Digital Commons Network^™

Book Review: Christopher F. Rufo. America's Cultural Revolution: How The Radical Left Conquered Everything. New York: Broadside Books, 2023., Alexander Robbin Marks-Katz

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Neo-Marxism. Critical Race Theory (CRT). Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). All of these ideas are conventional wisdom today, yet until the presidential election of 2016, they were well outside the public sphere. Christopher Rufo explains in America's Cultural Revolution the mechanisms through which American culture reached its present state. While there are many reviews of his book, this one is unique because it considers his scholarship from a religious history perspective.

Daniel G. Hummel's The Rise And Fall Of Dispensationalism: How The Evangelical Battle Over The End Times Shaped A Nation: A Review, Michael A. Smith

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

This review examines Daniel G. Hummel's The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism, a comprehensive intellectual and cultural history tracing the origin and evolution of dispensationalist theology within Anglo-American Evangelicalism. Despite its dismissal as fringe eschatology, Hummel argues that Dispensationalism significantly shaped the Evangelical imagination and broader American culture. The review summarizes the book's key themes and highlights strengths such as scope and balance while suggesting areas for further consideration regarding transatlantic origins and minor factual errors. It concludes that Hummel provides an insightful, measured analysis of this resilient and controversial belief system but dismisses the theological movement as dead …

Cuba And The United States In The Platt Amendment Period: Perception And Intent, Lee Carter

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The relationship between Cuba and the United States continues to perplex many Americans in the twenty-first century. How can a nation so nearby, that was once so closely tied to the United States, be so antagonistic towards the United States? This study will trace the perceptions, over time, of the United States-Cuba relationship during the early Cuban Republic (1902-1934), a time period in which the United States maintained a controlling relationship defined under the Platt Amendment. In this process, the Cuban perceptions of the relationship will be considered, specifically noting differences of views among different social statuses and perspectives. Then, …

Legal Slavery In America: A Precedent Set By A Black Plaintiff, Edwin Vazquez

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The legal precedent for slavery in America was set by a free black in a case decided by a seventeenth-century court granting the ownership of a black defendant to a black plaintiff. Slavery was not introduced by the arrival of the first Africans at Point Comfort in 1619. Ironically, it was introduced by precisely one of these first African arrivals to the New World. From this point, it developed into the known institution of slavery that later had to be quelled by a Civil War.

The Fight Over Ideology: The Soviet Subversion Of Hungarian Culture In The Cold War Era, Mackenzie Vandixhorn

Senior Honors Theses

In the aftermath of Nazi Occupation during World War II, Hungarians were unable to escape the clutches of dictatorial government. The Soviet Union ousted the Nazis only to assert its own control in the years following the war. To sustain its subjugation of Hungary, the USSR needed Hungarians to accept communism. The Hungarian Revolt of 1956, however, revealed Hungary’s deep resentment for Soviet rule. To sway public opinion in favor of Soviet ideology, the USSR relied on propaganda, including statues, that sought to display the USSR in a positive light during the years 1945 to 1960. However, these attempts to …

Charge The Cockpit Or Die: An Anatomy Of Fear-Driven Political Rhetoric In American Conservatism, Daniel Hostetter

Senior Honors Theses

Subthreshold negative emotions have superseded conscious reason as the initial and strongest motivators of political behavior. Political neuroscience uses the concepts of negativity bias and terror management theory to explore why fear-driven rhetoric plays such an outsized role in determining human political actions. These mechanisms of human anthropology are explored by competing explanations from biblical and evolutionary scholars who attempt to understand their contribution to human vulnerabilities to fear. When these mechanisms are observed in fear-driven political rhetoric, three common characteristics emerge: exaggerated threat, tribal combat, and religious apocalypse, which provide a new framework for explaining how modern populist leaders …

Georgia And Russia: A Tenuous Relationship, Ani Rostomyan

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

In 1801, the Tsar of Russia signed a decree in order to incorporate Georgia into the Russian empire. The decree was very unpopular among the Georgians and caused much unrest. After 1905, Joseph Stalin, a Georgian, became a revolutionary in the country and eventually lead the Soviet Union. In 1922, the Soviet Union forced Georgia to be a part of a Socialist Republic with its surrounding countries, upending the local population and disrupting historic boundary lines. Despite many religious and cultural similarities, Russia’s rule was deemed erratic and domineering. Unfortunately, being ruled under Communism caused the country to become extremely …

