Digital Commons Network^™

Holding Water: The Political And Economic Debates Of The New York State Canal System 1895 – 1903, Erich Grome

Honors Theses

With the allure of the famed Erie Canal deteriorating as swiftly as its traffic and physical condition by the latter half of the nineteenth century, New Yorkers gave serious thought to the future of the waterway. As the commerce of the state and its renowned metropolis of New York City declined relative to its rival states and ports during this period, many questioned if enlarging the canal system would lead to its revival and produce similar results for the economy of the state at large. An ever frequent scene of partisan conflict, the proposals to radically enlarge the Erie Canal …

Understanding Childhood Hunger: A Qualitative Look At The Issues Hindering Progress In The United States, Samantha Kropp

Honors Theses

This thesis examines childhood hunger as roughly 1 in 5 kids live in households that struggle to put food on the table. These children experience physical problems as a result of their food instability, but this problem is connected to other personal and societal issues, such as poor education. To understand how hunger affects children, this study began with a historical analysis of the past 60 years of government supported programs and policies, such as the school breakfasts and summer lunch programs. Four interviews were conducted with different experts in the field, specifically three individuals from a prominent national non‐profit …

Combatting Cultures Of Impunity After Insurgent Violence: Case Studies On Nepal, Srilanka, And Peru, Abigail Mcnamee

Honors Theses

Directly contrasting interstate warfare, intrastate violence comprises of violence in an individual state, typically between an opposition of anti-state actors versus the state and its coercive forces. This project particularly examines recent insurgent groups in opposition to the state. These conflicts, rooted in deep embitterment, are often regarded as enduring, lasting several years before cessation. This thesis considers both the legitimate grievances the anti-state insurgency experienced prior to the conflict, as well as the legitimate counterinsurgency initiative the state used to protect its monopoly of violence. These internal conflicts result in countless non-combatant casualties and human rights violations, creating “wounds” …

Russian Military Intervention In The Caucasus, Chelsea Mickel

Honors Theses

My research focuses on Russia's foreign policy interests and actions in the context of the post-soviet space and its relations with western nations and organizations. I used three case studies: the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict, the Russo- Georgian War, and the Crimean Crisis. The Russian government has pursued intervention in these areas for various reasons. The most prominent of these reasons are ethnicity, religion, irredentism, great power politics, and economics. The Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict centers on the Eastern Orthodox Armenian enclave in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, a nation otherwise consisting of a majority of Turkic Sunni Muslims. The Russo-Georgian War was fought …

Principles And Policies: Comparing The Counterterrorist Strategies Of United States Think Tanks In The Wake Of September 11th, Malcolm Kelly

Honors Theses

United States think tanks work in a “marketplace of ideas” where they compete to spread their views and influence policy-makers. Although think tanks often claim to be independent organizations free of politicization, they are political bodies. Analysts in think tanks share common assumptions about international relations and think tanks have clear political orientations, which guide their members while researching and promoting policies to decision makers. To what extent can global events alter or transform these underlying assumptions? Are global events interpreted anew or are they absorbed into the particular core values and basic principles mirrored in think tank mission statements? …

The Future Of Retirement: How Has The Change In The Full Retirement Age Affected The Social Security Claiming Decisions Of Us Citizens?, Kyle Kalanta

Honors Theses

Social Security benefits serve as a chief form of income for many retirees. However, the value of these benefits varies based on the age at which a person claims in relation to their Full-Retirement Age (FRA). This paper analyzes the effects of the FRA on the claiming decision of Americans using panel data from the Health and Retirement Study. Current policy has resulted in increases to the FRA of eligible claimants based on their birth year. This has been done in an effort to increase the age at which people claim in response to concerns with the long‐term solvency of …

Gay Marriage Laws In Europe Compared To The United States, Megan Stamm

Honors Theses

The issue of same-sex marriage has been the hot social issue of the decade, even of the generation. This social issue has been debated to and fro in countries around the world. Each country has differing policies towards same-sex marriage. Certain countries in the Middle East hold same-sex relationships as crimes punishable by death. Some countries in Europe hold same-sex marriage as completely equal to heterosexual marriage. Each country is different. Each country is made up of different cultures and this plays a huge role in the debate. This thesis will compare and contrast European countries with the United States …

