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Why the Romani Make no Terrorists: Reassessing Contested Factors of Radicalisation
Kocmanová, Markéta ; Aslan, Emil (advisor) ; Droogan, Julian (referee) ; Lakhani, Suraj (referee)
Research on radicalisation is characterised by an excessive emphasis on risk factors that lead to manifestations of different forms of extreme political violence. This dissertation presents the results of research focused on factors that make communities resilient against behavioural radicalisation. The empirical basis draws on extensive data from 139 research participants from six countries, obtained primarily from in-depth interviews and other ethnographic data collection techniques. Utilising Grounded Theory in Ethnography as the overarching methodological framework, I provide robust empirical evidence to build a unique case of group resilience against radicalisation among the Romani ethnic group. I identified five main factors of resilience that complement each other and work as brakes on behavioural radicalisation in mutual synergy. The factors of resilience are grounded in the organisational ontology of the group, their strong sense of belonging to a community, their propensity to avoid conflict, their ability to forgive rather than seek revenge, and a category of complex flexibility that includes present-time orientation, effective emotional regulation, and cognitive adaptability. I also identify risk factors related to potential radicalisation in the community, mainly the risk of continued...
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Anti-System Activism in the Czech Republic: Radicalization Pathways and the Quest for Significance
Mališ, Josef ; Kocmanová, Markéta (advisor) ; Ludvík, Jan (referee)
The Czech Republic has seen a multitude of anti-system protests in recent years, as well as a surge of online dissemination of disinformation, misinformation and conspiracy theories. The Covid-19 pandemic and Russia's military invasion in Ukraine, as well as the consequences of these events, have generated deep dissatisfaction among thousands of people across the country. At the same time, activities directed primarily against the current Czech government in light of these events have attracted considerable attention from local and international media. However, the motivations of individuals who have been involved in such activities have not been explored in-depth in an academic environment in order to understand what exactly drives people to anti- system activism in the Czech Republic. The present study seeks to fill this research gap and reveals the motivations and the underlying psychological factors that generate this type of behavior. In order to do so, the Significance Quest Theory proposed by Kruglanski and colleagues is applied to primary qualitative data collected between the years 2022 and 2023 from sample population consisting of protest organizers and participants, while a thematic analysis of the data is conducted to generate conclusions pertaining to the phenomenon of radicalization...
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Perspectives on Resilience Against Radicalization in the Ranks: Personal Experiences of the U.S. Ex-Military Personnel
Cavallin, Valeria ; Kocmanová, Markéta (advisor) ; Ludvík, Jan (referee)
Tato práce představuje předběžnou průzkumnou studii o odolnosti vůči radikalizaci v americké armádě, jejímž cílem je přispět k poznatkové základně pro politiky, výcvikové programy a intervence. Úbytek výzkumu tohoto tématu po 11. září je konfrontován s akutní hrozbou domácího násilného extremismu, na kterou upozornilo povstání v Kapitolu v lednu 2021. Na základě sociálních teorií a psychologických přístupů výzkum zkoumá rizikové a ochranné faktory spojené s vojenskou službou. Data jsou shromažďována prostřednictvím dvou hloubkových rozhovorů s bývalými příslušníky americké armády. Dvoumetodová analýza, kombinující deduktivní a induktivní uvažování, poskytuje komplexní porozumění mechanismům odolnosti a strategiím používaným bývalým vojenským personálem s přihlédnutím k omezením, etickým aspektům. Empirická zjištění zdůrazňují dopad nasazení, význam vojenských vazeb a výzvy spojené s přechodem do civilního života. Kognitivní rigidita, izolace, ztráta výhod a zpětný kulturní šok se ukazují jako potenciální faktory přispívající k radikalizaci. Studie zdůrazňuje zásadní roli podpory komunity a kognitivní adaptability při posilování odolnosti vůči radikalizaci. Práce zdůrazňuje potřebu diferencovaného zkoumání rizikových a ochranných faktorů specificky přizpůsobených vojenskému kontextu. Rovněž se...
