The theme of the dissertation submitted is the novel Devil Guardian, whose author is a Mexican writer Xavier Velasco. This dissertation is the very first theoretical work in the Czech environment, devoted to the above-mentioned piece of literature published in 2004. In a sense, Devil Guardian represents a characteristic Mexican novel of the early 21st century, combining tradition and novelty in a surprising and original manner. A significant feature of the contemporary Mexican literature is a departure from the theme of Mexicanity, generally from a programmatic indulging in so-called national literature. Velasco's novel is an exemplary, however, not only piece of literature proving that the literary break-up with Mexico is neither an exclusive nor a dominant attribute of the contemporary Mexican fiction. In Devil Guardian Velasco focuses his mind on the theme of personal and national identity, which he treats in a considerably nontraditional manner, giving an ironical turn to speak to a hypermodern girl moving in the globalized world. The dissertation is divided into six parts. The first part "Originality Rooted in Tradition" refers to Devil Guardian ensuing the tradition of Mexican novel and innovating it. The second part "Xavier Velasco" briefly introduces the author's life and work. The issues...

Die Geschichte der Beziehungen zwischen den Vereinigten Staaten und der UNESCO ist seit Gründung der UN-Sonderorganisation von Spannungen geprägt. Diese kulminierten im Austritt der USA aus der UNESCO mit Wirkung vom 31.12.1984. Im Gegensatz zur rechtlichen Dimension des Austritts war die politische Dimension höchst kontrovers. Es zeigte sich, dass ein generelles Unbehagen zu internationalen Organisationen generell und den Vereinten Nationen im Besonderen die Hauptrolle beim Austritt spielte. Die UNESCO spielt auf dem Gebiet der multilateralen Bildungsfinanzierung – neben anderen Organisationen – eine nicht zu unterschätzende Rolle. Neben anderen Problemen auf diesen Gebiet mit denen die UNESCO noch heute zu kämpfen hat, hatte daher der Austritt der Vereinigten Staaten negative Auswirkungen auf den Haushalt der UNESCO und somit auch den Teil der Bildungsfinanzierung.:Abkürzungsverzeichnis II 1. Einleitung 1 2. Die Geschichte zwischen USA und UNESCO – Ein kurzer Abriss 2 3. Die Krise der UNESCO – Der Austritt der Vereinigten Staaten 5 a. Die politische Dimension 5 b. Die rechtliche Dimension 11 4. Die multilaterale Bildungsfinanzierung 11 a. Die multilaterale Bildungsfinanzierung und die UNESCO 12 b. Die multilaterale Bildungsfinanzierung und der US-Austritt aus der UNESCO 15 5. Konsequenzen des Austritts 15 6. Fazit und Ausblick 17 Literaturverzeichnis I

[pt] O principal objetivo da dissertação é explicar a assinatura do Tratado sobre Reduções Ofensivas Estratégicas - o Tratado de Moscou – pelo presidente George W. Bush e a aprovação unânime, pelos senadores norte-americanos, da resolução de conselho e consentimento para a ratificação do tratado. Tais decisões são vistas como resultados de um jogo de negociação no qual se observam a interação e a influência recíproca entre os níveis internacional e doméstico. As hipóteses indicam que membros do Executivo e grande parte do Senado norte-americanos mostraram-se interessados no tratado – que estipula uma redução substancial do número agregado de ogivas nucleares estratégicas dos EUA e da Rússia, de modo a não exceder 1.700-2.200 para cada parte no fim de 2012 –, pois ele garante a autonomia para definir como a redução será implementada e para determinar a estrutura das forças ofensivas estratégicas em face das novas ameaças aos EUA e aos seus aliados. / [en] The main purpose of the dissertation is to explain the signature of the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty - known as the Treaty of Moscow - by president George W. Bush and the unanimous approval of the resolution of advice and consent to ratification of the treaty by the U.S. Senate. These decisions are seen as the results of a bargaining game in which the national and the international levels interact and influence each other. The hypotheses indicate that the members of the U.S. executive and a huge number of the U.S. senators were interested in the treaty - which stipulates that each party shall reduce substantially the aggregate number of U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear warheads, so that it does not exceed 1,700-2,200 for each side by the end of 2012 - because it preserves the ability to define how the reductions will be implemented and to determine for themselves the structure of their strategic offensive forces, in order to respond to the new threats to their country and its allies.

