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The Influence of Natural Resource Dependency on US Foreign Policy. Case Study: the Persian Gulf War
Ducháč, Tomáš ; Žídková, Markéta (advisor) ; Binhack, Petr (referee)
The goal of this work is to analyze what role the dependence on natural resources played in US foreign policy in the Persian Gulf War. Natural resources and especially oil were inseparable component of the US economic development from the second part of the 20th century. Regardless of the continuous effort of government administration the US was not able reduce its dependency on import of foreign resources. The reliance on world market and the effort to control its dependency through the control of natural resources located beyond the US boarders led to the projection of these issues to the US foreign policy. The first chapter of the work is theoretical and deals with the views of particular authors on the determinants of US foreign policy in regard to natural resources. The situation of the US was characterized by hegemonic position, which enabled the US to pursue its interest on a global scale. The second chapter analyses the development of US natural resource dependency in respect to the US economy from the beginning of the 20th century to the Persian Gulf War. The chapter identifies the most important natural resources and the strategic significance of the Persian Gulf. The final chapter evaluates the role natural resources had on America's decision to enter the war.
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Changing role of Quebec in French politics
Lemel, Ondřej ; Weiss, Tomáš (advisor) ; Tomalová, Eliška (referee)
This thesis deals with transformations of French foreign policy towards Québec and Canada. The first president of the French Fifth Republic, Charles de Gaulle, as well as all his successors together with their administration supported Québec's international ambitions and its desire to be sovereign abroad in the areas that fall within its competence in internal politics according to the Canadian Constitution. This support took place mainly on the platform of Francophonie. In 1995, the presidential candidate at that time, Jacques Chirac, clearly supported sovereingty movement. After the referendum won by the federalists France started to gradually reconcile with the federal government of Canada in various international politics issues such as protection of cultural diversity and multilateralism. France is also worried that in case of Canada's separation, the English speaking rest of the country would get more easily under the influence of the United States of America. France does not intend to admit this scenario. Jacques Chirac during this twelve-year mandate was gradually deepening the cooperation with Ottawa. Nevertheless, Québec remains the privileged partner of France in the fields of culture and education that are key for French foreign policy. Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was even clearly...
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The Role of the Atomic Weapon in the Foreign Policy of the United States during the Korean War
Štěpánková, Jitka ; Bečka, Jan (advisor) ; Calda, Miloš (referee)
Atomic bomb has had a profound impact on the international relations after the end of the Second World War. It became not only an effective military weapon, but as the American statesmen hoped, it could also served as an instrument of foreign policy and become a political and diplomatic asset. The United States wanted to use the atomic weapon to obtain concessions from the USSR and in general, to deter the enemy. This thesis analyzes the role of the atomic bomb in the first "hot" conflict of the Cold War - the Korean War. The atomic bomb, according to American military planners, should have played a crucial role in the US military plans, but in a limited war, which the Korean conflict turned out to be, their concepts proved to be inapplicable and as a result, the nuclear weapon was not used in combat operations. The atomic bomb was thus used in the Korean War not as a military weapon, but as a political instrument. President Eisenhower and his Secretary of State John F. Dulles, for example, believed that the nuclear threats which they had addressed to their communist adversaries, led to the armistice in Korea 1953. By analyzing the steps made by the American politicians as well as the theoretical studies focusing on the nuclear weapons as a deterrent in foreign policy, however, it can be argued that the...
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Causes of Finnish Foreign Policy Transformation in Late 1980's and Early 1990's
Žilka, Jakub ; Švec, Luboš (advisor) ; Skálová, Barbora (referee)
This thesis focuses on the development of the Finnish foreign policy from the late 1980's to the early 1990's. Special attention is given to the role of the Soviet Union in this process. Other factors decisive for the change in the Finnish foreign policy course are also analyzed. Finland tried to ensure its security by pursuing policy of neutrality and at the same time developing especially good relations with the Soviet Union as a preventive measure. Mikhail Gorbachev changed not only the Soviet Union but also the dynamics of Finnish-Soviet relations. Finland was able to act more assuredly and independently, nevertheless its politicians still employed caution and well-established wait-and-see policy. The changing nature of the integration within the European Communities was another strong incentive to the foreign policy change. For there was a danger of isolation and disadvantageous trade condition if a small state like Finland opted to stay outside the quickly developing Common European Market and political union. Also in the early 1990s the Warsaw Pact, the Eastern bloc as well as the Soviet Union itself were dissolved, effectively changing the international world order. During this period Finland was able to establish more even relations with Soviet Union, respectively Russia as its main...
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The German-Chinese Rule of Law Dialogue: Quantitative Analysis of Projects, 2000-2010
Trnka, Jan ; Nigrin, Tomáš (advisor) ; Mlsna, Petr (referee)
Jan Trnka, "German-Chinese Rule of Law Dialogue: Quantitative Analysis of Projects, 2000- 2010" (bachelors' thesis, Charles University, 2011): 57 s. During the last 10 years, the German-Chinese Rule of Law Dialogue (Deutsch-Chinesischer Rechtsstaatsdialog) has developed into one of the most significant axes of Sino-German relations. Although the attention is paid to its yearly official symposia, its core is has been formed by various state actors, academic institutions and NGOs that have administrated its long-term projects (such as consulting service in various fields of rule of law, but also research in international law, translation of both sides' legislation, joint curricula etc.). Naturally, these partial projects differ significantly in its thematic scope, profile of attendees and also in its formats. Therefore, the thesis is focused on providing at least partial answers to most pressing issues, the dialogue faces today which is the thematic relevance and measurable achievements of its primary objectives. Firstly, the analysis focuses on broader historical, political and practical motives for the establishment of the rule of law dialogue. Its normative part focuses on political discourse over the main aims of the future mechanism. The second quantitative chapter provides detailed description...
