Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Globalisation Redux: Can China’S Inside-Out Strategy Catalyse Economic Development And Integration Across Its Asian Borderlands And Beyond? [Post-Print], Xiangming Chen

Faculty Scholarship

As the narrative of globalisation in crisis heats up, China has stepped up as a new champion of globalisation with its ‘Belt and Road Initiative’. This article repositions ‘China in the Global South’ to the front and centre of the globalisation discourse. Through a triangular framework, I differentiate and reconnect the three ‘master’ processes of urbanisation, development and globalisation to understand the inside-outside connections between China’s domestic transformation and strong impact in the Global South. Using China vs Southeast Asia and Central Asia, I document how China’s westward development has created new development opportunities for its overland neighbours and beyond.

Demolition, Rehabilitation, And Conservation: Heritage In Shanghai’S Urban Regeneration, 1990–2015 [Post-Print], Xiaohua Zhong, Xiangming Chen

Faculty Scholarship

Urban heritage sites in central cities are most difficult to protect during rapid and large scale urban (re)development. Rising land values from property development conflict with and constrain heritage preservation. Compared with many cities in developed and developing countries, large Chinese cities have experienced a stronger redevelopment imperative, faster population growth, and a weaker concern for urban heritages over the last three decades. We use Shanghai to examine the contested evolution of heritage preservation against massive urban redevelopment through three stages from 1990 to the present. Using three heritage projects (Xintiandi, Tianzifang, Bugaoli), we focus on: 1) how each project …

America Through Rose-Colored Glasses: How American Girl Dolls Shape American Girlhood And Identity, Kelly M. Vaughan

Senior Theses and Projects

This thesis examines the contributions that American Girl dolls make to the development of girlhood, as well as doll and toy culture. I argue that the BeForever collection of historically centered dolls both informs consumers of United States history while instructing them of what it means to be a wholesome, virtuous girl. American Girl provides timeless stories about overcoming hardship in various periods of U.S. history while utilizing common themes in children’s literature to construct an attractive narrative. These dolls and their stories contribute to consumers’ understanding of girlhood, their sense of self, and broad comprehension of history. Recent developments …

Destruction Of Democracy: Examining Voting In The Wake Of Shelby County, Henry R. Butler

Senior Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

The Interplay Between Gender Ideology, Gender Identity And Distinctiveness Threat In Cisgender Women’S Emotional Responses Toward Trans Women’S Acceptance Into Women’S Colleges, Marcella E. Lawrence

Senior Theses and Projects

This study attempts to build on recent research that suggests that cisgender women, on average, tend to experience heightened distinctiveness threat and prejudiced responses at the thought of sharing traditional women-only spaces with trans women (i.e., Outten, Lee, & Lawrence, 2017). Specifically, we examined whether, relative to receiving information that a woman’s college would ban trans women from attending, cisgender women would experience greater distinctiveness threat and negative feelings toward trans women if they learned that a women’s college would accept applications from trans women. Based on social identity and liberal feminist theories we tested a moderation mediation model whereby …

The Sin Of Skin: Color And ‘Other’ In The Greco-Roman World, Grace Gill

Senior Theses and Projects

Many Scholars have denied the presence of racial categorizing in European Antiquity. Though there was no institutionalized system of ‘racial oppression’ like we are familiar with in today’s society, I contend that there are cultural precursors of ‘race’ in the Greco-Roman world, otherwise known as ‘proto-race’. All societies have means to categorize people and put them into hierarchies - this is a major focus in the field of sociology. I propose that color-symbolic language was used to make distinctions amongst and between people; further that by analyzing the context within which these ‘color- words’ were referenced, it illuminates the importance …

Rhetoric Is Not Reality: How Policymakers, Professionals And Parents Define Parental Engagement, Doug Curtin

Senior Theses and Projects

A new Connecticut pilot program for low-income families has attempted to actively engage parents in the planning and decision process to provide a holistic approach to comprehensive workforce services. This study analyzes perceptions of parental engagement gathered from interviews with policymakers, professionals and parents. Results show that in this program policymakers, professionals, and parents agree that parental engagement was a deliberate action to incorporate parent voice and create parent leaders for long-term success of the program. Policymakers and professionals disagreed on the level of leadership and amount of training necessary for successful parental engagement. Recommendations include aligning expectations and definitions …

