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        <title>Moravian Geographical Reports Feed</title>
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        <copyright>All rights reserved 2026, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geonics</copyright>
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            <title><![CDATA[Landslide hazard assessment and monitoring in former coal-mining landscapes: A scoping review for reclamation and post-mining land use planning]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2026-0010</link>
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            <pubDate>Sun, 11 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Landslides represent a significant yet insufficiently synthesised hazard in post-mining landscapes undergoing closure, reclamation, and land-use transition. This scoping review analyses the extent to which existing research on landslide hazard assessment and monitoring supports reclamation planning and post-closure decision-making, with a focus on coal-mining regions, where decarbonisation is driving widespread closure and where the specific geological setting entails different hazard-assessment and monitoring approaches. A structured search of Web of Science and Scopus identified 669 records. The final set of studies (N = 32) consisted of those that met the inclusion criteria or were found by backward and forward citation tracking. The reviewed literature is dominated by case-based studies focused on hazard identification, site monitoring, and technical stabilisation, whereas relatively few studies provide spatially explicit outputs or decision-support tools directly usable in planning. National practices vary considerably, and critical gaps remain, such as the absence of harmonised directives, unclear monitoring responsibilities, and limited integration of hazard assessment results into statutory plans. The review highlights the need for planning-oriented outputs, particularly spatial hazard and risk mapping, long-term monitoring systems, and multi-hazard assessment frameworks, providing critical support for ensuring the safe and sustainable transformation of post-mining landscapes.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
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        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Defining daily urban systems from individual everyday behaviour: A time-geographic perspective on census commuting flows and mobile phone location data]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2026-0013</link>
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            <pubDate>Sun, 11 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[We use the theoretical and conceptual apparatus of the time geography to follow the way from individual behaviour in time-space to the definition of daily urban systems (DUSs). We proceed from locations, through areas organised around the locations and time use limits within the areas towards the aggregation of activity time-spaces into DUSs. We stress the importance of the concept or origin and destination anchor points, rhythms of individual movements and the principle of return. Using two datasets, the sum of daily labour and school commuting census data and the mobile phone location data, we apply regionalisation algorithm to define respective DUSs. We discuss their self-containment with regard to the time-geography, and we compare two spatial patterns. We conclude that, despite the distinctions between the datasets, spatial patterns are very similar. We acknowledge the viability of the relation between DUSs and the time geography and mutual enrichment of both concepts.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Sticking plaster or real help? Conditions and ways of improvement of farmers’ well-being: A qualitative comparative synthesis from six European countries]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2026-0014</link>
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            <pubDate>Sun, 11 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Despite a substantial body of research and diagnoses, a gap remains in the literature concerning the identification of the pressures and constraints that shape farmers’ well-being today across different national and regional contexts in Europe, as well as the assessment of the effects of mechanisms designed to address them. The aim of this article was to identify the challenges and the specific problems that affect farmers’ well-being in Belgium, Greece, Hungary, Italy Poland and Romania, and to explore the social innovations that respond to them. The analysis draws on secondary empirical material – six country mapping reports prepared between 2020 and 2022 – and applies a qualitative approach to identify three overarching challenges and nine specific problems linked to low levels of farmers’ well-being. A comparative case synthesis indicates that social innovations that are bottom-up, multi-actor, inclusive and responsive to locally identified needs are associated with positive effects on farmers’ well-being, particularly its social dimension.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Geotourist on a spoil heap? The case of the Ruhr, Germany]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2026-0011</link>
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            <pubDate>Sun, 11 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[The establishment of Geopark Ruhrgebiet was undoubtedly aimed at highlighting the uniqueness and diversity of the region, linked not only to its industrial past but also to its natural environment. Among many geosites offered to tourists, there are a number of former mining and metallurgical dumps (heaps). There are hundreds of them in the Ruhr, and they have permanently shaped the cultural landscape of the region. It would therefore seem that the geopark is exploiting the geotourism potential of the spoil heaps, allowing for active learning in the field of geoheritage and natural resources used by humans. However, an analysis of the current development of the most touristically and recreationally used spoil heaps, as well as the main concepts for the development of tourism, based on mining and metallurgical heaps, clearly outlines a strategy whose main assumptions are: rebranding, blurring the industrial character of the spoil heaps, developing them for sports, recreation, and tourism, and developing green energy. Based on observations, it can be concluded that there is no information about the genesis of the spoil heaps or the processes taking place there (even more, there is no information about geology or geomorphology at all), hence geotourism on the spoil heaps of the Ruhr is more declarative than actual.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[A multi-criteria decision analysis framework for assessing the environmental vulnerability of urban playgrounds: A case study of Iași, Romania]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2026-0012</link>
