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The Role of Women in the Velvet Revolution
Gese, Taylor ; Szobi, Pavel (advisor) ; Vykoukal, Jiří (referee) ; Matějka, Ondřej (referee)
The Role of Women in Czechoslovakia's Velvet Revolution Abstract This thesis investigates the role played by women in Czechoslovakia's Velvet Revolution of 1989. Overall, it finds that despite the marginal role attributed to women in the dominant narrative of the event, women in fact played a key role in every activity of the Velvet Revolution and therefore were a key factor in its success. Drawing on case studies from elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe, it hypothesises about the sources of women's erasure from the historical record and subsequent national memory, arguing that the conservative gender order influenced the type of revolutionary work women did, the lack of visibility they were afforded, as well as their own devaluation of their contributions. Given the similarity in findings, it advocates for the development of an analytical concept to theorise the function of gender in social movements and their subsequent memorialisation. Finally, by documenting the activities done by women, it aims to reorient women as historical and political subjects in the Velvet Revolution, worthy of further historical inquiry. Keywords Velvet Revolution, women, gender, social movements, 1989, Czechoslovakia, historical memory, hegemonic narrative
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Shaping the Europeanization in Diplomacy: Development of the Czech "Dissident Tradition" in European-Related ideas
Yang, Zihan ; Matějka, Ondřej (advisor) ; Handl, Vladimír (referee)
This master's thesis examines the evolution of dissident European-related thoughts and the relationship between these thoughts and the practice of Czech Europeanization, especially in the field of foreign policy. The goal of the thesis is to analyze whether these developing ideas served as a theoretical basis for later European-related foreign political practices, both in terms of the activities of dissident politicians and in terms of the continuation of its diplomatic paradigms and ideologies on a larger period. Therefore, this thesis takes a Reflectivism stance by examining the development of European-related ideas of three selected Czech dissidents (Václav Havel, Jiří Dienstbier and Petr Pithart) in chronological order. It then analyzes how these ideas have changed in the political practices and reflections of the dissidents after 1989. The three selected dissidents are famous figures both in the political sphere and among dissidents, and their literature significantly contributed to this topic, which made their views become representative within the scope of this research topic. The thesis concludes that the dissidents' European discourse had deep historical and philosophical roots. This background, combined with the influence of geopolitical events during the Cold War (such as the Helsinki...
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M. R. Štefánik and Slovak-French relations since the year 1993
Beňušová, Lucia ; Tomalová, Eliška (advisor) ; Matějka, Ondřej (referee)
M. R. Štefánik and Slovak-French relations since the year 1993 Lucia Beňušová ABSTRACT: Master thesis "M. R. Štefánik and Slovak-French relations since the year 1993" focuses on the second life of a historical personality M. R. Štefánik and his remembrance in Slovak-French relations between the years 1993-2020. Štefánik spent a significant part of his life in France, where he achieved success in science, military and diplomatic field and he obtained French citizenship. Štefánik is a shared historical character of both countries. The aim of the thesis is to answer how is Štefánik represented in France, how it has been referred to his legacy in Slovak-French relations, and what parts of his personality have been emphasized the most. Thesis analysis if and how the historical person can help to build bilateral Slovak-French relations. Master thesis uses analyzation of monuments (lieux des mémoires) commemorating Štefánik in France in combination with thematic content analysis of the public discourse of statesmen on Slovak and French side. Štefánik appeared to be a symbol to which it has been referred continually, coherently, and without ideological misuse. Mostly emphasized part of his personality in public discourse is a correlation with his Slovak belonging, science and military success, and anchoring...
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Political satire in Charlie Hebdo in relation to religion
Kaletová, Anna ; Matějka, Ondřej (advisor) ; Bauer, Paul (referee)
The topic of the bachelor's thesis is the political satire in Charlie Hebdo in relation to religion. In today's France political satire is represented by several newspapers, one of which is the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo. The magazine, whose origins date back to 1970, specializes in news and cartoons regarding current world affairs, religion, politics and culture. The cartoons published in Charlie Hebdo soon became a rather controversial topic. For that reason, the authors of the magazine have had a number of conflicts with representatives of the muslim community over the years, with cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad becoming especially problematic. The difficulties manifested themselves both in the form of threatening letters, the burning of the Charlie Hebdo editorial office, and a terrorist assassination in 2015. The bachelor's thesis maps the history of political satire in France, the history of the magazine Charlie Hebdo and its conflicts with Islam. The aim of the paper is to find out whether the Charlie Hebdo cartoons depicting Islam are in any way specific compared to the images mocking the other two major religious groups, Christianity and Judaism. Using ethnographic content analysis, analysis of selected cartoons published in 2014 and their subsequent comparison, research...
