O'BRIEN, Patrick. The Hegemony of Political Power underlying the Development of Supra-State Institutions. 73p. Master thesis. Charles University, Fakulty of Social Sciences, institut politologických studií. Supervisot PhDr. Tomáš Sedláček Abstract This diploma thesis attempts to provide a multi-disciplinary based framework to illustrate the underlying dynamics of the social structures which influence supra-state institutions via case studies in the operation of the European Union and the World Bank. The paper focuses on the role of the individual within the expansionary power of institutions in determining social structures. More precisely, this paper focuses on the hierarchy of powers and the activity within the negotiated creation of supra-state global institutions the influence of epistemic communities within the Triple Helix of industry, government, and knowledge sectors of society. Keywords Epistemic Communities, Structuration, Triple Helix, Supra-State Instituions, Social Constructivism

The issue of state failure within the international system has been a perplexing phenomenon in our increasingly mobile and modern society. The question of why some states succeed in developing into strong states within the international environment and why some fail is a question often overlooked. The focus of this thesis will be on three key factors that contribute towards state failure. The research will show how these three key factors: outdated state infrastructure, lack of economic development, and external intervention contribute to the occurrence of this phenomenon. Analyzing these key factors will highlight how state failure occurs within a case study. The chosen state for the focus of this thesis will be the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). By focusing on this case I plan to cross-reference factors that have been commonly used to gauge state failure. This will show that external factors, as well as internal factors can cause detrimental obstacles in state development. The unit of examination of these three factors will be focused on the DRC. My research will show that the three key factors are the reason why the DRC became a failed state and that due to external events the DRC was able to maintain an image of a stable environment, while the citizens of the country suffered. As a result of the rising influence of globalization and the push for development in the international system state failure has become a preoccupation for scholars.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / Ethnicity, sectarianism and economic instability are fundamental variables of internal security threats to Pakistan. Religious extremism has created an unenviable image of Pakistan in the eyes of the rest of the world and has affected the country adversely. At the same time inter-provincial grievances could potentially cause serious damage to the federation. Despite recent economic recovery and sound macro policies, the absence of genuine socio-economic development has provided ethno-sectarian elements and regional forces grounds to exploit and weaken Pakistan internally. This paper argues that ethno-sectarian problems are major security threats to Pakistan and will remain a huge impediment to the goals of economic prosperity. Interdependence of these multifaceted threats and their overall impact on internal security is the focus of this analysis. Pakistan needs to address these national security threats and find a viable solution in a reasonable timeframe to find its rightful place in the community of modern nations. The immediate requirement is to introduce political, economic and education reforms and take bold initiatives to obviate present and future threats. This paper recommends three-pronged strategy to counter ethnosectarian threats to Pakistan: halt then reverse present trends, enforce rule of law and lastly introduce fresh incentives for socio-economic development. / Lieutenant Colonel, Pakistan Army

