|
|
Icelandic fisheries as the national interest and its influence on the formation of the foreign policy
Tůmová, Kateřina ; Hořejšová, Tereza (advisor) ; Weiss, Tomáš (referee)
Presented thesis analyzes the Icelandic fisheries as a national interest and its role in foreign policy. Importance of fisheries confirms the fact that in the first half of the twentieth century marine products accounted for over 90% of Iceland's exports and the Icelandic economy was fully dependent on one sector. Gradual diversification of the economy in the seventies, however, caused a decline in exports of fish products to one-third of total exports. The thesis assumes that the Icelandic fisheries have a significant impact on foreign policy, even though its economic importance is declining. The research is carried out on three historical events, such as the cod wars in the fifties and the seventies, mackerel dispute in 2010 and the withdrawal of Iceland's application to the EU in 2015. It would be expected that due to the economic ties and Icelandic membership in international organizations (NATO, EFTA) the Icelandic government would primarily seek peaceful solutions in international conflicts. However, it could be observed in the Icelandic case that due to the pressure of the domestic politics the government does not respond as it would be expected. According to the neoclassical realism the thesis should verify a hypothesis that in a case of security threat, the Icelandic government will give...
|
|
|
The Impact of Fukushima Accident on Energy Policy in France
Slepčan, Matej ; Weiss, Tomáš (advisor) ; Matějka, Ondřej (referee)
This master thesis examines how the Fukushima accident has affected the French energy policy and the impact on the perception of nuclear energy by policymakers, the public and energy companies. Nuclear energy does comprises three-quarters of the total electricity production in the country and thus forms the backbone of the energy mix in France. The study uses comparative analysis as a main approach, to compare public discourse of state actors (in particular the President, the Ministry of Energy and Nuclear Safety Agency) and the French energy companies before and after the accident from March 11, 2011. At the beginning, the study refers on the position of nuclear energy in the world, historical development of nuclear energy in France and its importance for the energy security of the country. It also describes the Fukushima accident and its immediate consequences on nuclear energy worldwide. In a research section it presents a summary of France's energy policy before the Fukushima accident, in which emphasis was placed on maintaining a high share of nuclear energy in the energy mix of the country. In the next part of the research is described the French energy policy after the accident and subsequently the prospect of possible change of energy strategy of France.
|
|
|
The role of private military companies in UN peacekeeping missions
Sudakovová, Natália ; Hornát, Jan (advisor) ; Weiss, Tomáš (referee)
The aim of the bachelor thesis is to analyze the options of engaging private military companies (PMCs) in the UN peacekeeping mission, and to define specific areas of involvement in which a better outsourcing would help to improve peacekeeping operations. The thesis is focused on the issue of the security privatization, development of the sector and presents particular examples in which PMCs failed. It explains what kind of risks could be possibly connected to deployment of these companies in the conflict zone and what kind of regulation mechanisms exist in order to prevent such a scenarios in the future. The thesis examines also the issue of the transformation of peacekeeping, failures and the concept of robust peace operations that are often militarized. This development questions the basic values on which are peacekeeping missions based and also put the civilian protection into danger. Based on the theoretical examination of both actors, the bachelor thesis analyzes the fields in which PMCs could improve the UN realization of the missions and introduces the possible cons and pros of their involvement.
|
|
|
A Legitimacy Analysis of EU Sanctions
Šaturová, Gabriela ; Weiss, Tomáš (advisor) ; Young, Mitchell (referee)
Political legitimacy has often been addressed in terms of the legitimacy of actors, while the legitimacy of policies as such is relatively neglected. This thesis argues that an analytical distinction between the categories of the actor and its action is necessary, since an actor's legitimacy does not automatically imply the legitimacy of its behaviour; furthermore, in real social discourse, actions are not exempt from legitimacy judgments. The ambition of the thesis is to make use of this research gap and to examine one of the most important tools of the EU's foreign policy by means of an analytical framework of political legitimacy. The selected cases are the current episode of CFSP sanctions against Russia; "appropriate measures" under the ACP Partnership agreement against Zimbabwe; and the informal arms embargo against China. Sanctions dealt with in the first two cases are deemed legitimate, while the arms embargo on China failed to meet the legitimacy criteria. Apart from the findings on legitimacy, two major conclusions can be drawn from the analysis: The lack of internal coherence is impairing the legitimacy of the EU's political measures; and the imposition of sanctions through an institutionalised political framework enhances their transparency in contrast to informal measures.
|
|
|
European Commission and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Joint Proposal
Fuchsová, Anežka ; Weiss, Tomáš (advisor) ; Šlosarčík, Ivo (referee)
Lisbon Treaty introduced a new office - High representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, who shall become the face of European union's foreign policy. One of the tools High representative can use is European Commission and High representative joint act. There are several types of joint act. All the joint acts submitted between 2010 and 2015 were analysed. The outcome is that most of them have been accepted by the Council of the European Union. One particular type of joint acts, joint proposal for a council regulation, is required for the EU to be able to impose sanctions on a third party. The author analysed deeply two specific proposals for a council regulation concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria. As the result, it appears that during decision making process within the Council of the European Union individual states have a preference for their own national interests over reaching a general agreement and even over compliance with policies previously agreed. Keywords European Union, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, European Commission, Council of the EU regulation, Syria, Lisbon Treaty
|
|
|
Preparation of Geography Lessons: Potential Use of Teacher-Oriented Website
Weiss, Tomáš ; Král, Luboš (advisor) ; Hanus, Martin (referee)
Lesson preparation is an important part of teachers' profession, yet there has been little research focused on this topic recently. This work studied the preparation of geography lessons in Czechia with an emphasis on the use of internet sources. Based on the findings, criteria for an ideal geographic website for teachers were suggested. The data were collected in two ways: (1) on-line survey of ran- domly selected secondary school teachers (n=72), and (2) semi-structured interviews (n=6). The work indicated that lesson preparation greatly varies from teacher to teacher. In general, teachers do not change their lesson plans significantly, and thus the beginning of teachers' career is crucial for future teaching. Participating teachers spend on average about a quarter of their working time on lesson preparation and there is no apparent correlation between the time spend on lesson preparation and the teachers' age or the length of teachers' career. Furthermore, it was found that all participating teachers use internet resources during lesson preparation, particularly for search of updated infor- mation. The most visited websites are those offering maps and encyclopaedias (predominantly Wik- ipedia). The ideal geographical website should primarily offer ideas for teaching activities, as fully- prepared lessons...
