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Articles 1 - 30 of 79
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Political Discussion And Disagreement: Seeking Validation Through News Media, Michael Carmona
Political Discussion And Disagreement: Seeking Validation Through News Media, Michael Carmona
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
This study explores how often individuals discuss politics with family/friends and acquaintances, how often individuals are exposed to disagreement during those discussions, the strategies they use to respond to political disagreement, and the use of news media following those disagreements. Through the lens of Uses and Gratifications theory, this study examined these elements through an online survey of U.S. adults. The results of this study did not support Hopmann’s, Bjarnøe’s, and Wonneberger’s findings about the relationship between the frequency of political disagreement and the strategies for responding to that disagreement. This study highlights how the discussions and disagreements we have …
A Cautionary Tale From Nevada's Desert-People Before Company: A Case Study On Economic Development Approaches In Nevada, Ryann P.S. Juden
A Cautionary Tale From Nevada's Desert-People Before Company: A Case Study On Economic Development Approaches In Nevada, Ryann P.S. Juden
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
This project utilized a mixed methods research design consisting of a case study of Nevada to explain the state’s reliance on company-based government incentives to attract new businesses to the state. Additionally, the project applied a comparative analysis of Brazil’s and Tennessee’s use of company-based government incentives, and a more detailed comparative analysis of Virginia’s people-based government incentive approach to economic development incentives to explore policy alternatives available to decision makers. This project used the historical institutionalism approach to show how policymakers have certain institutionally dominated predispositions impacting policy outcomes leading to a path dependency where rational choice theory’s credit …
Party Central: Networks, Influence, And Party Change In The Us House Of Representatives, Sean M. Goff
Party Central: Networks, Influence, And Party Change In The Us House Of Representatives, Sean M. Goff
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
For decades, scholars have devoted considerable attention to the causes and processes of party change. In this dissertation, I offer a new theoretical framework that not only takes into account the behavior of Members of Congress, but also how that behavior is constrained and conditioned by the relationships they share with other Members. This web of relationships forms a party network, the structure of which changes as Member-to-Member relationships change over time. I also identify three mechanisms of party change: a Member of Congress shifting their position to align with another (assimilation); a Member being pushed to the periphery of …
American Samoa Politics: Performing Sāmoa, Dayonara S. Gaoteote
American Samoa Politics: Performing Sāmoa, Dayonara S. Gaoteote
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
American Samoa as a self-governing U.S. territory located in the South Pacific is fortunate to be able to maintain their cultural traditions, language, and lands in all aspects- including their government. However, when the community suffers from a number of growing issues that affect the health and safety of its citizens, an analysis of the culture and leadership is fitting. I interviewed Jacqueline Tuiasosopo-Mata'u, Dr. Tapa'au Daniel Aga, and Chief Tauaisafune Niualama Taifane to gain insight into American Samoa government history, American Samoa government and community in the present, and to describe cultural practices and traditions that are in place. …
Middle Powers, Capital Subscriptions, And The Inter-American Development Bank, Aaron Coates
Middle Powers, Capital Subscriptions, And The Inter-American Development Bank, Aaron Coates
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Using liberal theory, this dissertation examines the behavior of member states in the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), with a focus on middle powers. In particular, I analyze whether trade between middle powers and Latin America and the Caribbean is associated with an increase in middle powers’ subscription shares in the IADB. The analysis draws on a cross-sectional time-series data set of capital subscription shares (in log form, and first-differenced) for the period of 2004 to 2018. The results suggest that among all members of the IADB, an increase in members’ trade with Latin America and the Caribbean was associated with …
Globalization: A Veto Player Perspective, Alec Brown
Globalization: A Veto Player Perspective, Alec Brown
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Different countries have varying levels of globalization. Many features, such as size, play a part in determining the level of globalization in countries. I argue that globalization is influenced by veto players in systematically different ways. To understand these different relationships, globalization must be broken apart into three dimensions (political, economic, and social). Political globalization is negatively affected by veto players. Economic globalization is not affected by veto players directly but is influenced by related phenomena. Social globalization is positively affected by veto players. To test my arguments, I employ a Time Series Cross Section (TSCS) method to analyze a …
