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Problems of quasi-states : typology and trends
Riegl, Martin ; Hnízdo, Bořivoj (advisor) ; Romancov, Michael (referee) ; Baar, Vladimír (referee)
Thesis "Questions of quasi-states: typology and trends" deals with a specific range of anomalous political units - the so called quasi-states. They represent an unfavourable anomaly in the political space after 1945 which, according to conventional wisdom deemed to be divided between the territories of sovereign states. The international community approach follows from it to their existence but it is strongly differentiated with respect to their heterogeneity. Thesis in its theoretical chapters focuses on the precise definition of terms of sovereignty, sovereign and quasi-state, which definition is in the current environment of political science the subject of academic debate. For this reason I mention the term quasi-state in different conceptions. Subsequently I suggest my own definiton of the quasi-state, which allows the elimination of terminological confusion. The practical part of the work responds to a frequent point of criticism, which is the absence of a comprehensive typology and the list of these specific political-geographical entities.
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Vietnam close by and far away. Children of Vietnamese descent in Czech Republic form the perspective of transnationalism.
Svobodová, Andrea ; Janská, Eva (advisor) ; Baar, Vladimír (referee) ; Šatava, Leoš (referee)
This dissertation is based on a narrative analysis of eighteen life biographies of children of Vietnamese descent in Czech Republic. It shows that these young people lives are embedded in a "transnational social space", which spans between two geographical regions of Vietnam and Czech Republic, and which leaves them exposed to a set of social expectations, cultural values and patterns of human interaction, that are shaped by more than one political, economic and social system. It also describes how these people, through multiple connected social networks and social relationships, transform cultural practices, interpretations, experiences and identities, which deconstructs the idea of integrity between place, identity and culture. Although the primary aim of the work is to analyse how children of Vietnamese operate in transnationalized social and cultural contexts, transnational practices, such as homeland visits, kinship ties and sending remittances are also being explored. In doing so the children of Vietnamese migrants are neither perceived as "existing in vacuum" nor are their identities described as "deterritorialized". The work pays also attention to the question how their lives and identities are shaped on the backdrop of discursive fields and power relationships in particular localities. Key...
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Duality of Europe: historical-geographical analysis of the development and its delimitation
Nováček, Aleš ; Jeleček, Leoš (advisor) ; Baar, Vladimír (referee) ; Gurňák, Daniel (referee)
14 Charles University in Prague Faculty of Science Department of Social Geography and Regional Development Aleš Nováček DUALISM IN EUROPE: HISTORICAL-GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND ITS DELIMITATION Summary Prague 2010 15 The Twentieth Century gave the European structure as well as the world new face. However, this assertion is true only partially. Behind these "fresh" traces as results of more and more intensive and dynamic development there are still hidden hundred-year-old fundaments which, thanks to their influence, continuously determine and jointly form the current geographical structure of Europe, including its special contours and division. Looked at from the most general level, the European structure was at least till the year 1989 clear: on one side there was the capitalist and democratic West and on the other side the socialistic and communistic East. It was this period when the dual perception of Europe became dominant, not only in the geopolitical concepts of the literature focused on this field but also in the perception of the public itself. The fact that the phenomenon of dualism in Europe is clear and continually followed from the ancient times till the present days makes this conception even more stable. This continuum can be also found behind the fact that not even after the...
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Role of English in globalizing world
Hnízdo, Bořivoj ; Novák, Miroslav (advisor) ; Romancov, Michael (referee) ; Baar, Vladimír (referee)
This work attempts to provide a detailed analysis of the role of English in today's globalizing world. It explains two fundamental theories associated with the role. The first one consists of the existence of a global system of languages in the contemporary world in which English plays the central role. The second one consists of the so-called language imperialism where the role of English consists of oppressing small languages. This work does not just analyze these theories but seeks an individual approach to the topic while being aware of the clear limits of the exceptional status of English among other languages in today's world. The topic of this work is cross-disciplinary but is based on the social sciences. The work has been divided into three parts in order to cover all aspects of the topic. The first part contains a summary of the English-speaking countries worldwide. The second part deals with the issue of English as a language of international communication. The third part is aimed at the question as to whether or not today's status of English is indeed exceptional, whether or not it is the only global language and whether or not English will be able to maintain its current status in the near future.
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Vietnam close by and far away. Children of Vietnamese descent in Czech Republic form the perspective of transnationalism.
Svobodová, Andrea ; Janská, Eva (advisor) ; Baar, Vladimír (referee) ; Šatava, Leoš (referee)
This dissertation is based on a narrative analysis of eighteen life biographies of children of Vietnamese descent in Czech Republic. It shows that these young people lives are embedded in a "transnational social space", which spans between two geographical regions of Vietnam and Czech Republic, and which leaves them exposed to a set of social expectations, cultural values and patterns of human interaction, that are shaped by more than one political, economic and social system. It also describes how these people, through multiple connected social networks and social relationships, transform cultural practices, interpretations, experiences and identities, which deconstructs the idea of integrity between place, identity and culture. Although the primary aim of the work is to analyse how children of Vietnamese operate in transnationalized social and cultural contexts, transnational practices, such as homeland visits, kinship ties and sending remittances are also being explored. In doing so the children of Vietnamese migrants are neither perceived as "existing in vacuum" nor are their identities described as "deterritorialized". The work pays also attention to the question how their lives and identities are shaped on the backdrop of discursive fields and power relationships in particular localities. Key...