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            <pubDate>Sun, 11 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Urban playgrounds are important in many ways for children’s well-being, yet their environmental conditions remain rarely assessed in an integrated manner, particularly in post-socialist cities. This study evaluates the environmental vulnerability of 214 playgrounds in Iaşi Municipality, Romania, using a geospatial Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) framework incorporating four indicators: land surface temperature (LST), vegetation density (NDVI), noise exposure, and air quality (AQI). Indicator values were extracted within 25-meter playground buffers, normalized, and combined into a composite vulnerability index with PCA-derived weights. Results reveal marked spatial variability, with scores ranging from 6 to 87 on a 0–100 scale. Moderate vulnerability is the most prevalent condition, characterizing 46.7% of sites, while high and very high vulnerability (18.7%) concentrate in dense, traffic-exposed neighborhoods with elevated thermal stress and limited vegetation. Lower vulnerability is associated with higher elevations and proximity to green infrastructure. The findings demonstrate that formal playground distribution does not guarantee spatial environmental equity, with children in post-socialist high-density neighborhoods facing systematically worse outdoor conditions. The proposed framework is transferable and supports evidence-based planning interventions aimed at improving the environmental quality and resilience of child-oriented urban spaces.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[From regression to success: The phenomenon of reactivation of passenger rail transport in Lower Silesia province (Poland)]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2026-0006</link>
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            <pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[The study considers the reactivation of railway lines in the Lower Silesian province. The choice of the research area was not accidental, since Lower Silesia is the region where the largest-scale activities restoring railway traffic were carried out. The factors that had a decisive impact on the reactivation process can be boiled down to several important aspects, such as: the relatively large number of previously closed lines with the potential to be reopened, the pro-railway attitude of the provincial government with a vision to restore the rail network, the establishment of a new carrier operating on different terms than PKP Przewozy Regionalne (regional rail operator), and new funding opportunities for modernization. Although the temporal scope of the study essentially focuses on the 2006–2024 period (i.e., the reactivation period), for a better understanding of the changes being implemented, a brief historical outline is included, covering the period from 1990 to 2006, when massive decommissioning of rail lines was carried out. In a sense, they show characteristic phases of development (a sinusoid) starting from progress, stagnation, regression or progress again. Based on the survey, it can be concluded that in the main the reactivated lines were single-track, without electrification infrastructure. For the most part, they underwent modernization and are operated by modern Polish rolling stock.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[The role of open-air markets in the 15-minute city: A case study of Rynek Jeżycki in Poznań (Poland)]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2026-0008</link>
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            <pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Diagnoses of the problems faced by modern cities prompt the search for tools to support sustainable urban practices that affect, for example, the propensity to walk. This article examines the role of open-air markets in Central Europe in the context of the 15-minute city concept. From the authors' perspective, the regional context plays an important role here due to development dynamics of the region, where urban markets served (after the Second World War until 1989) as substitutes for centralized economies. Today, we suggest, these markets create a kind of alternative to vertically integrated supermarkets and big-box stores. This study attempts to shed light on the role of open-air markets in the context of proximity-centered accessibility, through a case study of Rynek Jeżycki in Poznañ (Poland). The findings of the study indicate that the traditional urban market formula fits into the concept of a 15-minute city, which provides grounds for cautious recommendations. The conclusions of the analysis are based on a study using a mixed-methods formula, including measures of pedestrian accessibility, crowd mapping, observation, questionnaire surveys, and in-depth interviews conducted with users of Rynek Jeżycki.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[External development potential of brownfield sites in the Czech–Polish cross-border post-industrial region: A network-based assessment]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2026-0007</link>
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            <pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Brownfield transformation is not only a technical and environmental task, but increasingly a cross-scalar governance challenge, particularly in European cross-border regions where planning systems, legislation and development trajectories intersect. The study examines brownfield sites in the cross-border region of Moravian-Silesian Region (Czech Republic) and Silesian Voivodeship (Poland). It pursues two aims: to harmonise and characterise brownfields across contrasting planning contexts, and to assess how network-based accessibility zones relate to the socio-economic development potential of surrounding municipalities. The study introduces a harmonised method for delimiting brownfield sites, defined as post-mining and post-industrial areas that may be contaminated and partially reused, and develops a Composite Index of External Development Potential as a contextual screening tool integrating five external socio-economic indicators relevant to post-industrial redevelopment contexts and comparative spatial assessment. The 595 identified brownfield sites reveal pronounced cross-border differences in size structure and spatial concentration, with smaller, clustered sites in Moravian-Silesian Region and larger, more dispersed sites in Silesian Voivodeship. Accessibility-based analysis shows clear socioeconomic gradients, with the weakest external development potential near brownfields and progressively more favourable conditions at greater network distances. K-means clustering distinguishes three municipal types, highlighting contrasting socio-economic contexts in which brownfields are embedded across the cross-border region.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Regional prevalence and intensity of poverty in Slovakia in the context of polycrisis: An analysis using FGT indices]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2026-0005</link>
