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Articles 1 - 26 of 26
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Forgotten Immigrant Voices: West Indian Immigrant Experiences And Attitudes Towards Contemporary Immigration, Danielle Cross
Forgotten Immigrant Voices: West Indian Immigrant Experiences And Attitudes Towards Contemporary Immigration, Danielle Cross
Honors Scholar Theses
Scholarly work and media coverage both point to the negative effect that the rhetoric and policy of former US President Donald Trump had on the lived experience and wellbeing of immigrant groups explicitly targeted by it (i.e., the “Trump effect”). Typically, the focus has been on Muslim and Latino immigrants as well as those less-explicitly targeted but still affected by Trump-era policies, such as temporary workers. This thesis explores whether Black immigrants from the English-speaking Caribbean, a group notably missing from the literature of “Trump effects” on immigrant experiences, experienced similar attitudinal or practical effects as a result of contemporary …
Dissecting Discontent: How Stocks And Flows Of County-Level Economic And Social Factors Affect The Vote Shares Of Populist Candidates, Thomas Dowd
Honors Scholar Theses
Across the United States, recent waves of populism have disrupted existing political institutions and fueled the rise of figures like Donald Trump on the right and Bernie Sanders on the left. Myriad research has been conducted to examine the reasons behind this surge; underlying much of the literature is the story of a population who is deeply unsettled by how global changes threaten the social and economic fabric of their communities. This thesis will test many of the possible drivers of populism, including economic wellbeing, income inequality, social capital, and community breakdown. Using data from the 2016 Democratic presidential primary …
As Seen On Screen: American Ambivalence Shown Through Death Penalty And Vigilante Films, Lisette Donewald
As Seen On Screen: American Ambivalence Shown Through Death Penalty And Vigilante Films, Lisette Donewald
Honors Scholar Theses
The United States is one of the last western nations still practicing capital punishment. A history of and commitment to vigilantism and its ideals offers an explanation of America’s retention of capital punishment. Employing scholarship on law and popular culture and vigilantism, this thesis finds that pro-death penalty frames are prevalent in vigilante films while anti-death penalty frames are prevalent in films that focus specifically upon capital punishment. Since the 1960’s however, there has been a gradual shift towards anti-death penalty frames and away from pro-death penalty frames as well as changes in the themes presented in the two genres …
Examining The Relationship Between Male And Female Rotc Experiences And Career Ambition, Anabelle S. Bergstrom
Examining The Relationship Between Male And Female Rotc Experiences And Career Ambition, Anabelle S. Bergstrom
Holster Scholar Projects
An exploratory study of how experiences within ROTC programs affect the career ambitions of male and female cadets. Fourteen cadets from two New England universities were interviewed and asked questions regarding experiential factors including but not limited to physical training, uniforms, and treatment by commanding officers. Air Force and Army ROTC programs are included in the study. Findings not only show how certain experiences of ROTC cadets affect their career ambition, but they also show significant differences in the treatment of female cadets compared to their male counterparts.
The Senator And The Citizen: Comparing The Agendas Of The U.S. Senate And Populace, Christian Chlebowski
The Senator And The Citizen: Comparing The Agendas Of The U.S. Senate And Populace, Christian Chlebowski
Holster Scholar Projects
How responsive is the United States Senate to the attitudes and beliefs of the constituents it serves? Using data from the Cooperative Election Study and the United States Census, as well as an investigation into Senate roll-call votes, I will examine Senate responsiveness for the 111th through 116th Congresses.
"Bad Hombres" And The Bully Pulpit: A Study Of Presidential Rhetoric On Social Media And Behavioral Responses Of The Immigrant Population, Mary Vlamis
Honors Scholar Theses
For years, social scientists have studied the impact of presidential rhetoric on public opinion and consumer behavior. This paper adds to the literature on presidential rhetoric by investigating how presidential statements on social media change public behavior in a reaction to these statements. President Trump's immigration policy tweets are used to examine if there is a relationship between the president's statements and changes in behavior using and Google searches. I find no relationship between the instance of a President Trump’s tweet and changes in searching for related topics among both large immigrant populations and Trump supporters.
