This thesis deals with metaphors in the conception of George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. Metaphor is one of the fundamental principles anchored in our conceptual system and in our relationship to the world. Metaphors reveal how the world is saved in our language. This thesis illustrates a method of forming metaphors on the example of advertisements. It closely focuses on the cultural differences.

The aim of this diploma thesis is to explore the possible influence of the idea of the end of the world on the process of conquest and colonization of America. The author tries to answer this question through the study of selected images of the Last Judgment. The purpose aim of this thesis is not to describe or stylistically classify given works of art, but to interpret them using the methodology based on the semiotic conception of culture as public symbolical system that allows to interpret the culture and its expressions in their social connections. As the topic of this work is related to the question of death and finality, the chosen works of art are interpreted also in connection with A. van Gennep's idea of "rites of passage", which enables to pass from one life stage to another. The main source for analysis is the photographic material, which illustrates images and reliefs of the Last Judgment in their natural environment.

In my dissertation, I inquire into the phenomenon of monastic architecture and its plastic decoration in 16th century New Spain. The aim of this work is to present Mexican monasteries and their artistic significance. In my analysis, I build on the interpretation of monastic architecture from the perspective of early colonial society, I also reflect on the individual level, assessing its impact on the conquest and colonization of America. The methodology of this research project combines analysis of historical (e.g. study of historical sources) and art historical processes (iconological analysis of E. Panofsky) with analysis of anthropological concepts (e.g. rituals of transition of A. van Gennep, thick description of Cl. Geertz, concepts of liminality, structure and communitas of V. Turner). During my PhD studies, I conducted a field trip in Central Mexico (2013), supported by a grant from the Government of Mexico. I visited and documented one hundred and sixteen monasteries and the photographic documentation is the main empirical source of my analysis which further draws from the study of historical sources and academic literature. My research primarily focuses on three aspects: 1. the monastic architecture and art; 2. the role of the monastery in the process of European conquest and colonization...