The aim of this thesis is to investigate gas interdependence for political relations between the European Union and the Russian Federation. Despite of the fact that relations in the gas sphere still have particular importance for both parties, after the Ukrainian crisis, sanctions and counter-sanctions applied, they have reached the lowest point of cooperation since the end of the Cold War. This thesis is based on the interdependence model of international relations theory, asymmetries in sensitivity and vulnerability of the EU and Russia were connected to their strategies as part of the political power play. Therefore, conflict situation, high level of sensitivity and vulnerability, and interest in finding alternatives of both parties lead to the situation of 'negative interdependence'. In this context, this kind of interdependence where partners would rather avoid relations logically pushes the EU and Russia apart and stimulates reconsideration of their relationship in gas sphere.

Public power in democratic society emanates from the citizens and is, in its turn, responsible to them. The citizens are entitled to observe, scrutinize and influence it. The public consists of private individuals actively engaged in public affairs and coordinating this activity with others. The present essay is concerned with Jürgen Habermasʼ concepts of the public in his The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere, The Theory of Communicative Action, and Between Facts and Norms. At first, these works are interpreted and critically evaluated here. Then, the issue of the public is developed with special emphasis on the concept as it is elaborated in Between Facts and Norms. This essay tries to characterize the civil public and pursues the question how it is positioned in the larger frame of the civil society. The public is studied from the point of view of its influence in society. Habermas ascribes a substantial role to the public, for, according to his idea of the deliberative democracy, the public takes a part in the democratic processes of lawmaking and that by means of a dialogue with the public power. In this perspective, the public is conceived of as communicative power. This dissertation concentrates on the origins and forming of the communicative power and the ensuing process of its...

This thesis addresses the issue of autonomous weapons systems and their potential preventive prohibition with regard to current international discussions at multilateral forums such as the Human Rights Council, First Committee of the General Assembly, and Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons at UN. The aim of this thesis is to provide an extensive empirical account of the substance of those discussions and their most likely outcome, estimating state preferences with use of content analysis and the likely outcome with median voter prediction. From a theoretical standpoint, the thesis draws from defensive realism and contributions of arms control, arms trade as well as institutionalist literature from which it draws the concept of legalization. From a methodological standpoint, the thesis relies on quantitative methods, in particular, content analysis for collection of data and median voter theorem for prediction of the likely outcome. In addition, the thesis uses the method of regression analysis to examine states' activity at the aforementioned fora. In conclusion, the thesis finds that the most likely outcome of discussions on autonomous weapons systems is a moderate-obligation form of hybrid regulation, which includes solutions such as framework convention and moratorium. Further finding of...

The following diploma thesis deals with image destruction in the public space, specifically focuses on its selected fragments, which can be considered as communication messages. The work provides a synchronous and diachronic analysis of the subject of the research as well as the transformation of its statuses, thus concentrating on the acquisition, transformation and extinction of the symbolic meanings of the object within the cultural- historical complex. The pattern of destruction of the image in the public space is chosen as Lennon's Wall in Prague, whose constant visual and meaningful transformation is taking place today - against the backdrop of the historical, power and cultural context. The theoretical basis is based on the analysis of change based on the concept of "discourse" and "discourse formation" by Michel Foucault, as well as on the anchoring of methodology in CDA Norman Fairclough and DHA Ruth Wodak. Keywords Visual Image in Public Space, Lennon's Wall, Linking, Discourse, Destruction, Communication, Power.

Many social, political and economic changes that affected intra-family relationships between men and women have occupied over the past century. It could be assumed that these changes also affected the distribution of power between women and men within a family, in particular - financial power. Whereas previously a man was the sole breadwinner of a family and the only manager of the household budget, now when women have new opportunities in the labor market it is logical to assume that women should also be included into the process of money management. The purpose of this study was to examine the mechanisms of financial management in Czech families and find the determinants that affect the choice of allocation systems. The study that was based on quantitative methods surveyed 560 men and women. Statistical analysis showed that the most common type of allocation systems is a financial pool (joint or partial), which indicates that there is a transformation of the distribution of financial power in families. However, traditional gender stereotypes are still evident in the management of family finances. The study also revealed that the main factors that affect the choice of a family allocation system are the level of household income, gender, length of cohabitation of spouses, woman's education and...

