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Mapping the Proliferation of Strategic Partnerships
Rosendorf, Ondřej ; Parízek, Michal (advisor) ; Karlas, Jan (referee) ; Faude, Benjamin (referee)
Since the end of the Cold War, states have increasingly resorted to the establishment of informal alignments, with "strategic partnerships" at the forefront, whereas the number of formal military alliances has been stagnating. In spite of the rapid proliferation of these partnerships-next to other forms of informal cooperation-the extant International Relations literature has paid only limited attention to this phenomenon. In this dissertation, I introduce and analyze the first dataset of Bilateral Intergovernmental Strategic Partnerships (BISPs) established by G20 members between 1993 and 2020. Utilizing insights from international alignment and institutionalist literature, I aim to: (1) provide the first empirical account of the extent to which strategic partnerships have proliferated among the G20 and over time; (2) identify factors driving states to form strategic partnerships; and (3) determine whether these partnerships operate primarily as complements to the existing alliance structures, or exist in place of them as "low-cost" alternatives. Firstly, I found that G20 members alone established approximately 382 strategic partnerships by the end of 2020, surpassing previous estimations. Secondly, I found that the onset of strategic partnerships correlates with factors such as economic...
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Representation in International Organizations: Size and Composition of National Delegations
Vlček, Václav ; Parízek, Michal (advisor) ; Karlas, Jan (referee) ; Sommerer, Thomas (referee)
In general, states and their governments make decisions in international politics and international organizations. However, the states are, in fact, represented by people. How many and who are they? This dissertation thesis deals with state representation in international organizations. In particular, it studies the size and composition of national delegations to plenary meetings of international organizations. From the theoretical perspective, the thesis builds on rationalist assumptions and tests established theories in the field. As for the causes of the various delegation sizes, the thesis hypothesizes 1) various institutional power, 2) different economic resources, 3) various intensity of national interests, 4) different levels of government effectiveness, and 5) different domestic political regimes. Next, the theoretical framework explains the various delegation composition by 1) different intensity of the national preferences, 2) different levels of government effectiveness, and 3) different domestic political regimes. From the methodological perspective, the thesis builds on an extensive statistical analysis using a unique quantitative dataset across seventeen international organizations and the UN General Assembly sessions from 1993 to 2016. The delegation composition is operationalized in...
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Democratic Peace in Theory and Practice
Olejníková, Lenka Barbora ; Karlas, Jan (advisor) ; Rychnovská, Dagmar (referee)
The thesis "Democratic Peace in Theory and Practice" aims to present the Democratic Peace Theory as an international relations theory with a practical significance for the political practice. The Democratic Peace Theory will be first analysed as a part of a broad liberal tradition of International Relations Theory, and then particular ways of how the theory is empirically related to the practices of international politics will be examined. The main objective of the thesis is the analysis of the complex nature of the Democratic Peace Theory with the emphasis on the potentiality of the theory to have larger political impact.
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The Process of Admitting Vietnam to the ASEAN
Doležal, Vít ; Karlas, Jan (advisor) ; Karmazin, Aleš (referee)
1 Abstract In this bachelor thesis, the topic of Vietnam's admission to ASEAN in 1995 is explored. The decision to accept Vietnam into the organization was peculiar given Vietnam's history and the reasons for the organization's creation. The essay aims to answer the question of why the ASEAN members decided to admit Vietnam. Possible reasons for the decision include mutual economic benefit, common security risks, and social or cultural issues. The thesis uses selected theories in international relations to analyze the topic through a chronological-descriptive analysis of various sources, including book sources, articles in periodicals, legislative documents of the organization, and internet sources. The introductory part of the thesis discusses the origin, reasons for formation, and organizational structure of ASEAN. Additionally, three selected theories of international relations are briefly described to examine the possible reasons for and against the admission of Vietnam into the organization. The thesis determines whether these theories are appropriate for this case. The results of this research could provide insight into the admission of other members, such as Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar, or explain why East Timor should be admitted in the future, which has unsuccessfully sought membership since its...
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From food security to food sustainability: the attitudes of the FAO
Rinaldi, Chiara ; Karlas, Jan (advisor) ; Kučerová, Irah (referee)
Tracing the evolution of the food system paradigm, this research investigates the transition from a narrow focus on food security to a comprehensive food sustainability approach. The study analyses the behaviour of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as source institutions, and their potential influence on the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) strategies in addressing global food security challenges. Spanning from 1990 to 2019, the research examines key official documents from the institutions and relevant literature to unravel the interconnectedness between these institutions and FAO's paradigm shift. The findings shed light on the complex dynamics and interactions of international institutions and their role in shaping sustainable development policies within the food security realm.
