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Securing cities: 'Urban resilience' as a technology of government
Svitková, Katarína ; Hynek, Nikola (advisor) ; Hájek, Martin (referee) ; Chandler, David (referee)
Svitková, K. 2019. Securing cities: 'Urban resilience' as a technology of government, 282 pp. Doctoral thesis (PhD) Charles University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Political Studies. Department of Security Studies. Academic supervisor: doc. PhDr. PNDr. Nikola Hynek, M. A., PgDip Res, PhD Abstract Resilience has become a buzzword in policy and practice of 'securing' and 'developing' cities and urban populations. This study discusses the use of this concept in the context of governance of subjectivities. More specifically, reflecting its empirical focus, it poses critical questions about constructing and promoting 'urban resilience subjects', and scrutinizes the process of internalization of resilience as a self-governance technique, self-imposed on and by citizens for their own good. The purpose is to problematize resilience as a universal tool or strategy to govern cities and their inhabitants, be it in ordinary or extreme circumstances. The study ventures beyond the traditional critique of neoliberalism to ask questions about what resilience does in terms of a performative governance, exploring the disciplinary and biopolitical nature of this process. Keywords resilience, governmentality, urban, cities, power, biopolitics
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Reconstructing Nuclear Deviance: Stigma Politics and the Rules of Nonproliferation Game
Smetana, Michal ; Hynek, Nikola (advisor) ; Eichler, Jan (referee) ; Grzelczyk, Virginie (referee)
In this dissertation, my aim is to unpack the relationship between deviant behavior and normative change in global nuclear politics. I draw on the interactionist approach in sociology to conceptualize "stigma politics" as an interactive, dynamic process of the social construction of deviance in international affairs. I connect these insights with contemporary IR theories on norm contestation to theorize the way how (re)constructions of deviance contest and affirm boundaries of appropriate behavior in social orders. I employ this theoretical perspective to study the (re)constructions of "nuclear deviance" in global nuclear order, and the dynamics of norms and rules in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty regime.
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The Issue of Identity: Great Britain's Need for Nuclear Re-armament - The Case of Trident Missiles
Vavreková, Katarína ; Hynek, Nikola (advisor) ; Smetana, Michal (referee)
This thesis is dealing with the effects of particular aspects of the British identity on the decision to modernize the Trident system, and therefore to maintain the United Kingdom's status of a nuclear weapon state. From theoretical point of view, the thesis operates with the notion of socially constructed identity of Great Britain that constitutes the perceptions and mindsets, which subsequently portray onto the contours of nuclear policy-making process and therefore shape its outcomes. It is argued that in this case, the constant reproduction of identity of Great Britain as a strong pivotal power is shaping the Britain's interest of pursuing the modernization of its nuclear deterrent. This concept is, in turn, incorporated into the official framework and reflected in British strategic documents and Government legitimizing postures. The socially constructed reality secures both Britain's identity and British nuclear weapons through the creation of common and opposing identities. This mechanism therefore functions as a constitutive principle of the meaning of Britain's nuclear deterrent. With this regard, the analysis also touches on the role of the external actors - the United States, France and NATO - in the process of constitution and reproduction of Britain's identity with relevance to...
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Viktor Orban's National Hungarian Identity Construct - Securitization of 2015-2016 European Migrant Crisis as Existential Threat
Stein, Kenneth Cavanagh ; Střítecký, Vít (advisor) ; Hynek, Nikola (referee)
Charles University in Prague Faculty of Social Sciences Institute of Political Studies Bc. Kenneth C. Stein Viktor Orbán's National Hungarian Identity Construct: Securitization of the 2015/2016 European Migrant Crisis as Existential Threat? Diplomová Práce Praha 2017 Autor práce: Bc. Kenneth C. Stein Vedoucí práce: PhDr. Vít Střitecký M. Phil., PhD. Oponent práce: Datum obhajoby: 2017 Hodnocení: Abstract: The current paper examines Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's speech acts based on the preface that his language communicates political will, power, and serves as an outline for potential future political avenues. Orbán has been one of the most outspoken critics of the European Union's failure to adequately address the ongoing migrant crisis, as well as Europe's immigration issues. The aim of the thesis is to examine the language tools utilized by Orbán according to securitization theory. Utilizing elements of Wodak's Critical Discourse Analysis in combination with Tajfel and Turner's Social Identity Theory, the thesis provides analysis of the texts through the lens of Orbán's creation of a national Hungarian social identity construct as referent object being securitized against the migrant threat. Moreover, the thesis provides an overall analysis of Orbán's brand of Hungarian social identity...
