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New Forms of Political Participation: An Analysis of Political Campaigns from the Online Forum 4chan
No full textU diplomskom radu se analiziraju i kritički razmatraju političke kampanje korisnika internetskog foruma 4chan – specifičnije, s podforuma /pol/ (Politically Incorrect), u svrhu utvrđivanja predstavljaju li one novi oblik političke participacije. U radu se, kroz prikaz relevantne literature o političkoj participaciji, konektivnom djelovanju te kroz prikaz povijesti, organizacije i koncepcije foruma 4chan, uspostavljaju temelji na kojima se razrađuje kvalitativna analiza dviju relevantnih političkih kampanja korisnika /pol/-a. Glavni nalazi analize odabranih političkih kampanja pokazuju da su one kolektivne, subverzivne, da koriste troll strategije radi realiziranja konzervativnih ciljeva te da sudjelovanje korisnika u njima, zbog političke motiviranosti djelovanja, predstavlja oblik političke participacije. Takva politička participacija se također može smatrati novim oblikom političke participacije, zbog naglaska na djelovanju manjeg broja pojedinca iz cijelog svijeta, nedostatku organizacijske hijerarhije te drugačijoj logici upotrebe društvenih mreža za dijeljenje materijala.The focus of this work is the analysis and critical consideration of the political campaigns from the internet forum 4chan's – more specifically, from the subforum /pol/ (Politically Incorrect), in order to determine whether they represent a new form of political participation. Through detailing major points of relevant literature on political participation, connective action, as well as through detailing the history, organization and conception of the internet forum 4chan, the foundations for the quantitative analysis of two selected /pol/ political campaigns are prepared. The main findings of the analysis of selected political campaigns show that they are collective, subversive, that they use troll strategies in order to successfully realize conservative political goals and that the participation of the site's users in them can be considered to represent a form of political participation, due to the politically motivated nature of such participation. Such a form of political participation can also be considered to be an inovative, new form of political participation, through its emphasis on the participation of a smaller number of people throughout the world, lack of an established organizational hierarchy, and its different use of social media for content sharing
Analysis of media discourse regarding Islam in the case of news portal in Croatia
No full textOvaj rad analizira medijski diskurs o islamu u Hrvatskoj na primjeru tri hrvatska news portala: 24sata.hr, Index.hr i Večernji.hr. Svrha analize je dobiti uvid u medijsku prezentaciju i sliku islama u Hrvatskoj. Također, naglasak rada je na moći komunikacije odnosno diskursa pri formuliranju stavova pojedinaca. Hipoteza je kako je diskurs o islamu negativnog karaktera s pregršt predrasuda i stereotipa te kako je ovaj diskurs u svoj suštini izrazito rasistički. Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorku od 48 članaka sva tri portala u periodu od 1. siječnja do 30. lipnja 2017. Članci su odabrani upisom termina islam i muslimani u tražilice portala i analizirani kvalitativnom metodom kritičke analize diskursa. Rezultati su u slučaju 24sata.hr i Večernji hr. potvrdili osnovnu hipotezu u cijelosti, dok je u slučaju Index.hr potvrda hipoteze djelomična. Smatram kako razlozi ovakvog prikaza islama leže u geopolitičkim i ekonomskim interesima velesila, sukladno s korištenim teorijama.This paper analyzes media discourse about Islam in Croatia. Three Croatian news portals were analyzed: 24sata.hr, Index.hr and Večernji.hr. The purpose of the anlysis is to get insight into the media presentation of Islam in Croatia. Also one of the main themes of this paper is the power that communication or rather discourse has on the opinions of individuals. The main hypothesis is that the discourse about Islam has a negative character, that many stereotypes and types of prejudice are used and that this discourse is, in its essence, racist. The analysis was conducted on a sample of 48 news articles from all three portals in the period from January 1. until June 30. 2017. The articles are selected by typing Islam or Muslims in the portals search bars and analyzed using critical discourse analysis, a qualitative method. The results confirmed the hypothesis completely in the case of 24sata.hr i Večernji.hr and were partially confirmed in the case of index.hr. It is my opinion that the reason for portraying Islam in this way lay in the geopolitical, strategic and economic interests of superpowers as stated in the theory used
