěla současná světová odborná literatura [cf. např.…”