Digital Commons Network^™

Congruence And Participation: Does The Discrepancy Between The Elite's And The Public's Ideology Come At The Cost Of Reduced Participation?, Balazs Feher-Gavra

Department of Political Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Why do some people choose to engage in politics while others opt out? My core thesis is that two features of contemporary politics have a detrimental impact on participation in the electorate. The first of these two features is the discrepancy between the political agenda of the individual (what issues they consider important) and that of the political ruling class. The second stems from work suggesting that the conservative-liberal dimension represents the structure behind the issue stances of the political elite well; but that the same is not quite true for the general population (e.g. Carmines, Ensley, and Wagner 2011). …

Humanization Of The Enemy: The Pacifist Soldier And France In World War One, Daniel E. Stockman

Senior Theses

Not all French citizens were enthused by the prospect of war in 1914, nor were they all so willing to embrace a dehumanized view of the enemy. Some French citizens believed the “Great War” to be a patriotic endeavor. Propaganda encouraged this nationalism and the dehumanization of the enemy. “Political” pacifism existed within the French Third Republic psyche following France’s defeat in the 1870 Franco-Prussian War. However, these pacifistic undertones were systematically undermined as France began to militarize itself. Drawing from a series of notebooks, and established academic sources, this paper shows that some French soldiers endured a world at …

The Dialectics Of The Community: Mexican Production Of Death, Blanca Judith Martinez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work attempts to provide a discussion of the current waves of violence present in the northern border of Mexico. The country became a neoliberal state during the late 1980s and the early 1990s. The external debt and the historical corruption of the Mexican government placed Mexico in a vulnerable stage leaving its sovereignty with a fissure before the eyes of international circles of power. The adoption of a neoliberal economic system has impacted all the social tissue. The euphoric discourse of advancement and opportunity was spread by ideological apparatus, and people in constant need accepted positively the system. The …

International Policy Diffusion And Religious Freedom, 1990-2008, Allison R. Hale

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Why do governments restrict religious freedom? As more and more governments have adopted restrictive policies over the past thirty years, scholars have traditionally examined internal domestic factors—such as the role of democratic governance, economic growth, or internal competition—that may influence government choices. I build on this literature by extending the discussion to external factors, arguing that some policies may also spread from one government to another. This process, identified by scholars as the idea of policy diffusion, may occur in several ways.

While previous research has focused on the spread of policies that are generally considered positive (i.e. the spread …

The Trump Presidency, Ethan Johnson

Black Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

I was asked to discuss my thinking about the Trump candidacy and presidency, which is no small task. I told Jaime I would discuss this issue through the lens of racism and sexism. As a scholar and teacher of the Black Experience in the United States, Latin America and Europe I almost always begin my thinking through my personal, educational and research experiences. So, that is what I am going to do here. I would like to start out stating that Trump’s election is no aberration within American politics. His election fits very well within both the colonial history of …

Appraising Positive Aspects Of Shared History Through Contact- A Preliminary Model Of Reconciliation Among Hindus And Muslims Of The Kashmir Valley, Sramana Majumdar Dr

Peace and Conflict Studies

The long-standing political conflict in the Kashmir Valley has resulted in identity based polarization and subsequent displacement of communities. Reconciliation between Hindus (also known as Pandits) and Muslims is viewed as an important step in any sustainable effort towards conflict resolution and peacebuilding in the Valley. This paper begins by examining the much debated territorial and cultural concept of ‘Kashmiriyat’ and instead proposes an alternative lens that emphasizes on shared history as opposed to common identity. We approach reconciliation through a socio-psychological lens by examining the role of a shared cultural past and historical coexistence- or simply put as shared …

Paese Di Accoglienza: Il Successo Di Un Modello Innovativo Di Accoglienza Dei Richiedenti Asilo In Italia, Isabela Arena Secanechia

Senior Capstone Theses

This work discusses Italy's migrant reception system including its flaws and their effects. Furthermore, this work explores an alternative, sustainable model of migrant reception created in Riace, Calabria, that has been successful in varying towns across Italy. Ultimately, this work argues that this system, which is beneficial to both Italians and incoming migrants — specifically asylum seekers — can and should be implemented nationally to counter the current flawed system.

