Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

News Deserts And Voter Turnout: How Local News Shortages Decrease Voter Participation, Lauren Penington

Honors Theses

How does local news impact a county’s registered voter population, associated voting patterns, and political participation? Electoral turnout is one of the most studied topics in political science, and substantial research exists into demographic factors — including race, age, and socioeconomic status — that influence an individual’s likelihood to vote. Recent studies have begun to examine the impact of societal factors — such as the internet, social media, and news — on an individual’s ability to and likelihood of fulfilling their civic obligation. This paper explores the relationship between expanding news deserts and decreasing voter turnout, proposing that as a …

Predicting The Future Of Myanmar’S Civil War: Can Half A Century Of Military Rule Be Defeated?, Nathan Ritterling

Honors Theses

In 2021, the military of Myanmar launched a coup in response to their overwhelming defeat in the 2020 elections, resulting in an end to the country’s tentative move towards democracy and in intense violence to suppress opposition to the coup. Anti-junta forces quickly formed in the aftermath to directly oppose the military and return the country to democratic rule, and began collaborating with long-standing ethnic militias in their efforts. This has led to a state of prolonged civil war, as the two sides fight for dominance over the nature of Myanmar’s future government. This paper investigated the potential outcome of …

Service-Learning And Cross-Cultural Impact: Preparing Underrepresented Students For An International Service-Learning Trip, Kalene Dean

University Honors College

No abstract provided.

The Failed Promise Of Gun Legislation: The Assault Weapons Ban And Sandy Hook, Matigan Williams '24

Honor Scholar Theses

This paper has three chapters. The first details the Assault Weapons Ban and what led to its passage in 1994. It goes through the different provisions and exemptions in the ban. This chapter analyzes the impact that the ban had on crime, gun violence, government spending, and electoral politics. The chapter then details why the ban failed to pass again in 2004 and the resulting impact. The second chapter analyzes the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School and the shooting’s role in the gun control debate. This chapter looks at why the Assault Weapons Ban failed to pass in 2013 …

Problems In Power: How The U.S. And Russia Have Battled Throughout The Decades, Abbie Russman

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The battle between the U.S and Russia has taken many forms throughout the years. When taking a sample of conflicts that involve the U.S. and Russia in various capacities and different points in time, certain similarities are observed. Within the individual level of conflict analysis, leaders in the U.S., Russia, and other states involved often sway between dovish and hawkish tendencies. On a domestic level, the U.S. and Russia have opposing ideologies. The U.S. values democracy and capitalism, and often supports states that lean democratically. In contrast, Russia views democracy as a threat and supports states that value protectionism and …

On Hannah Arendt's Study Of Constitutionalism In The Aftermath Of Totalitarianism: A Philosophical Search For The Principle To Secure The Foundations Of Modern Politics, Joseph De Leon Flores

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Hannah Arendt faces the grotesque appearance of totalitarianism, and with bravery goes on the offensive, herself armed with contemporary philosophical tools of analysis, to do battle in the field of existential-phenomenology against this modern monster. Totalitarianism, birthed from the seeds of lawless action, claims to be the most lawful mode of human existence. The monstrous existence of totalitarianism demonstrates a crisis in the very foundations of modern manâ??s political mode of being. In order to find a solution to this modern political crisis Arendt closely studies the experience of constitution writing at the moment the men of action are about …

Addressing Youth Cannabis Poisonings In Paterson, Nj, Fanny Lauby

Department of Political Science and Law Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This report has found that various local stores within the city of Paterson have been packaging and displaying cannabis items in a similar fashion to candies popular with children, thus leading to instances of children purchasing these items and consuming them. This highlights issues surrounding enforcement of various New Jersey statutes regulating the distribution of cannabis items to those under the age of 21. This negligence at the hands of store owners has helped contribute to the increase of cannabis poisonings due to being so easily accessible by children. The increased normalization of cannabis uses with its legalization and the …

Building Capacity And Agency In Emergency Shelters In Paterson, Nj, Fanny Lauby

Department of Political Science and Law Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This paper outlines a consistent issue with Paterson City’s communication across departments, resulting in a lack of accessible data at multiple levels and a reduced knowledge among social workers and program coordinators. These citywide issues have contributed to a culture of confusion. The city of Paterson is improperly pursuing the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s “Housing First” approach, resulting in a relative lack of housing programs - constituting a matter of long-term concern for the city.

