Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Against Capital Punishment, Zac Bright, Ben Austin (Editor)

Brigham Young University Prelaw Review

Capital punishment has a strong legal precedence in the United States. Capital punishment has been a penal option for those who commit conspicuously wrong acts. For such acts, the punishment seems to be proportional to the crime. In addition to the punishment’s adherence to proportionality, capital punishment mitigates problematic outcomes.

This paper advocates, however, that capital punishment should be classified as “cruel and unusual punishment.” Such violation of the eighth amendment delegitimizes capital punishment. Consequently, The Federal Death Penalty Act of 1994 should no longer be considered a valid law because of its constitutional violation.

On Civilizational Strategic Studies, Stephen T. Satkiewicz

Comparative Civilizations Review

Given the on-going crises around the world, especially the current war in Ukraine, it has become imperative to analyze the strategic interests of the major geopolitical players in the world. Samuel P. Huntington formulated his controversial “Clash of Civilizations” thesis almost thirty years ago, but this topic has received a resurgence of interest due to Christopher Coker’s research on “civilizational states.” Coker takes this concept a bit further by arguing that different geopolitical actors disagree on how the world should be ordered.

Now is perhaps the most opportune time to examine the relevance of civilizations as well as civilizational theory …

Opioid Use Disorder In The United States, Macy Holmgren

Ballard Brief

Opioid use disorder affects 16 million people worldwide and over 2.1 million in the United States. OUD has been an ever-growing public health issue in the nation since 1999, causing death on an unprecedented scale through 2022. Chronic pain, overprescription, illicit use of prescription opioids, and inability to access treatment are all contributors to OUD and are perpetuated throughout the nation. Victims of opioid use disorder have a higher chance of becoming addicted to harder drugs, experiencing medical complications, and dying from an overdose. Evidence-based practices such as medication-assisted treatment must be leveraged to address the issue and reduce the …

Ecological Disruption In The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Jane Allen

Ballard Brief

Ecological disruption is an issue that is affecting the wildlife and people that live in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Climate change and oil drilling are two of the main causes of ecological disruption in the ANWR. The native people and wildlife are the ones being affected by the ecological disruption and deterioration. Food source decline and land degradation are some of the ways that climate change is affecting these people. Oil drilling and government involvement in the lands of Alaska is causing the degradation for many Alaskans to worsen. Oil drilling destroys ecosystems and harms the native animals, …

Table Of Contents

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

No abstract provided.

Local Partisan Agreement And Trust, Mike Pulsipher, Kelsey Eyre

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

Americans are more distrusting than ever. On every metric, there has been a noticeable and substantial decline in trust of government, media, and business. This important trend has received a lot of academic and press attention and has been identified in nearly every state and every demographic. Curiously, despite decades of falling crime, fraud, and corruption, Americans are also less trusting in each other. While changes in trust for government, media, and business have looked quite different for Democrats and Republicans, partisans have shown similar declining trends in general trust.

The Growing Greens: How Young Postmaterialists Delivered Electoral Success For The German Green Party In 2021, Isaac Lamoreaux

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

The German Green Party seemed to be forever a secondary party in German politics. That is, until the German General Election in 2021 when they gained more seats in the Bundestag than any other party. Many wondered how such a small party could perform such a feat. Scholars, particularly Ronald Inglehart, have theorized on and studied the concept of postmaterialism. In a basic sense, postmaterialism is a set of values that turns away from safety and security concerns (materialism), and more toward what Inglehart called intellectual and aesthetic concerns (Inglehart 1971, 991–993). These concerns range from topics like freedom of …

A Letter From The Editor, Marissa Gerber Pinnock

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

In this age of globalization and technology, the world is closer than ever. Yet often we struggle to understand the people around us, especially when their cultures and beliefs are different from our own. Lack of understanding leads to fractures in our global community caused by marginalization, polarization, and conflict. Taking time to understand the differences in our world will help us to be more aware of our own logical fallacies, inherent privileges, and personal responsibilities to make this world a better place.

