Cette thèse vise à analyser les enjeux et les conséquences la consommation énergétique dans les pays anciennement communistes d’Europe et d’Asie Centrale (EAC). Plus particulièrement, nous soulevons la question des politiques économiques à mettre en place afin d’améliorer l’efficacité énergétique dans cette région et analysons les conséquences en termes de pollution et de croissance de la spécialisation intensive en énergie de leurs économies.Le système d’économie planifié a profondément altéré les structures économiques et la trajectoire de consommation énergétique de ces pays. En effet, une des empreintes restantes de l’économie de type soviétique réside dans l’importante intensité énergétique et la forte spécialisation des pays EAC dans les industries intensives en énergie. Les récentes crises géopolitiques vis-à-vis de la Russie, l’épuisement des ressources énergétiques fossiles ainsi que la problématique environnementale mettent en exergue l’importance de la question énergétique dans ces pays.La présente thèse s’intéresse plus spécifiquement à deux problèmes fondamentaux. Comment améliorer les performances énergétiques des pays Est-Européens ? Et quel est l’impact de la spécialisation dans les industries structurellement intensives en énergie sur la croissance des pays EAC ?Dans le premier chapitre, nous analysons les fondations microéconomiques de la demande énergétique en se focalisant sur les déficiences de marché qui peuvent contraindre l’efficacité énergétique des firmes. Nous nous intéressons en particulier à l’effet relié au développement financier. L’inefficience des marchés financiers est une des principales explications du « paradoxe d’efficience énergétique », mais n’a pour l’instant pas été empiriquement démontré. Les résultats empiriques de ce chapitre montrent que les marchés financiers locaux jouent un rôle important dans la consommation énergétique des firmes.Le chapitre 2 examine dans quelle mesure la réglementation environnementale de l’Union Européenne (UE) impacte la spécialisation des pays est-européens dans les industries polluantes. En ce sens, ce chapitre traite de la question centrale du développement de havres de pollution en Europe de l’Est. Nos résultats indiquent que les exportations des pays EAC vers un pays de l’UE sont relativement plus importantes dans des secteurs polluants lorsque ce pays a dû mettre en place des mesures environnementales. Cet effet est rendu robuste au biais de variables omises grâce à l’inclusion d’un ensemble d’effets fixes. De plus, le problème potentiel de causalité inverse est traité grâce à l’utilisation d’un instrument exogène de politique environnementale basé sur les conditions climatiques des pays.Au-delà des problèmes liés à l’environnement, le chapitre 3 analyse les conséquences économiques de la spécialisation dans des industries énergivores dans la région EAC. En effet, cette spécialisation est un héritage direct de l’ancien système d’économie planifiée. L’économie planifiée de type soviétique a façonné une spécialisation dans des secteurs industriels très énergivores, et ce indépendamment des caractéristiques structurelles spécifiques des différents pays de l’ancien bloc de l’Est. La volonté idéologique et les distorsions de marché dans ces économies ont été les principaux moteurs d’un surdéveloppement des industries extrêmement énergivores. L’effet de la sur-spécialisation dans les industries intensives en énergie est strictement négatif et significatif dans toutes nos estimations. Ce résultat est robuste et met en exergue des symptômes de « maladie soviétique ». Les pays anciennement communistes qui maintiennent des distorsions de spécialisation dans les secteurs industriels développés sous le système d’économie planifiée font face à de moins bonnes performances économiques. Ainsi, maintenir une spécialisation industrielle intensive en énergie est inefficace aussi bien d’un point de vue environnemental que d’un point de vue économique. / The current thesis raises important issues about the drivers able to improve energy intensity of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region from both an efficiency point of view and in terms of structural specialization in energy-intensive sectors. In particular, we question about the rationale of keeping a high degree of specialization in energy-intensive sectors, given that this specialization was primarily based on the mechanisms of the former planned economy system. This dissertation consists of three empirical essays studying these issues.We focus on two main questions. How to improve energy and pollution performances of the ECA countries? And how the over-specialization in energy-intensive sectors affects their economic growth? The first question is examined in Chapters 1 and 2, whereas the second question is discussed in Chapter 3.To address these issues there is a need to analyze the two components of the energy intensity, namely the energy efficiency and the structural specialization in energy intensive sectors, with the adequate levels of investigation. To cover the scope of the different problems raised by the legacy of high energy intensity in the ECA countries, I thus rely on micro-, sector- and macro-level analysis. Chapter 1 considers the market constraints to firm-level energy efficiency and examines whether the financial development explains the firm-level energy efficiency. Then, using bilateral export flows at the industry-level, Chapter 2 studies how environmental policy inside the EU influences the energy- and pollution- intensive specialization in ECA countries that are not EU members. More specifically, this chapter aims to exhibit to what extent the EU environmental stringency fosters the pollution havens in the ECA region by stimulating exports in energy-intensive sectors. And finally, Chapter 3 seeks to provide macroeconomic evidence about the growth consequences of the maintaining of a specialization highly oriented towards energy-intensive sectors. This ultimate chapter tries to identify whether over-specialization in energy-intensive sectors is negative for growth performances in this region.