Short-Term Success: The 1988 Reagan-Gorbachev Summit, Samantha Foster

Senior Honors Theses

The 1988 summit in Moscow was the fourth, and final, summit meeting between U.S. President, Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary, Mikhail Gorbachev. The principal issues addressed during the summit included human rights and arms control. This event was the first time that President Reagan visited the Soviet Union and thus took time to explore Moscow by visiting a monastery, Red Square, Arbat Street, and students at Moscow State University. The summit would be considered a success after its close, as the INF Treaty was ratified and further progress in the area of human rights in Soviet Union had been …

Gaijin Shogun: The Effectiveness Of Macarthur In The Early Stages Of The Military Occupation Of Japan, Jack Cashion

Senior Honors Theses

In the aftermath of World War II, the Allied powers occupied Germany and Japan to ensure a peaceful transition at the end of the war. While the Allies had conquered Germany in its entirety, Japan’s surrender in the wake of the atomic bombs forestalled a costly invasion of the Japanese mainland. President Harry Truman granted General Douglas MacArthur the title of Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP) when he appointed the general as the leader of America’s occupation force in Japan. As SCAP, MacArthur oversaw the initial years of the reconstruction of Japan and its transition from a war-torn …

The Uss Liberty Incident: Accident Or Intentional Attack, Maximus E. Marlowe

Montview Journal of Research & Scholarship

When I first heard the story of the USS Liberty I became extremely interested in learning more about the events that transpired and began reading about the incident in my free time. Thus, when I registered for Modern American Military History with Dr. Snead, I was already eager to research this topic.

While my primary fields of study are engulfed in the Colonial American period, I have had a strong interest in American military history since I was a child. This would especially be the case with the U.S. Navy as my father is a retired Naval officer and I …

State Power And Control: Core Elements Of Fascism In Fdr's Regime, Edwin Vazquez

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), the hero of the Great Depression and WWII, employed fascist elements into American society. The term fascist is used as a mere epithet today, just as it was in the 1940s. Some argue it is a phenomenon of the political Right, others of the political Left. Notwithstanding, a definition, or a detailed description for the meaning of the term is hardly ever undertaken. The meaning of a term is essential if one hopes to find where it exists. Part of the task in this work is to attempt to define or describe the term fascism with …

Keepers Of The Peace Or Soldiers: An Analysis Of The 1983 Beirut Marine Barracks Bombing And The Rationale Behind Deploying Troops In A Peacekeeping Capacity, Brock Bellinger

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Despite President Reagan’s historic foreign policy success in ushering in the collapse of the Soviet Union and liberation of Eastern Europe, the loss of life during the Beirut Marine barracks bombing marks a substantial failure in Reagan’s foreign policy record. Reagan’s foreign policy failure in Beirut that resulted in the deaths of 241 Americans merits further examination amongst students of international relations as this peacekeeping mission illustrates the dangers of sending American troops into harm’s way without a clear and decisive goal and exit strategy. By evaluating the 1983 Beirut Marine barracks bombing, the hindsight and judgment of history allows …

Taking Dominion To End Dominion: The Mennonite Influence On The End Of Russian Serfdom, H. Michael Shultz Jr.

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Serfdom in Russia was abolished in 1861, only 76 years after the first Mennonites were invited into Russia by Catherine II. By examining the lifestyle of the Mennonites who settled in the agriculturally productive “New Russia” (modern-day Ukraine), as well as the impact that the Mennonites had on the Imperial family, peasantry, and government, it is evident that the Mennonites played a recognizable role in bringing about the abolition of serfdom across the empire.

