In my thesis, I deal with active ageing as a concept that is reflected in social policies. Active ageing presents activity as a key to satisfaction in older age and directs ageing population towards bigger independence and care about their health. I conducted my research in a chosen cultural and educational senior center in Prague. My main interest was how active ageing as an idea was transformed into social practice and how the activity was emphasized in the senior center and amongst its clients. The success of active ageing relates to culturally specific values as independence, activity, health, and self-realization (Lamb, 2020). Activity became a base for the hierarchization of activities, as well as people. The senior center which deals with the idea of active ageing is a safe space for its clients where activity represents a new social capital. However, this social capital has its limits as the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed. Keywords: active ageing, activity, social capital, vulnerability, senior center, neoliberalism

Using the optics of institutional analysis, the master's thesis "Institutional Analysis of Support of Czech Cinematography" examines and critically evaluates the dynamics of shifts in public policy approach towards audiovisual culture and its subvention from public resources. First, the subsystem of audiovisual policy is set into a broader social and cultural context. Then the thesis continues with identification of key events that influenced the formal institutions of cinematography support, one of the most significant branches of audiovisual culture. Following the Velvet Revolution, cinematography is approached with a neoliberal optics because of its potential to generate a financial profit and its artistic dimension and ability to function as a medium for values and education are sidelined. Despite declared efforts to support cinematography, the state institutions do not offer any conceptual solution for severely underfinanced sector of domestic cinematography, the sector, whose functionality should be in public interest. Only recently, changes in formal institutions, striving to bring a more complex quality approach back to cinematography, can be observed. As long as there is no conceptual financial support, however, the desired goals cannot be achieved.

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) should have been a 'game- changer' and a boost for the EU economy by creating more jobs and growth in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. By eliminating the remaining trade barriers, it would have established a transatlantic trade area connecting the two most powerful economies in the world. This Master's thesis utilizes four concepts of the neo-Marxist theory: key premises of the Amsterdam School, State theory of Bob Jessop and Nicos Poulantzas, combines Ulrich Beck's notion of risk society with Antonio Gramsci's role of intellectuals, and outlines the premise of commodification as a part of political ecology. The theoretical neo-Marxist prism facilitates the mapping of the crucial social agents functioning as the proponents of the TTIP agenda as a hegemonic project and those forces opposing the deal as a counter-hegemonic movement. This thesis reveals how the TTIP agreement was legitimized by the proponents but issues of transparency and other contradictions revolving around the deal attracted the attention of various civil society organizations (CSOs) that were concerned about TTIP's impact on public health and environment. Three empirical cases focusing on the precautionary principle (PP), endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs),...

In order to restart economic growth in Latin America after the so-called "lost decade," most countries in the late 1980s began implementing neoliberal reforms aimed at economic transformation. The most important economic rules, which were summarized by John Williamson and named Washington consensus, aimed at providing macroeconomic stability and much needed economic growth. At first, the transition to market economy seemed successful. After years of economic stagnation, the economy began to grow again, inflation was reduced, privatization provided much needed funds to the state treasuries and the attention of foreign investors turned towards the region. However, the initial success did not last long. Economic growth was far smaller, than what was originally expected, and many countries were failing in dealing with unemployment, poverty, and growing income inequality. Growing scepticism was then fuelled by a series of economic crises in the second half of the 1990s. Comparing the impact of neoliberal reforms on the economies of individual countries is problematic because the way in which they were carried out has differed in many countries. Countries have undergone reforms at different time, different speed and with different intensity. The scope of the implemented reforms also differed. In the...

The presented thesis examines impacts of neoliberal policies on agriculture in the developing countries using the example of Zambia and Angola. It is based on a comparision of two most similar countries, which have been different in their approach to implementation of neoliberal policies. Another objective of this thesis is also the spatial transformation of Zambia's agriculture as a result of implementation of policy conditions in structural adjustment programmes. The focus of the paper is motivated by lack of similar approaches in research of neoliberal agriculture policies. This thesis also analyszes research of neoliberalism of agriculture and food regime theory, which has already been carried out. A large amount of data was compiled and processed from several data sources, and utilised to evaluate research questions. Research has confirmed decline in food crops production and yields in Zambia as a result of neoliberal policies, which could threaten the food sovereignty of the country. Furthermore, changes in the spatial distribution of crop production were observed, which are mainly related to the abolition of subsidies and different farmers behavior due to the introduction of Structural adjustment programs. Key words: Angola, agriculture, agriculture subsidies, neoliberalism, Structural...