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            <pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[This study examines the relationship between poverty rate and intensity in Slovakia amid the cost-of-living crisis. Using Foster-Greer-Thorbecke indices, the research analyses poverty distribution across four income categories below the poverty line, moving beyond binary classifications toward interval measures. Data show that while 11.4% of the population in Slovakia suffered from income poverty in 2020, this had increased to 14.5% by 2024. Six of eight Slovak regions experienced an increase in poverty depth between 2022 and 2023, confirming a correlation between the poverty rate and its intensity. The study contributes methodologically by providing granular views of poverty intensity and challenging assumptions about economic hubs driving equitable growth, as evidenced by Bratislava's region, with a 36.7% poverty risk. It identifies regional vulnerabilities requiring targeted interventions and demonstrates that Slovakia's experience exemplifies the need for region-specific approaches to address poverty in the EU's polycrisis context.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[The perceived importance of urban design qualities for walkability in Czech city centres: An expert-based assessment]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2026-0009</link>
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            <pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Walkability is essential for promoting sustainable mobility, public health, and urban vitality in cities. This article examines the perceived importance of urban design qualities (UDQ) on walkability in Czech city centres. Based on expert ratings in questionnaires (n = 46) and a follow-up workshop (n = 8), the study provides an expert-weighted framework for planning institutions. The research determined that according to experts, the two most significant UDQ are Tidiness (19.7%) and Safety &amp; Sensations (19.2%). This result, where UDQs such as Complexity and Imageability were lower ranked, contrasts with findings in Western countries and confirms that the importance of basic walking conditions (safety and maintenance) still persists in Czech city centres. The most important individual indicators that shape attractive walkable urban environments in the Czech Republic are Traffic Density &amp; Speed, Street Furniture, the Condition of Buildings, Pavements and Vegetation. Based on this empirical evidence, insights relevant to the broader Central and Eastern Europe are discussed.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Spatial patterns and transformations of traditional farmsteads: A case study of Vojvodina Province, Serbia]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2026-0002</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Traditional farmsteads are essential patterns of rural landscapes, reflecting long-term cultural and economic transformations. This study focuses on a traditional farmstead type – sala š, in Vojvodina Province, Serbia, aiming to identify and describe historical and contemporary forms, focusing on their development, distribution, concentration and transformation, since the 18th century until today. The methodology combines historical literature review and map analysis with field surveys and geospatial analyses. The broader case study covers Vojvodina, with Čenej as a reference area for spatial analysis. Results show a peak in farmstead number and density during the interwar period, followed by a decline due to socio-economic changes and urbanisation. Spatial analysis revealed that proximity to urban centres and roads supports activity, while fragmentation near motorways contributed to abandonment. The study proposes a typology of four historical and five contemporary farmstead types based on structure, land use, function, and vegetation traces, reflecting distinct phases of transformation. These findings provide a framework for interpreting landscape changes and underline the importance of recognising traditional farmsteads as part of rural heritage and cultural identity.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Placemaking for urban green spaces: Journey towards a better public space]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2026-0001</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Urban green spaces (UGS) provide a range of benefits and services that enhance the quality of life for city residents and UGS visitors. However, the potential of UGS often remains unfulfilled. This study presents an application of the placemaking concept for UGS planning, using the example of an urban park in Pardubice, Czech Republic. Its aim is to gain a deeper understanding of both the physical and social dimensions of the park. This research involved the use of a geo-questionnaire to explore visitors’ motivations, perceived positive and negative aspects, and suggestions for improving the park area. The geo-questionnaire method enables people to directly influence planning decisions, contributing to a more inclusive and functional public space. The results show that the most common reasons for visiting the park are: walking, activities with children, the attractiveness of the environment, sports, and relaxation. The park’s positives include its greenery and natural character. In contrast, the greatest negative is insufficient amenities. The analysis showed that the suggested changes are spatially concentrated, mainly in the park’s central and northern areas. Frequently mentioned suggestions for specific improvements include new seating areas and refreshment stands. This study demonstrates a practical approach to engaging residents in the planning process and improving the quality of public spaces.