Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Election And Impeachment Of Dilma Rousseff, Brazil's First Woman President, Pedro A. G. Dos Santos

Forum Lectures

In October 2010 Dilma Rousseff broke Brazil highest glass ceiling by becoming the country's first woman president. After her re-election in 2014, her government suffered strong opposition both in Congress and on the streets, culminating in her 2016 impeachment. In this talk, I discuss the role gender played in the election of Dilma Rousseff, how being a woman influenced the nomination of cabinet members and policymaking, and the ways in which her gender affected the 2016 impeachment process. By comparing Dilma Rousseff’s presidency with her predecessor and successor, I elaborate on how Brazilian formal political institutions are gendered in a …

Review Of Buddhism & Political Theory By Matthew J. Moore, Charles W. Wright

The Journal of Social Encounters

Buddhism & Political Theory, by Matthew J. Moore, proposes to extract a political theory from the Pali language texts of the Buddhist religious tradition that is palatable to Western academic sensibilities so that it might be ushered into the company of contemporary political and ethical philosophy. "Let me introduce you," the book in essence says to the world of Western philosophy, "to a long overlooked, unusual, and interesting perspective on political and ethical theory that you really ought to include in your conversations."

Review Of From Somalia To Snow: How Central Minnesota Became Home To Somalis By Hudda Ibrahim, Stephanie Chambers

The Journal of Social Encounters

When I first started studying the Somali diaspora I searched for books to fill the void in my understanding of Somali culture and life. I tracked down a wonderful book that discussed basics of Somali culture, politics, and life. That book, Somalis in Minnesota by Ahmed Yusuf, provided a sense of the Somali experience and helped me understand the journey from Somalia to the state of Minnesota. Although Yusuf’s book didn’t offer the sort of interpersonal detail in Hudda Ibrahim’s book From Somalia to Snow, Yusuf’s book was extremely helpful. Together these books offer those interested in the Somali-American …

Review Of Making Refuge: Somali Bantu Refugees And Lewiston, Maine By Catherine Besteman, Ellen Block

The Journal of Social Encounters

Catherine Besteman conduced fieldwork in the late 1980’s in the small village of Banta in southern Somalia. Implausibly, she was reunited with many of her former friends and interlocutors in Lewiston, Maine two decades later, laying the ground for this impressive ethnographic study. In Making Refuge, Besteman traces the experiences of Somali Bantu refugees from Somalia, through the Kenyan refugee camps, and to their resettlement in the United States. She shows how the prevailing view of refugees as “apolitical, docile, and dependent recipients” (Pg. 29), and as passive and grateful objects of humanitarian aid is both misconstrued and morally deficient. …

Review Of At Play In The Lions’ Den, A Biography And Memoir Of Daniel Berrigan By Jim Forest, William L. Portier

The Journal of Social Encounters

In 1957 Daniel Berrigan (1921-2016), a thirty-six-year-old Jesuit priest, about to begin teaching New Testament at Lemoyne College in his hometown of Syracuse, New York, published his first book. A book of poetry entitled Time Without Number, it won the Lamont Poetry Award and was also nominated for a National Book Award. At the time, he realized that, "Publishers would now take almost anything I chose to compile; the question of quality was largely in my own hands and my own sense of things" (47). In the next four years, he published two more books of poetry and two …

Review Of Flourishing: Why We Need Religion In A Globalized World By Miroslav Volf., Jon Armajani

The Journal of Social Encounters

Dr. Miroslav Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Systematic Theology at Yale University and the Founding Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture. His works have spanned several subfields within the discipline of theology -- from a book, published in 1988, on Karl Marx’s concept of labor and its theological value, to a book published in 1996, which is a theological exploration of identity, otherness, and reconciliation, to a book published in 2012 on Jews, Christian, and Muslims in dialogue. In Volf’s Flourishing: Why We Need Religion in a Globalized World, he attempts to shed …

Refugee Socio-Cultural Integration And Peaceful Co-Existence In Uganda, Sharon Sylvia Nambuya, Joseph Okumu, Ronald Pagnucco

The Journal of Social Encounters

The dramatic increase in the number of refugees globally has led to increased attention to conflicts between refugees and communities in the countries where they have sought refuge. Three durable solutions are used for the placement of refugees: voluntary repatriation to their home country if conditions there permit; permanent settlement and local integration in the receiving country; and resettlement in a third country. Permanent settlement and local integration is seen as good option although there still exists gaps in understanding the integration process and if it leads to peaceful co-existence between refugees and members of the host community. This study …