|
|
|
Duplication of rapid reaction forces: NATO and EU
Sokol, Martin ; Weiss, Tomáš (advisor) ; Dvořák, Pavel (referee)
This bachelor thesis Duplication of rapid reaction forces: NATO and EU aims to clarify whether the NATO Response Forces and the European Union's EU Battlegroups are identical or not. After the Cold War ended these the two organizations began with the building of its own rapidly deployable military forces and because membership states are almost overlapping, the question arises, why should those states allocate their resources to identical concepts. Thesis first describes the change of security environment and the threats that result from them for NATO and the EU. These dangers have both actors responded by adopting a series of documents that defines the tools for their management and which demonstrated the need for rapid response forces. In subsequent chapters thesis describes the creation of both units and compared their essential characteristics and capabilities. Also is explained how these two organizations are fighting against duplication. The last chapter shows on the example of the Czech Republic (which is a member of NATO and the EU) how a member state deals with the force contribution to both concepts and whether Czechs consider them as duplicative. At the end of the thesis author claims that NATO Response Forces and EU Battlegroups are not identical, because they differ in various aspects. Powered...
|
|
|
French Military Interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa 2003 - 2012
Chlebounová, Tereza ; Tomalová, Eliška (advisor) ; Weiss, Tomáš (referee)
The aim of this thesis is to answer how and why France intervenes in Sub-Saharan Africa in the new millennium. This region represented the pivotal part of French colonial empire and France maintained close mutual relationship even after decolonization, partly due to the numerous military interventions. Security and defence policy towards Sub-Saharan Africa underwent gradual changes since the 1990s', France started to participate in multilateral peace operations and outside its traditional sphere of influence. Since 2003, when the European Union launched the first operation on the African continent, the vast majority of French interventions took place within the Common Security and Defence Policy of the EU. There were twelve new operations in the examined period 2003-2012, from which four military missions were selected for the purpose of this research: Operation Artemis in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2003, EUFOR DR Congo ibidem in 2006, EUFOR Chad/CAR in Chad and Central African Republic from 2008 to 2009 and naval operation EU NAVFOR Atalanta launched by the coast of Somalia in 2008. The thesis compares these cases in order to analyse motives which lead France to intervene in Sub-Saharan Africa and to prefere multilateral type of operation. The motives are assessed in the context of the...
|
|
|
EU development assistance and the ACP countries. EU's approach to Rwanda, Haiti, and East Timor
Pavelková, Kristina ; Weiss, Tomáš (advisor) ; Šlosarčík, Ivo (referee)
The work looks at EU's development policy through the lens of one of integration theories, namely multi-level governance. The relationship between the EU and three countries from ACP group, Rwanda, Haiti and East Timor is being analysed. From current trends of multi-level governance the research is focusing on the process of strengthening of supranational level and on advancing regionalization, understood in terms of regional integration on one side and the transfer of powers to lower administrative units or local emancipation. The work is inspired by the idea of the author Martin Holland that integration theories are better observable on EU's development policy than on EU's integration itself. Using the comparison of official EU's declarations over development cooperation with ACP group and real agenda implemented in those countries, the work investigates EU's involvement during penetration of surveyed countries into transnational structures, into regional coalitions and the promotion of emancipation of lower administrative units in the country. The research aims to analyze bonds formed between the European Union and Rwanda, Haiti and East Timor, which, according to Martin Holland, the concept of multi-level governance should best describe.
|
|
|
French policy in Libya after overthrowing Gaddafi: security consolidation or democratization?
Mistrík, Peter ; Najšlová, Lucia (advisor) ; Weiss, Tomáš (referee)
The English school of international relations claims that the national interests of states and their behaviour in international relations are not only driven by selfish motives, but the so- called enlightened self-interest as well. The functioning of the community of the states is governed by common rules, laws, values and interests. According to the Solidarist current of the English school it is even acceptable to limit the sovereignty of the state which seriously violates international standards such as the protection of human rights. A discrepancy between the protection of the states' sovereignty and the protection of the rights of individuals was bridged by the Responsibility to protect doctrine adopted at the UN World Summit in 2005. This doctrine has served France and other states intervening in Libya as a support of the legality of their cause. However, the doctrine does not address the conditions of the intervention solely. It also delegates a responsibility to rebuild the war-torn countries to the interventionists. Therefore, it is an appropriate tool for the evaluation of the interests and motivations that have shaped the policies and activities of France in Libya. The analysis suggests that the primary motivation of France has undergone a fundamental change during the course of...
|
guest ::