The role of EU funds and the influence of specific development index indicators on reducing water losses in Vodoopskrba i odvodnja Zagrebačke županije
No full textZavršni rad bavi se istraživanjem utjecaja indeksa razvijenosti, financijskih kapaciteta i EU fondova na smanjenje gubitaka vode u vodoopskrbnom sustavu Zagrebačke županije, s fokusom na Vodoopskrbu i odvodnju Zagrebačke županije d.o.o. Gubici vode, koji u Hrvatskoj često prelaze 30%, predstavljaju značajan izazov na održivost vodnih resursa, povećavajući operativne troškove, negativno utjecajući na okoliš i kvalitetu pružanja usluge. U kontekstu Europske unije, smanjenje gubitaka vode prepoznato je kao strateški prioritet, integriran u Europski zeleni plan i druge regulative. Hrvatska je, slijedom toga, kroz Nacionalni plan oporavka i otpornosti (NPOO) postavila cilj smanjenja gubitaka vode na 25% do 2026. godine.
Istraživanje koristi kombinaciju kvalitativnih i kvantitativnih metoda, uključujući dubinske intervjue s predstavnicima VIOZŽ-a i statističku analizu putem Pearsonovog koeficijenta korelacije. Rezultati pokazuju da viši indeks razvijenosti, posebice prosječni dohodak po stanovniku, nema značajnu korelaciju s nižim gubicima vode (-0,104), dok veći stupanj obrazovanja (VSS) pokazuje slabu negativnu korelaciju (-0,302). Financijski kapaciteti poduzeća, a pogotovo pristup EU fondovima značajno doprinose smanjenju gubitaka kroz modernizaciju infrastrukture, posebice putem projekta RVS, financiranog iz Kohezijskog fonda, koji ima za cilj smanjenja gubitaka s 29,2% na 18,6%.
Preporuke uključuju punu implementaciju tehnologija poput GIS-a, SCADA i NUS sustava, optimizaciju tlaka u mreži, jačanje kadrovskih kapaciteta i usklađivanje cijena usluga s troškovima uz očuvanje socijalne pravednosti. Rad naglašava važnost korištenja ILI indikatora za mjerenje stvarnih gubitaka vode, čime bi se puno preciznije i pravovremeno detektirali vodni gubici, pružajući održivost vodoopskrbnog sustava VIOZŽ-a. Buduća istraživanja mogla bi se usmjeriti na samodostatnost poduzeća u održavanju ciljanih gubitaka vode, a po završetku financiranja iz EU fondova. Također završni rad može poslužiti kao temelj za slična istraživanja na većem uzorku.This thesis examines the influence of the development index, financial capacities, and the role of EU funds in reducing water losses within the water supply system of Zagrebačka County, with a focus on the company Vodoopskrba i odvodnja Zagrebačke županije d.o.o. Water losses, which in Croatia frequently exceed 30%, represent a significant challenge to the sustainability of water resources by increasing operational costs, negatively impacting the environment, and reducing service quality. Within the framework of the European Union, the reduction of water losses is recognized as a strategic priority, integrated in the European Green Deal and related regulatory instruments. In alignment with these priorities, Croatia has committed, through its National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), to reducing water losses to 25% by the year 2026.
The research uses a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including in-depth interviews with VIOZŽ representatives and statistical analysis using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The findings indicate that a higher development index, particularly average income per capita, does not have a significant correlation with lower water losses (-0.104), while a higher level of education (university degree) shows a weak negative correlation (-0.302). The company's financial capacities, especially access to EU funds, is shown to have a meaningful impact on reducing losses through infrastructure modernization. This is represented by the RVS project, co-financed by the EU Cohesion Fund, which aims to reduce losses from 29.2% to 18.6%.