Why Do Rebel And Criminal Groups Provide Social Services?, Sydney Lorom

Honors College

This work analyzes the approaches taken by rebel and criminal groups to provide social services to the geographic regions they control. It presents the case studies of a rebel organization, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and a former criminal group, the Medellin Cartel of Colombia. My comparison between these armed non-state actors is intended to explore why rebel and criminal groups respond to the needs of citizens within the boundaries of their control in various ways, as well as understand what factors primarily shape differing approaches. Possible explanations for the extent of a group’s responses are presented after distinguishing the operation styles …

Policy Solutions For Juvenile Cyber-Deviant Behaviors: Insights From Criminological Theory, Holly Verity Williams

All Dissertations

The aim of this thesis is to develop a deeper understanding of online deviance as a phenomenon among juveniles, both in terms of engagement and victimization, by applying Attachment Theory, Social Learning Theory, and Self-Control Theory. Throughout the literature, Attachment Theory, Social Learning Theory, and Self-Control Theory have been attributed as key criminological theories in the explanation of juvenile deviance offline, but little research has been applied to online deviance in this way. This thesis seeks to apply the same criminological theories to the phenomenon of online deviance among juveniles and compare outcomes to both online and offline deviance among …

Resource Wealth And Micro-Insurgency Duration, Michael Trevett

Dissertations

Why are some insurgencies small in scale but long-term in duration, particularly those involving natural resource wealth? This dissertation identifies and defines a specific type of intrastate conflict, the micro-insurgency. I then examine how and why micro-insurgencies fought over natural resources are almost always very long-term conflicts, often lasting decades. Two data sets from previous research, one by Michael Ross and the other by Paul Collier and Anke Hoeffler, are refined and then analyzed and tested using Fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (FsQCA). Findings from the FsQCA testing and analysis reveal that ancestral lands and actual, or existing and exploitable, …

New Perspectives On Peace Settlements: The Significance Of Power-Sharing And Hierarchies On Negotiation Dynamics, Alejandra Vásquez Gutiérrez

Department of Political Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

By examining the impact of the commitment problem between the FARC and the Colombian government, this paper seeks to answer the following question: What led the government and the FARC to finally agree to end the conflict through a peace accord? This research addresses a notable gap in the literature by examining the pivotal role of power-sharing arrangements and hierarchical structures on negotiation dynamics. I conducted in-depth interviews with public officials in Colombia, complemented by the utilization of secondary data. I aim to ascertain whether power-sharing arrangements mitigate the commitment problem and to advance our current understanding of whether rebel …

Social Media And The Collegiate Vote In Indianapolis, Megan Cecelia Mcfadden

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This study aimed to determine the impact of social media on the civic engagement of active college students in Indianapolis. This was done collecting primary quantitative data from an original survey. The survey measured social media as a source of news, a source of information on voting and registration, a location for political debate, and a place to share one’s voting status. Then, the survey measured aspects of civic engagement/political participation including voting and registration history, political efficacy, and what political activities in which people have partaken. I found that social media is an effective source of information on voting …

The Contemporary Causes Of Americans' Fear Of Illegal Immigration, Amilie Cai

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Annually, the U.S. aspires to extend its liberality by opening its border to more than ten thousand refugees. In this paper, I examine how political party identification, census region, and internet usage influence U.S. adults' fear of illegal immigration. Relying on the 2023 Chapman Survey of American Fears, a representative national sample of U.S. adults, I find that political party has remained a consistent predictor for an American’s fear of illegal immigration, with people who align themselves with the Republican Party in 2022 being more afraid of illegal immigration compared to other political parties, such as the Democrat Party. In …

Navigating Islamophobia: Exploring Attitudes Towards Muslim Immigration And Policing, Devansh Mehta

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Since the September 11th terrorist attacks, Islamophobic dispositions in the United States have surged within its political and societal arenas. In this paper, I will examine two specific dimensions of Islamophobia such as ceasing immigration from Muslim countries and increased police presence in Muslim neighborhoods and how those behaviors may be influenced by political affiliation and different ways news is consumed using social media and cable news. Relying on the Chapman Survey of American Fears, a representative national sample of U.S. adults completed a forty-question survey in which I tested the above independent variables to see their individual effects on …

Fighting For A Health Diagnosis: An Autoethnographic Journey Into The Role Of Access And Limitations Of Resilience In The Face Of Poverty, Josette Pelatan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This research represents a highly personalized account of the complexities, interpretations, and reflections of the journey of a doctoral student navigating the challenges of health through access on a U.S.-Mexico border. Using myself as the subject and the researcher in the social context of schooling provided the impetus for this self-study. Through an insider’s vantage point, I have chronicled and traced the experiences of my own identities’ transitions and multilayered intersectionality using the qualitative methodology of autoethnography. This genre of qualitative research brings the reader closer to the subculture studied through the author’s experiences.

