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The thesis is focused on the phenomenon of walking and it's influence on the human perception of the environment. Walking is conceived here as a sustainable way of life and is discussed in three different dimensions: social, environmental and spiritual. It therefore maps the meaning of walking in the human life and it's impact on the environmental concern. The social, environmental and spiritual dimension of walking is presented in the theoretical part of the thesis. There is an analysis of the influence of walking on human health, formation and evolution of hiking trails and ways of the human life within them. In addition, it also deals with the concept of the perception of the nature and the human relation to it. The empirical part of the thesis introduces quantitative research of the pedestrians environmental concern which was carried out in the form of a questionnaire survey. The data from this research is then compared with the data from a representative sample of the population of the Czech Republic obtained in the framework of ISSP Environment III research. Key words: walking, sustainable way of life, perception of nature, environmental concern

This Bachelor's thesis is examining how is the image of Nature-Woman used in environmental context. When I speak about the image of Nature-Woman, I mean both explicit depiction of nature as a woman and general depiction of nature with emphasis on its feminine features. The image of Nature- Woman is being examined in following contexts: feminism, Gaia theory, deep ecology and wicca. The phenomenon of femininity is then being examined in two layers of meaning: in sociocultural layer and in spiritual layer. Sociocultural aspects of femininity in this thesis are based on social constructivism. Spiritual layer of femininity is based on archetypal femininity as it was described by C. G. Jung in his theory of archetypes. Questions this thesis examines are as follows: How does environmentalism uses the mythical image of a woman? Is it possible to connect sociocultural and spiritual layers of how femininity is being perceived in order to expand environmental awareness? Methods, that are being used to find answers to these questions are: literature comparation, analysis and deduction. Key words: femininity, archetypes, nature, culture, Gaia

This thesis is focused on examining the phenomenon of feminity in symbolic meaning. The phenomenon of feminity is examined from psychological and socio-biological viewpoint. In this thesis, the phenomenon of feminity is divided into cultural and natural feminity. The cultural part of feminity is then closely examined using the theory of social contructivism, thus as something that is human made and determined by the culture we live in. The natural part of feminity is examined as archetypical feminity. The term archetype used in this thesis was defined by Carl Gustav Jung and his theory is nearly followed. Theoretical part of this thesis is focused on defining basic terms and theory. Analytic part of this thesis si dedicated to the examination of mutual influence between cultural and natural parts of feminity. The last chapter is focusing on finding a way to use obtained outputs in environmental context. Key words: femininity, archetypes, nature, culture

This thesis Case Study of the Garden Allotment Chvalka is in its first part focused on the history and current status of allotment in selected European countries and especially in the Czech Republic. The study also deals with the important theories for this topic - Theories of garden allotment as a positive model of society according to Jan Keller, Theories of post-materialistic values of Ronald Inglehart and Theories of voluntary and deliberate modesty by Hana Librova. The entire study also permeates the Theory of sustainable development with its four pillars. Further in the thesis we can find a methodological part, which explains the procedures that were used to obtain information in the theoretical part and the methods that were used in the research. In the research part, the thesis focuses on the settlers and examining their motivation for gardening, what features has garden for them, which values they profess in the settlement, etc. The thesis also examines whether and how is influenced the gardeners thinking about nature by the gardening. This thesis gives a comprehensive picture of life in the settlement Chvalka with detailed presentation of gardeners and their relationships. This thesis in its result outlines the benefits that garden settlements brings to society and the consequences that...

This bachelor's thesis analyses the phenomenon of recycling waste from the culturological perspective, but not from the ecological, technological or logistical point of view. Pivotal element of the whole work is a conception of culture. Culture in this thesis is understands and uses as abiotic system of adaption of our society to the environment. The main topic of the whole study is the attitude, and position of the level of environmental consciousness in our society. This study - with a help of multidisciplinary analysis - looks for an answer whether rise and popularization of contemporary waste sorting can be considered as an indicator of cultural change, respectively to move the society towards pro- environmental consciousness. A key part of the thesis is a case study evaluating the influence social and demographic impacts on the level and manifestations of environmental consciousness. This study is based on a comparison of the level of mentioned kind of consciousness between the city inhabitants and village locations. Key words: Wastes, Recycling, Environment, Environmental Consciousness, Environmental society, Sustainable development.