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Representation of female characters in videogames inspired by the Victorian era on the example of Dishonored and Dishonored 2
Smoliankina, Sofia ; Šindelář, Jakub (advisor) ; Matějka, Ondřej (referee)
In my thesis, I study the representation of female characters in videogames inspired by the Victorian era. Videogames can be considered a form of audiovisual media wherein it is possible to depict both the historical period and the perspectives of contemporary society on it. For the analysis, I use literary sources on the subjects of neo-Victorian era, the development of gaming community, as well as the position of women in it. Using this theory and relevant context, I analyse the female characters in Dishonored (2012) and Dishonored 2 (2016). I focus on the role that the main and secondary female characters have played in the storyline, how their position has changed within the franchise. The analysis is carried out in the context of the changes in the modern gaming community, it also analyses how conflicts within it (i.e. the "GamerGate" incident) could contribute to the changes in the video games themselves. The purpose of this thesis is to show how norms and values at the time when the historical media representation was created have an impact on the portrayal of the past. Using the concept of homosocial relationships, which characterizes the "closed male world" of the Victorian era, I investigate how the role in the storyline and the number of female characters has changed in Dishonored 2...
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Henri Beyle as a public intellectual
Chrpová, Barbora ; Tomalová, Eliška (advisor) ; Matějka, Ondřej (referee)
The term public intellectual has been used to describe the engagement of writers and other public figures in France since the end of the 19th century. However, this concept of engaging in public debate in order to influence public opinion has appeared decades before. In the first half of the 19th century, the French writer Henri Beyle, known under the pseudonym Stendhal, was active. Beyle's engagement in the cultural and political field was exceptional at the time as the active role of writers in society was yet to be established. He complies with similar characteristics that define intellectuals as Émile Zola, such as public engagement, liberal beliefs, or a positive attitude toward democracy. This thesis expands on the hypothesis that Henri Beyle can be viewed as a predecessor of the public intellectual. The intention is to examine Beyle's works and activities and to support this hypothesis with specific evidence. In the theoretical part of the thesis, the concept of the French intellectual and the criteria that define it are introduced. In the analytical part, these criteria are then applied to the role of Henri Beyle in order to find out to what extent his engagement fits into the idea of a public intellectual, as understood since the end of the 19th century. For the analytical part, primary...
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Anti-immigrant Rhetoric and the Concept of National Identity in the French Presidential Campaign in 2012
Žižková, Markéta ; Matějka, Ondřej (advisor) ; Tomalová, Eliška (referee)
The thesis Anti-immigrant Rhetoric and the Concept of National Identity in the French Presidential Campaign in 2012 is focused on the political discourse of three main candidates of the French presidential campaign in 2012 (Marine Le Pen, Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande). The aim of the research is to analyze the image of immigration and immigrants and on the other hand French and national identity in the discourse of the politicians. As methodological basis for the research critical discourse analysis was selected, completed by analysis of metaphors. The thesis is based on the theoretical framework composed of the following concepts: 1/ discursive reproduction of the racism by so called symbolic elites, 2/ new racism and 3/ construction of national identity. The thesis also presents the social and political context of the election. The main objective of the research is to answer the following research questions: How does the political discourse of presidential candidates deepen the gap between positive self-presentation and negative presentation of the others? And to which extent in the discourse of individual candidates can it be seen? The thesis describes specific topics, topoi and discursive strategies which are used by the candidates.
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Differences Between National Memory of Communism in Poland and the Czech Republic
Bush, Graham ; Vykoukal, Jiří (advisor) ; Matějka, Ondřej (referee) ; Klautke, Egbert (referee)
This work aims to demonstrate differences in national memory of Communism in the Czech Republic and Poland. It looks into the principles surrounding the practice of collective memory and then uses this to create a working methodology for the study of it in these two nations. In evaluating memory in these countries it relies upon the "Three Pillars" of past events, cultural output and popular opinion and stresses the interconnected nature of these academic areas. A further emphasis is placed upon the role of belief in shaping personal and group self-identity. The overall conclusions stress that both of the national memory of these countries has been shaped by their history, culture and popular opinion, and that this has created a divide between the Polish and Czech views of events during the Communist period. The divide is seen as characterised by particular "Czech" and "Polish" viewpoints which are the product of discourse on previous aspects of what it means to belong to these respective groups. National memory in essence builds upon itself, and will continue to do so. Future perceptions of what it means to be Czech or Polish will be shaped by this latest chapter in national memory.
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