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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Eu's Cookie Cutter, But Not The Eu's Cookie, Sylvia Zdunek Dec 2014

The Eu's Cookie Cutter, But Not The Eu's Cookie, Sylvia Zdunek

Honors Theses

The members of the European Union have never had a common identity that has united them together beyond their geographical definition of "Europe." Since the beginning of the European Union and the introduction of the Euro, the decision makers of the Union have been pushing for a collective European identity. The need for this identity comes from the belief that in order for the Union to be economically sound, it needs an underlying homogenous culture. A unity in identity, values, and ideals is stronger than a unity based solely on a common currency as it lacks personal characteristics that people …


Constitutional Conflict And Judicial Supremacy: Rethinking The Authority Of The Court, Jane Ramage Jun 2014

Constitutional Conflict And Judicial Supremacy: Rethinking The Authority Of The Court, Jane Ramage

Honors Theses

Although it is impossible to determine the future of constitutional dialogue, it is clear that the theories of popular constitutionalism and departmentalism remain applicable theories of constitutional interpretation. Although the theory of judicial supremacy acts as the dominant narrative in modern discourse, alternative modes of constitutionalism have succeeded in the past and may certainly assume dominance in the future. Whether they will exist harmoniously with judicial supremacy or require the weakening of the Court’s legitimacy is a question that remains to be answered in the constitutional conflicts of our future. In the event that our nation sees another crisis like …


The Origins Of Wave Elections: Narrative Control Polarization And Turnout In New Hampshire Electoral Politics 2006-2012, Zachary Jonas Jun 2014

The Origins Of Wave Elections: Narrative Control Polarization And Turnout In New Hampshire Electoral Politics 2006-2012, Zachary Jonas

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the origin of wave elections in New Hampshire in 2006, 2010 and 2012. It finds that recent demographic shifts in the state laid the groundwork for these dramatic electoral results. This paper also examines the nationalization and polarization that have redefined New Hampshire’s political landscape and contributed to massive partisan shifts in state government. The combination of demographic changes and a polarized political culture have created an electoral environment for both Republicans and Democrats that favors turnout, increasing the importance of agenda setting and narrative control in order to produce high turnout among core constituencies. Chapter 1 …


In Reckless Pursuit: Barry Goldwater A Team Of Amateurs And The Rise Of Conservatism, Nicholas D'Angelo Jun 2014

In Reckless Pursuit: Barry Goldwater A Team Of Amateurs And The Rise Of Conservatism, Nicholas D'Angelo

Honors Theses

Before 1964, Barry Goldwater had never lost an election. In fact, despite being the underdog in both of his U.S. Senate elections in Arizona, in 1952 and 1958, he defied the odds and won. His keen ability for organization, fundraising and strategy was so widely respected that his Republican colleagues appointed the freshman senator to chair their campaign committee in 1955, with conservatives and liberals alike requesting his aid during contentious elections. Goldwater himself adamantly believed that in politics, “organization is the whole secret.” For all of these reasons, 1964 seems to be an outlier in the senator’s expansive career. …


The Ties That Bind: Candidate Appearance And Party Heuristics, Brandon D. Reilly May 2014

The Ties That Bind: Candidate Appearance And Party Heuristics, Brandon D. Reilly

Honors Theses

Studies on voting behavior have implications for academia and for real world applications. One of the main topics covered in studies of voting behavior is the use of heuristics to make voting decisions. A heuristic is a mental shortcut used to make a decision, and often times does not account for any careful consideration. According to the literature, an individual's party identification is the most commonly used heuristic in voting behavior. A voter will align with a political party based on preferences in policy (or perceived preferences) and vote for any candidate who bears the party's designation. There is also …


The Immigration Cycle? : A Comparative Analysis Of Historical Determinants Of State Level Immigration Policy, Rome Gonsoulin May 2014

The Immigration Cycle? : A Comparative Analysis Of Historical Determinants Of State Level Immigration Policy, Rome Gonsoulin

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Swing State Residency And Young Voter Turnout, Alex Hotard May 2014

Swing State Residency And Young Voter Turnout, Alex Hotard

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Party Building Factors To Encourage Third Party Support Among 18-24 Year Olds, Amy Timmerman May 2014

Party Building Factors To Encourage Third Party Support Among 18-24 Year Olds, Amy Timmerman