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Campaign to stop 'killer robots': prospects of a preemptive ban on autonomous weapons systems
Rosendorf, Ondřej ; Smetana, Michal (advisor) ; Hynek, Nikola (referee)
This thesis addresses the issue of autonomous weapons systems and their potential preventive prohibition with regard to current international discussions at multilateral forums such as the Human Rights Council, First Committee of the General Assembly, and Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons at UN. The aim of this thesis is to provide an extensive empirical account of the substance of those discussions and their most likely outcome, estimating state preferences with use of content analysis and the likely outcome with median voter prediction. From a theoretical standpoint, the thesis draws from defensive realism and contributions of arms control, arms trade as well as institutionalist literature from which it draws the concept of legalization. From a methodological standpoint, the thesis relies on quantitative methods, in particular, content analysis for collection of data and median voter theorem for prediction of the likely outcome. In addition, the thesis uses the method of regression analysis to examine states' activity at the aforementioned fora. In conclusion, the thesis finds that the most likely outcome of discussions on autonomous weapons systems is a moderate-obligation form of hybrid regulation, which includes solutions such as framework convention and moratorium. Further finding of...
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Geopolitical Imagination and Security Perception in Japan
Sosna, Petr ; Hynek, Nikola (advisor) ; Kolmaš, Michal (referee)
This thesis deals with Japanese foreign and security policy through the optics of critical geopolitics, specifically the "geopolitics as culture" notion developed by Gearóid Ó Tuathail. Using this notion as an analytical framework, the development of Japan's foreign and security policy from the establishment of a modern Japanese state till present days is analyzed, with three main concepts being addressed: (1) foreign policy traditions; (2) geopolitical and geostrategic discourses; (3) and strategic and geopolitical culture. For reasons of narrowing the topic down and applying the concept more consistently, one specific element of Japanese foreign and security policy is at the centre of attention: Japan's "maritime identity". The goal of the thesis is to identify and characterize Japan's geopolitical imagination and attempt to determine if and how has this imagination been expressed in the country's security policy with regard to the maritime identity. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
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Ethical Dilemmas of Using Humanitarian Drones
Pavlíková, Markéta ; Střítecký, Vít (advisor) ; Hynek, Nikola (referee)
Unmanned aircraft vehicles were primarily used for military purposes and are still used for them. Not only for this reason is their introduction for humanitarian aims disputable, raising various dilemmas. Supporters of humanitarian drones put emphasis on/emphasize their speed, security, data amount and the possible employment of new technology in extreme environments. Critics of humanitarian technologization stress the loss of neutrality and impartiality, politicization and militarization of humanitarian aid. Consensus does not even exist amongst academics in the field. Contemporary literature is primarily targeted on the controversy of dual-usage of UAVs and on potential technical advantages with emphasis on immediate assistance. The literature dealing with ethical issues of humanitarian drones in connection to humanitarian and development practice outside the conflict zone is almost absent, and only marginally or indirectly treats the issue. The aim of this paper is to analyse potential advantages and disadvantages of humanitarian drones' proliferation within the theoretical framework of The Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organizations in Disaster Relief, which deals with basic dilemmas in humanitarian aid. This thesis does not...
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The political and social obstacles in the implementation of the Colombian peace agreement
Assemat, Jade Catherine Beatrice ; Aslan, Emil (advisor) ; Hynek, Nikola (referee)
Previous research in the academic literature established the existence of a culture of violence in Colombia. This article focuses on the perpetuation of this culture of violence according to the framework of Waldmann (2007) after the signature of the Colombian Peace Agreement in 2016, and the influence of this phenomena on the persecution of human rights defenders. Colombia remains one of the most dangerous places for human rights defenders, as they are facing multifaceted risks due to the socially anchored culture of enmity and the stigmatisation of political contestation. Given the multifaceted challenges and actors related to violence in this country, the multilevel framework of Steenkamp (2005) will allow to understand the impact of state and nonstate actors. This research will be conducted according to a process-tracing study of Colombian media and policies relating to the strategies of both types of actors. This innovative method will enable to understand the effects of a culture of violence directly from the point of view of both victims and perpetrators. The purpose of this method is to promote the understanding and knowledge of the actors involved rather than international perception of the phenomena. The aim of the research is to understand the causal mechanisms at stake in a...
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