What Does It Take? The Informal Factors That Are Conducive To The Passage Of A Participatory Amendment, Connor Huydic
What Does It Take? The Informal Factors That Are Conducive To The Passage Of A Participatory Amendment, Connor Huydic
Honors Scholar Theses
Hundreds of Constitutional revisions are proposed in our national legislature every year, yet only twenty-seven have been ratified as amendments in the 243-year history of the United States. The Constitution outlines the formal factors required to ratify an amendment, but this paper will focus on the informal factors that are integral to the eventual passage of a participatory amendment. Through case studies of the Nineteenth and Twenty-Sixth Amendments, this thesis examines the factors that contributed to the ratification of these amendments to find similarities in the circumstances that helped propel these bills to eventual adoption as amendments. Non-radical social movements, …
Public Matters? Comparing Decision-Making By Appointed And Elected Prosecutors In Cases Of Deadly Use-Of-Force By Police In The Hartford Judicial District And Suffolk County, Andrew E. Dubsky
Honors Scholar Theses
This thesis dissects prosecutor discretion for appointed and elected prosecutors after a “catalyst” event shifts public opinion. Previous studies have shown that elected prosecutors are more likely to use discretion favoring the opinion of the public than their appointed counterparts (Bandyopadhyay 2014, Nelson 2014, and Valenti 2011). Because elected prosecutors are more likely to follow public opinion, they should also be more likely to respond to the demands of the public than their appointed counterparts. In effect, elected prosecutors are expected to be more likely to exercise discretion in their charging and prosecuting. To test this, I use the 2014 …
Driven Towards Whiteness: The 1968 Election And White Supremacy, Arianna Tsikitas
Driven Towards Whiteness: The 1968 Election And White Supremacy, Arianna Tsikitas
Honors Scholar Theses
Existing literature highlights the political interaction between the Republican party and civil rights, how civil rights impacted the white ethnic revival, and the appeals made by the Republican party to keep their new voters happy. Many are familiar with the history of discrimination against Eastern European immigrants, yet the process through which they adopted white identity politics is another matter. The role of right-wing activists and leaders during the Wallace Presidential campaign was instrumental in connecting these dots for the Republican leadership, however this too goes largely unnoticed. My thesis will complement existing literature by tracing the involvement of these …
The Impact Of Location On Healthcare Access For Individuals With Disabilities, Addison Kimber
The Impact Of Location On Healthcare Access For Individuals With Disabilities, Addison Kimber
Honors Scholar Theses
This paper analyzes healthcare access for individuals with disabilities living in rural areas. In current political discussion, we typically think of insurance coverage as the metric to analyze healthcare access. However, as demonstrated by studies of healthcare in the United Kingdom, people with disabilities continue to face barriers to health care even with universal healthcare systems. In particular, individuals in rural areas have less healthcare access than urban residents. This is due to factors including socioeconomic status, insurance coverage, access to competent care, and transportation. This study aims to understand if disability status exacerbates the issue of access in rural …
Presidential Power Couples: Does A Strong First Lady Correlate With A Strong President?, Misha Jethwa
Presidential Power Couples: Does A Strong First Lady Correlate With A Strong President?, Misha Jethwa
Honors Scholar Theses
This thesis explores the extent to which a strong first lady correlates with a strong president, and if she impacts public perceptions of his success. To do this, I have run a cross-tabulation through STATA with comprehensive rankings on presidents and first ladies from C-SPAN and Siena College respectively. Both consist of 10 categories that factor into the overall rankings. I have also compiled brief case studies on statistically significant first ladies in order to discover why some of these women are ranked as such. The correlations between rankings are most prominent at the bottom of the rankings - with …
An Unlikely Populist: Donald Trump And The Rhetoric Of Elite And Minority Resentment, Jared Quigley
An Unlikely Populist: Donald Trump And The Rhetoric Of Elite And Minority Resentment, Jared Quigley
University Scholar Projects
Populist rhetoric is a political language employed by individual leaders which divides the populace into two categories: a pure, moral people and a corrupt elite. In this paper, I examine Donald Trump as a populist, focusing on Moffit’s political style approach (Moffit 2016) and Mudde’s definition of populism as an ideology (Mudde 2004). Listening to speeches from the campaign, I study how the components of these definitions of populism apply to Trump. I also examine the groups that Trump defined as “the people,” “the elite,” and the “undeserving minority groups.” I argue that while Trump does exhibit certain behaviors expected …