The study offers several recommendations, including the full implementation of technologies such as GIS, SCADA, and NUS systems, optimization of network water pressure, strengthening human resource capacities, and alignment of service pricing with actual operating costs while ensuring social equity. This research emphasizes the significance of utilizing the Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) as a metric of real water losses, which enables more precise and timely detection of losses, thereby supporting the long-term sustainability of the VIOZŽ water supply system.
Future research could explore the long-term self-sufficiency and resilience of the company in sustaining reduced water loss levels in the absence of continued EU funding. Furthermore, this thesis may serve as a foundational reference for similar studies conducted on a broader scale
Comparison of the development of the intelligence system of Argentina and the Republic of Croatia
No full textSukus istraživanja završnog specijalističkog rada temelji se na pitanju definicije nacionalne sigurnosti, kao jedne od najsloženijih i najzahtjevnijih područja djelovanja suvremenih država. Nadalje, u radu se analizira razvoj obavještajnog sustava Republike Hrvatske, male države članice Europske unije smještene u jugoistočnom dijelu Europe i Republike Argentine, druge po veličini države Južne Amerike, a promatrajući sve kroz prizmu razvoja demokratskih političkih poredaka. Svaka od tih država imala je svoj povijesni put razvitka i uspostave sigurnosno-obavještajnog sustava. Zaključno, rad analizira procese nadzora svakog pojedinog sustava unutar te dvije zemlje, te povlači aktualna pitanja i poteškoće kroz koje obje države svakodnevno prolaze u nadi što bolje organizacije i funkcioniranja samog sigurnosno-obavještajnog sustava.The research context of the final specialist thesis is based on the question of the national security definition, as one of the most complex and demanding areas of activities in modern countries. Furthermore, the thesis analyzes the intelligence system development of the Republic of Croatia, a small member state of the European Union located in the southeastern part of Europe and the Republic of Argentina, the second largest country in South America, observing everything through the prism of the development of democratic political orders. Each of these countries had its own historical path of development and establishment of the security-intelligence system. In conclusion, the thesis analyzes the processes of monitoring each individual system within these two countries, and highlights current issues and difficulties that both countries go through every day in the hope of better organization and functioning of the security-intelligence system itself
Neutrality of the Vatican in International Relations and Conflict Resolution
No full textNeutralnost se najjednostavnije može definirati kao politika nepodupiranja jedne od sukobljenih strana. Trajna neutralnost odnosi se na zabranu stacioniranja stranih postrojba na teritoriju države koja provodi politiku trajne neutralnosti te se odnosi na suzdržanost od pridruživanja vojnim savezima, bez obzira na to radi li se o ratnom ili mirnodopskom vremenu. Vatikan je Lateranskim sporazumom iz 1929. trajno neutralna država. Status neutralnosti koristio je kako bi medijacijom rješavao međunarodne sukobe, oslanjajući se na svoju duhovnu i moralnu moć, odnosno autoritet te na vjerske vrijednosti. Nekoliko je primjera uspješne vatikanske medijacije na području Bliskog istoka, uz suvremene apele svim stranama. Isti poticaji Vatikana na dijalog i pregovore prisutni su kod rusko-ukrajinskog sukoba, u čemu se vidi pozitivna neutralnost. Legalna neutralnost prisutna je u slučaju Poljske u vrijeme komunističke vlasti. Jedina situacija u kojoj Vatikan nije neutralan jest prema nuklearnom oružju, u čijem ograničenju prepoznaje smanjivanje razine međunarodnih sukoba.In the simplest terms, neutrality can be defined as a policy of not supporting one of the conflicting sides. Permanent neutrality implies the prohibition of the stationing of foreign troops on the territory of a state that implements a policy of permanent neutrality. Also, it refers to the reticence to join military