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Islam and the Russian state : a poststructuralist approach to analysing identity and policy discourse
Ferrando, Paolo ; Aslan, Emil (advisor) ; Šír, Jan (referee)
This thesis aims at identifying and analysing the basic discourses constructed around Russian Islam by both the Kremlin and the three leading Muslim organisations. Starting out from the largely poststructuralist premise that identity and policy are ontologically co-constitutive, the link between the two is explored in relation to three basic discourses and their articulation into two specific policies. The Russian Muslim Self is revealed to be discursively embraced by the Kremlin as part of Russian identity by emphasising the multinational nature of the latter, the cooperation between state and Muslim organisations against the common threat of extremism and the need for religiously defined moral values to be conferred on the younger generations. The identity produced by these discourses both articulates and is legitimised by policy and points to a constant renegotiation of how Russian Islam fits into the broader identity of the Russian state.
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Constructing Nagorno-Karabakh: a diachronic discourse analysis
Davidson White, Imogen ; Aslan, Emil (advisor) ; Horák, Slavomír (referee)
In over 20 years of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, there has been no significant progress towards a peaceful agreement. It has been argued that there is not enough incentive for leaders to agree to a compromise and that the citizens are not ready to accept one. In this context, the way the conflict and the enemy are described in public discourse is important not only because it represents the viewpoints of those producing the discourse but because it can have a real effect on public opinion. This paper examines discourse on Azerbaijan and the future of Nagorno-Karabakh in an official newspaper, showing that distrust of Azerbaijan and rigid expectations about the future of Nagorno-Karabakh are dominant.
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Multiculturalism in Russia : Muslim population case study
Kemalov, Bulat ; Aslan, Emil (advisor) ; Žídková, Markéta (referee)
Many researchers say that the multiculturalism in Russia has emerged recently, but this term started to dеvеlop few dеcades ago. During this time period we have seen its significant change and improvement. Russian sociеty culturally is very divеrse. There are many different nаtions, culturеs, religions, and even civilizations living in Russia. The uniqueness of Russia consists in the fact that those different culturеs are its indigenous people. There is probably no other stаte in the world with such a high number of different culturеs living together relatively peacefully for centuries. Also, culturally diverse population of Russia is not composed of migrаnts as in the case of Europe or the USA. For this purpose the beginning of the thesis is dedicated to understanding of the term multiculturalism, cultural diversity, minority groups and similar. Multiculturalism developed significantly especially in the phase of last events which took place in the Wеst. The 9/11 has brought several changes. Also, the latest incidents (and the speeches of the several lеadеrs) in Europe have shown Europeans and the rest of the world that the situation in immigrаnt welcoming rеgions is not positive as before. This makes the policy of multiculturalism even more complicated in the light of present developments. The...
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Role of islam in society of repatriated Crimean Tatars
Lebduška, Michal ; Horák, Slavomír (advisor) ; Aslan, Emil (referee)
Bachelor thesis deals with problems connected to religiosity of contemporary Crimean Tatars after their repatriation from exile where they stayed after the mass deportation in 1944 and with process of fast and strong re-Islamization of the Crimean Peninsula since the end of 1980s. Influence of this process on local relations and role of Crimean Tatars in conflict between Ukrainians and Russians around Crimea. Thesis is interdisciplinary work with elements of sociology, religious studies, history, political science and international relations. Work is divided into three chapters First covers brief summary of history of Crimean Tatars second Crimean political organizations and their positions towards Islam and third physical indicators of rebirth of Islam in Crimea role of Islam in everyday life of Crimean Tatars and eventual sectarian conflicts in Crimea. Results of cited sociological surveys imply strong secular character of Crimean Tatars that consist of not obeying religious rules and rituals and widespread self-identification with Islam as historical-cultural tradition of their nation. Nonetheless, radical Islamic movements have some only small support among Crimean Tatars and their organizations. Research also indicates that topic of Islam is often misused by Muslim and non-Muslim political...
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Hizbullah: A Phenomenon of the Transformation of Terrorist Movement into Political Party
Harmach, Daniel ; Střítecký, Vít (advisor) ; Aslan, Emil (referee)
The thesis follows the political development of the Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah from its radical beginnings in the 80th, through the first political success in the early years of the 90th, to the contemporary situation. Hezbollah is an example of absolutely phenomenal transformation to the politically powerful entity with its own political party and significant power, which was often stronger than a real power of Lebanese government. The aim of the paper is to highlight the dynamic process of transformation of terrorist movement into a political party. The process is operationalized at two levels than. The analysis follows the external nature of the Lebanese political system allowing the transformation of Hezbollah; the interior follows the development of participation of Hezbollah. The process of transformation is depicted not only during key parliamentary elections in 1992, but also in the context of subsequent political developments, which resulted in a dominant position of Hezbollah in the Lebanese government. The text also embedded Hezbollah to the overall context of the Shia fundamentalist movements and the author tries to provide the potential outlines for its further development. The author also believes that the conclusions of the work can enrich the overall outlook on Lebanese Hezbollah and...