Medicare: Program, Procedures And Recommendations, Sarah Wyman

Honors Theses

My thesis is formatted in the style of a political brief, based upon the program Medicare. This report discusses the question of whether the Medicare program is performing effectively. It discusses the origins and development of Medicare, its mission and reason for the program. Included is the staffing of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a center within the Department of Health and Human Services. It discusses the historical, current, and projected funding through FY 2015. Most notably it contains the program performance ratings of Medicare from the White House, CBO, OMB, and CMS. Medicare is a program that …

The Effects Of Political Culture On The Administrative Functions Of The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program For Women, Infants And Children, Catherine A. Pena

Honors Theses

This thesis examines The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in three different regions that have different political cultures to better understand the influence of political culture on the administrative functions and characteristics of the WIC Program. The WIC Program provides Federal grants to States for supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are at nutritional risk. To explore the role of political cultures' effects on the administrative functions of the WIC Program, this thesis will use …

Red, Blue, And Green: Determining Environmental Orientation On The University Of Mississippi Campus, Kendall Lane Mcdonald

Honors Theses

The goal of this research was to identify and begin to understand the environmental attitudes and behaviors of students, faculty, and staff at the University of Mississippi. This study employed a quantitative survey approach. The survey consisted of the Revised New Ecological Paradigm scale to measure environmental attitudes, and a lifestyle questionnaire to gauge self-reported sustainability behaviors and relationship with the natural world. This survey was broadcasted to all within the University of Mississippi's email listserv. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, means comparisons, and independent samples t-tests. Major findings included: women reported more pro-ecological responses than men in all …

In Vino Veritas: A Comparison Of Organic Winemaking And Attitudes Towards Organic Wine In Four Global Regions, Mary Sloan Merkel

Honors Theses

Organic winemaking is a very high value adding activity for the economy, but the industry has seen different levels of growth throughout the world. It is unclear whether organic winemaking is a viable long-term activity in prominent winemaking regions. This thesis looks at the regulations dealing with organic winemaking and attitudes towards organic wine in four major wine producing areas in the world: the United States, Italy, Argentina, and New Zealand. This thesis uses an extensive literature review of existing studies and papers dealing with organic wine, as well as government regulations and private standards to determine the current practices …

Crime And Security In Brazil: Brazil's Pacification Efforts In The Favelas Of Rio De Janeiro, Susan C. Shea

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to study Brazil's current pacification efforts in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. Brazil has long been linked to violent crime, corruption, and increasing social inequality. It features more homicides than any other country on earth: one in ten people killed around the world each year is a Brazilian (Carvalho, 2015). However, in 2008, Rio's state government began applying a new law enforcement program to rid favelas of gangs and crime before hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics. Information on the current/future tactics and strategies that Rio will incorporate into …

County Chairs Speak Out: How Mississippi's County Party Organizations Connect With Voters, Phillip C. Waller

Honors Theses

This paper includes the results of a qualitative study of 11 Mississippi county party chairs interviewed about their role in the state and how that role has been affected by redistricting. I highlight their comments on their perceived roles, organizational purpose, voter outreach strategies, competition, voter turnout and state and county relationships. Though I started my project hoping to focus on the effects of redistricting on county party organizations' outreach to voters, only 3 of the 11 county chairs I interviewed significantly changed their actions after the 2011 redistricting cycle. The only county chairs who mentioned major changes in their …

The Evolution Of Chinese Students' Motivations To Study Abroad In The U.S., Alison Elizabeth Bartel

Honors Theses

Through interviews conducted in Nanjing, China during Fall 2014, this thesis sought to examine Chinese students' motivations to study abroad in the U.S. and how those motivations have changed over time in the context of Chinese and U.S. policy since reform and opening. Research showed that since 1979, Chinese students have more freedom of choice and economic means to expand their study abroad opportunities. Until now, the United States has been Chinese students' primary destination of choice, but according to modern-day Chinese college students, other similarly developed countries are beginning to draw more and more Chinese students, who may choose …

I Don't Need To Read, I'M Gonna Play Football: Male Collegiate Athletes' Perception Of Reading, Anna Kathryn Suggs

Honors Theses

My research is comprised of data collected from surveys and interviews to gain a better understanding of how college athletes, especially those from low-income backgrounds, perceive their past experience with reading. I surveyed ninety-three freshmen male athletes. I then narrowed my research to focus specifically on male freshmen athletes from all sports and football players of all years, since football has the highest percentage of athletes from low-income backgrounds. I then interviewed six student athletes on the football team. I found that whether or not a student athlete is read to as a child, enjoyed reading as a child, and …

