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The Impact of the Renewable Energy Transition on Rentier Structures: A Case Study of Saudi Arabia since the 2014 Oil Price Plunge
Remsey, Diana Nora ; Kazharski, Aliaksei (advisor) ; Weinfurter, Jaroslav (referee)
1 MA Thesis 2023 Diana Nora Remsey (53969839) Abstract The adoption of renewable energy in rentier states prompts a crucial inquiry into its potential impact and whether it could signal the transformation or eventual decline of the rentier state model. This paper investigates the impact of the renewable energy transition on the rentier structures of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after the 2014 oil price plunge. Through a qualitative case study approach and content analysis of primary and secondary literature, the study explores how Saudi Arabia's efforts to diversify its energy mix and embrace renewable technologies influence its rentier economic model and political structures. The findings reveal significant strides towards renewable energy adoption under the Vision 2030 plan. However, the rentier structures and the role of ruling elites remain largely intact, with a focus on economic growth and political stability. The implications suggest a need for comprehensive approaches to address underlying rentier structures while promoting economic and political reforms for a sustainable energy transition in rentier states.
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The impact of the Turkish economic crisis on Turkey's foreign policy and the Turkish-Israeli relations
Rodrigues Soares Barbosa Silva, Pedro Gonçalo ; Kazharski, Aliaksei (advisor) ; Aslan, Emil (referee)
This thesis aims to evaluate the impact of Turkey's economic crisis on its foreign policy and analyse the subsequent developments in the relationship between Turkey and Israel. Supporting the analysis, a theoretical framework based on Economic Realism was utilised, wherein the analytical portion of the thesis will focus first on Economic dimension of the Turkish-Israeli relationship, and later its Security dimension. The Economic Analysis section focuses mainly on the 2018 economic crisis in Turkey, and the characteristics of the Turkish economy, as well as the trade/economic relationship between Ankara and related recent regional developments. The thesis delves into the Turkish-Israeli rapprochement of 2022, combining a political analysis of recent developments with a historical study of the bilateral relationship. The security dimension of the relationship is also explored, particularly in relation to the shared concern of Iran. The thesis analyses more deeply the Turco-Iranian, as well as Israeli-Iranian rivalry in Syria and Iraq, in order to evaluate the potential Security-driven calculations in the Turkish foreign policy shift. The thesis concludes that Turkey's post-crisis foreign policy shift aligns with Economic Realism. The Turkish-Israeli rapprochement is positive but not unique in the...
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The Role of Human Rights Promotion in Czech and Swedish Foreign Policy
Krehla, Lukas Oliver ; Tesař, Jakub (advisor) ; Kazharski, Aliaksei (referee)
Human rights were for a while believed to be more or less solidified in much of the world, widely accepted norms that would continue to spread into norm-violating states at a steady rate. But with the rise of the far right across the United States and Europe, democratic backsliding not only in places like Central and Eastern Europe and increasing contestation around values that were for a while taken for granted in many places, there is plenty of reason now to question that assumption. Looking at Sweden and Czechia, two states who have had national identities particularly deeply tied to human rights ideals and where the promotion of those ideals in foreign policy has been seen as not conflicting with but perfectly in line with the national interest, this study examines through critical discourse analysis two cases where these assumptions were put to the test. It finds that even in places where human rights should matter most, there is near constant contestation around not only the value of an ethical foreign policy promoting those norms, but to some extent also around the value of these human rights norms as such.
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The instrumentalisation and weaponisation of migrants, its impacts, and how the EU responds: the case of Belarus
Škopková, Lucie ; Parízek, Michal (advisor) ; Kazharski, Aliaksei (referee)
This diploma thesis will focus on the weaponisation of migration as a hybrid threat posed to states in an attempt to destabilise their internal systems. The case study of the Poland-Belarus border crisis will be used to examine and illustrate how the European Union can address such hybrid attacks and how this reflects on the notion of the European Union as a 'normative power'. This will be done by conducting a content analysis of relevant news articles from EURACTIV, EUobserver, and POLITICO on the case study and by holding interviews with experts and academics. The notion of the European Union as a normative power will be explored through the lens of realism and neo-realism, focusing on the role of human rights and the European Union's reliance on sanctions. This will help to explore the conclusion that the conceptualisation of the European Union should be more nuanced, making it appear as a civilian power with strong normative foundations in practice rather than a solely normative power.
