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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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Articles 1 - 5 of 5
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Partisan Attachment And Conspiracist Predispositions, Robert Stephen Earnest
Partisan Attachment And Conspiracist Predispositions, Robert Stephen Earnest
Bridges: A Journal of Student Research
Conspiracy theories have increasing relevance in American politics. In the age of the internet, where rumors and their associated conspiracy theories are transmitted and received at much higher frequencies than was previously capable, people can be led to believe in ideas that erode their trust in government and its decision makers. This undermines America's capacity for self-governance. In this proposal, I articulate a model that fully explains conspiracist thinking in the context of American politics. I suggest that two domains—partisan attachment and underlying conspiracist predispositions—determine whether an individual will accept or reject a conspiracy theory. To measure the effects of …
The Effects Of Military Budget On American Perception, Charlie Hollis Whittington
The Effects Of Military Budget On American Perception, Charlie Hollis Whittington
Bridges: A Journal of Student Research
How do Americans' perception of a state formulate based on the state's military expenditure? Conventional research theories indicate that Americans might feel a shared political culture with other democratic nations. Such feelings of solidarity may engender Americans' trust and favorability of some states' military development, but provoke negative feelings toward others. Using data mostly from Gallup and the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, this study examines Americans' attitudes toward major states' in the world (vis-à-vis military expenditure).
Communication And Citizen Participation In Southern Local Politics: A Disconnect Between Municipalities And Constituents, Rachael B. Houston
Communication And Citizen Participation In Southern Local Politics: A Disconnect Between Municipalities And Constituents, Rachael B. Houston
Bridges: A Journal of Student Research
Despite the fact that 96 percent of all political contests in the United States are for local offices, citizens are far more likely to participate in national elections and forgo exercising their voice in local politics. And, although academic literature has focused extensively on citizen participation at the national level, local-level democracy has often been neglected. This neglect may be caused by a lack of interaction between constituencies and city mayors and managers. Without effective communication between both groups, citizens will be unaware of opportunities to affect social and fiscal policies in their communities. Scholars know little about the perceptions …
The Globalization Of Human Rights In Post-Genocide Rwanda, Sadara Shine
The Globalization Of Human Rights In Post-Genocide Rwanda, Sadara Shine
Bridges: A Journal of Student Research
In the past two decades, Rwanda has been through major changes, from a conflict-ridden society with deep divisions between the two main ethnic groups–Hutus and Tutsis–to a case of impressive economic growth. Despite the progress, deep divisions and human rights issues exist. To avoid the recurrence of any conflict, both state and non-state actors are playing varied roles in a post-genocide Rwanda. Based on both primary and secondary sources, this article argues that in an era of globalization and postgenocide in Rwanda, non-state actors like international non-governmental organizations have the most impact in the preservation of human rights. So, in …
Midterm Elections Used To Gauge President's Reelection Chances, Desmond D. Wallace
Midterm Elections Used To Gauge President's Reelection Chances, Desmond D. Wallace
Bridges: A Journal of Student Research
Since 1952 there have been thirteen instances in which the incumbent president's party lost seats in the House of Representatives in a midterm election. Researchers have created two competing theories to explain this trend. The surge-and-decline theory argues that the reasons for causing high voter turnout in a presidential election are absent in a midterm election, leading to a decline in voter turnout and subsequent losses by the president's party. The other theory, the referendum theory, argues that losses suffered by the president's party are due to the president's performance and the performance of the economy. When it comes to …