Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Assassination In Modern America: Political Participation Through A Gun Barrel?, Richard Grossenbacher

Masters Theses

Assassination has been a constant companion of the world's societies from the beginning of recorded history. Only relatively recently have social scientists begun empirical study of these acts in an effort to reveal any commonalties and possible predictive traits. Investigation of the assassination phenomenon assumed a special urgency in America as violence seemed to escalate in the 1960s, which resulted in some notable research.

The present research collected data of presidential and non-presidential assassinations and attempts that occurred from 1969 through 1992 and compared the findings with the results of earlier studies.

The data indicate that presidential assaults increased in …

The Nuclear Contamination Of Kazakhstan, Rebecca Marie Matter

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This thesis studies the radioactive contamination of Kazakhstan's environment, concentrating on the period between February 1989 and January 1993. For each type of nuclear degradation in Kazakhstan the thesis asks the questions: what is its cause and extent, what are its consequences for humans, and what are the human responses. The main causes of Kazakhstan's nuclear devastation are atomic weapons' tests, uranium mining, manufacturing of uranium fuel, and the operation of a fast breeder reactor power generator unit. The amount of radioactive contamination is colossal. The consequences for the health of the population, especially at Semey, are severe. The human …

Iranian Foreign Policy Shedding The Pariah Image, Joseph Edward Gleason Jr.

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This study analyzes Iranian foreign policy since 1979 to determine if Iran is a pariah state in the international community. To determine Iran's isolation in the international community, various factors were examined, including diplomatic relations, political leverage, relations with the United Nations, and the ability to acquire military hardware. Iran's status was compared with three generally accepted pariah states, Taiwan, Israel, and South Africa to determine the degree of isolation faced by the Islamic Republic. This study determined that Iran remains a pariah state, but is less isolated than most pariah states because its objectionable behavior, its aggressive foreign policy, …

The United States-Japan Security Treaty Of 1951: An Essay On The Origins Of Postwar Japanese-American Relation, Christopher S. Johnson

Dissertations and Theses

The early September day in 1951 that brought the Pacific War to an official end, with the signing of a treaty of peace, concluded as representatives of Japan and the United States signed the Bilateral Security Treaty. The security treaty symbolized new realities of international relations, just as the peace treaty had buried the old. By cementing into place a strategic alliance between the former Pacific antagonists, the treaty represented the great and lasting achievement of postwar American diplomacy in Asia. Nevertheless, the treaty was both the outcome and the perpetuation of a stereotyped and lopsided relationship, now fixed firmly …

Common Security: A Conceptual Blueprint For An Israeli-Palestinian Political Settlement, Robert Arthur Horenstein

Dissertations and Theses

The deep-rooted Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been a major source of destabilization in the Middle East for some three-quarters of a century. Whereas other long-standing conflicts around the world have been brought to a close, this struggle (both in and of itself and within its wider Arab-Israeli dimension) remains a perennial tinderbox. This is particularly true given the unsettling realities of the region in which the conflict exists. Consequently, a certain sense of urgency for finding a permanent political settlement can be discerned both within the region and outside it. still, the search for a solution has yielded progress only on …

Contracts In Conflict: Perestroika And The Decline Of Soviet Legitimacy, Karl Glenn Hokenmaier

Masters Theses

Gorbachev's perception of the Soviet Union's socio-economic crisis and his subsequent actions to correct the economy and reform the political system were linked with attempts to renegotiate the social contract between the state and the Soviet people. However, reformulation of the social contract was incompatible with the conditions of a second arrangement between the leadership and the nomenklatura--the Soviet ruling class. The failure of Gorbachev's reforms and the decline of Soviet legitimacy were linked to the irreconcilability of the nomenklatura's "political contract" and the social contract.

The construct of the social contract was utilized to represent the Soviet state-society relationship …

F. A. Hayek On The Role Of Reason In Human Affairs, Linda Catherine Raeder

Master's Theses

This-study examines the views of F. A. Hayek on the role of reason in human affairs. The author explicates certain elements of Hayekian theory that bear on this issue-his views on the nature of mind, rules, law, and cultural evolution-and discusses the characteristics of both the constructivist and critical "kinds of rationalism" Hayek identifies. She then examines the views of various critics who have challenged Hayek's argument. She concludes that, contrary to certain critics, 1) the distinction he draws between constructivist and critical rationalism is meaningful and that the two kinds of rationalism appear to be related to certain political …

Community Development Corporations And Their Contributions To Democracy In Chicago, Carl E. Hanssen

Masters Theses

Community development corporations (CDCs) are non-profit, neighborhood-based, real estate developers. They share a common mission to improve social conditions in communities where they work. CDCs were developed based on two distinct models: (1) an intervention model, and (2) a grass-roots model.

This work was predicated on a theory of political science: high levels of social conditions correspond with high levels of democracy. High levels of democracy will be demonstrated by high voter participation. The work of CDCs and their impact on communities in Chicago was analyzed to test this theory.

