Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Role Of Media In Shaping Chinese Narratives On National Rights Images, Gloria Andrea Baca

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The research project below that provides a qualitative analysis of the Chinese Mediaâ??s role in shaping national rights images. The research conducts an analysis on human rights abuse allegations against China that directly target the Uyghur population residing in the Xinjiang Providence. This paper conducts an analysis of seven white papers, which are government issued responses presented by the CCP, to interpret which types of the four narrative buildings strategies listed are utilized when responding to the accusations. The basis of this paper establishes that when the Chinese government address allegations of abuse towards the Uyghur population, they will respond …

Follow The Court: Examining Judicial Homestyle Through Extrajudicial Communications On State Court Twitter, Cayleb Bryant Stives

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

While institutional legitimacy can arise from multiple sources, much of the theorizing about courts has been developed for the federal judiciary, often specifically the US Supreme Court. My research recognizes that the connection between the public and judges on state courts is significantly more nuanced, and in many instances, direct. Notably, social networking sites like Twitter have quickly become a favored communication platform for fostering personal connections between political elites and their intended audiences. It is within these parasocial relationships I argue that favorable perceptions can be reinforced, bolstering the legitimacy of political actors and the institutions they represent. This …

Effects Of Witnessing Terrorist Attacks On Perceived Causes Of Terrorism And Support For Security Measures, Austin Trevor Sullivan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The following research aims to understand how individuals who were aware of, and affected by, terrorist attacks at the time they took place perceive the causes of terrorism and support security measures. It is hypothesized that the extent to which one â??witnessedâ?? attacks characterized by more traditional forms of terrorism, such as bombings and religiously motivated and affiliated perpetrators (Wave four), versus new forms of terrorism, such as shootings and lone wolves (Wave five), would be affected by the age of the witness. This research proposes an indirect pathway from age to "witnessing" terrorist attacks to attributions for the attacks …

Arming Development: Measuring The Effects Of Development Aid On Armed Conflict. An Analysis On West Africa, 1990-2020, Alyk Collins

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Did the securitization of the development aid to West Africa lead to an increase in armed conflict and one-sided violence? The goal of this research is to provide evidence that development aid allocation following the September 11th terror attacks had undergone securitization that led to an increase in casualties from armed conflict and one-sided violence in West Africa. I argue the Global War on Terror shifted development aid allocation from development projects to security projects in countries that were geostrategic partners. My approach is based on the Security Complex theory conceptualization of development aid in West African countries. Using both …

Power Transition Theory And The Determinants Of Regional Integration Agreement Accession And Exit, James Langford

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

While the phenomenon of regional integration has been paid substantial attention, the question of what causes states to accede to or exit from regional integration agreements (RIAs) has not. I draw from power transition theory to explain membership in RIAs, hypothesizing that states accede to an RIA when there is a high level of both power preponderance and status quo satisfaction, and exit when the levels of those variables are both low. I employ large-N quantitive analysis to test my two hypotheses. I find weak support for the hypothesis on RIA exit and offer concluding remarks on what the results …

The Impact Of Rule Of Law And Property Rights On Development And Economic Growth: A Comparative Analysis Of Cameroon And Côte D'Ivoire, Raoul Tayou Tayou

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The issues of economic growth and development occupy a central place in the studies of underdeveloped or developing countries. Many solutions have been proposed, including foreign aid or institutional reforms. This last aspect is the subject of this research, particularly the rule of law and the property rights.Analyzing what is the impact of these two institutions on economic growth and development is at the center of my dynamic. Over a period from 1960 to 2022, I carry out a comparative study of the growth, and development trajectories of two countries in sub-Saharan Africa, which share the same demographics: Cameroon, and …

Conflict Minerals: 3tg Minerals And Low-Scale Violence In The Democratic Republic Of Congo, Jesus Tlaloc Maldonado

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Existing literature on resource curse and conflict minerals tends to focus on violent events that result in large amounts of fatalities. These studies seemingly exclude from their analysis populations which experience violence at less fatal levels, like sexual violence, violence against protestors, and child-labor. This thesis studies the relationship between 3TG minerals (tin, tungsten, tantalum, gold) and "low-scale violence" fatalities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This study defines low-scale violence (LSV) as violence which results in no more than 24 fatalities per event. In contrast, high-scale violence (HSV) results in 25 or more fatalities per event. Through quantitative …