Gender Identity And Justice In Nigeria: An Appraisal Of Women In Lagos State, Oluwaseun Olanrewaju

The Journal of Social Encounters

This paper examines gender identity and justice in the light of gender discrimination against women in Nigeria. Through the use of primary research, with the specific focus on women resident in Lagos state, the findings of this research show that in Nigeria, women are often considered as subservient to men. This paper therefore asserts that there is an urgent need to address gender inequality in order to create a gender balanced society. Furthermore, the paper concludes that gender equality will translate to justice for women and empower them to contribute positively to the overall development of Nigeria.

The Role Of The Traditional Somali Model In Peacemaking, Hudda Ibrahim

The Journal of Social Encounters

In this paper I explore the mediation and reconciliation efforts of traditional Somali elders. I also discuss why traditional elders have been effective peacemakers in Northern Somali (Somaliland) but not in Somalia. I argue that four factors comprising an "insider-partial mediation" approach in Somaliand helps to explain why it was effective there. In conclusion, this paper shows that the traditional Somali approach of peacemaking is a viable and effective approach to mitigating conflicts in Somalia.

The Challenge Of Securing Kenya: Past Experience, Present Challenges And Future Prospects, Mumo Nzau, Mohammed Guyo

The Journal of Social Encounters

The dynamic nature of insecurity and mitigation strategies cannot be adequately understood without comparing the present conjuncture and the past experiences. This paper provides a temporal assessment of security in Kenya by scanning convergent and divergent insecurity experiences and mitigation strategies of the regimes of Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel Arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta. The security dynamics have been shaped by drivers located at local, national and global levels. The convergence of local insecurity and protracted transitional terrorist attacks has produced a high trajectory of insecurity with a negative impact on the economy, social cohesion and stability. The contradiction …

A Cross-Cultural Approach To Environmental And Peace Work: Wangari Maathai’S Use Of Mottainai In Kenya, Eddah Mutua, Kikuko Omori

The Journal of Social Encounters

Protecting the environment and nurturing peace are global concerns requiring scholarly attention across and within cultures. This essay proposes that cross-cultural exchange serves as an invaluable approach to the goal of communicating about creating a healthy environment and everyday peace. We examine how Wangari Maathai interpreted the meaning and purpose of Mottainai as a global call to save the environment. Mottainai is an ancient Japanese concept that means “Don’t waste! What a waste!” Of interest to us is establishing Maathai’s motivation to employ the concept of Mottainai as informed by her lived experiences in Kenya. The relevance of Mottainai to …

An Overview Of Four Traditions On War And Peace In Christian History, Joseph J. Fahey

The Journal of Social Encounters

This essay examines four traditions on war and peace that have developed in Christian history. They are: Pacifism, Just War, Total War, and World Community.Pacifism characterized the earliest Christians; Just War appeared in the late fourth and fifth centuries; Total War in the eleventh century; and World Community began in the sixteenth century. All four positions continue today and are held by people who sincerely call themselves Christian.

Inclusion And Social Justice As Peacemaking Within Higher Education, Mary Dana Hinton

The Journal of Social Encounters

The Journal of Social Encounters has been described as “a venue in which we can encounter one other and build the common good together” (Okumu & Pagnucco, 2017, p. ii). In many ways, this description of the Journal mirrors what we endeavor to accomplish in higher education in the United States in general, and in Catholic higher education in particular. While our mission statements vary, and how we achieve the mission will look different on all of our campuses, there is widespread consensus that higher education provides a space wherein people can learn together for the good of supporting our …

The Leadership Style Of North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, Aubrey Immelman

Psychology Faculty Publications

This working paper presents a personality-based analysis of the likely leadership style of Chairman Kim Jong-un, supreme leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, in negotiations with U.S. president Donald Trump, inferred from the results of indirect personality assessments conducted 2013–2018 from the conceptual perspective of personologist Theodore Millon.

Kim’s primary personality patterns were found to be Outgoing/gregarious and Dominant/controlling, supplemented by secondary Accommodating/cooperative, Ambitious/confident, and Dauntless/adventurous features.

