Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Time Is A Construct(Ion): Heritage And Becoming In Quito's Historic District, Samuel Abate

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

A Call For The Inclusion Of Nature In Class Struggle, Augusta Valerie Tiziana Spiro Jaeger

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Senior Project Submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

Foreign In Their Own Country: A Critical Analysis Of Puerto Ricans In The United States, Sebastian R. Cardenas

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Foreign in their own nation? The neglected United States territory? The 51st state that never was? Regardless of which of these questions one chooses to look through the prism of, they are all applicable when it comes to discussing Puerto Rico and its staggering relationship with the United States. These questions are all significant in some way because they are indicative of patterns of interaction and an overall story that has developed over the years between the two respective sides. These questions give a window into the contentious history that the island has had with the United States since being …

Voice Of Silence: Women Inmates' Perspective On Sexual Violence In The Soviet Gulag, 1936-1956, Louisa Jane Fulkerson

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

The Polyester Problem: Regulating The Polyester Industry Through The Lens Of Environmental Economics, Jo-Kel Cornejo Borthwick

Senior Projects Spring 2020

In presenting the history and utility of polyester fiber we gain a more in depth understanding of why it is such a prominent fabric today. Through the general evaluation of the global apparel industry, we gain valuable insight into the vast size and environmental impact of the entire industry. Presenting the global apparel industry is integral to the discussion of polyester due to their symbiotic relationship. In evaluating the environmental impact and externalities of the polyester industry, attention is brought to the problematic nature of the industry as well as the details of its environmental impact which include; excessive microfiber …

Yield Curve Theories And Their Applications Over Time, Michael Richard O'Donnell

Senior Projects Spring 2020

This thesis will analyze three theories that can explain the term structure of interest rates: The Unbiased Expectations Theory, the Duration Premium Theory, and Market Segmentation Theory. The paper will analyze what factors and expectations drive these theories, and how the Federal Reserve has shaped monetary policy within the context of these theories, from Paul A. Volcker to Jerome H. Powell. The paper will also analyze what narratives set out by the Federal Reserve, and their explanations of the yield curve/interest rate behavior through speeches delivered by the Federal Reserve Chairman and other Federal Reserve Governors.

The Modern Lawgiver And The Politics Of Refounding: What Political Refoundings Reveal About The Nature Of Democracy, Anastasia Elizabeth Teller

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

Feta, Blintzes, And Burritos: The Evolution Of The Diner And Immigrants' Role In Defining American Food Culture, Alexis Kimberly Maresca

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

Socio-Ecological Synergies For A Sustainable Onondaga Lake: Reckoning With The Complexities Of Restoration, Skyler Maassen

Senior Projects Spring 2020

For decades after industrialization and urbanization in its vicinity, Onondaga Lake in central New York State was considered "the most polluted lake in America." Recently, however, the system was declared recovered and ready for human use. Honeywell International Inc. – supervised by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the United States Environmental Protection Agency – and their partners completed considerable clean-up in the last twenty years. Efforts included dredging, capping, and habitat enhancements. While these efforts have led to renewed ecosystem services, the endpoints of ecological restoration are inherently unclear. Prompted by inconsistent theory and practice of …

From Belief To Action: Histories And New Directions Within The Youth Climate Movement, Christian Sabharwal

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

Skateboarding, Space And Subculture: Indexing Skated Spaces And Their Urban Implications, Djimon Mark Gibson

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

"Made In Bangladesh", Joya Alia Syed

Senior Projects Spring 2020

The 2013 Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh was the worst industrial disaster in modern times and began a turning point for change in the garment sector. This paper will uncover human rights violations such as the exploitation of garment workers, verbal and physical abuse as well as the right for workers to collectively bargain. The paper will begin with a brief background of the Bangladeshi garment sector, then the pressure of the “Fast Fashion” demand for the industry and gender dimensions. It will conclude with remediation efforts from local and international levels from social movements, campaigns, and programs such …

What Lies In The Market: The Untold Connections Between Dominicans And Haitians, Edwar C. Aviles Mercedes

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Submitted to the Divison of Social Studies of Bard College.

Constructing Guilt, Obstructing Truth: How The Spectacle Of Wrongful Conviction Reveals And Magnifies Fundamental Flaws In The Criminal Justice System, Fiona Marie Hession

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

Discarding The “Garbage City”: Infrastructures Of Waste In Cairo, Egypt, Mary E. Klein

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

Journal, Untitled, Angelo Chammah

Senior Projects Spring 2020

This journal has no owner.
It is simply out there.
It belongs to me, it belongs to you.
It is about personal moments but universal experiences.
What do you see when you drive with the window open?
What can you find in your own house?
What light is on at midnight?

Angelo Chammah

The Parallax View: How Conspiracy Theories And Belief In Conspiracy Shape American Politics, Liam Edward Shaffer

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Conspiracy theories have become a fact of American political discourse. It seems at times that we are inundated by conspiracy theories that are being raised and addressed before being consigned to the dustbin in favor of the next batch. Our media outlets devote precious time and resources to debunking these theories and our politicians seem more willing than ever to traffic in conspiracy theories when it is politically convenient. It is tempting to find a scapegoat for this dynamic, to identify a few discrete actors who have introduced it into our politics. If this were the case, then all we …

The Origins Of Socialism In Cuba: A Question Uncontested, Liam G. Oberholzer

Senior Projects Spring 2020

This paper seeks to trace the origin of the shift towards Socialism in Cuba in 1961. It does so by providing three hypothetical answers to the question, the Cold War Answer, the Castro Answer, and Cuba's national identity as the Answer. These three narratives are put into conversation with each other, the first two ultimately holding some truth and value, but being ultimately defined as both subject to Cuba's historical national identity as the key identifying factor in the ultimate shift to Socialism in 1961.