alliances, regardless of whether it is wartime or peacetime. The Vatican adopted permanent neutrality with the Lateran Treaty of 1929. It used this status to resolve international conflicts through mediation, relying on spiritual and moral power and religious values. There are several examples of successful mediation in the Middle East, with contemporary appeals to all parties. The same incentives for dialogue and negotiations are present in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, which shows positive neutrality. Legal neutrality is present in the case of Poland during communist rule. One situation in which the Vatican is not neutral is towards nuclear weapons, the limitation of which means fewer international conflicts
NATO and the Russian-Ukrainian crisis - changing concepts and power relations
No full textCilj ovog diplomskog rada bio je istražiti ulogu i utjecaj NATO-a u kontekstu rusko-ukrajinske krize, s posebnim naglaskom na promjene u međunarodnim odnosima i konceptima moći. Rad analizira kako je agresija Rusije na Ukrajinu 2022. godine promijenila sigurnosnu dinamiku u Europi i svijetu, te kako je NATO reagirao na ove izazove kroz širenje saveza i prilagodbu svoje strategije kolektivne obrane. Kroz pregled teorijskih okvira, uključujući liberalne teorije međunarodnih odnosa i koncept liberalnog intervencionizma, te analizu diskursa i geopolitičkih narativa, rad istražuje kako različiti akteri unutar NATO-a percipiraju i reagiraju na krizu. Također se razmatraju unutarnje napetosti i podjele unutar Saveza, koje su dodatno potencirane ovim sukobom.The purpose of this graduation thesis was to investigate the role and influence of NATO in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian crisis, with a particular emphasis on changes in international relations and power dynamics. The thesis analyzes how Russia's aggression against Ukraine in 2022 altered the security dynamics in Europe and globally, and how NATO responded to these challenges through the expansion of the alliance and the adaptation of its collective defense strategy. By reviewing theoretical frameworks, including liberal theories of international relations and the concept of liberal interventionism, as well as analyzing discourse and geopolitical narratives, the thesis explores how different actors within NATO perceive and respond to the crisis. The study also considers internal tensions and divisions within the Alliance, which have been further exacerbated by this conflict
The geopolitical position and geostrategic importance of China
No full textZbog političkih promjena u svijetu dovodi se u pitanje položaj svjetskih sila i njihov međuodnos. Rad se bavi pitanjem geopolitičkog položaja Kine kako bi se dobio uvid u njezin položaj u međunarodnom poretku. Istraživanje se provodi s pomoću analize scenarija mogućih djelovanja Kine u tri scenarija vezana uz budućnost moći SAD-a te se analiziraju scenariji slabljenja, ostanka na istoj razini moći te jačanja SAD-a. Moguće djelovanje Kine u svakom scenariju se analizira kroz tri elementa, vojnu moć i saveze, ekonomsku moć i povezanost i diplomatski aspekt. Analiza se radi kako bi se ispitalo u kojem od scenarija bi se međunarodni poredak mogao promijeniti te se pokušava dokazati teza da će Kina preuzeti poziciju SAD-a u scenariju gdje SAD slabe. U radu se na temelju analiziranog dolazi do zaključka da je Kina zbog svoje razvijenosti u analiziranim područjima druga najjača država na svijetu te da ima pretenzije na mjesto koje danas zauzima SAD. Teza da će Kina preuzeti poziciju SAD-a kao glavne svjetske države u scenariju u kojemu SAD slabi, se smatra potvrđenom, dok će u drugim scenarijima Kina imati otežan ili onemogućen put do te pozicije.Due to political changes in the world, the position and interrrelationship between powers is brought into question. This work deals with China's geopolitical position in order to get the insight into its place in the international order. The research is done using the analysis of the scenarios of possible actions related to the future power of the USA and the scenarios of weakening, staying at the same level of power and strengthening of the USA are analyzed. China's possible actions in every scenario are analyzed