Honors Theses

Third parties have always existed within American politics, yet have never claimed the ultimate political victory: the Presidency. Third parties often enjoy support from a strong, concentrated group of serious devotees and brief flashes of public support, but they often fail to attract the larger, more consistent backing enjoyed by the two major parties. A significant source of third party patronage is also found on the university campus, yet this support often fades shortly after college. Using survey data, this research analyzes the potential impact party building and media campaign strategies would have on third parties in gaining the lasting …


Are We The Ones To Blame?: Ideological Polarization And Voter Choice, Robert J. Williamson May 2014

Are We The Ones To Blame?: Ideological Polarization And Voter Choice, Robert J. Williamson

Honors Theses

Political polarization is the social process by which the ideas and values of a politically moderate majority are slowly replaced by an uncompromising political ideology. In the American context, the term ‘polarization’ is meant to conjure an image of Americans moving from the moderate center to the uncompromising ideologies of modern conservatism or liberalism. This study examined whether a group’s level of political polarization can be a reliable predictor for its voting patterns. To do so, a two-part questionnaire was disseminated to a sample of undergraduate students at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM). The first section determined if a …


Competing Identities In The U.S. South: The Role Of Youth And Southern Identities In Politics, Olivia Mcclure May 2014

Competing Identities In The U.S. South: The Role Of Youth And Southern Identities In Politics, Olivia Mcclure

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Voting In Latin America: Understanding Turnout Decisions, Claire Q. Evans May 2014

Voting In Latin America: Understanding Turnout Decisions, Claire Q. Evans

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Tunisia: Democracy And Islam In Post-Arab Spring Politics, Mary E. Shults May 2014

Tunisia: Democracy And Islam In Post-Arab Spring Politics, Mary E. Shults

Honors Theses

Since the ousting of the former regime and the first free and fair elections in 2011 in Tunisia, political Islamist parties have been in the majority. The ruling party did not have a mandate, which necessitated concessions. Nonetheless, religion, balanced with a history of institutional secularism enforced by a dictator, has impacted the creation of a democracy. Inequality and repression drove protestors to the streets to demand new governance. These problems, along with religion and societal norms, influence the meaning of democracy in Tunisia. This paper will explore the thin lines between religion, democracy and the everyday politics of Tunisia, …


Tennessee: The Birth And Development Of Performance-Based Funding In Higher Education, Evan Williams May 2014

Tennessee: The Birth And Development Of Performance-Based Funding In Higher Education, Evan Williams

Honors Theses

Tennessee was the first state to introduce performance based funding metrics into their higher education system in 1979. Over the past 30+ years, the state reevaluated and amended their formula every five years. What was initially an additional allocation that could be earned on top of an institution’s standard budget has now become the sole method of allocating funds for higher education in Tennessee. In 2010 the Tennessee legislature passed the Complete College Tennessee Act, Which put the state on the path to be the first state in the nation that allocates 100% of higher education funds on the basis …


The Effects Of Welfare Sanctions On Infant Mortality In Louisiana Parishes, Jackson Voss Apr 2014

The Effects Of Welfare Sanctions On Infant Mortality In Louisiana Parishes, Jackson Voss

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


As Stable As The Dollar Stretches: The Impact Of Us Foreign Aid On Social Stability In Jordan, Jasmine Renee Jordan Apr 2014

As Stable As The Dollar Stretches: The Impact Of Us Foreign Aid On Social Stability In Jordan, Jasmine Renee Jordan

Honors Theses

After the fall out of the Arab Spring in 2010, most of the countries in the Middle East and North Africa region suffered from extreme political, social, and economical instability. Usually, the citizens of these counties were revolting against the authoritarian regimes that have held power for decades. Jordan stands as the only obvious exception. How has Jordan maintained relative economic stability where others have failed? I have found that it is hard to judge the economic or social stability of Jordan without recognizing the large amounts of foreign aid Jordan has received from the US. This thesis asks what …


Power In Numbers? The Impact Of Female Formed Police Units On Women’S Empowerment, Laura Huber Apr 2014

Power In Numbers? The Impact Of Female Formed Police Units On Women’S Empowerment, Laura Huber

Honors Theses

Advocates hailed the deployment of female formed police units (FFPUs), or all-female units, as part of UN peacekeeping missions as a groundbreaking achievement for women's empowerment. Three FFPUs have been deployed to Liberia, Timor-Leste, and Haiti. Supporters of FFPUs claim that female police are better peacekeepers, less prone to violence, and more responsive to sexual and gender based-violence. Furthermore, FFPUs are expected to act as role models, challenge gender stereotypes, and encourage local women to participate in the security sector. However, little systematic research has been conducted to evaluate these proposed beneficial impacts of FFPUs. Using feminist discourse analysis and …


