|
|
Possible membership of Turkey to European Union and its economic aspects
Dandul, Hamit Onur ; Kučerová, Irah (advisor) ; Plechanovová, Běla (referee)
This study argues that the slow progress of Turkey in the accession to the European Union is not simlpy due to a failure to comply with the "official" membership criteria. It is argued that European attitude towards these official requirements represents a double standard, which can be searched in the context of unspoken cultural and religious fears, that do not exist in the official criteria. It is argued that there are many positive reasons to Turkey's accession to the EU. There is the aspect of energy- security, demography, acting as a bridge between the West and the East, and keeping the European Union away from being Eurocentric. However, seen the recent developments in Turkey's accession negotiations with the EU, the current political climate in Europe suggests that cultural homogeneity of the European Union remains a strong desire. Turkey, being the "Other", suffers the consequences of this. And while Turkey can make changes to its economy and political system to fulfil the EU's accession criteria, there are two 'givens' that cannot be changed-namely, religion/culture and geography/physical location. Thus, understanding these fixed characteristics of Turkey, and their perception by the European Union is crucially important in understanding the European Union - Turkey process overall.
|
|
|
Terrorism in Popular Culture: A Discourse Analysis of the Portrayal of IRA-Terrorism in Films
Prateepjinda, Kan ; Plechanovová, Běla (advisor) ; Ditrych, Ondřej (referee)
Kan Prateepjinda Terrorism in Popular Culture: A Discourse Analysis of the Portrayal of IRA Terrorism in Films Abstract The paper begins by asserting that -terrorism‖ is a social construct based on discourse from a particular historical context, and that our understanding of terrorism is fashioned by that discourse. It goes on to argue that film, as a powerful medium of popular culture, generates meaning of social events and gives filmgoers a feeling of reality; film functions as a second view on the world, guiding audiences from reel to real. The study shows how the forty-year long (1968-2008) history of IRA terrorism is portrayed through a selection of eight films, and the -articulation‖ and -interpellation‖ are studied empirically through the portrayal of terrorism in these films. The discourse on terrorism is analyzed in terms of discourse productivity, and the study uses Foucault's genealogy to trace the -history of present-day IRA terrorism.‖ The findings show that discursive formations are displayed as four different features of IRA terrorism constructed by film language and textual language. These different features reveal the discontinuity of the discourse that is framed by particular time periods. The paper concludes that IRA terrorism (and the acts of IRA terrorists), as portrayed in the eight...
|
|
|
Analysis of the Causes and Nature of Ethnic Conflicts
Kohout, Jan ; Plechanovová, Běla (advisor) ; Parízek, Michal (referee)
The aim of this thesis is to analyze factors responsible for onset of ethnic conflicts and selected characteristics. By comparing to non-ethnic conflicts it was determined, if there are any differences in onset mechanisms of these two types of conflicts and thus if there is a space for explanatory role of ethnicity as a cause of ethnic conflicts. Selection of examined factors is congruent with the relevant literature and existing analyses and reflects the context of contemporary conflict research. The influence of male unemployment rate, level of Human development index and its inequality-adjusted version, human rights and finally the influence of conflicts in neighbouring countries on the onset of conflict is tested by statistical methods in component analyses. Also the intensity of ethnic and non-ethnic conflicts, war years and HDI are also compared. The comparative style of the research helps to understand the true nature of causes of intrastate conflicts and indicates, that there is no difference between the two types. Empirical character of this thesis is also the reason for assessing it within the context of other quantitative studies of conflict, comparing the results and defining the proper level of analysis for reaching tangible contributions.
|
|
|
Scrutiny of European Affairs in the National Council of the Slovak Republic
Čavojec, Jakub ; Knutelská, Viera (advisor) ; Plechanovová, Běla (referee)
This thesis deals with the topic of individual parliamentary scrutiny of European affairs in Slovakia. The aim of this thesis is to determine which factors influenced the formally strong system of parliamentary scrutiny in the Slovak National Assembly. 6 factors will be analyzed - Late accession to the EU, parliamentary strength, bargaining strength in the Council of EU, public euroscepticism, euroscepticism of political parties and the frequency of coalition and minority governments. The strength of parliamentary scrutiny can also be influenced by informal aspects. The informal aspects in this thesis will be mainly concerned with the efforts of the members of the European Affairs Committee to acquire additional information about legislative proposals of the EU in an informal way and also their efforts for a better cooperation in parliamentary scrutiny among various political parties. The empirical analysis found, that the factor of late accession to the EU and euroscepticism of political parties had the biggest effect on the formally strong system of parliamentary scrutiny in Slovakia. A partial effect can be also attributed to the factors of public euroscepticism and the frequency of coalition and minority governments. Even though a formally strong system of parliamentary scrutiny does exist in...