Cílem disertace je interdisciplinární kontextualizace chicagské sociologické školy, zaměřuje se především na ty její aspekty, jež se týkají sociologických výzkumů města Chicaga v letech 1915- 1940. Cílem práce je propojit historický kontext a lokální specifika tehdejších výzkumů s výzkumným programem chicagské školy a jeho naplňováním. Nejprve jsou přiblíženy vybrané výzkumy, které chicagskou školy předcházely, dále jsou představena konceptuální a teoretická východiska jejího výzkumného programu. Nakonec jsou v tématických kapitolách kriticky prozkoumány nejvýznamnější monografie chicagské školy z let 1915-1940. Disertace se zabývá především tématy moderní urbánní kultury, migrace, kriminality a vývojem sociálního výzkumu v městském prostředí. Abstract The aim of this dissertaion is to contextualize historically and spatially the so called Chicago School of sociology. The Focus of the thesis is to present the urban research of the Chicago School in the years between 1915-1940 in an interdisciplinary perspective through the lenses of the historical context intertwined with specifics of the local research, followed by the research program of the Chicago School with its manifold research outcomes and applications. The interdisciplinary approach towards the topic and the contemporary practice of...

The subject of this work is to describe czech mountains as a qualitatively different phenomenon from most of the other territory of the Czech Republic. The work is divided into four chapters. The first two chapters outline the theoretical background and methodology. On the basis of this methodology, the other two chapters analyse the landscape of the Bohemian Forest on three levels: natural, cultural and symbolic. The conclusion summarises the findings of field research carried out on the "Vintířova Stezka". Keywords: cultural representation, landscape, mountain ranges, spiritual dimension, cultural ecology

This diploma thesis provides a detailed picture of the six Czech organic farms - six Czech organic farmers, who work in different locations in the Czech Republic. It focuses on the motivation for nonconventional methods of agriculture, tells the story of their business, explores and compares the different aspects that may play an important role in bringing holistic picture of Czech organic farming after 1989. Keywords Organic farming, biodynamic agriculture, organic farm, organic farmer, motivation

This rigorous thesis is a study on crisis of a shared world. Furthermore, it brings some strategies how to deal with it. In the first part the author introduces the shared world and analyses its existence conditions, which are physical public space, the public and media public space. At the end of the first part, the author characterises civic society as a result of an ideal combination of those three above mentioned conditions. In the second part, the author illustrates the crisis of the shared world on selected phenomena of physical and media public space, the public and civic society. The crux of his work is in presenting three main types of activist groups (social movements, non-profit organizations and individual artists and artist groups) and analysing chosen strategies focused on how to recapture the shared world through physical and media public space. Physical public space - direct action, reclaim the street, critical mass, guerilla gardening, flash mob, street art, culture jamming, etc. Media public space - alternative media, cyberactivism, hactivism, mass virtual active action, culture jamming, etc.

Diplomová práce Lukáš Čáp Contemporary landscape changes in the Czech Republic: Case of Jenštejn village Abstrakt: The diploma thesis addresses cultural landscape and the various approaches to studying this phenomenon. In the first part of the thesis, the author deals with both Czech and foreign traditions of thought, distinguishing between restitutive and reductionist approaches to the study of cultural landscape. This distinction continues throughout the essay and the potential benefits of each approach are considered in relation to every subject. The first part mainly focuses on the perception of cultural landscape as existential space, drawing on the definition given by Christian Norberg-Schulz in his book Genius Loci. The second part of the thesis examines Carl Ortwin Sauer's concept of cultural landscape. Sauer emphasizes the role of man as an active creator of his surroundings and sees cultural landscape as a consequence of a certain cultural group's activity. The author attempts to verify Sauer's methodology by analyzing the development and key changes of Jenštejn municipality over the course of the last 25-30 years. The research aimed to connect the geographical approach to studying landscape, represented by C. O. Sauer, with the approach focusing on values and symbols that represent people's...