through three elements, military power and alliances, economic power and connectivity and the diplomatic aspect. The analysis is done in order to examine in which of the scenarios the international order could change, and an attempt is made to prove the thesis that China will take over the position of the USA in the scenario where the USA weakens. Based on the analyzed, the paper comes to the conclusion that because of its development in the analysed areas, China is the second strongest country in the world and that it has pretensions for the place that the USA occupies today. The thesis that China will take over the position of the USA as the world's leading power in the scenario where the USA weakens is considered confirmed, while in other scenarios it will have a difficult o ran impossible path to that position
Israeli counterinsurgency operations in Gaza (2008-2024)
No full textOvaj rad analizira izraelske protupobunjeničke operacije u Gazi u razdoblju od 2008. do 2024. godine. Cilj rada je utvrditi razloge izraelske dugogodišnje neuspješnosti i neefikasnosti u slamanju Hamasa, unatoč vojnoj i tehnološkoj nadmoći. Glavni predmet istraživanja su politički, vojni, obavještajni i humanitarni aspekti izraelskog djelovanja i njihova usklađenost s načelima COIN (protupobunjeničkog) djelovanja. Istraživanje se temelji na kvalitativnim metodama, oslanjajući se pritom na COIN teoriju i teoriju protuterorizma. Rezultati pokazuju kako Izrael nije uspio ostvariti svoje političke i sigurnosne ciljeve zbog prevelikog oslanjanja na konvencionalnu vojnu silu, neučinkovite blokade Gaze, nedostatne suradnje s lokalnim stanovništvom te slabog i neusklađenog djelovanja u domeni meke moći. Rad zaključuje kako izraelski COIN pristup ne postiže dugoročnu stabilnost niti umanjuje popularnost Hamasa, zbog čega se ne mogu stvoriti povoljni uvjeti za dugoročni mir i normalizaciju odnosa. Ovaj rad doprinosi boljem razumijevanju suvremenog COIN djelovanja u asimetričnim sukobima, kao i boljem povezivanju COIN teorije s kompleksnim izraelsko-palestinskim sukobom. Rad pruža uvid u posljedice pretjeranog oslanjanja na konvencionalne vojne metode u asimetričnim protupobunjeničkim sukobima, kao što je sukob Hamasa i Izraela u Gazi.This paper analyzes Israel’s counterinsurgency (COIN) operations in the Gaza Strip during the period from 2008 to 2024. The aim of the study is to identify the reasons behind Israel’s prolonged failure and inefficiency in defeating Hamas, despite its military and technological superiority. The main focus of the research is on the political, military, intelligence, and humanitarian aspects of Israel’s actions and their alignment with the principles of COIN strategy. The study is based on qualitative methods, drawing on COIN theory and counterterrorism theory. The results show that Israel has not succeeded in achieving its political and security objectives due to an excessive reliance on conventional military force, the ineffectiveness of the Gaza blockade, insufficient cooperation with the local population, and weak and uncoordinated efforts in the domain of soft power. The paper concludes that the Israeli COIN approach does not provide long-term stability nor does it reduce Hamas’s popularity, thereby preventing the establishment of favourable conditions for lasting peace and normalization. This paper contributes to a better understanding of modern COIN operations in asymmetric conflicts and helps link COIN theory with the complex dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It also provides insight into the consequences of over-reliance on conventional military methods in asymmetric counterinsurgency campaigns, such as the conflict between Hamas and Israel in Gaza
Media presentation of recipes on the Coolinarika web site
