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Governance And Islam In East Africa: Muslims And The State In Kenya And Tanzania, Farouk Topan, Kai Kresse, Erin E. Stiles, Hassan Mwakimako

Exploring Muslim Contexts

Explores the relationship between Muslim communities and the State in East Africa in political, institutional and legal contexts

• Focuses on the relationship between Muslims and the State in Kenya and Tanzania
• Asks which factors, both within and outside the Muslim community, shape and affect this relationship in contemporary times
• Presents 13 case studies exploring governance issues within and across the categories of politics, institutions and law in Kenya and Tanzania
• Identifies cross-cutting issues of governance and Muslim communities which are relevant beyond East Africa

Recent studies of Muslims in Kenya and Tanzania have tended either to examine governance of Muslims …

Inclusive Policy, Diverse Perspectives: Affirmative Action And The Model Minority Among University Students, Jannie Nguyen

Honors Theses

In lieu of the recent Supreme Court overturn of affirmative action, Asian American students were on the forefront as the main racial group defended in this case. The model minority stereotype obscures societal perceptions of Asians and Asian Americans as collectively intelligent, hard-working, and submissive. Whereas the stereotype appears frequently in academic settings, this research aims to understand and contextualize the perceptions on affirmative action among Asian college students within the context and social dynamics of the model minority stereotype. A qualitative approach was deployed to garner nuance narratives of fifteen participants in the study. Participants in the study represent …

Inclusive Policy, Diverse Perspectives: Affirmative Action And The Model Minority Among University Students, Jannie Nguyen

Honors Theses

In lieu of the recent Supreme Court overturn of affirmative action, Asian American students were on the forefront as the main racial group defended in this case. The model minority stereotype obscures societal perceptions of Asians and Asian Americans as collectively intelligent, hard-working, and submissive. Whereas the stereotype appears frequently in academic settings, this research aims to understand and contextualize the perceptions on affirmative action among Asian college students within the context and social dynamics of the model minority stereotype. A qualitative approach was deployed to garner nuance narratives of fifteen participants in the study. Participants in the study represent …

Predicting The Future Of Myanmar’S Civil War: Can Half A Century Of Military Rule Be Defeated?, Nathan Ritterling

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

In 2021, the military of Myanmar launched a coup in response to their overwhelming defeat in the 2020 elections, resulting in an end to the country’s tentative move towards democracy and in intense violence to suppress opposition to the coup. Anti-junta forces quickly formed in the aftermath to directly oppose the military and return the country to democratic rule, and began collaborating with long-standing ethnic militias in their efforts. This has led to a state of prolonged civil war, as the two sides fight for dominance over the nature of Myanmar’s future government. This paper investigated the potential outcome of …

Service-Learning And Cross-Cultural Impact: Preparing Underrepresented Students For An International Service-Learning Trip, Kalene Dean

University Honors College

No abstract provided.

Reaping What You Subsidize: A Comprehensive Review Of Outcomes From Crop Subsidies In The United States, Sawyer J. Knox

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

The motivation for researching this topic comes from an interest in public policy and public health. In this paper, we will examine the impact of farm subsidies on the health of citizens, look at who benefits financially and economically from these subsidies, and examine the environmental impact of these programs. The paper will be structured as follows: Section II, the wealth distribution results from farm subsidies; Section III, the disproportionate impacts on health from farm subsidies; Section IV, the impact on global economies from farm subsidies; Section V, the environmental impact from farm subsidies; and Section VI, conclusions and policy …

A Moment Of Failure: The Debate Surrounding The Strategic Arms Limitations Talks, Grayson R. Jones

War, Diplomacy, and Society (MA) Theses

Following the Cuban Missile Crisis, many in the United States and the Soviet Union believed their leaders had narrowly avoided nuclear annihilation. In response to this crisis, however, American and Soviet citizens asked more questions about nuclear weapons and their spread than ever before, well into the 1970s, and toward the decade of détente, or “de-escalation” between the superpowers. The term détente first appeared in writings from 1912, as France and Germany tried unsuccessfully to ease the tension before World War I.1 However, it is more famous in its use in Cold War foreign policy. The term détente was popularized …

Public Cyberattack Attribution And Domestic Political Considerations: An Analysis Of State Decision Making, Ella M. Devey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

When a country is targeted with a cyberattack, what compels its government to publicly attribute the perpetrators of the attack rather than keep their attribution private? Cyberattacks are an increasingly utilized weapon of international conflict by governments, groups, and individuals. Following a cyberattack, the target of the attack may investigate the origin of the attack and may choose to share their findings with the public; alternatively, they may choose not to publicly share their findings.