Challenges Facing The Reunification Of Korea, Patricia Cazeau

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

After the Second World War, the once-unified northern and southern halves of the nation of Korea had been under immense external pressure from the American-Soviet Cold War. As a result, the northern side had sided with the Russian communists, while the southern side had leaned into the United States’ style of democracy over time. Despite multiple proposed ideas for unification, the increasing tensions between Russia and the United States discouraged reunification, despite the Cold War’s eventual end. Thus, various social, religious, economic, and military crises multiplied within each country’s borders. This paper will assess the challenges surrounding the reunification of …

Bigger Is Better? Re-Evaluating Nato Enlargement In The Post-Cold War Period, Matthew Mccracken

Senior Honors Theses

Since the end of the Cold War, the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance has grown substantially from its pre-1990 boundary between the two Germanys to encompass 15 new members with its border pressing eastward toward the former Soviet states and up to Russia proper. At the same time, East-West relations have sunk from a high point in the 1990s to a new low unseen since the Cold War culminating in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Top-ranking officials on both sides of the Atlantic cautioned successive U.S. administrations against heedlessly seeking to admit new members into NATO for fear that it …

The 1776 Report And The Historical Establishment: A Review, Joseph E. Esparza

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The Trump Administration’s 1776 Final Report was instantly condemned by nearly all professional historical organizations in the United States upon its public release. This review of the 1776 Final Report seeks to understand why the historical establishment so quickly dismissed it as irrelevant and dangerous. It sheds light on the academic context behind the report, and comments on the state of the historical establishment in the United States. This article also gives an honest review of the final report from an historical perspective. This review demonstrates that the 1776 Report was never intended as a comprehensive narrative of American history …

Kowtowing And Paying Tribute To China: How China’S Self-Perception And The Mandate Of Heaven Shapes China’S Foreign Policy, Brock Bellinger

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Throughout the course of history, the ancient Chinese notion of the Mandate of Heaven has played a fundamental role in guiding China’s foreign relations. The Mandate of Heaven is based upon the idea that the ruler of China has the authority to reign from Heaven. However, the Mandate of Heaven could be revoked if the Chinese leader did not adhere to strict moral guidelines, as evidenced by the fall of numerous dynasties throughout China's history. To better understand 21^st century foreign relations with China, it is instructive to explore and recognize how China views itself historically. Through an improved …

Lincoln-Douglas Debates: The Continuation Of The American Revoulution, Robert A. Tober

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

This Article deals with the Lincoln-Douglas Debate and how Abraham Lincoln articulated the meaning of American Nationalism and the true meaning of the Revolution and how the advocates of slavery and those who would form "The Confederate States of America" betrayed the Revolution and committed treason. The article address scholarship such as how Lincoln used his arguments based on the words of the founding fathers and how neo-Confederate groups such as the Abbeville Institute and neo-Confederate scholars/apologists such as Donald W.Livingston are the anti-thesis of what it means to be an American.

Historical Revisionism: Revising Or Rewriting, Tyce Shank

Senior Honors Theses

Historical revisionism has long been a part of effective academic historiography. A constant re-analysis of the past and how previous historians came to their conclusions about it enable corrections to be made and new findings to be incorporated into modern and future historical metanarratives. While plentiful positive examples of this practice exist, in part because of an understanding of history as a discipline and how it is correctly and incorrectly represented in adaptations, notable poor and inappropriate examples of revisionism also exist. These rewrites are usually political and are often contested by political opponents and academics, but nevertheless persist. Understanding …

An Alternate Route: How Ronald Reagan Defied Expectations With His Approach To The Crosswinds Of The Patco Strike, Brock Bellinger

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

One challenge which reveals an executive’s leadership ability involves making the decision to fire an employee. President Ronald Reagan did not enjoy firing employees, due in part to his own father struggling to maintain employment. When the 1981 PATCO strike occurred, several obstacles arose which tested Reagan’s ability to act. The Professional Air Traffic Controller’s Organization (PATCO) had publicly supported Reagan during his 1980 presidential campaign when other unions did not. Additionally, Reagan was sympathetic to unions, even serving as President of the Screen Actor’s Guild. These potential obstacles proved challenging from a political and personal perspective. However, when the …

Reviewing John Maynard Keynes: The Economic Consequences Of The Peace, John C. Daniel

Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy

The 1919 Treaty of Versailles is one of the most impactful documents in world history. The treaty effectively ended World War I, decimated Germany, and laid the foundation for World War II. In his analysis The Economic Consequences of the Peace, John Maynard Keynes gives a first-hand account of the influence of world leaders President Woodrow Wilson, English Prime Minister David Lloyd George, and French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau and the roles they played during the Paris Peace Conference. Keynes explains the treaty from a geopolitical lens, argues against the treaty’s reparations clause, and advocates for alternative solutions. Almost …