The Kyrgyz are a Mongolian, Turkic ethno-linguistic people group. The political and social changes of the post-soviet times have led to a great religious openness among the Kyrgyz. Within one decade the nunber of Kyrgyz Christians has grown from few dozens to over 3000. The intention of this work was to analyze the conversion process of the Kyrgyz converts to Christianity and to apply the results to further missiological activity. The religious background of the Kyrgyz, which is heavily influenced by Folk Islam, was presented in the first chapter of the paper. In the second chapter, interviews collected from Kyrgyz Christians were evaluated. The third chapter summarizes the most important findings of the work and makes them applicable for missionary work. The precise knowledge of the religious background of the Kyrgyz and intercultural communication that it is based upon it can essentially dismantle barriers for the acceptance of the gospel. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

This work delves into the modalities of Chinese economic incentives and their reception in Kyrgyzstan. After tracing the rise of China as the main economic power in Central Asia since 2000, it uses Blanchard's and Ripsman's theory of economic statecraft to evaluate Kyrgyzstan's level of stateness and its susceptibility to economic inducements during president Atambayev's era. The objective is to address the issue of economic statecraft from the perspective of the target state and explain why Kyrgyzstan's co-operation with China has been less successful than in the case of other Central Asian countries. Kyrgyzstan's overall level of stateness was low but it did not result in compliance with Chinese demands. Instead, the low level of stateness prevented the government from overcoming domestic resistance to Chinese projects and implementing compliant behavior. Developmental aid and investment designed to favor the expansion of Chinese enterprises failed to gain the support of public opinion and contributed to the rise of anti-Chinese sentiment due to their involvement in corruption affairs and public scandals. Russia as a third-party actor represented an alternative for Kyrgyz policymakers and might have supported the resistance to Chinese endeavors.

The aim of this thesis is to fill the research gap between marketing and community-based tourism, with using the Stakeholder Theory as intermediary. For this purpose, it is analyzed how the Stakeholder Theory can contribute to improve the marketing of community-based tourism. The online marketing approaches of destinations, community- based tourism providers, associations and Tour Operators in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan towards the international market are investigated. The platforms were analyzed in May and August 2021. A qualitative thematic content analysis of the used distribution channels (websites and social media) is conducted. Based on the results of each country, a cross-national analysis is performed. The outcomes of the study indicate that all countries have potential to improve their marketing concepts, as well as their approaches towards sustainability and collaboration. A few actors were identified, which can serve as example. The overall result shows that a well-implemented Stakeholder Theory, which is comprised of networks at different levels, can empower individual service providers, and therefore contribute to strengthen the online appearance of different actors, including those offering community-based tourism products.