A Fractured Legacy: The Governance, Goals, And Guides Of The Hartford Park System, Caroline C. Feeney

Senior Theses and Projects

Since its inception in 1853, the Hartford Park System has been a crucial asset to the City of Hartford. The purpose of this thesis is to answer a set of questions about the history and future of Hartford’s parks. How has history shaped the current system of 37 parks that can be found in Hartford today? How important is the park system to the City of Hartford? Who are the most important stakeholders within the park system and what goals do they have? How can the goals created by relevant park stakeholders be consolidated into realistic goals for the City …

Sovereign Debt Crises: Domestically Engineered Or Foreignly Influenced?, Michael C. Selfe

Senior Theses and Projects

Throughout the last half century, the world has seen its fair share of systemic banking crises covering every corner of the globe. Recently, the Eurozone crisis of 2010 and ongoing Argentinian debt crisis have continued to plague the global economy. The motivation behind this thesis is to examine what causes these sovereign debt crises. More specifically, it aims to examine whether these crises are caused by monetary and fiscal policy decisions implemented by central banks or if outside factors including the role of financial institutions are to blame. This thesis examines a number of individual case studies with regards to …

Structures, Norms, And Renewable Energy Policy: A Comparative Analysis Of The Driving Forces Behind Energy Policymaking In The United States And Denmark, Elise Ogden

Senior Theses and Projects

The 1973 OPEC Oil Embargo served as a wake-up call for many highly oil dependent countries, including the United States and Denmark. In the wake of the 1973 oil crisis, the U.S. and Denmark had very different policy responses. Denmark identified oil itself as the underlying issue, and quickly transitioned to alternative energy sources, including wind. Today, Denmark is a global leader in renewable energy usage and sustainability. The United States, on the other hand, saw foreign reliance on oil as the main issue, and moved to develop domestic oil reserves rather than transitioning to alternative sources. Today, the U.S. …

Airpower As A Part Of American Foreign Policy: The Importance Of Military Strategy, Domenic J. Quade Mr.

Senior Theses and Projects

Airpower has a seductive nature to it. Technology promises to be able to destroy or seriously damage an enemy military’s capabilities without serious risk to American forces. Moreover, these knights of the sky have an aura of power with the ability to destroy important pieces of military equipment or infrastructure. Airpower may seem like a niche topic of international relations or American foreign policy, but it represents the opening move of war. Gaining air superiority is the first step in any American engagement as it allows the rest of American military might to be brought to bear. It is also …

Does Human Capital Play A Role In The Growing Income Inequality In The Oecd Countries?, Jordan A. Cram

Senior Theses and Projects

Researchers have tried to determine reasons for the growing income inequality in the OECD countries, but human capital is not a reason typically addressed. This paper empirically seeks to determine a relationship between human capital and income inequality using multiple regression analysis. I hypothesize a negative relationship; meaning increases in the independent variable, average human capital in a country, will cause a decrease in the dependent variable, income inequality due to the idea that increases in education should increase the incomes of the poor more than those of the rich. Income inequality will be measured by the Gini coefficient and …

Twin Crises And The Financial Accelerator, Andrew Calabrese

Senior Theses and Projects

The incidence of simultaneous banking and currency crises is a recurring theme in emerging economies operating under fixed or quasi-fixed exchange rates. This thesis conducts an empirical analysis of the underlying determinants of so called “twin crises” by applying a probit econometric model to a sample of 48 emerging economies during the 1980-2013 period. Current account deficits are found to be a robust driver of twin crises, with vulnerability increasing in the size of the deficit relative to GDP. There is also evidence that real exchange rate appreciation and higher levels of short-term debt relative to reserves increase crisis probability. …

Rwanda: Development Towards Authoritarianism?, Chinmay Rayarikar

Senior Theses and Projects

Since the culmination of the Genocide of 1994, Rwanda has become one of the fastest growing economies in the world, while also showing great improvements on human development indicators. This has made Rwanda a brilliant example of post-conflict reconstruction. At the same time, the nation-state has been led by a single party government that works under a framework of a nominal multi-party democracy. While a large part of Rwanda’s post-conflict development has been made possible by the government in power, this paper argues that Rwanda is developing towards a completely authoritarian state structure. Development is concentrated in very few regions …

Maternal Estrogen Exposure May Be Linked To An Increased Risk Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sarah Bunker