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The geopolitical determinants of India's Central Asia strategy
Sandilya, Hrishabh ; Hnízdo, Bořivoj (advisor) ; Baar, Vladimír (referee) ; Riegl, Martin (referee)
Teze disertační práce Pracoviště: Institut politologických studií FSV UK Praha Jméno studenta: Hrishabh Sandilya Název disertační práce: The Geopolitical Determinants of India's Central Asia Strategy Školitel: prof. PhDr. Bořivoj Hnízdo, Ph.D. Oponenti: prof. RNDr. Vladimír Baar, CSc.; Mgr. Martin Riegl, Ph.D. Termín a místo obhajoby: FSV UK, 11/2015 Osnova tezí: 1. Abstract 2. Introduction 3. Research Method & Design 4. Contributions to Literature 5. Organization of Chapters 6. Conclusions 7. Selected Bibliography 8. Interviewees 1. Abstract This dissertation aims to identify the drivers and determinants of Indian strategy and policy with regard to the five post-Soviet, Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan within a geopolitical framework. Contemporary scholarship recognizes three determinants (drivers) of Indian strategy in the region - security and strategic necessity, energy diversification given Central Asia's abundant natural resources, and, economic engagement and connectivity. Using this identification as a stepping-stone, the dissertation seeks to rest the validity of these assumptions, and explore these determinants in detail. In addition, it attempts to identify other determinants of Indian strategy, and offers a conceptual framework through which...
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The influence of religion on the status of women in selected countries
Klingorová, Kamila ; Havlíček, Tomáš (advisor) ; Baar, Vladimír (referee)
The influence of religion on the status of women in selected countries The diploma thesis comes from theoretical concepts of feminist geography, geography of religion and from the research of gender inequalities. It tries to analyze the influence of selected religions on the status of women in the society and to compare Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and those without religion in this field. It comes from a thought, that gender equality is an important element for social and economical development of the state and for democracy. The key research topic for this thesis is how extensive influence the religion has on the status of woman in the society. Based on quantitative analysis of data from 41 chosen states of the world, the thesis endeavours to judge the impact of religion on the status of women in terms of social, political and economical level. One of the premises of the thesis is a presumption, that the status of women is the best in society where the majority of population is without religion, then in Christian society, Buddhist and Hinduism society and the worst in Muslim society. Based on results of statistical analysis it may be stated, that involvement of women in the public sphere has a positive impact on the socio-economical development of the state. Religion amplifies gender...
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Macroregional structures of the world: representation, preception, and objectivisation
Polonský, Filip ; Novotný, Josef (advisor) ; Bičík, Ivan (referee) ; Baar, Vladimír (referee)
The thesis brings insight to the problem of geosocietal differentiation of the world and its interpretation in the schemes of (major) world regional structures. These schemes are matter of different presentation and representation and have utility in organization of both scientific and non-scientific practices. A more detailed analysis and discussion of academic approaches to global macroregionalization was provided, which was followed by an analysis of the views of so-called global actors. Assessed was also situation in Czech and Slovak education (geographical textbooks). Perceptions of regional schemes are represented by views of geography students. Struggles with objectification were related to several-variant-based consideration of internal homogeneity and external heterogeneity of macroregions. Also assessed were world economic flows, distribution of integrated power potential and its development (1950 - 2008). Conclusions bring synthesis of the findings, as well as an outline of possible future research topics.
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Regional identity and regional differentiation of the Baltic countries
Miškovský, Josef ; Havlíček, Tomáš (advisor) ; Baar, Vladimír (referee) ; Švec, Luboš (referee)
Title: Regional Identity and Regional Differentiation of the Baltic Countries Author: Josef Miškovský Key words: regional identity, regional differentiation, Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania he thesis deals with the regional identity of the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) at different scale levels. The theoretical baselines of the thesis are the dynamic concepts of institutionalization of the regions and their formation, disappearance and restoration. This abstract view on the formation of regional identity is based on theories of social identity and social representation. In the thesis, mainly the "macroidentity" of the Baltic States, i.e. their formation in the space between the European and the Russian spheres and within the superior regions of northern, eastern and central Europe is evaluated. The concepts of these regions and subsequently their influence on the territorial identity of the Baltic States are discussed. The elements of internal identity of individual Baltic States, according to which the Baltic region can be considered a distinctive region within the concept of northeastern Europe, are discussed in later section of the thesis. Attention is also paid to the internal coherence of the Baltic region and the elements that integrate or disintegrate this...
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