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Opinion instability
Vomáčka, Aleš ; Vinopal, Jiří (advisor) ; Linek, Lukáš (referee)
This thesis is concerned with the topic of opinion instability and is centred on three questions: Does opinion instability exists? How prevalent opinion instability is? What may be the cause of opinion instability? The thesis combines previous studies relevant for the topic and secondary analysis of several datasets. The conclusions of the thesis are that opinion instability is a real phenomenon, rather than an artefact of measurement. Furthermore, the prevalence of opinion instability depends for a large part in its operationalization, although it can be considered relatively common. The determinants of opinion instability are the topic proficiency and motivation, as well as the prevalence of the topic and consistency of frames.
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Sovereignty and constitutional democracy
Gümplová, Petra ; Petrusek, Miloslav (advisor) ; Linek, Lukáš (referee)
The goal of this thesis is to rearticulate the discourse of sovereignty in political theory and to outline a model of sovereignty compatible with premises and institutions of constitutional democracy. The underlying assumption of my project is that sovereignty is an indispensable feature of modern political order and that tendencies to move beyond sovereignty are based on the misunderstanding of the concept. Inspired by Habermas's theory, my reconstruction of sovereignty will focus on the idea of co-originality and mutual containment of legal and political process and on the discursive- proceduralist conception of political autonomy which articulates a normative dimension of my understanding of sovereignty. An attempt to develop the framework of a normative theory of sovereignty is meant to redeem the discourse of sovereignty against its critics while at the same time revoke authoritarian implications based on sovereignty claims. The project of rearticulation of sovereignty is meant as a contribution to the theory of constitutional democracy.
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Multiculturalism in Netherlands since 2005
Kluchová, Regina ; Linek, Lukáš (advisor) ; Císař, Ondřej (referee)
Diploma thesis is focused on multiculturalism in Netherlands and was inspired by political discussion on cohabitation of minorities and mayor societies in Europe. The issue of assimilation contra diversity acceptation is not anyhow new, but inflection of multiculturalism at European level during the last couple of years re-opened the issue of application the multicultural theory in social affairs. The following text is summarizing new trends in multicultural theory and those are confronted with situation in Netherlands since 2005 mainly in areas of access to national Dutch citizenship, education and labour market conditions. The study shows that there were no significant deviations from multicultural trend in Dutch society.
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Multiculturalism in Netherlands since 2005
Kluchová, Regina ; Linek, Lukáš (advisor) ; Císař, Ondřej (referee)
Diploma thesis is focused on multiculturalism in Netherlands and was inspired by political discussion on cohabitation of minorities and mayor societies in Europe. The issue of assimilation contra diversity acceptation is not anyhow new, but inflection of multiculturalism at European level during the last couple of years re-opened the issue of application the multicultural theory in social affairs. The following text is summarizing new trends in multicultural theory and those are confronted with situation in Netherlands since 2005 based on four selected indicators. The study shows that there were no significant deviations from multicultural trend in Dutch society.
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The Expertise of Political Parties on the Example of Presidental Elections in the Czech Republic
Formáčková, Monika ; Novotný, Vilém (advisor) ; Linek, Lukáš (referee)
The Diploma Thesis is based on the Case study of the direct election of the President of the Czech Republic. Due to this Case study it examines expertise of the Czech political parties. Is there any expertise in political parties represented in the Parliament of the Czech Republic? Why analytical capacities have (or not have) influence on policy decisions? In theoretical concept including democracy, policy work, expert capacities, elections etc. the Thesis examines the relationship between the expertise of political parties and enactment of the direct presidential elections.
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Voters and Non-voters in the Czech Republic
Vavřinová, Tereza ; Linek, Lukáš (advisor) ; Hendl, Jan (referee)
This study discusses voting behavior of the citizens in The Czech republic. Traditional studies of voting behavior differentiate between voters and nonvoters according to their turnout in one election. This thesis takes up multielection approach and differentiates three categories of voting behavior- voters, nonvoters and irregular voters. Specific features of voters, nonvoters and irregular voters are identified using logistic regression analysis. Theoretically, the study is based on socioeconomic, motivational and mobilization theories of turnout. The focus is put on the decision making of irregular voters. Circumstances tied with irregular voters' turnout are identified. The discussion on methodological problems connected with multi-election approach and research of electoral behavior generally is part of the thesis. The Czech election study 2010 is a main source of the data for analysis.
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Politics in the lives of seniors in a retirement home
Proksch, Pavel ; Linek, Lukáš (advisor) ; Grygar, Jakub (referee)
The master thesis deals with the group of senior voters in the institutional care. Firstly, seniors may feel excluded from public life, as well as they may face a number of problems because of their age and worse health condition. Those factors might limit their interest in politics. Secondly, the retirement home environment plays very important role because it significantly influences self-conceptions of its clients. The study tries to find out the motives of seniors's electoral participation as well as their following political news across the media. Thesis is also concerned with the political agitation, campaign and discussions with politics, The aim of the thesis is also to describe the preparation, conduct and atmosphere during the elections in retirement home. Master thesis is also focused on the seniors' relationship with the younger generation, their children and grandchildren, and on seniors' reflection of their position in the society. Key issues for the thesis are how seniors ponder their future. Master thesis tries to describe processes of aging as well as the general specifics of senior relationship to the politics. For the research purposes, 12 qualitative interviews were carried out in retirement home "Pohoda Chválkovice" in Olomouc.
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Downs rational choice theory and its applicability to explain votrers turnout in the Czech Republic
Koreň, Pavel ; Linek, Lukáš (advisor) ; Kabele, Jiří (referee)
This thesis deals with the applicability of Anthony Downs rational choice theory to the Czech environment, respectively the utility of its model to explain voter turnout and identification of rationality among Czech voters. First part provides theoretical foundation of work, explanation of basic concepts from which the work draws and alternative theories to the research problem. It also presents current state of society in terms of policy perceptions, and participation in elections. The core of the work is to present Downs' rational choice theory, different views on it and its possible extension in terms of criticism. The basic variables introduced are here, in particular how are percieved by various authors, what is their content and what affects them. In the analytical part, the variables are examined within the reserach aims in terms of frequency in the population and individual segments of the electorate. The primary parameters of the rational choice theory model are then tested in terms of interdependence, and in terms of their significance in the model and their influence on voter turnout. The conclusion summarizes the research results, and demonstrates evaluation of the applicability of the model to the Czech voters, the relevance of individual variables representing the rational choice...
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Analysis of low number of women in political decision-making functions
Rakušanová, Petra ; Václavíková-Helšusová, L. ; Linek, Lukáš ; Seidlová, Adéla ; Křížková, Alena ; Horáková, Naděžda
Project offers complex analysis of low proportion of women in political decision-making functions. Main focus points are: institutional framework of female participation, social and economic structures and conditions, political culture in political parties and in general. Aside from this analysis the project also presents sociological survey of public opinion towards involvement of women in politics and survey of Czech political scene on national as well as regional level in this regard. Special attention was paid to description of mechanisms of candidate selection within political parties, which in this context proofs to be the key element. Project also aimed at suggestion of possible solutions (e.g. adoption of parity law, intraparty quotas, and governmental campaign targeted towards the public, political mentoring etc.) and attitudes of public as well as politicians – both male and female towards these possible solutions.
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