Abstract
In the Czech Republic little attention has been given to the research of civil society in rural areas. One of the fundamental preconditions for the development of the countryside is the engagement of its citizens.
The objective of this paper is to describe the role of social engagement, an important part of civic engagement, in the process of the social relations-building between the old residents and the newcomers in the rural communities. The paper builds on the research conducted in two Czech villages, located in the area of the former Sudetenland, where the societal relations develop against the history of the massive migratory flows, starting with the expulsion of Germans from Czechoslovakia, followed by the resettlement under the Communist regime.
The villages lie not far from each other, have similar numbers of inhabitants, and they both experienced significant increase in the number of newcomers in recent years. However, while in the first village the level of social engagement activities has shown to be high, then in the second one it has shown to be much lower.
In-depth interviews with the representatives of local NGOs and community leaders revealed an important role of social engagement activities in integrating the new residents in the existing rural communities and in preventing fragmentation and animosities within the communities. Most importantly, it has shown that the activities of civic engagement provided space for formation of interconnections between the individuals, learning of practical cooperation and they also served as an arena for conflict resolution.