Die Doktorarbeit untersucht institutionelle Aspekte von staatlichen Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES, positive Anreizinstrumente i.F.v. Zahlungen für Ökosystemleistungen) in der EU und den USA. Die Untersuchung ist zweiteilig: Zunächst werden Design und Performance von bestehenden agrarumweltpolitischen Anreizinstrumenten analysiert, welche vermehrt als PES verstanden werden. Dann wird die Relevanz des Ecosystem Services (ES) Konzeptes für die Ausgestaltung der bestehenden Instrumente identifiziert. Die generellen Forschungsfragen werden hinsichtlich institutionellem Design, institutioneller Performance und institutionellem Interplay konkretisiert und im Rahmen von fünf individuellen Veröffentlichungen beantwortet. Hinsichtlich der Anreizinstrumente werden Regeln für eine effektive Gestaltung hervorgehoben. Ferner wird herausgearbeitet, wie Anreizinstrumente mit bestehenden institutionellen Strukturen interagieren. Hinsichtlich der Politikrelevanz des ES Konzeptes wird dargelegt, dass es bisher nicht in die Umweltgesetzgebung integriert wurde, eine Integration aber fortschreitet. Der größte zukünftige Einfluss des Konzeptes wird für die Klima- und Agrarpolitik vorausgesagt, insbesondere für bestehende Zahlungsinstrumente. Generell wird aufgezeigt, dass Zielgerichtetheit und Integration von staatlichen PES wichtig sind. Für einen funktionierenden Instrumentenmix von PES und Regularien muss die jeweilige Eigentumsrechtsituation transparent gemacht werden und verschiedene Akteure müssen auf einer gemeinsamen Basis zusammenarbeiten. Demgemäß wird diskutiert, welches Potential das ES Konzept dafür bietet, die Kommunikation zwischen den Akteuren zu verbessern und neue Impulse für eine Kooperation zu geben. Schließlich wird argumentiert, dass eine systematische ES Untersuchung und Quantifizierung bessere Möglichkeiten für Zieldefinition und Monitoring bieten könnte, der Nutzen einer ökonomische Bewertung von ES aber immer sehr sorgfältig geprüft werden sollte. / The doctoral thesis identifies and analyses institutional aspects of governmental Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) in the EU and US. The analysis is twofold: First, the design and performance of existing governmental agri-environmental payment schemes that are increasingly labelled as PES have been investigated. Second, the influence of the ecosystem services (ES) concept on such payments has been identified. The general research objectives are structured in terms of institutional design, performance, and interplay. Five individual research papers shed light on the raised issues. Regarding payment schemes, findings indicate certain design rule sets that can be crucial for environmentally effective governmental payments. Furthermore, scheme interactions with other institutional arrangements have been shown. In terms of ES concept driven policies, the identified design principles have hardly been included but their integration is proceeding. The greatest future ES impact on policy design is predicted regarding climate and agricultural policies, especially on existing payment schemes. In summary, effective targeting and integration of governmental PES have been outlined as important. To create and achieve a sound mix of PES with regulations and policies, the property rights situation, the reference point for application of the ‘provider-gets’ and ‘beneficiary-pays’ principles, and any deviations therefrom should be made transparent. Furthermore, different actors must collaborate on basis of common denominators. The potential of ES to enhance communication among actors and provide new impulses for cross-sectoral and cross-level cooperation in existing governmental payments schemes implementation has been discussed. Moreover, it has been argued that regarding governmental payments, systematic ES definition and quantification may offer the opportunity to enhance targeting, and economic valuation and monetarization of ES should be very carefully considered.

