Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The “World’S Greatest Deliberative Body” And The Decision To Invade Iraq: The Rhetoric Of Senatorial Debate On Senate Joint Resolution 46, Henry Castillo

Graduate Research Symposium (GCUA) (2010 - 2017)

On the issue of the Iraq invasion, many in the public view President George W. Bush as the primary actor in its execution. Yet Bush explicitly sought congressional approval before employing military force against the country and elevated Congress’ role in the Iraq crisis. A plethora of academic research exists on how Bush persuaded the public into supporting the invasion. However, a dearth of scholarship exists on how Congress, specifically the Senate, deliberated on this decision. As a chamber often labeled as the “World’s Greatest Deliberative Body,” as well as having constitutionally-unique responsibilities in matters of foreign affairs, this study …

The People’S College?, K. C. Brekken, E. Lee Bernick

Graduate Research Symposium (GCUA) (2010 - 2017)

The so-called People’s College, America’s community colleges provide the most affordable higher education opportunities and educate nearly half the nation’s minority undergraduates (Mullin, 2012). This study examines representation of local community college governing boards to better understand who governs these two-year post secondary institutions. Descriptive representation provides the main framework for studying minority representation: Boards should mirror the populations they serve (Meier, Gonzalez Juenke, Wrinkle & Polinard, 2005). This research finds that these boards are under representative of the black and Hispanic populations they serve and that minority population plays a large role in the variation of the number of …

Siren Song: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Gender And Intimate Partner Violence In Gotham City Sirens, Scarlett Schmidt

Graduate Research Symposium (GCUA) (2010 - 2017)

This project investigates comic book discourse. Specifically, I investigate how comic narratives provide readers with an interpretation for how they should discern and assess “appropriate” behaviors for women. The artifact of analysis included in this project is DC Comics Gotham City Sirens (2009). This text features popular female superheroes, Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy. Because comic books utilize both textual and visual means to disseminate a message, this project evaluates the visual rhetoric of these characters within the narrative. Walter Fisher’s narrative paradigm is used to provide an understanding to how these visual means contribute to the meanings assigned …

Driving Forces: Police Fatalities, Carol Servino

Graduate Research Symposium (GCUA) (2010 - 2017)

Law enforcement is an inherently risky occupation. The number of traffic-related fatalities for law enforcement officers in the U.S. during the past 13 years has been increasing; however, the number of fatalities for the general population in motor vehicle traffic incidents declined during the same time period.

The federal government reports that federal motor vehicle safety standards aswell as behavioral and vehicle safety programs implemented by state and local law-enforcement agencies contributed to the downward trend for the general public.

What accounts for the pattern and problem with police driving-related deaths?

Corruption In Metropolis, Josie Gatti

Graduate Research Symposium (GCUA) (2010 - 2017)

Corruption may be one of the most elusive phenomena in government. We may know it when we see it, but it is subject to individual perceptions shaped by a myriad of influences. The federal system of American governance was indented to impede the gross misuse of power; however, corruption is as much a part of our system today as it is around the world. While the study of the micro and individual level factors that inspire corruption are relevant, governance and business studies have long shown that structure and systems can affect behavior. This research reflects on those institutions and …