While every story has its unique …

Applying Exploratory Learning Methods To Sociopolitical Beliefs And Cognition., Sarah French

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Americans are polarized along party lines across a variety of sociopolitical issues, including climate change and sustainability issues. Sociopolitical messaging often triggers biased processing that results in defensive rejection or biased elaboration (i.e., counterarguing) of belief-incongruent information. The current research examined whether exploratory learning activities, primarily applied in STEM-education research, can foster belief updating about polarized sustainability issues. Exploratory learning encourages people to engage with learning materials and arrive at their own conclusions before receiving direct instruction/messaging. In two experiments, participants reported their beliefs about carbon taxes and electric vehicle incentives (among other issues) before and after receiving counter-attitudinal persuasive …

Realistic Responses Or Unnecessary Stereotypes: State Policy And Cbp Encounters In The 100 Mile Border Zone, Makenna Marie Territo

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The field of immigration policy is categorized broadly as an untouchable federal policy issue with nonexistent bipartisan legislation, that is vital in addressing tensions in the current political climate. The lack of response at the federal level has large repercussions for individuals in communities along the border who want things done who take on issues at the local level. State level responses are then exacted in the form of legislation whether these policies are based on data or stereotypes. States have made history for their restrictive immigration policies along the Southern border as tensions skyrocket. In some cases, the affected …

Examining Women’S Power Under Fascism: Francoist Spain, Isabelle Rojek

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Due to the #MeToo movement and the overturning of Roe v. Wade debates about women's power are at the forefront of society. These debates have sparked an increase in trying to understand how political systems function, as well as how those systems allocate power and agency to women. Using the case of Francisco Franco’s rule over Spain from 1939 to 1977, a conclusion was drawn that the power and agency that women have is most often within the home and family life, which is both the power and the limit of it. Unless they were in a position of high …

Japanese Foreign Security: Why Japan Increased Its Defense Budget And Why It Matters, Mary K. Roark

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

An Educated Guess: The Impact Of Education On Conspiracy Theories And Voting, Ellie Bickelhaupt

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

How strongly does education impact one's perception and opinion of conspiracy theories and voting? Throughout the years, conspiracy theories have been a rising trend in recent years that many people find entertaining, but many believe to be actual facts. The impact of one's education level can substantially change a person's beliefs in conspiracy theories and overall trust in the government. This trend has been shown by analyzing media consumption, education status, and the American National Election survey. This research will compare the trends between education level and conspiracy theory beliefs and how both affect a person's voting behavior. This research …

Factors In Decision Making Of Political Candidates, Levi Ramirez Garcia

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

What factors impact the decision to run as non-partisan over one of the major US parties? It is essential to analyze this phenomenon to determine the real motivations of candidates and the party they represent because they impact society as a whole. The candidates' ideologies and how the candidates feel representing the parties' ideologies are the main reasons for choosing non-partisan over one of the major US parties. This occurs because humans tend to work where they feel comfortable and in places with the same values and ideologies as them. It is the same in the case of candidates; they …

Peacekeeping The Commons: Un Peacekeeping Moderates The Effects Of Climate Change On Intercommunal Conflict, Cara Hunter

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The effects of climate change have been increasingly linked to the risk of intercommunal conflict, as climatic shocks have been shown to increase resource scarcity. Policymakers and academics agree that effectively designed institutions are critical variables in preventing and mitigating conflict, particularly in ecologically-fragile areas. However, there is a lack of evidence on the specific ways to strengthen institutions in the face of climate change, especially in conflict-affected settings. We argue that UN Peacekeeping Operations moderate the effects of climate change on intercommunal conflict by strengthening institutions governing common-pool resources (CPRs) to increase cooperation between communities sharing scarce resources. We …

Fear Of China's Economic Power: Media And Party Affiliation On Public Opinion, Cloe Hughes

