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The Belt Tightens: China's Learning Curve on Employing Soft Power in Sri Lanka
Tizard, Will ; Hrishabh, Sandilya (advisor) ; Romancov, Michael (referee)
The Belt Tightens: China's learning curve on employing soft power Sri Lanka Will Tizard Master's Thesis Department of Geopolitical Studies January 2018 Abstract As China's ascendency in the geopolitical order accelerates, lesser powers are increasingly critical to the growth of its economy, trade relationships and international prestige. Sri Lanka, long a useful entity for the Middle Kingdom, has benefited substantially from Chinese investment and cordial relations. During the hardline Rajapaksa regime and 26-year civil war in Sri Lanka, Chinese largesse allowed the island nation's power structure not just to sustain itself but to consolidate and to stand astride impressive development projects even as it faced sanctions from the West over its human rights record and authoritarian rule. Nine years on from the end of the destabilizing civil war, I examine how the Eastern embrace evolved from soft power into increasingly strategic hard power in Sri Lanka. I also consider the limitations of this success: Although it was clearly more effective than the more traditional hard-power economic sanctions from the West in achieving its goals, the still-evolving skills of China and Sri Lanka in converting resources into effective soft power have resulted in behaviors that are hardly projecting a glowing, attractive...
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The Belt Tightens: China's Learning Curve on Employing Soft Power in Sri Lanka
Tizard, Will ; Riegl, Martin (advisor) ; Romancov, Michael (referee)
As China's ascendency in the geopolitical order accelerates, lesser powers are increasingly critical to the growth of its economy, trade relationships and international prestige. Sri Lanka, long a useful entity for the Middle Kingdom, has benefited substantially from Chinese investment and cordial relations. During the hardline Rajapaksa regime and 26-year civil war in Sri Lanka, Chinese largesse allowed the island nation's power structure not just to sustain itself but to consolidate and to stand astride impressive development projects even as it faced sanctions from the West over its human rights record and authoritarian rule. Nine years on from the end of the destabilizing civil war, I examine how the Eastern embrace evolved from soft power into increasingly strategic hard power in Sri Lanka. I also consider the limitations of this success: Although it was clearly more effective than the more traditional hard-power economic sanctions from the West in achieving its goals, the still-evolving skills of China and Sri Lanka in converting resources into effective soft power have resulted in behaviors that are hardly projecting a glowing, attractive image of the City on the Hill.
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The water resources of the Nile basin in the context of conflicts and peaceful cooperation
Hošková, Lucie ; Jelen, Libor (advisor) ; Frajer, Václav (referee)
This thesis deals with the issue of water resources in the Nile basin in the context of conflict and peaceful cooperation. The main aim of the work is to assess the hydropolitical potential, whether conflictory or rather cooperative is relevant. Following this goal, subsequently identify the main geopolitical actors in the Nile basin and see if the two tributaries of the Nile, blue and White Nile, differ in terms of hydropolitical potential. The theoretical framework of the work is defined by international-political concepts of neo-realism, i.e. whether disputes are primarily between states in the form of the demarcation of interests and power, or neoliberalism, which presupposes mutual cooperation in the framework of the management of resources. Furthermore, the thesis deals with the definition of the geographical-historical context with a focus on the East African region and the Nile basin following its character and history. A systematic review was chosen as the method of processing this work.
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The GIUK's gap Geopolitical Importance
Prášil, Matěj ; Riegl, Martin (advisor)
The following thesis is focusing on the geopolitical as well as geostrategic significance of the GIUK Gap. In addition to an overview of the realist theories of international relations used in the analysis as such, the thesis includes a section devoted to the historical development of the geopolitical and geostrategic significance of the GIUK Gap, but above all an analysis of the current geopolitical and geostrategic significance of the once mentioned specific North Atlantic region. The analysis of the current geopolitical situation is written with an emphasis on the increasing importance of the area for NATO and the Russian Federation, whose interests have increasingly clashed in recent years, not only in this region. The aim of the paper is to demonstrate a causal relationship between the generally deteriorating relations between NATO and the Russian Federation following the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the growing importance of the GIUK Gap.
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Linking China's hegemonic intentions through its institutions in Southeast Asia
Ambekar, Sankalp ; Karásek, Tomáš (advisor) ; Bejkovský, Jan (referee)
Asia's Machtpolitik Linking China's hegemonic intentions through its institutions in Southeast Asia Sankalp Ambekar Abstract Since pre-colonial times, the major powers in the region contesting and vying to influence Southeast Asia and South China Seas. However, in modern times things did not change much, though China came out as a revisionist and status quo power. And Chinese-led multilateral institutions are the new provider in this business. It rapidly became a first choice and alternative option to West-led institutions with long-term expertise in DFI. Moreover, certain ASEAN states are divided politically and economically, not having a unified stance on how they should approach China's behaviour. Although China's encroachment over the South China Sea and issue with Taiwan became severe concerns over the region's stability. Hence, China is an element of passive-aggressive and hegemonic intentions in its behaviour. But it is difficult to predict how it will shape the future of the region and Asia, as the region's dynamics change rapidly. Thus, a link with grave ambtions connects to China's behaviour. Keywords: China; free trade agreement (FTA); hegemony; multilateralism; maritime trade; regional powers; Southeast Asia; South China Sea; trade blocs
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Nagorno-Karabakh: 2020 war and the new geopolitical reality.