From The Restoration To The Glorious Revolution: A Protestant Regrouping, Kevan D. Keane

Montview Journal of Research & Scholarship

Abstract

Puritans had goals of reforming the Church of England but had difficulty maintaining a consistent vision of that. As Puritans tried to secure their place in the New World, England was going through one of its most significant transitions of power. These events are known as the Restoration, and the political turmoil in its wake resulted in the Glorious Revolution, a time of intense political transition resulting in the overthrow of James II, the last of the Stuart monarchs. However, its effects were not only felt in England. The Restoration as well as the Glorious Revolution carried over into …

In The Crosshairs Of A Psychotic Poet: An Analysis Of The Assassination Attempt On Ronald Reagan, Renee Thiele

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Textual or Investigative

Evan Mecham And Religion: The Consequences Of Political Discourse In A Religious Community, Kaitlin D'Amico

Liberty University Research Week

Doctoral

Textual or Investigative

The Nature Of Mimicry: An Evaluation Of Political Party Conflict And Its Implications In The United States, Bridget Gallagher

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of The Thirty-Six Stratagems On Chinese Strategy In The Diaoyu Islands, Brent Schuliger

Senior Honors Theses

The Diaoyu Islands are a small, uninhabited archipelago in the East China Sea which has begun increasing in strategic significance due to its advantageous location near Taiwan and along the First Island Chain. The islands are currently under Japanese administration, but the People’s Republic of China considers them historically Chinese and contests Japan’s claim to the islands. A careful examination of China’s actions in challenging Japan’s rule over the Diaoyus reveals the influence of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, a tome of ancient Chinese military wisdom which provides a framework onto which China’s current strategy corresponds. This thesis examines the historical …

Manumission In Virginia: The Anti-Slavery Legacy Of John Lynch, Stephen A. Langeland

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

This paper is in no way an apology for the institution of slavery in any form. In fact, it is a reiteration of Biblical doctrine and natural rights philosophy that posit all humans are created equal. The institution of slavery knew few bounds throughout recorded history and was as ubiquitous and durable as the activities of marriage or warfare, practiced by every culture and religion (Drescher 2009, 7-8, 12-39). Negro slavery specifically was an institution in all colonies of the New World at some point in history (Davis 1969, vii). The morality of slavery was an unquestioned fact of life …

Nothing New Under The Sun: Augustine And Cicero’S Visions Of How Human Nature Relates To Justice, Virtue, Biblical Wisdom, And The State, Faith Chudkowski

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

Social issues today stand at the forefront of civil discourse, global injustice abounds, and the average citizen seems to be more invested in molding a better future than ever before. In the 2020 presidential election, nearly two-thirds of America voted, a percentage that has not been reached since 1900.[1] In recent years, social media has become a primary avenue for rallying support and spreading ideas that range from domestic policy to new notions of justice. Yet, where passionate debate has erupted, levels of polarization and division have risen as well. Where one finds genuine concern for the state of …

The Founding Fathers' Shift Towards Anthropological Pessimism: From The Articles To The Constitution, Noah Davis

Senior Honors Theses

American colonists grew to abhor the evils of a strong and tyrannical government. After freeing themselves, they created an intentionally weak government that placed trust in the masses to contribute to the country’s well-being. The weak government of the Articles of Confederation was too weak, and the people did not act as virtuously as was hoped. There were many problems of the Articles, and eventually a poor economy led to riots and rebellions. After being given nearly unbridled freedom, the people revealed themselves to be selfish. The Founding Fathers decided that the people needed a stronger government to regulate society …

California’S Dilemma: Northern And Southern Sympathies During The American Civil War, Brendan Harris

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The goal of this article is to highlight the military, social, and political issues between Northern and Southern sympathizers in California during the American Civil War. The California Gold Rush saw many Americans move west to cash in on the Gold Mines of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. However, the move west also meant that people would bring their politics and ideas with them, which included how to create slave and free territory. California would become a free state due to the Missouri Compromise, but many Southerners living in the state contested the idea. During California's first decade of statehood, state …