<p>The research seeks to investigate processes and structures presently in Khayelitsha so as to ascertain whether they are operating, in such a manner that sporting people and government can rely on them to strike the balance needed, to reach a scenario where all the citizens of the country are afforded equal opportunities in sport. The White Paper (Revised: 2007) mentions the establishment of the Strategic, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate to ensure focus remains on track with the latest development in sporting fraternity and that this is aligned with government priorities. However better resources are still handed out to advantaged communities. South African society has achieved somewhat miraculously, a stable democracy since the elections of 1994, but this new democracy has to realize that liberation comes with an added burden of responsibility. Hence communities and especially previously disadvantaged communities, need to even work harder to ensure social and an acceptable degree of economic transformation. The culture of entitlement needs to be discouraged in black townships. The Constitution, Provincial and Local policies allow for efficient sport management as sport is critical for development to take place. Sport is the most important vehicle to deepen democracy and bring about genuine transformation in society, forging unity of purpose at grassroots level so as to achieve same purpose and direction. Khayelitsha (as most of the black townships) has been hit by a wave of crime, drug abuse, alcohol abuse and gangsterism caused by the inactivity of youth. Sport can act as a catalyst to minimise tensions and maximise peace and harmony. This research focused on the efficacy of sport management processes and structures in Khayelitsha. It examined issues of provisioning, accessibility and maintenance of sport facilities in order to guarantee mass participation and infinite activism in sport.</p>

La desregulación y apertura a la competencia de los servicios públicos de infraestructura, clave para el proceso de integración económica europea, pretendía beneficiar unívocamente a los ciudadanos en su papel como consumidores, a partir de su aprovechamiento óptimo y homogéneo de las posibilidades de elección introducidas en el mercado. Sin embargo, actualmente, la Comisión Europea se replantea el diseño de la regulación de estos servicios desde el punto de vista de su beneficio sobre los ciudadanos como consumidores. El objetivo principal de esta tesis es, en dicho contexto, evaluar las políticas de regulación de los servicios públicos de infraestructura desde la perspectiva de los ciudadanos, aspecto insuficientemente analizado hasta la fecha. Para ello, se desarrolla un análisis microeconométrico de las decisiones y percepciones de los ciudadanos ante estos servicios, a partir del contraste de sus preferencias reveladas y preferencias declaradas en tres grandes países europeos: España, Reino Unido e Italia. Los resultados obtenidos reflejan la heterogeneidad de los ciudadanos como consumidores, ligada a sus condicionantes socioeconómicos. Derivado de ello, se observa cómo las reformas han tenido efectos duales, particularmente en el sector de las telecomunicaciones, generando determinados problemas de insatisfacción, participación y confianza en aquellos ciudadanos particularmente vulnerables como consumidores. / Deregulation and opening to competition of public infrastructure services, key to European economic integration, would ostensibly benefit all the citizens, as consumers, assuming they took homogeneously optimal choices in the market. However, the European Commission is currently rethinking the design of the regulation of these services from the point of view of benefits for citizens as consumers. The main objective of this thesis is, in this context, to evaluate the regulatory policies of these services from the citizens’ perspective, which has been insufficiently analyzed to date. To do so, a microeconometric analysis of citizens’ decisions and perceptions towards these services is performed, through contrasting their revealed and stated preferences for three large European countries: Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. The results reflect the heterogeneity of citizens as consumers, linked to their socio-economic conditions. On this basis, it can be observed how the reforms have had dual effects on citizens, particularly in the telecommunications sector. Thus, certain problems of dissatisfaction, low participation and low confidence have been generated among those citizens particularly vulnerable as consumers.