View-Shaping, First Personal Authority, And The Asymmetry Between Providing And Withholding, Clara W. Cullen

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

In her paper, Freedom and Influence in Formative Education, Kyla Ebels-Duggan addresses the debate regarding the moral justification of parents and educators raising children under a particular normative outlook, with normative outlook and beliefs referring to one’s perspective on what actions, behaviors, outcomes, or beliefs are acceptable or correct. This normative outlook pertains not just to moral judgments but also views on the superior way of life. This debate questioning if parents and educators are morally correct in shaping their children according to their normative beliefs is of particular importance amidst rising political contention regarding the content and methods …

The Impact Of Gender On The Acceptance Of Surveillance Technology, Jody Messick

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

A classic dilemma facing governments and citizens alike is the trade-off between privacy and security. This concept is found in the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment, which implies that citizens have a right to be protected against “unreasonable searches and seizures by the government” (FindLaw 2019). The technological revolution, and its implications for privacy, has complicated the nature of this right. Different types of data require different approaches to the privacy versus security tradeoff. A 2003 panel by Wright et. al asks how “sensor data,” data that is collected through technology that tracks a user’s online or real-world movements, should be approached, …

Data For Caveat Emptor-Scan Quality Of Elsevier’S Digital Backfile Pdf Collection, Gregory M. Nelson, Paul Kj Robbins

ScholarsArchive Data

The data set contains two Supplementary Files that contain (1) metadata for 31 of Elsevier's journal backfile packages and (2) metadata and results of a PDF scan quality study.

Losing Control To The Controller: Mmorpg Video Game Addiction And Mediating Roles Of Player Motivations, Abbie Speed

Theses and Dissertations

Using a quantitative survey distributed to regular players of MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games) (N = 777), the current study employed a correlation matrix and a parallel mediation model to assess the relationship between play frequency, motivating factors, and video game addiction. The results demonstrated that each of these elements were related to one another to varying degrees (p < .001). The motivating factors identified by Yee (2006) included achievement, immersion, and social interaction, which were tested as mediators and indicated that achievement (a1 = 0.2817, p < 0.001; b1 = 0.4073, p < 0.001) and immersion (a2 = 0.3217, p < 0.001; b2 = 0.2574, p < 0.001) are mediators in the relationship of play frequency and addiction. Social interaction was not significant as a mediator (a3 = 0.3217, p < 0.001; b3 = -0.0235, p = 0.6753). Higher levels of addiction were present for those who were motivated by achievement (rewards) and immersion (storyline/diversion) to play more frequently per week. However, those who were motivated by social interaction to play frequently did not demonstrate a statistically significant relationship with higher levels of addiction. Findings suggest that motivating factors of gameplay may have a mediating effect on the relationship between play frequency and addiction.

Cognitive Effects Of Grammatical Gender In L2 Spanish Acquisition: A Study Among Latter-Day Saint Returned Missionaries, Hannah Cagle

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The current study aims to explore the cognitive effects of L2 Spanish acquisition and the role that spending time in the target language country has on L2 learners’ categorization of inanimate objects. Three groups of participants were analyzed: monolingual English speakers, L2 Spanish speakers that learned their Spanish while serving missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) abroad, and L2 Spanish speakers that learned their Spanish while serving LDS missions in the United States. Using a Qualtrics survey, participants were tasked with pairing a list of adjectives stereotypically associated with males or females (Williams & Bennett, …

The Soul Of Russia And The Soul Of Ukraine, David Wilkinson

Comparative Civilizations Review

This essay addresses the issue of two contemporary state identities — that of Russia and that of Ukraine.

A Comparative Analysis Of Black American Student Experiences And International Student Experiences During The Initial Months Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Leah P. Hollis Edd

Comparative Civilizations Review

The Covid-19 pandemic created an indelible mark on K-12 education — specifically, high school students transitioning to college and career. The global scope of this pandemic presented an opportunity to compare how high school cultures across the world adapted to the emergency. Further, news reports highlighted how communities of color were more susceptible to the pandemic.