While we know that forensic capabilities and international political factors contribute to the decision of governments to make public cyberattack attribution, domestic political circumstances may …

Muslim International Students’ Perception Of Islamophobia In Their Immigration Journey To The U.S.: A Case Study, Sheri Beyer

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study serves as an impetus for universities to address improving pre-arrival services and procedures for Muslim international students and a resource for practitioners and lawmakers to examine current policies specifically through the lens of Critical Race and Critical Muslim Theory. Policymakers can examine the effects of Islamophobia on international students and how it affects higher education, communities, and the economies.

A World Between: The Macro And Micro-Relationships That Shape The Borderlands, Teresa Digerolamo

Honors Theses

This thesis explores changing border policies, their effects on migrants, and the humanitarian community that has emerged to meet the needs of migrants. Border policy has sought to make the journey through the U.S.-Mexico border perilous and unattractive for travelers, pushing migrants into dangerous terrain known to reach life-threatening extremes in the summer and winter months. Over 8,000 migrants have died since 1998 along the U.S.-Mexico border, and aid groups have emerged to meet the need for life-saving care. The humanitarian community in southern Arizona is active and dynamic, adapting to ever-changing border policy and mobilizing resources year-round. Through reviewing …

Reaping What We Sow: The Implications And Outcomes Of Mississippi House Bill 1125, The “Regulate Experimental Adolescent Procedures (Reap)” Act, Kerigan Brewer

Honors Theses

Mississippi House Bill 1125 (MS HB1125), also known as the “Regulate Experimental Adolescent Procedures (REAP) Act,” was signed into law by Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves in early 2023 (REAP Act, 2023). It is one of multiple policies passed into law that limit the rights of transgender people. This thesis aims to clarify the history of the trans community, dispel myths around gender-affirming health care and the trans identity, and discuss the current state of anti-trans laws and transgender rights. Using a policy analysis framework by DiNitto (2011), MS HB1125 is analyzed on points like its social and economic costs, the …

Breaking The Mold: Voters’ Perceptions Of Femininity In Campaigns, Margaret E. Ulrich

Political Science Honors Projects

I designed a two pronged study to explore the relationship between femininity in candidate self- presentation and voter perception. First, I presented a sample of U.S. voters a series of images featuring either feminine or non-feminine female professionals. I then selected two images from this study to design two faux print political advertisements, one featuring a feminine candidate and one featuring a non-feminine candidate to establish a treatment and control condition featuring similarly “attractive” candidates. Then, I showed a quasi-representative sample of 540 potential U.S. voters one of these faux political advertisements and asked a series of questions regarding the …

Homemade Language, Conservative Fro-Yo, And Sci-Fi Sloths: How Speculative Migration Fiction Confronts The Ends Of Worlds By Challenging The Nation-State, Zoe R. Scheuerman

English Honors Projects

This English literature thesis project explores an emerging, genre-defying body of fiction which I call “speculative migration fiction.” Speculative migration fiction imagines how ongoing global developments like climate change, technological development, and war may shape future migrations. Drawing on Benedict Anderson’s conception of national culture, Wendy Brown’s theory of the border, and Caroline Levine’s understanding of literary form, as well as close readings from Scattered All Over the Earth by Yōko Tawada, Exit West by Mohsin Hamid, and 2 A.M. in Little America by Ken Kalfus, I argue that transnational migrations move toward becoming postnational migrations as migrants evade border …

The Symbolic Capital Of The Neoliberal University, Chad Lavin

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

The paper examines the concerns about the enduring value of liberal education in the broader context of a shift from a liberal to a neoliberal society. While so much literature on “the neoliberal university” tends to characterize neoliberalism as a hostile force invading the sacred space of the university, the knowledge comprising neoliberalism is in large part the product of research coming out of universities. Using the concept of symbolic capital to explore the role of university researchers in developing and consecrating neoliberal ideas, the paper argues that even in this era of heightened skepticism toward experts and expertise, university …

Who Wins Post-Conflict? Political Party Transformation In Northern Ireland During The Brexit Era, Shannon Henes

