Social work as an institutionalized profession aims to promote and defend human rights and social justice regardless of gender, sexual orientation and other grounds. Rooted in Christianity, it is partly performed by religious organizations and religious people. Consequently, conservative values may orient the profession, thus conflicting with the rights of lesbians and gays. The aim of the article is to present the risks of social worker’s oppressive action toward same--sex parents, and to suggest possibilities how to avoid such ethical misconduct. First, we present a dilemma of social work arising from the tension between ethical principles of equality and non -discrimination on the one hand and conservative norms on the other hand. Then, we introduce individual oppressive tendencies which are manifested in the discourse “on homosexuality” in Czech social work and how these may transform into social worker’s oppressive action. Finally, we propose practical suggestions that can support anti -oppressive social work in the Czech Republic.
This study examines how South Africans construct and negotiate racial identities in written commentaries via a forum of the Mail@Guardian website Thought Leader in response to a blog by Ndumiso Ngcobo entitled “I’m a coconut and I am proud of it – say it with me.” Ngcobo’s ironic opinion piece, written in 2008, which plays with the label “coconut” (frequently employed in South Africa among “black” people in reference to another “black” person who seemingly behaves “white”), triggered 163 responses from individual readers. An essential point made by Ngcobo is that perceptions and attitudes around “whiteness” and “blackness,” or what can be considered “white” or “black” in racial terms, vary greatly, depending on circumstances and perspective. However, the author’s irreverent and ironic style is misunderstood and misinterpreted by many of the comment writers. Relying partially on the methodological framework of Critical Discourse Analysis, I analyze the commentary texts and interpret the categories people use in their discursive constructions of race and identity by examining their stylistic choices and content markers and focusing on sociolinguistic and cultural issues. It is argued that the analyzed comments are representative not only of the pervasiveness of “rigid” race thinking but also of how intra-racial boundaries are constructed in the post-apartheid state.
The submitted article reconstructs the interactions between Richard
Nikolaus Coudenhove-Kalergi as the originator of the Pan-Europe idea, and the Prague newspaper Prager Presse, during the time from August 1921 until autumn 1926. The account notes and comments not only upon Coudenhove-Kalergi writings published in the paper, but also the reviews of his books and reports on his public appearances. Thus the article traces, how the philosopher, who comes up with a particular interpretation of the situation in Europe after the World War I, becomes a leader of the international movement, a politician and a diplomat striving to gain support for a specific model of European organisation. The final section of this article deals with how the Czech translation of Coudenhove’s book Pan-Europa originated and the circumstances it was accompanied by. and Článek zahrnuje poznámkový aparát pod čarou
For the inhabitants of the town of Mysłowic acquires special importance the place called „Triangle of the Three Emperors“, where in the years 1845–1918 intersected the borders of three empires – Russia, Austria and Prussia. The threefold boundary represented for many decades the sphere of constant economic, cultural and social exchange and cultural and civilisational interpenetration. Thanks to the „triangle“ was Mysłowice known all over Europe as well as on other continents and attracted thousands of tourists. The surroundings of the „Triangle of the Three Emperors“ were endowed with excellent touristic and recreational infrastructure. Nowadays this legendary place is neglected and does not remind of its former importance. However, it is still being visited by groups of tourists and hosts occasional meetings and historical commemorations. Within the town there are numerous symbolic references to the „Triangle of the Three Emperors“. The municipal council recently devised a plan to transform the „Triangle“ into a showroom of the town and constituent part of its advertising campaign. The „Triangle of the Three Emperors“ instigates emotions and acquires a prominent place in the social memory of the inhabitants of Mysłowic, as it is part of the local historical tradition. On the background of the European history it acquires its historical importance and local relevance. Through its intimate relation to local history it evokes the images of the past glory of the town. The „Triangle of the Three Emperors“ surpasses in importance the remaining parts of the town and corroborates positively the social integrity of its inhabitants. Its symbolic importance can in a crucial way influence the processes of change and creation of social consciousness, responding to the unified vision of the future, and at the same time the creation of contemporary identity of the town, relieved from existing stigma of industrialization.
When the nationalities of the multiethnic Austrian Empire began to demand national self-determination "on their own territory“, they
started the struggle for the national "Besitzstand“. The great nations like the Magyars, Czechs, Poles and Croats claimed for their historical "Staatsrecht“. The Austrian governments answered with the concept of national autonomy in national homogeneous districts on the basis of the existing historical "Kreise“. Palacky on the Krensierer Reichstag, Stadion in the Reichsverfassung of 1849, Ernest von Körber in the context of his deliberations to solve the "Bohemian question“ presented concepts for realization. When the
governments of Stürgkh, Clam Martinic and Seidler/Hussarek declarated the "Kreisordnung“ for Bohemia, there was no chance for acceptance, because the question of the settlement of a Czechoslovak State was decided., Článek zahrnuje poznámkový aparát pod čarou, and V křestním jméně pod názvem je chybně napsáno Helmt místo správného Helmut
In East-Central Europe, Marxist humanism embodied one of the most promising theoretical developments of the 1960s. While respecting the unquestionable value of this intellectual current, this article highlights the contradiction between the emancipatory proclamations of humanist intellectuals and their reluctance to recognize certain prevalent forms of oppression. After comparing the humanist approach toward gender-structured themes in the former Czechoslovakia with the contrasting techno-optimist approach, the latter group is shown to have been more sensitive toward women’s issues. Th e article concludes that there was an intrinsic problem in Marxist humanist theory that contributed to this historical shortcoming in its emancipatory eff orts.