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Sociological analysis of discursive representations of happiness
Šrám, Kristián ; Hájek, Martin (advisor) ; Balon, Jan (referee)
The master thesis seeks to analyze discursive representations of happiness present in the Czech Republic. Analytical conceptualization of happiness is based upon the two prominent views on happiness - hedonism and eudaimonism. Hedonic perspective situates the issue of achieving happiness into the context of pleasure seeking activities while eudaimonic perspective relates happiness to concepts such as self-actualization, fulfilment of one's potential, and similar topics broadly connected to personal growth and search for meaning. Concepts of hedonism and eudaimonism help to reduce the abstract nature of happiness. The thesis identifies three types of discursive representations of happiness - neoliberal, spiritual / religious, and pop-psychological representations. Particular representations define happiness differently. However, there are similarities and interdependencies in the aspects of how the hedonism and eudaimonism are being used. Thus, there are interactions between particular representations. Eudaimonism is more dominant in every representation in the sense of general claim that true (longlasting) happiness is never taken-for-granted, and that it must be cultivated. Representations that lean heavily towards eudaimonism were also associated with stronger normative dimension that might serve to...
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The Migrant Crisis and its Representation in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Lidové noviny
Müllerová, Alexandra ; Jeřábek, Hynek (advisor) ; Hájek, Martin (referee)
Over the last two years the number of refugees and asylum seekers in European countries dramatically increased, with asylum claims mostly originating from countries affected by war and poverty, especially in the Middle East, Africa, and the Balkans. The rapid increase of the mobility of migrants raises contradictory reactions in society and individual countries can not agree on an acceptable solution. Against the background, Western European countries usually approach the immigrants more openly than Eastern European countries. A big role in the question of acceptance of migrants in different countries is played by the media. In contemporary society, the media constitute the main source of information about what is happening in the world and intermediate events in which the public cannot participate directly. Therefore it is important to examine how mass media in Eastern and Western European countries present the issues of solidarity, human rights, and the right to asylum. The aim of this master thesis is to find out what the main differences are in the case of printed mass media and whether the western newspapers create a better image of refugees than eastern media. As a representation of an Eastern European medium one Czech daily newspaper was chosen and from Western newspapers one German medium...
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Individual Pregame Rituals and Their Interpretation by Athletes Themselves
Šarapatková, Anna ; Hájek, Martin (advisor) ; Märzová, Hana (referee)
This thesis examines ritualized behavior, further more widen on the issue of ritualized behavior in sport. After describing the theoretical framework of this problem, the research, which is a part of the thesis, focuses on the rituals more specifically. Attention is paid to ritual behavior that athletes practice in relation to their sport and especially to performance they bring. Research is concerned about behavior which is individual. The main aim of the research is to create a classification of ritualized behavior based on individual reasoning of this behavior by its participants and at the same time based on Max Webers theory of behavior. Other findings show what are the functions of this specific behavior of athletes or how the ritualized behavior varies across different groups like gender and if the sport is individual or collective. Research has showed up that classification of the ritualized behavior is dual because the reasonings of athletes are dual, too. In the first case athletes do rituals because 1) they saw someone to do that or someone told them to do it, or 2) they did it once and it proved to them so they started to do it every time. The second way of reasoning says that athletes behave this way to 1) win or do the best, or/and 2) optimalized their psychological state. The function of...
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Sport in acient Rome
Hájek, Martin ; Waic, Marek (advisor) ; Kolář, František (referee)
In this bachelor thesis, I would like to discuss physical culture and physical activity of the population of ancient Rome. Habits, hobbies and daily needs of the general population, professional athletes this time, as well as soldiers and their training. I would like to focus also on the then sports, Roman baths and their equipment, or training centers gladiator school and the army. I would like to mention also about the games at that time, the local population was in favor, rules outline the circumstances in which games are played and held. The vast majority of current knowledge about old times is obtained from archaeological excavations and finds, therefore, I would like to mention the most important and if possible, inclose them in the illustration. Finally, I would like to findings to organize and classify them appropriately within the time period of the Roman Empire. To my thesis, I would like also incorporate knowledge, acquired in my way to the city of Rome, particularly in terms of image attachments.
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.Home of Homeless: Social Construction of Non-conventional Home
Kotyk, Lukáš ; Grygar, Jakub (advisor) ; Hájek, Martin (referee)
This diploma thesis focuses on the phenomena of homelessness as a situation in which individuals do not have enough money to secure the conventional accommodation. This leads to them constructing their home in the public space or squatting abandoned buildings. This thesis refuses to interpret homelessness as a pathological phenomenon or as a violation of order (in order to demonstrate this, individual approaches are usually being used). The author of the thesis presents homelessness as a consequence of the economic system which orders out a certain part of population. This part cannot attain the minimum measure of the chance to consume which would sustain a secure life. The concept of hybrid, which is the integral part of the actor-network-theory and it originates in the works of Bruno Latour, allows us to interpret home through the interconnection of material objects and social relationship. This approach leads to disengagement from the atypical form of unconventional homes and to thinking about them as about a normal way of housing. The basis of the ethnographic research is the perspective of the material culture studies. In the framework of this perspective, individual dwellings (inhabited by the class of the poorest) are examined. The research contains an analysis of nine such dwellings in...