|
|
|
Influence of the attitude of the public towards the European Union on eurosceptic parties' formation and ideology
Chlumský, David ; Plechanovová, Běla (advisor) ; Hokovský, Radko (referee)
Bachelor thesis "Influence of the attitude of the public towards the European Union on eurosceptic parties' formation and ideology" deals with the relation between a public opinion on European union and development of eurosceptic parties. The thesis researching whether eurosceptic parties are tend to be populists, so they are adapting their programs according to public opinion on EU, or if they are more standoffish to this surveys. This thesis also tries to find out differences between hard and soft eurosceptic parties in their relation to opinion surveys. These issues are researched on a sample of six eurosceptic parties from different countries of Europe. Political programs are put into context with regular Europe-wide opinion surveys named Eurobarometer. Secondary question is possibility of reverse influence - when eurosceptic party changing level of euroscepticism in its country. Last, but not least, thesis brings insight into the possible transformation from soft to hard eurosceptic and vice versa.
|
|
|
The human rights discourse in Japan and Japanese foreign policy
Zícha, Lukáš ; Karásek, Tomáš (advisor) ; Plechanovová, Běla (referee)
This diploma thesis attempts to provide an analysis of the human rights discourse in Japan and Japanese foreign policy. The author analyses the most important current issues (falling under the category of first-generation human rights) including: Korean minority issue, discrimination against persons of burakumin origin, gender issue and the topic of comfort women. In the second part of the thesis, the author explores the human rights discourse in the foreign policy of Japan. With the help of his research conducted in 2013 in Tokyo among diplomats, academics and NGO representatives, he examines three possible approaches to explain the current state of affairs: a national interests approach, a constructivist approach (cultural conditionality) and a policy-making approach (taking into account the role of intrastate actors).
|
|
|
The Relevance of Azerbaijan and Georgia in New Energy Geopolitics
Dvořáková, Tereza ; Střítecký, Vít (advisor) ; Plechanovová, Běla (referee)
The submitted thesis called "The Relevance of Azerbaijan and Georgia in New Energy Geopolitics" deals with the topic of perception of energy security from the perspective of the European Union with special emphasis put on two southern Caucasian countries - Azerbaijan and Georgia. The purpose of this thesis is to analyse the topic by means of the constructivist approach. The theoretical framework is based on the redefined theory of securitization. The methodological basis is represented by the discursive analysis of the official documents issued by the European Union, embedded in the context of European Neighbourhood Policy and the Eastern Partnership initiative respectively whilst taking into consideration the external influence of the Russian Federation in the time period of approximately ten years, i.e. from 2003, when the European Neighbourhood was established, up to the present. The main objective of the submitted thesis is to assess the perception of energy security from the point of view of the European Union and to identify key contextual links and discursive themes that dominated the political discourse of the European Union in particular moments of the respective period.
|
|
|
Environmental Security in the Czech Republic: An Analysis of the energy mix
Šumavský, Ondřej ; Binhack, Petr (advisor) ; Plechanovová, Běla (referee)
This thesis examines the concept of environmental security in regards to its historical development and current classification in the security studies discourse. It analyzes its relationship to the concept of energy security and explains some other relevant concepts used in this study. It then carefully chooses four determinants of environmental security which are most relevant for assessing the energy mix of the Czech Republic. The evaluation of the current energy mix is then compared to the state and composition of the country's energy mix in 2040 as outlined in the New State Energy Concept (NSEC) of 2013. Reflecting on the changes of the energy mix presented in NSEC reveals the actual impact of the future version of the energy mix on the environmental security in the Czech Republic. The thesis further identifies other important factors to consider when making strategic decisions about the composition of the energy mix and energy policy in general. To conclude, a reflection on the implications of this study both on the concept of environmental security and the Czech energy decision-making is offered.
|
|
|
Achievements of Czech and Belgian presidencies in EU environmental policy area in comparative perspective
Holanová, Petra ; Plechanovová, Běla (advisor) ; Knutelská, Viera (referee)
Diploma thesis "Achievements of Czech and Belgian presidencies in EU environmental policy area in comparative perspective" deals with the presidency of the Council of the European Union. Specifically, this qualitative comparative case study draws a comparison between the achievements of first Czech presidency in 2009 and latest Belgian presidency in 2010 in the area of environmental policy. High level of measures in this field represents one of the important characteristics of the European Union in this period of time. Despite the fact that both examined presidencies took place during the economic crisis, they could not forget to deal with environmental problems in order to maintain the EU's leading position in environmental policy and related issues. Keywords European Union, Environment, EU Environmental Policy, EU Presidency
|
|
|
The Educational Policy of the European Union and the Open Method of Coordination
Vařeková, Petra ; Plechanovová, Běla (advisor) ; Kučerová, Irah (referee)
The diploma thesis deals with the use of the open method of coordination in education policy of the European Union. It views the open method of coordination as a tool based on exchanges of good practice and on mutual learning processes. The aim of this thesis is to determine whether the European Union managed to create an effective coordination mechanism through the open method of coordination in the field where the EU can only intervene to support the action of Member States. Research focuses on the Education and Training 2010/2020 work programme whose origin and implementation is connected to the use of the open method of coordination in education policy. The effectiveness of the open method of coordination in the field of education and training is assessed through two criteria. The thesis examines whether the method contributes to achieving greater convergence towards the main EU goals in education and training and whether it support spreading of good practice between Member States. The ability of the open method of coordination to contribute to greater convergence towards the main goals is assessed through European benchmarks of the Education and Training 2010/2020 work programme and through the convergence capacity - the ability of the method to converge education policies of Member States in the...
|
guest ::
