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Promethean technology: Discourse analysis and narrative construction of meaning
Kotlík, Pavel ; Kandert, Josef (advisor) ; Balon, Jan (referee)
Cílem práce je porozumění významu propojení současných a revolučních technologií s mýtem "O Prométheovi". V teoretické rovině jejich metaforické propojení považuji za heuristický nástroj sociální racionality, která má přisoudit realitě určitý smysl, má alegoricky vyjevovat na první pohled nezjevné významy moderních technologií. Představuje také imaginární vztah lidí k "reálným" podmínkám jejich existence, které se zároveň reflexivně ustavují. Prostřednictvím diskurzivní analýzy a analýzy narativní konstrukce, přistupuji k analýze mýtu v oblasti biotechnologií, jaderných technologií a technologie vzdělávání. Zde na základě historického významu mýtu odhaluji dva režimy vyprávění mýtu o technologii - triumfální (triumf) a katastrofální (spád). Oba plní důležitou úlohu v oblasti mocenských praktik. Triumf a spád se reflexivně opakují v různých technologických oblastech na základě narativní konstrukce ze strany aktérů - jsou diskurzivními formacemi. Aktéři těchto diskurzů vybírají vhodné paralely ze dvou metaforických částí, mýtu i technologie, aby vyhovovaly reprezentacím adekvátním smyslu jejich ideologie. Skupinovým vyjádřením těchto ideologií vznikají i tzv. prométheovská společenství. Diskurzivně tvárný, prométheovský mýtus bez místních a časových omezení ožívá i v 21.století. Metafora je součástí...
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Purpose and rationality in the theory of action: Max Weber, Talcott Parsons and an outline of an alternative
Horák, Vít ; Balon, Jan (advisor) ; Urban, Jan (referee)
Submitted thesis examines the role of the notion of end (purpose) in the theory of action and how reaching an end can be considered as rational. Underlying motive is an intuition of the Frankfurt school that identified modern society as irationally rational. By supplementing the notion of end with a dimension of its latitude - the spectrum of possibilities that are open for an action - I try to diferentiate it and enable a multi-dimensional conception of purposeful action in which creative and reactive aspects of an action can be separated. Inside this conception I try to make the abovementioned oxymóron intelligible without relying on moral maxims to which would be the action subordinated. To the this goal I progress from a discussion of the hermeneutical metatheoretical principles through a critical analysis of Weber's and Parsons' theory of action. I go through Weber's concept of understanding (verstehende) sociology, the question of access into the perspective of others, the notion of meaning (purpose), end, and rationality and Parsons' discussion of the possibilitties of analytical theory in sociology and the concept of "unit act".
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The role of advertising in life of teenagers
Koubová, Martina ; Balon, Jan (advisor) ; Tuček, Milan (referee)
My master thesis looks at the role of advertising as a specific type of media texts in everyday life of teenagers. I perceive adolescence as an unusually dynamic stage of cognitive and social development, so it seems inappropriate to assume that adolescents' cognitive processes, believes and attitudes are the same as either adults or younger children. I tried to prove my hypothesis that teenagers behave as an active audience of advertising media texts and so that they are not pure victims of contemporary consumer society. After summarizing the research on media public with a special accent on an active audiences, I tried to do a review of socialization theories, particularly theories of consumer socialization. One of the outcomes connected with the process of consumer socialization should be a certain degree of skepticism to advertising. I intend to show how young people from thirteen to seventeen years of age, who are moving through adolescence, perceive, think and feel about omnipresence of advertising in contemporary consumer society. I was interested not only in how they see the role of advertising in their lives, but also how they describe the possible effects on themselves and on other people; style and arguments that they use; which topics they find relevant to write about, and last but not least,...
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Simmel's work reflection in Bauman's writings
Nop, Michal ; Petrusek, Miloslav (advisor) ; Balon, Jan (referee)
Reflection of Sim m el's work in Baum an's writings This paper aims to compare the writings of Georg Simmel with the work of Zygmunt Bauman. It is checked up in which substantial areas, as well as sociological methods, Zygmunt Bauman has followed Georg Simmel. In the first chapter there is described the objective and methods of this thesis. In this paper an application of comparative method prevails. The examined phenomenon is decomposed into elementary components that are subsequently compared. Bauman appreciates Simmel especially for his way of writing; however, he follows him also in substantial matters. The use of sociological essay is typical of works of both authors. Both speak about intersubjectivity, not about objectivity. This is typical of post-modem authors. Simmel and Bauman use a concept of "social type" for their explanations. Both explain phenomena with the aid of ambivalence. Simmel and Bauman are both focused on the life in a metropolis. They delineate a way of life there, and try to show alienating consequences for a human being. In the second chapter of this paper I try to trace substantial forces that could influence a way of work of both authors, and furthermore, I try to discover similarities and differences. Both are Jews; for this reason they had often problems in their life...
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Whom does the European ombudsman help?
Kuberová, Lucie ; Kabele, Jiří (advisor) ; Balon, Jan (referee)
The European Ombudsman works as one of the institutionalized mechanisms of complaining within the EU. The thesis deals with certain aspects of an inherent duality of this institution in three different levels. First, the throughout narrative motive of ombudsman as a "potent patron of weak individuals" is being analysed. The element of an intense protection seems to be in contrast with throughout limited means ombudsman usualy dispones of. Second, we might view an assertion of ombudsmen into the continental legal system as kind of a comeback of a long past system of equity - "natural equity" so that we see it as a meet of certain element of an Anglo-Saxon legal system with the continental one. The formal system of codified law comes to its limits with the dynamic development of western societies; the ombudsman should serve as kind of "safety-fuse" against its imperfections. Last but not least, the institution of the European Ombudsman was proposed to approximate the european administration to the citizens of Europe. The interference of such a "promotional" role with the "control" one works in favor of a potential role-conflict, which has to be ward off by ombudsman day by day. In the last section we show how the institution deals with such conditions. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
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