Senior Theses and Projects

The current study explored the possibility that maternal estrogen dominance serves as a risk factor for having a child with autism. An online survey was sent to both biological mothers of autistic children (n=253) and biological mothers of non-autistic children (n=221). The survey presented a series of questions pertaining to both endogenous and exogenous factors and exposures that could increase estrogen levels. The data on exogenous exposures is treated in another paper (Helt, Bocobo, Bunker, & Lasky, in progress). The current paper presents the findings on exogenous maternal estrogen exposure and autism risk (e.g., previous history of trauma, stress, diet, …

The Effects Of Mindfulness On Several Dimensions Of Athletic Performance, Phoebe L. Carlisle

Senior Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

The Longest Walk: Rape, Drugs, And Racial Aggression At Trinity College, Chiarra Davis

Senior Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

"I'M Doing Time On The Outside" -A Study Of The Effects Of Parental Incarceration On The Life Outcomes Of Adolescent Children In The City Of Hartford, Margaret C. Brown

Senior Theses and Projects

The mandatory sentencing criterions established via the implementation of the infamous War on Drugs has resulted in the mass incarceration of millions of nonviolent offenders in the United States, and crafted a national penal population that is distinctly the largest in the world. Blatantly disproportional and misrepresented in racial and socioeconomic configuration, America’s correctional and criminal justice system has become overcrowded with individuals who overwhelmingly hail from at-risk urban communities of color. As a result, low-income urban communities across the country have been devastated by the continuous destruction and misconfiguring of fragile families that occurs when an individual, especially one …

Flames In The Shadows - The Marathwada Riots And The Struggle For Dalit Liberation, Paroma Soni

Senior Theses and Projects

From July to September 1978, the Marathwada region experienced intense levels of violence following the decision to rename Marathwada University into Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar University. In a crushing display of upper-caste power, thousands of dalits were killed, raped and made to flee their homes. Deep feelings of uncertainty and fear lingered on for several months after. The question of why a matter so ostensibly trivial as renaming a university incited so much violence is a perplexing one. It cannot be answered by merely reducing the violence to “an imposition of high caste authority.” The rise of dalit self-assertion movements – …

Female Patronage Of Public Space In Roman Cities, Joy H. Kim

Senior Theses and Projects

Public spaces and buildings in Roman Cities served many functions including, but not limited to, religious gatherings, economic activity, political propaganda, and entertainment. Such vital infrastructure could not exist without the financial generosity of wealthy elites. Though most of these elite were men, some women used their wealth and status, both derived from their families, to shape public space. This study looks at female patronage of public space among women of imperial, senatorial, and equestrian standing, as well as women in both the Greek East and Latin West. It also aims to discern the level of political influence these benefactresses …

Exporting Strategies For Urban Livability: Examining Copenhagen, Denmark As A Model City For Quality Of Life Generated Through Urban Design, Austen L. Peterson

Senior Theses and Projects

Over the next fifteen years, the world’s population is expected to reach new heights at 8.5 billion people. Currently, half of the global population is living in cities, which in turn, will inevitably increase with the growth of humanity. As the Mayor of Copenhagen, Frank Jensen, so poignantly explains, “A sustainable world starts with sustainable cities. In Copenhagen, we keep this in mind as we strive to combine sustainable solutions with a focus on growth and quality of life to make Copenhagen an even more livable city.”[1] Urbanization is an unavoidable phenomenon and challenges the threshold of a successful …

Falta De Derechos Humanos Y Violencia: La Crisis Ambiental En América Latina, Vincent J. Gandolfo Iii

Senior Theses and Projects

The purpose of this research is to identify the growing problems associated with environmental degradation in Latin America. For decades, a combination of corrupt governments and lack of environmental legislation has allowed large companies to exploit the environmental resources of many different Latin American countries. Latin America is an extremely biodiverse region of the world and environmental resources are valuable. Large companies have monopolized environmental resources for profit, which has caused protests and violence. Most these large international companies have been allowed to harvest valuable resources, pollute the environment, and leave without any consequences. Because many Latin American governments prioritize …

Cooperation Via Communication: Influencing Vocal Alignment In Conversation, Elliot A. Pollack