SKE FHS UK Otisk proměn společnosti v podobě Přírodního parku Bezručovo údolí Diplomová 2013 ABSTRACT práce 12 Abstract Thesis introduced below is focused on the inter-relationship between society and landscape; on reciprocal influence among them, which is possible to observe through landscape appearance and through society's response to this appearance. Thesis hold an opinion that landscape evolution is determinated not only by local inhabitants, but also by social processes as well as extent of landscape condition reflection. Causality of these factors is covered by DPSIR methodological frame. Social processes - projected into regional situation, landscape and its reflection - are worked out as a historiographical study based on research of contemporary as well as period literature, archival sources and maps. Thesis deals with an area of Nature park Bezručovo údolí and selected municipality in a period from 1848 to 1989. Chosen lokality is situated in Ore Mountains nearby Czech- German border, in the district of Chomutov. Local landscape was affected not only by Industrial Revolution, but also by German inhabitants expulsion and by industrialization of Communist Era. Consequences of mentioned social processes are imprinted on appearance of landscape in diverse way and co-create landscape memory of Nature...

Zuzana Vernerová SUBURBANISATION IMPACTS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC Young generation attitude to the ideal habitation Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague, Department of Cultural Studies, Rigorous Thesis, 121 pages, 2013 The Rigorous Thesis strives for a holistic approach to the relation of human and landscape. This relation has been explored through the modern phenomenon of suburbanization from the culturological and ecological point of view. It follows the concept of sustainable development, evolution of the concept itself and its impact on urbanization. The teoretical part covers historical and cultural background of the relation and closely analyses urbanization, decentralization, suburbanization and the expansion of cities. The empirical part surveys the youth attitude to the ideal housing and their relation to landscape by a case study. The main task is to chart their opinion on magnitude of the cities and suburb areas growth. The sample of 360 respondents from all regions of the Czech Republic answers the question of ideal housing of the young generation as well as it estimates future development of the suburbanisation trends. Key words: suburbanisation, sustainable development, landscape, culture and nature, ideal housing

The Kolin's villas quarter "Čechovy sady" was founded at the beginning of the twentieth century as a residential area of local social elite. The builduings owners were for example artists, teachers, entrepreuners or architects and builders. During the "First republic" it became place of representative and resting belt of greenery of near surroundings, just in sight of the city center. However, the turning points of history - the second world war and mainly the communist coup in February 1948 - totally changed political, social, economical, ideological and cultural course of events. These historical moments left its marks on the people of Čechovy sady, and also on the fate of the whole "place". Present bachelor thesis analyses by way of the example of villas quarter Čechovy sady the transformation of the conceptions of housing, way of life and architecture. It attempts to explain that the villas architecture in the Czechoslovakia of the second half of the twentieth century was the unsuitable type of building, therefore there was established the collectivist and mass concept of society, policy, and also housing and architecture. And the "Villa" as a symbol of individual and civic housing and architecture lost its spot and meaning. In the case of Čechovy sady it constituted the symbolical conlusion -...

The work traces the history and the present of the Chvaly Castle with the emphasis on its reconstruction and further influence on the life in Horní Počernice. The reader is first acquainted with the history of the castle and its recent reconstruction with the help of funding from the EU structural funds. It is followed by the evaluation of the repair and description of the present castle. In the following chapters there is an analysis of the programme and management of the castle since 2008 when it was approved and the description of the revitalization of the adjacent church. Then the author describes the spontaneous restoration of the buildings neighbouring the farmstead that was left to be rebuilt by the private sector. In the first part, the author emphasizes the fact that in the past a group of objects in this region functioned as a whole and at the same time as a natural history centre. It is about the Chvaly Castle, its farmstead (now known as the Chvaly fortress) and the church of Saint Ludmila. In particular, during the 20th century the original function of the objects disappeared and the buildings were completely devastated. In the 90s of the 20th century they managed to start the revitalization of the court, the castle and the church at three different levels: private, state / European...

