Digital Commons Network^™

Judicial Corruption In Eastern Europe: An Examination Of Causal Mechanisms In Albania And Romania, Claire M. Swinko

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Judicial corruption is a complex phenomenon that continues to be an endemic problem in many countries around the world today. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in particular have struggled to curb their judicial corruption levels since the fall of communism. Their systemic corruption problems are a hindrance to their respective democratization processes, including many countries’ prospective accessions to the European Union (EU). This paper seeks to examine causes of judicial corruption in Albania and Romania in an effort to better understand how and why corruption has become widespread. Additionally, this paper traces causal mechanisms over a seventeen-year …

Politics V. Religion: A Theory Of The Christian Right, Lucas G. Nordyke

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

I would like to thank my committee for assisting me with this project in whatever way they could. Dr. Cohen, Dr. Lubert, and Dr. Gelfand were extremely generous with their expertise and time, always sending helpful comments and insights. I would like to especially thank Dr. Cohen for being my chair and guiding me through every step of this project. This was no small task and I certainly could not have done it on my own.

News Media Bias And The Syrian Refugee Crisis, Marisa S. Campanella

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Since 2011, turmoil has erupted in Syria causing the displacement of many individuals now seeking refuge. It has impacted other areas of the world, filling the media with stories of daily events surrounding the initial attacks. The increase in media coverage of the Syrian refugee crisis led me to question whether the stories in the news were accurate representations of what was actually happening. I chose to compare two distinct sources of news in a content analysis, Fox News and CNN, to see whether there was a discrepancy in how they reported the same topics. After analyzing seven articles from …

The Fourth Wave Of Democratization: A Comparative Analysis Of Tunisia And Egypt, Ariel M. Dunay

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

In the years following the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, Tunisia and Egypt began the process of creating a new government and constitution made by the people and for the people. However, their differing democratic outcomes begs the question of what factors led Tunisia to become a democracy and Egypt to remain stagnant. This thesis analyzes the democratic transition process through a side-by-side comparison of Tunisia and Egypt in the years since the Arab Spring. It will explore the thin lines between the military, economy, and social movements that all affect the state-building process. It will argue that Tunisia has achieved …

A Demanding Office: Agency And Authority Of The House Speakership, William G. Snoeyenbos

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

From the early Republic to modern times, the Speaker of the House of Representatives has been the single greatest source of legislative authority within the United States government. Often considered the second-highest ranking U.S official after the President, the Speaker utilizes the distinct tools at their disposal to guide the entire legislative process towards the direction they desire. Broadly, these tools include the ability to set the legislative agenda, control debate, and appoint committee chairs. However, the vastly complex set of rules, guidelines, and procedures which govern the modern House were simply not present when Congress first met in 1789. …

From Malta To The United States: Addressing Refugee Needs, Elizabeth L. Brannon

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

There are currently 21.3 million refugees worldwide, who have been driven from their homes and are searching for a new life. The current refugee crisis has created a sense of controversy over the integration of refugees, making it further imperative to determine what leads to effective integration of refugees into host societies and how organizations can aid in this process. To determine these factors, I completed field research in Malta and Harrisonburg, Virginia, interviewing a total of ten refugee organizations. In this study, I explore the how community connections, adaptability, and funding constraints determine the effectiveness of organizations in aiding …

Coolidge Against The World: Peace, Prosperity, And Foreign Policy In The 1920s, Joel Webster

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The common narrative of the 1920s is either to largely ignore the nation during this time and the men who presided over it or to simply dismiss the decade as a time of isolationism and Republican failure and the three presidents as corrupt, lazy, silent, or incompetent. The problems of the more typical narratives are most starkly shown in the realm of foreign policy. A more thorough examination of the role of President Calvin Coolidge and the American nation in that area reveals something very different. Because, if we approach those years as a “historical way station on the road …

Hiv/Aids And The European Union, Victor Hammarin

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is an ailment like no other. Despite huge improvements in treatments for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which causes AIDS, those living with the disease continue to suffer from treatment inequality and discrimination. This is especially true in the European Union (EU), which is a supranational entity that works to improve prosperity, equality, and wellbeing among member-states. Despite extensive EU efforts to improve the standard of living across the inter-governmental body, treatment inequality for those living with HIV/AIDS in the EU continues to be a major issue. This study hypothesized that a strong EU initiative, which …

U.S. Policy And Civil Liberties In Cuba: A Qualitative Analysis, Jason E. Mann

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

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Markers Of Social Movement Success: The Case Of Dominican Citizenship After Resolution 12, Kylie N. Skorupa

