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Chinese and US health diplomacy as a soft power tool during Ebola and COVID-19 epidemics
Kratschmer, Adam ; Hornát, Jan (advisor) ; Raška, Francis (referee)
This master's thesis addresses health diplomacy as a tool of 'soft power' and focuses on a comparative analysis of the health strategies of China and the United States. It examines health policy strategy as a means of influence in three selected African countries: Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea. These countries were most affected by the Ebola epidemic, and the thesis tracks how the strategies of the USA and China changed from Ebola to COVID-19 epidemic. The study employs case study methodology and assesses the nature, scope, and course of health diplomacy initiatives of both countries. The analysis is structured according to five key aspects of health diplomacy: aid and assistance, cooperation and collaboration, communication and messaging, long-term investment and partnerships, and impact and acceptance. The findings of the thesis indicate that during both epidemics, the USA provided technical expertise and financial assistance, while China focused on direct aid and infrastructure investment. Even though China tried to create the impression of a reliable global partner, it is evident from the analysis that it mainly preferred bilateral relations and especially strengthened its own influence. Although there was cooperation between the USA and China during Ebola, the dynamics changed during...
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Critique of the United States in the Work of West German Intellectuals in the Post-War Period
Kropáčková, Kristina ; Hornát, Jan (advisor) ; Szobi, Pavel (referee)
This thesis examines postwar criticism of the United States in the writings of four West German intellectuals: Hans Werner Richter, Karl Barth, Ernst von Salomon, and Leo L. Matthias. It views their reflection in the context of the concept of the "third way," the search for an alternative solution to Germany's political and economic heading after World War II, which included a reflection on the United States. The thesis highlights the fact that despite the positive attitude of the political leadership towards the United States, especially in the Westbindung policy of German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, a critical attitude towards the United States can be observed in intellectual circles, both among left and right-wing individuals. The aim of this paper is to identify the extent of this critical debate. Thus, using the methods of intellectual history, the central themes that selected intellectuals have addressed in their critique are successively identified. The thesis is divided into five chapters. The first four discuss the relationship of each intellectual to the United States in the period 1945-1955. The fifth chapter summarizes the main findings and compares the differences and similarities in the approaches of the intellectuals examined.
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Rhetoric of US Foreign Environmental Policy: Case Study of the Paris Agreement
Štěpařová, Tereza ; Hornát, Jan (advisor) ; Fiřtová, Magdalena (referee)
The Paris Agreement represents a landmark international environmental agreement that received extensive political, journalistic, and academic attention, and the United States played a key role in the negotiation process. This thesis presents a comprehensive overview of determinants that can impact the U.S. approach to international environmental politics, and it focuses on a detailed discourse analysis of U.S. federal political elites' rhetoric on the Paris Agreement, comparing two time periods - the second term of the Obama presidency and the Trump administration. The analysis demonstrates a strong alignment of political ideology with partisanship, dividing the Democratic and Republican argumentation into rhetorical opposition, and proves the significant influence of the highly polarized two-party system on the U.S. environmental rhetoric. However, applying Putnam's two-level game framework, the case study also demonstrates that even Democratic politicians approached pragmatic rhetoric on topics such as the U.S. economy, economic growth, or U.S. leadership, and employed creative narratives that addressed the pragmatic concerns of the American public to gain support for their progressive foreign policy agenda represented by the Paris Agreement in the end result. The paper presents the rhetorical...
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Indian foreign policy towards the U.S. during the term of Indira Gandhi
Gilánik, Vít ; Štipl, Zdeněk (advisor) ; Hons, Pavel (referee)
The focus of bachelor thesis is foreign politics between India and the United States Of America in period of rule prime minister Indira Gandhi. The thesis is focused on four main fields: development of indo-american relationship; Pakistan - the origin of state Bangladesh; Soviet Union and Peoples Republic Of China. The introduction of bachelor thesis contains insight of these four fields up to the voting of prime minister Indria Gandhi in her office. The aim of the thesis is to describe development of situation of three areas as described before between the years 1966 to 1977 show political and diplomatical steps of both Indian and American governments. The conclusion of thesis contains development of these topics till nowadays.
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Czechoslovak - Venezuelan Relations in the years 1945 - 1968
Maternová, Simona ; Opatrný, Josef (advisor) ; Binková, Simona (referee)
This work is an analysis of a topic that until now has been practically no research, the relations of Czechoslovakia and Venezuela in the years 1945 - 1968, while this work focuses attention on diplomatic and economic relations, it also considers the influence of domestic politics in these countries, explaining the context of these international relations, specifically of the United States, Soviet union and Cuba. The thesis is primarily based on material from the archives of the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Czech Republic and also the National Archive of the Czech Republic. Diplomatic relations between these countries were established in 1929, after the Munich Agreement of 1938, the embassy of Czechoslovakia in Caracas was closed. After World War II. economic relations were re-established. This was really important because the commercial interest of Czechoslovakia helped to establish the diplomatic relations. Diplomatic relations were discontinued by Venezuela in 1952 during the dictatorship of general Marcus Pérez Jiménez. When the dictator was overthrown in 1958, diplomatic relations were gradually re-established, once more through economic relations and finally established in 1968. The development of diplomatic relations were affected by several factors. The first one was domestic...