Buuruljin Enkhbold Finance and Growth Nexus: CEE & Central Asia and Beyond Abstract (English) This thesis investigates the effect of financial development on economic growth using both global sample and regional samples focusing on Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Central Asia during the time period 1960-2013. The results of fixed effect panel and system GMM estimators suggest that the effect of private credit on growth had been neutral until 2007 and the effect turns negative if the time period is up to 2013. The negative effect of private credit on growth has been the largest for CEE and Central Asia, particularly for non-EU countries in the region. Stock market capitalisation and lending deposit spread have consistent effects regardless of the choice of time frame which implies that economies benefit from larger stock markets and lower lending deposit spread. Keywords: financial development, credit, stock market, spread, growth, CEE and Central Asia, generalized method of moments (GMM)

This diploma thesis focuses on the problem of legal and illegal labor migration in the Russian Federation, both at federal and local levels, namely in St. Petersburg. The thesis has two main objectives and firstly focuses on the federal level. There it attempts to map current migration trends in the Russian Federation with an emphasis on labor migration, its legislation and rights and the status of working migrants in Russian society. It examines the development of migration policy of the Russian Federation from the collapse of the Soviet Union to the present towards a particular group of people. The author of this thesis tries to analyze it critically and to evaluate the effectiveness and the adequacy of taken measures. In order to fulfill the first objective, some additional questions were put. An integral part of the thesis is an analysis of the integration policy of the Russian Federation vis-à-vis working migrants and problems faced by labor migrants on Russian territory. The second objective is to monitor development and current migration situation in the second largest city of the Russian Federation - St. Petersburg. This is a case study, where the emphasis is placed on labor migration and the way how the amendments to federal immigration laws affect the situation in the regions.

BILL, Simon. Bandwagoning with the Belt and Road: Russia's changing attitude towards the Chinese presence in Central Asia post-Crimea. Praha, 2019. 78 pages. Master's thesis (Mgr.). Charles University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of International Studies. Department of Russian and East European Studies. Supervisor Prof. Jan Šír, Ph.D. Abstract Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia has considered the Central Asian states to be a part of its exclusive sphere of influence. In recent years, however, China has also increased its presence in the region, investing heavily in the energy and transportation sectors. This is exemplified by its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), specifically its Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) component, which was launched in September 2013. As China increased its presence in the region, and Russia launched its own initiative, the Eurasian Economic Union (EaEU), the two powers seemed to be on a collision course. However, relations between the two never deteriorated as predicted. Instead, the opposite has happened. In 2015, Russia found itself internationally isolated due to its controversial actions in Ukraine and embraced China's initiative. This dissertation will seek to explain Russia's increasingly accommodating attitude towards China's growing investment and influence...

The New Great Game is a geopolitical competition between regional stakeholders over energy resources in Central Asia. The author seeks to use the expected utility voting model based on Black's median voter theorem for forecasting the New Great Game in Central Asia. To judge the external validity of the voting model, the author uses data from the Correlates of War project data set, to formulate three distinct models based only on the numbers in 1992 and 1993. Capabilities and alliance data were used to develop balance of power positions and compare the outcome of 100 simulations to the actual outcome in 2000 based on Correlates of War project data. This allows us to judge whether the emergence of Russia's weak advantage as well as the continuation of the competition in the New Great Game as of 2000 could have been predicted based on what was known in 1992 and 1993. By using only one year's data to forecast the New Great Game, we are able to eliminate historical and researcher bias and judge the applicability of the model in global policy and strategic analysis.

Рынки стран Центральной Азии развиваются и все больше вовлекаются в процессы глобализации мировой экономики. Вместе с ростом и развитием рынков неуклонно растет конкуренция, в том числе в металлургической отрасли. Для металлоторгующей компании в ситуации сильной конкуренции высока важность эффективного продвижения, базирующегося на правильно выбранной коммуникационной стратегии. В работе предложена модель репутации российской металлургической продукции, проанализировано её актуальное состояние на рынке стран Центральной Азии, а также описаны возможности использования положительной репутации металлургической продукции в качестве основы для стратегии продвижения. На основе полученных результатов была разработана новая коммуникационная стратегия для продвижения ТОО «Специальная металлургия» на рынке стран Центральной Азии, с опорой на положительную репутацию российской металлургической продукции. / Central Asian markets are developing and becoming more involved in the globalization of world economy. Competition in the metallurgical industry is mounting along with the growth and development of markets. The importance of effective promotion in a context of strong competition is high. It is based on a properly chosen communication strategy. Master's thesis proposes a model of reputation for Russian metallurgical products and analyzes its current status on the market of Central Asian countries. It describes the possibilities of using a positive reputation of metallurgical products as a basis for a promotion strategy.