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Social movements are the basis for social change, started when a group challenges political authority and ending when its goals have finally been met. Social movement theory names many factors commonly found in social movements such as movement structure, leadership, framing, symbolic representation, resources, transnational activism, political opportunity, and media coverage, as well as many indicators of success including advocacy, public awareness, and policy change. It is vital to understand the indicators of success and their interplay within the movement to evaluate how a movement achieved success. This thesis seeks to examine these eight factors within the social movement MONDHA, …

Seeing The Forests For The Trees: A Comparative Study Of The Green Belt And Chipko Movements, Claire E. Elverum

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The Green Belt Movement (GBM) in Kenya and the Chipko movement in India are two examples of social movements that support the ecofeminist ideology. Both of these environmental movements began under similar circumstances at around the same time, but they are now very different. While the GBM broadened its focus beyond planting trees and gained widespread international attention, the Chipko movement maintained its central focus on protecting trees and remained relatively decentralized and informal. This paper uses these two social movements to explore which factors most influence social movement success and international reach.

Ngo Collaboration In Natural Disaster Response Efforts- A Comparative Case Study Of Earthquakes In Asia, Richelle S. Grogg

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This paper examines the response of NGOs to natural disasters, specifically in regards to collaboration efforts. The study utilizes a comparative case study methodology of most-similar design to look at three specific disasters- The Kashmir Earthquake, The Sichuan Earthquake, and The Japan Earthquake. Within each of these earthquakes the organizations Doctors Without Borders, the International Red Cross, and Oxfam International’s specific responses will be highlighted. The collaboration efforts will be examined utilizing general questions focusing on willingness to collaborate, commitment, and compatibility of objectives. Ultimately, this study found that all three components seem to be hypotheses worthy of further study.

Too Much Television?: Does Watching Political Ads Influence If And How People Vote?, Andrew Haveles

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The goal of this study was to examine the impact of negative political advertising on a young voters’ emotions and his/her decision to vote in the next election. This was done through the lens of the theory of cultivation analysis. The theory stated that the more television a person watches, the more likely he/she is to believe what he/she sees is reality. Using a cross-sectional survey, 324 participants viewed one of four political ads or a control group ad. Although no significant evidence found that negative political ads would stop people from voting, some significant evidence suggested that negative ads …

Throwing (Sh)Aid: Optimizing Aid Conditionality For The Developing World, Timothy F. O'Shea

MAD-RUSH Undergraduate Research Conference

Aid conditionality has emerged as a dominant tool by donor countries in nation building efforts in the developing world. Unfortunately, this strategy has encountered obstacles in achieving substantive change. The purpose of this paper is to investigate possible modifications and augmentations to aid conditionality regimes that could more easily induce political development in recipient countries. To provide a background against which to plan changes, the paper documents important determinants of political change, including public opinion, donor self-interest, and unconscious biases. The paper also evaluates possible malleable policy factors, including adoption speed, proportionality, outcome-based provision, and donor co-ordination. While much of …

The Contact Hypothesis And The Diffusion Of Public Opinion Toward Undocumented Latino Immigrants In The United States, Sawyer Hackett

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

Negative and positive attitudes between population in-groups and out-groups are matured through a variety of experiences, chief among them being the extent of interaction between the two groups. The contact hypothesis observes the extent of interaction between in-groups and out-groups—distinguished by a particular demographic descriptor—and asserts that the extent of the two groups’ interaction is positively correlated with favorable attitudes directed toward the out-group. This research analyzes the potential effect that the undocumented Latino immigrant population has on the sentiments of the established native population. In addition to attitudes toward the undocumented Latino population, the importance that U.S. residents place …

Causes Of Third Party Military Intervention In Intrastate Conflicts, Hailey Bennett

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Since the conclusion of World War II, the number of expansive interstate wars has decreased while devastating intrastate wars and conflicts have increased exponentially. The Cold War ushered in an era of international stability in the bipolar balance of power, but proxy wars, wars of succession and independence, genocide and civil war made the era anything but peaceful. These conflicts proved to be breading grounds for third party military interventions, which increased simultaneously. In this thesis, I attempted to determine what factors encouraged third party states to intervene militarily in the affairs of other states in the post-World War II …

Justice, Democratic Inclusion, And Empowered Governance In Richmond’S Development Policy, Rand Irons

