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Fieldwork in the Jewish community in Prague
Adlerová, Nina ; Řezáčová, Vendula (advisor) ; Paulíček, Miroslav (referee)
This bachelor thesis "Fieldwork in the Jewish community in Prague" is concerned with the social identity of young Czech Jews. The aim of this work is to describe the duality, or hybridity of identity based on the blending of two distinct identities, namely Czech and Jewish identity. There is also an effort to transcribe the self-reflection bearers of these identities in their everyday lives. This work relies on the work of several prominent authors handling with social, or ethnic identity, and also on earlier research conducted by Dana Bittnerová on national and ethnic minorities living in the Czech Republic. The basis of this work is anthropological fieldwork, which focused primarily on members of one particular group, which is part of the Prague community. This group is called Czech Union of Jewish youth. This research was consisted of participant observation organized events or events arising spontaneously and of interviews with selected respondents. It is shown that for all the observed, Jewishness and Czechness are an integral part of their identities, of whom they are. And that these two identities are closely intertwined. Jewish identity is indeed imperative, but to maintain a strong identity is also necessary process of self-identification. The signs of declared identity are also important...
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Notions of after-life and meaning of death in Zuni society
Ručková, Eliška ; Řezáčová, Vendula (advisor) ; Kotlík, Pavel (referee)
Bachelor's thesis called Visions of the afterlife and the importance of death for the Zuni Indian tribe is trying to provide a comprehensive view of the funeral rituals and death beliefs among the selected society of the Puebloan Indians. At first, I try to outline the historical background of the development of the Zuni tribe, along with a brief description of the manner of life and religion and its changes, especially under the influence of Spanish conquerors and Christian religion. After that I am trying to put topic itself into this outline. The paper also briefly deals with selected myths that are one of the main sources of ideas about the afterlife among Zuni for this thesis. The thesis devotes most attention to the afterlife along with funerary ritual. The main objective of this work is both to see how ideas about the death of Zuni reflect their society, and what is meaning of death for them. The paper strives to show that importance of death is in the context of maintaining the unity of a society that is so typical for this tribe.
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The Influence of Parents on the integration of Vietnamese children into Czech society
Horáčková, Tereza ; Řezáčová, Vendula (advisor) ; Tuček, Milan (referee)
The thesis deals with the problem of the influence that parents have on the integration of Vietnamese children into the Czech society. Immigration strategy for majority of Vietnamese residing in Czech Republic is not any more based on sacrificing their lives for material profit and the vision of the return to homeland. The author observes the tendency of Vietnamese immigrants to build appropriate conditions for permanent residence in Czech Republic and to raise their children there. Being the offspring of Vietnamese immigrants, that is actively integrating into Czech society and creating the bridge between relatively separated minority and majority. The whole work is based on case study of a group of Vietnamese immigrants, more precisely of the immigrants of second generation, who find themselves between two separate cultural units - the Czech majority, and Vietnamese community, represented by their parents. The main topic examined in the thesis is the influence that education has on children's integration into Czech society and on the process of forming their cultural and social identity. Identity of young Vietnamese is being formed by ascription and eventually by playing social roles. The author bases the work on the theoretical concepts, as acculturation strategies, identity, identification and...
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From all corners of the world: Ethnic identity of Erasmus students
Šlédrová, Jasňa ; Řezáčová, Vendula (advisor) ; Oravcová, Anna (referee)
The main topic of this work is forming of an ethnic identity in multicultural interaction. The key source of information besides the literature is data acquired by own research work. Studied literature enables the author to discuss the main theoretical approaches and specify the essential terminology. The presented concept is examined owing to the research work. The research is designed as a case study of a specific group: Erasmus students in French Lyon. This group was examined by way of analysis of interviews with some of its members. In quest of achieving reliable data, the research is focused on five nationalities: Bulgarians, Czechs, Germans, Italians and Spanish. The conclusions of this work clarify how the examined individuals construct their ethnic identities but also how they comprehend the term culture. The analytical part of this work concentrates on how they perceive their own culture and how they observe the foreign culture in which they are temporarily staying. In this context ethnic and social dichotomies are discussed as a means of self-identification and self-determination. The work also deals with the idea of imaginary boundaries that individuals build between their group and other groups. The penetrability and movability of these constructed bounds is investigated through...
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Ritual Purity and Impurity among the Gypsies
Krčková, Anna ; Řezáčová, Vendula (advisor) ; Martinová, Marta (referee)
In this thesis author deals with theme of the ritual purity and impurity among the Gypsies. Concept of ritual purity and impurity brought to anthropology Mary Douglas. Her approach became important tool to research Gypsy groups. Ritual impurity represents specific irrational quality, which influences social status of the individual or group and social relationships. It creates fundamental border between Gypsies and non-Gypsies and inter-communal hierarchy. Ritual im/purity these borders define clearly, but Gypsies cross and shift them. Within the families, this concept maintains inequality between men and women. Following chapter shows examples that go against mainstream interpretation of im/purity. Ritual purity is being kept by three instruments - Gypsy court, social control and fear of dead souls. Finally author compares Douglas's theory with concrete concept of purity and impurity among Gypsies.
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Perception and attitude to family of Hispanic immigrants
Rudolfová, Aneta ; Holeček, Tomáš (advisor) ; Řezáčová, Vendula (referee)
Bachelor thesis "Perceptions and attitudes to family of Hispanic immigrants" deals with the qualitative research conducted among immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries living in the Czech Republic. During the interviews were examined attitudes of respondents towards the interpretation of character and function of their own families, with an emphasis on the interpretation of the value aspects related to the culture. The paper then focuses on the fact as how Hispanic immigrants perceive the form of Czech families in connection with their dual cultural experience. The analytical section provides a detailed view at the studied issue, based on an analysis of the individual questions. The global perspective is then interpreted within the final part of the paper.
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Not so "Traditional" Healing: Constructions of Illness Reality and Spirit Possession in a Rapidly Changing Society in Venda, South Africa
Řezáčová, Vendula ; Kandert, Josef (advisor) ; Kotalova, Jitka (referee) ; Uherek, Zdeněk (referee)
The present thesis "Not so 'Traditional' Healing: Constructions of Illness Reality and Spirit Possession in a Rapidly Changing Society in Venda, South Africa" aims to analyze socio-cultural and political aspects of 'traditional' healing which had been the focus of fieldwork of the author in 'Venda', South Africa (in the period between 2004-6). In the first section of the thesis the author has shown that the medical concepts and symbols marked as 'traditional' have not formed a closed, time-less system. On the contrary, they have reflected and shaped far-reaching socio-cultural changes in the post-apartheid dispensation characterised by the neo-liberal market reforms, congealing of socio-economic inequalities, transformations of gender identities and the politics of 'tradition' and identity. 'Traditional healing' has thus been constituted through a constant process of (re)invention of symbols and practices which have referred to the 'Venda past' while aiming to delineate boundaries of 'tradition' in relation to biomedicine. The second section of the thesis has focussed on the phenomenon of ancestor spirit possession which has also constituted the means through which 'traditional' healers have been recruited and their claims to knowledge and healing power have been legitimized. In contrast to the...
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