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An analysis of the new importers of plastic waste after China's ban on imports in 2017
Wilson, Susann ; Tesař, Jakub (advisor) ; Karlas, Jan (referee)
This thesis research how the global trade of plastic waste has been relocated in the aftermath of China's ban on plastic waste imports in 2017. In recent decades, the burgeoning demand for plastics has fostered a marked upsurge in the global trade of plastic waste. Researchers has established that developed nations are often the source of plastic waste exports, while developing and underdeveloped nations are the primary destinations, resulting in the imposition of significant environmental burdens upon these nations. This phenomenon has triggered an environmental justice discourse, highlighting the unequal distribution of social and environmental costs. The implementation of China's waste import restrictions has led to an altered trade landscape, with mainly South-Asian countries emerging as significant importers of large quantities of plastic waste. This thesis looks at how this trade landscape has changed and finds that the new major importer of plastic waste is South-Asian developing countries. Moreover, the work undergone in this thesis aims at filling in the scholarly gap when it comes to the explanatory reasons behind new importers motivations towards plastic waste imports. By developing and running multiple regression analysis this thesis finds that there are some statistically significant...
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Fostering Polar Cooperation: A Comparative Analysis of the Arctic and Antarctic Models
McGuire, Sarah ; Karlas, Jan (advisor) ; Lipovský, Milan (referee)
As sea ice melts and Arctic waterways become increasingly navigable, the importance of effective polar governance has never been higher, especially with heightened geopolitical tensions across the globe. Unlike its southern counterpart, the Arctic region is not governed by a single treaty, but rather a network of agreements and an international forum - the Arctic Council - designed to make recommendations and facilitate cooperation among the eight Arctic states. The objective of this study was to confirm if the Arctic Council and its governing instruments exhibit hard law or soft law characteristics and to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each. The subsequent objective was then to determine if there are lessons the Arctic can learn from the Antarctic, which is largely considered to be a successful example of hard law, and what barriers may be preventing the implementation of such improvements. Abbott and Snidal's Concept of Legalization was applied to determine the degree of legalization of treaties and agreements negotiated under the auspices of the Arctic Council and the products of its working groups by assessing their levels of obligation, precision, and delegation. This research found that the Arctic Council's contribution to Arctic governance does predominately exhibit soft law...
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Global sport events: the mechanisms of their attributing to the host countries
Mácová, Veronika ; Karlas, Jan (advisor) ; Martinková, Viera (referee)
This diploma thesis deals with the global sport event - FIFA World Cup. The topic of the thesis is relevant as it impacts not just the sport. FIFA World Cup can influence the economy and politics of the host country. The goal of the thesis is to determine factors influencing the allocation of the host country for the FIFA World Cup and factors leading countries to withdraw from the host bidding process. The thesis is influenced by the analysis of Paul Poast, Wolfgang Maennig, and Christopher Vierhaus, who examined the factors influencing the allocation of the Olympic Games host cities. The diploma thesis is quantitative research and logistic regression analysis is adopted. The regression analysis results indicate that country's previous experience in organizing global sports events, the size of its population, and the average GDP growth of the country influences the allocation of hosting of the FIFA World Cup. Countries decide to withdraw primarily due to small population size and high percentage of mineral resources in the country's GDP. In the both cases, the human rights factors are insignificant for the decision process.
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Energy policy of the Federal republic of Germany towards the Russian Federation during the Angela Merkel era
Kavan, Vilém ; Jeřábek, Martin (advisor) ; Karlas, Jan (referee)
This thesis focuses on German energy policy towards the Russian federation during Angela Merkel's leadership as Chancellor of Germany (2005-2021). The primary focus is the import of Russian natural gas to Germany and related projects such as Nord Stream and Nord Stream II. The aim of this thesis is to answer the research question of whether the energy interests of the Federal Republic of Germany have led to an increase in its dependence on the Russian Federation. The thesis analyses the German approach towards both their own energy policy and the policy of the Russian Federation and aims to contextualise this with data connected with Russian gas exports to Germany. The analysis shows that the Federal Republic of Germany ran its energy policy towards the Russian Federation independently of Russian policy actions and the wider criticism received from various German partners. The conclusion of the thesis is that the energy policy of the Federal Republic of Germany conclusively led to an increase in its dependence on the Russian Federation.
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