An Unlikely Populist: Donald Trump And The Rhetoric Of Elite And Minority Resentment, Jared Quigley
An Unlikely Populist: Donald Trump And The Rhetoric Of Elite And Minority Resentment, Jared Quigley
Honors Scholar Theses
Populist rhetoric is a political language employed by individual leaders which divides the populace into two categories: a pure, moral people and a corrupt elite. In this paper, I examine Donald Trump as a populist, focusing on Moffit’s political style approach (Moffit 2016) and Mudde’s definition of populism as an ideology (Mudde 2004). Listening to speeches from the campaign, I study how the components of these definitions of populism apply to Trump. I also examine the groups that Trump defined as “the people,” “the elite,” and the “undeserving minority groups.” I argue that while Trump does exhibit certain behaviors expected …
Running Comes Before Winning: Explaining The Gender Differential In State Legislatures, Marissa Piccolo
Running Comes Before Winning: Explaining The Gender Differential In State Legislatures, Marissa Piccolo
University Scholar Projects
What factors influence the likelihood that a woman runs for, wins, and holds political office across the country? Is it easier to explain why a woman runs in, than that she ultimately represents, a certain district? I compare a series of state-level and district-level independent variables and relate them to two different dependent variables: that a woman ran for a district seat, and that a woman represents a district. I explore what, and how much, political geography and contextual factors can explain. My preliminary findings show that it is easier to explain the probability that a woman runs, than that …
Running Comes Before Winning: Explaining The Gender Differential In State Legislatures, Marissa Piccolo
Running Comes Before Winning: Explaining The Gender Differential In State Legislatures, Marissa Piccolo
Honors Scholar Theses
What factors influence the likelihood that a woman runs for, wins, and holds political office across the country? Is it easier to explain why a woman runs in, than that she ultimately represents, a certain district? I compare a series of state-level and district-level independent variables and relate them to two different dependent variables: that a woman ran for a district seat, and that a woman represents a district. I explore what, and how much, political geography and contextual factors can explain. My preliminary findings show that it is easier to explain the probability that a woman runs, than that …
Analysis Of The Super Pac Donor Pool And Contribution Behavior, Frederick Van Augur
Analysis Of The Super Pac Donor Pool And Contribution Behavior, Frederick Van Augur
Holster Scholar Projects
Super PACs, since their inception in 2010, have played a significant role in federal campaign finance. In 2016 alone, super PACs spent over $1 billion trying to influence elections. In particularly close contests with significant disparities in independent expenditures (the main tool of super PACs), this money can play an important role in the outcome. Despite the prominent role of super PAC money in federal elections, limited research has been conducted on the sources of this money. While speculation about mega-donors, corporations, unions, nonprofits, and shell companies has dominated the news media and political punditry, these sources of funds have …
Exceptionalist-In-Chief: Presidents, American Exceptionalism, And U.S. Foreign Policy Since 1897, John A. Dearborn
Exceptionalist-In-Chief: Presidents, American Exceptionalism, And U.S. Foreign Policy Since 1897, John A. Dearborn
Honors Scholar Theses
“American exceptionalism” has been an important part of presidential foreign policy, especially since the end of the nineteenth century when the United States emerged as a global power. I argue that presidents’ beliefs, rhetoric, and actions during their administrations reveal their attitudes toward exceptionalism. In this work, I propose four types of Presidential American Exceptionalism that presidents’ foreign policies since 1897 can be categorized into: messianic Americanism, messianic internationalism, realist exemplarism, and pragmatic moralism. I define these categories and explain them using case studies of Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush, and …
Prosecutorial Discretion: Do Selection Methods Matter?, Jennifer Valenti
Prosecutorial Discretion: Do Selection Methods Matter?, Jennifer Valenti
Honors Scholar Theses
Prosecutors play a key role in the United States criminal justice system. They hold a significant amount of power through the use of discretion. While many attain the position of prosecutor by election, some attain the position through appointment. In this study, I examine prosecutorial discretion in terms of these different selection methods. I use a comparative case study between Hartford, Connecticut and Worcester, Massachusetts to determine if there are differences in how elected and appointed District Attorneys exercise their discretion.