English text, with summaries in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / This study aims to propose an e-learning framework for mobile devices in Africa to help improve enrolment rates and education standards in the FET (Further Education and Training) phase. The study is qualitative in nature and employs document analysis as main research method. An overview of the South African education context with supporting statistical data to motivate why an e-learning alternative is crucial for improving South African and African education is provided. The literature review includes a descriptive analysis of 7 existing e- and m-learning frameworks, with key features highlighted for possible adaptation or incorporation into an e-learning framework for Africa. Behaviourism, Constructivism and Connectivism are discussed as applicable learning theories to pedagogically underpin this proposed e-learning framework. Thereafter, a critical evaluation of current South African education policy documents (White Papers, the Norms and Standards for Educators and the Draft Policy for the Provision and Management of Learning Teaching and Support Materials) is conducted to determine whether these policies support and enable e-learning effectively. Part 2 of Chapter 5 comprises a critical analysis and comparison of education systems and applicable legislation in the USA, Finland and Malawi to establish how education is structured and how e-learning is administered in these countries to make relevant recommendations for South Africa and to inform the design of an e-learning framework for Africa. Research findings are presented as answers to the research questions posed and the proposed e-learning framework with further recommendations are presented to the South African Department of Basic Education, teachers and researchers. / Die doel van hierdie studie is om ‘n e-onderrig-en-leer raamwerk vir mobiele toestelle vir Afrika voor te stel, sodat inskrywingsgetalle en onderrig- en leerstandaarde in die Verdere Onderrig en Opleidings (VOO) fase verbeter kan word. Dit is ‘n kwalitatiewe studie en dokumentanalise word as navorsingsmetode toegepas. ‘n Oorsig van die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel en konteks met ondersteunende statistiese bevindinge word verduidelik om e-onderrig-en-leer as noodsaaklike alternatief vir Suid-Afrika en Afrika te motiveer. Die literatuuroorsig sluit ‘n beskrywende analise van sewe bestaande e- en m-onderrig-en-leer (mobiele-onderrig-en-leer) raamwerke in. Hoofkenmerke van elke raamwerk word uitgelig vir moontlike aanpassing en inkorporering in ‘n e-onderrig-en-leer raamwerk vir die Afrika-konteks. Leerteorië, nl Behaviourisme, Konstruktivisme en Konnektivisme (Connectivism) word in diepte bespreek as pedagogies fundamenteel om die e-onderrig-en-leer raamwerk te onderbou en te ondersteun. ‘n Kritiese evaluasie van Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysbeleid (d.w.s. Witskrifte, die Norme and Standaarde vir Onderwysers en die konsepdokument oor die Voorsiening en Bestuur van Onderrig-, Leer- en Ondersteuningsmateriaal) is gedoen om vas te stel of die beleid wel e-onderrig-en-leer effektief ondersteun en prakties moontlik maak. ‘n Krities analitiese en vergelykende studie van die VSA (Verenigde State van Amerika), Finland en Malawi se onderwysstelsels- en wetgewing is gedoen in hoofstuk 5 deel 2 om te bepaal hoe dié lande onderwys struktureer en hoe e-onderrig-en–leer geadministreer word, sodat relevante voorstelle vir Suid-Afrika gemaak kan word en om insae te lewer in die ontwerp van ‘n e-onderrig-en-leer raamwerk toepaslik vir die Afrika-kontinent. Navorsingsbevindinge word voorgelê aan die Suid-Afrikaanse Departement van Basiese Onderwys, onderwysers sowel as aan navorsers. / Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuphakamisa uhlaka lwe-e-learning lamadivaysi eselula e-Afrika ukusiza ukuthuthukisa izinga lokubhalisa nezindinganiso zemfundo kwiSigaba se-FET (Further Education and Training). Ucwaningo luyimfanelo enemvelo futhi lusebenzisa ukuhlaziywa kwedokhumenti njengendlela yokucwaninga eyinhloko. Ukuhlolisisa umongo wezemfundo waseNingizimu Afrika ngokusekela imniningwane yezibalo ukugqugquzela ukuthi kungani enye yokufunda email