Dissertation--Universität Bochum, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 337-349).

Zugl.: Berlin, Freie Univ., Diss., 2007

Habilitationsschrift--Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Berlin. / Bibliography: p. 329-342.

The submitted diploma thesis concerns itself with the reality and literary fiction of socialisation of the Czech village over the years 1948?1960, attempting to capture their features and mutual reflexions. Based on analysis of various sources (chronicles, personal effects, period press material) and period fiction, it follows the events and happenings which were typical of the time. The thesis is divided into three parts. The first part is devoted to actual events and the political and social development which affected the village. Space is given here to a micro-historical study of the life of a real farmer compared with that of a selected literary character from a socialism-building novel set in a village. The second part deals with developments in literature, introduces the socialism-building novel, analyses the selected work and reconstructs literary images. The third part compares the preceding chapters, looks for mutual likenesses and differences, touching upon the issue of deformation due to ideology.

The presented thesis deals with the topic of Czechoslovak cultural politics in music during the Socialist Realist era. The author based the study on the personal history of Václav Dobiáš, a prominent composer, cultural organiser and a pedago- gue, who serves as a typical representation of an artist, who bestowed all his artistic talents to the cause of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. The first chapter briefly describes Socialist Realism as a movement in music in the Soviet Union, the place of its origin. The main emphasis is put on the introduction to Zhdanov's po- litical speech, which consequently became the mandatory norm in the countries of the Eastern bloc. The next chapter is focused on Czechoslovak reflexion of Socialist Realism and its reception. This chronological development aims to expose the spe- cifics of each periods' reception of this artistic movement. Following chapters are dedicated to Václav Dobiáš. The first chapter of this part of the thesis deals with the beginning of the artist's journey which was strongly influenced by the avantgarde movement of 1930's. Next chapters depict his adoption of communist ideology in 1945, explore the motives behind this ideological conversion and characterize his po- litically-engaged work. This part is followed by a portrayal of Dobiáš as a...

The system changed after the Cold War and the bipolar structure ended and left the USA as the only superpower. The question of the 21st century what is the current structure and how the emerging powers are becoming more important and how it can change the structure and rise their dominance in the multipolar world. The analyzed actors Brazil, China and Russia through their strategies are offering the possible system changes and configurations for the near future from the realist/neorealist perspective.

My diploma thesis deals with socialist realism. I have demonstrated that the content of this term has been changing regarding the political situation and it was loosely replacing the term folk art in historical texts. I have proved that the opinions of experts on socialist realism differ and a clear definition of the term socialist realism does not probably exist. The lack of definition of socialist realism was used to manipulate the artistic community. The thesis helped me to defend the proposition that the Communist Party has supervised and influenced the operation of the film industry even before the February coup in 1948 by the Ministry of Information, where a communist Václav Kopecký was in the lead. Interventions into films and purges of film workers were made already in the immediate postwar period. The main cultural-political directive on cinematography from April 1950, which should have provided a faster enforcement and obligatory effect of socialist realism, aimed to increase the film production. My thesis has shown that this directive, together with the bureaucratic way of approving films, disputes within the Communist Party, changes in film authorities and slow work of creative teams, contributed to an unprecedented crisis in the film production and to a fatal failure to meet the plan in the following year. In my thesis, I have proved that the film The Emperor and the Golem fully complies with two out of three principles of socialist realism. I have labeled the principle that requires truthfulness and historical concreteness as partly met. From my analysis, it can be concluded that this historical comedy has all the features that are required from the works of socialist realism.

Keywords The Znojmo altarpiece, Znojmo, Church of St. Michael, Dutch realism, Jakob Kaschauer Abstract This diploma thesis deals with the Znojmo Altarpiece, dated from 1430-1440 and now being exhibited in the Austrian Gallery Belvedere. Thesis is intentionally devided into two topics. The first one is the critical evaluation of the present literature, the second topic interprets the Znojmo Altarpiece itself. This evaluation is based on a specific fine art and visual value of the altarpiece connected to its sociocultural environment for which it was made for: the Church of St. Nicolas in Znojmo city. The complexity of the theologial program of the piece is also analysed, as well as its connection to a supposed donor, Duke Albrecht II. of Germany of the House of Habsurg. Thesis deals with the motives of duke's order including the choice of the carving workshop originated in the artistic environment of Bavaria, which was completed by the domestic Viennese painting workshop. In terms of its artistic style, both the painting and carving style of the alterpiece are putting into context of the Bavarian and Viennese contemporary production. The relationship between the origins of the Znojmo Altarpiece and the painting work of the Master of the Fridrich Altarpiece and the sculptural work of Jakob Kaschauer are also...

The student will compile a thesis about the period of dogmatic socialist realism in czech architecture in 1950s. The student will start with a definition of this style, will try to reconstruct a theoretical resources and fundamental parts of socialist realism and then determine the pre-stages in the architecture before the second world war. The attention will be focused on influnces and imports from The Soviet Union including the journeys of czechoslovakia architects there between 1920s-1930s and in 1950s. Own architecture production of dogmatic socialist realism in Czechoslovakia will be shown on chosen buildings in Prague (hotel Jalta, hotel International…). From this selection the student will determine its specifications and if it is possible to infer them based on the comparsion with the other buildings in Czechoslovakia. Keywords architecture, socialist realism, Prague, 1950s, ideology, The Soviet Union, historicism

The main focus of the dissertation is to examine the interactions between Egyptian foreign policy and the domestic, regional and international dramatic changes that shaped the environment in which that foreign policy was made and operated during the Arab Spring in Egypt from January 2011 to June 2013. The goal is to explore whether domestic, regional and international changes during the Arab Spring had resulted in a substantial change of Egyptian foreign policy in those three years regarding most foreign policy issues especially toward Turkey and Palestine. The dissertation's analysis, while rather qualitative and inductive in nature, employed the neoclassical realism as its theoretical framework. It allowed the researcher to identify major domestic players and issues such as ideology, strategic culture, political religion and the ability to mobilize national resources and study their impact on the foreign policy decision makers. The researcher concluded that the Egyptian foreign policy made several major changes during the Arab Spring especially toward Turkey and Palestine/Israel. These changes were due to domestic and regional variables more than to international systemic order's signals. Neoclassical realism proved to be ideal for the researcher's analysis. It helped him easily identify key...