Mgr. Soňa Fryščáková The aims and objectives of the European Union information policy (with a focus on librarianship in the institutional structure of the European Union) (dissertation thesis) (Směřování a cíle informační politiky Evropské unie (se zaměřením na knihovnictví v rámci institucionální struktury Evropské unie) Abstract This thesis is focused on the analysis of the selected libraries (and the other information services) of the European Union Institution, in particular the analysis of their current situation with an aim to address a proposal for their further development. The proposal points out problematic areas within the libraries' operation and prepares suggestions to the program goals of the information policy of the libraries of EU Institutions. The first part is devoted to the EU information policy in general and presents the development of the information society in the context of the European Union. The next section describes the information services of the EU Institutions. Specifically, those are libraries of selected EU institutions and also the Historical Archives of the European Union and the professional association of European libraries Eurolib. The last part deals with analysis of the information strategy of the EU institutions and with the solution that represent program aims of...

The theme of this thesis is attitude of the Communist Party and Czechoslovak totalitarian regime to Zionism in 1947-1957. The main aim of the archive research was to map gradual change of the communist regime from its position of the supporter of Zionism to that one of convinced anti-Zionism (nearly to anti-Semitism). Support of Zionism was primarily presented by help to the nascent state of Israel in 1947-1949. The evidence is given by the role of Czechoslovakia at meetings of the United Nations General Assembly in 1947 and its role as a member of United Nations Special Committee on Palestine. Furthermore, supplies of military equipment to Israel, diplomatic support, demographic support and training of Jewish brigade in Czechoslovak territory in 1948. Gradual change to anti-Zionist position at the end of 1940s and beginning of 1950s is illustrated with complicated negotiations on economic cooperation and with interfering of the regime in running of Jewish religious communities and Zionist organisations. During the first half of 1950s the support turned into downright opposition and lead in a diplomatic quarrel caused by the Slánský trial which had definitely anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist dimension. Utterly anti-Zionist position of the regime is also supported with further politically motivated trials -...

This diploma thesis deals with the political participation of national minorities in the Czech Republic. The main aim of this thesis is to find out what the possibilities of national minorities are to enter the political process in order to articulate their specific minority interests and how effective these possibilities are from their perspective. The emphasis is placed on ethnic political parties, minority interest groups, advisory bodies such as the Government Council for National Minorities and committees for national minorities at all political levels. At the same time, these selected minority institutions and bodies are also examined at the international level, which makes it possible to gain an overview of the attitudes of some states to national minority policy and their comparison, or even inspiration for the Czech Republic. The analysis was carried out on a group of five national minorities: German, Polish, Roma, Slovak and Vietnamese. The author also tried to find out how these selected national minorities are politically active, what factors influence their political participation and what is the interest in the issue of national minorities among the majority political parties. The author chose a qualitative research method for the research project and the technique of...

The thesis is focused on the examination of the scope of Article 14 of the European Convention of Human Rights, theoretical framework, and legal basis of the concept of discrimination. The paper presents an analysis of the caselaw of the European Court on Human Rights, how the latter operationalises the issue of inequality, and which inaccuracies of interpretation it leaves. The primary aim is to challenge the system of protection against discrimination under the Article 14 as well as the role of the national actors in its development. The thesis examines the level of compliance among signatories of the Convention with its anti- discriminatory provisions and focuses on the individual capacities of the states to satisfy judgements of the European Court on Human Rights. The usage of the comparative approach also helps to analyse the role of local non-governmental organisations in the process of compliance with human rights obligations under the Convention among signatories. The thesis aims to show why the level of protection against discrimination differs from the one country to another and which obstacles they face on the path towards the respect for human rights.

Veronika Knotková, Prague Municipal Clerks 1900-1950 Abstract This work, based mainly on primary resources, deals with the issues of bureaucracy, i.e. with the elite group of officials/clerks of the legal category of the Prague Municipal Office in the first half of the 20th century. During this relatively long period, Prague reached a position of modern capital of a new state, Czechoslovakia, and one of Central European metropolises. The core of the thesis lays in explaining principles of functioning of the municipal bureaucracy, the development of its position, the course of its career and the factors that influenced them. Attention is paid to the mutual relations within this group and both to their individual and group strategies, with regard to other municipal officials of other than juristic previous university education within the Prague municipal office as well as to the relations of officials and representatives of municipal administration. It shows how the disciplinary rules were applied. Adequate attention is paid to the relationship/interventions of state administration into the self-government sphere.