Exploring Discipline Policy Problems In Mississippi Pre-K, Briana A. O'Neil

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to examine the current state of discipline in publicly funded pre-K in Mississippi to determine policy that state policymakers can implement to prevent excessive suspensions and expulsions. This thesis also takes into account racial disparities found in disciplining pre-K students and explores methods that Mississippi can add to pre-K discipline policy as a preventive measure. Two case studies on North Carolina and Tennessee are utilized to identify potential strategies that Mississippi education can learn from. After analyzing both states, I realized that positive behavior reinforcement had success in both states. North Carolina's Positive Behavior Support and Intervention …

Unemployment Insurance In A Post-2008 America: Lessons From Chile, Channing Lansdell

Honors Theses

Unemployment Insurance (UI), in its many forms, has historically been a cornerstone of developed countries' social policy. However, since the financial crisis and following recession in 2008, the American schema of UI has experienced great strain and scrutiny. This undergraduate thesis explores the detailed intricacies of the United States's approach to UI in a post-2008 America, and looks to the Chilean Unemployment Insurance system as a source of potential reform ideas. The paper details the current operations and conceptual underpinnings of the two programs through in-depth case studies, and offers trans-national suggestions for reform. In the case studies, I explain …

The Way I See It: An Exploration Of College Preparation And Student Aspirations In Mississippi Public High Schools, Christine Dickason

Honors Theses

The Way I See It, conducted with a peer, Kaitlyn Barton, explores college preparation and student aspirations in Mississippi public high schools. In order to gain a thorough understanding of college preparation and student aspirations in the state, we decided to split the thesis into three main components: 1) a survey, distributed to juniors at three high schools in Mississippi, to collect quantitative data; 2) a documentary film, to delve into the qualitative, human side of the issue; and, 3) the written thesis. In my written thesis, I focused on issues of college preparation. Overall, Mississippi high school students are …

Up In Smoke: The Unintended Consequences Of Marijuana Legalization In The United States On Public Health And Safety, Claire Colquitt

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to explore the potential public health and safety consequences of the legalization of marijuana in the United States. A review of existing literature on the health effects of marijuana use and marijuana's impact on public safety was conducted. Researchers are still unclear as to exactly how marijuana use affects brain structure and function, but some studies indicate that long-term chronic use leads to changes in both neurological function and physical brain structure. Researchers have been unable to identify how marijuana use affects respiratory function and physical health. Finally, marijuana's relationship with psychological health is …

Potential Social Impacts Of Hydraulic Fracturing And Shale Gas Development In The Uk, Kelsey Reckart

Honors Theses

Hydraulic fracturing has been responsible for revolutionizing the oil and gas industry in the US, and has since gained increasing popularity as nations across the globe look for new energy sources. The United Kingdom (UK) has recently taken steps to use hydraulic fracturing to develop their own shale gas industry, although thus far the industry is still in the initial exploratory stages of development. There has been much debate over the benefits and risks that hydraulic fracturing and shale gas development pose to UK communities and this thesis will investigate the potential social impacts that hydraulic fracturing may have on …

Parent And Administrator Perceptions Of A Parents As Teachers Program (Pat) In Petal, Mississippi, Victoria Roseanne Jones

Honors Theses

This thesis is about the perceptions of the Parents as Teachers (PAT) Program in Petal, Mississippi. In order to gauge these perceptions, I developed a survey for the parents in the program and a survey for the parent educators (program administrators). The parent surveys were administered during home visits and the administrator surveys at a monthly staff meeting. I used thematic coding to analyze the qualitative data and SPSS for the quantitative data. I found that the administrators had accurate perceptions about the parents' income and marital status, but not their age. The parents and administrators were very satisfied with …

Uncovering The Truth About Argentina's Dirty War, Macy Fouse

Honors Theses

Major historical events that blatantly defy human rights are typically common knowledge and recognized by most historians. For instance, everyone knows about the Holocaust. Even smaller-scale massacres, like Tiananmen Square, are included in most history textbooks. The Dirty War of Argentina, a brutal seven-year ordeal that violated the basic human rights of thousands of people, is not usually an era discussed by history textbooks. The society of Argentina is still healing from the effects of this war, but how can they be expected to heal when history will not even acknowledge their past or their pain?

While commonly referred to …