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Critical Dialogue: "The Politics Of War Powers: The Theory And History Of Presidential Unilateralism." By Sarah Burns, Jasmine Farrier

Faculty Scholarship

In the first half of 2020, impeachment, COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, and the upcoming presidential election knocked forever wars even farther off our radar. According to Gallup’s “Most Important Problem” polling, over the past six months, national security, terrorism, and international affairs in general registered less than 0.5% of mentions in the national sample. And yet Sarah Burns’s new book is as relevant as it would have been if public opinion still cared about war as much as it did in the first decade of this century. Although this book, published in 2019, obviously could not include these timely 2020 …

The Electoral College Is Bad For Democracy, Kaitlyn Marlowe

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Human Rights Psc 360, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Instrumental Vs. Expressive: A Study Of Voter Behavior Models Through The Lens Of Identity In The 2016 Presidential Election, Kaitlyn Fales

Honors Projects in History and Social Sciences

Studying voter behavior through the lens of identity is central to making sense of the 2016 presidential election. The traditional models for explaining voter behavior are rational choice and behavioralism. The former is grounded in instrumental partisanship and a voter’s issue positions, with the latter grounded in an expressive, psychological attachment to partisanship. More recent, social identity theory related models discuss voter behavior through group belonging and the partisan mega-identity (Mason 2018). My analysis used the ANES 2016 Time Series Study. To measure a voter’s issue positions, I created a new Identity Index alongside the expansion of an established Issue …

Hiding Behind Lincoln, Jonathan Fenster

Compass: An Undergraduate Journal of American Political Ideas

Abraham Lincoln’s ascent to power was surprising, but after a deep analysis it is clear that it was not at all unique. Just like Queen Esther, Lincoln was able to overcome extreme odds through patience and faith.

Author information: Jonathan Fenster is a Straus Center Scholar at Yeshiva University located in Washington Heights, New York. Jonathan plans on attending law school after he completes his biology major, and hopes to cultivate and develop a deeper understanding of the synthesis between modern law and ancient philosophy.

Alexander Hamilton’S Vision Of An American Monarchy, Madeline Clarke

Compass: An Undergraduate Journal of American Political Ideas

Alexander Hamilton’s underlying arguments in The Federalist Papers and the Pacificus-Helvidius Debates of 1793-1794 expand the power of the presidency and display Hamilton’s desire for a king-like president of the United States, much like Great Britain’s monarch.

Author information: Madeline Clarke is an honors student from Ashland, Missouri, at the University of Missouri-Columbia studying political science and geography with a minor in American Constitutional Democracy. She is currently a Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy Undergraduate Fellow in addition to serving as president of Gamma Theta Upsilon Geography Honor Society, an executive board member of Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor …

Justice, Ideology, And Struggle, Megan Murray

Compass: An Undergraduate Journal of American Political Ideas

Marx’s approach to questions of justice and morality are captured by this metaphilosophical position, whereby Marx rejects an understanding of philosophical inquiry as the pursuit of foundations and universality. Philosophical justifications are, in the last instance, products of a particular form of society and production. Rather than abandoning the basic idea of human moral equality, the radical historicist approach allows the philosopher to make the Marxist progression from merely understanding the world toward changing it and moving it closer toward a moral horizon.

Author information: Megan graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 2018 started a PhD in political theory at …

Singapore’S Covid-19 General Election: Political Breakthrough Amid A Generational Crisis?, Eugene K. B. Tan

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In the 13th general election since independence, the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) – which has governed Singapore since 1959 – won 83 out of 93 seats, with a popular vote share of 61.24%, its third lowest on record. The Workers’ Party (WP) won 10 seats, including an unprecedented two multi-member electoral constituencies, cementing its standing as the leading opposition party. Not only did this outcome fall short of the strong mandate the PAP had sought, it was arguably its worst electoral performance since independence as the PAP’s control of elected seats dipped below 90% for the first time. In …

Indonesia: Twenty Years Of Democracy By Jamie S. Davidson [Book Review], Colm A. Fox

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In Indonesia: Twenty years of democracy, Jamie S. Davidson looks back over the two decades since Soeharto’s fall, focusing on the ‘tensions, inconsistencies, and contradictory puzzles of Indonesia’s democracy’ (p. 4). Refreshingly, the book moves beyond the common approach of studying the similarities and differences between the contemporary democratic period and the Soeharto era. Davidson identifies, labels and skilfully guides the reader through three separate eras in Indonesia’s recent democratic history: the innovation period (1998–2004), the stagnation period (2004–14) and the period of polarisation (2014–18). Each era is analysed in parallel fashion, with subsections on politics, political economy and identity-based …

Why Have Candidates In Indonesian Elections Increasingly Been Rallying Ethnic And Religious Support?, Colm A. Fox

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Ethnicity and religion often become politicised in elections. Research has found that this is particularly true during a transition to democracy. During these times, fragile democratic rules and practices, coupled with strong ethnic bonds, often motivate aspiring politicians to bolster their support by appealing to voters’ emotional allegiances to their tribe, ethnicity, or religion. But, Indonesia’s case is puzzling.