Stuart Hall, who passed away in February 2014, was one of the founding figures of what is known today as ‘cultural studies’ and long-time director of the renowned Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies at the University of Birmingham. In addition, he was a central figure of the British New Left, founding editor of the journal New Left Review, and one of Britain’s most charismatic public intellectuals. Crucially, for Hall, intellectual practice was a politics, and questions of culture were political questions. His was a thinking that was inquisitive, flexible and open-ended, regularly moving across disciplinary boundaries and synthesising different theoretical outlooks. It was rigorously contextual, extremely attentive to complexity, dedicated to the concrete, activist, committed and practical, and driven by a curiosity that constantly led onto new – and frequently largely uncharted – theoretical terrain. The subjects covered by Hall’s work include topics as diverse as popular culture and mass media; representation and signifying practices; subcultures; questions of power, ideology and resistance; ‘race’ and ethnicity; globalisation; multiculturalism and diaspora; cultural and personal identity; Thatcherism; New Labour; and neoliberalism. The present issue of Coils of the Serpent endeavours to contribute to the timely exploration of the legacy of Stuart Hall’s highly influential and multi-faceted work.

The thesis analyses the motives of charity and its various forms in the present society. It builds on the critical theory of "studying up", formulated by Laura Nader in 1970s. It considers the difficulties of ethnographic research in an unequal-power terrain, where the anthropologist finds himself in an unwelcome position. Based on a one-year long research of Rotary clubs, the thesis examines the question of whether the charity is a pure act of altruism, following of self-interest, or a combination of both. Charity has lost its significance from its original Christian form over time. Today, it takes the form of a successful marketing tool. For someone it may mean caring for the disadvantaged, for another a simple tool to ease his conscience; for others a convenient pretext for the setting up of a private club. Charity in some respect replaced the Christian confession and like other commodities in the neoliberal system is consumed without creating a long-term relation between the donor and the donee. Rotary International is a worldwide network of private clubs, among its members are leaders in the financial sector, health care, public administration, journalism and science and research. One can therefore examine the Rotary club from an anthropological point of view of emerging capitalism in the...

This paper focuses on the concept of right to the city and tries to link it to the topic of spatial planning in Prague. It introduces the view on the world of global neoliberalism, which comes from critical social geography and was elaborated especially by David Harvey, but originates from the French philosopher Henri Lefebvre. Through the optics of this approach the paper tries to grasp the complex problems of spatial planning on the example of Prague. Through a qualitative questioning of the representatives of CSO's, the paper attempts to show the relevance of the concept for public participation in decision making in urban development. The thesis presents a fundamental critical frame of theories, which evaluates the condition of society in the stage of late neoliberalism, and also the basic approaches to the city in social theory including the context of post-socialism. From these it continues to the analysis of urban space presenting a belief, which gives to the inhabitants of a city the right to make decisions about its shape instead of the capital. It puts emphasis on demarcation of the role of social movements and also the concept of place attachment, which becomes one of the key determinants for the involvement of inhabitants into the processes of urban development. The paper uses the...

The topic of this thesis is spin doctoring. It understands terms "spin" and "spin doctoring" as deliberate manipulation with public opinion by means of communication. The thesis includes an account of relevant concepts as are public relations, propaganda or corporate spin. It describes academical approaches to this issue. The authors criticize especially a corruptive influence of spin doctoring on democratic society and manipulative nature of public relations, but they offer possibilities of counteraction against these practices as well. The thesis considers both historical and recent manifestations of spin doctoring. Many examples analysed in this thesis concerns political environment of the Great Britain. Techniques and practices of spin doctoring such as "third party technique", "astroturfing" or "denigration campaings" are thoroughly explained. The perspective of semiotics and spin doctoring as manipulation with sign within social environment are concerned. The conflict between critics of spin doctoring and representatives of public relations is interpreted as discoursive discrepancy and both the antagonist discourses are analyzed. One chapter is devoted to spin doctoring within pharmaceutical industry. The practices and techniques of spin doctoring are interpreted in detail on this example....

