Researchers from ECON MUNI have joined a new research project focusing on geographical peripheries in the Czech Republic. They are building on the collaboration established within the SYRI National Institute and investigating why some regions lag behind in the long term, whilst others manage to prosper despite structural disadvantages. The aim is to better understand the mechanisms of marginalisation and to offer recommendations for public policies that can help reduce regional inequalities and strengthen social cohesion.
According to Štěpán Mikula, a member of the research team at ECON MUNI, the SYRI project has brought two key benefits to the academic community. “The SYRI National Institute project provided two things that the academic community was sorely lacking. For a limited time at least, it provided resources for the professional development of research units, which could be used to invest in both new and existing researchers. At the same time, it initiated more intensive communication between institutions engaged in social sciences research. These very tangible results will hopefully remain with us for a long time,” Mikula explained. This collaboration has now been successfully extended through a new project focusing on research into geographical peripheries in the Czech Republic.
Peripheries are places where various phenomena often accumulate, potentially posing long‑term challenges for society as a whole. These include, for example, a poorer provision of education, poorer access to healthcare, limited job opportunities, or growing political frustration and radicalisation. These disparities are subsequently reflected in individuals’ life trajectories. Understanding the peripheries therefore means gaining a better understanding of how to strengthen the resilience of society as a whole and how to prevent social polarisation, which is gradually deepening in the Czech Republic.
According to research team leader Lucie Coufalová, these disparities have deep historical roots and pose a real risk to the country’s long-term stability. “The research highlights the fact that the Czech Republic is gradually dividing into prosperous centres and declining peripheries. Metropolitan areas, particularly Prague, are driving the economy, whilst other regions face a cumulative set of problems: a weaker labour market, poorer access to education and healthcare, and higher levels of political frustration,” explained Coufalová. From a broader perspective, the process of peripheralisation threatens social cohesion, economic stability and the democratic legitimacy of the state.
The availability of public goods, such as healthcare, transport, education and social services, plays a key role. If these services are less accessible, this translates into poorer health among the population, weaker human capital and lower economic productivity, which in turn deepens the vicious circle of peripheralisation. Furthermore, the research highlights gender disparities. Women may be disproportionately disadvantaged in these regions, for example due to the combination of family care responsibilities, a limited supply of jobs in their place of residence, and higher commuting costs caused by poorer transport links.
However, the analysis of regions that have managed to maintain a relatively higher level of development despite structural disadvantages also yields interesting insights. It appears that some areas benefit from existing cultural and social capital, such as higher levels of trust among residents, civic engagement, or an innovative approach by local authorities. These factors can partially compensate for a lack of resources and form the basis for long-term economic growth.
At the same time, research into the economic dimension of peripheral regions shows that regional disadvantage is often neither random nor short-term. “Analyses of historical processes, such as the post-war settlement of the Sudetenland, or the impacts of a centrally planned economy, suggest that some regions still bear the consequences of selective resource allocation, a different population structure, or lower access to information and public services,” Mikula explained.
Lucie Coufalová pointed out that ongoing peripheralisation poses a systemic risk. “If not addressed in time, it may negatively affect not only local economic development, but also social harmony and the democratic stability of the Czech Republic,” she added. This is precisely why the research team is preparing recommendations for public policies designed to help better target investment and public services towards regions where they can contribute most to improving residents’ living conditions and supporting the long-term development of the local economy.
The project titled Research on peripheries to strengthen the resilience of Czech society aims for a comprehensive approach to studying the geographical peripheries and involves a wide range of experts, from social geographers and educators to economists. At ECON MUNI, researchers will focus, among other things, on the question of why peripheries emerge in the Czech Republic, what mechanisms drive these processes, and how they influence education, health, political attitudes, the economy and the communication behaviour of residents. At the same time, they will also examine what is known as the resilience of peripheries, i.e. why some municipalities manage to prosper despite their disadvantages.
Lucie Coufalová holds two doctoral degrees from Masaryk University. She currently works as an associate professor at the Faculty of Economics and Public Administration. Her research focuses primarily on economic history and the determinants of voting behavior.
Štěpán Mikula is a researcher at the Faculty of Economics and Public Administration at Masaryk University and also works at the National Institute for Research on the Socioeconomic Impacts of Diseases and Systemic Risks (SYRI). His research focuses on empirical microeconomics, particularly labor market issues and migration. He also conducts research on electoral behavior.
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