This bachelor thesis analyzes relationship between town and nature within the city, the inner nature, and its changes during the history of Western culture. This relationship is revealing through culturological point of view, thus interdisciplinary. This bachelor thesis goes from fields of historical anthropology, philosophy, philosophical anthropology and architecture. I perceive town as one of the most important features of human culture, that this artificial living space created, and it's further influenced. The relationship of city and nature is treated as expression of natural forces with which the man met during its existence, in the form of architecture, and the transfer of the nature into this artificial world in the form of gardens and parks, as an inner nature. KEY WORDS Town Nature Inner Nature Human Culture

The thesis Garden Design and Landscape Architecture in the cultural and historical perspective deals with interpretation of the development of garden creation from antiquity through the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Mannerism and Baroque, to gardens and parks in 18th and 19th century. It uses a critical comparison of available sources, and sees the subject in cultural and historical context. The object of interest is the European tradition and Prague's gardens and parks. Marginally, the work also touches on the cultural landscape and garden symbolism. Keywords: garden, park, landscape, garden design, landscaping, garden architecture, historical gardens, cultural context

In 2010 almost 272.000 pilgrims completed Camino de Santiago. Even though, it was just about 5.000 pilgrims 20years ago. Why? Thats the fundamental question and main theme of this diploma work. Seeking the answers, we need to specify cultural pattern of Camino de Santiago. As the topic is quite wide the analysis needs to be done on several theoretical levels. First of all, we are going to take a look at the dimension of pilgrimage throughout the human history. We will follow its evolution from nomad way of life to todays phenomenon of independent travelling. The character of modern nomad will be also defined. The aim of the second chapter is to interpret human relation to sceneries and paths, human ability to structurize the space we live in and a short contemplation about the art of walking. Last chapter is about the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. Major routes to Santiago de Compsotela are described at this part, focusing on their cultural environment, historical context and landscape disposals. Methodology mainly consists of reviewing relevant literature and participant observations made while making the pilgrimage in 2007 and 2010. Recently, the pilgrimage has gained a significant role in public interest as it has gained its legitimacy via natural human need and therefore reflects the condition of...

Thesis Břevnov - culturally and socio-cultural analysis of city and urban community is the cultural and historical synthesis, making the cultural history of Břevnov from the beginning to the present time. It discusses the architectural development of the site and changes in its social structure. Emphasis on the reconstruction of the federal and cultural life of urban community. Keywords: Břevnov, city, urban community, culture, socio-cultural analysis.

The thesis deals with the phenomenon of allotment gardens. Lots of them have been closed down currently and their functions have been questioned. The aim of the thesis is to find out a historical context of allotment gardens and a current state in a chosen one situated in Prague. The emphasis is put on social, economic and environmental aspects. These aspects are chosen because of the evaluation of the allotment garden in terms of the sustainable development and its environmental, economic, social institucional and social individual parts. The first part of the thesis provides general insight of the issues. It also deals with history of allotment gardens, reasons of their foundation and their development during the time. The second part of the thesis consists of the case study of two allotment gardens on Libeň Island in Prague. They physically adjoins each other and have a common historical development. People from both sites are connected with personal relationship. That is the reason why they could be considered as the one society. This part presents how it works inside these two allotment gardens as well as their importance for gardeners and for wider society with particular atention of environmental, economic and social aspects mentioned before. To illustrate the atmosphere of the place part of...

8 Abstract The diploma thesis Case study of Klecánky allotment site or there is not one gardener like the other is a case study of one of the huge allotment sites located near the village Zdiby on the north periphery of Prague. The aim of the thesis is to find out who the garden plot users are and what motivations for being in the allotment site they have. Furthermore to find out which concept of their garden plots they have chosen and which functions the allotment site satisfies. The thesis puts special emphasis on sustainable development aspects of gardening and on the values and value orientations of the garden plot users. The research was conducted with methods of participant observations and semi-structured interviews. In the course of the research it turned out that the gardeners demonstrate lots of common characteristics, however, their attitudes and values are different in substantial aspects. This is connected with the extent of their cultivation of fruits and vegetables. It also appeared that this fact is strongly related to the age and to the extent of busyness of the garden plot users. The analysis reflects these findings and besides the description of the gardeners as one social group it also refers deeply to each of the gardener groups. The outcomes of the thesis can help to understand to the...

