Interview with associate professor Pavel Pospěch, Department of Sociology

By Nicolas Navas

1. Do you have any favorite field in sociology?

I don't really have one, and it's generally reasonable that people have this kind of specialization. Most of them, I think, don’t work for me so well. So, I'm trying not to limit my curiosity, which leads me to do something in urban sociology, then something in rural sociology and then something in cultural sociology. I feel at home everywhere and at the same time, a stranger everywhere.

This works great for me, but in general, I'm mostly interested in how people imagine the world around them. There's often a discrepancy between what really exists, how society truly looks and works, and how people imagine that. When it comes to rural sociology, I'm intrigued by how people perceive the countryside, the romanticized notions versus reality. This kind of discrepancy is what interests me the most.

2. How did you start your journey in sociology? What attracted you to it?

I was not specifically interested in sociology; it was just one of the options. I was actually studying sociology and psychology, but I dropped psychology because I fell in love with sociology here at Masaryk University. Knowing great professors and reading interesting books changed my perspective. I decided, "Yes, I want to do this, I want to write like this, and I want to think about these things."

3. Your career has many years of experience. What do you think is the most memorable moment for you until now?

There were many moments. When I worked at the University of Vienna and at Yale University for a Fulbright scholarship. Also, writing a book for Czech audiences about the reflection on Czech society. I'm very happy to contribute to making sociology public.

I was doing my PhD on public space, on the transformation of urban public space. I was interested in how order and safety are produced in public spaces. Homelessness, being an extreme form of otherness, was fascinating in terms of how society morally lives with it.

4. What will you tell the prospective students, what they can do after they graduate?

There are two things. Firstly, it's essential to understand that there's a difference between studying sociology and, let's say, medicine. In medicine, you know you'll likely become a doctor, and the path is laid out for you. You overcome obstacles, and in the end, you're a doctor, curing or healing people. In sociology, it's different. There's an extra requirement, I think. During your studies, find a topic of interest. Just being a sociologist does nothing specific; it can cover everything, but it accomplishes nothing. So, there's this individual dimension. Studying sociology is about what you do and what you want to do with yourself. It gives you a broad range, doesn't limit you, but you must utilize that range. Maybe it's not for everybody. You need some idea of what you want to do, some initiative, some curiosity. I think that's one thing, right?

The second thing, which I find crucial, is that in sociology, you're essentially learning to make things easy. The world is complex, and what we do is simplify it. We translate the messy empirical world into understandable stories, which is what I do in my academic job. I collect data on various things and then create a story about what is happening. If you, as a sociologist, work for a private company selling something, they will ask: Who is our target group? You don't say there are various people, no. You want to make a simplification, say: Our target group is middle-aged women with these characteristics and so on. Similarly, if you work for the government, they will ask: How does this policy impact farmers? Every farmer will be impacted differently, but what you want to do is take this complexity and differences and reduce them to something simple—an explanation. That's what we do with everything we learn. We teach students or help them to become people who can do this. To reduce complexity into simplicity, which, in an increasingly complex world, is absolutely necessary. So, whatever we can do with sociology, it will be needed, and it will be paid.

5. For prospective students who've already decided to embark on this academic journey, what would you recommend for them before starting their studies?

It's good to engage in self-reflection, thinking about what makes you curious. Some people want to study to help make the world better, others are just curious. Students sometimes specifically want to understand how old people live, how homeless people live, or how some social group lives. Some are motivated by a certain kind of thinking that gives them pleasure. This is crucial because they will encounter a moment during their studies where they have to choose their path, in moments like writing a thesis or selecting a topic. They should know what makes them curious, what motivates them. That should be an individual thing to do.

On a broader scale, they should think about their studies differently. What you gain from the university isn't just learning; it's also a great resource of social capital. Later in life, the contacts and people you know from the university become valuable resources. It's fun making friends. When I entered the university, we had a ceremony, and the former dean was there. He precisely advised us not to spend all our time studying. Go out; you are in a country where people spend days and nights over a beer, talking. Go out, meet friends. Online conversations are fine, but they don't do the trick. Go out, meet people, and talk. It's fun, and it will be useful in the future.

6. Do you have any advice for students that you would like to share with them?

It's important to be around others, and not just read books but also journals, terms, or other literature. Gain social expertise from everywhere. When you travel for your holiday, you learn things that will change your thinking. Go to places where you've never been, for example if you don't go to church, attend one and look at the place, it will enhance your thinking. It's not just about reading books and learning statistics. Go to new places, but also read. I was not a good student myself. I didn't really read all the literature, didn't go on tours, and I was a very poor student. I regret it now! They will regret it if they do the same.

What we are doing here is curating the world of social sciences, which is a mess. So much is being written in social sciences, so many explanations of the world. In your studies, you have professors to curate this huge amount of information for you. They will tell you: this is the best book; this is the best literature if you are interested in this or that. Nobody will do this for you when you finish your studies. Nobody will help you as the professors do during your studies. So, I think it's great to use the opportunity to read and socialize.