Pandemic Response As Border Politics, Michael R. Kenwick, Beth A. Simmons

All Faculty Scholarship

Pandemics are imbued with the politics of bordering. For centuries, border closures and restrictions on foreign travelers have been the most persistent and pervasive means by which states have responded to global health crises. The ubiquity of these policies is not driven by any clear scientific consensus about their utility in the face of myriad pandemic threats. Instead, we show they are influenced by public opinion and preexisting commitments to invest in the symbols and structures of state efforts to control their borders, a concept we call border orientation. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, border orientation was already generally …

Racial Inequality In Government And Politics Psc/Aaf 301x, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Workplace Readiness For Social Science Majors Psc 101x, Michael Cerbo

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Understanding Populism Through Difference: The Significance Of Economic And Social Axes. An Interview With Kenneth Roberts, Cornell University, Kenneth Roberts, Kayla Bohannon, Alina Hechler

disClosure: A Journal of Social Theory

Kenneth M. Roberts is the Richard J. Schwartz Professor of Government and Binenkorb Director of Latin American Studies at Cornell University. His research and teaching interests focus on party systems, populism, social movements, and the politics of inequality in Latin America and beyond. He is the author of Changing Course in Latin America: Party Systems in the Neoliberal Era (Cambridge University Press) and Deepening Democracy? The Modern Left and Social Movements in Chile and Peru (Stanford University Press). He is also the co-editor of The Resurgence of the Latin American Left (Johns Hopkins University Press), The Diffusion of Social Movements …

Closing The Chasm: Al-Fārābī On Islam And Politics, Onur F. Muftugil

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Much Islamic history evinces a separation between religious and political registers of thought and action. To be sure, these two registers always remained, to some extent, mutually intertwined since the origins of Islam. However, in about two hundred years into Islamic history, or, in other words, in the 9th century, the political register based on coercion began to mark itself off from the moral concerns associated with the religious register. Political authority acquired an increasingly absolute character. It focused more on ensuring the obedience of its subjects than the moral/religious purpose of creating a just society where even the weakest …

Roll-Call Vote Selection: Implications For The Study Of Legislative Politics, Caitlin Ainsley, Clifford J. Carrubba, Brian F. Crisp, Betul Demirkaya, Matthew J. Gabel, Dino Hadzic

Political Science Faculty Publications

Roll-call votes provide scholars with the opportunity to measure many quantities of interest. However, the usefulness of the roll-call sample depends on the population it is intended to represent. After laying out why understanding the sample properties of the roll-call record is important, we catalogue voting procedures for 145 legislative chambers, finding that roll calls are typically discretionary. We then consider two arguments for discounting the potential problem: (a) roll calls are ubiquitous, especially where the threshold for invoking them is low or (b) the strategic incentives behind requests are sufficiently benign so as to generate representative samples. We address …

A Comparative Analysis Of The Politics Of Gun Control In The United States And Australia, Nicholas Leone

College Honors Program

This thesis centers on the interrelationships and differences in firearm legislation and culture within the United States of America and Australia. As a result of the Port Arthur Massacre on April 28, 1996, Australia was faced with an unprecedented mass shooting that completely shifted Australian politics and culture regarding firearm safety and availability. Thus, the thesis inquiries into the effectiveness of Australia’s buyback program as well as the cultural and political factors that allowed for such legislation to be passed. After suffering 118 mass shootings in the U.S. since 1982, the history of the United States regarding gun control is …

The Politics Of Unionization: The Impact Of Politics On The Strength Of Kentucky Coal Miners’ Unions., Bayley Hope Amburgey

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

Extensive research has examined the decline of organized labor in the United States and the political implications that have accompanied it (Goldfield, 1989; Tope and Jacobs, 2009). However, only a small number of works have addressed the political implications specific to Kentucky’s relationship with coal labor unions, and very few works have examined reasons for the current possible rebirth of labor organizing. By examining primary and secondary sources such as newspaper articles and previously conducted case studies, this study explores the ways, if at all, political affiliation or control of a state influences the existence and activity of labor unions, …

Female Political Campaigns: Just The Right Amount Of Femininity, Harley Rogers

Honors College

This paper seeks to understand how female politicians develop their public identities to meet and reject the gender stereotypes society holds of women. The case study looks at Margaret Chase Smith’s political career, with a special focus on her 1964 presidential campaign. The research analyzed Smith’s career through the newspaper coverage of her in order to understand Smith’s choices surrounding her public identity and the media’s response. The analysis identified four distinct points of interest that contributed to Smith’s public persona: physical appearance, examples of housewifery, dialogue on women’s issues, and legislative accomplishments. These factors demonstrate how Smith presented her …

“Things Are Going To Get A Lot Worse Before They Get Worse”: Humor In The Face Of Disaster, Politics, And Pain, Sierra Semmel

