In the face of this year’s Russian invasion, Ukraine has proven to be one of the most resilient societies. This is not only an assumption, but also a finding of international scientific research. The Czech Republic was significantly worse in this. Why him? And can the resilience of Ukrainians continue?
What will you hear at 5:59 in today’s episode?
- How is it possible for a particular company to experience high levels of stress at the same time, but at the same time report great hopes for the future?
- Why is resistance in the Czech Republic the lowest, according to an international survey?
- And how can the ability to face national and societal crises be strengthened?
Ukrainians and Israelis can deal well with crises, Czechs have a problem with that. This was also demonstrated by the results of an international survey published later this year. He compared experiencing the immediate and more distant effects of war in Central and Eastern Europe, Ukraine, and Israel.
According to him, the unity of society in certain countries, or vice versa, the division had a fundamental effect on the resilience of individual nations. Support from the government and other elected representatives also played an important role. “In the case of the Czech Republic, we found that this support was at its lowest,” explains Shaul Kimhi, professor of psychology at Tel Aviv University’s ResWell Research Center.
Photo: “Yael Kimhi”
Shaul Kimhi, professor of psychology and resilience expert.
According to him, this is exactly why the Czechs are one of the least resilient nations compared to other countries. On the contrary, according to the data, state support is at the highest level in Ukraine, where people are now united against the common enemy.
Additionally, the research pointed to a previously unknown insight. Despite the severe stress associated with the war, Ukrainians manage to defend themselves in difficult situations. “Until now, many of my colleagues around the world thought that by measuring stress levels you could also measure endurance,” explains Kimhi.
ability to heal
However, resilience manifests itself not only in relation to society, but also in communities or individuals. And all three types are linked. “The more resilient you are as an individual, the more you support your country and the more you support it,” says the psychology professor.
Data on the resilience of the Czech Republic
The 5:59 podcast already covered endurance research back in November when experts published the first results. In an interview with philosopher Alicá Koubová from the Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences, we discussed why Czechs feel comfortable but also have concerns. Hear how it interprets data.
However, supporting the resilience of communities is the most convenient and at the same time easiest for society. For example, the Israeli military organizes training for its leaders to help them cope with stress. This helps strengthen the national level of resilience.
However, according to Kimhi, in addition to the ability to face crises, society must also learn how to survive disasters and misfortunes. “Most politicians forget this,” he warns. Studies have shown that such a process takes up to two years.
And when it comes to war, everything is even more complicated. According to a psychology professor, conflict resolution, or reconciliation, is a process that takes generations.
In the 5:59 podcast, you’ll also learn what happens psychologically in a war-torn society, or the role that a shared experience such as armed conflict plays in the resilience of nations. Listen to the audio at the beginning of the article.
Editor and Associate Editor: Matěj Válek, Dominika Kubištová
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Broadcast 5:59
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I am Joel Fitzgerald, a news website author for The News Dept. I have worked in the media and journalism industry for over 10 years and specialize in world news. My articles have been featured in prominent publications such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, where I am an expert contributor on global affairs.
I also write extensively on topics related to politics, economics, business, finance and technology. My work has been recognized with numerous awards from organizations such as the United Nations Press Corps and Associated Press Editors Association of America (APEA).
In addition to my writing career, I have held various roles within the field of communications ranging from public relations specialist to digital strategist.