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Repealing NAFTA: The impact on international trade with focus on Mexico
Kolář, Daniel ; Semerák, Vilém (advisor) ; Cazachevici, Alina (referee)
The North American Free Trade Agreement came into force in 1994 after long and emotive discussions. When Donald Trump became the US president in 2016, its future became uncertain, which motivates this paper to attempt to quantify the impact of its repeal. To do that, it uses a standard GTAP general equilibrium model and models an increase of intra-NAFTA tariffs to the derived MFN rates. It finds that NAFTA repeal would notably reduce intra-NAFTA trade and have a modest but negative impact on countries' welfare. NAFTA repeal is estimated to decrease Canadian GDP by 0.48%, US GDP by 0.39% and Mexican GDP by 0.06%. It would severely damage US-Mexico value chains and increase income inequality in Mexico by hurting unskilled workers more. Additional simulations are performed to control for variation in sectoral MFN rates and to observe the sensitivity of results to the choice of closure. The only positive of NAFTA repeal is that it might mitigate regional economic disparities in Mexico by damaging sectors concentrating their production near the US-Mexico border. 1
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UNCLOS and the role of the United States in the South China Sea
Kaňková, Michaela ; Hornát, Jan (advisor) ; Pondělíček, Jiří (referee)
This Master's thesis is focusing on why the United States of America never ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It is analysing the prevailing arguments which were used in 1982, which led to President Ronald Reagan never ratifying the Convention. As well as why the same thing happened in 1994 when the United Nations agreed on an Update to the Convention. Then the thesis is focusing on crucial parts of the Convention, which are part of the arguments for or against the ratification of the Convention, as well as those which have a great influence on the American approach to the high seas. Furthermore, this thesis is trying to offer a current insight into the problematic of why the United States still did not ratify the Convention, despite the fact that they used the Convention as an explanation why they patron the high seas as well as the right of innocent passage. At the same time, the findings are then looked at from the perspective of the South China Sea, which is a region the United States monitor. This last part is attempting to do several things. First, it is explaining the issue of the South China Sea and the interest of the United States in it. Then it is looking at the way by which the United States try to promote their interests in the region on how the fact them...
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"U.S.-Mexican Counterdrug Security Cooperation: The Merida Initiative a Possible Solution?"
Paulino Rosario, Leandra ; Raška, Francis (advisor) ; Anděl, Petr (referee)
Mexico and the United States share not only an approximately 3000 km border but also important roles concerning drug traffic. With the U.S. as the major consumer and Mexico as its principal supplier, they make the perfect supply and demand equation. As a result, they share the threats related to drug traffic which affects the political, social, and economic level of both countries. During the last decade, the Mexican drug cartels have gained control of the drug entering the United States, so Mexico is a crucial issue in drug matters to their American neighbors. Currently, both nations accepted a shared responsibility in drug traffic cases and are working hand in hand to limit the capabilities of DTOs, but there remains the open question if such efforts are significantly useful. This thesis presents an analysis of the U.S. influence on the escalation of the fight against illicit drugs in Mexico during Bush and Obama administrations and the effectiveness of the counter-drug assistance program: the Merida Initiative. I argue that the Merida Initiative has been successful improving the U.S.-Mexican relations regarding bilateral counter-drug policies. However, the Mexican drug cartels have reached their momentum and seem to be leading the drug market. Besides, it is necessary to pursue a critical...
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Comparison of U.S. and China's Policy Towards Africa 1990-2010 With a Special Focus on Angola and Sudan: Resources and Geopolitics
Kindl, Lukáš ; Sehnálková, Jana (advisor) ; Raška, Francis (referee)
The Master's thesis deals with China's increased engagement in Sub-Saharan Africa after 2000 and its impact on U.S. political and economic interests on the continent. In the first decade of the new millennium, China's search for natural resources, especially oil, to satisfy its growing demand, need to find new markets for exports, as well as China's aspiration to enhance its position at the international stage led Beijing to pay greater attention to Africa. China started to engage African countries through a combination of development assistance with no strings attached, except for the one-China principle, and high-profile diplomacy. The United States has become concerned that China might jeopardize its programs on democratization and governance and become a fierce economic competitor in Africa. In the first two chapters, the thesis describes the interests of China and the U.S, respectively, the main actors involved in the countries' respective Africa policies, and strategies and concrete policies these two world powers implement in Africa. The third chapter compares the U.S. and China's engagement in three case studies - on Nigeria, Angola and Sudan. The fourth chapter provides a comparison of the general features of the American and the Chinese policies towards Sub- Saharan Africa. The chapter...
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U.S. Immigration Policy
Richterová, Tereza ; Kotábová, Věra (advisor) ; Levrincová, Petra (referee)
Diploma thesis characterizes developments and fundamental principles of U. S. Immigration Policy. The era since 1965, when the legislation was liberalized, to current times is specially emphasized. Since the adoption of this law the structure of new immigrants to the USA had changed from mainly European newcomers to immigrants originating from Asia and Latin America. The thesis also analyses the distinction of Mexican immigration to the USA and outlines possible immigration reform proposals.
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