Sociological interest in psychoanalytic thought, which began early in this century, has thus far emphasized the implications of Sigmund Freud's clinical discoveries. However, beginning in 1912, Freud produced a series of works which addressed social themes. These works included Totem and Taboo, Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego, The Future of an Illusion, Civilization and its Discontents, and Moses and Monotheism, as well as a number of papers dealing with social themes. This study began with a review of the social and intellectual influences on Freud's life and thought. Then a content analysis of Freud's social writings, identified above, was undertaken, to assess the significance for contemporary social theory of Freud's social thought. Categories for analysis were constructed: Society: Social Origins, Social Control and Social Change; Social Groups; the Family; Religion. Freud's ideas concerning these social categories and social institutions were explicated and an assessment of Freud as a social theorist was undertaken.

The dissertation thesis gives a real picture of Czech artistic works from late 1980s to the present day that use the language of Conceptual and Action art for a reflection of current problems in our society. The study is to encompass socially-oriented art or tendencies that want to communicate with the inartistic context and its focus is on the social-political aspect of contemporary art. The first part of the text is focused on basic concepts, moreover, it describes the most important exhibitions, theoretical contexts or considerations associated with the concepts of political or engaged art and it includes a brief reference to examples of older socially oriented art of the 20th century. The thesis strives to give a picture of the main themes through which artists reflect on humanity within a current societal system with its various old or new phenomena. The topics and the particular relevant artworks are described in four main chapters that should reveal the working methods or the development of the artists approach or strategies of artistic groups that have simultaneously reflected changes in the Czech art scene for the past 25 years. The prime motives are classical or newborn topics like reflection on motherhood, transformation of the present-day family, attitudes to the phenomenon of age,...

One of the main objectives of this thesis is not only to map the life of Czech sculptor Vladimir Astl, but also explore various inspirational sources he might have used when creating social oriented pieces. Those are critical in is work. Typical avatars of plastics with social context are Žízeň (Thirst), Smutek (Sadness) or Stará žena (Old Woman), all of them from the period of 1905 - 1910. The initial chapter shortly discusses social problem which existed during the verge of 19th and 20th century and immediately influenced increasing use of social topics in art. Next chapter elaborates on these topics in more detail and focuses on changes of French society which were closely tied to the occurence of ambitious ideas to build monuments celebrating work of men. This chapter also discusses sculpture in France in more depth with focus on labor-oriented pieces from August Rodin, Jules Dalou and Henri Bouchard. The work of mentioned sculptors was dedicated to monuments celebrating labour. These formed a common inspiration source for social related themes in Czech sculpture of the turn of the 19th and 20th century. Next chapter continues to describe the foreign social tendencies and introduces a Belgian sculptor Constantin Meunier who made a significant impact on Czech lands with his pieces being...