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The Impact of War-Related Violence on Post-Conflict Electoral Violence - A Disaggregated Analysis
Küsel, Evita ; Aslan, Emil (advisor) ; Kocmanová, Markéta (referee)
The international community frequently advocates elections in conflict-ridden societies as an integral part of peacekeeping strategies. However, elections themselves often become the focal point of contention and violence, potentially resulting in conflict recurrence. Given the severe consequences of electoral violence, scholars have increasingly focused on analysing its causes. While significant progress has been made in explaining the occurrence of electoral violence at the country level, these studies fail to account for the substantial intra-country variation of electoral violence. The present thesis fills this research gap by examining the spatial distribution of electoral violence within post-conflict countries. Specifically, the hypothesis proposes that areas within a country that have previously experienced war-related violence are more likely to witness electoral violence in the first post-conflict election. Through analysing spatially disaggregated data from the UCDP GED and ECAV datasets, this thesis conducts a country- fixed effects regression and finds a positive and statistically significant relationship between conflict-related violence and post-conflict electoral violence at the level below the state.
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The evolution of Far-Right political parties and movements in the Czech Republic
Svoboda, Jiří ; Collins, Jonathan (advisor) ; Kocmanová, Markéta (referee)
Following the Velvet Revolution in the Czech Republic, far-right political parties and movements began to emerge. Since the Republican party, the far-right scene in the Czech Republic transformed several times, changing key topics and communication approaches. The objective of this paper is to examine the ongoing security dilemma that has been present throughout the entire existence of the independent republic. This paper explores far-right actors by examining various aspects and identifying trends, in contrast to studies that only focus on one aspect of a particular actor. The main goal of this paper is to answer the research question How have Czech far-right parties developed, changed, or stayed the same from 1993 to 2023? This is done by the content analysis research method. The research shows that the contemporary far-right carries similar themes to its predecessors, but it managed to adapt to a democratic reality in the Czech Republic by becoming less extremist and carefully choosing topics that might attract more voters and sympathizers. Findings of the paper may help scholars or security actors prepare themselves for a potential future development.
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The expansion of ISWAP in the Lake Chad Basin
Biolcati, Camilla ; Doboš, Bohumil (advisor) ; Kocmanová, Markéta (referee)
The research examines the birth and evolution of the Islamic State West Africa Province. Originating as a splinter group of Boko Haram, ISWAP was soon able to establish itself as a predominant force in the Lake Chad Basin region. This research aims to identify and analyse the factors that have enabled this rapid expansion and growth. By first reviewing the literature on the concepts of insurgency, salafism and salafi-jihadism, it aims to contextualise ISWAP as an example of a recurring pattern of violence in the Nigerian context, the country where it originated, due to a mix of social, economic, political, and religious factors. Subsequently, the origins of the group will be explored by understanding the reasons for its split with Boko Haram and through its links with the Islamic State, of which ISWAP is currently the main affiliate. Through an examination of the main characteristics, the emergence of ISWAP will be presented through the theoretical lens of the population-centric approach. ISWAP's insurgency represents a particular case in point for its ability to have adopted an approach aimed at gaining the support of the local population. This effort proved to be the most influential factor in its expansion and strength. ISWAP has developed a population-centric model, capable of providing...
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Deradicalization Programs in the MENA Region Countries: A Comparative Study of Libya and Saudi Arabia
Gribanova, Elizaveta ; Kocmanová, Markéta (advisor) ; Ludvík, Jan (referee)
This study investigates deradicalization programs in Libya and Saudi Arabia. The main goal of the research is to examine and assess deradicalization programs' impact on MENA region security. The research provides with an opportunity to understand the complex nature of deradicalization programs in both countries, prerequisites for their emergence, as well as the uniqueness of each of the programs, taking into account the historical background. The MENA region has always been at the center of discussions, scientific research and debate due to its instability and the rapid spread of terrorism, which has turned the problem of ensuring security into a challenge for the entire world community. The comparative case study with the help of the interpretation method help design and further develop recommendations that were created based on the information collected about deradicalization programs. The thesis also helps to understand the uniqueness of the programs, their complexity and proves that deradicalization programs are an effective measure within the framework of the counter-terrorism strategy. The thesis highlights four main criteria for comparing the deradicalization programs of Saudi Arabia and Libya, thanks to which a comparative analysis was carried out. The thesis consists of theoretical and...