Origins Of The Government Shutdown: The American Budget's Greatest Inefficiency, Samuel Francis Huggins

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Over the last 40 years, the American budget system has become increasingly inefficient and detrimental to the American People. The biggest issue within the budget system is the occurrence of government shutdowns and their increasing severity over time. Government shutdowns are a uniquely dangerous phenomenon that directly affects all Americans, hurting public workers, public infrastructure, removing social services, and creating chaos all across the country. The unprecedented harm caused by government shutdowns is well known and the shutdowns themselves are entirely avoidable, yet they continue to not only happen but increase in magnitude. I theorize that these shutdowns are caused …

The Race For Time: Experiences In The Temporality Of Blackness, Eboni Cymone Grooms

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

The New “Duck-And-Cover” — School Security As Contemporary Civil Defense And Mimetic Of The National Security State, Justyn C. Díaz

Senior Projects Spring 2020

The purpose of this project is to interrogate the parallels between school and state security policies. The project also positions these similarities ultimately as part of the program of schooling that seeks to create citizens in the interest of national security through the mimicry of the state security practices, inculcating a fear in students across the country that serves to constitute state power.

Disruption In The Repo Market - A Sign Of Systemic Issues, Tinatin Bezhanidze

Senior Projects Spring 2020

The Repurchase Agreement (repo) market is an essential part of the financial system. Thus, a disruption in the repo market in September of 2019, leading to the first Federal Reserve intervention since the Global Financial Crisis, sowed panic. This paper discusses some of the possible explanations of the repo crisis, such as tax payments draining liquidity at the same time as the Treasury bonds were settled, changes in regulations leading to inability to use the reserves on the market, a problem of market domination and change in behavior of the non-bank participants. It builds on the theories of the economist …

A Case For The Congo: How Can Education And Agriculture Lead To Economic Development?, Arthur Kilongo

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Since its independence from Belgium in 1960 until this point in time, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has more than often experienced violence and political instability that have prevented the creation of a stable economy and functional political system. As a result, quality education and high paying jobs are scarce in the DR Congo today, resulting in poverty to the extent where many people in the country live on less than $1.90 per day. According to the International Labour Organization, as many as 68.7% of Congolese worked in agriculture in 2019. This paper investigates how education and training can …

The Origins Of Modern Anti-Semitism In France: A Study Of Jewish Experience From The Ancien Régime To The Second World War, Hadley Rose Britt

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Languages and Literature of Bard College.

Migration And Neoliberalism: Do Diasporas Facilitate Pro-Market Policies At Home? Policies, Veronika Elizebeth Gillis

Senior Projects Spring 2020

The recent shift in migration literature towards a focus on migrant sending countries has been characterized by a negative impact of remittances on human rights and other political institutions. Furthering this literature, we claim that remittances increase neoliberal reforms in migrant sending countries. Given the multiplicity of incentives to support neoliberal policies on the part of the migrant, the remittance receiver, and the sending country’s government, we expect the remittance share of GDP to positively influence the presence of neoliberal policies in the migrant-sending country. Using the Fraser Institute’s Economic Freedom Index as a proxy for neoliberalism, we implement an …

A Skeptic’S Certainty And Their Politics, Melissa A. Rosenthal

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

Some Notes On Congruency, Ryan J. Rusiecki

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Some Notes on Congruency is an examination of the seemingly arbitrary methods in which the built environment facilitates order among its inhabitants (eg., parking lot striping, roadway signs). Asphalt fissures observed at the main intersection in Red Hook, NY were used as a starting off point for making the photographs contained within this book. A lens with a focal length that closely resembles the range of human vision was used to communicate the experience of discovering fissures from my perspective as a pedestrian and motorist. I was most captivated by temporal, subtle fissures, such as the replanting of flower beds …

Blockchain Technology Changing Resource Management: A Case Study On How Even Botswana Can Improve Their Level Of Accountability In Diamonds, Thokozile Aretha Soko

Senior Projects Spring 2020

The African continent is rich in resources yet still lags behind, in terms of economic development, in relation to a large portion of the world. There are mines all over the continent yet mineral ores leave the countries without a trace and nothing to show for the hard work it took to retrieve them. There are many factors that have led African countries to where they are now, but what if an improvement in; resource management, the ability to track property ownership, value added or environmental externalities at each step could help change things around. The countries would be able …

How Vending Machines Can Conquer Access To Better Quality Convenience Food, Tessa C. Greenhalgh

Senior Projects Spring 2020

As the food system has evolved it has been forced to include convenience. Changing life styles and big food companies have dictated a switch in expectations from our food. They have made it so that time and energy can be saved when it comes to producing, cooking or eating food. Technology has evolved beside convenience food, to sell or manufacture it and make it more convenient. One of these invention is vending machines. Automated food vending began with the Automat, which served fresh and healthy dishes but has come to dispense food that is mostly considered unhealthy. Vending machines are …

Can You See It?: Providing Visual Arts Access To Audiences With Visual Impairment And Blindness, Rowan A. Puig Davis

Senior Projects Spring 2020

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Arts of Bard College.