Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Voting Behavior Of Labor Union Members In The 2016 Presidential Election, Daniel J. Gillis

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

The conventional wisdom surrounding the 2016 United States presidential election suggests that Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, received significant support from labor union members. This has drawn attention, as labor union members have long been considered a crucial Democratic voting bloc. Previous studies have shown that Democratic support from organized labor groups has been declining over time. The stereotypical labor union member has long been a white working class male with a high school level of education in a private sector union, and recent work has primarily focused solely on these individuals. However, those traditional labor union members have been …

Shifting Bilateralism: Understanding Change In The Us-Japan Alliance During The Cold And Gulf War, Grant Anderla

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

Emerging from a violent past as unlikely partners, the alliance of the United States and Japan has withstood years of cooperation and competition. Today, the two nations face regional threats from North Korea and China. Considering the unique alliance, I hope to provide a framework for understanding inter-alliance management and policy making processes. Subsequently, I consider one main question in my research. What factors explain continuities and changes within this alliance relationship? To address this question, I consider leadership role conception, role prescription, and norms of consultation that contribute to changes within alliance relations.

Analyzing these variables in the case …

Poison Pills: How Subtle Differences In Processes, Public Opinion, And Leadership Doomed The American Health Care Act And Passed The Affordable Care Act, Zachary Eichten

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

In 2009, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act became law. This was possible because the Democratic Party had a majority in both branches of Congress and control in the executive branch. In 2017, the American Health Care Act failed to become law, despite the fact that the Republicans controlled Congress and the presidency. What factors explain the different outcomes? Why was one able to pass, but not the other? This study presents a framework for explaining these different outcomes by exploring the impact of the legislative process, the role of public opinion, and the impact of polarization as factors …

Logged On For Democracy: The Relationship Between Digital Media And Offline Political Participation Over Time, Meredith Grace Jarchow

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

Over the years Internet use has become ingrained in Americans’ daily lives. In turn, those running for office have begun to utilize the Internet for campaigning at all levels of government. How did Internet use in the 2012 and 2016 elections impact political participation? This honors thesis will examine how Internet use affects six different modes of political participation, and compare it to the findings from Bimber and Copeland’s (2013) original study that examined the 12 years prior. In addition, I will also analyze participation in protest marches and signing petitions as two additional acts of political participation. American National …

Nevertheless, She Legislated: A Study Of Women Representing Women In Congress, Meghan Mullon

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

Though women make up only a small fraction of the nation’s legislature, they are often stronger legislators than their male colleagues. Scholars have also found that, over time, these women pay more attention to issues considered more salient to women voters than their male counterparts do. But do women legislators provide better substantive representation to women in the electorate in comparison to men? This study utilizes methodology outlined by Frisch and Kelly (2003) to determine patterns in congresswomen’s committee assignments, and methodology utilized by Michele Swers (2002b) to determine whether women serving in the 111^th, 113^th, …

The Role Of Ngos In International Climate Governance: A Case Study Of Indian Ngos, Lucas J. Giese

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are ubiquitous in international negotiations on climate change governance, participating in framing issues, providing information and expertise, and lobbying government delegates. NGOs are said to supplement the democratic legitimacy and technical capabilities of intergovernmental organizations, yet their actual political influence is more difficult to empirically ascertain. This paper will use a qualitative framework to determine the influence of NGOs in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), focusing on a case study of Indian NGOs. Using data collected at two UN conferences, including interviews with NGO and government representatives and participant observations, the influence of …

Domestic Violence Against Women In Peru: An Analysis Of Individual, Cultural, And Structural Factors, Hanna M. Pioske

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

Violence against women, despite decades of activism on the subject, remains a problem for women around the world. By one measure, over 35% of women globally have experienced either physical or sexual violence. The vast majority of this abuse occurs within the home. Although development programs often focus on women’s empowerment as a way of freeing women from the cycle of domestic abuse, research on this issue has been more mixed, finding that in some cases, women’s work outside the home or higher status relative to their husband can catalyze abuse. Peru is a particularly relevant case study for this …

The Effects Of Historical Trauma And Gender On National Identity Within The Hmong Diaspora, Kalia Vang

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

Since 1975 the Hmong have settled in the West as a diasporic group. Their involvement in the Vietnam and Secret Wars with the United States in Southeast Asia had forced the group to flee their homes in the mountain tops of Laos. This political migration has since forced Hmong leaders to reframe Hmong national identity in the diaspora, specifically in the United States. With this, certain aspects and perspective from Hmong women on the Secret War were marginalized. Thus, this research asks the following question: why is national identity interpreted differently within the Hmong diaspora? This research project is broken …