Vantsyan, Tatevik ; Riegl, Martin (advisor) ; Doboš, Bohumil (referee)
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which erupted in the end of 1980s, entered its most dangerous phase after the 1994 ceasefire agreement. The 2020 war totally changed the geopolitical situation of the South Caucasus region. After the victory and preservation of the status quo for 26 years, Armenia suffered huge losses and is left defeated and humiliated. Russian influence enhanced due to deployment of peacekeepers into Nagorno-Karabakh, while Turkey actively engaged in the war, openly supported Azerbaijan, and took a position of a more active player. Clash of conflicts between the reality and the narratives and rhetoric, which have been an inseparable part of this conflict, reached its culmination during the war. Even though the military actions were halted, and Russian-brokered trilateral ceasefire agreement was signed, long-term peace and reaching a final conflict solution seem quite farfetched.
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Geostrategic Importance of Greenland
Uchytilová, Gabriela ; Doboš, Bohumil (advisor) ; Romancov, Michael (referee)
The diploma thesis entitled "Geostrategic Importance of Greenland" deals with the current geopolitical position of the island in the context of advancing climate change. This brings Greenland many opportunities, but also threats that could affect its further development. The main aim of the work is therefore to examine how the geographical location of the island in combination with the advancing climate change affects its development, especially towards the future full independence from the Kingdom of Denmark. The work maps the current situation of Greenland in terms of newly emerging opportunities as well as the threats it also faces. Furthermore, the work focuses on the relationship between Greenland and Denmark and tries to describe the strategic importance of the island for Denmark. Although the Arctic is an area where states have cooperated in the past decades, in recent years tensions have been growing in the region between the Russian Federation, which is increasing its military presence there, and Western states represented by the North Atlantic Alliance. In addition, China is trying to penetrate the region, which is not indifferent to the strategic importance of the region, and other non-Arctic actors, led by the European Union, are also turning their attention to the region. The...
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Russia's Idea After the Dissolution of the USSR. The changes of V. Putin's geopolitical thought
Martinek, Jan ; Kolenovská, Daniela (advisor) ; Svoboda, Karel (referee)
In this thesis, I examine how geopolitical ideas about the future development of the Russian Federation changed after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and how the Vladimir Putin regime has subsequently built on this debate. Using Russian political and geopolitical thought, I demonstrate that the key questions to which the Russian elite (whether intellectuals or members of the ruling class) have attempted to find answers over the past two hundred years remain relevant and continue to shape social discurs: For example, the question of how open Russia should be to foreign influences, whether it represents a European, Asian, or unique civilization, and whether the Russian nation has an exceptional, messianic mission to which it must subordinate its existence. Different schools of geopolitics have successively offered different - mutually contradictory - answers to these questions. Thus, I first present the history of the search for the Russian idea, and then, using speeches and articles delivered and written by Vladimir Putin in particular, I argue that none of these geopolitical conceptions alone fully explains the direction in which today's Russia is heading, but that in their summary they can in some way explaining the gradual changes in Putin's rhetoric and policies. Whereas earlier geopolitical...
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The shaping of Russia's Arctic strategy
Fritzen, Johan ; Doboš, Bohumil (advisor) ; Romancov, Michael (referee)
The Shaping of Russia's Arctic strategy Abstract Dramatic and rapid shifts are brought about by climate changes to the Arctic geography: Arctic Ocean ice recedes and leave behind resources and sea lanes that traditionally were out of reach to man. This potentially leads to conflict between the coastal states which have overlapping resource claims in the region, different forms of statehood, and diverging security priorities. The changes are felt the strongest in Russia which is investing in Arctic infrastructure to accommodate oil and gas extraction, in addition to a slowly opening intercontinental trade route along her Northern shores. Arctic extraction is a means of increasing economic output and the maritime route to Asia ensures a diversified market which is unlikely to engage in trade sanctions to the same extent as Europe. Melting Arctic ice has repercussions in the defence sphere as well: traditionally protected against invasions from the North by a frozen ocean, Russia's Arctic coastline is becoming exposed to foreign powers. This has sparked a Russian military build-up in the region, inspiring her neighbouring Arctic states to consider their regional defence - not as a response to changed climatic conditions, but to Russia's rhetoric and actions. Both the economic flexibility stemming from Arctic...
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Geopolitical significance of the European Union in the perspective of economic influence on its surroundings
Sušanka, Adam ; Kučera, Tomáš (advisor) ; Ludvík, Jan (referee)
The diploma thesis deals with the analysis of the geopolitical significance of the European Union in terms of its economic impact on neighboring countries. Using the concept of geographical distance, Heartland and Rimland theories, geoeconomic theory and the world system theory, it examines its economic impact on six target countries in the geopolitically important area of Rimland in comparison with the world's three largest power actors. The main goal is to find out whether the European Union as a whole is competitive in geopolitical rivalry with the USA, China and Russia. The first hypothesis of this research claims that the EU's geopolitical influence is comparable to other world powers. Furthermore, a second hypothesis is presented that argues the importance of geographical distance in relation to geopolitical influence, ie the greater the distance of the domestic actor from the target he wants to act on, the more his overall geopolitical influence decreases, which is also analyzed in this project in the case of the European Union and others.
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