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Transformation of the Post-Socialist Identity in Eastern Europe: A Comparative Analysis on the Cases of the Czech Republic and Belarus
Pyatkevich, Aryna ; Hrůzová, Andrea (advisor) ; Pergl, David (referee)
Once the Soviet Union ceased to exist, its subjects and dominions gained the ability to determine their course of political, cultural, and economic development. The never-ending transition to democracy, described by Boris Buden, is one of the key elements of post-communism. Yet, while the countries that had been the part of Eastern Bloc but not part of the Soviet Union itself were reasonably successful on their path to democratic capitalistic development, the former dominions struggled to incorporate the values that came with what Madina Tlostanova describes as a process of forced westernization. The following paper explores the problem of post-socialistic identity transformation in Central Europe in the case of the Czech Republic and post-soviet identity transformation in Eastern Europe in the case of Belarus. The qualitative research is built on the accessed collective memory of those who work within institutions of memory on the level permitted by the governing regimes in both countries, all born after 1989. The similarities and differences that clearly emerged during the comparative analysis of the findings suggest that being post-socialistic and post-soviet should no longer be interchangeable in the academic literature. Those were and continue to be homological yet different processes, as...
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Getting Back to 'Europe': An Analysis of a Possible Self-Perceived Inadequacy of Czechs Towards the West
Ertin, Sinan ; Německý, Marek (advisor) ; Gulenko, Petr (referee)
This thesis explores the concurrent role of Western hegemony alongside the lasting effects of communism in the challenges faced by post-socialist countries, with a specific focus on the Czech Republic. While communism is commonly seen as the primary cause, we argue that cultural ideas associated with Western hegemony predate communism and have deeply influenced Europe's identity. The thesis is divided into sections that examine the concept of progress throughout history and its relevance to Western European identity, followed by an exploration of hegemony through examples from post-socialist nations, including the Czech Republic. The thesis concludes by addressing potential criticisms and providing an exercise that applies the concepts of hegemony and progress to contemporary Czech society. This analysis aims to present an alternative perspective that acknowledges the simultaneous effects of both communism and Western hegemony in shaping the challenges faced by post-socialist countries during their transition.
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Transformation of the Post-Socialist Identity in Eastern Europe: A Comparative Analysis on the Cases of the Czech Republic and Belarus
Pyatkevich, Aryna ; Hrůzová, Andrea (advisor) ; Pergl, David (referee)
Once the Soviet Union ceased to exist, its subjects and dominions gained the ability to determine their course of political, cultural, and economic development. The never-ending transition to democracy, described by Boris Buden, is one of the key elements of post-communism. Yet, while the countries that had been the part of Eastern Bloc but not part of the Soviet Union itself were reasonably successful on their path to democratic capitalistic development, the former dominions struggled to incorporate the values that came with what Madina Tlostanova describes as a process of forced westernization. The following paper explores the problem of post-socialistic identity transformation in Central Europe in the case of the Czech Republic and post-soviet identity transformation in Eastern Europe in the case of Belarus. The qualitative research is built on the accessed collective memory of those who work within institutions of memory on the level permitted by the governing regimes in both countries, all born after 1989. The similarities and differences that clearly emerged during the comparative analysis of the findings suggest that being post-socialistic and post-soviet should no longer be interchangeable in the academic literature. Those were and continue to be homological yet different processes, as...
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Mentality of the Oppressed: An Analysis of Czech Inferiority Complex Towards the West
Ertin, Sinan ; Marková, Alena (advisor) ; Německý, Marek (referee)
In this paper, we examine what we see as a Czech feeling of inferiority towards the western nations. Though the so-called post-communist syndrome seems to be a popular way to explain the negative self-perception of Czechs, we will argue that this phenomenon stems from the trauma, which Czechs experienced when transitioning from communism to the globalized capitalistic market. We believe that this trauma was brought about by the rhetoric of ''coming back to Europe'' as it is based on a heritage of orientalism in Europe, in combination with the general mentality of the oppressed, as thematized by the post-colonial theorists such as Franz Fanon or Paulo Freire. To verify our hypothesis, we conducted a survey with 189 respondents from all the regions of the Czech Republic.
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Post-communist Hungary as an opportunity: from the transfer of urban intervention models by the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations to its abortion, the case of Ferencváros district in Budapest (1988-2014).
Saïsset, Paul ; Klusáková, Luďa (advisor) ; Takács, Ádám (referee) ; Ozouf Marignier, Marie Vic (referee) ; Verdier, Nicolas (referee)
Title of the thesis Post-communist Hungary as an opportunity: from the transfer of urban intervention models by the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations to its abortion, the case of Ferencváros district in Budapest (1988-2014). Abstract In a context of regime change this study offers to focus on the process by which the French institution, the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, started the diffusion of urban intervention models and then aborted it. The analysis based on networks of actors formed locally in Hungary, attempts to describe the logics of actions constituting of this transfer at different scales: local, national and transnational. Treating this subject post-festum drove the study towards an ethnographic and historic approach, focusing on the analysis of actors' discourses in order to raise different narratives of the past actions. The fall of communism is here understood as a period of uncertainty and its successive redefinitions by politicians are still structuring the actual Hungarian political and economic issues. More than a simple rupture, this period is characterized by a power struggle in the discourses for the justification of different interest groups' actions. Thus, this event is first and foremost an opportunity. In short, the study of tangible aspects of the transnational influence...
