Over the last decade, Europe has been the scene of an increased and generalized sense of ‘Euroscepticism’, expressed through a growing feeling of rejection towards the European Union, its institutions and values. This phenomenon has further resulted in a questioning of the EU’s legitimacy, with an emerging opposition to the principle of supranational governance executed by the EU observed across the Union. While this reveals an issue of general identification with the EU and the European project among individuals, the European Union has sought to respond to this through specific means, particularly through the approach of shaping a greater sense of European identity for and among ‘Europeans’. This has been going through the European Commission’s financial contribution, and the Council of Europe’s establishment of a wide range of organisms, programs, or projects working to establish this identity through multiple aspects, for instance through cultural and legal aspects, as well as to increase identification with this sense of identity. This research seeks at conducting a close study of specific programs created or funded by the EU, and establishing this sense of European identity. Our findings suggest that the shaping of a sense of European identity has remained a challenge despite the institutions’ efforts in that sense, as the concept of European identity still represents an unclear, blurred concept for many people. Moreover, the outcomes of this research have highlighted the issues behind the process of identity-shaping in the case of European identity, that is the persisting lack of identification with this identity, as well as the shaping of an exclusivist identity, rather than an inclusive identity promoting integration and inclusion for all individuals.

The dissertation "The Factors of Social Exclusion on the Labour Market" is aimed on groups of people who have for some reason complicated access to the labour market - women, elder people, people with disabilities, Roma people, foreigners, and partly on disintegrated persons (particularly people after imprisonment). It discourses their position on the Czech labour market and describes problems they often face. That is especially low rate of employment and lack of appropriate jobs. There are mentioned measure proposals that could improve the situation of people excluded from the labour market, and the European Union policy in this sector too. Attention is also contributed to the concept of social exclusion, dimensions and mechanisms of social exclusion and social inclusion. The dissertation refers to the labour market and factors influencing the labour market margination, law regulations of discrimination on the labour market (in the Czech Republic and the European Union).

The following research focuses on sociocultural relationships and sociospatial dynamics between humans and dogs in the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach and in the Innu Nation of Matimekush-Lac John and the town of Schefferville. These communities face multiple issues related to dogs including the lack of veterinary services, coupled with issues related to canine overpopulation, and the transmission of zoonoses such as rabies from contact between dogs and wildlife. We examined the role of dogs and their keepers in these subarctic communities. We also explored how dogs impact the wellbeing of the population living in said communities and how keepers impact the wellbeing of dogs. Despite being described as a pet rather than a working dog, specific roles are assigned to dogs by research participants, particularly the provision of protection and companionship. However, the findings of the study indicate that keepers also plays an essential role, not only through protection and companionship, but also by tending to their dog(s). The evidence from this study suggests that dogs and their keepers have mutually beneficial relations. These research results suggest that the narrative portrayed through mainstream media outlets disregard the daily roles played by dogs and their Indigenous keepers within the communities of Kawawachikamach and Matimekush-Lac-John. / Ce projet de recherche porte sur les relations socioculturelles et la dynamique sociospatiale entre les humains et leurs chiens dans la nation Naskapi de Kawawachikamach, la nation Innu de Matimekush-Lac John et la ville de Schefferville. Ces communautés sont confrontées à de multiples problèmes liés aux chiens, y compris le manque de services vétérinaires, couplé à des problèmes liés à la surpopulation de chien et à la transmission de zoonoses telles que la rage par contact entre les chiens et la faune. Nous avons examiné́ le rôle des chiens et de leurs gardiens dans ces communautés subarctiques ainsi que l'impact des chiens sur le bien-être de la population vivant dans ces communautés et l'impact des gardiens sur le bien-être de leurs chiens. Bien que le chien soit décrit comme un animal de compagnie plutôt que comme un animal de travail, des rôles spécifiques lui sont attribués par les participants, en particulier le rôle de protecteur et de compagnon. Cependant, les résultats de cette étude indiquent que le gardien du chien joue également des rôles essentiels, non seulement celui de protection et de compagnon, mais aussi celui de « prendre soin » de son (ses) chien (s). Les données de cette étude suggèrent que les relations des chiens et de leurs gardiens sont mutuellement bénéfiques. Ces résultats suggèrent que le récit présenté sur les chiens dans les communautés du nord par les principaux médias ne prend pas en compte les rôles quotidiens joués par les chiens et leurs gardiens autochtones au sein des communautés de Kawawachikamach et Matimekush-Lac-John.

Diploma thesis deals with the participation and representation of Roma in the Czech Republic mainly in social inclusion. Generally in the Czech Republic the principles of the participation are underused during the development and implementation of public policies. A certain change occurs at the local level. In some towns there are gradually promoted models of the participation and representation of the population of excluded localities. This thesis deals by the methods of case study, summative evaluation and observation with implementation of certain local good practice: the system of the caretaking in the town Kadaň - Prunéřov, which primarily addresses the issue of housing in the socially excluded locality, but with the full participation of its people, including the creation of a natural representation, leading to the improvement of social skills of people, their self-confidence and willingness to engage in solving their unsatisfactory situation. The thesis also summarizes the development in the formation of Roma representation at the highest level since the 90s of the last century and its adverse impact on the development of real participation of Roma in social inclusion at all levels of administration. Therefore there is a contrast between the situation in the participation and representation...