The Technocratic Politics Of The Common Core State Standards In History, Kate Duguid

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This paper shows that the explicit aims of the American educational standards for public schools, the Common Core State Standards to teach history to create “college and career ready” students, marks a shift from preparing students for political participation to preparing them for market participation. I trace the intellectual and pedagogical origins of the Common Core’s pretense of technocratic apolitical values back through the previous two major American curricular reform efforts. In the first section I discuss the origins and development of the National History Standards and show how Cold War anxiety prompted a shift in evaluating students as potential …

Toward A Reoriented Radicalism: Black Marxism And Orientalism, Alexandros Orphanides

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The 21st century has witnessed the unquestioned supremacy of late capitalism. It holds coercive power over nation states; it generates increased inequality within countries and around the globe. It can, today, exploit everywhere at once. The poorest countries in the world reside in the Global South. Of the twenty poorest countries in the world, seventeen are in Africa; the rest are elsewhere in the Global South. Of the hundred poorest countries in world, over 95 percent are in the Global South. In the United States, Blacks, Latinos, and Indigenous people have poverty rates that greatly exceed the national average. Poverty …

Beyond Inclusion: Critical Race Theory And Participatory Budgeting, Celina Su

Publications and Research

Critical Race Theory (CRT) researchers maintain that mainstream liberal discourses of neutrality and colorblindness inherently reify existing patterns of inequality, and that privileging the voices of people of color and the marginalized is essential to addressing issues of equity and equality. Participatory budgeting (PB) aims, too, to include the voices of the marginalized in substantive policy-making. Through a CRT lens, I examine the ways in which the New York City PB process has thus far worked to simultaneously disrupt and maintain racial hierarchies. I pay particular attention to how social constructions of the “good project” shape the discourses around community …

Education Inequity: A Comparative Analysis Of Johannesburg And Chicago City Schools, Melissa Marie Johnson

Honors Program Theses

Variances in the quality of education between schools in the same metropolitan areas have been noted around the world, and researchers have speculated on several causes. In order to study the specific impacts of funding gaps, lower numbers and qualifications of teachers, and lack of resources for students learning English, the cities of Johannesburg and Chicago were compared and contrasted. Both cities contained areas with very high quality schools and isolated neighborhoods where schools generally had fewer resources and lower test scores. This research shows that the problems in both cities mirror one another to an extent. Schools systems in …

Drowning In Rising Seas: Navigating Multiple Knowledge Systems And Responding To Climate Change In The Maldives, Rachel Hannah Spiegel

Pitzer Senior Theses

The threat of global climate change increasingly influences the actions of human society. As world leaders have negotiated adaptation strategies over the past couple of decades, a certain discourse has emerged that privileges Western conceptions of environmental degradation. I argue that this framing of climate change inhibits the successful implementation of adaptation strategies. This thesis focuses on a case study of the Maldives, an island nation deemed one of the most vulnerable locations to the impacts of rising sea levels. I apply a postcolonial theoretical framework to examine how differing knowledge systems can both complement and contradict one another. By …

A Theory Of Veteran Identity, Travis L. Martin

Theses and Dissertations--English

More than 2.6 million troops have deployed in support of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Still, surveys reveal that more than half feel “disconnected” from their civilian counterparts, and this feeling persists despite ongoing efforts, in the academy and elsewhere, to help returning veterans overcome physical and mental wounds, seek an education, and find meaningful ways to contribute to society after taking off the uniform. This dissertation argues that Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans struggle with reassimilation because they lack healthy, complete models of veteran identity to draw upon in their postwar lives, a problem they’re working through collectively …

โลกาภิวัตน์ทางวัฒนธรรมกับการแพร่ขยายของวัฒนธรรมสมัยนิยมอเมริกัน : กรณีศึกษาเครือข่ายธุรกิจอาหารจานด่วนในประเทศบรูไนดารุสซาลาม, พิชญสุดา พลเสน

