Thematic research group: Geographic Migration Centre (GEOMIGRACE)
Begun: October 2020
Link to relevant web pages: https://www.
Current and recent research projects:
- Strategies of Czech Organizations in Integrating Foreign-born Employees (PhD research, since 2020)
- The Involvement of Civic Sector Organizations in the Area of Foreigner's Education: The Comparison of Situation in the Czech Republic and in the Netherlands (diploma theses, 2014),
- researcher at Multicultural Consultant – Baseline Study, a research project of European Commision and Slovo 21; head of the research Mgr. Selma Muhič Dizdarevič, Ph. D., final publication about the situation in CR: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-kolafa-5b775a65/detail/treasury/position:419058463/?entityUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_profileTreasuryMedia%3A(ACoAAA3Qv9sBoCMDH2GjInexKG08JQ62DsuCW8k%2C50003661)&parentEntityUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_profilePosition%3A(ACoAAA3Qv9sBoCMDH2GjInexKG08JQ62DsuCW8k%2C419058463)§ion=position%3A419058463&treasuryCount=1.
Qualifications:
Since 2020 PhD candidate in Social Geography and Regional Development (Faculty of Science, Charles University)
2011–2014 Civic Sector Studies, Master's, full time (Faculty of Humanities, Charles University)
2012–2013 Erasmus study program (Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands)
2008–2011 Humanities (SHV), Bachelor's, full time (Faculty of Humanities, Charles University)
Awards and grants:
- 3rd place in Geographic Migration Centre Competition for the best diploma thesis
Research:
A research project focused on analysis of strategies which are used by Czech organisations for integration of non-Czech employees in Czech labor environment. Attention should be aimed at foreigners working on long-term qualified positions in different fields (for at least one year) where appropriate professional and social integration as well as sufficient language training are necessary.
The research is mainly focused on following questions:
- What approaches do target organisations use in relation to foreign-born employees,
- What do the organisations do to help foreigners overcome cultural barriers (eg. language barrier, lack of knowledge of new cultural and professional environment etc.),
- What do the organisations do in relation to majority employees working or collaborating with a foreigner(s) (eg. what kind of language or intercultural training do the organisations provide them if any etc.).
The key question of the research is, of course, if target organisations are aware of the necessity of integrating foreign-born employees and if they actively use available methods and tools of cultural adaptation or not. For this purpose, the overall integration policy of each organisation should be analysed on formal (organisational rules, norms etc.) and informal level.
Publications:
Kolafa M. Působení organizací občanské společnosti v oblasti vzdělávání cizinců: Srovnání situace v České republice a v Nizozemsku. Diplomová práce. Katedra studií občanské společnosti, FHS UK. Praha 2014. Vedoucí práce: Dr. Dana Moree. Text práce a další dokumenty s ní související viz: https://is.cuni.cz/webapps/zzp/detail/128351/.
Kolafa M. Fotbaloví diváci na českém území v letech 1919-1925. Jejich chování a projevy násilí při fotbalových zápasech. Bakalářská práce. FHS UK. Praha 2011. Vedoucí práce: Mgr. Jan Tuček. Text práce a další dokumenty s ní související viz: https://is.cuni.cz/webapps/zzp/detail/111473/.
Daňková M., M. Kolafa, H. Pejřimovská. „Vietnamské hlasy pro Vietnamce? Sapa se rozhoduje jinak.“ Článek na Aktuálně.cz. 22. 5. 2014. Odkaz na článek: https://zpravy.aktualne.cz/domaci/od-stanku-k-politice-vietnamci/r~11a68edae1ae11e3852c002590604f2e/
External activities:
- Working on different integration and educational projects at Praha-Libuš and Praha 12, focused mainly or partly on the integration of foreigners (mostly of Vietnamese origin) at local nursery and elementary schools and on language training for adult foreigners (in years 2013-2017),
- Teaching general and business English for different categories of students and institutions (language schools, in-company courses etc.), (continually since 2011),
- Volunteering in several non-profit organisations which are active in the field of integration (eg. Integration Centre of Prague, Meta, o.p.s.).