Four CDCs and corresponding communities were chosen for this study. …

A Statistical Analysis Of U.S. Foreign Aid And Latin American Human Rights, 1977-1988, Quentin Kidd

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper is set in a time when, quite frankly, situations and events around the world are changing much faster than the perceptive abilities of the academic community. During the Cold War period it was relatively common to focus one's research toward a particular direction or specialty and feel safe that the rug would no be pulled out from under it. Many of this century's great political scientists carved their niches and made their names by studying and commenting on the status of the world as defined by the Cold War. Times have changed though. The Cold War has ended …

The Islamic Resistance Movement In Palestine And The Emergence Of Hamas, Salma Al-Rayies

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Offense Perceived, Appropriate Actions And Possible Solutions: A Research Of Censorship, Sharon K. Van Poolen

Masters Theses

Students at Western Michigan University were asked via a survey to read lyrics and indicate an offensiveness rating. Lyrics containing vulgar or sexual language or derogatory statements about religion received higher offensive ratings. Actions deemed acceptable in response to offensive lyrics include picketing and boycotting. Prevalent themes identified in the lyrics are antagonism toward religion, sexism and unhealthy sexual relations. Groups cited most frequently as potentially harmed by lyrics are children 5-12, adolescents and women. Respondents were questioned about participation in certain activities and what alternatives to direct censorship are acceptable. Most would prefer to be involved indirectly, for example, …

Democratization And The Decision-Making Process In Rural Egypt, Hanan Hamdy Radwan

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Workers' Struggle In Mubarak's Egypt, Omar El Shafei

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Japanese Investment In United States Securities: 1980-1985, Eric F. Hinton

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This paper will deal with the topic of Japanese investment in United States securities during the years of 1980 - 1985. It is my contention that the vulnerable U.S. economic position created an opportunity for Japan to exercise political leverage over the U.S. to affect U.S. policy toward Japan. This paper will outline general and specific hypotheses, a discussion of the case and an explanation of possible methodology.

Reagan And Cutting The Federal Budget : How Consistent Was The Pursuit?, E David Adams

Master's Theses

President Reagan assumed office advocating an economic program based on tax and spending reductions. Achievement of these objectives, Reagan argued, would improve the American economy and result in balanced federal budgets. This thesis examines Reagan's commitment to the spending restraint element of his program. I will analyze all of Reagan's budgets and State of the Union addresses to determine how consistently he sought reductions in federal spending.

Though Reagan's commitment to budget reduction was evident, his selection of means to achieve the cuts was inconsistent. His proposed budget cuts varied in intensity, and Reagan failed to propose consistent reductions in …

A Study Of The Effects Of Campaign Spending On Election Results, Thomas Major, Stephen Turner

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

The issue of campaign finance reform presents a complex problem for policy analysis; fortunately an understanding can be developed through statistical analysis of the variables involved in campaign spending. Multivariate statistical analyses are often a crucial element for use by a policy analyst to evaluate the relationship among variables affecting the particular problem being addressed. This study uses multiple regression techniques to look at what effect spending (as well as selected other variables) may have on the outcome of a U.S. House of Representatives election. The following sections include a brief literature review, a summary of the research design, along …

The Impact Of Structural Adjusment Programs On Women In Sudan 1978-1993, Amani Awad El Jack

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Towards A Universal Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, T. P. Radhakrishnan

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The 1968 Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) came into force in 1970 and expires in 1995. In 1995 an extension conference has to be convened to decide whether the treaty continues in force indefinitely or will be extended for an additional period or periods.

The treaty, cosponsored by the us, the USSR, and the UK, has 155 signatories, but a few countries like Israel, India and Pakistan have refused to be bound by it. They have done so mainly on the formal grounds that the treaty is structurally discriminatory between nuclear and nonnuclear weapons states.

What are …

The Impractical Ideal Costa Rica, The United States And Central America Reunification, 1902-1932, Donald R. Lam

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This thesis examines the motivations of Central American Unionists and the failure of their movement in the early years of the twentieth century. The existing literature attributes the failure of Central American unification during this era to U.S. policies meant to maintain a divided isthmus in order to economically and politically exploit the region. A closer analysis of the primary sources, however, reveals that union failed because of internal factors, and that Washington's actions generally favored efforts to rejoin the nations to reduce isthmian tensions. Attempts to reunite the republics failed because of regional and domestic political rivalries, weaknesses in …

Collective Leadership In Contemporary Irish Nationalism: The Writing Of Gerry Adams, Kathryn Cantrell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Tracing its origins to Theobald Wolfe Tone's United Irishmen, founded in Belfast on October 18, 1791, Irish Republicanism has evolved from its original anti-sectarian, Lockean principles as represented by Tone1 to a modern movement encompassing national self-determination, antisectarianism, cultural nationalism, radical social policies, the politics of electoralism, as well as support for the armed struggle dedicated to British withdrawal from Northern Ireland and a united Ireland. Today, the modern Irish Republican movement is best represented by the political party Sinn Fein. The party's present leadership, headed by its president Gerry Adams, has changed the politics and strategies of Sinn Fein …

Trade Friction Between The United States And Japan: An Analysis Of The Situation In 1992, Mariko Hirano