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The dispute about enclaves Ceuta and Melilla between Spain and Morocco
Kancianová, Lucie ; Šušlíková, Lada (advisor) ; Riegl, Martin (referee)
Bachelor thesis "The dispute about enclaves Ceuta and Melilla between Spain and Morocco" deals with evolution of this dispute, its characteristic and submission into the system of international relations . Spanish enclaves Ceuta and Melilla situated in the territory of Morocco and they are the main point of the dispute. They fell under the Spanish dominion in time of colonialism during 15th and 16th century. First part of thesis explains a matter of the dispute and how it was influenced by context of historical events. The principal part of thesis deals with characteristic of position of Spanish and Moroccan government, foreign and internal policy and finally a progress rapprochement between Spain and Morocco in background of cooperation to resolve the dispute. The problem of Ceuta and Melilla is unique in light both of international relations and historical, culture and ethnic aspects. In area of these enclaves there happens interference among Arabic and European influence, Islamic, Christian, Jewish and Hindu religion and culture including language differences. One part of thesis is devoted to interference within lay of interests of Spain and Morocco and actual problem in connection with migration of Arabic population from Sub-Saharan Africa bound to enclaves Ceuta and Melilla or onwards to Europe.
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Ethical dimension of New Labour's foreign policy, 1997-2001: the case of international trade in arms
Burda, Ondřej ; Váška, Jan (advisor) ; Kasáková, Zuzana (referee)
The aim of this thesis is to examine two main hypotheses, which are closely related to the ethical dimension that was for the first time introduced in 1997 by the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Robin Cook. Firstly, the work seeks to explore whether New Labour fulfilled obligations relating to its ethical dimension. These commitments are determined by the Western world's generally accepted values such as freedom, tolerance, democracy and justice. They are also determined by government statements and speeches. Secondly, the work is trying to determine whether the implemented policy differed from that of the previous administration of Conservative Party. The fulfillment of these hypotheses is examined in the area of the international arms trade. The time is defined by the first term of the Labour Party government between the years 1997 and 2001. Since the work deals with a large number of primary sources its basic method is analysis.
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The Main Pillars of Charles de Gaulle's Foreign Policy and Their Contemporary French Reflection
Staňková, Olga ; Perottino, Michel (advisor) ; Emler, David (referee)
The aim of this bachelor thesis is to prove or disprove the following hypotheses: firstly, that the Gaullist foreign policy tradition continues to some extent to influence and provide inspiration for the contemporary direction of French foreign policy; and secondly, that it is almost impossible to apply this policy in the post-bipolar world. (I took this to mean the world since the end of the Cold War...) The thesis will analyse the three relationships - with Europe, with the United States and with the Eastern Bloc - which were the main pillars of Charles de Gaulle's foreign policy. The first section of the thesis will focus on the period of de Gaulle's presidency between 1958 and 1969. The second section will use a case study of French policy towards Germany in order to explore the continuity or discontinuity of this policy in the contemporary political scene, with a neo-Gaullist Jacques Chirac taking his lead from Charles de Gaulle. This section will also briefly analyse the approaches of French presidents between the retirement of de Gaulle and the beginning of the Chirac presidency. It then goes on to focus on the presidency of Chirac, which ended in 2007. The main methods of the thesis will be analysis and case study.
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Cultural Dimension of the French Foreign Policy 1990-2010
Tomalová, Eliška ; Rovná, Lenka (advisor) ; Perottino, Michel (referee) ; Peterková, Jana (referee)
Tomalová, Eliška Disertace: Kulturní dimenze francouzské zahraniční politiky 1990-2010 Abstract The dissertation thesis "Cultural Dimension of French Foreign Policy: 1990-2010" studies the role of culture in the foreign policy with focus on France. In the first part the cultural dimension of foreign policy is introduced within a wider theoretical and conceptual framework and basic characteristics and distinguished features of the French model are defined. The autor defines two aspects of foreign cultural policy: cultural diplomacy (being art of public diplomacy) and traditional multilateral diplomacy aimed at cultural topics (e.g. within WTO or UNESCO). This divison is also reflected in the structure of the thesis. The main topic of the second part of the thesis is the French cultural diplomacy as such. The third part presents an analysis of the role of France within multilateral negotiations and international cooperation in the cultural field using as an example its endorsement of the principle of cultural exception and cultural diversity in international relations. The thesis argues that while in the field of cultural diplomacy France in only one of the players (even if very influential) the strength of cultural dimension of French foreign policy lies in the traditional multilateral diplomacy, which is...
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Obama's Foreign Policy towards BRIC(s) in first functional term (2009-2012)
Kučerová, Petra ; Barša, Pavel (advisor) ; Laššuth, Juraj (referee)
Thesis deals with the foreign policy of Barack Obama's in first term 2009 - 2012. The aim is evaluate the U. S. foreign policy towards to BRIC(S) in this term. To acronym BRIC(S) partnership brings together world powers Russia and China and regional powers Brasil, India and South Africa. Introduction is dedicated to the characteristics of the main actors, the USA, president Obama and BRIC(S). The next section presents the assumptions of the U. S. foreign policy, factors and its limits. Finally anlyzes the foreign policy of Barack Obama. The analyses showed the different approach in its foreign policy toward superpowers China and Russia on one hand and regional powers Brazil, India and South Africa on the other.
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