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Pandering to Pan-Slavism: How Russian Influence Thrives in Europeanised Slovakia
Šufliarská, Petra ; Kazharski, Aliaksei (advisor) ; Kofroň, Jan (referee)
This thesis looks at how Slovakia, a member state of the EU, but representing a country on the 'periphery', became susceptible to Russian influence through pro-Kremlin narratives. To do so, it has looked at how particularly the historical legacy and rising anti-Western sentiment contributed to the revival of Pan-Slavism, a pan-national movement calling for Slavic reciprocity and closer cooperation of Slavic nation. The work aims to contribute to the to the academically scarcely explored topic of contemporary state of Pan-Slavism, particularly from the perspective of it serving as a political tool. The paper's research question is "What factors and tools explain the success of Russian political influence in Slovakia?" To find evidence of how pro-Kremlin narratives find support in contemporary Slovak society, this thesis relies on primary and secondary sources regarding the shared history of Slovakia and Russia, but also Slovak national identity. This can provide a deeper insight into why a country that is arguably Europeanized - as a member state of the EU, still regards its Slavic legacy as an important component not only of its foreign policy, but as a core of its identity. Furthermore, it provides with analysis of the types of narratives and the vulnerabilities exploited in the spread of the...
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An exploration into the digital Stop-the-Steal community in the United States
Hamill, Laura Rose ; Kazharski, Aliaksei (advisor) ; Solovyeva, Anzhelika (referee)
Internal Abstract This work attempts to uncover a more nuanced and compassionate understanding of the Stop- the-Steal community within the United States that believes the 2020 elections were fraudulent, an assertion that has since been unsubstantiated after numerous investigations and lawsuits. Despite the lack of evidence of fraud, those harboring this sentiment persist, and more insight into their convictions is warranted. Using the Significance Quest theory, this work peeks into the needs, narratives, and network this group encompasses and aims to bring more understanding to a group frequently overlooked and oversimplified. It does so by exploring and observing the digital footprint of one of the groups formed on Gab Social. By following this online group closely, the author attempts to tap into the precursors of this group's establishment, the narratives that keep it alive, and the network it has preserved even after Trump has left office. It is with high hopes that by gaining more insight into this portion of society, we may find more that unites us and that with acknowledgment comes accountability, and damage comes redemption.
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Small States Thinking Big: Comparative Analysis of the Czech Presidencies of the Council of the European Union in 2009 and 2022
Monsportová, Daniela ; Kazharski, Aliaksei (advisor) ; Karásek, Tomáš (referee)
This study focuses on the two Czech presidencies in the Council of the EU. It approaches them via the lens of two theoretical concepts - the small state, and Pierre Bourdieu's symbolic power. The main objectives of the thesis are to observe the relevance of the two concepts in application to the selected case (Czech Republic) and to shed light on a relatively new and often overlooked subject. To fulfill the objectives, the study follows qualitative research, utilizing the research design of an embedded single case study. To answer the research question, the thesis firstly focuses on an in-depth discussion of the theoretical underpinnings and gives an overview of the general discourse surrounding the concept of a rotating Council presidency. It then goes on to examine the domestic and international settings of the two presidencies, their manifest and latent goals, and the outcomes of negotiations and communication strategies. By placing the two presidencies against one another, the thesis concludes that while relations between states may be asymmetrical, symbolic power may improve a given state's position within the system once the state uses the granted power wisely and effectively. This notion is demonstrated on the case of the Czech Republic and its two Council presidencies, where the country was...
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The impact of radical Islam on the North Caucasuss insurgency movements
Časnocha, Tomáš ; Kazharski, Aliaksei (advisor) ; Aslan, Emil (referee)
This master thesis examines the impact that radical Islamic ideas had on the ideological and motivational narratives of North Caucasus insurgency groups. It aims to shed light on how radical religious notions interacted with nationalistic goals of originally separatist Chechen movement and Dagestani Wahabi movement. The thesis is focusing on examining legal documents such as constitutions and its changes, presidential decrees, or news outlets. It also examines in detail considerable number of interviews given publicly by leaders of insurgencies but also by foot soldiers. The analytical segment examines in detail the political and societal development within the movements at question focusing on the role of religious ideas within these domains. Subsequent chapter provides a discussion on these findings as well as comparison of Dagestani and Chechen cases. The final segment of the thesis then provides concluding thoughts and ideas for further research in the field.
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The West Through the Eyes of Russian Elite: Evolution of Its Perception in Modern Russian History
Moskovenko, Arsenii ; Földes, Kristián (advisor) ; Kazharski, Aliaksei (referee)
In this thesis I'm going to introduce the process of how the perception of the Western world has been changing in the eyes of the Russian political elites through their discourse since the establishment of a new Russian state. The results of this research may help to fill an important gap, as previously there was no similar research conducted that would try to track the same process. We may find some works which analyze the reaction of Russia to some political events at one exact point in time. However, none of the researchers have been trying to analyze at which point the perception of the West began to turn to a more negative side and what were the main factors for that, taking into account how friendly the relations between Russian and the West seemed to be in the 1990s and how they are heated up nowadays. The research is completed by the method of discourse analysis where I presented relevant quotations of political elites produced in the times of the most crucial historical events with regard to Russia- West relations. In each of the quotations, I was looking for different discursive strategies, such as metaphors, hyperboles or rhetorical questions, which helped us to create a broader picture of how the elites saw the West in their speeches in one or another period of history. The results of the...
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