|
|
Going West: Czech Immigration to California (1960-1970)
West, Anna ; Wohlmuth Markupová, Jana (advisor) ; Krátká, Lenka (referee)
The construction of human identity involves various aspects of self-definition, often involving an interplay between ethnic, national, and personal identities. In the case of emigrants, their self-concepts about their identities can undergo a profound transformation when they leave their home country. This oral history research project studies the experiences of emigration, arrival, integration, and identity among Czech immigrants in California who emigrated from Czechoslovakia in the 1960s. While contemporary research has centered primarily on Czechs in New York, Illinois, Nebraska, and Texas, where large Czech communities have historically existed, this study intends to fill a gap in our knowledge about Czechs who settled in California, of which less is known. Through oral history interviews with five narrators, this study examines their decisions to emigrate; their experiences of arrival and integration in California; their participation in the Czech community in California; and their perspectives on their identities before and after the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia in 1989. The presence of transnational identities and behaviors was found among the narrators, whereby they existed in social worlds that spanned their home country, Czechoslovakia (and the Czech Republic after 1993), and...
|
|
|
“Philosopher of Structures” Forgetting, Archive and Rediscovering of Jaroslav Josef Polívka
Jackson, Ladislav ; Jakubec,, Ondřej (referee) ; Šlapeta, Vladimír (referee) ; Zálešák, Jan (advisor)
The main output of the thesis is the exhibition Philosopher of Structures: Architect and Engineer Jaroslav J. Polívka (18861960), which was realized in 2021 at the Faculty of Fine Arts Gallery in Brno and in 2022 at the Jaroslav Fragner Gallery in Prague. The textual part of the work, that accompanies the exhibition, presents the extensive work of Jaroslav Josef Polívka, placing it in the context of the development of global modern architecture and in relation to the working conditions of architects and engineers in the first half of the twentieth century. Following on from the main areas of the exhibition, it elaborates the themes of the places and locations in which Jaroslav Polívka worked and for which he designed, the social networks in which he integrated himself in and of which he was an actor, and the archive, the structure of which played a significant role in his forgetting and rediscovery. The aim of the work is not to manipulate Polívka into the role of a “great architect”, but to present him as a co-creator of a solid building culture in the Czech lands, abroad in Europe and in North America, to show the diversity of building types in which he was able to find opportunities for technical and structural innovations, which he wanted to contribute to the improvement of modern life. The aim of the work is to rehabilitate the structural engineer and architect, to detach the narration of his legacy from other authorities, as it has been a custom in domestic and American historiography (representatives of the Czechoslovak avant-garde, Frank Lloyd Wright) and to indicate a number of non-artistic and non-architectural circumstances that shaped the form of his works.
|
|
|
Proposition 8 on Same-Sex Marriages in California in 2008: Campaign and Opinion Polls
Navrátilová, Kristýna ; Calda, Miloš (advisor) ; Schulzová, Helena (referee)
This bachelor thesis deals with same-sex marriage in California. In November 2008 Californian voters approved with small margin constitutional amendment called Proposition 8. This amendment defined marriage as union of one man and one woman. There was very intensive campaign by both opponents and supporters of this ballot initiative. In the first part this thesis analyzes the arguments used in the campaign and tries to clarify them using the previous court decisions and valid laws. The most important and used arguments are about upbringing and education of children, religion, civil rights and traditional marriage. The analysis shows that almost all the arguments that opponents of same-sex marriage are using, were rejected by courts in previous cases or the statements don't rely on facts and existing laws. The second part deals with public opinion polls before voting day and hypotheses, why Proposition 8 succeeded even though the polls indicated otherwise. The most probable explanation appears to be that majority of voters still opposed same-sex marriage. Only some of them didn't realized that if they are against same-sex marriage, they should vote for Proposition 8.
|
|
|
Comparison of population and economic development in California and Illinois in 1980 - 2010
Kopáčová, Markéta ; Jeleček, Leoš (advisor) ; Svoboda, Peter (referee)
The thesis is focused on the comparison of the population and economic development in California and Illinois between 1980 and 2010. The main purpose is to discover the major trends, differences or agreements in the development of both of these states and State Economic Areas they belong to, i.e. Pacific and East North Central. The official statistics were used for the analysis. Population development is examined by the number of residents, race and ethnicity and migration. Economic development is studied by the gross domestic product and selected characteristics related to the population and its standard of living. Results demonstrate that the population of California is growing and its racial and ethnic composition is changing whereas the population of Illinois is stagnating or growing moderately. Both states undergo the economic growth, which was however interrupted by the financial and economic crisis in recent years. Results of the comparison of the development of Pacific and East North Central indicate that the differences between divisions correspond to the differences between states. Key words: comparison, population and economic development, major trends and differences, California, Illinois, Pacific, East North Central, 1980-2010
|
|
|
Differences in legal status of same-sex marriage between selected US states: California, Texas, Florida
Hodboď, Dominik ; Anděl, Petr (advisor) ; Kozák, Kryštof (referee)
This thesis deals with the issue of same-sex marriage in California, Texas and Florida. Gay marriages is a very hot topic nowadays in the US. After the Supreme Court decision in June 2013, which struck down a law that explicitly defined marriage as a union only between a man and a woman, ensued a wave of states legalizing gay marriages. After another Supreme Court decision in October 2014 on the issue, it became legal in the majority of US states to wed couples of the same gender. Texas and Florida did not join these states. California on the contrary legalized same-sex marriages. The thesis searches for reasons of this disparity in legal status of gay marriages between the three states. Particularly it looks at political aspects of the issue. The thesis describes the political situation in the examined states and approach of the politicians to the question of same-sex marriages. It also deals with relevant court cases which are essential to the issue. From the researched outcomes it finds reasons for differences in legal status of same-sex marriages between California, Texas and Florida before the October 2014 Supreme Court decision.