No full textCilj ovog diplomskog rada bio je istražiti i prikazati kako kuharski recepti, objavljeni na portalu Coolinarika.hr, funkcioniraju ne samo kao upute za pripremu jela, već i kao kompleksni medijski, jezični i kulturni tekstovi. Poseban naglasak stavljen je na analizu njihovih jezičnih, lingvističkih, socijalnih, kulturnih i povijesnih obilježja. Kroz metodu analize sadržaja na uzorku od 150 recepata, nastojalo se utvrditi na koji način recepti odražavaju vrijednosti, identitet i svakodnevicu zajednice koja ih stvara i dijeli. Cilj je također bio ukazati na to da recepti mogu biti oblik povijesnog dokumenta, prenositelji tradicije i obiteljskog nasljeđa, ali i pokazatelji društvenih promjena, poput prehrambenih trendova, klasnih razlika ili medijskih utjecaja. Ovim se radom želi doprinijeti razumijevanju recepata kao značajnog i relevantnog fenomena unutar humanističkih i društvenih znanosti.The aim of this thesis was to explore and demonstrate how cooking recipes published on the website Coolinarika.hr function not only as instructions for food preparation but also as complex media, linguistic, and cultural texts. Special emphasis was placed on the analysis of their linguistic, social, cultural, and historical features. Using content analysis on a sample of 150 recipes, the goal was to examine how these texts reflect the values, identity, and everyday life of the community that creates and shares them. The objective was also to highlight that recipes can serve as a form of cultural expression, carriers of tradition and family heritage, as well as indicators of social changes such as dietary trends, class distinctions, or media influence. This research aims to contribute to the understanding of recipes as a significant and relevant phenomenon within the field of humanities and social sciences
The phenomenon of Marko Livaja in Croatian Media (2021-2024)
No full textPrezentirani rezultati pokazuju obradu fenomen Marka Livaje u hrvatskim medijima i način na koji mediji konstruiraju njegovu javnu sliku. Marko Livaja, nogometaš i kapetan Hajduka, prikazan je u medijima kao fenomen koji nadilazi granice sporta i uloge klasičnog nogometaša. Medijsko izvještavanje o njemu ne fokusira se samo na njegove sportske uspjehe, već i na njegovu osobnost, emocije, pripadnost lokalnoj zajednici i simboliku koju predstavlja za navijače i širu javnost. Mediji Livaju često prikazuju kao idola starog tipa. Sportaša koji se ponaša kao pripadnik svoje zajednice, dijeleći vrijednosti i mentalitet koji je oblikovao njegov karakter. Kroz senzacionalističke naslove, emocionalizirane tekstove i isticanje kontroverzi, mediji stvaraju ambivalentnu sliku u kojoj se Livajina temperamentnost ponekad opravdava, a ponekad kritizira, ovisno o medijskom kontekstu. Dalmatinski mediji češće ga prikazuju pozitivnije i opravdavaju njegove postupke, dok nacionalni mediji pristupaju kritičnije, no interes javnosti ostaje snažan u oba slučaja. Ovakav medijski pristup dodatno učvršćuje njegov status mitske i polarizirajuće figure, koja izaziva snažne emocije, bilo divljenje ili kontroverzu. I na taj način mediji oblikuju i održavaju fenomen Marka Livaje kao idola i medijskog proizvoda u suvremenom društvu, koristeći njegovu priču za povećanje čitanosti i senzacije.The presented results show how the phenomenon of Marko Livaja is covered in Croatian media and how the media construct his public image. Marko Livaja, footballer and captain of Hajduk, is portrayed in the media as a phenomenon that transcends the boundaries of sport and the role of a traditional football player. Media reporting on him does not focus solely on his sporting achievements, but also on his personality, emotions, belonging to the local community, and the symbolism he represents for fans and the wider public. Livaja is often depicted as an old-style idol. An athlete who behaves as a member of his community, sharing the values and mentality that shaped his character. Through sensationalist headlines, emotionalized texts, and emphasis on controversies, the media create an ambivalent image in which Livaja’s temperament is sometimes justified and sometimes criticized, depending on the media context. Dalmatian media tend to portray him more positively and justify his actions, while national media are more critical, yet public interest remains strong in both cases. Such media framing further reinforces his status as a mythical and polarizing figure that provokes strong emotions, whether admiration or controversy. In this way, the media shape and maintain the phenomenon of Marko Livaja as both an idol and a media product in contemporary society, using his story to increase readership and generate sensation