Recent research has uncovered a new phenomenon in some distressed areas, black gentrification. Black gentrification follows the same pattern as mainstream gentrification with one notable exception: In black gentrifying neighborhoods both the poor and working class residents who resided in the neighborhood prior to its “gentrification” and the new residents of greater economic means are black. An additional hallmark of black gentrification that distinguishes it from traditional gentrification is that black gentrifiers in black gentrifying neighborhoods often feel a responsibility or obligation to their lower income black neighbors. Prior to the economic downturn in the United States, some in-town Atlanta neighborhoods were undergoing black gentrification. Amidst the current mortgage foreclosure epidemic facing the U.S., distressed urban areas like the ones under study, which began to gentrify in the last ten to twenty years, can easily fall prey to mortgage fraud and/or further decline. Sustained revitalization efforts require that the neighborhoods maintain a critical density level; therefore, neighborhoods cannot afford to lose more citizens. My dissertation focuses on two historic, black gentrifying in-town Atlanta neighborhoods: the Old Fourth Ward and the West End. The Old Fourth Ward is the location of the birth home of one of Atlanta’s most celebrated sons, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The West End, once a center of black consciousness in the city, now boasts one of the highest mortgage fraud rates in the nation. Revitalization efforts in both communities are in jeopardy. This dissertation explores ways to strengthen social and economic cohesion in these gentrifying black communities. Specifically, I argue that attachment to the neighborhood space (something I term “place affinity”) has the potential to obviate social tensions in gentrifying black communities and bind residents to each other and the social space they all occupy.

This thesis addresses how sports can encourage social cohesion amongst youth in Dili, Timor Leste. It is a case study, conducted in Timor Leste and is based on interviews with staff working at organizations that offer sport for peace programs as well as with other interested parties. The sport for peace programs involves youth in and around Dili and were initiated as a peace-building method. The communication aspect is analyzed through a participatory communication approach. The thesis investigates sports effect on social behavior from a sport pshycology perspective. It brings up both challenges and improvements for the sport for peace programs. The thesis also show the positive aspects of using sports as a tool for social cohesion.

Social cohesion is an important priority of the development both on Lithuanian and EU level. It is addressed to a human being, to the reduction of social differences between people, their groups and regions. Elaboration of tourism, including adaptation of the manors for tourism needs, is one of the priority directions of Lithuanian countryside development in order to ensure economical welfare and social cohesion. Elaboration of the manors as tourism objects must be linked with their integration into society life of local community. The goal of this research project was to define key principles of modern manor development strategy – principles, that would ensure, besides economical aspects of the manor elaboration, satisfying of social and cultural expectation of local society, would set grounds for an manors to became an example of most advanced forms of economical activities and social policy application. In this work an exploratory, qualitative research aiming to estimate relations between the manor and local society and their expectations towards the manor, was carried out. As a result, two possible alternatives for the manor development were settled and based on this a vision of the modern manor future and main strategic development principles to strive for this vision presented. The research has proved, that at present time the main expectation of the local society related to the manor is a minimum – that is, to have former facilities and parks of the manor rebuilt... [to full text]

<p>The research seeks to investigate processes and structures presently in Khayelitsha so as to ascertain whether they are operating, in such a manner that sporting people and government can rely on them to strike the balance needed, to reach a scenario where all the citizens of the country are afforded equal opportunities in sport. The White Paper (Revised: 2007) mentions the establishment of the Strategic, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate to ensure focus remains on track with the latest development in sporting fraternity and that this is aligned with government priorities. However better resources are still handed out to advantaged communities. South African society has achieved somewhat miraculously, a stable democracy since the elections of 1994, but this new democracy has to realize that liberation comes with an added burden of responsibility. Hence communities and especially previously disadvantaged communities, need to even work harder to ensure social and an acceptable degree of economic transformation. The culture of entitlement needs to be discouraged in black townships. The Constitution, Provincial and Local policies allow for efficient sport management as sport is critical for development to take place. Sport is the most important vehicle to deepen democracy and bring about genuine transformation in society, forging unity of purpose at grassroots level so as to achieve same purpose and direction. Khayelitsha (as most of the black townships) has been hit by a wave of crime, drug abuse, alcohol abuse and gangsterism caused by the inactivity of youth. Sport can act as a catalyst to minimise tensions and maximise peace and harmony. This research focused on the efficacy of sport management processes and structures in Khayelitsha. It examined issues of provisioning, accessibility and maintenance of sport facilities in order to guarantee mass participation and infinite activism in sport.</p>

-i- Abstract The aim of this study was to conduct a cross-cultural validation of the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ) (Carron, Widmeyer, & Brawley, 1985), internationally recognized as useful and contemporary measurement approach to cohesion. The GEQ was originally validated for a sample of North American athletes. In total, the sample consisted of 1 410 adult athletes and trainers (1 019 male and 391 female). A modified direct translation method with protocol analysis was utilised to translate the GEQ from English into Czech. Content validity was analysed and confirmed by content validity ratio method for individual indicators of the questionnaire. The factor structure of the Czech version of the questionnaire, verified by structural equation modelling, did not differ from the original version. The predictive validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by its ability to differentiate between groups of athletes (with diverse levels of perceived successfulness) on the basis of their team cohesion scores. Reliability, measured by the Cronbach's coefficient α, was 0,59-0,69 (for version with positively/negatively worded items) and 0,63-0,79 (for version with positively worded items). The results are discussed in the context of possible cultural differences. For population of the Czech athletes from team...