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การแพร่ขยายตัวของเครือข่ายธุรกิจอาหารจานด่วนอเมริกันไปยังนานาประเทศ ถือเป็นกระบวนการแมคโดนัลดาภิวัตน์ที่มีประสิทธิภาพ และส่วนมากมีความสัมพันธ์กับกระบวนการทำให้เป็นเนื้อเดียวกันทางวัฒนธรรมกับหลายประเทศทั่วโลก ผู้วิจัยได้เลือกกรณีศึกษาประเทศบรูไนดารุสซาลามเนื่องจากเห็นว่า เป็นประเทศที่มีภาพลักษณ์เข้าถึงยาก สังคมค่อนข้างปิด เป็นรัฐอิสลามที่เคร่งครัดด้วยกฏทางศาสนา และยังมีระบบการปกครองแบบสมบูรณาญาสิทธิราช ผู้วิจัยจึงได้เข้าไปทำการวิจัยตรวจสอบสมมติฐานดังกล่าวข้างต้นในประเทศบรูไน โดยใช้วิธีวิจัยแบบลงพื้นที่เพื่อเก็บข้อมูลแบบวิจัยจากการสังเกต การสัมภาษณ์กลุ่มตัวอย่าง และการตอบแบบสอบถาม ผลการวิจัยพบว่า 1.) แมคโดนัลดาภิวัตน์ในบรูไน ไม่ใช่เป็นกระบวนการทำให้เป็นเนื้อเดียวกันทางวัฒนธรรมแต่ถือเป็นพหุวัฒนธรรมในบรูไน เนื่องจากกลุ่มตัวอย่างส่วนมากชื่นชอบอาหารจานด่วนอเมริกันและมองว่าเป็นอีกตัวเลือกหนึ่งในการบริโภค ทางฝั่งผู้ผลิตก็พยายามปรับนโยบายทางการตลาดให้สอดคล้องกับความต้องการของผู้บริโภคท้องถิ่น ทำให้วัฒนธรรมสมัยนิยมอเมริกันสามารถผสมผสานและดำเนินร่วมกันได้ดีกับวัฒนธรรมท้องถิ่น 2.) กระบวนการแมคโดนัลดาภิวัตน์ที่เกิดขึ้นในบรูไนค่อนข้างตรงข้ามทฤษฎีเดิม จากการสังเกตการณ์กลุ่มตัวอย่างผู้บริโภคร้านแมคโดนัลด์ในกรุงบันดาเสรีเบกาวัน พบว่าคนค่อนข้างใช้ชีวิตแบบช้าๆ ไม่เร่งรีบในการรับประทานอาหาร ใช้ร้านอาหารจานด่วนเหมือนร้านอาหารทั่วไป มีเมนูเฉพาะท้องถิ่นที่หารับประทานไม่ได้ในประเทศอื่น 3.) แบรนด์อาหารจานด่วนท้องถิ่นเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ได้รับความนิยมมากกว่าแบรนด์อาหารจานด่วนต้นตำรับอเมริกัน ตัดสินได้โดยความพึงพอใจของกลุ่มตัวอย่างที่ยืนยันว่า ร้านอาหารจานด่วนท้องถิ่นสามารถใช้กระบวนการแมคโดนัลดาภิวัตน์และท้องถิ่นภิวัตน์ได้ดีเหมาะสมกับชาวท้องถิ่นมากกว่าร้านอาหารจานด่วนอเมริกัน จนพวกเขาพึงพอใจในรสชาติ ราคา ปริมาณ และการเข้าถึงสถานที่ และ 4.) ด้วยเหตุผลดังกล่าว กลุ่มตัวอย่าง ไม่ได้มีอคติหรือต่อต้านกับวัฒนธรรมสมัยนิยมอเมริกัน และไม่ได้รู้สึกว่าการบริโภคอาหารจานด่วนอเมริกันเป็นส่วนหนึ่งของลัทธิจักรวรรดินิยมทางวัฒนธรรม

Australian Strategic Culture: A Case Study, Eric Begue

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This examines the relationship between a country’s history and its actions on the international stage through the prism of the "strategic culture" theoretical framework created in works by Alistair Ian Johnston, Elizabeth Keir, Jack Snyder, and others. The central question of the study will be whether or not an understanding of a state’s past actions, rhetoric, and/or cultural obligations can provide an accurate predictor of future action and the primary thesis is that national “strategic culture” has a causal effect on national policy decisions. Towards this end, I have chosen to conduct a case study to ascertain the impact and …

