This work deals with the issues of cultural identity of ethnic groups in the modern Mexican society, explores its characteristics and essence and searches for possibilities of its maintenance. The central question is, which way indigenous groups can develop their culture freely in the modern Mexican society, and so keep their own peculiarity and identity. The main instrument is a case study of Nahua communities occupying the territory of the Northeastern mountain range of the Mexican state of Puebla, which is in the sphere of influence of the organization called Unión de Cooperativas Tosepan Titataniske, seeking to improve the standard of living and strengthen the cultural identity of the villagers in the region. An ethno-historical study of the Nahua communities living in the particular region, completed with an analysis of the contemporary inhabitants' cultural identity based on a field research, shows that indigenous cultures can keep their identity in spite of significant external interference into their traditional way of life in the course of centuries and that the continuity of their identity is not dependent on maintaining concrete, time conditioned cultural manifestations. On the contrary, important factors for keeping cultural identity are the functional continuity of a given group and...

Theoretical part is focused on the philosophical and historical solutions which led to poststtructural and feministic approach to the gender identity. The art reflexive part seeks the visual parallel to above mentioned approach in art, respectively in the art depicting mother identity. Didactic part of the work provides possible option on how to get the gender identity theme over to the high school students. The work itself is a personal reflection of the maternity corporality topic.

This dissertation is based on a narrative analysis of eighteen life biographies of children of Vietnamese descent in Czech Republic. It shows that these young people lives are embedded in a "transnational social space", which spans between two geographical regions of Vietnam and Czech Republic, and which leaves them exposed to a set of social expectations, cultural values and patterns of human interaction, that are shaped by more than one political, economic and social system. It also describes how these people, through multiple connected social networks and social relationships, transform cultural practices, interpretations, experiences and identities, which deconstructs the idea of integrity between place, identity and culture. Although the primary aim of the work is to analyse how children of Vietnamese operate in transnationalized social and cultural contexts, transnational practices, such as homeland visits, kinship ties and sending remittances are also being explored. In doing so the children of Vietnamese migrants are neither perceived as "existing in vacuum" nor are their identities described as "deterritorialized". The work pays also attention to the question how their lives and identities are shaped on the backdrop of discursive fields and power relationships in particular localities. Key...

The thesis deals with a selected literary works by contemporary authors of the Central European area, which are associated with the landscape of Transcarpathian Ukraine. The thesis primarily focuses on the issue of imagining space from the narrator's perspective and a conception of its own identity in a relation to a referenced space, topography, collective memory. The initial precondition for interpreting texts is the peripheral character of the region and its features, such as nostalgy, memories of a place that is no longer, a fascination for exotism etc. Using a literary-comparative approach, the following texts are disscussed: Maroš Krajňak's Carpathia, Ziemowit Szczerek's Přijde Mordor a sežere nás aneb Tajná historie Slovanů, and Jinací by Taras Prochasko. Concerning space visualisation and its narrative potential related to the narrator's identity, the theoretical basis of the work is experimentaly set in a postcolonial framework. As such, the thesis intends to capture the resonance of the material in another culture (ie in the Czech, Slovak and Polish environment). Key words Central European literature, cultural context, periphery, postcolonialism, identity, landscape, Transcarpathian Ukraine

The thesis deals with a selected literary works by contemporary authors of the Central European area, which are associated with the landscape of Transcarpathian Ukraine. The thesis primarily focuses on the issue of imagining space from the narrator's perspective and a conception of its own identity in a relation to a referenced space, topography, collective memory. The initial precondition for interpreting texts is the peripheral character of the region and its features, such as nostalgy, memories of a place that is no longer, a fascination for exotism etc. Using a literary-comparative approach, the following texts are disscussed: Maroš Krajňak's Carpathia, Ziemowit Szczerek's Přijde Mordor a sežere nás aneb Tajná historie Slovanů, and Jinací by Taras Prochasko. Concerning space visualisation and its narrative potential related to the narrator's identity, the theoretical basis of the work is experimentaly set in a postcolonial framework. As such, the thesis intends to capture the resonance of the material in another culture (ie in the Czech, Slovak and Polish environment). Key words Central European literature, cultural context, periphery, postcolonialism, identity, landscape, Transcarpathian Ukraine