Senior Theses and Projects

Alignment of human behavior is a well-documented phenomenon, however, the factors which influence its direction and magnitude are not firmly established. Conversational partners align on a variety of speech factors including word choice, syntax, and rate of speech. The present study examines factors which lead to alignment of fundamental frequency (F0), colloquially known as pitch. Subjects (Speakers) complete a puzzle task which requires them to communicate with a partner (Model). The Model’s F0 is manipulated to either converge towards or diverge from that of the Speaker, whereas a control condition does not change the Model voice. The Speaker is recorded …

A Think-Aloud Assessment Of Metacognition In 8th Grade Students: Using The Oregon Trail, Annabelle M. Regalado

Senior Theses and Projects

Metacognition, the awareness of one’s own learning, can be divided into five distinct steps (Ambrose et al., 2010). Moreover, metacognition can be measured through offline (retrospective self-report questionnaires) or online assessments (asking students to explain their decision making during a problem solving task, called “think-aloud”). The current study assessed the effectiveness of a think-aloud assessment using The Oregon Trail game to measure metacognition, in comparison to a self-report measure of metacognition, the Metacognition Five (MC5). The Oregon Trail, which is metacognitive in nature, is a videogame designed to teach students about the journey of the pioneers and the obstacles …

The Effect Of Single Mothers’ Marital Status On Sympathy, Character Evaluations, And Maternity Leave Support, Patrick B. Dorsey Ii

Senior Theses and Projects

Social science research has found that single mothers tend to be viewed more negatively than married mothers. However, single mothers are not a monolithic group, they can vary in terms of their marital status. Informed by DiLiapi’s (1989) motherhood hierarchy, we hypothesized that relative to never married single mothers, formerly married single mothers (i.e., widowed and divorced) would garner more sympathy, more favorable character evaluations and people would also be more willing to support maternity leave policies as a result of thinking about formerly married single mothers compared to never married single mothers. To test these predictions participants were randomly …

Dismantling The Climate Denial Machine: Theory And Methods, David A. Mickolas

Senior Theses and Projects

Many Americans do not believe in the existence of climate change, and even those who believe climate change exists often seriously underestimate its potential harms as predicted by the world's best scientific organizations. Most political scholars agree that much higher consensus among American citizens is necessary to create necessary policy reform to mitigate climate change, both in the US and at large. However, there are also organizations who actively wish to deter and decrease belief in climate change among US citizens, not for the sake of scientific skepticism, but for personal benefit from preventing policy reform. This text examines what …

“Violencia Infantil: La Experiencia De Niños Y Jóvenes Indocumentados Cruzando La Frontera Entre México Y Los Estados Unidos”, Minying Cao

Senior Theses and Projects

Existing academic analyses violence that Central American and particular Mexican immigrant families and/or adults face as they try to take the dangerous journey of crossing the border between Mexico and the United States in search for a better life. However, academic analysis of violence on children crossing the border is often overlooked. As a result, this research examines 1) why children and families with children from Mexico and Central America; in particular from El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala decide to take the dangerous journey to the United States and 2) how child violence appears in the border of Mexico and the …

Purchasing The Past: Going, Going, Gone! New England Auctions: Palaces Of Intrigue And Theaters Of Commerce, Martha Kelly

Senior Theses and Projects

Abstract

My thesis presents evidence that auctions are innately socially- constructed places where diverse actors and unique objects are brought together in a transformative theatre of commerce. Commodities offered can carry with them elements of social turmoil and expose intimacies when exchanged. In this culturally-constructed, social-economic landscape, animate participants in the social arena of an auction parallel the inanimate commodities to be exchanged, as commodities are also “thoroughly socialized thing[s]” with biographies and social implications of their own (Appadurai 1986, 6). Patterns of on-again, off-again commoditization of certain goods are part and parcel of the social construction of their complex …

Caskets, Closure And Cash: Explorations Of Funeral Director And Client Relationships, Haley R. Thompson

Senior Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Aggression And Depression Factors In Pornography Use Of College Aged Individuals, Brandon Scott

Senior Theses and Projects

After multiple legal, cultural and technological changes, pornography’s accessibility and role in modern western culture has expanded exponentially (Kammeyer, 2008). This paper examines the possible correlates of specific emotions to pornography use, perceived effects of pornography use and gender differences in college aged individuals. Participants were Trinity College students (N = 47) who were asked by email to fill out an anonymous, online survey. As expected, male participants showed a significantly higher frequency of pornography use. Initial analysis using the Beck Depression Inventory and the Aggression Questionnaire (Buss & Perry, 1992) showed no significant relationship to frequency of pornography use …