Politics Honors Papers

This paper delves into the dynamics of political parties in post-conflict societies, with a focus on Northern Ireland. It challenges the idea that electoral outcomes are solely determined by ethnonational identity, highlighting the emergence of alternative socio-political positions and shifting priorities among voters. Drawing on empirical research and mixed-methods analysis, the paper investigates the performance of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Féin (SF), arguing that parties failing to adapt to changing circumstances and emphasizing historical conflicts may fare poorly electorally. Through a comprehensive research design, including survey data and qualitative examination of party manifestos, the paper aims to …

Preserving Faith Amidst Disruption: The Impact Of Obama And Biden’S Woke Foreign Policy On Christian Values In Africa And Its Effect On American Democracy Promotion, Christophe Mwungura

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

In May 2023, Uganda enacted a law criminalizing homosexuality. The Ugandan parliament and President Yoweri Museveni defended the enactment of this law, arguing that homosexuality directly violates Ugandan cultural norms and Biblical doctrines. In response to this legislative action, the United States immediately condemned the law and threatened to withdraw the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), along with other forms of assistance and investments. Despite this, many Ugandans, supported by their leaders, publicly expressed their willingness to accept the aid suspension rather than repeal the law. This article will examine the promotion of LGBTQ rights in Africa, …

China: A Settler Colonial Empire?, Kaleb Horne

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

China’s rapid expansion is a growing concern to many in the West, yet the history and pattern of its meteoric rise is deeply misunderstood. Surprisingly, its rise may be similar to that of many Western states. This paper will examine a constellation of China’s territorial and cultural expansions. Furthermore, it will examine ongoing and future expansions of the Chinese empire. It will examine Chinese actions in Tibet, the Yunnan Province, the Guizhou Province, Taiwan, the Belt and Road Initiative, and examine China’s ongoing treatment of Uyghur Muslims. These subjects will also be qualitatively compared to settler colonial theories, as described …

Navigating The Threat Posed By The Chinese Communist Party, Adam Opp

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

For decades, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the economic growth of China has become a threat to the United States. Beginning in 1978, the CCP issued a series of economic, market-oriented reforms which led to a period of economic growth and productivity increase in China. The CCP turned to diplomacy with the United States and other nations to increase foreign investment and implemented the Belt and Road initiative. The impressive scale of Chinese economic growth poses an economic and hegemonic threat to the United States, as China’s economy is projected to outpace the United States and the CCP has …

The Moral Evils Of Open Borders, Carl D. Rehberg

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

Since January 2021, the U.S. federal government, through the executive branch, started supporting de facto open borders with its stated and unstated policies by illegally and systematically ignoring and not enforcing numerous laws, rules, and regulations regarding the border and immigration enforcement writ large. In the last three years, the open borders have gotten worse, and now many describe the open borders crisis as an invasion. By all appearances, these open borders were intentionally planned, funded, and executed by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the United Nations (UN) through our government. Ironically, the Christian community (including Evangelicals) has been divided on …

Electing Generational Immigrants: Campaign Messaging Strategies Of Asian American Candidates In Virginia, Jane Michael

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Asian Americans are one of the fastest growing minority groups in the U.S. due to immigration – so why don’t we hear more of their stories in electoral politics? Ninety percent of Asian Americans are immigrants or children of immigrants, which is an identity that can and often does influence political participation and motivation for both voters and candidates. Recent theories look directly at linked fate, which posits that individuals who share a group identity, usually a racial or ethnic minority identity, also share a sense that anything that affects another member of the group, impacts them all. This research …

The Social Contract And Feminism, Grace A. Albertson

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

This paper seeks to prove the value placed on women in society, and disprove the claim that the social contract is inherently patriarchal. Radical feminists claim that society as a whole is irreparably flawed and operates patriarchally. Therefore, they call for a systematic shift and condemn the current fabric of our society and nation. The social contract, an idea centered around the philosophical works of John Locke and Thomas Hobbes served as the primary way that the founders of the United States justified the formation of American democracy and had immense influence on American political thought. However, feminists seek to …

Obligation And Authority: Samuel West And The Christian Tradition Of Resistance Theology, Darren Patrick Guerra

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

Is there a Christian obligation to resist tyranny? This has been a controversial question in Christian politics and theology for generations. In the prelude to the American War for Independence, some influential colonial clergy, like Samuel West, argued in 1775 that Christians not only had a right to resist tyrannical rulers, but they had an obligation to do so. This is consistent with a long but controversial strain of thought within the Christian political thought. West’s argument hinges on his commitment to the natural law as a foundation for social and moral order as well as his rejection of theological …