Crumbling Pillars Of The Developmental State: The Collapse Of The Bretton Woods System And Its Impact On Political Economy In East Asia, Braden Dauzat Apr 2014

Crumbling Pillars Of The Developmental State: The Collapse Of The Bretton Woods System And Its Impact On Political Economy In East Asia, Braden Dauzat

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Protestantism, Liberalism, And Racial Equality, Abraham Uppal Feb 2014

Protestantism, Liberalism, And Racial Equality, Abraham Uppal

Honors Theses

In this paper, I will examine liberalism in Protestantism. Liberals who are Protestant, Mainline Protestants, are an interesting group who are different from the conservative, Evangelical Christian crowd. I will pay special attention to racial issues like affirmative action and racism. Liberalism in Protestantism is often called the social gospel, a theology in which Protestants believe Christian teachings mandate an active role in society in which values such as freedom, equality, and love are pursued. The social gospel contrasts with the theology called individual salvation, often identified with conservative or Evangelical Christianity, in which one’s personal relationship with God is …


The Termination Of Government Programs: A Case Study Of The Recovery Audit Contracting Program, Ryan Henry Jan 2014

The Termination Of Government Programs: A Case Study Of The Recovery Audit Contracting Program, Ryan Henry

Honors Theses

One common view is that a majority of government programs persist beyond their useful lifespans giving the impression that once installed, government programs are 'immortal'. However, termination of government programs is an essential element in the policy making process. Several factors determine the projected lifespan of a program, and a program may be effectively terminated using several mechanisms. An analysis of the Recovery Audit Contracting program, a program designed to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid systems, shows that watchdog programs are inherently more prone to termination than other types of government programs.


The Role Of Earmarking In Modern Day Congress, Charles Owen Jan 2014

The Role Of Earmarking In Modern Day Congress, Charles Owen

Honors Theses

This thesis is meant to analyze the correlation between earmarks and bi partisan voting behavior in the United Sates Congress. I collected earmarks data for the 111th Congress in order to understand how much was spent on both solo and joint earmarks. I then used this data to create a list of the top 87 bi partisan earmark partners for the 111th Congress. After creating the list of partners, I analyzed their voting behavior to see how often these bipartisan partners voted together in the 111th Congress because earmarks were present during this session. I then used the same partnerships …


Economic Leapovers, William Hunter Wolf Jan 2014

Economic Leapovers, William Hunter Wolf

Honors Theses

This paper examines the phenomenon of economic leapovers in technology. Leapovers are defined and placed in historical context, with some examples from telecommunications and case settings from Russia and China. In particular, the socioeconomic factors behind leapovers are noted and analyzed in light of several classical economic doctrines of Adam Smith, David Ricardo, Thomas Malthus, and Karl Marx. The potential for other leapovers is also examined in an extension.


The Evolution Of A Social Movement: A Study Of The Madres De Plaza De Mayo, Grace Anne Boyd Jan 2014

The Evolution Of A Social Movement: A Study Of The Madres De Plaza De Mayo, Grace Anne Boyd

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the evolution of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo social movement in Argentina from 1979-2014. The Madres de Plaza de Mayo are a social movement that initiated protests against the military junta that controlled Argentina from 1976-1982. The Madres were the mothers of people the junta had disappeared during its regime, and the protests were a demand for information about the missing children. After the fall of the dictatorship, the movement continued its protest for information. During this time, the movement underwent a structural split that coincided with ideological structure. I analyzed both internal and external factors …


Investment In The Developing World: Democracy And/Or Transparency, John Carter Jan 2014

Investment In The Developing World: Democracy And/Or Transparency, John Carter

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the concept of transparency and its role in international investment in the developing world. Investment is essential to developing nations because of its overarching economic benefits, such as new avenues of employment, exposure to new markets and the financing of diverse development projects. The desire for increased capital from foreign investors has influenced and shaped the economic policies of developing democratic and autocratic states. One of the most recent trends in economic policy is the formulation and adoption of transparent vehicles, such as access-to-information legislation, which address perceived investor risk through certain actions, such as publishing various …


The Success Of An Ethnic Political Party: A Case Study Of Arab Political Parties In Israel, Samira Abunemeh Jan 2014

The Success Of An Ethnic Political Party: A Case Study Of Arab Political Parties In Israel, Samira Abunemeh

Honors Theses

Israeli Arab political parties are observed to determine if these ethnic political parties are successful in Israel. A brief explanation of four Israeli Arab political parties, Hadash, Arab Democratic Party, Balad, and United Arab List, is given as well as a brief description of Israeli history and the Israeli political system. The total performance as well as individual party performances is compared to the percentage of Israeli Arabs in Israeli society in order to determine that overall Israeli Arab political parties are not successful, although there are nuances to the term of success that the parties achieve.