Exploring How Morality Framing And Partisanship Influence Public Perceptions Of Immigration, Gerardo Jesus Flores

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The goal of this thesis research project is to provide a new theoretical outlook that explores and analyzes how morality framing may affect American political preferences and behavior. Partisanship and ideological preferences have long been acknowledged as significant predictors of political behavior in the American electorate. I posit the framing of the key issue of immigration through a moral prism can increase support for presidential proposals and may counteract or even overpower the effects of partisanship. When oneâ??s views on morality and partisanship are at odds with each other on a given issue, I expect respondents who self-identify as morally …

Preventing Civil War: The Role Of Independent Courts, Hector R. Mendoza

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis examines the role of judicial institutions, typically overlooked in conflict studies, in their capacity to reduce the likelihood of conflict such as civil wars. I argue that courts that enjoy judicial independence can provide institutional mechanisms that reduce conflict, such as civil war. Specifically, I employ several rare events logistic and OLS regression models with robust clustered standard errors testing the effects of judicial independence on civil war likelihood and regime opposition size. The results indicate that judicial independence and judicial power have inconsistent and mixed results across these models and generally do not support the theory. In …

Authoritarian Regimes And Public Goods Structure And Survival, Benjamin Torres

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

What explains the variance in the level of public goods provision in authoritarian regimes? Naturally, there are differences in the capabilities of states, however, there is a noticeable trend in the level of output from certain authoritarian states. Democracies have a clear causal mechanism for public goods provision, which is the electoral mandate, but dictatorships lack this feature. Hence the question is posed, why do some authoritarian states put so much effort into the provision of public goods? Singapore is considered one of the most developed states in the world, (outperforming some of the most democratic states.) yet it is …

Female Fighters: Why And How Do Women Rebel?, Alexandra Giggie

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Making Aid Work: Assessing The Impact Of Regional Similarities On State Development Through A Transaction Costs Approach, Sophia Corinne Wozniak

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This research seeks to discern the extent to which similarities between states involved in bilateral aid transfers impact the effectiveness of aid in catalyzing human development within the recipient state. Essentially, in this study I intend to understand if recipient states respond more positively to assistance when the donor state bears similar characteristics to the recipient. As a myriad of new donors emerge into the donor discussion, they bring with them unique cultural contexts, languages, religions, colonial heritages, geographic locations, and many other aspects which may distinguish them from the existing pool of donors.

Collige Et Impera: The United States Reengagement In Libya, Marco Schinella

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

President Biden's "America is back" pledge holds the potential to be put to the test with the ongoing crisis in Libya. The internationalization of the post-Ghaddafi Libyan breakdown, strained by great-power competition (GPC) dynamics, poses nonnegligible threats to the United States (US) national security that extends beyond Libya per se. Reframing the conflict from yet another Middle East and North Africa (MENA) conflict to an urgent multilateral Mediterranean security challenge will help elevate the country's profile on the global stage. This thesis outlines a qualitative, within-case study analysis of the ongoing Libyan crisis from the perspective of US national security …

Do We Protect? Children's Rights In International Codification, Sandra Nehring

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

International arena fails to protect. Each year, millions of children face violence, neglect, and abuse. Responses provided by state actors are not enough to eliminate children's rights violation, making child abuse an uncomfortable aspect of development. This Thesis argues that international regulations regarding children's rights do not provide equal, universal, and sufficient child protection, what further leads to greater child abuse. Specifically, it analyzes the status of six international documents introduced between 1924-1996, in order to set a common theoretical foundation for the subject of children's rights. The results of the analysis of legal documents discussing children's rights, when compared …

Public Trust In Latin American Courts, Rebeca Rivas

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Public trust in governmental institutions is essential for maintaining democracies and legitimacy. Without public trust to support them, courts remain vulnerable to executive and legislative attempts to curb their behavior and risk non-compliance to their decisions. While courts in the United States enjoy relatively high levels of public confidence, courts in Latin American countries generally do not. This study aims to determine the level of trust in Latin American judiciaries and identify the factors that impact public trust in Latin American high courts.