ANOTATION This work deals with factors which contribute to social inclusion in education. Research is aimed at one of the basic schools, which has been selected according to the previously set criteria. In the theoretical part the most important concepts linked to social education have been discussed with respect to research question. The vital factors I focus on are school culture, which may consists of the right environment, norms and values or forms of communication and cooperation with the partners of the school, who I consider to be mainly the parents. Further on, I focus on the practices which the school sets to establish relations with the NGOs which provide assistance in order to support social inclusion at schools. With respect to the objectives of this thesis qualitative strategy has been selected. The research pattern was formed from three types of actors who have been somehow connected to school. The data collection was carried out via in-depth interviews with the actors chosen based on the snowball method. Each group has been then analysed separately with the aim to create the most important categories. In the final part the most vital discoveries from analysis are compared in order to draw inferences with connection to the research questions. Key words: social inclusion in education,...

This diploma thesis deals with an issue of treatment of alcohol dependence and the process of social inclusion of people who have undergone this process. The thesis provides an overview of services and other forms of assistance that are targeted at this group. Attention is paid mainly to the current set-up of the services and assistance system to identify strong and weak aspects of the system. The work is based on a qualitative research. The research was conducted throught expert interviews and interviews with users of these services. Theoretical basis of the work is the ethiology of addiction, which offers various explanations of the origin and persistence of the problem of alcohol dependence. The work also uses the findings of the life course perspective, which allows to map the life trajectories of the interviewees, including the recognition of key events in their lives affecting the emergence and development of addicton. The last theoretical starting point of the work is the concept of social inclusion.

The topic of this work is "Social inclusion and employment of adults with Asperger syndrome". The thesis aims to present the specifics of social inclusion and employment of adults with Asperger syndrome. In the theoretical part of the work, a reader is acquainted with the term Asperger syndrome, with the development of expert terminology, symptoms, diagnosis and prevalence. Then a reader is acquainted with the social position of adults with this syndrome, specifically with a person with Asperger syndrome in the role of a friend, a partner and a parent. Subsequently, the work deals with the employment of adults with Asperger syndrome. The theoretical part describes training and positive work characteristics of these people, but also difficulties that these people may have in the work process. The conclusion of the theoretical part outlines supported employment of the people with Asperger syndrome, sheltered workshops and occupational rehabilitation. The practical part of this work contains an interpretation of the quantitative research, which was conducted by means of an online questionnaire survey. The research has shown that people with Asperger's syndrome have had difficulty in finding employment in most cases. The vast majority of people with Asperger's syndrome live in a partnership and almost...

[pt] A presente tese tem por objetivo investigar a emergência das identidades de obesidade em histórias contadas por grandes obesos que frequentam uma ONG no Rio de Janeiro para atendimento a pessoas nessa condição. Trata-se de um trabalho de inspiração etnográfica orientado pelo paradigma interpretativista de pesquisa, cujos dados foram gerados em entrevistas individuais e em grupo com pacientes da referida instituição no ano de 2013. Dentro de uma perspectiva de estudos na qual a linguagem é compreendida como co-construída, situada e constitutiva da vida social, esse estudo pretende se afastar de uma visão essencialista sobre o tema das identidades que é aqui enfocado como oriundo de interações discursivas nas quais se dão as negociações de sentido sobre quem somos/pretendemos ser. Nesse movimento de negociação, as pessoas parecem estar continuamente envolvidas em contar histórias, o que aponta para a relevância do estudo das narrativas cotidianas como oportunidade privilegiada para a compreensão da ordem social. Ao participar de uma história, os interagentes localizam-se, simultaneamente, em relação uns aos outros e a uma ordem macrodiscursiva, onde diferentes discursos a respeito do corpo estão em circulação. Conforme observado nas histórias aqui analisadas, a não adequação a um padrão corpóreo tido como ideal costuma resultar na exclusão social dos sujeitos que nele não se enquadram, o que se dá em diferentes situações cotidianas: uso de transportes públicos, relações afetivas, relações de consumo, entre outras. Entretanto, visto que as interações discursivas representam ocasiões onde os significados estão em disputa, esse estudo ressalta a importância da microinteração como espaço para a contestação de sentidos cristalizados no senso comum sobre o que significa ser obeso. Portanto, está aqui destacado o modo como os interagentes negociam suas identidades de obesidade para além do estigma. Além de contribuir para as teorizações na área do discurso, ao debater as construções identitárias via narrativas, essa investigação aponta para questões aplicadas ao tematizar as dificuldades enfrentadas por grandes obesos e sua tentativa de superá-las. Assim, essa tese pretende ser um convite a um debate multidisciplinar sobre a obesidade, ao apontar para a urgência na adoção de políticas públicas com vistas à inclusão de pessoas que precisam ter sua existência social reconhecida. / [en] This thesis aims at investigating obesity as identity in stories told by morbidly obese patients attended at an NGO in Rio de Janeiro. It consists of an ethnographic inspired study oriented by interpretive research practices that presents data from both individual and group interviews generated in 2013. As language here is understood as co-constructed, situated and constitutive of social life, this study avoids an essentialist view of social identities. Instead, it emphasizes identities as a result of discursive interactions in which people negotiate meaning about who they are/intend to be. In this process, they seem to be permanently involved in storytelling which suggests the importance of narrative studies as a way for us to understand social life. When taking part in a story, interactants position themselves in relation to each other and to a macro-discursive order where different meanings concerning the body circulate. Although those whose physical appearance does not fit into an ideal model are usually stigmatized, language interactions are considered moments when meanings are in dispute. Consequently, this study points to the importance of microinteraction, since it allows participants not only to contest taken-for-granted meanings about the body but also to negotiate obesity identities beyond stigma. Besides contributing to the area of language studies, since it focuses on identity construction in narratives, this thesis points to wider social issues when it discusses the difficulty morbid obese people face in different everyday situations, such as public transport, love and family relationships, among others. Therefore, this investigation intends to motivate multidisciplinary debates about obesity that may lead to the adoption of public policies aimed at people who should be socially included and integrated.