The Parallel Security Apparatus: Examining The Cases Of Baathist Iraq, Syria, And Iran, Donald Utchel
The Parallel Security Apparatus: Examining The Cases Of Baathist Iraq, Syria, And Iran, Donald Utchel
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
This dissertation examines the phenomena of the parallel security apparatus in the cases of Baathist Iraq, Syria, and Iran. Parallel security structures are often limited to books and articles published on secret police organizations in the broader security literature. Their research often focuses on one branch of the parallel security apparatus rather than examining all the parallel security institutions of that particular regime. This body of research attempts to bring further light to this particular phenomenon by examining all the parallel security institutions in a particular case and to connect and trace the various parallel security institutions to see if …
External Voting In Developing Countries: Strategic Bargaining And The Role Of Remittances, Hafthor Erlingsson
External Voting In Developing Countries: Strategic Bargaining And The Role Of Remittances, Hafthor Erlingsson
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
This study and numerous prior works have argued that remittances increase the likelihood that states will implement external voting. However, quantitative studies have generally failed to find a relationship between reliance on remittances and the adoption and implementation of external voting. In this study it is argued that the pooling of observations from developed and developing countries as well as autocracies and highly consolidated democracies has altered previous results. Most studies have also not investigated possible non-linearities in the relationship between remittances and external voting. The results of this study illustrate the non-linear influence remittances have on non-autocratic developing countries …
A Binding Sisterhood Of Transnational Feminism: A Close Look At Iran And Argentina, Bernadette Mary Lazar
A Binding Sisterhood Of Transnational Feminism: A Close Look At Iran And Argentina, Bernadette Mary Lazar
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
This dissertation examines the impact of transnational feminism in Iran and Argentina. Specifically, it focuses on the role of the diaspora and international communities and their interactions with social movements in these two countries. Although the study of transnational feminism is not a new phenomenon, very little research has been dedicated towards distinguishing the effects and differences in outcomes when either the diaspora or the broader international network is involved. By filling this gap in the literature, this dissertation will shed light on whether the diaspora community, NGOs, or the international community is necessary for success or favorable outcomes in …
The Post-Soviet Voter: Evidence From The Caucasus, Rafael Oganesyan
The Post-Soviet Voter: Evidence From The Caucasus, Rafael Oganesyan
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
In western liberal democracies, voting behavior is often times characterized by sociological and psychological indicators. Party identification and issues such as the economy dominant the vote function of the electorate. In the post-Soviet space, party volatility and the competitive authoritarian nature of regimes may result in voters failing to act as agents of accountability. In this dissertation, I argue that the socio-psychological theory of voting behavior applies to post-Soviet electorate in the Caucasus. I demonstrate that Armenian and Georgian voters rely on partisanship as well as perceptions of the economy when casting electoral judgment on the incumbent party. This research …
Nonstate Actors And International Law: Just War Theory Or The Universal Declaration Of Human Rights?, Jason Lee Mitchell
Nonstate Actors And International Law: Just War Theory Or The Universal Declaration Of Human Rights?, Jason Lee Mitchell
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
There is a debate taking place within the global war on terror (GWT), and its legal and moral parameters are established by two basic arguments. The first is that “Citizens who associate themselves with the military arm of the enemy government, and with its aid, guidance and direction enter this country bent on hostile acts are enemy belligerents within the meaning of the Hague Convention and the law of war” (Ex parte Quirin, 37). The second is that an “Enemy combatant” is a general category that subsumes two sub-categories: lawful and unlawful combatants. The conclusion as it currently stands is …
Disastrous Voting, Moritz Peter Rissmann
Disastrous Voting, Moritz Peter Rissmann
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The central question of this study is ’Is there an observable general trend of electorates punishing incumbents for natural disasters across countries and elections?’ Many scholars have argued for the existence of such behavior, yet the empirical evidence rests mostly on single-country and even single-election studies. I look for a generalizable trend in two original data sets with country-election and country-constituency-election as the unit of analysis respectively. I test the punishment hypothesis by correlating the occurrence of natural disasters to the performance of incumbent parties in national lower house elections. Furthermore, I propose that the effect of natural disasters on …
The Effectiveness Of State Ethics Commissions On Curbing Corruption And The Effect Of Corruption On State Economic Performance, Anthony J. Prato