Outgoing individuals are dramatic attention‑getters who thrive on being the center of social events, go out of their way to be popular with others, and are confident in their social skills; …

The Voting Behavior Of Labor Union Members In The 2016 Presidential Election, Daniel J. Gillis

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

The conventional wisdom surrounding the 2016 United States presidential election suggests that Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, received significant support from labor union members. This has drawn attention, as labor union members have long been considered a crucial Democratic voting bloc. Previous studies have shown that Democratic support from organized labor groups has been declining over time. The stereotypical labor union member has long been a white working class male with a high school level of education in a private sector union, and recent work has primarily focused solely on these individuals. However, those traditional labor union members have been …

Shifting Bilateralism: Understanding Change In The Us-Japan Alliance During The Cold And Gulf War, Grant Anderla

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

Emerging from a violent past as unlikely partners, the alliance of the United States and Japan has withstood years of cooperation and competition. Today, the two nations face regional threats from North Korea and China. Considering the unique alliance, I hope to provide a framework for understanding inter-alliance management and policy making processes. Subsequently, I consider one main question in my research. What factors explain continuities and changes within this alliance relationship? To address this question, I consider leadership role conception, role prescription, and norms of consultation that contribute to changes within alliance relations.

Analyzing these variables in the case …

Poison Pills: How Subtle Differences In Processes, Public Opinion, And Leadership Doomed The American Health Care Act And Passed The Affordable Care Act, Zachary Eichten

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

In 2009, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act became law. This was possible because the Democratic Party had a majority in both branches of Congress and control in the executive branch. In 2017, the American Health Care Act failed to become law, despite the fact that the Republicans controlled Congress and the presidency. What factors explain the different outcomes? Why was one able to pass, but not the other? This study presents a framework for explaining these different outcomes by exploring the impact of the legislative process, the role of public opinion, and the impact of polarization as factors …

Efficacy Of Technology-Based And In-Person Health Education For Behavior Change In College-Aged Women, Madeline Bremel

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether an in-person or technology based bone health intervention improved bone health knowledge and behaviors in college-aged women. Methods: 30 college-aged women were randomly divided into three groups: personal intervention (n = 10), technological intervention (n = 10), and control (n = 10). Both intervention groups received identical information regarding the importance of bone health and the appropriate behaviors for maintaining strong bones including weight-bearing exercise, calcium consumption, and vitamin D consumption. The technology group received the information via an online video, and the personal group via a one-on-one …

Logged On For Democracy: The Relationship Between Digital Media And Offline Political Participation Over Time, Meredith Grace Jarchow

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

Over the years Internet use has become ingrained in Americans’ daily lives. In turn, those running for office have begun to utilize the Internet for campaigning at all levels of government. How did Internet use in the 2012 and 2016 elections impact political participation? This honors thesis will examine how Internet use affects six different modes of political participation, and compare it to the findings from Bimber and Copeland’s (2013) original study that examined the 12 years prior. In addition, I will also analyze participation in protest marches and signing petitions as two additional acts of political participation. American National …

Living, Dying, After Death: Achieving A "Good" Death In The Time Of Aids Orphan Care, Ellen Block

Sociology Faculty Publications

AIDS has devastated communities across southern Africa, leaving many children orphaned. Grandmothers are considered ideal caregivers because of cultural expectations of intergenerational care, and because they have not been decimated by AIDS to the same extent as younger adults. However, these grandmothers, who currently carry the majority of the burden of care for AIDS orphans, are themselves aging and dying. I argue here that in Lesotho, the caregiving demanded of grandmothers late into their lives not only alters kin relations for the living, but has increasingly made a “good death” unachievable for elderly caregivers.

Ai-Human Collaboration Via Eeg, Adam Noack

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

As AI becomes ever more competent and integrated into our lives, the issue of AI-human goal misalignment looms larger. This is partially because there is often a rift between what humans explicitly command and what they actually mean. Most contemporary AI systems cannot bridge this gap. In this study we attempted to reconcile the goals of human and machine by using EEG signals from a human to help a simulated agent complete a task.