In determinate circostanze, i giovani vulnerabili possono sperimentare inclusione sociale attraverso lo sport. Dal momento che la comprensione di tali circostanze rimane poco studiata, la tesi fornisce approfondimenti su questo argomento mostrando i risultati della valutazione dialogica di un programma sportivo italiano. I risultati mostrano che: I. Promuovere l'accesso allo sport attraverso tasse sportive agevolate, servizi burocratici e trasporti inclusivi sono presupposti fondamentali per introdurre i giovani allo sport; II. Introdurre professionisti che facciano da ponte tra le società sportive locali e le diverse agenzie che si occupano di giovani vulnerabili è una condizione fondamentale che fornisce maggiori risorse sociali ai giovani, soprattutto in caso di grave vulnerabilità sociale. III. Coinvolgere i club sportivi in una formazione mirata a migliorare la loro capacità di essere inclusivi è una condizione significativa da considerare poiché "competizione" e "inclusione" sono percepiti come valori opposti difficilmente integrabili nel lavoro degli allenatori sportivi. IV. L'esperienza di inclusione attraverso lo sport è collegata all'autoefficacia sportiva e all'interesse dei giovani verso certi sport. Il lavoro discute il ruolo dei processi dialogici nella traduzione della conoscenza scientifica alla pratica e viceversa. I risultati forniscono suggerimenti orientati alla pianificazione e la gestione dei programmi sportivi. / Under certain circumstances, vulnerable youngsters might experience social inclusion through sport. Since the understanding of such circumstances remains under-researched, the dissertation provides insights into this topic by showing the dialogic evaluation outcomes of an Italian sport-based programme. The results shows that: I. Promoting access to sport through subsidised sports fees, inclusive bureaucracy services and transport are fundamental preconditions to introducing youth to the sports; II. Introducing professionals who bridge the gap between local sports clubs and diverse agencies dealing with vulnerable youth is a fundamental condition that provides increased social resources to youngsters, especially in case of severe social vulnerability. III. Involving sports clubs in training aimed at enhancing their capacity to be inclusive is a meaningful condition to consider since “competition” and “inclusion” are perceived as opposite values that can hardly be integrated into sports coaches work. IV. The experience of inclusion through sport is connected to sport self-efficacy and the interest of youth toward certain sports. The work discusses the role of dialogic processes in the translation of scientific knowledge to practice and vice versa. Results provide action-oriented evidence for sport for development planning and management.

This thesis is focused on the phenomenon of the social exclusion to the specifications of socially excluded children. My target was to answer these questions: How children threatened by social exclusion spend their free time? Are they satisfied with these ways and do they feel any limitations to spend a free time in different way? The theoretical part I focused on the theoretical definitions of the concept of social exclusion and other theoretical related concepts like integration, social inclusion or culture of poverty. Further I was dealing with definition of free time and in addition I described briefly a town called Neratovice where children participated in my research live, visit the school or do some leisure activities. For the research, I selected a quantitative research method - four semi-standardized interviews with children threatened by social exclusion at the age of 6-11 years. In addition children drew a time schedule of their common week day and weekend day. In practical part I analyzed the data from research, compare it with the data from other researches and suggest some recommendation based on these data in theoretical context published in theoretical part. Key words: social exclusion, integration, social inclusion, culture of poverty, Gypsy, free time, leisure activities, children