VA Engage Journal

After surviving a car crash, a fish fry owner finds her store in disrepair and smelling of rotting fish. Without access to resources to clean her store, she sets up shop on the sidewalk to make ends meet. On the same block, a florist sells fake flowers because he lacks the capital to purchase refrigerators to sell real flowers. These small businesses located on the same block in Northside Richmond, VA are a microcosm of the inequalities present in this city. As gentrification accelerates, many minority businesses and residents lack the resources to respond. This research gathered evidence on the …

Lexicons Of Colonialism: A Grounded Theory Examination Of Indian And Supreme Court Definitions Of Sovereignty, Jacob Daniel Bosley

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Sovereignty has served as an important political principle in the United States in both its founding and its relations with Native peoples. While the United States signed hundreds of treaties with Native peoples that recognize tribal nations as separate political entities, the political status and legitimacy of Native peoples has constantly come into question. Sovereignty has been cited throughout America’s founding documents and major Supreme Court opinions as the measure of political authority used to judge the status of Native peoples relative to the United States overriding political authority. The precedent established by these citations of sovereignty remains unclear, and …

Factors Driving North Korean Military Provocations, Adam F. White

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This paper examines the causal factors underlying North Korea’s decision to use military actions against South Korean and U.S. personnel, both military and civilian, from the post-Korean War until the present day. It tests hypotheses at the systemic, domestic, and individual levels of analysis and draws conclusions as to what forces and theories appear to explain North Korean behavior across three different leaders. It concludes that North Korea is largely leadership-driven and that there has been a shift away from military provocations since the time of Kim Il-Sung in favor of nuclear weapons development.

Jordan: A Negative Case In A Tumultuous Region, Ann Marie Margaret Hager

MAD-RUSH Undergraduate Research Conference

International media brings attention to the worst conflicts worldwide. When ISIS beheads journalists, like Foley and Sotloff (Vourvoulias, 2014) journalists around the globe turn their editorial dockets to these heinous actions. Yet, it is easy to pay attention to conflict when it becomes severe, i.e., escalates to the level of war. It’s no wonder that the Arab/Israeli conflict has such a plethora of literature and media attention while tensions in places like Jordan, right next door, have not. However, Jordan is an example of a negative case: a country that has, despite its significant tensions, not experienced large-scale violence in …

The Effect Of The Okavango River On Angola's Economic Stability And The Effect Of Its Policy On Surrounding Countries, Loren Marie Stoehr

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This study examines natural resources as a source of international conflict. Without proper management of these resources, conflict will continue to occur. An overview of natural resources and how they pertain to conflict is examined using examples from different parts of the world. Then water conflicts are focused upon and how proposals and resolutions through legal framework and guidance from outside entities can help provide better usage practices. Furthermore, the Okavango River is researched and how Angola’s use of the water effects the countries of Namibia and Botswana. In addition, future proposals to move forward and increase international water security …

Reforming The U.S. Intelligence Community: Successes, Failures And The Best Path Forward, Christopher John Sheehy

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

In the wake of the 9/11 and Iraqi WMD catastrophes, an increased spotlight was placed upon the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC). The widespread criticism of the IC, from both government and public sources, ultimately culminated in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA) in 2004. Today, with a wide array of transnational threats to the homeland, as well as the complex, globalized, high-tech world they thrive in, the role of intelligence remains essential to the national security apparatus.

A new shape for the intelligence reform debate is necessary, one that recognizes the unique role the IC plays in policy …

Decisions Tools Manual, Cisr

CISR Studies and Reports

This decision tools manual outlines methods through which nations and organizations with limited resources can accurately prioritize humanitarian mine action projects and clearance efforts. This methods include a cost-benefit analysis of the socio-economic effect of mine clearance with field examples from Thailand and Ethiopia.

Irreconcilable Differences: Domestic Factors In Britain Creating An Awkward Partnership With Europe, Nicholas G. Howenstein

Senior Honors Projects, 2000-2009

No abstract provided.

Managing Landmine Casualty Data, Cisr Jmu

CISR Studies and Reports

The Mine Action Information Center (MAIC) at James Madison University implemented this project to develop a framework for the systematic collection and management of landmine casualty data. The project was premised on the lack of an adequate system for collecting and managing landmine casualty data on a global basis. Data on landmine and UXO casualties is being collected in a systematic manner in some countries, but worldwide, it is not being collected in a comprehensive or consistent manner that allows it to be compared cross-nationally and aggregated globally. The lack of an adequate system hampers the ability of mine action …

Benjamin Mazar, Biblical Israel: State And People, Philip R. Davies, In Search Of ‘Ancient Israel’, John Van Seters, Prologue To History: The Yahwist As Historian In Genesis, Steven W. Holloway

Libraries

No abstract provided.