Equal Opportunity as a Matter of Public Interest: An Analysis of Institutional and Social Mechanisms

Abstract

Data from a study titled 'The Position of Women Graduates in Czech Society in the 1990s' are drawn on to explore attitudes to equal opportunities for men & women against the background of mechanisms of the institutions of public interest. Two hypothetical models are developed, the first of which is the basic model of the general mechanism of the implementation of equal opportunities as a matter of public interest. This is compared with a second model that seeks to show how this actually works in the Czech Republic. Gender differences are described, & possible explanations for them are offered, outlining those factors specific to the Czech environment. Parties involved in these mechanisms & how they conceive of & evaluate actions contributing to the implementation of equal opportunities are examined.