Growing information security cases and scope illustrate that the relevance of information security issues becomes critical and present information security means are not sufficient enough to manage information security. Narrow comprehension of information security merely as technological problem is broadened by the research results of economic, managerial, psychological, legal and other related aspects’ influence to information security. Information is named as the object of information security management in this thesis, and new information security management solutions are searched in the information management sciences. Critical analysis of information management and information security management links, was established a theoretical basis to form an integral information security management model. Integral information security management model, constructed at a theoretical level, shows a complex approach towards information security, integrates information management and information security management. Integral information security management model allows indentifying information security management weaknesses in the Lithuanian State institutions, rectifying deficiencies, provide an integrated and efficient information security management. A practical research and obtained results grounded the constructed model’s applicability both for further theoretical academic research and for practical application in the Lithuanian State institutions. / Nuolat augantys informacijos saugumo incidentų atvejai ir mastai iliustruoja, kad informacijos saugumo problemų aktualumas tampa kritinis, o esamos informacijos saugumo valdymo priemonės nėra pakankamos informacijos saugumui valdyti. Siaurą informacijos saugumo, kaip technologinės problemos, supratimą plečia ekonominių, vadybinių, psichologinių, teisinių ir kitų susijusių aspektų įtaka informacijos saugumui. Disertacijoje teigiama, kad informacijos saugumo valdymo objektas yra informacija, todėl informacijos saugumui valdyti pasitelktini informacijos vadybos metodai ir būdai. Identifikavus ir kritiškai įvertinus informacijos vadybos bei informacijos saugumo valdymo diskursų sąsajas sukurtas teorinis pagrindas suformuoti integralų informacijos saugumo valdymo modelį. Teoriniame lygmenyje sukonstruotas integralus informacijos saugumo valdymo modelis atskleidžia kompleksinį požiūrį į informacijos saugumą, integruoja informacijos vadybą ir informacijos saugumo valdymą bei leidžia identifikuoti informacijos saugumo valdymo Lietuvos valstybės institucijose trūkumus, o šiuos trūkumus pašalinus, užtikrinti kompleksišką ir efektyvų informacijos saugumo valdymą. Empirinis tyrimas ir gauti rezultatai pagrindė teoriniame lygmenyje sukonstruoto modelio pritaikomumą tiek tolesniems teoriniams moksliniams tyrimams, tiek praktinėje Lietuvos valstybės institucijų veikloje.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:34:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DenziLR_DISSERT.pdf: 1746686 bytes, checksum: a4778fc2b93d8d203fc9d671d3c7f36f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-04-25 / This paper aims to make a theoretical reflection on the theoretical compatibility between the program State Employer of Last Resort (ELR) and the Democratic experimentalism (ED). The ED arises in political thought as an alternative to neo-liberal and social democratic programs in order to rescue the discussion about the institutional organization of society and the market economy. About the involuntary unemployment, it proposes tax changes incidents on payroll and proposes work fronts to the most vulnerable or poorly trained. The hypothesis of this paper is that this approach is compatible with the ELR program, the post- Keynesian line. The ELR is presented as transgression of the mainstream of economic thought by proposing that the State acts as guarantor of employment, working as a stabilizing anchor for the economy. On the edge, the ELR proposes eliminate completely involuntary unemployment. The implementation of the ELR, however, requires the construction of institutions that aim to remake the market economy, as well as deepen and energize politics and democracy, goals that are part of the ED program. Thus, the ED would, in theory, an environment conducive to innovative policies guarantors of training and occupation of the individual, essential for their emancipation institutional environment. In Brazil, which has serious infrastructure problems and qualification of manpower, such a program has enormous potential benefit. However when transposed to the Northeast of Brazil through the Plan for the region based on the principles of the ED and the hypothetical coupling to the ELR could not confirm or reject the hypothesis sub-compatibility of these two theoretical frameworks. The findings point to a partial convergence between these two programs / O presente trabalho tem por objetivo fazer uma reflex?o te?rica sobre a compatibilidade entre o programa do Estado como Empregador de ?ltima Inst?ncia (ELR) e o programa do Experimentalismo Democr?tico (ED). O ED surge no pensamento pol?tico como uma alternativa aos programas neoliberal e social democrata, visando a resgatar a discuss?o sobre a organiza??o institucional da sociedade e a economia de mercado. Para o desemprego involunt?rio, prop?e mudan?as fiscais incidentes sobre a folha salarial e frentes de trabalho para os mais prec?rios ou pouco capacitados. A hip?tese do trabalho ? que abordagem tem compatibilidade com o programa do ELR, da linhagem p?s-keynesiana. O ELR se apresenta como transgress?o ao mainstream do pensamento econ?mico ao propor que o Estado atue como garantidor de emprego, funcionando como ?ncora estabilizadora da economia. No limite, o ELR se prop?e a eliminar completamente o desemprego involunt?rio. A implanta??o do ELR, por?m, demanda a constru??o de institui??es que tenham como objetivo refazer a economia de mercado, bem como aprofundar e energizar a pol?tica e a democracia, objetivos que fazem parte do programa do ED. Dessa forma, o ED proporcionaria, no campo te?rico, um ambiente institucional prop?cio a pol?ticas inovadoras garantidoras da capacita??o e ocupa??o do indiv?duo, essenciais para sua emancipa??o. No Brasil, que possui graves problemas de infraestrutura e de qualifica??o de m?o de obra, um programa como esse tem enorme potencial ben?fico. No entanto quando transposto para o Nordeste do Brasil atrav?s do Plano para a regi?o baseado nos princ?pios do ED e o hipot?tico acoplamento ao ELR n?o foi poss?vel confirmar nem rejeitar a sub-hip?tese de compatibilidade desses dois arcabou?os te?ricos. As conclus?es apontam para uma parcial converg?ncia entre esses dois programas