To better understand how the Black student experience in middle America compared to that of other students from the global community in responding to pandemic-related educational disruption, I used Krippendorff’s content analysis procedures (2018) and a phenomenological interview process to gather and analyze data …

What Constitutes Evidence For An Historical Explanation?, Kenneth Feigenbaum

Comparative Civilizations Review

What constitutes evidence for an historical explanation? What constitutes evidence for the explanations of the falls and rises of civilization? Better, what constitutes evidence for the best explanation of this phenomenon?

The purpose of this article is to acquaint the readers of the Comparative Civilizations Review with the work of a philosopher of history, Raymond Martin. In particular, I will present his approach on what constitutes how a decision should be made as to which explanation of an historical event is superior to another and why this is so.

Book Review: Karl E. Ryavec. A Historical Atlas Of Tibet, Michael Andregg

Comparative Civilizations Review

This is a fantastic scholarly work (20 pages inclusive, 49 detailed maps plus over 100 photos and illustrations) that adds greatly to the body of scholarship on ancient and modern Tibet. In his introduction, Ryavec explicitly calls Tibet a civilization in its own right despite many entanglements with Chinese Empires, being conquered by the Mongols, and being influenced by steady flows of trade long the Silk Road and by Buddhist monks from India promoting their brands of enlightenment to any who would listen. Thus, there came to be a predominantly Buddhist Tibet, until the communist Chinese took over from 1951-59 …

Civilizational Heritage In The Age Of Innovation: Exploring The Importance Of Civilizational Heritage In The 21st Century, Bibi Pelić, Ulrike Michel-Schneider

Comparative Civilizations Review

‘What has civilizational heritage to do with innovation?’ you may ask. ‘I just got the latest iPhone and don’t see any connection.’ You would not be the only one to ask this question.

If we backtrack a thousand years or so and look at innovations from the past, such as the Via Appia or the Colosseum, did the Romans think about civilizational heritage when they built these two magnificent structures? Did they care about civilizational heritage? What about the ancient Egyptians whose building innovation, ‘the pyramid,’ is still an enigma for us today?

Innovation is thus nothing new, but it …

Thinking Ahead: The Advent Of New Paradigms In International Relations Theory: “Truth Unfolds In Time Through A Communal Process.” - Carroll Quigley, Vlad Alalykin-Izvekov Phd

Comparative Civilizations Review

International Relations Theory is a branch of Political Science that studies International Relations from a theoretical perspective. Historically, it was dominated by two paradigms — Realism and Liberalism. Recently, though, among other theories and perspectives an influential Civilizational Paradigm has emerged. The paper contains analysis of the roots, significance, as well as discontents of those schools of thought. Looking into the future, the author of this paper proposes the Integralistic Paradigm in International Relations Theory.

Book Review: Duane W Roller. Eratosthenes’ Geography: Fragments Collected And Translated, With Commentary And Additional Material, Tseggai Isaac

Comparative Civilizations Review

Duane W. Roller brought back to life the enigmatic and flamboyant Eratosthenes by capturing the rich details of Eratosthenes’ intellectual background, his personal life, Eratosthenes’ Geographika; and how Eratosthenes was received by contemporary and nascent critics in later years and decades. Eratosthenes was practical and controversial in the sense that he seemed to use unorthodox methodology of practical observation combined with creative and inventive scientific and mathematical intricacies to explain, define, and analyze his findings. He was flamboyant and fertile in his discoveries and the breadth of his creative imaginations of unparalleled perspicuity. Roller observed:

