Zdeněk Sloboda, Ph.D.
Principal Lecturer
Zdeněk teaches theoretical modules on culture and media at Prague City University, and is responsible for the development of research activities within the Creative Media Production programme. After graduating from Journalism and Media Studies at Charles University in Prague, Zdeněk spent two years at the Department of Media Education at Leipzig University in Germany where he became acquainted with research on children, family and media and became involved in media production with high school students. He has published a book on media education in the family (2013) and media production in the school environment (2011). In 2024, he obtained his PhD in Media and Cultural Studies at Palacký University in Olomouc.
He has worked as a researcher at the Gender & Sociology department of the Institute of Sociology Czech Academy of Sciences (working on topics of family, parenting and LGBTQ+). At Palacký University in Olomouc, where he has worked since 2011, he researched characters of Czech TV series, state of Media Literacy of the Czech population or medialised sports, among other topics.
Prior to his academic career, he was a film journalist contributing to several online outlets and lifestyle magazines (e.g, Elle or Cinema). He was also a copywriter in several advertising agencies (Kaspen, Dorland, Tanagra) in the mid-2010s. Since 1997, he is a puppeteer in children’s theatre at Prague 4 which he directed between 2005 and 2011. He wrote three literary adaptations for the puppet stage.
Education
Palacký University, CZ — Doctor's Degree
Charles University, CZ — Master (Mgr.)
Charles University, CZ — Bachelor (Bc.)
Professional Activities
2020-2022 — Charles University, Poprebel Project: research on populism (EU Horizont 2020)
2018-2020 — Institute of Sociology Czech Academy of Science, Research on LGB parenting (GAČR)
2018-2019 — VŠFS Prague, Lecturer
2009-2010 — Centre for Economic and Social Strategies FSV UK, Study on social values (MŠMT)
2008-2009 — Institute of Sociology, Czech Academy of Science, Research on work-life balance (GAAV)
1999-2007 — Film Journalist, Advertising Copywriter
Research & Publications
Research:
„Mediální gramotnost populace ČR“, 2021, FF UP, smluvní výzkum pro RRTV (principal investigator)Publications:
Sloboda, Z., Foretová, P., Michlová, M., Sudková, K. 2021. Studie mediální gramotnosti populace ČR: Mediální gramotnost osob mladších 15 let. Praha, Olomouc: Rada pro rozhlasové a televizní vysílání, Filozofická fakulta Univerzity Palackého.
Burianec, J., Foretová, P., Sloboda, Z. 2021. Studie mediální gramotnosti populace ČR: Mediální gramotnost osob starších 15 let. Praha, Olomouc: Rada pro rozhlasové a televizní vysílání, Filozofická fakulta Univerzity Palackého.
Sloboda, Z. 2018. „Considering historical (dis)continuities of Media (Literacy) Education in the Czech Republic for the future approach.“ Communication Today, 9(1): 5–19. (RIV-Jimp)
Sloboda, Z. 2016. „Mediální socializace v rodině: několik poznámek k její konceptualizaci.“ Mediální studia, 11(1): 86–112.
Sloboda, Z. 2015. „Od deviantů k učitelům: neheterosexuální maskulinity v současných českých televizních seriálech,“ Gender, rovné příležitosti, výzkum, 16(1): 23–34.
Sloboda, Z. 2013. Mediální výchova v rodině – postoje, nástroje, výzvy. Olomouc: Vydavatelství Univerzity Palackého.
Sloboda, Z. 2013. „Gay a lesbická média po roce 1989.“ Pp. 479–526 In Himl, P., Seidl, J., Schindler, F. a kol. Miluji tvory svého pohlaví: Homosexualita v dějinách a společnosti českých zemí. Praha: Argo.
Carpentier Reifová, I., Sloboda, Z. 2013. „Ugly Czech Katka: Global Homogenisation and Local Invention.“ Pp. 189–205 In McCabe, J., Akass, K. TV’s Betty Goes Global: From Telenovela to International Brand. New York: I. B. Tauris & Co.