The Return Of State Vs State Competition, Albert James Contreras

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis outlines a theoretically informed case study analysis of the United States' recent actions (US) regarding the United Kingdom's (UK) relationship with the Chinese telecommunications company, Huawei. There have been multiple US concerns regarding Huawei's activities in the UK and their potential implications for US national security. These concerns arise because it is a state-owned enterprise with close ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Because of its ties with the CCP, the US expressed fears that China will use Huawei's telecommunications technology to infiltrate and spy on countries that use their products. This is especially concerning as the …

Mother Nature, Lady Justice: Ecofeminism And Judicial Decision-Making, Jonathan Alexis Picado

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Ecofeminism offers a feminist perspective that links gender to how humans relate to the natural world. As such, this framework explores the connections between the oppression of nature and the oppression of women, such as widespread views that both women and nature are property, are to be dominated, and are most valuable when cultivated and curated by men. I apply this philosophical and sociological framework to judicial decision-making, where women judges should view environmental issues as women's issues and thus be more likely to vote in favor of the environmental protections relative to her male peers. I evaluate this theory …

Understanding The Connections: An Analysis Of Climate Change And Human Security, Erica Martinez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Increasing evidence shows that the impacts of anthropogenic climate change have magnified and will have dramatic implications for both the natural and social systems (Adger et al., 2014). While research on the security implications of climate change has been found to have a major bearing on policy making, experts have not reached a consensus about how climate change and human security are related, leaving the climate-security nexus and corresponding policies underdeveloped.

The purpose of this study is to delineate and scrutinize the relationship between climate change and human security so that a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon is achieved. …

Mi Feria Es Su Feria: How Mexican Americans Created The 1968 San Antonio Hemisfair, Gene Thomas Morales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In 1968, HemisFair became the first world's fair to be held in San Antonio, the United States Southwest, and to be recognized by the Bureau of International Expositions. Countries from around the globe were brought together by a shared commitment to democratic unity, Pan-American friendship, and to celebrate San Antonio's 250th anniversary. San Antonio Fair Inc., the group in charge of the fairâ??s construction and production, worked closely with community leaders, the Texas state government, and the U.S. federal government to create the exposition. The fair's theme would be called Confluence of Civilizations in the Americas. Confluence for the fair …

Analyzing Voter Participation In El Paso County, Texas, Samantha Romero

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This Thesis seeks to analyze and understand voting patterns in El Paso County, Texas, based on a study of voter turnout in the November 2015 Uniform Election and three key research objectives. The first objective is to provide a systematic statistical evaluation of a local endeavor, the Student Voter Initiative (SVI), to increase voter turnout among youth, specifically 18-year-olds, in the November 2015 Uniform Election. The second objective is to estimate voter turnout by age group (generation) and investigate whether younger voters were underrepresented in the November 2015 Uniform Election compared to older generations, based on generational categories defined by …

The Scramble For Texas: European Diplomacy And Imperial Contest In The Republic Of Texas, 1835-1846, Penelope Lea Jacobus

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The story that this Dissertation analyses is the attempted European penetration of the North American borderlands during the independence of the Texas Republic. It will analyse how the independence of Texas ties into new forms of imperialism exercised by Europeans and U.S.-Americans during the first half of the nineteenth century, a time when shifting ideas about freedom and coercion, international law and rights, civilisation, nationhood, and trade redefined imperial possibilities. Imperialism in the nineteenth century had to be increasingly compatible with ideas of freedom and justice, such as free trade, free labour and the use of fair legal tenets in …

Intra-Trade Among African Economic Bloc: A Comparative Study Of East African Community (Eac) And Southern African Development Community (Sadc) 2008 - 2018, Mustapha Abdullahi Maikudi

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACTSince the at middle of 20th century when most African states begin to gain political independence from colonialist, one phenomenon that was over warmly accepted is that of regional integration, both political, social, and economic. Regional integration was believed to pertinent for attaining desired goals and objectives set, thus its acceptance by both policymakers, academic, experts as well as ordinary citizens all over the continent. Despite acceptance and existence of regional economic blocs, as put by the United Nations Commission for Africa (2010) Report, intra-trading within African continent is the lowest World over when compared to other regions, say Asia, …

U.S. Perceptions Of Economic Mobility Since The Enactment Of Nafta And Their Impact On American Politics And Society, Jairemy Quinton Edwards

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In this study, I examine how perceptions of NAFTA developed over 20 years since its enactment, measured as perceived economic mobility in 2016, have affected more recent public perceptions leading to increased, controversial tendencies towards nationalism, protectionism, and pessimism about the future of the U.S. economy. I then assess whether and how such perceptions in turn may have affected voter perceptions about Donald Trump, setting the stage for his 2016 election victory. Therein, I have found that among U.S. voters in 2016, those with perceptions of reduced economic mobility since the enactment of NAFTA were significantly more likely to have …