Masters Theses

Trade friction between the United States and Japan is discussed and it is shown why negotiations like Structural Impediments Initiative Talks alone have not improved the trade relations between the two countries. This is not only because of fundamental cultural and economic differences, but because of significant differences in the interests of Japanese business, Japanese government, American business, and American government. The Japanese political system is described. A detailed description of Japanese conglomerated system (keiretsu) is presented. This conglomerate system is often viewed as a major obstacle by foreign companies to do business in Japan. The views of American politicians …

Judicial Decision Making And Public Opinion In The Warren And Burger Courts, Nancy L. Siemion

Masters Theses

For many scholars, the Warren Court is the epitome of antimajoritarian policy making since many of the Court's decisions overturned legislation passed by Representatives of the people. By examining nationwide public opinion polls in that era that ask the public their thoughts about particular issues the Warren Court has ruled on, it is evident that most of these rulings were truly majoritarian and received public approval. In addition, this thesis analyzes some recent studies that discern national attitudes with respect to government policy making (public mood), assessing congruity or incongruity between the Court's liberalism and public policy mood which provides …

The Liberal-Communitarian Debate And The Development Of A Political Conception Of The Person, Kenneth Howard Biggs

Dissertations and Theses

Without doubt, John Rawls's A Theory of Justice is one of the most important statements of Anglo-American political philosophy in the twentieth century. Through a revival of the social contract device, Rawls formulates a set of principles of correct political association ("the right") that he argues must be considered as prior to any conception of the good. These principles apply to all persons as free and equal beings in society, but more importantly they assume some things about the nature of persons in that society. On the institutional aspect of his theory, Rawls conceives of the state as a neutral …

New Forces: The Development Of Adult Child Partisanship, Laura Ann Meredith

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Which Way Now?: A N Examination Of The Ideological Movement Of The British Labour Party Between 1974 And 1992, Robert Waddington

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Social And Political Discourse In America: The Civil Republican Revival In American Legal Theory And The Critical Theory Of Jurgen Habermas, Daniel Hope

Honors Papers

The challenge for me then, and the question that gave rise to this thesis, was how can the value of Foucault’s insights into the functioning of power within discourse be salvaged given the critiques levelled by Hartsock and Habermas? That is, how can we link Foucault’s analysis of the insidious and all-pervasive nature of power with actual political structures that facilitate and direct its application, and how does this application then affect the functioning of political structures? In attempting to answer this question I have integrated what I see to be two complementary fields of analysis: the critical theory of …

Resistance And The Possibility Of Freedom: Foucault, Merleau-Ponty And Subjectivity In Tension, Joshua Ziady

Honors Papers

Charles Taylor chose to begin his 1984 critique of Michel Foucault with the phrase "Foucault disconcerts." This seems to be a most appropriate choice of words. Reading Foucault changes the way one looks at things. His work, both in style and content, subtly erodes assurances and certainties, leaving one with the feeling of standing at the edge of a cliff in complete darkness with the knowledge that there is something out there without being able to grasp that something-yet without fear of falling off the cliff. The reader is left with an unexplainable gap in understanding where before there was …

The Kuril Islands Dispute: An Obstacle In Russo-Japanese Relations, Roderick J. Fraser Jr.

Theses and Major Papers

The controversy between Japan and Russia over the ownership of the Kuril Islands is a significant barrier to improved diplomatic relations in the Far Eastern region. Because of this dispute, Japan and Russia have not yet signed a peace treaty to formally end the second world war and neither side seems willing to make any significant concessions to reach a compromise. The issue of ownership of these islands has been a continuing focal point of Russo-Japanese relations since the two nations first made contact in the late eighteenth century. The various aspects of this dispute are complex and have continued …

World Community Building Through International Banking : The Creation Of An International Committee On World Banking And World Community, Peter W. Mccabe

Master's Theses

WORLD COMMUNITY BUILDING THROUGH INTERNATIONAL BANKING: THE CREATION OF AN INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE ON WORLD BANKING AND WORLD COMMUNITY, by Peter Ward McCabe, B.A., University of Richmond, 1986. A thesis submitted to the Graduate faculty of the University of Richmond in Candidacy for the degree of Master of Arts in Political Science. Presented January 1992, under the direction of Dr. John W. Outland.

The Thesis proposes a means by which a world community may eventually be built. The problems facing the development of a world community are many; they include cultural differences, politics, religion, fear and greed, only to name a …

The Richmond Junto And Politics In Jacksonian Virginia, Wade Lee Shaffer

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

This dissertation offers the first full-length study of the Richmond Junto and its role in shaping politics in Virginia between 1815 and 1845. The Junto led the Jacksonian movement in Virginia and worked successfully to keep the state allied with the Democratic party of andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren until the early 1840s. The Junto represented an influential force in Virginia politics during this transitional period, and to a certain extent this small group of men, led by Thomas Ritchie, Peter V. Daniel, andrew Stevenson, William H. Roane, and Richard E. Parker, epitomized the state's response to the turbulent …