ibalulekile ekuthuthukiseni imfundo yaseNingizimu Afrika ne-Afrika. Ukubuyekezwa kwezincwadi kuhlanganisa ukuhlaziywa okuchazayo kwezinhlaka eziyisikhombisa ezisekhona ze-e- e-m-learning, nezici eziyinhloko eziqokonyiswe ukukhishwa kwe-adaption noma ukufakwa kwisakhiwo se-e-learning se-Afrika. Ukuzikhethela, Ukwakhiwa kwe-Constructivism (Kwe Zokwakha) kanye ne-Connectivism (Kwe Zokuxhumana) kuxoxwa njengezifundo ezifanele zokufunda ukusekela lolu hlelo oluhlongozwayo lwe-e-learning. Ngemuva kwaloko, ukuhlolwa okubalulekile kwemibhalo yamanje yemfundo yaseNingizimu Afrika (Amaphepha Asemhlophe, Imigomo Nemigomo Yabafundisi kanye neNqubomgomo Yohlaka Lokufundiswa Nezifundo Nokusekela) kwenziwa ukuze kutholakale ukuthi lezi zinqubomgomo zisekela futhi zikwazi yini ukufundisa nge-e-ephumelelayo. Ingxenye yesibili yeSahluko sesihlanu iqukethe ukuhlaziywa okubucayi kanye nokuqhathaniswa kwezinhlelo zemfundo kanye nemithetho esebenzayo eMelika, eFinland nase Malawi ukuqinisekisa ukuthi imfundo ihlelwe kanjani nokuthi i-e-learning inikezwa kanjani ukwenza izincomo ezifanele eNingizimu Afrika nokwazisa ukuklama uhlaka lwe-e-learning lwe-Afrika. Imiphumela yokucwaninga inikezwa njengezimpendulo zemibuzo yokucwaninga ephakanyisiwe kanye nohlaka oluhlongozwayo lwe-e-learning kanye nezincomo ezengeziwe ezethulwa eMnyangweni wezemfundo Eyisisekelo, othisha nabacwaningi baseNingizimu Afrika. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

This missiological project seeks to study the role of the Guinnesses and Kumms in reaching the Sudan Belt, particularly through the Sudan-Pionier-Mission (SPM) founded in 1900. The term Sudan Belt referred to Africa between Senegal and Ethiopia, at that period one of the largest areas unreached by Christian missionaries. Grattan Guinness (1835-1910) at that time was the most influential promoter of faith missions for the Sudan. The only initiative based in Germany was the SPM, founded by Guinness, his daughter Lucy (1865-1906), and her German husband Karl Kumm (1874-1930). Kumm has undeservedly been forgotten, and his early biography as a missionary and explorer in the deserts of Egypt is here brought to light again. The early SPM had to struggle against opposition in Germany. Faith missions were considered unnecessary, and missions to Muslims untimely by influential representatives of classical missions. The SPM was seeking to reach the Sudan Belt via the Nile from Aswan. The most promising figure for this venture was the Nubian Samuel Ali Hiseen (1863-1927), who accomplished a scripture colportage tour through Nubia. Unfortunately, he was disregarded by the first German missionary, Johannes Kupfemagel (1866-1937). When the SPM failed to reach the Sudan Belt due to political restrictions, Kumm and the SPM board were divided in their strategies. Kumm planned to pursue a new route via the Niger River, seeking support in Great Britain rather independently. The SPM, holding on to Aswan, dismissed Kumm, and began to decline until it made a new start in 1905, but for a long time remained a local mission work in Upper Egypt. The Sudan United Mission however, founded by the Kumms in 1904, did indeed reach the Sudan Belt. An analysis of the SPM reveals its strengths and weaknesses. The SPM grew out of the Holiness movement and shared the urgency, which made faith missions successful, but also was the SPM's weakness, as it suffered from ill-preparedness. The SPM innovatively gathered together single women from the nobility in a community of service for missions under its chairman, Pastor Theodor Ziemendorff (1837-:1912). / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th. (Missiology)

