Czechs’ Neighborly Preferences: Positive Shifts for Vietnamese, Decline for Russians
A recent STEM study indicates that while Czechs have historically embraced Slovaks and individuals from developed nations as neighbors, their acceptance of Vietnamese neighbors has surged over the past decade. Senior analyst Kateřina Duspivová notes, “In 2023, 71% of Czech citizens are open to having Vietnamese neighbors, a significant increase from the 40% recorded in 2014, suggesting widespread acceptance of the Vietnamese community in Czech society.” The conflict in Ukraine has also reshaped Czech attitudes toward neighbors with Ukrainians now viewed more favorably than Russians. Prior to the conflict, the sentiment was the opposite. However, acceptance of Eastern nationalities such as Arabs, Syrians and Afghans remains consistently low. The TRENDY research series, which gauges Czech attitudes toward foreigners, reveals a continued positive disposition towards Slovaks (91%) and individuals from developed Western countries, including English, American, French and German citizens. Croatians also enjoy relatively high acceptance at 71%. Conversely, geographically and culturally distant nationalities, such as Arabs, Afghans, Syrians or Sudanese, are perceived as problematic or even unacceptable neighbors by less than a quarter of Czechs. While long-term preferences for Western neighbors remain unchanged, there are interesting shifts in the middle of the hierarchy. Due to the Ukraine conflict, acceptance of...