The Effectiveness Of State Ethics Commissions On Curbing Corruption And The Effect Of Corruption On State Economic Performance, Anthony J. Prato
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
This dissertation investigates the effectiveness of anti-corruption policies implemented across the United States that significantly reduce public sector corruption. In addition to the normative desire to combat corruption, it documents, the economic impact that corruption has on each state's per capita gross domestic product. To investigate public sector corruption articles between the years 2010 – 2015were reviewed for news stories that report on public sector corruption at the state level and below. The practical implications of this dissertation, if incorporated into a state level anti-corruption policy, could be used to reduce public sector corruption and increase that states' economic health. …
Case Study: Armenian And Cuban Ethnic Interest Groups In American Foreign Policy, Harry H. Terzian
Case Study: Armenian And Cuban Ethnic Interest Groups In American Foreign Policy, Harry H. Terzian
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Current academic research has moved away from comparative models as a mechanism by which to assess and understand socio-political as well as historical phenomena. In addition, comparative analysis when it comes to addressing ethnic lobbies is almost nonexistent within contemporary research. This work implements a comparative framework and as a result has unlocked a new approach when addressing ethnic advocacy organizations. The purpose of this research is to assess and document the history and impact of both Armenian and Cuban ethnic interest groups within the United States. Specifically, focusing upon the Armenian National Committee of America and the Cuban American …
Supranational Identity Politics: Sovereignism In The Eu, Emilio Jacintho
Supranational Identity Politics: Sovereignism In The Eu, Emilio Jacintho
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The implementation of identity politics policies conceived at a supranational level appears to motivate the coordination of populist movements, the radicalization of their discourses, and an increasing resentment towards minority groups. I investigate the reaction of populist sovereignist political movements, among recently admitted EU member states, to the implementation of European Union policies that involve the positive discrimination of minority groups and mandated refugee relocations. The implementation of such policies seems to have contributed to the resentment toward policy-favored minorities, the increase of anti-immigration values, the success of extremist political expressions, and the mistrust of political institutions and traditional parties. …
Is It Still Impossible To Be Black And American?, Darrian Carroll
Is It Still Impossible To Be Black And American?, Darrian Carroll
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
This thesis engages Bill Clinton’s presidential rhetoric to investigate how liberal rhetorical practices can be used to extend and sustain the oppression of Black Americans. By adopting Du Bois’ concepts of the color-line and double-consciousness this thesis examines how Bill Clinton was able to recreate the color-line in the Mason Temple speech and benefit from and recreate a world devoid of consciousness in other selected speeches from his corpus. This project takes up three separate speeches by Bill Clinton as texts. The second chapter focuses on Bill Clinton’s “Remarks to the Rainbow Coalition” and “Remarks announcing the initiative” to make …
You're Out! Explaining Non-Criminal Diplomatic Expulsion, Anthony Jordan
You're Out! Explaining Non-Criminal Diplomatic Expulsion, Anthony Jordan
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The practice of diplomatic expulsion, as well as expulsion of other foreign personnel by an executive, has received little attention in the field of International Relations or in Political Science more broadly. If expulsion were analyzed under the broader category of diplomatic relations, then studying the variation in expulsions could improve our understanding of international relations. It would be understood as one of the many tools executives use in negotiation between states. Executives, however, appeared to treat expulsion specially. Although no international convention requires executives to notify the public of the expulsion of a diplomat, ambassador or other personnel, it …
Audits And Accountability In Non-Governmental Organizations, Kenneth J. Retzl
Audits And Accountability In Non-Governmental Organizations, Kenneth J. Retzl
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are becoming increasingly important as providers of development assistance in the Global South. As these organizations are gaining in importance, accountability concerns have grown. NGOs are considered to be accountable to a range of stakeholders, including funders, foreign governments where work is being performed, and the local communities being served. In spite of these concerns, there has been little research on the effectiveness of specific accountability mechanisms. This study empirically tests one such mechanism, the Single Audit, required by the United States' government for organizations that receive federal grant funding. Unfortunately, it is found the results of …
Effects Of Judicial Primary Election Systems On Challenger Emergence And Candidate Success, Katherine Eugenis
Effects Of Judicial Primary Election Systems On Challenger Emergence And Candidate Success, Katherine Eugenis