This missiological project seeks to study the role of the Guinnesses and Kumms in reaching the Sudan Belt, particularly through the Sudan-Pionier-Mission (SPM) founded in 1900. The term Sudan Belt referred to Africa between Senegal and Ethiopia, at that period one of the largest areas unreached by Christian missionaries. Grattan Guinness (1835-1910) at that time was the most influential promoter of faith missions for the Sudan. The only initiative based in Germany was the SPM, founded by Guinness, his daughter Lucy (1865-1906), and her German husband Karl Kumm (1874-1930). Kumm has undeservedly been forgotten, and his early biography as a missionary and explorer in the deserts of Egypt is here brought to light again. The early SPM had to struggle against opposition in Germany. Faith missions were considered unnecessary, and missions to Muslims untimely by influential representatives of classical missions. The SPM was seeking to reach the Sudan Belt via the Nile from Aswan. The most promising figure for this venture was the Nubian Samuel Ali Hiseen (1863-1927), who accomplished a scripture colportage tour through Nubia. Unfortunately, he was disregarded by the first German missionary, Johannes Kupfemagel (1866-1937). When the SPM failed to reach the Sudan Belt due to political restrictions, Kumm and the SPM board were divided in their strategies. Kumm planned to pursue a new route via the Niger River, seeking support in Great Britain rather independently. The SPM, holding on to Aswan, dismissed Kumm, and began to decline until it made a new start in 1905, but for a long time remained a local mission work in Upper Egypt. The Sudan United Mission however, founded by the Kumms in 1904, did indeed reach the Sudan Belt. An analysis of the SPM reveals its strengths and weaknesses. The SPM grew out of the Holiness movement and shared the urgency, which made faith missions successful, but also was the SPM's weakness, as it suffered from ill-preparedness. The SPM innovatively gathered together single women from the nobility in a community of service for missions under its chairman, Pastor Theodor Ziemendorff (1837-:1912). / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th. (Missiology)

A la fin du 18ème siècle, les Etats-Unis inaugurent les révolutions fondatrices ou refondatrices, directement inspirée des Lumières et ayant dialoguées par-delà l’Atlantique. La période révolutionnaire a vue une élite politique nouvelle aux prises avec la nécessité de bâtir un «ordre nouveau», c'est-à-dire de créer un gouvernement et de définir le rapport au monde de ce nouvel Etat. Cette quête a amené les acteurs politiques de la révolution à chercher un modèle politique différent de celui, dominant, des monarchies absolues. L’idée de république s’impose dès la déclaration d’indépendance. En effet, les Lumières avaient redécouvert le républicanisme qui pouvait incarner l’espoir d’un ordre politique réformé. Cependant, les républiques classiques et les exemples contemporains confirment l’idée alors partagée par tous qu’une république ne peut être qu’une petite entité politique au sein de laquelle vit une population restreinte d’hommes libres et où les différences sociales sont relativement faibles. Non seulement cette petite taille des républiques était-elle un phénomène empirique mais elle semblait être une loi d’airain. Depuis la reformulation du dilemme républicain par Machiavel, l’idée qu’une république ne puisse pas être libre et étendue faisait consensus. Cette première république moderne, fille des Lumières pacifistes, a pourtant mené une expansion quasi-continentale. Comment cette petite république à la périphérie du monde pouvait-elle réconcilier sa volonté de rompre avec les tentations hégémoniques et son désir de puissance ?Comment pouvait-elle s’étendre tout en préservant sa liberté républicaine ?Nous avons formulé l’hypothèse que la réponse à ces questions se trouve dans une redéfinition des principes et des méthodes de leur politique étrangère. Afin de minimiser les risques de corruption de la république, les acteurs de la révolution ont cherché à mettre en place une politique étrangère républicaine fondée sur les idées des Lumières. <p>Cette hypothèse nous a mené à articuler notre travail autour de trois axes de recherche :le premier portant sur la théorie politique internationale, le second sur le débat idéologique autour de la politique étrangère et le troisième sur les institutions de prise de décision et de mise en œuvre de cette politique étrangère. Ces trois axes sont reliés par les idées qui forment la structure intellectuelle des débats entre les acteurs ainsi que les déterminants de la création institutionnelle. <p>C’est là le cœur de notre thèse. En faisant appel à la méthodologie originale développée par Pierre Rosanvallon, qu’il décrit comme une histoire conceptuelle