This diploma thesis focuses on the participation of the Vietnamese national minority in the Czech Republic, especially at the level of local politics. The main objective of the thesis is to analyze and critically reflect on the motivations, attitudes, and views of the Vietnamese national minority on political and civic participation with an emphasis the local politics. At the same time, the work explores the forms of participation of the Vietnamese community and the factors that influence them. Because the target group of this work is a Vietnamese national minority, the national minority policy is first analyzed at the international level, followed by analysis at the national level. The reason for this approach is that the international environment plays a vital role in examining national minority politics and ethnic minorities. Selected instruments and institutions of national minority politics in the Czech environment are then further analyzed and compared with the German counterpart where minorities, and in particular the Vietnamese minority, have long been a significant part of society. The research part of the thesis is designed as qualitative research, using document analysis and semi- structured interviews as data acquisition techniques. This is a key part of the whole work where the...

This diploma thesis "The Place of Truth by Ernest Gellner and Eric Voegelin" compares two major thinkers in the field of discourses of truth, faith, modernity, and democracy. Eric Voegelin represents unorthodox conservative views of the abstract place of truth, which is in close connection with the existence of individuals and with close relation to transcendent basis of being. Liberal thinker Ernest André Gellner is an advocate of individualism and rationalism, which significantly impact the very concept of truth. Attention is mainly focused on how these two different points of view define relation between domain of truth to modern democracy and totalitarian movements represented by ideologies, which were hegemonizing sphere of truth in society.

The communication with the public is really important for the existence and work of the civil sector organizations. The reason is that the public includes possible users of products and services, backers, donators and associates. One of the possible channels how to communicate and keep up with the public is promotion and presentation in the media. Chomutovské noviny is a printed matter that is run by the local administrative body. This type of media should give the opportunity to as many local organizations as possible. The study is aimed at selected civil sector organizations within one particular period. The results of this study show that the presentation of the civil sector organizations was not too numerous in Chomutovské noviny. The possible reasons arise from the interviews.

This thesis deals with the topic of civic participation in society and how participation this society develops and influences. The theoretical part is concerned with explaining the concepts, history and general knowledge that are related to participation. The grip and exploration of the region is described in the work from European, republic, district and consequently the regional context. The thesis is focused on the region Litoměřice, which is described in aspect of participation in detail. In the practical part of the thesis is the Litoměřice region studied by questionnaire survey. There are questions set and answered. With these issues is expressed effort to find out whether the value of gender, age and education tend to influence the participation rate among residents in the Litoměřice region. The detected data are processed and evaluated as a basis for presenting the conclusions.

SYNOPSIS The principal objective of this thesis, entitled The Role of the Kurdish Civic Association in the Integration of the Kurds into Czech Society, focuses on defining the basic terms (integration, civic society, migrants' association), and briefly describes the legislative impact of migration on Czech civil society. The role of the established civic sector in the integration process is outlined, and types and functions of migrants' associations are defined. In addition, insight into the migration of the Kurds and their ways of associating within a host society is provided. Research data is based on analyzed questionnaire results: surveys completed by a research pool of 27 Kurds living in the Czech Republic, aged 15 and over. Participant observation at Kurdish meetings and events - both formal and informal, and individual interviews were the methods of choice for evaluating the importance and function of the Kurdish civic association. In conclusion, evaluated data has been summarized and recommendations given for further activities of the Kurdish civic association. KEY WORDS Integration, Kurds, Kurdish civic association, migration, civic society, civic sector, migrant association

The thesis deals with the organizational changes in connection with the use of subsidies from the European Union. It focuses on the changes and processes in civil society Organizations, these processes identifies and describes. It also examines which of them can lead to the successful functioning of the organization. Based on the theoretical assumption that in civil society organizations certain organizational changes occur as a result of subsidies from the EU. This assumption is based on findings from previous published studies and work. Presented theory are demonstrated on examples of good practice, using case study.

The access to technology, the effects of instant information and the emergence of an increasingly empowered global citizen have contributed to the fundamental shift of the global political and economic landscape over the last twenty years. In consequence, the soft-power resources are becoming more and more important components of nation's foreign policy. Foreign policy instruments of public diplomacy and cultural diplomacy can effectively utilize such soft-power resources in order to assert foreign policy goals by purposefully supporting wide range of cultural and artistic activities. It is the aim of the thesis to examine both the direct and indirect impacts of artistic production on societies with various degrees of democratic culture and in connection to elaborate on the relevance of the right to freedom of artistic expression and creativity. The essential aim of this thesis is to look at the role that art production plays in the development of a democratic society.

- Tomáš Kavka Supporting the Arts... Art Societies of Central Europe in the Context of the 19th Century's Social Modernization This dissertation focuses on the changing relations between society and art in the course of the 19th century. It observes the development within three cities - Leipzig, Prague and Brno - exponents of three different national environments. The thesis is based on the comparison of art societies representing these environments. Leipzig-based society Leipziger Kunstverein is a probe into the world of German art, Umělecká beseda of Prague demonstrates the quest for continuous development of Czech national artistic discourse and Brno's Mährischer Kunstverein is an example of the specifics of German community ringed by Slavic majority in Moravia. The thesis presents a view of Central-European artistic life, heavily determined by the dynamics of the 19th century's social modernization - the formation of civic society and national movements as well as the change of social discourse (namely concerning aesthetics and art history) about fine arts and its performers.

This master thesis is dedicated to strategic corporate social responsibility (CSR) and to the concept of creating shared value (CSV). It analyses the difference between CSV and common business philanthropy which is based on allocation of some part of their profit. It shows the connection between business and civic society. Currently the companies realise that their success is related to the well-being of the society in which they work. Therefore - when adopting the concept of CSV companies focus on the field in which they are active in their core business. The thesis concentrates on partnering business companies with civic society organisations. This is based on the belief that social and economic aims coincide. This partnership is a challenge to find a solution to common social issues. It should gain profit to both sides. The theory of this thesis is complemented by a research and analysis of interviews with respondents from both business and civic companies.

SYNOPSIS This thesis covers partial universe of civic society organizations that provide social services in Pardubice region. The primary goal of the thesis is to explore, through a questionnaire research, whether the income generated by these organizations is a determining factor in their association with the concept of social economy and social enterprise. The secondary goal is to identify, using semi-structured interviews with the representatives of civic society organizations, how they fulfill principles of social enterprise based to the "softer definition" developed by EMES. The first two chapters introduce concepts of public sector and social economy as well as identify their similarities and differences. It is followed by a description of social services and support of civic society organizations from the view point of several parties. The third chapter is dedicated to the actual research.