Future Mining In Minnesota: Effects On Communities And Environment, Jayson Valek

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Future Mining in Minnesota: Effects on Communities and Environment Abstract This study explores and describes the potential risks of the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine near Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota. The goals of the research were: 1) identify vulnerable communities and environmental features, 2) determine the mine’s potential damage, and 3) create maps to illustrate the vicinity of the mine to vulnerable areas. The interest of this project is to determine whether the mine’s economic benefit outweighs the environmental risks. This research is an observational study that involves analysis of maps compiled with environmental, population, and vulnerability data as well as non-spatial …

Heart Rate Variability And Empathy, Suntina Spehar, Elizabeth Walter, Andrea Molus, Katarina Sulzle

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

This study sought to determine if there is a correlation between an individual’s heart rate variability (HRV) and their score on the Empathy Quotient test. This experiment was designed as an ABAB model, where a baseline experiment is run, and then an experimental run follows. A baseline measurement was taken for each participant. Then participants were instructed to either read an emotionally triggering excerpt from Browning’s Reflection on a Massacre first or a neutral excerpt from The Constitution of Liberty by Friedrich Hayek. The participants were then be instructed to stop reading the excerpt to have them return to baseline …

The Impact Of Music On Studying Ability In College Students, Nathaniel T. Lutmer

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

This study investigates the relationship between listening to music and studying ability in college students. This study was conducted by utilizing a convenience sampling technique to have participants partake in the study. Each participant was randomly assigned to either a control or one of two experimental groups based on block-random assignment. The individuals in the first research group listened to a brief segment of a hit song while studying a list of uncommon words and definitions before being tested on their ability to recall this information. The individuals in the second research group listened to a brief segment of the …

Memory: The Use Of Technology Versus Reading, Suntina Spehar

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

This study examined the comparison in retention of information between watching a movie scene and reading a movie script from that scene. There have been controversies on how technology has impacted retention of information among students. The use of technologies can create distractions among those who use it, which may lead to a lower rate of remembered information. We looked at a sample of 20 students who either read a movie script or watched a movie scene. After the experiment, each participant was asked to complete a 5-question quiz assessing their knowledge on the scene. The relationship between retention of …

Heart Rate Variability: Impact Of Neuroticism And Social Isolation, John Beckius

Psychology Student Work

Psychologists are interested in self-compassion and its effects on our biopsychological well-being. A common method found throughout much research in assessing this is through heart rate variability. In the present study, we attempt to see whether or not self-compassion has an impact on one’s heart rate variability as a higher HRV indicates one is better able to adapt to stress. Self-compassion was measured beforehand through an online self-compassion survey that contained subscales measuring neuroticism. We also tested to see if social isolation would have an impact on HRV. Social isolation was implemented through a computer program game titled CyberBall, …

“Body Goals”: Exposure To Idealized, Popular Media Images Can Affect Body Satisfaction Ratings, Elizabeth K. Riitters

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

College students are exposed to media many times throughout their day. Studies have shown that there are many negative correlations between students and their comparison of their bodies to others. In this study, it was tested to see if viewing mass media images for a while can affect the way people rate their body satisfaction and whether or not they would change their body. There were 20 people tested in this study. There were 10 people in the control group, and 10 people in the experimental group. The experimental group was required to watch a slideshow with 4 different pictures …

Creativity And Performance: The Effects Of Working In Groups Versus Working Individually, John Beckius

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

I-O Psychologists are interested in factors that can affect work productivity and performance among an organization’s employees. Some professionals argue that two heads are better than one when it comes to being innovative and coming up with creative solutions, however, others state the opposite given that group settings tend to result in many hindering factors such as conformity and production blocking. In the present study, we attempted to determine whether or not there is a differential impact of working groups and working individuals on creativity and performance. This was measured through a divergent thinking task based on Guilford’s Alternative Uses …

Short Term Memory And Color, Juan J. Perez

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

This study tried to see if there was any difference in memory retention whether the individual was exposed to color or black ink. We looked at how students from College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University (N=20) were able to memorize a list of words. Participants were given list of words in either black ink or a mix of colors. They were then asked to repeat back what they remembered from those lists. We found that the students who had the list of words averaged a higher number of words memorized (10.33) vs those students who had the words …

Heart Rate Variability: The Effects Of Self-Compassion, John Beckius

Psychology Student Work

Psychologists are interested in self-compassion and its effects on our biopsychological well-being. A common method found throughout much research in assessing this is through heart rate variability. In the present study, we attempt to see whether or not self-compassion has an impact on one’s heart rate variability as a higher HRV indicates one is better able to adapt to stress. Self-compassion was measured through a self-compassion survey and we hypothesized that heart rate variability would then be prone to change across three 5-minute test intervals. We unfortunately found no significant change in HRV predicted by our hypothesis. Given the results …