Die gegenwärtige Politik betrachtet Windenergieanlagen als ein entscheidendes Mittel für die Gestaltung einer nachhaltigen Zukunft. Dennoch lehnen die BewohnerInnen der griechischen Insel Amorgos Anträge zum Bau von Windenergieanlagen ab. In der vorliegenden Untersuchung analysiere ich, wie die InselbewohnerInnen die Option der Windenergie beurteilen. Die Analyse basiert auf einem interdisziplinären theoretischen Ansatz und einem neu entwickelten analytischen Rahmenwerk, dem Institutions - Habits - Intuitions (IHI) framework. Qualitative Forschungsmethoden, insbesondere persönliche Befragungen und teilnehmende Beobachtungen, sind wesentliche Elemente der Datenerhebung und erlauben mir, mich umfassend in den amorgianischen Kontext zu vertiefen. Die Forschungsergebnisse zeigen, dass der Beurteilungsprozess auf dem Zusammenwirken von Kosten-Nutzen Kalkulationen, der Infragestellung der Thematik der Windenergie und intuitivem Handeln basiert. Die Option der Windenergie erschüttert die herkömmlichen Interaktionen der InselbewohnerInnen, die die lokale Tourismuswirtschaft und Gemeindeverwaltung bestimmen. Die Kombination pre-formeller Institutionen, eingefahrener Gepflogenheiten und intuitives Agierens aufgrund bisheriger Erfahrungen bringt die amorgianische Gesellschaft dazu, Windenergieprojekte abzulehnen. Die Analyse beruht auf der Anwendung von Ansätzen der Sozialpsychologie und der Institutionenökonomik. Damit wird u.a. die gängige Annahme, der Mensch sei a priori ein Investor hinterfragt und die Absicht verfolgt, die Kluft zwischen Wirtschaftswissenschaften und ‘realer Welt’ zu verringern. Die Insel von Amorgos ist ein beispielhafter Mikrokosmos in und für Griechenland als Ganzes. Energiepolitische Strategien und die lokalen und nationalen Beurteilungsprozesse dieser sind dabei nur zu verstehen, wenn die mit dem Neoliberalismus zusammenhängende, tiefgreifende sozio-ökonomische Krise Griechenlands in den Blick genommen wird. / Locals of the Greek island of Amorgos refuse wind energy proposals, while contemporary politics regards wind farms as a crucial means of pursuing a sustainable future. On the basis of an interdisciplinary theoretical approach, I develop a new analytical framework called Institutions - Habits - Intuitions (IHI) framework to explain the way Amorgians judge the option of wind energy development on their island. The data collection relies on qualitative research methods, that is, face-to-face interviews and participant observations, which enable me to delve into the particular Amorgian context. The research results show that the synergy of locals’ calculation (cost-benefit analysis), reflection and intuitive action influences their deliberation on the wind energy issue. The option of wind energy development shocks the ordinary run of things on the island, which is characterised by off-the-record interactions that shape both the tourism economy and the municipal administration. The combination of local pre-formal institutions, entrenched habits and intuitive responses causes Amorgian society to resist wind farms. Analysing the Amorgian case through applying approaches derived from social psychology and institutional economics, I aim at bringing the readers of this book to reflect on the discourse on sustainability and narrowing the gap between the discipline of economics and the real world. My analysis questions the utilitarian assumption that man is a priori an investor, and goes beyond the case of Amorgos, which constitutes a microcosm of Greece, which currently experiences a deep socio-economic crisis. I draw attention to the fact that locals of Amorgos act and interact within the context of this crisis, which is related to the political economic thinking attributed to neoliberalism. Finally, I claim that increasing bureaucratisation of social life clashes with local ethics, thereby affecting responses to politics of climate change mitigation.