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The United States and China are the world’s two greatest economic rivals. The US-China trade war–which started in 2018–is a result of this battle for economic hegemony and has raged on for the past six years. While trade decisions are ultimately up to policymakers, public opinion is a large factor in international policy decisions, and American biases against the Chinese may adversely affect both the American and Chinese economies. In this paper, I will examine how factors including media consumption and partisanship impact American attitudes towards China’s economy overtaking the United States’ economy. Previous research has studied the effects of …

The Gender Divide: Exploring Gender Patterns Of Perceived And Realistic Risks Of Murder By Unknown And Known Perpetrators, Haley Forth

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

In a society where vulnerability is often associated with femininity, women are depicted as helpless victims, which in turn underscores the gendered challenges faced by both men and women. It is thought that gender disparities among women increase the likelihood of fear and risk of murder victimization. Rather, both men and women face homicide at significant rates where gender vulnerability is correlated to different types of violence. In this paper, I examine the complexities of gendered perceptions of perceived and realistic risks behind the fear of being murdered by someone you know and murdered by a stranger. Relying on the …

Public Cyberattack Attribution And Domestic Political Considerations: An Analysis Of State Decision Making, Ella M. Devey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

When a country is targeted with a cyberattack, what compels its government to publicly attribute the perpetrators of the attack rather than keep their attribution private? Cyberattacks are an increasingly utilized weapon of international conflict by governments, groups, and individuals. Following a cyberattack, the target of the attack may investigate the origin of the attack and may choose to share their findings with the public; alternatively, they may choose not to publicly share their findings.

While we know that forensic capabilities and international political factors contribute to the decision of governments to make public cyberattack attribution, domestic political circumstances may …

Where The Thunder Dragon Lives: The Case Of Human Capital Flight In Bhutan, Grace Subu

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Human capital flight (HCF) hinders developing economies striving to escape the middle-income trap by enhancing domestic institutions and improving living standards. Global development literature has focused on creating theoretical frameworks to understand and manage human capital flows. Recent iterations of the human capital flow paradigm have moved beyond the traditional 'brain gain' versus 'brain drain' dichotomy to emphasize the globalized nature of the reciprocity of knowledge and transfer of skill through human capital mobility, highlighting the concept of 'brain circulation.' This paper examines Bhutan's emerging HCF problem as a case study to illustrate these theoretical concepts. Bhutan's unique situation, characterized …

Ai-Ing The Future: An Analysis Of Past Treaty Features In Regulating Innovative Technologies, Sophia Tammera

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the relationship between the specific features written into multilateral treaties and their success in regulating innovative technologies. It explores why detailed treaty provisions such as periodic reviews, trigger mechanisms, amendment provisions, and knowledge sharing are critical to the effectiveness of these international agreements. I argue that the presence of these features contributes significantly to a treaty's ability to adapt to changing circumstances, ensure transparency, and facilitate ongoing cooperation and collaboration among signatories. To test this claim, I completed an in-depth case study analysis of technologies like railroads, telegraphs, electricity, and nuclear weapons. The findings indicate that treaties …

Three Years Of Abrahamic Accords: A Contemporary Episode Of False Peace, Wael Abdelhafez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Abrahamic Accords mark the latest phase in the peace negotiation efforts concerning the Arab-Israeli conflict. Through diplomatic maneuvers, temptations, and promises, the United States managed to persuade four Arab countries to depart from the principles of the Arab Initiative and instead sign the Abrahamic Accords, establishing full normalization treaties with Israel. Many other countries and significant powers maintain divergent perspectives on the Abrahamic Accords. After three years, The Accords offer numerous potential economic, security, and strategic benefits, with Israel standing to gain the lion's share. This thesis explores the connection between the Frustration-Aggression Theory and the ongoing violence in …

Erased From The Curriculum: Studying The Role Curriculum Plays On Students Political Attitudes At The University, Julie Jann Gallagher

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

University curriculum shapes political identity. Most studies focus on secondary education, overlooking the influence of university curriculum and its effect on students’ political attitudes. For this study, I examine the curriculum of three classes: American Government, African American Studies, and Astronomy. I argue that exposure to race-specific curriculum shapes racial identity. The results will suggest that students who take non-race-specific courses are more likely to support racially neutral and colorblind (White Nationalist) attitudes. I argue that curriculum affects students’ political attitudes.