Festivals And Revelry: A Study Of Identity In The Cantons Of Modern Switzerland, Courtney Gayle Taylor Jan 2014

Festivals And Revelry: A Study Of Identity In The Cantons Of Modern Switzerland, Courtney Gayle Taylor

Honors Theses

The following paper seeks to address the question of whether or not Fribourg and the other Swiss cantons are able to maintain a cantonal identity in the increasingly globalized political system and what methods are used for this identity preservation. This reproduction of identity in the cantonal system (also referred to as cultural reproduction) will be the focus of my thesis. After looking at the literature on identity formation, familiarizing myself with the history of Switzerland, the cantonal system, and the canton of Fribourg, and finally collecting and analyzing data on identity formation practices in the guise of festivals, I …


The Smoke Free Campus Movement, Daniel Roberts Jan 2014

The Smoke Free Campus Movement, Daniel Roberts

Honors Theses

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the rising number of smoke free college and university campuses in the United States and to identify the mechanisms that can be used to implement a national policy requiring all colleges and universities to be smoke free. To fully investigate this topic, I utilized qualitative research through analyses from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, reports from the Surgeon General, a tobacco control legal consortium, newspaper articles, television news reports, websites of colleges and universities with smoke free policies, to consolidate the research into an overarching picture of the current climate …


Ncaa At The Crossroads: How O'Bannon V. Ncaa Could Change College Sports, Evan Brewster Jan 2014

Ncaa At The Crossroads: How O'Bannon V. Ncaa Could Change College Sports, Evan Brewster

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the current model of American college athletics and how football and basketball, specifically, have become extremely commercialized. This piece begins with an analysis of the current state of amateur college athletics and the changes that have taken place recently. O'Bannon v. NCAA signifies the one of the most recent challenges to NCAA power, attempting to change the unjust system that requires student-athletes to remain amateur while universities profit off the athletic contests. An evaluation of previous legal challenges to the NCAA help frame an assessment of the case itself thus far. To conclude, cases like O'Bannon and …


The Trajectory Of The Argentine Economy From 2001 To The Present: What Comes Next?, Mary Morgan Gladney Jan 2014

The Trajectory Of The Argentine Economy From 2001 To The Present: What Comes Next?, Mary Morgan Gladney

Honors Theses

This thesis looks at global economic factors and Argentina's internal economic policy and political conditions of the last decade to determine the near-term future of the economy. By analyzing the factors that previously influenced the trajectory of the economy of Argentina, I will try to answer this question: What is the trajectory of the Argentine economy in the current political climate? In 2001 after a ten-year period of economic policy reform, the Argentine economy collapsed. Over a decade has passed since the crash of 2001, and now Argentina is once again in a precarious position. The dependent variable of this …


Changes In United States Foreign Assistance Allocation And Its Effect On Terrorism, Mary Anna Smith Jan 2014

Changes In United States Foreign Assistance Allocation And Its Effect On Terrorism, Mary Anna Smith

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to study what, if any, affect foreign assistance given by the United States had on terrorism around the world. In order to study this issue, the question, How have changes in United States foreign assistance allocation since the end of the Cold War affected observable terrorist activities?. To answer the research question, foreign assistance data from the United State Overseas Loans and Grants was compared to observable terrorist activities data from the Global Terrorism Database. This data was analyzed through statistical regression to find that there are fewer observable terrorist activities when more foreign …


How The Case United States V. Windsor Paved The Way For Same-Sex Marriage Legalization In The United States, Olivia C. Watkins Jan 2014

How The Case United States V. Windsor Paved The Way For Same-Sex Marriage Legalization In The United States, Olivia C. Watkins

Honors Theses

This thesis looks at how the United States Supreme Court came to decide upon the issue of same-sex marriage. Starting in the lower courts and moving to the Supreme Court in 2013 and how the decision handed down by the court changed the law of the land. As well as how this decision has allowed for future changes in the law. Furthermore, how the new land has led individual states to overturn laws restricting marriage equality and how the Fourteenth Amendment can be used as a vehicle to legalize same-sex marriage across the states using the Courts decisions in United …