Magister Artium - MA / According to migrant research in South Africa, after the advent of democracy in South Africa, in 1994, the country has received an influx of foreign migrants, more especially from the African continent. However, much focus has been on the negative outcomes of the host community and its relationship with immigrants. Recent immigration research labelled South Africa as a xenophobic nation, and much emphasis on xenophobia was in Black South African townships. Although townships in South Africa are widely known for their hostile attitudes towards African nationals, in recent years, townships like Gugulethu have become homes for many African immigrants. This study investigates the integration of foreign migrants into the South African community: a case of Zimbabweans living in Gugulethu, Cape Town. Qualitative research methods' adopting an in-depth interpretation of the findings was used to answer the research question posed by this study. The research question posed by this study is, in the absence of a strategic plan to integrate African foreign nationals into South Africa society, how do African migrants living in Gugulethu use their social capital to integrate themselves into the local community, which is widely regarded as xenophobic? Qualitative data was collected through in-depth interviews and observations and data was analysed according to the research questions by making codes and themes. In addition, the number of study participants was 30 people; 25 Zimbabwean immigrants and for comparative purposes 2 Ugandan immigrants and 3 local South Africans were also included. Both convenience and snowballing sampling techniques were used. The study found that despite the challenges faced by migrants in their host community, these migrants used their social capital in the form of social networks to integrate themselves into the host community.

Social inequalities in health have been well documented in the literature. Despite the universal health care system and detailed measures of health surveillance, socioeconomic disparities related to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain present and are predicted to increase due to growing socioeconomic inequalities (Pampalon, 2008). Many health policy initiatives, such as the development of cardiac rehabilitation programs, were put in place in order to promote heart healthy lifestyles. These programs are provided as a medical and educational solution to prevent, manage, and lower risks of developing complications due to cardiovascular diseases, yet participation rates are as low as 37% for eligible individuals (Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, 2013). By drawing chiefly on Pierre Bourdieu’s sociocultural theory of practices, this qualitative study aims to understand the social variation of lifestyles in the context of cardiac rehabilitation of two groups of men from contrasting socioeconomic conditions. Sixty in-depth interviews were conducted with francophone men (mean age of 56.5) from the Outaouais region (Québec, Canada) who have suffered from a cardiac event requiring hospitalization. A number of studies on cardiovascular health have indicated health and lifestyle disparities among the male population. In order to provide a new perspective, this specific study drew principally on the notion of social capital in order to provide a more complete understanding of the social variation of lifestyles in the context of cardiac rehabilitation, particularly the impact these socioeconomic differences have on the quality of participants’ social capital, and how it shapes lifestyles after a heart intervention The results of this study are presented in an article which compares lifestyles and cardiac rehabilitation practices on the basis of three concepts of social capital, – social cohesion, trust, and social support. Results suggests that socioeconomic conditions influence levels of social cohesion, trust, and the quality of social support provided by social networks in the context of cardiac rehabilitation. Despite the underprivileged participant’s awareness of normative health lifestyles, they also were constrained by socio-cultural barriers, which limited a heart-healthy lifestyle.

The final thesis focuses on the transformation of the financing of the European Union structural policy between two programming periods 2007-2013 and 2014-2020. The first part presents the theoretical basis of analysed subject, and shows the development of the concept of economic and social cohesion, together with the experts' proposals to reform its financing. The second part contains the characteristics of problems and challenges of the European integration. The third part then in their context and based on the comparison of the multiannual financial framework 2007-2013 and 2014-2020 identifies and assesses the major changes regarding the European Union structural policy. Even if the interests and priorities of the Czech Republic are not always in line with the changes, the Czech Republic must respect them and implement them not only in their programming documents. Whether the changes are suitable for the Czech Republic, is reviewed in the last part of the thesis.