This study examined the process of gender policy reform. It sought to explain how and when gender policy reform has taken place in Venezuela across time. The study entailed observations of gender policy reform during specific periods of Punto Fijo democracy (1958-1998) characterized by democratic consolidation and deconsolidation, and during the transition towards a new type of hybrid democracy, the Chávez era (1999-2007). The policies considered were the ones addressing women’s equality at home and at work, reproductive rights, women’s economic rights, and political participation. The analysis showed that the likelihood of gender policy reform depends on the combination of certain institutional configurations that provide women access to the decision-making process of the state, but most importantly to women’s groups’ capacity to organize a broad coalition of women from civil society and from within the state apparatus behind to push for a reform by using frames based on international agreed norms that legitimized their struggle. In addition, the analysis reveals the negative influence of religious groups with decision-making power on the process of gender policy reform.

The multiple components of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), promotes women’s wellbeing and rights to a life free from discrimination and violence. Gender-based violence (GBV) is a matter closely related to SRHR and affects women globally on daily basis. South Africa is estimated to score one of the highest rates of GBV in the world. This thesis aims to gain an understanding of how civil society organisations (CSOs) working with SRHR-related issues, approach South African state institutions with regard to strengthen strategies against GBV. A qualitative content analysis is adopted to analyse the CSO’s documents that frame their advocacy work against GBV and how they approach state institutions in South Africa. The results from the analysed documents are thereby examined through theoretical approaches, mainly targeting CSOs ability to translate universal human rights into local contexts, and contributions to social justice. The analysed documents reveal that the selected CSOs mobilise their advocacy against GBV through different media platforms. Moreover, the CSO’s advocacy is presented through evidence-based research, policy briefs, articles and campaigns. Through their approaches to state institutions, the CSOs demand the state to recognise that inequality and patriarchal structures cause GBV and negatively affect women’s wellbeing. Furthermore, the selected CSOs demand fair distribution of resources that ensures women’s safety in the public sphere. In addition, the CSOs demand implementation of educational programmes with gender perspectives in all aspects of society. Finally, the CSOs demand South African state institutions to include all sectors of society in decision-making processes of strategies against GBV. Thus, state institutions can unsure proper implementation of preventative methods against GBV.

This MA thesis deals with the actual situation of economic migration in the Czech Republic, the state institutions and non-profit organizations which operate in the field of labour migration and the interrelationship between non-profit organizations and state institutions. The aim of this thesis is to uncover how the global economic recession has influenced activities of state institutions and non-profit organizations which operate in this area. This thesis uses combination of qualitative methods of research.

This master thesis investigates the subject of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Kazakhstan and selected states of European Union (EU). Successful implementation of CSR depends on a number of factors influencing it. Firstly, CSR is regarded as a part of market strategic decision making. Thus, there should be certain level of awareness about CSR on this particular market. Secondly, CSR is highly dependent on the states' public policies and activities of civic sector organizations (CSOs). In this thesis I examine the interaction of the state, the market and civic sector in influencing and creating conditions for the development of CSR in Kazakhstan. One chapter is dedicated to CSR in Kazakhstan's oil and gas sector. This thesis also investigates and compares major differences regarding CSR in Kazakhstan and selected EU states. The aim of this thesis is to present current situation of CSR development in Kazakhstan and formulate recommendations for the successful development of CSR in this country.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This thesis examines the widely unknown history and origins of Muscatatuck Colony, located in Butlerville, Indiana. The national eugenics movement impacted the United States politically, medically, legally, and socially. While the United States established mental institutions prior to the eugenics movement, many institutions, including ones in Indiana, were founded as eugenic tools to advance the agenda of achieving a “purer” society. Muscatatuck was one such state institution founded during this national movement. I explore various elements that made the national eugenics movement effective, how Indiana helped advance the movement, and how all these elements impacted Muscatatuck’s founding. I investigate the language used to describe people that were considered “mentally inferior,” specifically who the “feeble-minded” were and how Americans were grouped into this category. I research commonly held beliefs by eugenicists of this time-period, eugenic methods implemented, and how these discussions and actions led to the establishment of Muscatatuck in 1920. Muscatatuck Colony, though a byproduct of the national eugenics movement, outlived this scientific effort. Toward the mid and late twentieth century, Muscatatuck leadership executed institutional change to best reflect American society’s evolving thoughts on mental health and how best to treat people with mental disabilities. Muscatatuck Colony reveals a complicated narrative of how best to treat or care for people within these institutions, a complex narrative that many mental institutions share.