In 2010 almost 272.000 pilgrims completed Camino de Santiago. Even though, it was just about 5.000 pilgrims 20years ago. Why? Thats the fundamental question and main theme of this diploma work. Seeking the answers, we need to specify cultural pattern of Camino de Santiago. As the topic is quite wide the analysis needs to be done on several theoretical levels. First of all, we are going to take a look at the dimension of pilgrimage throughout the human history. We will follow its evolution from nomad way of life to todays phenomenon of independent travelling. The character of modern nomad will be also defined. The aim of the second part is to interpret human relation to sceneries and paths, human ability to structurize the space we live in and a short contemplation about the art of walking. Third part is about the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. Major routes to Santiago de Compostela are described at this part, focusing on their cultural environment, historical context and landscape disposals. After that I will present the results of a small research I did about Camino de Santiago. In last chapter there will be short introduction to the Japan biggest pilgrimage : Shikoku Henro. And then I will compare both of them using key elements of each. Methodology mainly consists of reviewing relevant...

Anotation: The thesis deals with the history of urbanism and sustainable development and their synthesis. It focuses on both theoretical and practical aspects, using case studies and examples it demonstrates the possibilities and limitations of both. Culturological approach and critical review of the topics form an integral part of the work. Key words: urbanism, sustainable development, cultural anthropology.

Landscape, language, man - a culturological study Abstract The first part of this study views some of the contributions involving landscape theme. One of them analysis water element in landscape as the symbol of the human imagination and unconsciousness. Symbols, meanings and their creating are the most important human ability; this is the typicall quality for the human kind. In opposition to culture and its network of meanings exist nature and wildness that represent primary world without artificial interferences. At the present time this primary world can be nearly experienced in forest, where no loud meanings and hypertrofic symbols disturb us. Thus forests have an important function for reanimating and purification of human culture. An interesting mention of forest aesthetics from foerster H. von Salisch shows how creative and beatiful can the forest managering or landscape managering be. Next part references to space and to relationship between a subject (man) and its space. In generally meaning we can use the term environment. Each man needs to identificate with his living environment and he also needs to understand its meaning. According to Martin Heidegger's phenomenological philosophy we use term habitation. Habitation means existence in human way - each man lives between sky and ground. Ancient...

Ecological modernization theory - facts and context. Historical perspective, conditions and limits of the neoliberal sustainability koncept Annotation: This diploma thesis deals with the synthesis of ideas of ecological modernization theory, which has been developing since the 80's of the 20th century particularly in Western Europe. The ecological modernization theory wants to explain, interpret and propose environmental reforms in conjunction with continued economical growth, industrial development and globalization. The ecological modernization theory argues that a continuous industrial development does not lead inevitably to environmental degradation, but rather provides the best possible way out of the environmental crisis. Although the ecological modernization theory is a relatively young concept, during the first thirty years of its existence has greatly expanded and diversified, gained countless supporters and opponents, provoked a number of debates and inspired many empirical studies. This development, however, has led not only to new findings but also resulted in a dilution of the ecological modernization theory, which thereby has become confusing, vague and inconsistent. This thesis attempts to give a framework to the ecological modernization theory to specify not only its main ideas and goals,...

My thesis deals with the relationship between modern information and digital technologies and contemporary architecture and urbanism. I do not study any direct impact of these technologies on the architectonic and urbanistic production as working or manufacturing means. I try to show social changes caused by technologies and their reflection in the environment created by people. However, I try to consider the relationship as interactive, which means that I do not perceive the urban country only as a fossil of cultural forms, but also as the power that contributes to forming. In order to depict the relationship, I found the use of the concept of the culture as a network of symbolic meanings to be the most suitable. The thesis is divided into three main parts. In the first part, I introduce the development of the conception of culture and explain my own understanding of this phenomenon based on the symbolic interpretation of the culture. The second part of the thesis deals with the contemporary society. I explain the contemporary culture on the basis of the relationship between the sign and the symbol. On the basis of their dichotomy, I explain the terms of postmodernism, globalisation, glocalisation. The possibility of cohesion of modern societies in disintegration of unifying symbolic contents is...

This work focuses on the landscape of the Czech-Austrian border. It deals with the development of the landscape from a geomorphological point of view and against a social and cultural background and development of major historical events also trying to explain the development of cultural landscape. Particular attention is paid to specific villages, whose fate in the 50th significantly affected local scenery. The work points to the possibility of perceiving and studying man - landscape relationship in the perspective of cultural studies. One chapter is devoted to the methods of interpretation of local heritage. At the end it shows and offers strategies of reanimation and possibilities of protecting the environmental and instrinsic values that this landscape is. The aim of this work is to understand selected part of Sudetenland (called Czech Canada) to be able to predict its future state.