Funny Politics: Examining The Motivations For Political Satire Consumption And Avoidance, And The Effects Of Political Satire Television Consumption On Political Knowledge, Engagement, And Trust In Institutions, Alexandra Rae Martinez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Political satire television is continuing to develop into an integral part of political rhetoric and evaluation to its viewers. This thesis explores the effects that consumption of political satire television might have on its consumers. Specifically, this study uses quantitative methods to examine the effects political satire has on political knowledge, political engagement, and trust in democratic institutions. Further, this study provides insight into the motivations for viewing or avoiding political satire TV. This research uses a survey compiled of scales employed by previous research, slightly altered to reflect the changes in today's political climate and satire TV shows and …

Partisanship As Identity: The Hype, The Myth, And The Reality Of Polarization In The American Electorate, Mark Stinson

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This work examines the existence and extent of polarization in the American electorate as a contemporary phenomenon based in hyper-partisan or “tribal” identity rather than as arising out of a more conventional ideological framework. This approach allows for the bypassing of more conventional questions such as the meaning of “liberal” or “conservative” or “in virtue of what is someone a liberal/conservative?”, and instead allows acceptance of a respondent’s ideological or partisan self-identification as a convenient label which does not require a monolithic set of political beliefs for its basis, although the prior or subsequent adoption of such a set of …

Women Legislators & Representation Of The Indigenous Interests: The Case Of Mexico, Michelle Muñoz Cisneros

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Elsa Chaney (1979) argued that women legislators in Latin America exhibit a supermadre approach in their legislatures. As a result of this, women legislators are relegated to "less important" committees, such as those dealing with family, children, and social issues. Based on her approach, this Thesis argues that due to gender socialization women legislators create an inclusive political environment in the legislature for minorities and marginalized groups. Specifically, it investigates women legislators' bill initiation behavior regarding the inclusion of indigenous populations' interests. This Thesis analyzes original data gathered from the 2009-2018 Mexican Congress using logistic regression. The findings indicate that …

The New Cold War: Geostrategic Rivalry And A Return To Political Warfare, Mason Connor Shuya

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The current geopolitical climate is one which has seen a renewed state of tensions in the relationship between the United States and the Russian Federation dating to 2014 and Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory. This current state of geopolitical tensions has led many to question: are we in a state of New Cold War today? If so, today's Cold War may be defined by the advancement of cyber capabilities and the use of propaganda and misinformation. How will this be the defining factor in the New Cold War? Through a comprehensive DIME analysis of the Russian Federation, the United States, …

Emotional Directives Of Legal Status Changes: A Study On Immigration Status Grants, Perla Galindo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Judicial decision making has provided new frameworks to examine the effects of extra-legal factors. Yet, immigration courts have not received much scholarly attention. This Thesis examines the conditions under which non-citizen applicants likely to receive successful immigration status change. In particular, I analyze the effects of sympathy on the decision making of immigration court judges. Using a convenience sample of the El Paso Area, I evaluate immigrant applications for status changes to identify which factors illicit sympathetic and thus more likely to receive their status change requests. I find that younger applicants and Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals (DACA) applicants …

An Economic Framework Of Collective Action During The Korean War, Nicole C. Ruiz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Collective action, the coordinated effort between multiple actors, continues to play a role in the international community. In an increasingly complex operational environment, understanding the dynamics of these coordinated efforts is necessary for intelligence analysts. This research seeks to address the question: How can economic methodology be used to understand collective action during the Korean War for future use in intelligence analysis? The Korean War consisted of two different collective action groups going against each other militarily and ultimately diplomatically, which is why it is a suitable case study for understanding the nature of collective action. The research provides an …

Just War: New Customary International Law To Combat Violent Non-State Actor Groups?, Lisa Marie Holz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The issue that this study focused upon was the legitimacy of military interventions by a state against a violent non-state actor group located within another state's territory. The research sought to answer how interventions by the United States and its allies have evolved during the post 9/11 era. It additionally explored if the justification for military interventions had changed. This study used data from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program and the United Nations Security Council to create a hybrid data-set and analyzed the data for the location and number of states participating in operations against violent non-state actors ("VNSAs"). This …