|
|
|
Spanish-English Bilingualism in the Context of California
Eisnerová, Tereza ; Mištinová, Anna (advisor) ; Binková, Simona (referee)
This Diploma thesis deals with the Spanish-English Bilingualism in the Context of California. It focuses on the theory of bilingualism in terms of linguistics, psycholinguistics and phenomena that occur in contact languages. Bilingualism is viewed from the complex perspective, so it is set in the context of reality in California. The thesis deals with social identity of Hispanic speakers and focuses on the causes of code - switching. It also presents demographic situation, language policy and its history, both in the context of California and the background of the legal framework and policies of the United States. The aim of this work is to create an overview of linguistic phenomena that occur in the situation of languages in contact and their characteristics, secondly to find arguments to demonstrate the advantages of bilingualism and general support and to determine the primary reasons why code - switching occurs.
|
|
|
Privatization of the California Prison System
Trubačová, Zuzana ; Raška, Francis (advisor) ; Hervey, Norma (referee)
Prison privatization is a hotly debated topic in the United States that has its place in the political agendas of both political parties and generates opinion by various public interest groups. United States has the biggest prison population in the world caused by the harsh sentencing policies that were implemented in the 1980s. California has had the largest criminal justice system in the nation until it was very recently surpassed by Texas. The state of California has been fighting with the overcrowding crisis for three decades. It began contracting out with private prison companies for the management of its prisons in hope it would ease the situation in state prison system that operated at double of its designed capacity. This thesis is a case study that concerns itself with the prison privatization in the state of California. The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate whether contracting with private prisons helped California to solve its overcrowding crisis and whether privately-run prison are a good choice that benefits California society. This goal will be achieved by evaluating existing experience with the private prisons in California's context.
|
|
|
Direct Democracy in public discussion in Czech Republic. Political actors, their proposals and political practice
Havlík, Martin ; Mlejnek, Josef (advisor) ; Jüptner, Petr (referee)
The Diploma thesis will deal the main actors who support elements of direct democracy in Czech political system. Concurrently I want critically approach to their thesis and valorize its relevance, viability and potential impact for Czech society. First of all I will present each of elements of direct democracy, which are town meeting, initiative, referendum and recall. I refuse that a direct election of president or other political actor is an element of direct democracy. I classify a direct election of political actor like a synonym of representative democracy in this Diploma thesis. I will also present examples of countries like Switzerland or California, which has huge experience with using of direct democracy. Focus of my interest will be also on Scottish independence referendum and Slovak referendum about family and marriage. After this theoretical and empirical introduction I will critically approach to thesis about elements of direct democracy of Czech political actor like the Dawn of Direct Democracy, the Public Affairs, the Movement for Direct Democracy and the Czech Pirates Party, however I will mention other political actors and theirs ideas of elements of direct democracy, mainly I will mention the Czech government's proposition of law about general referendum in Czech republic. The...
|
|
|
Steinbeck's People in Flight: An Analysis of the Transformative Forces of the Road Taken
Purkrábková, Petra ; Robbins, David Lee (advisor) ; Ulmanová, Hana (referee)
This thesis focuses on the theme of the journey and the changes that occur in the socio-historical context of the Great Depression as well as in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. The thesis is an expository piece on road literature, its features and how the chosen novel has earned its rightful place in the American oeuvre, specifically that of road literature. The thesis is separated into two major parts. The former part provides the reader with a socio- historical context of the Great Depression as well as a background on the historical patterns of the 'journey' in America and how these two aspects are interrelated in the context of this thesis. The latter part constitutes the analysis of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath by including the authorial relationship to the novel and the many aspects of the novel as studied through the scope of road literature. This part is further expanded by a close-up analysis of the changes in identity of characters in The Grapes of Wrath. The primary focus is on the notion of change and how it is connected to the notion of the road, including how the human being stands between these notions and is transformed in the process. Keywords: change, mobility, flight, escape, John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, American Dream, hope, depression, 1930s, Great...
|
|
|
Comparison of population and economic development in California and Illinois in 1980 - 2010
Kopáčová, Markéta ; Jeleček, Leoš (advisor) ; Svoboda, Peter (referee)
The thesis is focused on the comparison of the population and economic development in California and Illinois between 1980 and 2010. The main purpose is to discover the major trends, differences or agreements in the development of both of these states and State Economic Areas they belong to, i.e. Pacific and East North Central. The official statistics were used for the analysis. Population development is examined by the number of residents, race and ethnicity and migration. Economic development is studied by the gross domestic product and selected characteristics related to the population and its standard of living. Results demonstrate that the population of California is growing and its racial and ethnic composition is changing whereas the population of Illinois is stagnating or growing moderately. Both states undergo the economic growth, which was however interrupted by the financial and economic crisis in recent years. Results of the comparison of the development of Pacific and East North Central indicate that the differences between divisions correspond to the differences between states. Key words: comparison, population and economic development, major trends and differences, California, Illinois, Pacific, East North Central, 1980-2010
|
guest ::