What The Yalta Conference For The Rights And Freedoms Of The Peoples Of Western And Eastern Europe Meant, Denis-Roxana Gavrila

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

Many books have been written on the subject of the Yalta conference, but the subject of this article is how the discussions in the winter of 1945 later influenced the fate of peoples around the world. Human rights were born at the end of the war, and among the protagonists who campaigned for them, were the conference leaders. The article below attempts to show the historical role the Yalta conference played, not only in terms of spheres of influence, but also how it shaped the rights and freedoms of the peoples of Eastern and Western Europe.

Citizenship And Virtue’ Are Requirements For Maintaining Liberty, Timothy P. O'Brien

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

In the twenty-first century, the United States of America has been caught in a time of increased polarization, the Republic has been fraying as the sense of community has cracked, where fanatics on the extremes of the political spectrum have contributed to the disruption of normal political order driven by normative agendas. The underlying political theories on which the nations was founded emerged from the ancient Greek philosophers and passed through the early Christian philosophers to the Framers of the Constitution of the United States of America. This article explores the foundations of citizenship and virtue as it applies to …

City On A Hill: A Reflection On Christian Ethic And Human Morality, Mayce Combs

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

In John Winthrop’s sermon A Model of Christian Charity (1630), he spoke to his congregation of the mission God had called them to. With the creation of a new blended nation, the only way to be exceptional was to reflect the gospel in policy, action, and foremost thought. Philosophers from ancient times to today acknowledge that an individual is made up of the soul and their body. From the soul, comes thought, reason, empathy, and a connection to a divine being who deciphers what is morally unjust. The body is a sinful, self-seeking vessel that does not have the ability …

Examining Liberty In France And The United States Through Religious Accommodations In Education, Carly Hitchcock

Honors Projects

Liberty is a key value of the United States of America and France as seen in their key phrases « Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité, » and “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”. Liberty can be broken down into two forms, positive liberty, or the freedom to something, and negative liberty, or the freedom from something. The separation of church and state is a primary pillar of both France and the United States, as it determines how the government of each country interacts with different religions. Public education is a primary socialization experience of citizens in both countries, where …

The Legal Culpability Of Emperor Hirohito In The Outbreak Of The Second Sino-Japanese War, Joseph Castellano

Honors Projects

An analysis of the legal culpability of Emperor Hirohito in the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War based on primary source evidence. Combines an examination of primary and secondary sources to demonstrate that Emperor Hirohito was legally responsible for his role in the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Three Essays On Education Policy, Intergroup Relations, And Human Capital Accumulation, Wai Meng Jeremy Siow

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The impact of education on fostering the development of human capital and molding sociopolitical attitudes from an early age is a well-explored topic in the field of social sciences. This dissertation takes a broader approach by delving into the consequences of two critical components of the education system: (1) the language used for instruction, and (2) citizenship education. To accomplish this, I employ a combination of observational and experimental research methods to disentangle the causal effects of these educational factors within the contexts of Malaysia and Singapore. Chapter 2 delves into the ramifications of adopting a non-native language of instruction …

How Social Movements Have Influenced Child Custody Standards Over Time, Victoria Miller

Honors Theses

Child custody standards have evolved over time due to societal attitude shifts regarding gender roles. The stereotypes present within the decision-making process of child custody laws have been challenged repeatedly in order to attack sexism within the laws. Child custody decisions are important for the child and family in question, because whichever parental guardian has custody over the child has the legal authority to make life changing choices for the child. These choices can include education, religion, and the environment the child grows and develops in. Parental choices can affect a child's mental and physical well-being, which makes it crucial …

The Development Of International Law In Relation To Crimes Against Humanity, Nikki Redelijk

Global Tides

This paper will look at the development of international law in relation to crimes against humanity. First, juridically applied at the Nuremberg Trials, crimes against humanity has historically offered a compelling juxtaposition between naturalist and positivist law. Hence, this paper attempts to shed light on these juxtapositions, as seen by the respective arguments taken up by the Allies and Germany at Nuremberg. Likewise, this paper will illustrate the complexities within the definition itself. Finally, this paper will clarify the differing definitions taken up at the various tribunals following Nuremberg, leading up to the Rome Statute. It is a hope, that …