Specialist Communities In China’S Aerospace Technology And Innovation System: The Cultural Dimension, Alanna Krolikowski

History and Political Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Only two decades ago, China was a marginal player in the global aerospace industry. Today, the pace of China’s space programs is unparalleled and it has joined the sector’s leading ranks. China is the only country after the Soviet Union/Russia and the United States to independently send humans into orbit and a rover to touch down on the Moon. A Chinese station will likely soon be only the only long-term human habitat circling the Earth alongside the International Space Station. Within a decade, China could become only the second country in history to land a person on the Moon’s surface. …

Language, Rhetoric, And Politics In A Global Context: A Decolonial Critical Discourse Perspective On Nigeria’S 2015 Presidential Campaign, Yunana Ahmed

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

In this dissertation, I conceptualize a rhetorical and linguistic analysis of politics from a decolonial framework (Mignolo, 2011; Smith, 2012). My analysis draws on classical rhetoric (Aristotle, 2007), cultural rhetoric (Mao, 2014; Powell, et al., 2014; Yankah, 1995), and linguistics (Chilton, 2004) to reveal the different ways ideological and hegemonic struggles are discursively constructed in Nigerian political campaign discourse. The data for this study come from two speeches delivered by former President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan during the 2015 electoral campaign. This includes his declaration-of-intent speech and his speech marking the commencement of his formal campaign activities. My …

Listening To The Mattole: Lessons In Bioregionalism, Cannabis, And Capitalism From A Northern California Community, Nicola R. Walters

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In the United States, from the 1960s through the 1970s, nearly a million Americans left urban areas to establish themselves in rural environments; this exodus is now known as the back-to-the-land movement. Nestled in the mountains of Northern California, along a capricious river, and surrounded by natural beauty, the Mattole Valley became home to many of these back-to-the-land immigrants. Seasoned in the social and cultural movements of Berkeley and San Francisco during the 1960s, the “new settlers” transformed the social and environmental landscape of southern Humboldt County as they integrated into rural communities. The Mattole Valley offers a unique look …

Emancipatory Rural Politics: Confronting Authoritarian Populism, Ian Scooner, Marc Edelman, Saturnino M. Borras Jr., Ruth Hall, Wendy Wolford, Ben White

Publications and Research

A new political moment is underway. Although there are significant differences in how this is constituted in different places, one manifestation of the new moment is the rise of distinct forms of authoritarian populism. In this opening paper of the JPS Forum series on ‘Authoritarian Populism and the Rural World’, we explore the relationship between these new forms of politics and rural areas around the world. We ask how rural transformations have contributed to deepening regressive national politics, and how rural areas shape and are shaped by these politics. We propose a global agenda for research, debate and action, which …

Literatura Heterónoma A La Salida Del Franquismo: El Caso Del Primer Nacionalismo Marxista Gallego, Pablo García Martínez

Publications and Research

Centrándose en el final del franquismo y el primer post-franquismo, este artículo estudia la teoría literaria articulada en un momento de inflexión, también para Galicia, como fue la consolidación de lo que se hizo llamar el “Nacionalismo Popular” gallego. El estudio se centrará en los años inmediatamente posteriores al cambio en la dirección del partido Unión do Povo Galego (UPG) producido en noviembre de 1976, momento desde el cual la cultura pasa a convertirse en piedra angular del discurso de esta organización. Se trata de un proceso resultado de dos dinámicas entrecruzadas, como son la utilización de herramientas de la …

Burroughs As A Political Writer?, Alexander Greiffenstern

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

In his article "Burroughs as a Political Writer?" Alexander Greiffenstern discusses political elements in William S. Burroughs's work. Greiffenstern looks at Burroughs's text "The Coming of the Purple Better One" written for Esquire about the Democratic National Convention in Chicago 1968. By writing a surprisingly personal text, Burroughs might have captured something about the significance of the convention that many later historical accounts miss. In the end, Burroughs leaves the critical reader no other choice than to attempt a historical and political analysis.

