The aim of this diploma thesis is to provide a comprehensive overview of the economic part diplomacy of the Czech Republic and by comparing the approaches of the individual regions to identify possible examples of good practice that could be transferred to other regions and thus help to boost their further development in terms of economic paradiplomacy. The paper provides answers to the questions: why did the Czech regions involve in international relations? What regional instruments do they use to promote their interests? What goals and motives do the regions follow from their involvement in foreign affairs? What are the relationships between each region and the central level? Are the objectives of economic paradiplomacy consistent or inconsistent with the objectives of central government? The work is divided into four parts. The first part shows the key moments in the field of studies in paradiplomacy and presents the research framework of the diploma thesis. The second part is the analysis of strategic documents in terms of the objectives of economic paradiplomacy. The third part contains an analysis of the activities carried out by the regions in the framework of the economic paradiplomacy, by characterizing the cooperation with the central level and the regional actors and by analyzing the tools used by the regions between 2012-2016. The fourth, the final part, then, presents an assessment of economic paradiplomacy and provide answers to research questions.

Over time, the position of the regions within the European integration process was gaining on significance. The emancipation processes of the 1970s and 1980s set off by advancing decentralization on one hand, and a wave of new regionalism on the other later evolved into a debate about a "Europe of the regions". Although it is obvious that this concept does not have a broad support any more, the regional level was able to seize the opportunity and secure itself a better position in the integration process -- not only as an object and instrument of EU policies, but also as another actor in the decision-making process. The aim of the thesis was to analyze the position of the regions in the European integration process as well as to deal with the topic in a broader theoretical perspective (regionalism, multi-level governance, paradiplomacy). To fulfill this aim the thesis answered following research questions: "What incited the debate about the Europe of the regions and what were the imminent outcomes of the debate?" "Which structures can the regions use to access the European policy level and what influences their efficiency?" and "To what extent are these structures used by Czech regions? Methods used to answer these research questions included analysis of available sources and literature, historical analysis and a survey.

This diploma thesis determines the foreign activities of municipalities in South Bohemia and Plzeň region (i.e. paradiplomacy) and so by the analysis of cross-border municipal partnerships. The term paradiplomacy is defined, European regional policy, possibilities of financial support of mentioned activities and institutionalized forms of co-operation among municipalities are presented. Special attention is given primarily to the cross-border partnerships that are the main subject of interest of the diploma thesis. The thesis is based on an analytical-empirical approach. There are also used the methods of comparative politics and statistical and mathematical methods for evaluation of data.

This dissertation analyses the development of intercommunal partnerships the municipalities of Western Bohemia more precisely the region of Karlovy Vary. It first approaches the issue of paradiplomacy and a cross-border partnership within the confines of the public administration organisation of the Czech Republic. Then the cross-border partnership is examined more closely through a case study of a specific municipality.

This paper deals with the new phenomenon of international relations - the foreign relations of subnational units. It describes it in the framework of new regionalism and in the concept of paradiplomacy. It analyses the main channels of regional representation at the level of European Union: the Committee of Regions, the European Commission, the Council of ministers, the European parliament, regional representation offices and transnational associations. At the end, the paper focuses on examples of Flandern, Baden-Würtemberg, Burgundy, Voivodship of Opole and Central Bohemian region.

The work focuses on a new phenomenon in international relations - paradiplomacy. The aim is to analyze this relatively new phenomenon and describe the practice use of paradiploamcy on the example of the Autonomous Basque Community.

The theme of this diploma thesis will be an introduction of a process of municipalities involvement in international relationships for which a term paradiplomacy has been established. The aim of the thesis is to point out the origins of formation of intercommunal cooperation between the villages of canton Bern and South Bohemia. A case study of a chosen South Bohemian city Sezimovo Ústí and Swiss village Thierachern will be used. Mapping of the first steps in the nineties of the twentieth century which lead to relationship establishment and its progressive development until now will be necessary. Interviews with representatives of both municipalities using an oral history method will become an integral part of this thesis. Methods of politology, history and sociology will be used to write this diploma thesis.

This diploma thesis deals with paradiplomacy between Czech regions and German federal states. The term paradiplomacy refers to the diplomacy of the lower territorial administrative units. Specifically, this work deals with macro-regional paradiplomacy, ie cooperation of regions that do not share a common border. The research thus focuses on the Central Bohemian Region, which has partnerships with the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate and the Moravian-Silesian Region, which cooperates with the federal state of North Rhine- Westphalia (research does not include Prague's cooperation with Berlin and Hamburg, as these are urban-type regions). This diploma thesis examines in what motives the paradiplomatic cooperation differs, what are the motivations for its establishment and what is the difference in the fulfillment of mutually set goals. The motives of paradiplomacy can be economic, cultural or political. The first part of the thesis presents the theory and definitions of terms that the thesis then works with. Following on is a methodology and research questions. Subsequently, the respective Czech and German lower territorial administrative units are introduced. In the second part of the thesis, the research itself is carried out and its evaluation set forth. The materials for the research were...

This Master's thesis examines the foreign cultural policies of global cities, and incorporates case studies of London and Paris during the years 2007-2016. It answers the question why, in what manner and with what results do these two global cities form the cultural sphere of their respective foreign policies. Through the analysis of the British and French cultural diplomacy, the thesis determines whether the foreign cultural efforts of global cities differ from the ones of their states and share common features among themselves, or whether the influence of the national models, contrary to the global cities theories, still plays the key role. Furthermore, the question of if, to what extent and with what results do Paris and London participate in cooperation among cities is addressed in order to asses Saskia Sassen's hypothesis about the formation of transnational urban networks. The thesis concludes that even though the cultural spheres of London's and Paris's foreign policies share many similarities, the influence of state models is still evident. London, as opposed to Paris, just like the United Kingdom as opposed to France, makes use of modern methods, including marketing and city/state branding, and at the same time puts emphasis on economic profit. On the other hand, both cities use similar tools and...

Town-twinning is a way of international cooperation between self-governments at the local level. The town-twinning is based on regular meetings of town representatives and citizens. The other type of international cooperation is the cross-border cooperation that points at common solution of problems in particular border area. The main aim of the town-twinning is information and experience exchange, arrangement of common cultural and sport events, school cooperation and language skills improvement. Thanks to the involvement of citizens in town-twinning activities, the mutual prejudices are eliminated and relations improved. The diploma thesis analyses the town-twinning between Prague and Nuremberg (Nürnberg), Pilsen and Regensburg, Domažlice and Furth im Wald. Thanks to the partnership, the towns and cities can advance their own interests in foreign policy by methods of public diplomacy and paradiplomacy regardless the relations between country governments. The improvement of international relations thanks to the town-twinning can be represented by the relationship between the Czech Republic and the Free State of Bavaria, where the twin towns were constituted without regard to the official policy of the country or the federal state. These contacts at the governmental level were very influenced by...