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Foreigners within Karlovy Vary urban region: spatial distribution and influences on local environment Due to exceptional migration characteristics of Czechia among CEE countries and entire EU, foreigners are becoming more and more important component of population of our cities. This fact implies the growing importance of foreign population as an agent in process of shaping the lived space. The aim of this diploma thesis is the presence of foreigners within the urban region and broader environs of Karlovy Vary - which currently is a city with one of the highest proportions of foreign population in entire Czechia. Migration characteristics and mobility of population of area are analysed with emphasis on foreigners. Subsequently patterns of spatial distribution of significant groups of foreigners are explained on various levels, based on unique unpublished data from Czech Foreign police office. Then the core section of empirical part is the analysis of influence of foreign inhabitants on the local environment, which stems from detailed field research carried out by the author. The work varies between urban and migration studies and theoretically is roofed by concepts of socio-spatial differentiation and residential mobility. From methodical point of view, the author claims and affiliation to the...

Karlovy Vary is currently a city with one of the highest share of foreigners in population in Czechia. Thus, one could expect that residents from foreign countries will have a significant influence on the forming of socio-spatial structures of this city. The present work identifies and characterizes most significant groups of foreigners in Karlovy Vary and evaluates spatial patterns of these groups in the basic settlement units. Emphasis is placed on the concentration of foreigners into the spa center and their other residential preferences, used as a key to interpretation of identified spatial patterns and deepen the knowledge about the state of residential differentiation at the lower scale level. To reach the goals of present work is used a combination of both quantitative and qualitative research methods. A case study is framed within the theoretical framework of concepts of residential differentiation and segregation in the former Eastern block countries context. There is also a brief characterization of the presence of foreigners and ethnic minorities in Czechia or a summary of urban and residential development of surveyed city.

This thesis studies the spatial distribution, integration and the diasporic nature of the ex-Yugoslav community living in Czechia and Prague. Theoretical concepts used are community studies, transnationalism, segregation, diasporic communities, and integration. Compared to other ethnic minorities in Czechia, ex-Yugoslavs are generally overlooked by research in social science. This immigrant generation is also the first instance of war refugees coming to Czechia in its modern history. The study of ex-Yugoslavs in the Czech society can potentially be useful for the future (research) of migration to Czechia. The first part of the thesis provides statistical data and a brief history of migration from the Balkans. This is followed up with the qualitative part of the thesis, where 13 ex- Yugoslavs are interviewed as a case study. The responses are coded and interpreted along with quotes. Ex-Yugoslavs display a preference for bigger cities, especially for Prague where they concentrate in the city centre, from whence their numbers radially decrease. The ex-Yugoslav community in Prague displays certain diasporic aspects, a "Yugoslav spirit" and a coexistence among nationalities. Many ex- Yugoslavs came here fleeing war and economic troubles. They have been successfully integrated and many have children,...