The discipline of geography …

Undernutrition Among Children In Guatemala, Ellie Ostvig

Ballard Brief

Undernutrition in Guatemala is a serious issue that affects physical, mental, and social well-being. Children are most vulnerable to this dangerous condition, and in Guatemala, almost 50% of children experience inadequate growth and development due to a lack of appropriate nutrient intake. Because of food insecurity and lack of nutrients, young children do not have adequate access to the nutrition that they need. Guatemala is located in an area that makes it prone to natural disasters, which also contributes to the high rates of undernutrition. Undernourished children also experience intense disadvantages because of their weakened immune systems and cognitive underdevelopment. …

Religious Discrimination Against Muslims In France, Jackson Dille

Ballard Brief

Due in large part to its colonial past, France is home to one of Europe's largest Muslim populations-comprising nearly 9% of the country's population. Relations have not always been easy between France's Muslim and non-Muslim populations, and 42% of French Muslims reported feeling discriminated against in a 2019 study. The discrimination felt by French Muslims stems in large part from France's unique approach to secularism, called Laicite, blowback from recent terrorist attacks, and the stereotyping of Muslims in public discourse. Due to this discrimination, France's Muslim population faces increased economic disadvantages and a lack of representation across multiple levels of …

Child Abuse In Residential Homes Of Ghana, Alyssa Minor

Ballard Brief

Children placed in residential homes in Ghana suffer from physical violence and physical neglect more often than children in family-based homes. In overcrowded residential homes, many basic needs are often not being met, and the use of physical violence is common due to inadequate funding, lack of training, lack of clear policies, and years of normalizing violent disciplinary actions. This problem of child abuse within residential homes of Ghana creates financial burdens on the country and negative psychosocial effects for children suffering from neglect or physical violence, hindering their ability to reach their full earnings potential. Very few interventions have …

The Rise Of Antisemitism In Germany, Susan M. Watts

Ballard Brief

Antisemitism has been rising in Germany since the country's reunification in the 1990s. In the modern day, antisemitism takes many forms, including hate speech, violent attacks, and anti-Jewish conspiracy theories. Although antisemitism has been rising in many parts of the world, Germany's history during the Holocaust causes its rise to be especially alarming to the Jewish community. The rise in antisemitism has been caused by the internet, current events like the pandemic and the Israel-Palestine conflict, and rightwing political extremism. Due to the rise in antisemitism, the fear of harassment and violence among Jews in Germany has risen, along with …

Front Matter

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

New Iscsc Website

Comparative Civilizations Review

After several years of faithful service, the ISCSC website has received a much needed facelift. The new site is more attractive, has more content, and is far easier to navigate.

Iscsc President’S Report: Two Exciting Events Coming Up, Lynn Rhodes

Comparative Civilizations Review

Why was the International Society for the Comparative Study of Civilizations created more than a half century ago by UNESCO and what has guided our comparative civilizations endeavors from then to these days?

The Cycles Of Progress And Regress In Ethiopian Civilization And Politics, Tseggai Isaac Phd

Comparative Civilizations Review

This is a study of the historical traditions of Ethiopia and their value as basis for national identity considering the inescapable evolutionary trajectories of modernization.

Specific watershed events with catastrophic effects besieged Ethiopia, resulting in the precipitous decline of the values, dignity, and solemnity of the Ethiopian State. Challenges that contributed to the distancing of Ethiopia’s institutional identity from the loftiness of its roots will be covered.

The political and religious history of Ethiopia will be highlighted to establish landmark events of history, politics, and religion. Specific crises resulting in shifts in values, as well as various reactions to these …

Tyrannies Gave Rise To Martial Arts, But Enlightened Martial Philosophies Reveal A Better Way, Michael Andregg

Comparative Civilizations Review

Most of this brief review will be academic history, but one of the truisms of the martial arts is that it is never strictly “academic.” Words on paper cannot express some things at the heart of the art. Many of the most thoughtful masters of various schools have worried about how to cultivate students with the discipline and philosophical background to be “safe” for polite society. This is a similar problem for police departments and even armies. The best wish to train professionals in ways of being deadly, without empowering undisciplined people to harm innocents. Therefore, part of this paper …