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
While rarely studied, primary elections have a tremendous affect on the general election. This effect can be magnified by institutional differences in the way primary and general elections operate in the states. In the case of judicial elections, the effects of the primary are further confounded by the differences in judicial selection systems across the states. My goal is to understand the role of the primary election as a stepping stone on the way to office. This dissertation endeavors to answer three questions: 1. What are the relevant differences between judicial primary election systems? 2. What influences challengers to emerge …
International Responses To Human Trafficking: A Comparative Secondary Data Analysis Of National Characteristics, Olivia Germaine Tuttle
International Responses To Human Trafficking: A Comparative Secondary Data Analysis Of National Characteristics, Olivia Germaine Tuttle
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Human trafficking is a rising international issue that has become a key concern for human rights organizations and governments throughout the world. As such, new policies are being developed and implemented to combat the problem. A guiding standard for these policies is the United Nations (UN) 2003 Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, which established a formal definition of human trafficking. While the UN Protocol was a significant step in the fight against human trafficking, it is limited by its framework, which focuses heavily on criminalization and punishment of traffickers. Recent discourse and …
The Engaged Eurosceptic: Explaining Eurosceptic Success And Failures In European Parliamentary Elections, Nathan William Henceroth
The Engaged Eurosceptic: Explaining Eurosceptic Success And Failures In European Parliamentary Elections, Nathan William Henceroth
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Eurosceptic political parties are predicted to over perform in second-order elections such as the European Parliamentary (EP) elections. Yet, not all eurosceptic parties have been successful in taking electoral advantage of their second-order electoral benefits. I argue that EP voters respond to EP legislative behavior and reward eurosceptic parties that actively oppose the EU by posing questions and attending plenary sessions, while EP voters punish eurosceptic parties that do not actively participate in the EP. Furthermore, the media provide the vital link between eurosceptic party EP legislative engagement and EP voters by providing increased levels of media exposure for engaged …
Obligations Of The State: State Behavior And The Occurrence Of State Success, Brendan Mark Morris
Obligations Of The State: State Behavior And The Occurrence Of State Success, Brendan Mark Morris
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The start of the twenty-first century has coincided with the emergence of the concept of state failure as a major humanitarian and security concern. While the occurrence of state failure has received much attention, there has been little agreement on the actual definition and conceptualization of state failure. This study intends to aid in the improvement on the discourse of state failure by providing a new approach on failed states that analyzes shifts in state fragility. In this new approach, this study focuses on the occurrence of state success and explain how states succeed by focusing on the fulfillment of …
The People's College? An Examination Of Who Governs Community Colleges At The Local Level, Katheryn Christine Brekken
The People's College? An Examination Of Who Governs Community Colleges At The Local Level, Katheryn Christine Brekken
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Community colleges are playing an increasingly important role in national and local postsecondary education and economic development policy arenas. These two-year institutions educate 46 percent of American undergraduates, including the majority of African American, Hispanic and Native American undergraduate students. However, community colleges are failing to graduate students, particularly students of color (AACC, 2012). Given the national demand for graduates, policymakers are struggling to help more under-represented groups succeed and complete their college degrees. Therefore, an examination of who is governing community colleges and making important policy decisions to address student success is critical. While there are a variety of …
Explaining The Dynamics Of Civil War: Exposure, Violence, And Consolidation Against Civil War, Karim Kardous
Explaining The Dynamics Of Civil War: Exposure, Violence, And Consolidation Against Civil War, Karim Kardous
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
This study disaggregates civil wars into three types: conventional, irregular, and symmetrical nonconventional. Conventional and symmetrical nonconventional warfare are instances of conflict whereby the incumbent state and the insurgent enjoy equally heavy and sophisticated artillery (conventional) or equally light and rudimentary weaponry (symmetrical nonconventional). Irregular civil wars are fought when the incumbent enjoys clear militaristic superiority relative to the insurgent. This study suggests that economic grievances can expose states to irregular civil wars, while high religious fractionalization and high ethnic fractionalization in autocratic states can make them vulnerable to conventional and symmetrical nonconventional civil wars, respectively. Further, across the three …
