This Thursday Czechs are marking the 33rd anniversary of the Velvet Revolution sparked when communist police brutally cracked down on students on 17 November 1989. Protests that erupted as a result swept the former regime from power and paved the way for a return to freedom and democracy. The once jailed dissident and playwright, Václav Havel, became Czechoslovakia’s first post-1989 president. How Czechs look back on those heady days now is the subject of today’s Forum Radio interview with well-known social historian Jakub Rakosník.

Forum Radio: A look back at the Velvet Revolution

The 18th century Czech composer Josef Mysliveček is at last getting the attention he deserves, says acclaimed American musicologist Daniel E. Freeman. If so, it is in no small part thanks to Freeman’s own extensive research into the composer’s music and life. Freeman, my guest in this episode, was recently honoured by CU’s Faculty of Arts for his research and promotion of Czech culture. He gave a lecture about Mysliveček’s remarkable friendship with Leopold and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Forum Radio: Mysliveček’s excellence

In today's episode Jan V. talks to well-known American literary translator Alex Zucker. Zucker’s translations include novels by some of the best contemporary Czech authors including Bianca Bellová, Petra Hůlová and Jáchym Topol. He has also worked closely on titles with CU’s Karolinum Press, taking part last autumn  in a debate titled labours of literary translation. We delve into a bit of that as well but begin with Alex Zucker’s original aim to be a marine biologist before everything changed, he visited Czechoslovakia, and, in 1989, the Iron Curtain fell.

Forum Radio: Literary translation is all about style

My guest in this episode is Jaroslav Švelch, an expert in media studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences at Charles University. Dr. Švelch is the author of a fascinating social history titled Gaming the Iron Curtain, published by MIT Press. Feb 7 sees the release of a new book called Player vs. Monster: The Making and Breaking of Video Game Monstrosity. In our interview we talk about the history of monsters, the role monsters play in video games and what they tell us about ourselves. We discuss aesthetics, transgressive elements, horror and comedy as well as how video games and video game narratives brought fantasy and science fiction into the mainstream .

Forum Radio: So many monsters to defeat!

It’s always fascinating to see a book become a bestseller: you already know that there is something special about it, yet put off buying it for the moment, for whatever reason. Then go only later to pick up a copy and learn the print run has sold out. And that it is unavailable anywhere! That almost happened to me with Jan Fingerland’s book Hebrejky about women of the Old Testament from biblical mothers to she-demons to queens to lovers. The striking non-fiction book, which examines multiple historic layers and interpretations, and connects everything from European painting to Hollywood movies in Czech, has luckily become available again. Radio journalist and author Jan Fingerland talks about his interest in the Bible and how he put together the successful book.

Forum Radio: 'Women of the Old Testament'

Petra Guasti is a highly-respected sociologist and political scientist at Charles University. In this episode of Forum Radio, she discusses some of her main topics of interest: populism, polarisation and radicalism in Czech society - through the prism of the recent presidential election.

Forum Radio: Fear, hope and snake oil

Last month saw the publication of a much-anticipated mew monograph titled Little Berlin in Big Prague by artist and academic researcher and art history graduate Lenka Kerdová. The foundation for the book was fascinating research (originally for her Ph.D.) examining Prague architecture during the interwar period, specifically buildings designed by German-speaking architects. These included professionals of various backgrounds whether ethnic Germans, Czech Jews, or German-speakers from abroad seeking their place in a vibrant new market.

Kerdová’s book looks not only at architecture but also complex social, economic as well as political factors and relationships that influenced life in Czechoslovakia during the First Republic from 1918-1938 preceding the Second World War. In her work, Kerdová compares and contrasts Czech Functionalism and more traditional approaches and examines the state of the discourse, professional competition and other trends of the day. Bilingual (in Czech and German), full of period photographs, her book brings new attention to a largely lost era. In this episode we talk not only about Little Berlin but even a bit about her own artistic work and what it was like to study not one but two schools: Charles University and AVU – The Academy of Fine Arts in Prague.

Forum Radio: When there was a "Little Berlin" in Prague

My guest in the Forum Radio podcast today is Petr Witz, a Postdoc researcher and Assistant Professor at the Department of Public and Social Policy at the Institute of Sociological Studies at Charles University. As a researcher, Witz was based in Copenhagen for thtree years or so and worked with the largest cross-border infrastructure project in Europe - the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link – a massive underwater tunnel set to link Denmark and Germany. Such projects by their very nature are disruptive, affecting some groups of people negatively; as a sociologist who was involved close-up, he helped to find paths to reconciliation among the stakeholders. The project has also attracted some of his CU students as there are many issues and aspects for potential study. Petr Witz and colleagues are also greatly interested in legitimacy behind such projects – how it is earned, maintained and can help and how it is needed.

Forum Radio: Legitimacy and impact of megaprojects

Martin Hilský is a professor emeritus from the Faculty of Arts at Charles University, known for his exceptional talent and work as a literary translator. Professor Hilský translated the complete works of William Shakespeare including his Sonnets. He is a recipient of the Order of the British Empire, the State Prize for Translation, the National Czech Head prize, and the Magnesia Litera Award, which he received for a massive popular history called Shakespeare’s England: Portrait of an Age. He was featured on the cover of Forum a few weeks after the tome, the work of several years, was published. Hilský is much sought-after in online broadcasts, lectures and interviews and was a guest in a 10-part series at Czech Radio earlier this year, coinciding with his 80th birthday.

Forum Radio: Shakespeare changed the English language

In today’s podcast we delve into the complexities of managing a prestigious institution like Charles University. While the university has made significant strides, it's not without its share of challenges. 

My guest is Aleš Vlk, an expert in higher education policy, science policy, science popularisation, and research and development. He is arguably best known as the co-founder of Vedaavyzkum online science portal. Recently, though, he ventured into a new and exciting role as the vice-dean for external relations and development at Charles University's Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, where innovation remains a top priority.

During our interview, we'll explore the unique challenges faced in the Czech academic sphere and discuss what Vlk considers a pivotal aspect for students and academics alike: the acquisition of international experience

Forum Radio – Even God would find it hard to manage!

Oficiální profil Univerzity Karlovy. Poslouchat nás můžete i na Spotify a Apple Podcasts.

Forum Radio: When there was a "Little Berlin" in Prague

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