The Politics Of Health Outcomes And Income Inequality: A Time Series Cross-Sectional Analysis Of County-Level Mortality Rates In The United States, Timothy H. Callaghan
The Politics Of Health Outcomes And Income Inequality: A Time Series Cross-Sectional Analysis Of County-Level Mortality Rates In The United States, Timothy H. Callaghan
Honors Scholar Theses
: Health inequalities are pervasive in the United States today. Despite social epidemiologists frequently citing political and economic factors for this variance, political science has largely ignored these issues. Given this gap in the literature and the importance of the issue, more research is clearly needed to better understand the political and economic causes and implications of these health disparities. This study analyzes the topic in depth, examining how income inequality, which is believed to be a key factor in explaining health inequalities, is related to mortality rates at the county level. Examining aggregate data from all US counties from …
Beyond Racial Precedents: Loving V. Virginia As An Appropriate Legal Model And Strategy For Same-Sex Marriage Litigation, Michael J. Csere
Beyond Racial Precedents: Loving V. Virginia As An Appropriate Legal Model And Strategy For Same-Sex Marriage Litigation, Michael J. Csere
Honors Scholar Theses
This thesis explores how LGBT marriage activists and lawyers have employed a racial interpretation of due process and equal protection in recent same-sex marriage litigation. Special attention is paid to the Supreme Court's opinion in Loving v. Virginia, the landmark case that declared anti-miscegenation laws unconstitutional. By exploring the use of racial precedent in same-sex marriage litigation and its treatment in state court cases, this thesis critiques the racial interpretation of due process and equal protection that became the basis for LGBT marriage briefs and litigation, and attempts to answer the question of whether a racial interpretation of due process …
Executive Power And The People: Does The President Care What You Think?, James Ringold
Executive Power And The People: Does The President Care What You Think?, James Ringold
Honors Scholar Theses
I sought to examine the relationship between public approval of the president and his subsequent behavior. Specifically, I looked at the relationship between public approval and signing statement usage along with their usage following the 2006 outcry against President Bush's use of them.
Gay Parenthood And The Revolution Of The Modern Family: An Examination Of The Unique Barriers Confronting Gay Adoptive Parents, Nicholas Arntsen
Gay Parenthood And The Revolution Of The Modern Family: An Examination Of The Unique Barriers Confronting Gay Adoptive Parents, Nicholas Arntsen
Honors Scholar Theses
Abstract: In recent decades, the structure of the American family has been revolutionized to incorporate families of diverse and unconventional compositions. Gay and lesbian couples have undoubtedly played a crucial role in this revolution by establishing families through the tool of adoption. Eleven adoptive parents from the state of Connecticut were interviewed to better conceptualize the unique barriers gay couples encounter in the process adoption. Both the scholarly research and the interview data illustrate that although gay couples face enormous legal barriers, the majority of their hardship comes through social interactions. As a result, the cultural myths and legal restrictions …
Splitsville: A Study Of Income Inequality And Political Polarization In The United States House Of Representatives, Robert O'Brien
Splitsville: A Study Of Income Inequality And Political Polarization In The United States House Of Representatives, Robert O'Brien
Honors Scholar Theses
The study compares a measure of income inequality with polarization scores of U.S. Representatives from the 104th to the 109th Congresses. It attempts to explain the link, on the abstract level, between high inequality and high polarization. The end findings indicate that inequality increases a Representative's likelihood to act liberally.
"Super" Representation: The Relationship Between Elected Officials And Their Constituents, Joshua Shulman
"Super" Representation: The Relationship Between Elected Officials And Their Constituents, Joshua Shulman
Honors Scholar Theses
The following paper is about the relationship between elected officials and their constituents. Seniority and margin of victory are studied to determine their effects on said relationship. The institution of superdelegates in the Democratic nominating process is studied from 1984-2008 to make this thesis empirical.
Perpetual Conflict Or Compromise? The Cost Of Domestic Legitimacy In The Realm Of Women's Human Rights: A Case Study On The Right To An Abortion, Kim Andrea Kelly
Perpetual Conflict Or Compromise? The Cost Of Domestic Legitimacy In The Realm Of Women's Human Rights: A Case Study On The Right To An Abortion, Kim Andrea Kelly
Honors Scholar Theses
With its turbulent and volatile legal evolution, the right to an abortion in the United States still remains a highly contested issue and has developed into one of the most divisive topics within modern legal discourse. By deconstructing the political underpinnings and legal rationale of the right to an abortion through a systematic case law analysis, I will demonstrate that this right has been incrementally destabilized. This instability embedded in abortion jurisprudence has been primarily produced by a combination of textual ambiguity in the case law and judicial ambivalence regarding this complex area of law. In addition, I argue that …
Predicting State Allocation Of Funds: The Case Of John Rowland And His Hometown Of Waterbury, Connecticut., Matthew Ciarleglio
Predicting State Allocation Of Funds: The Case Of John Rowland And His Hometown Of Waterbury, Connecticut., Matthew Ciarleglio
Honors Scholar Theses
This study attempts to analyze the underlying factors and motives influencing the allocation of discretionary state expenditures. The fact that some cities receive more money than other cities begs the question of what accounts for this variation. After framing the provision of state money within the theoretical framework of political patronage, a case study of Governor Rowland’s tenure in office and the accompanying expenditures to Connecticut’s 17 largest cities from 1995 to 2004 was conducted to evaluate whether a disproportionate amount of money was given to Rowland’s hometown of Waterbury, Connecticut. Besides employing a statistical analysis that determined that cities …