Das Tianshan-Gebirge, als „Wasserturm“ Zentralasiens, hat entscheidenden Einfluss auf die Wasserressourcen der Region. Untersuchungen von 1950 bis 2016 zeigen, dass der Jahresniederschlag in den meisten Teilen des Gebirges zunahm, außer im westlichen Tianshan, wo er abnahm. Es gibt hoch- und niedrigfrequente Schwankungen im Niederschlag mit 3-, 6-, 12- und 27-jährigen Quasiperioden. Auf Dekadenskala gab es zwei Trockenperioden (1950–1962, 1973–1984) und zwei Feuchtperioden (1962–1972, 1985–2016). Seit 2004 ist eine kontinuierliche Feuchtezunahme zu verzeichnen. Zusammenhänge wurden zwischen Zirkulationsmustern und dem Niederschlag identifiziert. Das East Atlantic-West Russia (EATL/WRUS)-Muster korreliert positiv mit dem Winter-Niederschlag. Das Scandinavia (SCAND)-Muster beeinflusst den Sommerniederschlag. Das Silk Road-Muster (SRP) war im Zeitraum 1964-1984 relevant. Die Feuchtigkeitsquellen für den Tianshan-Niederschlag stammen zu 93,2% von kontinentalen Quellen und nur begrenzt aus dem Ozean. Zentralasien ist die Hauptfeuchtequelle für das Gebirge. Im westlichen Tianshan kommt die Feuchtigkeit hauptsächlich von Zentralasien von April bis Oktober und von Westasien von November bis März. Im östlichen Tianshan tragen Ost- und Südasien sowie Sibirien konstant zur Feuchtigkeit im Sommer bei. Der Beitrag der Feuchtigkeit aus dem Nordatlantik zum Sommerniederschlag im nördlichen, zentralen und östlichen Tianshan zeigt einen abnehmenden Trend, obwohl dieser Beitrag ohnehin begrenzt ist. In Monaten mit extremem Winterniederschlag stammt die größte Zunahme der Feuchtigkeit im westlichen Tianshan aus Westasien, während Europa einen wichtigen Beitrag zu den extremen Winterniederschlägen im nördlichen Tianshan leistet. Im östlichen Tianshan ist die Feuchtigkeitszufuhr aus Ost- und Südasien sowie aus Sibirien während der extremen Niederschlagsmonate sowohl im Winter als auch im Sommer erhöht. / The Tianshan Mountains, the "water tower" of Central Asia, are crucial water sources. Precipitation variability and water vapor transport impact water distribution. The study assessed 1950-2016 precipitation using Mann-Kendall tests and EEMD on GPCC data. Multi-timescale precipitation variations were analyzed with NCEP/NCAR reanalysis, and moisture sources during 1979–2017 with ERA–Interim data. Most of Tianshan had increasing annual precipitation, except Western Tianshan, which experienced a downtrend. Precipitation exhibited 3- and 6-year cycles and 12- and 27-year cycles. On the decadal scale, two dry and two wet periods occurred, with continuous humidification since 2004. A significant positive correlation was found between East Atlantic-West Russia EATL/WRUS circulation pattern and winter precipitation. SCAND influenced Tianshan's summer precipitation, with a wet period after 1988 due to enhanced water vapor flux. SCAND and EAP strengthened water vapor fluxes to Tianshan. SRP impacted Tianshan's summer precipitation during 1964–1984. About 93.2% of Tianshan's moisture comes from continental sources. Central Asia dominates moisture supply. Western Tianshan receives moisture mainly from Central Asia (April to October) and Western Asia (November to March). Almost 13.0% of Eastern Tianshan's summer moisture originates from East and South Asia and Siberia, with steady contributions. Moisture from the North Atlantic Ocean to summer precipitation in Northern, Central, and Eastern Tianshan shows a decreasing trend, but limited overall contribution. Extreme winter precipitation in Western Tianshan is linked to moisture from West Asia. Europe significantly contributes to extreme winter precipitation in Northern Tianshan. Eastern Tianshan sees enhanced moisture from East and South Asia and Siberia during extreme precipitation months in winter and summer.