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Analysis of triggering factors of debris flows and conditions for possible reactivation: Case study of the Lemešná Mountain in the Javorníky Range, Czech Republic]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2026-0004</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[On 2nd June 2010, heavy rainfall triggered a significant debris flow on the southern slope of Lemešná Mountain in the Javorníky Range (Outer Western Carpathians), Czech Republic. Multidisciplinary research was carried out there, including geomorphological survey, electrical resistivity tomography, laser scanning, soil and rainfall analysis. The debris flow occurred after the prolonged convective and intense rainfall. The antecedent precipitation index calculated for the previous 30 days reached 134.1 mm and the daily rainfall 37.4 mm, 13 times higher than the long-term average daily rainfall. The debris flow occurred in unconsolidated flysch sediments and caused minor damages. The locality was affected by slope movements in the past, as evidenced by two debris flow deposit cones in the valley. Electrical resistivity tomography revealed a sliding surface at a depth of 5 m and another at 15–20 m. However, according to local residents and the forest manager, no mass movement has been recorded in there in the last 40 years. Human intervention, particularly artificial drainage and deforestation, could also have contributed to the debris-flow triggering. The aim of this work was a complex analysis of the triggering conditions of the debris flow and a risk assessment of new events in this area.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Landform modifications in a glaciotectonic landscape as the result of complex mining activity: Case of the Muskau Arch Geopark, Poland]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2026-0003</link>
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            <pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Mining activities lead to significant transformations of the original terrain, resulting in development of new post-mining landscape. The objective of this study was to assess the land transformations in the result of prolonged, underground and open-pit mining of shallow brown coal deposits in glaciotectonic structure of Muskau-Arch on the Polish-German border in the context of the geoheritage of this area. With this purpose, a geodatabase of thematic datasets representing progress of mining was developed in a geographic information system (GIS) based on topographical maps, mining plans, photographs, and digital elevation models (DEMs). The following timescales: 1903, 1911, 1937, 1955, 1972 and present-day were digitally reconstructed and quantitatively analysed using spatial processing functions including feature layer overlay and DEM differencing. The original, transitional and present-day landscapes were compared and visualised on five thematic maps and tables describing the spatio-temporal transformation of the natural landscape caused by underground and open-pit mining. Approximately 36.85% of the study area has been transformed, giving rise to the landscape of the present-day Geopark. The results provide insight into the genesis of its geoheritage. The adopted methodology, based on the historical GIS (HGIS) approach, can be applied to other post-mining sites, providing relevant documentation is available.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Where to place my bets? Players’ adaptation to the reduction of gambling venues]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2025-0016</link>
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            <pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[This study examines players’ adaptation mechanisms after gambling venues reduction. Current research on gambling regulation focuses primarily on availability effects, yet empirical evidence on how players adapt to venue closures remains limited. Environmental prevention strategies that systematically alter gambling conditions create natural experimental situations where players must adjust their behaviour to changed circumstances. To address this gap, we conducted an online survey among 1,503 regular gamblers in the Czech Republic. Using multinomial logistic regression, we analysed adaptation strategies across three venue types: lottery outlets, betting shops, and electronic gambling machine (EGM) venues. Our findings reveal that 41.3% of regular players experienced venue closure, with significant variations in adaptation patterns. While 68.8% of lottery players switched to other venues, only one-third of EGM players chose this option, with most transitioning to online gambling instead. Key predictors of online migration included younger age, online preference, and venue supply levels. Notably, only 5.5% of EGM players completely ceased gambling after venue closure, suggesting limited effectiveness of supply reduction for high-risk gambling forms. Gender emerged as a significant factor, with men showing 65–73% lower probability of cessation. These results indicate that venue restrictions primarily lead to activity redistribution rather than participation reduction, supporting the ‘balloon effect’ concept.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Dynamics of residential suburbanization in post-socialist countries: The case of the Warsaw Metropolitan Area]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2025-0017</link>
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            <pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[In post-socialist countries, in recent years, scientific debate has focused on extensive and uncoordinated suburbanization, which has led to fragmented settlement expansion into rural areas increasingly distant from the core city. Although suburbanization in this part of Europe has intensified, its dynamics have become increasingly differentiated within individual urban regions. The aim of this paper is to determine the dynamics of suburbanization across the entire Warsaw Metropolitan Area and within its internal structure, as well as to identify the probable causes and consequences of the observed changes in the scale of the analyzed processes. It verifies the hypothesis that since the mid-1990s, the initially more extensive spreading of the population in rural areas of Warsaw region has gradually shifted toward greater concentration in a limited number of municipalities. In this study, the k-means classification method was applied. The findings confirmed that the majority of the WMA municipalities remained demographically active throughout the entire study period, however, a more extensive pattern of suburbanization, characterized by smaller differences between units of analysis, is shifting toward a more concentrated form. The most significant turning points that accelerated the change in the character of suburbanization towards greater selectivity were the 2009 economic crisis and the pandemic.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Labels of regional integration: The case of naming in polycentric urban regions]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2025-0018</link>