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The interests of the European Union in Central Asia
Bersimbayeva, Anel ; Aslan, Emil (advisor) ; Žídková, Markéta (referee)
1 Abstract Central Asia is located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. The region includes five different countries, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The countries differ in the terms of the economic development, and a degree of the openness of the national economies, as well as in the foreign trade and the orientation of the foreign policy. Some states of the region belong to the poorest countries of the world while the others keep a quite successful way of the economic development. In the region there are countries which retain sufficiently isolated from the world economy (such as Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) and Kazakhstan which formed an open liberal economy since gaining the independence. Also there are countries which focused on the development of cooperation with Europe as well as the other regions abroad and at the same time there are countries aimed at preserving and developing the deeper ties with neighboring Russia and China. In June 2007 the European Council of the EU adopted a new strategy towards Central Asia for the period from 2007 to 2013. And despite the strategy is short-term, yet it is a political document (Council of the European Union, 2007). In accordance with the adopted «Strategy for a New Partnership» the EU engages with the region in many areas,...
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Western orientation in Azerbaijan's foreign policy
Farajullayeva, Nigar Ali ; Žídková, Markéta (advisor) ; Aslan, Emil (referee)
The aim of this thesis is to study complex nature of the Azerbaijani Foreign policy and to analyze relations of Azerbaijan with other countries in regional and global context in order to determine which countries are more prioritized. The author concluded that the balanced Foreign policy is no longer pursued and its orientation is now changed towards West. The study had also determined the reasons behind the Western orientation. Thesis concluded that Azerbaijan pursues economic integration with the West as well as sustains political dominance in the South Caucasus region.
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Geopolitical aspects of Georgian NATO membership : Analysis of Georgian readiness and NATO's strategic interests
Kufčák, Jakub ; Weiss, Tomáš (advisor) ; Aslan, Emil (referee)
This bachelor thesis addresses the issue of Georgian NATO membership and its strategic and geopolitical importance for NATO between 2003 and 2008. This thesis focuses in the first place on the question to what extend did Georgia fulfil Alliance's membership requirements. The aim of this section is to demonstrate that the reasoning behind NATO's refusal to award Georgia with Membership Action Plan cannot be objectively justified by Georgia's failure to meet the criteria but is to be derived from the lack of Alliance's political consensus regarding the importance of Georgia. Second part of this thesis analyse the importance of Georgia from the NATO's strategic and geopolitical interests. From this point of view is important Georgia's role in energetic infrastructure to which it is destined by its geographical location on east-west energetic corridor which transports Caspian fossil fuels to western markets. The importance of Georgia in this aspect depends on the significance that NATO attributes to its energetic security. Subsequent analysis of benefits provided by Georgia's strategic position to the Alliance's primary missions concludes that Georgia's territory enhances Alliance's power projection because it is the best route to deploy military planes to afghan theatre. Second factor that enhanced...
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The Western Response to the Russo-Georgian War of 2008: A Case of Securitization?
Michálková, Kateřina ; Aslan, Emil (advisor) ; Weiss, Tomáš (referee)
The Russo-Georgian war, which took place in August 2008, with separatist ambitions of Georgian region of South Ossetia being the casus belli, was not merely understood as a clash between these two countries, but it was also seen in broader terms as a Russia-West dispute or a "new Cold War". This symbolic dimension of the conflict was based mainly on the Russian rhetoric prior to the war, which reacted sharply to the promise of future NATO membership for Georgia. Another reason was the nature of the Russian intervention with its inadequacy raising question whether the aim was solely to consolidate the situation in South Ossetia or if the real intention was to overthrow the Georgian government and reverse the Western foreign policy orientation of Georgia. During the August 2008 and in the following months in the West the relations with Russia became a major political issue. On the one hand the West strongly criticised Russia and condemned its actions on the other hand Western response lacked significant pressure that would persuade Russia to change its practices. The aim of this thesis is to explain the discrepancy between rhetoric and actions of the West, or by other words to answer the question why the West did not intervene against Russia, while at the same calling its steps "unacceptable"....
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Ethnicity, Territoriality, and Conflict in the South Caucasus - A Qualitative Comparative Analysis
Chernyaeva, Maria ; Aslan, Emil (advisor) ; Šír, Jan (referee)
Under what configuration of conditions do ethno-territorial conflicts escalate, and under what configurations of conditions is conflict avoided between a minority and the centre in multi- ethnic states? This dissertation employs qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) in order to capture the causal patterns of conflict escalation and peace preservation. By simultaneously analysing the causes of conflict and the conditions of peace, this dissertation bridges a significant gap in the existing literature that assumes causal linearity and unifinality. The QCA analysis this dissertation conducts is grounded in empirical evidence from the South Caucasus where, after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, three newly independent states emerged and grappled with the accommodation of ethnic-minorities and their evolving identities. The QCA analysis reveals that, contrary to the popular premise that regional autonomy is "an effective antidote" for ethno-territorial wars, autonomy in the South Caucasus was conducive to conflict and the lack of autonomy was conducive to peace. Nevertheless, this dissertation does not suggest that autonomy on its own can explain the complexity of inter-ethnic relations. Rather, it argues that there were multiple configurations of conditions that interacted to produce...
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