Honors College

From the Holocaust and slavery victims to medical professionals to firefighters, coping humor has been used throughout history even in the darkest of times. While it is common among victims of unfavorable situations, it is also utilized by late-night television shows to package the news of the day in a format that both addresses the issues and eases the emotions surrounding them. This thesis critically analyzes selected clips from late night shows and sketch comedy surrounding three different news events: Brett Kavanaugh’s Senate Confirmation Hearings, the Boston Marathon bombing, and Hurricane Sandy. By studying a political event, a domestic terrorist …

Variation In Women's Political Representation Across Countries, Julianna Heck

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

This cross-national study examines the ongoing gender imbalance in positions of power in local and national governments. While some countries have gone to great lengths to combat disproportion and inequality, others have taken steps backwards and have made it almost impossible to achieve equal opportunities for women. Despite the fact that women make up almost half of the world’s population, men still far outnumber women in government in the majority of countries worldwide. This quantitative study analyzes variation in women’s political representation in four categories: domestic roles, wage parity, political systems, and gender quotas. The results suggest that although the …

Discussion Questions For Buying Reality: Political Ads, Money, And Local Television News, Danilo Yanich

Cinema & Media Studies

These discussion questions accompany Buying Reality: Political Ads, Money, and Local Television News.

The Power Of Protest Music: A Concept Album, Matthew Patterson

Honors Program Contracts

No abstract provided.

Women In State Legislatures And State-Level Abortion Restrictions, Sydney N. Siegel

Student Publications

This research paper explores the relationship between women in state legislatures and state level abortion restrictions. This relationship is explored, and then tested against the amount of democratic legislators, the conservatism, of the public, and the religiosity of the public using a linear regression. While the findings are complex, they show that women do have an impact on state level abortion restrictions in some instances.

From Leaflets To Tweets: A Rhetorical Analysis Of The Propaganda Tools Used By The Nazi Party And Donald Trump, Tj Coleman

Geifman Prize in Holocaust Studies

Since the day he announced his campaign for President, people have been comparing Donald Trump to a Nazi. I, like many of us, have long believed that comparison to be overly simplistic, though not completely without merit. In this essay I analyze that comparison through an examination of the rhetoric and tactics of exclusion used by both Donald Trump and his campaign and the Nazi Party. Though there are substantive differences in some rhetorical tactics, there are also some frightening similarities. It is my hope that an honest and even handed understanding of how our current political moment compares to …

The Relationship Between Lgbtq+ Representation On The Political And Theatrical Stages, Brett V. Ries

Honors Thesis

This thesis examines the relationship between LGBTQ+ representation on the political and theatrical stages. During some decades, LGBTQ+ theatre was dictated by the politics of the time period. During other times, theatre educated and filled the silence when the government and society turned the other way. By examining LGBTQ+ plays, musicals, and political events over the past century, there are clear themes that emerge. In both the theatrical and political arenas, LGBTQ+ representation has been limited by a concept called “repressive tolerance.” Every step of progress has been met with another restriction, ranging from stereotypical caricatures to legal discrimination. In …

The American Torture Problem, Chase Sievers

Compass: An Undergraduate Journal of American Political Ideas

This essay offers a brief account and (partial) critique of the Central Intelligence Agency’s enhanced interrogation program which was utilized during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Author information: Chase Sievers is an undergraduate student at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota. He enjoys writing about and studying politics and culture.

Defining Criminality: Confronting Racist And Classist Narratives Of The Criminal, Sophia Meacham

Compass: An Undergraduate Journal of American Political Ideas

Defining someone as a criminal carries serious consequences for the individual in terms of a denial of resources, increased surveillance, incarceration, and dehumanization, and also for society as a whole.

Author information: Sophia Meacham is now at the Columbia College of Arts and Sciences at George Washington University where she is pursuing a Masters degree in Media and Strategic Communications. This research was conducted as an independent study by the author as an undergraduate at Smith College.

Locke’S Questionable Use Of The Bible In Establishing His Theory Of Property, Amy Al-Salaita

Compass: An Undergraduate Journal of American Political Ideas

Locke’s philosophy is not only wrongly founded in the Old Testament, continually relying on the creation story of Genesis in order to justify capitalist theory, but it also selectively uses the Bible in order to excuse wealth disparity and social inequality.

Author information: Amy Al-Salaita is graduate of Loyola University Chicago (Class of 2020), where she studied Political Science and Global and International Studies, with a minor in Arabic.

Linking Gender, Language, And Partisanship: Developing A Database Of Masculine And Feminine Words, Damon C. Roberts, Stephen M. Utych

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Seemingly, gender, language, and partisanship are intertwined concepts. We believe that the use of gendered language in political settings may be used strategically by political elites. The purpose of this paper is to craft a tool for scholars to test the interconnection between politics, gender, and language—what we refer to as being the gendered language and partisanship nexus. We test our prediction using original word rating data. From our test, we find significant variation across seven hundred words in ratings as masculine and feminine and discover that words rated as masculine are more likely to be rated as dominant and …