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            <pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[A main challenge in the planning and management of polycentric urban regions (PUR) is achieving functional coherence between their main centers. In this study, we approach the region’s name as an implicit indicator of such integration and examine the factors that shape the naming of PURs. Analyzing 312 PURs worldwide, we explore the relationships between naming – expansion, merger, new name – and a range of settlement-urbanization, geographical, socio-demographic, and economic variables. Our findings demonstrate that regions within each naming category exhibit their own unique set of characteristics. We argue that this differentiation reflects different governance arrangements, cooperation mechanisms, and development aspirations, making the name a potential tool in the hands of regional authorities to help shape the coherence of PURs.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Exploring regional differences in students’ sense of place across the Czech Republic and Slovakia]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2025-0019</link>
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            <pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[The sense of place (SOP) concept has considerable potential in geography education and is recognized as an effective tool for developing sustainability competencies. This article aims to address the following research questions: 1) To what extent do Czech and Slovak students identify with their region, and which factors are associated with this identity? 2) Which types of places do students feel the most connected to, and what are the reasons for this connection? We employed both qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection and analysis. An online questionnaire with both open- and closed-ended questions was distributed to all lower secondary schools in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The questionnaire was completed by 8,653 students from these schools. Responses were analyzed using both statistical and content analysis. The results indicate that students’ identity with their region decreases with age, that boys exhibit a stronger identity than girls, and that significant differences exist in students’ identity across different regions. Students’ preferred places most often fall within the categories of home, city, and natural environment. The reasons for students’ SOP are multidimensional. Research into students’ SOP may contribute to more effective integration of the concept into education, thereby fostering the development of sustainability competencies.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
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        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Where should the support for preschool education be directed? A case study from Slovakia]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2025-0020</link>
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            <pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[The low participation rate of preschool children in pre-primary education is most often due to (i) a lack of kindergartens or available places in them, and (ii) low participation of children from a socially disadvantaged environment. Lack of knowledge and information on the specific features of (un)availability of kindergartens, the nature and drivers of low enrolment of preschool children, are often the cause of the poor effectiveness of programmes to increase children’s participation in pre-primary education. The approach presented here reflects a broader spectrum of aspects of availability in pre-primary education. The paper aims to identify regions suitable for targeting interventions and funding to support pre-primary education. The intention is to assess the spatial differentiation of availability of pre-primary education based on the regional typology of municipalities and to identify potential factors influencing its variability. Key findings reveal significant regional differences in participation in pre-primary education. The results show that children’s participation in pre-primary education is conditioned not only by insufficient kindergarten capacity but also by different demographic, social, and economic conditions. The findings are useful for planning pre-primary education. They highlight the need for targeted interventions and spatially differentiated education policies to improve access to pre-primary education.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Recognizing diversity in Czech classrooms: Teachers’ perceptions and (un)certainty]]></title>
            <link>https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/mgr-2025-0021</link>
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            <pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[This study examines Czech elementary and secondary school teachers’ perceptions of classroom diversity, focusing on visible and concealable student differences, including those related to sexual orientation and gender identity (LGBT+). Based on survey data from 701 class teachers across diverse regions, we explore how urbanicity, measured by municipality size, is associated with educators’ recognition of and (un)certainty about various identities. Teachers in larger municipalities, particularly Prague, reported greater perceived diversity and lower uncertainty in recognizing LGBT+ students, partially supporting the cosmopolitan thesis, which associates exposure to difference with increased openness. However, we distinguish cosmopolitanism as a cultural disposition from urbanicity as a demographic indicator, emphasizing that they should not be conflated. Unexpectedly, institutional support for managing diversity in the classroom did not vary systematically with municipality size, suggesting that local leadership and training are more influential than demographic context. While urban teachers tended to view diversity more positively, those in smaller municipalities expressed greater uncertainty, especially regarding less recognizable identities, such as sexual orientation, gender diversity, and religion. These findings highlight the roles of concealability, stigma, and cultural norms in shaping recognition of diversity. We argue that inclusive education requires not only policy change but also cultural and institutional transformation.]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
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