Reform of the UN Security Council and a stumbling block associated with it - abstract This thesis deals with matter of the Security Council reform, the most crucial body of the United Nations. It examines approaches of eleven specific countries which are divided into two groups. The first group is comprised by permanent members of the Security Council, the second one by states which, in case of their creation, could claim new permanent seats in this body. This thesis examines not only their real policies, but also their policies from theoretical - specifically neorealistic - point of view. Two different hypotheses were deduced from neorealism which were tested and subsequently evaluated as (in)valid. Hypothesis emerging from a standard neorealism put emphasis on policy whose goal is to maintain, alternatively to increase a state's autonomy (autonomy-seeking policy). International organizations are viewed as entity which limits, to some extent, this autonomy. On the other hand, hypothesis emerging from a modified neorealism put emphasis on policy whose goal is to gain, alternatively to increase influence on other actors (influence-seeking policy). On the contrary, within this policy international organizations are an useful entity because it is possible to achieve such an influence by means of them. In the...

The study "Democrat Petr Zenkl (from teaching to the exile)" is a complex political monography of one of the most important Czechoslovak politicians, PhDr. Petr Zenkl. It focuses on his resistance to the rule of Austria-Hungary, his early activities and the beginnings of his political career, his municipal work in Prague, his participation in the governments of the First and Third Czechoslovak republic, his career in the Czechoslovak National Socialist Party and his leading role among anti-comunist exiles in the USA during the Cold War.

Presented thesis Programs of the European Union of supporting regional interparliamentary cooperation in the region of Western Balkans as an instrument of regionalisation is focusing on regional parliamentary cooperation in the region of Western Balkans and programs of the European Union which are programmed to support this particular cooperation. The study is framed in the theory of new regionalism and the approach of socialization in international relations, which both offer in the case of European integration explanation of why regionalization takes place. The aim of the thesis is to answer the question whether the European Union is successful in its support of regionalization via regional parliamentary cooperation. Meaning if the mechanism of socialization chosen by the Union is effective and if institutional capacities of the national parliament in the region to conclude this cooperation are being built either via direct engagement with the Union, or via indirect way by engaging with regional initiatives active in regional parliamentary cooperation such as Regional Cooperation Council, COSAP and Cetinje Parliamentary Forum. By analyzing the mechanism of socialization and the environment in which the socialization takes place the thesis identifies if, and how much is the European Union able to...

This thesis analyzes the newly established U.S. National Ocean Policy. Through a content analysis of all obtained sources concerning the opinions on the policy, the main hypothesis is either confirmed or disproved. It can be assumed that Republicans would oppose this policy from obvious ideological reasons, whilst Democrats would support this policy, because it originated from their administrative and follows their positive approach to environmental issues. The ocean is not only for the United States, but also for the whole world an important source of food and various minerals, affects weather, produces a great amount of oxygen and absorbs noticeable amount of pollutants. Its economic potential for the United States is imperative and the worsening conditions of the ocean ecosystems represent an enormous potential threat to the future economic prosperity of the United States. President Barack Obama reinforced this ocean policy, which should response to the worsening conditions of the ocean, aim focus on the improvements of the ocean management and simultaneously enhance the protection of the ocean ecosystems. This policy began its journey in 2010 and was finished on paper in 2013. Its implementation will take many years, during which this political framework should lead to improvement of the ocean...

The theme of the diploma thesis is the policy-making process, specifically the process of making of the National Action Plan for Positive Ageing for the Period 2013 - 2017. It's about exploring its creation from the viewpoint of active members of the Government Council for Seniors and Population Ageing, who was discussing it at meetings. The theoretical framework - Multiple Streams Framework deals with the aspect of policy entrepreneurs. Using qualitative, semi-structured interviews and then analysis of qualitative data, it was possible to explore the means, used by policy entrepreneurs to promote their ideas at meetings. This diploma thesis does not only study the creation of an action plan, but also the identification of policy entrepreneurs, through document analysis. After that were analysed primary data from interviews with members of the Government Council for Seniors and Population Ageing, who had been appointed by The Ministry of labour and social affairs. The studied, strategic document is the answer to the demographic ageing phenomenon the population of the Czech Republic.