Digital Commons Network^™

Educational Inequality In Health Insurance Coverage Before And After The Affordable Care Act, Madelaine R. Adamich

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Health insurance and health care accessibility have historically been ongoing issues within the United States. Two key factors associated with the likelihood of an individual being insured are educational attainment and income. The 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA), which has been the largest overhaul of health care in the US to date, aimed to reduce disparities in health insurance coverage and health care accessibility. My research analyzes the extent to which the ACA succeeded in reducing disparities related to educational attainment. To examine the ACA’s effects, I utilize the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey data from 2008 and 2015 …

Soft Diplomacy Today...Global Influence Tomorrow, Michael Sutnick

NYLS Law Review

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The United States stands at a critical juncture where its global influence depends on adapting visa and tourism …

How Does Residing In A Battleground State Explain Republican Elites Election-Denial Rhetoric On Social Media?, Caedmon P. Brewer

Theses and Dissertations--Political Science

After the 2020 election the U.S. democratic process was challenged by Republican challengers many of which were office holders including the president. Many of these criticisms were shared and perpetuated in online spaces What encourages elites to post on social media about election denialism? This paper attempts to partially answer the question by performing an analysis on Facebook posts made by 1,154 congressional candidates between 2023 and 2024 using a dictionary search method to flag posts for election denialism. I propose a theory that suggests the combination of political, financial, and media attention given to battleground states encourages candidates in …

Northern Luzon In A Taiwan Flashpoint: The Philippines’ Place In U.S. Strategy, Carson Keller

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

While the defense of Taiwan from a potential invasion by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has long been a topic of debate and scrutiny in U.S. strategic thinking, the role of its southern neighbor, the Philippines, has received far less attention. This thesis argues that northern Luzon would constitute key terrain in a cross-strait conflict and may become an early target of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) operations. Its proximity to Taiwan and position along the Luzon Strait, particularly the Bashi Channel, places it at the center of efforts to control access to the hypothetical battlespace. Drawing on PLA and …

Gene Editing And The Accessibility Of Bioterrorism: Rethinking Global Biosecurity In The Post-Covid-19 Era, Nicholas Morales

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

COVID‑19 demonstrated how a single biological event can strain health systems, disrupt supply chains, undermine national security, and erode public trust. This shock occurred as biotechnology became dramatically more accessible: gene editing and synthetic biology tools once limited to specialized laboratories are now widely available through inexpensive equipment, open‑source data, and decentralized expertise.

This expanded access accelerates innovation but also broadens the threat landscape. The ability to reconstruct pathogens using publicly available sequences and mail‑order DNA shows that complex biological synthesis is no longer confined to state programs. These risks are amplified by opaque biotechnology activities in China, Russia, and …

Gender-Diverse State Legislative Candidates In The United States: Identity Used Strategically On Campaign Websites, Nicholas Mossman

Honors Theses

In this honors thesis, I evaluate how transgender, nonbinary, and other gender-diverse state legislative candidates in the United States use their campaign websites to communicate messages related to gender identity to voters, and the potential effects of communication on electoral success. I used a dataset of eighty-nine candidates between 2014 and 2024, and coded fifty-four candidate websites to measure how candidates describe their personal identity and communicate about issues related to gender identity, like LGBTQ+ nondiscrimination and gender-affirming care. While existing research evaluates how voters respond to LGBTQ+ candidates, this thesis examines how candidates potentially attract voters through their campaign …

“What Are The Security Issues Surrounding Cislunar Space And Lunar Resources? How Do Theories Of International Politics And Territory Apply To Those Issues?”, Ina Loka

Honors Theses

In the recent decades, cislunar space has attracted significant interest among the biggest spacefaring nations, Russia, China, and the United States. Cislunar space is no longer a distant subject solely associated with scientific studies. It has become a crucial domain in the conduct of military operations and its importance has been increasingly emphasised in these states’ military doctrines. In an environment where the intentions of other actors are hard to determine and where there is a high degree of uncertainty, these three states are ramping up their (counter)space capabilities in order to protect themselves from any adversarial attacks, and to …

The Palestine Papers: Words As Data, Michael J. Reimer Dr

Department of Political Science and Law Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The Palestine Papers are the internal documents of the Palestinian negotiators from 1999 -2011. This paper does a qualitative analysis of these documents.

