Rituale als Ausdruck der Veränderung? Beerdigungen in der Slowakei nach 1989

The article focuses on the cultural changes provoked by the substantial postsocialist transformation processes in Slovakia since 1989. It follows the dynamics of transformation at a local level, seeking deep insights into the social, economic, political and other relations of local inhabitants. The paper presents a case study – the current changes of the funeral rite in one village and pays special attention to the local actors of transformation. Generally, it is argued that the observed changes are results of a macrosocial transformation in Slovakia and its impactat the microsocial level on one hand. On the other hand, the changes are modified by previous development and specific local conditions. Therefore, the modifications of funeral rites are also studied in the wider context of the modernisation processes in these condhalf of the 20th century, which is in the framework of these condmodernisation wave launched during the socialist regime in former Czechoslovakia.