The thesis deals with bilateral relation of Slovakia and Hungary in terms of collective identities. Partial objective of the thesis is to explain Slovak-Hungarian relations from the perspective of constructivist theories and identity perspective. As a consequence both actors perceive historical development of the Central European area and common history differently. The main aim of the thesis is to research the nature of policy of Slovak government towards Hungarian minority living in Slovakia, as well as how this policy affects Slovak - Hungarian bilateral relations. Regarding the hypotheses, we believe that the Slovakia-Hungarian relations are strongly influenced by the structure of Slovak and Hungarian identity and the perception of other side as "the other" (another, foreign, enemy), resulting in a different understanding of the historical development of the Central European area and common history. Currently it expresses itself mostly in different attitudes and opinions on the issue of territory, respectively the border between Slovak republic and Hungary, and the status and rights of the Hungarian minority in Slovakia. As for the main hypothesis, the policy of the Slovak government against Hungarian minority living in Slovakia is affected by the identity of the Slovaks. This applies in...

This research examines the multi-vectored nature of Belarusian foreign policy since 1996 when Alexander Lukashenka solidified his regime in Belarus until today. The trends in Belarusian foreign policy are analyzed through the scope of interdependency and its intricate interplay with Belarusian national identity, or in other words, how President Lukashenka understands and interprets the Belarusian people. Since the early 2000s, it appeared that Belarus changed its foreign policy in an attempt to become less dependent on Russia and more open to working with new partners. Officially, Lukashenka has consistently maintained a multi-vector approach to Belarusian foreign policy and also in practice, despite intermittent speculation that Belarus might drastically change the dynamics of its foreign policy. Decreasing dependence is not motivation enough to completely alter perceived stability and a reluctance for change among the Belarusian people. Lukashenka uses the flexibility of his foreign policy to try to extract some benefits from global partners; however, the status quo of Lukashenka's foreign policies continues to remain intact. Keywords Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenka, Multi-vector, multipolar, foreign policy, interdependence, national identity, dependence

This thesis is based on a long-term field research in the Prague Jewish community in which I am trying to express the Jewish identity of young Czech Jews. The aim is to characterize the formation and construction of Jewish identities, their coexistence with other types of social identities and the role of material elements in this process. The formation has a processional nature and there are continual transformations and negotiations of concrete forms of Jewish identities over time. These identities are publicly manifested through various material elements and by this manifestation those identities are also strengthened. I also examine the impact of physical structures and other objects on the Jewish community, how they strengthen its cohesion and on the role that they play in materializing and bringing the collective memories into the present. I simultaneously work with the concept of materiality in the context of the Moishe House Prague project. I examine the position of techno-social tools and the power of leadership. This thesis is based on several theoretical perspectives that I connect and combine in order for me to explore social reality and Jewishness in their entirety. Key words Identity, Jewish identity, material culture, materiality, Moishe House, formation, construct, negotiation...

Title: National identity and assimilation in relation to the social environment in Plovdiv (18th - 19th century) Abstract: The dissertation presented here arises from the perception of national identity being a kind of collective identity, which is designated by state (political) as well as non-state (cultural) nation-constituting symbols. I have tried to examine the permanence, stability and objectivity of these symbols in relation to the social environment in Plovdiv during the process of national awakening as part of Bulgarian national movement (18th - 19th century). During this period the central position in Plovdiv's social environment was held by a numerous group of people so-called Graecomen. Graecomen voluntarily renounced their Bulgarian-origin identity and exchanged it for a Greek identity. The origins of Graecomania may be found in the long-term cultural and economical co-existence of the Bulgarians and the Greeks. Since the Middle Ages there was a stable Greek community in Plovdiv, which dominated significantly the social climate. This dominance became the key motivating factor for the spread of Graecomen as Bulgarian burgers tried through the means of a favourable marriage to infiltrate the Greek community and in this way to achieve a higher social status. The highest level of intensity of...

The main aim of this diploma thesis is to analyze the problem of anorexia from Foucault's perspective. The first hypothesis is that this 'pathology' is rather a social construction which has its origins in social norms and standards that operate in the society to make firm distinction between the normal and the pathological, the ideal and the unacceptable. In this study we will use Foucault's theory of power and discipline, the concept of biopower and also his critics of psychiatry. At the same time, we will complete our survey with the concept of construction and deconstruction of Jacques Derrida and with the social identity theory of Judith Butler.