The Role Of School Boards In Addressing Opportunity And Equity For English Learners In The U.S. Mountain West, Carrie Sampson
The Role Of School Boards In Addressing Opportunity And Equity For English Learners In The U.S. Mountain West, Carrie Sampson
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Locally-elected school boards in the United States may be the public’s closest democratic link to public education. Yet, little is known about how school boards balance their representational obligations with their responsibilities to address educational inequities. The purpose of this study is to examine how school boards address policies and practices for one of education’s most vulnerable populations, English learners (EL). Applying the conceptual framework of social construction theory for policy design, which assumes that policy is heavily influenced by the social construction of target groups, this multiple-case study includes data from 30 interviews, four years of school board meeting …
The Arab Uprisings: An Assessment Of The Roots And Implications Of Contemporary Mobilization In The Arab World, Autoosa Elizabeth Kojoori-Saatchi
The Arab Uprisings: An Assessment Of The Roots And Implications Of Contemporary Mobilization In The Arab World, Autoosa Elizabeth Kojoori-Saatchi
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Much of the existing theories of mobilization appear to focus on either micro or macro level elements that lead to mobilization, very few seem to focus on fusing the two; specifically psychological dynamics with macro structural components. This dissertation seeks to synthesize the two together to explain how psychology, specifically the perception of deprivation exacerbated by heightened social interaction through technology has introduced a new element to politics in the Middle East and North, which has furthered awareness of the exploitative nature of neoliberalism and the impact that the system has on the greater Arab populace. This dissertation explains how …
Nevada Legal Services: The Legal Services Corporation Restrictions And The Diminishing Capacity Of Access To Justice For The Poor, William Todd Ashmore
Nevada Legal Services: The Legal Services Corporation Restrictions And The Diminishing Capacity Of Access To Justice For The Poor, William Todd Ashmore
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The lofty idea of equal justice for all is not the reason legal aid began in the United States. Legal aid was born from the indignation over injustices committed against the poor. Unable to afford an attorney, the poor could not effectively assert their rights within the criminal and civil justice system. Without access to justice through the courts, the extralegal activities required to defend oneself and exact justice such as personally forcing an employer to pay rightful wages, are deemed criminal in most cases. By providing legal resources to the poor, legal aid not only brought order to society …
States And Multicultural Education Policies: An Event History Analysis, Leander D. Kellogg
States And Multicultural Education Policies: An Event History Analysis, Leander D. Kellogg
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Multicultural education policies related to K-12 curriculum have been shown to benefit underperforming students. This research found that 10 states have adopted such policies between 1978 and 1994. A unified model of policy innovation and diffusion with a conceptual framework, which included three factors: motivation to innovate, obstacles to innovation, and resources to overcome such obstacles was used to explore demographic, political, and economic conditions along with neighboring states diffusion. Both internal and external determinants were found to significantly influence the adoption of multicultural education. Specifically, states with slightly less education funding were more likely to adopt a policy. Additionally, …
Chinese Soft Power, Africa, And The United Nations General Assembly, Rayna Martinez
Chinese Soft Power, Africa, And The United Nations General Assembly, Rayna Martinez
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Sino-Africa relations has become a topic of immense interest within the field of international relations. In particular, China’s use of “soft power” in order to support its peaceful rise in the international arena. Originally coined by American political scientist Joseph Nye (1990) the term “soft power” is the ability for a state to get what it wants without threat or coercion. The application of a Western theory by the PRC is worthy of further study and analysis. Recent scholarship within Chinese and Western academic circles have looked more closely at China’s soft power utility and how it promotes Nye’s pillars …
A Comparative Study Of The Assyrian And Guatemalan Genocides, Bernadette Mary Lazar
A Comparative Study Of The Assyrian And Guatemalan Genocides, Bernadette Mary Lazar
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
This century has witnessed many genocides throughout the world by the hands of leaders and citizens alike. These unjustifiable acts have not failed to exist even today. Although a lot of research and scholarly work has been dedicated towards the study of genocide, there is no single reason as to why it occurs; rather there are many theories that indicate what leads to genocide. The question still remains why does genocide happen? This thesis will attempt to answer this question by analyzing various theoretical perspectives, as well as comparatively observing two case studies that have not been extensively discussed. In …