Presented diploma paper defines the phenomenon of school of rural renewal through four case studies that illustrate different approaches to this institution, and through their comparison. The empirical research is based on a theory development including definition of key words; rural areas, rural problems and rural renewal being among them. Analyzing interviews with the schools' representatives together with documentation study lead to conducting four examples of schools of rural renewal presenting four strategies for rural renewal. Despite having different approaches to the same topic, they correspond in several characteristics: they are a municipality project, they share the common idea of introducing further education to the regional politics and the target group is defined as the municipality officers. Major development of the phenomenon of schools of rural renewal was experienced in 1990's, when they meant a large contribution to the rural stakeholders' acquirements and capacity building. Keywords Schools of rural renewal, rural renewal program, rural renewal, rural development, rural areas, countryside

This thesis focuses on the border land on the Czech-Austrian border. It deals with the development of the landscape from a geomorphological point of view and against a social and cultural background and development of major historical events also trying to show the development of cultural landscape. Particular attention is paid to specific villages, whose fate in the 50th affected local scenery very much. Work points to the possibility of studying the relationship between man and landscape in the perspective of cultural studies. At the end it shows and offers strategies of reanimation and possibilities of protecting the values that this landscape is.

The dissertation, Today's alternative paradigm: Considerate humanity with a revived sense of wonder at the world and a commitment to life, attempts to revise the Western worldview, in particular its understanding of the relationship between humans and their environment. The scientific focus of the thesis is based in environmental ethics, while the common ground and the method derive from the approach of cultural science toward culture and its aspects. The aim of the dissertation is to offer a revived look on the reciprocal interaction between people and the world, which is inevitably modified through human culture. Critical reflections on the Western paradigm and its ecologically unsustainable consequences have been numerous within social sciences during the last decades. The perspective of the dissertation is a web consisting of three variables - man, the interpretation of their role in the world, and treatment of the natural environment implied by this interpretation. The three pillars of the dissertation are considerate humanity, revived sense of wonder at the world and commitment to life. The first of them is an outcome of the analysis of two opposing schools of environmentalist thought, the anthropocentric and the non-anthropocentric. Both blocks include various nuances but they can be distinguished...

This thesis is a study on crisis of public space. Furthermore, it brings some strategies how to deal with it. In the first part the author introduces the public space evolution and analyses the main causes of its crisis. Parallelly, he follows the second line of his study where he illustrates the crisis of public space as the crisis of civil society. The same attention he pays to media space. The crux of his work is in presenting three main types of activist groups (social movements, non-profit organizations and artivist groups) and analysing chosen strategies focused on how to recapture public and media space. Physical public space - direct action, reclaim the street, critical mass, happening and performance, guerilla gardening, flash mob, street art, culture jamming, etc. Media public space- alternative media, cyberactivism, hactivism, mass virtual active action, culture jamming, etc.

This work explores the influence of place of residence on the environmental attitudes and particularly their formation. I try to find differences in environmental attitudes of respondents from village and town in the context of other factors which have influence on formation of environmental attitudes. These factors are family environment, personal nature experience or impact of social environment. For this reason, I conducted a case study of environmental attitudes and their formation process of the respondents from the village Hostouň and respondents from the Capital City of Prague. The theoretical part focuses on attitudes in general and issues of environmental attitudes. It provides an overview of socio- demographic factors which do affect the environmental attitudes, mainly the place of residence. I also deal with the measurement of environmental attitudes, and define the terms village and town. The empirical part provides analysis of twenty semistructured interviews - ten respondents from the village and ten respondents from the city. I also conducted research using the additional standardized questionnaire NEP. The main objective was to identify existing differences in the current environmental attitudes of respondents from village and town. I also try to establish what impact the place of...