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Ion Iliescu and his role in the forming of the modern romanian democracy
Kocian, Jiří ; Tejchman, Miroslav (advisor) ; Šístek, František (referee)
The problems of Romanian transition to democracy after the year 1989 were in large part determined by the form of previous regime. Because of the extreme pressure and control exercised on the opposition and personal dictatorship of the regime of Nicolae Ceaușescu, no major dissent groups or opposition centers possessing the potential to take part in the overthrow of the regime existed. In the swift and still unclear events of December 1989, National Salvation Front rose to hold the power, being directed by Ion Iliescu at the same time. As a formerly top positioned communist apparatchik, who had been swept out from his status after several conflicts with Ceausescu, he transferred almost complete communist structure under the newly formed regime, including Securitate, the secret service. Deconstruction of the former regime was actually performed by the execution of the former president and his wife and by trials of several Securitate generals. Iliescu concentrated overwhelming majority of the state power around NSF and in contradiction with his original proclamations postponed transition to democracy. New regime, which was led by Ion Iliescu demonstrated in its ideological presentation and exercise of power apparent similarities with the era of communist rule, nevertheless, it worked under formal...
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Figures and Traces of Memory. Changes in Dynamics of Cultural Memory in Relation to Visual Culture
Průchová, Andrea ; Dvořák, Tomáš (advisor) ; Činátl, Kamil (referee) ; Reifová, Irena (referee)
Thesis Abstract The thesis deals with the visual content of the media of official memory, in particular the visual material of history textbooks and the exhibition of the National Museum. It examines the formal and content features of the representation of four key events of modern Czechoslovak and Czech history which entered the awareness of the general public as "eight" events: the founding of Czechoslovakia (1918), the signing of the Munich Agreement (1938), the communist coup (1948) and the invasion of the Warsaw Pact armies (1968). Moreover, it relates the modes of representation of these events to the issue of the political transition of 1989. By means of mixed methods research, it examines a sample of textbooks published during the communist era (1967, 1973, 1982, 1983, 1983), the post-communist era (1995, 1996, 1999, 1999, 2000, 2009, 2011) and the exhibits from the permanent exhibition Crossroads of Czech and Czechoslovak Statehood (opened in 2009). In its findings, the thesis presents 34 visual memory figures related to the representation of the selected historical events. It points out the circulation of these images between the medium of the textbook and the historical exposition, thus following the dynamic concept of memory discussed in the theoretical part of the thesis. It finds both...
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Comparative analysis of media tranformation in postcommunist states of Central Europe
Faltys, Marcel ; Klimeš, David (advisor) ; Jirků, Jan (referee)
The bachelor thesis describes media transformation in Central Europe since 2010, namely in Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. It deals with the decrease in democracy and media independence and its connection to public service media, media ownership and legislature changes. The primary research of the thesis is based on the theory of media system comparison of Daniel C. Hallin and Paolo Mancini. The theoretical part is divided into two parts. Firstly, the thesis defines the media systems according to Hallin and Mancini and the research methods. At the same time, the theory includes an analysis of critical political systems, given the fact they proved to be an essential factor in the media transformation. The empirical research focuses on the analysis of the countries mentioned above and their media systems. The thesis further explores political parallelism and instrumentalization and the role of the state and its impact on the public service media and ownership and legislative changes in the last 11 years. The thesis then analyses the changes in each state media system, the critical differences between them and the causes.
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Dissent after 1989. The use of Pierre Bourdieu's theory of habitus change on the example of selected post-dissent organizations
Benetková, Eva ; Maslowski, Nicolas (advisor) ; Německý, Marek (referee)
The thesis of Dissent after 1989. The use of Pierre Bourdieu's theory of habitus change on the example of selected post-dissent organizations deals with the topic of dissent after 1989 and his subsequent life and influence in the Czech society after 1989. The theme of the post-dissent is conceived through a qualitative the research of organizations whose activity is based on the legacy of dissent or refers to its activities. With the help of the research design of instrumental case studies, the following organizations are organized: Charter 77 Foundation, Václav Havel Library, Babylon, Libri prohibiti. The monitored themes are the development of the organization's relationship towards disentanglement, the dissent reflection in the current activities of the organization, and how the organization communicates these themes towards the public. The theoretical part of the thesis outlines the issues of dissent and post-dissent, which are further embedded in the post-communist transition and presentation of the methodology of qualitative studies. In the second part of the case studies of the above mentioned organizations. I outline their focus and development towards dissent. The last part is an analysis of this development through the theoretical concepts of habitus change of Pierre Bourdieu. The aim is...
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