du politique, nous avons tout d’abord procédé à une étude du cadre intellectuel de la révolution américaine en mettant en lumière les évolutions des concepts-clefs de la philosophie des relations internationales par une analyse de la contribution de Montesquieu à la théorie politique internationale. <p>La thèse porte ensuite sur les débats révolutionnaires, la tension entre les idéologies des Lumières telles qu’illustrées par la pensée de Montesquieu et le désir d’expansion territoriale ou de grandeur des acteurs de la révolution. Nous avons choisi de consacrer notre étude aux élites, non pas que nous ne considérions pas l’histoire sociale digne d’intérêt mais nous avons postulé que dans cette phase de bouleversement politique, ce sont les élites politiques qui ont joué le rôle déterminant. Enfin, la troisième partie de la thèse consiste en une étude du cadre constitutionnel, législatif et institutionnel de la politique étrangère républicaine issue de l’interaction entre la structure intellectuelle des Lumières et son interprétation par les acteurs. <p>Ainsi, notre analyse des idées, des acteurs et des institutions de la république américaine nous a permis de contribuer d’une part à la théorie des relations internationales en mettant en lumière les évolutions des concepts-clefs de la politique internationale au cours du 18ème siècle et d’autre part à l’histoire des idées politiques en étendant son champ aux questions internationales. Cela nous a permis également de mettre en lumière le lien étroit entre la structure idéelle, les intérêts et les stratégies des acteurs et la création des institutions politiques. / Doctorat en Sciences politiques et sociales / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The main aim of this dissertation is to analyze selected economic activities and economic relations occurring between the European Union and China. This dissertation is divided into four main chapters to ensure coherence and continuity throughout the research. The first chapter deals with the historical development of mutual cooperation between Europe and China. This chapter emphasizes recent events. The most extensive part of this work, the second section, addresses key areas of cooperation between the EU and China. Most of the research focus is devoted to trade economic relations and investment relations. Further, the second chapter addresses controversial areas within the mutual EU-China relations. In contrast with the second chapter, which looks at the mutual relations from the perspective of the whole EU, the third chapter distinguishes bilateral relations between two EU countries and China. The purpose of the third chapter is therefore to highlight the different approach of individual EU member countries. In the last chapter, I try to assess the growing influence of both the EU and China within the global economy. Finally, I outline the possible future development of the research topic.

The thesis deals with the U.S. foreign policy towards Cuba in the years 1958-1965. It analyses sources of U.S.-Cuban hostility at the beginning of the Fidel Castro era. It shows, how the U.S. foreign policy and the beginning of Cold war contributed to polarization as well as radicalization of politics in Cuba. Thus, it analyses the change of a local conflict into the "international civil war". The aim of the thesis is to argue that Cuba influenced the global balance of power between the Soviet Union and the United States at the beginning of 1960's. The introductory chapters summarize the causes of the Cuban Revolution, the U.S. policy toward friendly dictators, mainly toward Fulgencio Batista in Cuba. Next part deals with the guerilla warfare against Batista and the extent of U.S. influence on this insurrection. The thesis uses a multi-archival research of the U.S. as well as Czech and British sources. The comparison of sources shows the extent of independent Cuban actions and helps to comprehend the logic of the Eastern-European foreign policy. The thesis further analyses the U.S. reaction on Cuban Revolution as well as causes and consequences of the Cuban Missile crisis. Moreover, it deals with the possibilities of improvement in the U.S.-Cuban relations. Last but not least it also analyses the...