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Narrative Construction Czechness of the Viennese Czechs
Berg, Lucie ; Spalová, Barbora (advisor) ; Hájek, Martin (referee)
Vienna, once the biggest Czech city, into which craftsmen, wage workers and servants, most of them coming from the Bohemian and Moravian south, poured by houndreds in search for work in the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th century. Some would progressively return back to Bohemia and Moravia, while others would settle down in Vienna and assimilate completely. This thesis, however, focuses on the descendants of those who, although they stayed in Vienna, maintained their tie to Czech culture and their Czechness. The thesis, based upon nineteen biographical stories collected in May and June 2015 in Vienna, presents the ways in which the interviewees construct their ethnical/national and collective identity and communicative memory. The interviewees are representatives of Vienna's Czech old residents who speak Czech, are active in the community's life and each one of whom has at least one ancestor of Czech origin who came to Vienna before Wold War II or earlier. Depending on their birthdate, they were assigned a place within one of the following generations: interwar, war, middle and youngest. Every generation is given one chapter presenting its speakers, the ways in which they identify themselves, their attitude (active or passive) to the building of their identity as well as the commonly shared...
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Social Meanings of Male Beards
Dubová, Diana ; Hájek, Martin (advisor) ; Hrůzová, Andrea (referee)
Social meanings of male beards Abstract The study focuses on male beard modification, primarily on the significance of beard in the society and beard's ability of social communication. The study is based on the theory of first impression and categorization; male beards are regarded as source of conflictual and cooperative action. Theoretical part draws on previous research about attributed characteristics of beard, fashion and social communication of beard in the past, especially on the European continent, where beards communicated ethnicity, social status, gender and generational distances, sympathy and antipathy to the current events and values. Furthermore, the thesis concentrates on social communication of beard in the present and its perception in the society. Empirical part is based on a questionnaire survey and answers to the question which characteristics are currently attributed to male beard modification in the Czech Republic. Final findings confirm that beards are perceived as symbol of masculinity, dominance and social maturity, clean shaved face and face with mustache or goatee, taken as signs of conformity, are generally well-received, while faces with stubble receive negative ratings.
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Genetic engineering as a source of moral dilemmas a comparison of argumentation of Christians and atheists
Rybová, Michaela ; Hájek, Martin (advisor) ; Volek, Martin (referee)
The aim of this bachelor thesis is to answer the question whether there is a difference between the moral decisions of Christians and atheists in the Czech society. To find the answer, the autor uses moral dilemmas regarding genetic engineering. The author assumes that the contemporary society is secularized and religion is loosing it's influence to people. This fact also means a threat to the traditional moral order in the society and disputes between religion and science. Corresponding question is what keeps the moral order in society. Using qualitative research, it was explored if the moral decisions of Christians are based on the Christian Ethics, what role does the God, as the moral authority, play in their moral decisions making and if a similar authority in the moral decisions of atheists can be found. This paper also applies to the research already processed about the moral decisions making and about the morals, religion and science link. These research had become the basis for the data analysis after. To collect the data, the autor had used the focus group method. Two focus groups had been assembled - the first one was made up of Christians, the second one (reference group) was made up by atheists. The basis of both discussions were six moral dilemmas. The general finding is that the moral...
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Transnational Identity of Viennese Czechs
Hájková, Anna ; Hájek, Martin (advisor) ; Spalová, Barbora (referee)
This thesis focuses on different forms of national identity of the first generation Czech migrants in Vienna from the perspective of transnational theory. It is based on analysis of thematically oriented biographical interviews with the group of 15 immigrants. The data come from research conducted in spring 2015 in Vienna. Firstly, the thesis summarizes the history of migration from Czechoslovakia to Austria. Secondly, the concepts of transnationalism, identity and transnational identity are explained as they serve as theoretical basis for the research methodology and analysis of data. First part of analysis explores topics important for decision, whether it is possible to designate the migrants as transnationals. These topics and practices include language, relation toward Czech Republic, political participation, interest in culture, traditions, gastronomy, social contacts, discrimination and loyalty, feelings of pride and shame and citizenship. The second part of analysis introduces the different forms of national identity based on self-understanding of migrants. Following this, the examples of respondents and organisations show the transnational identity of some of them which is based on their lived identity and everyday practices.
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Gleaning, trash picking, scavenging: Dumpster diving and symbolic boundaries between clean and unclean
Kubatová, Marie ; Čada, Karel (advisor) ; Hájek, Martin (referee)
The author deals with the phenomenon of dumpster diving. Being focused on those divers who are used to dumpster dive not being pressed to it by their financial situation, she concentrates on their definition of purity and their way of dealing with symbolic boundaries of clean and unclean. After summarising social-environmental and social scientific background of the phenomenon in context of the theoretical frame based on Mary Douglas and her book about purity and danger the author presents a qualitative analysis of participant observation and in- depth interviews with informants who dumpster dive voluntarily. Based on quantitatively and representatively tested public opinion on dumpster diving she points both the colourful composition of dumpster divers' motives and ideological believes and their reflection and norm- based boundaries categorization that is connected to food they are used to eat. In connection with informants' conception of food value the author argues that through inspiring power of the first dumpster diving experience informants' understanding and dealing with those boundaries have changed. Nevertheless, she stresses that despite being convinced their way of consumption is right and thus pure the informants tend to apply and present themselves by pattern of conduct that...
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