Cross-Cultural Comparison Of Servant Leadership In The United States And Latin America, Ismael Merino

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this study, the subject matter evaluated is the difference between the United States and Latin America concerning the practice and acceptance of servant leadership. This research compares the practice and the acceptance of servant leadership between the United States of America and Latin America. In order to do this, a cross-cultural comparison was conducted between these two groups. The objective was to find the differences in the leadership styles of these two groups and subsequently analyze the results. The Hofstede’s cultural dimensions were used to be able to compare cultural differences, and understand why these differences appear in the …

Introduction To New Work On Immigration And Identity In Contemporary France, Québec, And Ireland, Dervila Cooke

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

No abstract provided for the introduction.

Thematic Bibliography To New Work On Immigration And Identity In Contemporary France, Québec, And Ireland, Dervila Cooke

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

No abstract provided.

Young African Leaders Forum (Yalf) Developmental Projects, Terea Abila

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

The Young African Leaders Forum is actively engaged in developmental projects that would see a sustainable Africa in the near future. The young leaders have committed themselves to undertaking specific projects in their countries. These projects keenly focus on playing a major role in the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. YALF passionately undertakes these developmental projects because we believe that Africa has the enormous potential to empower her people and ensure her challenges are solved in an amicable manner. The youth leaders have dedicated themselves to serving voluntarily in their communities and this has …

The State Of African Economy And A Way Forward, Florian Cyril Mshanga

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

The current emerging market downturn in economic powerhouses like China, has already negatively affected African economic growth. For resource-rich countries, it is a chance to improve their public investment management (PIM) system, which could help boost growth; although from experience drawn, Sub-Saharan oil resourced countries on average score lower in PIM, reflecting weak administrative capacity and low transparency in the use of public resources, especially at the project appraisal and evaluation stages of the PIM process. Countries that have successfully diversified their economies will suffer less than those that have not and they will enjoy less stress than countries depending …

The Impact Of Oil Price On Ghana's Inflation, Albert Mcbell Ninepence

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

World oil price is a momentous determinant of global economic performance. In most cases, when oil prices skyrockets, it leads to a transfer of income from importing countries to exporting countries through trade shifts. The link between oil and inflation is mostly seen as being correlational. The direct relationship between oil and inflation was evident in the 1970’s nevertheless this relationship started to deteriorate after the 1980’s. Quite a cornucopia of researchers have made relentless inquiry on the macroeconomics impact of world oil price shocks and hikes on economic growth and consumer price inflation on importing countries. Also, an infinitesimal …

Impact Of Conflict On Availability Of Selected Non-Timber Forest Products Around Omo Forest Reserves Of Ogun State, Nigeria, Aluko O.J.

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

This study aimed at assessing the impact of conflict on the level of availability of selected non-timber forest products around Omo forest reserve of Ogun State. Data was collected with the aid of well-structured questionnaire on one hundred and twenty marketing households using multistage sampling technique. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, categorization method and t-test. The data analysis targeted socio-economic characteristics, the level of availability of NTFP before/afer the conflict in the study area. It was revealed that majority (69.2%) were farmers and (75%) had experienced conflict more than 3 times. It was discovered that the selected NTFPs …

When Your Teachers Fail You: The Necessity Of Improving Teachers Training For Quality Education In Cameroon, Monique Kwachou

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

With the underlying hypothesis that the quality of a teachers’ training is directly proportional to the quality of education pupils eventually receive, this essay explores and critiques the basic education teacher training process in Cameroon, using two notable educational theories to assess the possibility of quality education resulting from Cameroonian government-trained basic education teachers. It was found that there is dire need to improve the quality of teachers we train to ensure that they can deliver the quality of education we seek. A brief outline of suggestions is made towards improving the flawed training system.

"Black" Colonialism Is The Leading Cause Of Zimbabwe's Collapse, Sensewell Chingwaramusee

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

Black colonialism is the neo-oppression of black people by other black elite groups within a certain area according to the researcher. In this instance, some war veterans who fought for the liberation of Zimbabwe and other politicians seem to have fought in order to replace the white oppressive regime. Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980 from the Ian Smith colonial rule and for a while, independence meant enjoying self-black majority rule till the elected politicians began to ignore the needs of their masses. This article serves to explicitly express the effects of black colonialism in Zimbabwe and how the wrath of …