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Gender-Based Violence as a Weapon of War: The Case of Boko Haram
Veiglová, Lucie ; Kocmanová, Markéta (advisor) ; Karásek, Tomáš (referee)
Gender-based violence during armed conflicts is not a new phenomenon; it has been present in society for many centuries. It had its greatest impact during the 20th century, when it was just beginning to receive considerable attention not only from scholars but also from the global public. However, attention has focused only on its most well-known and common form - sexual violence. However, it was mainly thanks to the work of feminist scholars that other forms of violence were exposed in the second half of the 20th century, including psychological and physical violence, forced marriages, forced pregnancies or abortions, female genital mutilation, and the use of women as instruments of war and suicide bombers. This thesis examines gender-based violence against women and girls in northeastern Nigeria by Boko Haram. It aims to find out how Boko Haram has affected the level of gender-based violence in the country, whether it has brought about new trends in the phenomenon and how it has affected the lives of women and girls. In doing so, the thesis draws on strategic rape theory and feminist theory, the combination of which provides a framework for explaining gender-based violence by Boko Haram, which both uses women and girls as strategic objects, but moreover is inherently based on a strongly...
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The Anti-Roma Protests in the Czech Republic: A Radicalization Driver of the Romani Community?
Marcol, Michael ; Kocmanová, Markéta (advisor) ; Karásek, Tomáš (referee)
Why an ordinary citizen becomes radicalized and eventually resorts to political violence is a million-dollar question. There is an urgency to understand the process of radicalization and identify factors contributing to that process and elements preventing individuals from radicalizing. The 2008-2014 anti-Roma protests in the Czech Republic represented a traumatic experience for the Romani minority. Accordingly, radicalization of some of these community members could be a logical consequence of an immense threat posed by the protests and their social status as a marginalized group. However, there were no signs of cognitive or behavioral radicalization among the Romani during the protests. By analyzing the four pieces of the 'radicalization puzzle', i.e., grievances, ideologies, networks, enabling environments and support structures, the research attempts to assess whether the anti-Roma protests were a radicalization driver of the community. To answer the research questions, the research explores behavioral and emotional responses of the Romani community members, thus identifying the unique features of the Romani non-violent nature. The research employs an ethnographic case study as its methodological framework, making use of an extensive body of academic literature, open sources, and empirically...
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Risk of Radicalization in the Czech Evangelical Community
Drápal, Benjamín ; Kocmanová, Markéta (advisor) ; Špelda, Petr (referee)
The subject of this study is the susceptibility of the Czech Evangelical community to radicalization into violent extremism. The current socio-economic climate is difficult to handle for many, and the danger of violent extremism needs to be accounted for. With cases of right- wing, nationalist, and conservative attacks being well-known and studied, it is imperative to seek the understanding of communities, potentially susceptible to violent extremism. This ethnographic study, therefore, seeks to probe such susceptibility within the Czech Evangelical community. For this the study first introduces valuable information collected through research of radicalization, including the most relevant models used in the study of radicalization, and then uses qualitative semi-structured interviews conducted on ten members of said community, coupled with netnography and both passive and active observation, to reveal that the Czech Evangelical community is surprisingly resilient to radicalization into violent extremism yet endangered non the less, especially with regards to mental health of some of its members. At the same time, splinter groups and individuals should be viewed as the most critically endangered actors, as they lack the corrective influence, usually provided by the community.
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