World organizations have a special impact on forming of places. One of them is UNESCO. It is aimed at the field of cooperation in culture, education and science among nations all over the world and also on the protectin of places with extraordinary cultural value. Its programme contributes to the formation of places with peaceful character. Urban environment is varied and it is possible to peruse it from many points of view. At the beginning of my work I was thinking about the relation between religion and living environment. The religion specifies our relationship to the surroundings, places the restrictions or recommends how to treat the nature. In the countries where people live really deep spiritual life, religion has an importatnt impact on living environment. The contemporaneous western world diverts from intense religious life and looks for another way. Nevertheless it is not right to assume that the religious influence in atheist countries is low or none. The relationship between the human and the living environment is formed by the past of the nation too. It means that in Europe the Christianity basicly formed the relationship between people and environment. Christianity superordinated human beings above nature provided that human beings will look after it apropriately. The religion provided the...

It is now evident that the current ecological crisis rise from the western approach to what is considered to be a "development". Increasing production and consumption of all kinds of material goods has been considered as a proof of prospering and happy society for several last centuries. The approach was established during the period of the European Enlightenment which gave birth to the belief of human exceptionality. No more God or natural powers but a man and his interests have ruled the world since then. Social sciences adored the conception of never ending progress until the 20th century. But increasing population and its needs started to endanger the environment and a stability of world ecosystems around that time. The ecological crisis was suddenly reflected among both natural and social sciences and it was obvious that we needed a brand new approach which would substitute the idea of economical progress in a way. The sustainable development concept has taken this part since 70's. It emphasizes non-materialistic values such as shared responsibility, solidarity, tolerance or equality. These values become even more up to date nowadays during the financial crisis.

Our highest mountain stands infront of the crucial question - in which direction will evolve its current main industry - tourism. Its form will fundamentally change both: the landscape and the economic potential of local people. The aim of my work was a description of the historical development of this area, which in many ways explains the current malaise. I have written at length about the mining and forestry, which significantly changed the local landscape and livelihood of its people.

This paper deals with nuclear power plant Temelín and its aesthetical, social, cultural and landscape context. The power plant is located in South Bohemia, Czech Republic). Theoretical part of this paper begins with definition of aesthetical paradigm. Influence of history and culture is stressed here. History of europe landscape painting and some important chapters of philosophy and aesthetic are mentioned. Next part deals with social, cultural and landscape changes of Czech rural areas and whole landscape in 20th century. It is focused mainly on South Bohemia and Vltavotýnsko region to show social and historical context of nuclear powr plant Temelín, its construction and influence. Practical part of this paper begins with geographical and demographica! descritpion of chosen locality. It is followed hy summary of power plants influence on the landscape. Paper sums up results of previous studie s and defmes methodology and theory of the qualitative research. Final part contains results and discussion. Results of aesthetica1 perception of nuclear power plant are discussed and put into wider context of changes of Czech countryside and landscape.

This paper deals with aesthetic evaluation of nuclear power plant Temelín (located in South Bohemia, Czech Republic). Interdisciplinary culturological approach embraces ideas of aesthetics, historiography and landscape ecology. Theoretical part begins with definition of aesthetical paradigma as biologically, culturally and historically influenced perception. Historical excursion into history of aesthetics and landscape painting shows that appreciation of landscape and nature beauty is influenced by history and culture. Paper mentions some aesthetical approaches (to interpret datas with), preferes contextual apporach. Practical part of this paper begins with geographical, demographical and historical description of chosen locality. It is followed by history of construction of Temelín nuclear power plant and summary of its influence on the landscape. Paper sums up results of previous studies and defines research's theory and methodology. Final part contains results and discussion. Nuclear power plant Temelín is presented as specific landscape element which is percieved in very different ways (from strong visual disturbance to percieving power plant as natural part of environment - everyday background). Comparison of some results with results of previous researchs shows some trends in development of people's...

Dissertation thesis deals with the relevant questions related to culture, personality, and migration. The topic has been elaborated within the context of operations of the Czech military personnel in observation missions abroad. It comprises of theoretical and empirical part. Theoretical part summarises basic conceptions on that issue. Empirical part is an explorative research that retlects broadly the issue of specific work-related migration. Appendix of the study inc1udes the summary of the missions that the Czech Armed Forces personnel have taken part in as military observers since 1989 and DVD with original film from the author' s place of work during his service for UN mission MONUC in the Democratic Republic Congo.