The recent usage of presidential directives by President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump initiated debates around limits of presidential power. Research on the presidential power has shown lack of focus on the presidential directives, misinterpretation and wrong terminology which resulted in false accusations of presidential overreach and abuse of power. This thesis argues that the political gridlock and increasing passivity of Congress have contributed to a shift between the executive and legislative power of government. This thesis will trace the extent to which Congress has become resistant to pass two of the key priorities of President Obama's political agenda - immigration reform and gun regulation, after which the President had to act on the issues unilaterally. The main aim of the thesis is to show that presidential directives of President Obama were not issued in a vacuum and that there were debates, persuasion and negotiations preceding the executive actions in an attempt to advance President's agenda in a form of bipartisan legislation rather than unilateral presidential directive.

The doctoral thesis focuses on the People's Republic of China's influence in international relations. It follows two main research objectives, a theoretical and an empirical one. The first goal is to more firmly establish the concept of influence and distinguish it from power, the second is to analyze China's influence in the Czech Republic before, during and after the 'restart' of Czech-China relations in 2012. The thesis rests on the idea of a conceptual 'filter' through which power (conceptualized as ability) passes on its way to becoming influence. As a result, the effects of policies implemented by an actor who aims to exert a power on another actor are co-dependent not only on its power, but also the perception of the actor which is being influenced. The thesis claims that in case of a significant distance (defined geographically or otherwise) between 'the sender' and 'the receiver', perception matters more as it has greater ability to amplify or decrease the effects of the sender's power - i.e. the influence. The latter objective aims at explaining the methods the People's Republic of China uses to impose its interests on others and the receivers' reactions to such efforts. The thesis uses a case study of the Czech Republic as a country where China's influence is just getting established and...

The present thesis, Paul's Apostolic Existence. How to understand apostle Paul when he writes about apostle Paul, investigates the issue of why Paul writes so frequently in his epistles about himself and his life. The search starts in 2 Cor 12:1-10 where Paul mentions Christ's answer to his prayer for recovery from sickness: "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weak- ness." This statement becomes the central point of the investigations. Their core part is exegesis of the relevant passages, mostly from Paul's letters to Corinth. The context is broadened by selected texts from the letters to the Philippians and to the Romans. In these texts, the apostle explains to the read- ers his own existence mainly by pointing out his weakness and suffering. The present thesis argues that Paul's motives for writing these texts should be looked for in his theology. He considers his recurring experience of God's power in weakness as instrumental in his mission to preach the gospel. The argument is supported by possibly precise description of the relation between Paul's apostolic existence and his preaching. This will show what benefit these texts can and should bring to their readers.

The thesis departs from the undetermined relation between René Daumal's unfinished novel Mount Analogue: A Novel of Symbolically Authentic Non-Euclidean Adventures in Mountain Climbing (1952) and its alleged adaptation, Alejandro Jodorowsky's 1973 film The Holy Mountain. The thesis discusses the two works from the perspective of Lacanian psychoanalysis, specifically, through the lens of the so-called Borromean knot that represents the three functions of the psyche: the Real, the Symbolic, and the Imaginary. The structure of the thesis supposes the following: the first chapter concentrates on the relevant terminology and aims to define such concepts as language and ideology for the purposes of the present thesis; the second chapter discusses the method of analysis that will be applied to Daumal's Mount Analogue and Jodorowsky's The Holy Mountain, namely, it explores the possibilities of psychoanalysis and considers the 'unscientific' approach of pataphysics that favours the particular over the general; through the concept of the sinthome the aspect of action is emphasized in the analysis of Mount Analogue, while the fourth chapter analyses The Holy Mountain from the perspective of the 'hypertrophied' Symbolic and simultaneously stresses the importance of the element of balance in the film; the final chapter,...

This thesis is based on a 10-month field work conducted in a retirement home. The empirical part is rooted in the fact that the author of this work actually became a part of the institution for a several months as its employee at the position of a certified nursing assistant. This perspective naturally enabled him to focus on a description of daily routines, taking place within the mentioned institution, from a perspective of a certified nursing assistant as well as on his interactions with the clients, which occur during these daily routines. Paying attention to the mutual interactions of both enables us to perceive how the dominant discourse in public health care works. It is particularly revealed through disciplinary techniques. The analysis of the disciplinary techniques follows the theory of power by Michel Foucault, which seems to prove that not only the clients but also the certified nursing assistants are being disciplined during the everyday practices of the given institution. Their position is at the lowest level of the hierarchy of health care system and this - in a way - dooms them to being disciplined since they are a part of the same routines as are the clients. Moreover, the analysis of the mutual power relationships between the certified nursing assistants and the clients shows that...