Contributors

Simon Smith is a research lecturer in the Centre for Contemporary European Studies at the University of Paisley. His current research interests cover civil society, collective action, local culture and local and regional government.

Martin Myant is a professor at Paisley Business School and the Centre for Contemporary European Studies at the University of Paisley. He is currently completing The Rise and Fall of Czech Capitalism, a study of the transformation of the Czech economy, to be published by Edward Elgar.

Mikuláš Huba works at the Institute of Geography of the Slovak Academy of Sciences and has been chairman of the Society for Sustainable Living in the Slovak Republic since 1993. Previously he was chairman of SZOPK local organisation no. 6 in Bratislava (1980–88) and president of SZOPK (1989–93).

Monika Čambáliková is a senior researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences and a member of the editorial board of the journal Sociológia. Her main research interests are civil society, the labour market, social dialogue, social partnership and industrial relations.

Aleš Kroupa is the assistant director of the Research Institute for Labour and Social Affairs in Prague. As a sociologist he is interested in social dialogue, work conditions, the organisation of work and labour migration.

Zdenka Mansfeldová is a senior research fellow at the Institute of Sociology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. Her primary interests are political parties, interest groups and the institutionalisation of interest representation.

Zdenka Vajdová is a senior researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic in Prague and also lectures at the University of Jan Evangelista Purkyně in Ústí nad Labem. Her research covers the sociology of local communities, local government and social networks.

Martin Slosiarik graduated in sociology from Comenius University, Bratislava. Since 1999 he has worked for the market and public opinion research agency FOCUS, where he is currently the research director. He is also studying externally for a doctorate at Comenius University.

Imrich VašeČka is director of the Central European Institute in Bratislava and an external consultant to the Union of Cities of Slovakia. His work is focused on minority issues, local social policy and social problem solving.