Experiential Spillover In Public Views Of Police And Courts, Emma Henderson, Matthew Mettler, Jeffery J. Mondak, Mark Peffley

Political Science Faculty Publications

Personal experiences with public officials influence how those officials are perceived. We question whether these experiential effects extend to other officials. If people draw on what they know to make inferences about unfamiliar evaluative targets, then interactions with one actor may shape evaluations of other independent actors. Focusing on police and courts, analyses of data from two surveys reveal that personal interactions with public officials produce spillover effects on appraisals of officials in different sectors. The findings indicate that experiential spillover constitutes an underappreciated force in public opinion, one that operates outside the control of the actors being evaluated.

Immigration As A Catalyst To The Far-Right: The Case Of Vox And Spain, Evelyn R. White

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Over the last decade or two, the world has witnessed a global rise in the popularity and success of far-right wing parties. This new era of the radical right raises questions of what is causing and fueling these political movements. Political Scientists have identified several contributing factors from the global economic crisis of 2008, the migrant crisis of 2015 and the global pandemic in 2020. This research paper aims to demonstrate how immigration acts as a catalyst to the far-right by intersecting with political science ideologies and other variables. The focus of this paper is how the Vox Party found …

Locked In: The High Price Of Overcrowding And The Strain Of America's Growing Prison System, Kaitlyn N. Timmerman

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Over the past several decades, the number of people incarcerated in the United States has increased substantially, placing a significant strain on correctional systems. This project examines long-term trends in incarceration to better understand how population growth may relate to concerns about overcrowding. Specifically, it asks: How has the total incarcerated population in the United States changed from 1925 to 2022? Which type of correctional system (state prisons, federal prisons, or local jails) has experienced the most growth? And to what extent can changes in incarceration counts and facility distribution be used as indicators of overcrowding?

Using historical data and …

A Look Deeper Into Ohio’S Opioid Crisis And The Lasting Political Effects Of The Issue, Robert C. Dunn

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research studies how the opioid crisis deepened partisan divisions in Ohio from the late 1990s to the present. By investigating political responses from both policy-makers and voter behavior following the introduction of OxyContin. This study will focus on the relationship between addiction and overdose rates, which influences those ideological divides. Using qualitative research, such as political rhetoric and legislative responses, and quantitative research, such as election results, to find a correlation between the opioid crisis and partisan polarization. This project aims to highlight how politically motivated decision-making can prevent proper bipartisan responses.

Health Care Governance And Structural Exclusion In Florida: A Human Rights Analysis Of Access For Latinx Communities, Natalie Medrano

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Access to health care in the United States is a complex system shaped by statutory programs and the discretionary powers of state governance. This thesis examines how Florida’s healthcare system structures access through administrative design, with particular attention to its impact on Latinx communities. Although formally race-neutral, Florida’s reliance on Medicaid non-expansion, managed care delivery, and complex eligibility processes produces systemic barriers that limit access for low-income populations. Drawing on the international right-to-health framework articulated in General Comment No. 14 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, alongside Latinx Critical Race Theory (LatCrit), this study analyzes how …

Democracy In Practice, Stefanos Milkidis

Open Educational Resources

In this assignment, students are asked to write a public-facing blog post that connects a theme from American government to a current issue, event, or personal experience. The goal is to practice civic dialogue and critical thinking, while contributing to a broader public conversation about American government, politics, and democracy.

Private Money, Public Risk: Why Florida’S Sb 178 Undermines Equity, Ethics, And Accountability In K–12 Athletics, Delante Clark

Graduate Scholarship and Creative Works

This paper critically evaluates Florida Senate Bill 178, which would require the Florida High School Athletic Association to adopt bylaws allowing coaches to use personal funds to support student athletes, once reported and presumed not to be an impermissible benefit. While the bill is framed to help students who lack essential items, it introduces serious structural risks that outweigh its intended benefits. By relying on private contributions within a public educational system, SB 178 threatens equity, transparency, and ethical governance.

The bill encourages uneven financial assistance that varies based on a coach’s personal means and the socioeconomic conditions of individual …

C.A.S. Full Assessment Report: State Of Florida Government Portal, Delante Clark

Graduate Scholarship and Creative Works

The purpose of this assessment is to evaluate the cognitive overhead, transparency, and attentional integrity of

official State of Florida digital interfaces using the Cognitive Attentional Standards (C.A.S.) platform.

While the Florida Digital Bill of Rights (FDBR) establishes strict regulatory guardrails for consumer data

transparency, tracking opt-outs, and attentional safeguards, the State of Florida explicitly exempts its own

government agencies, public universities, and non-profit entities from complying with these rules.

This assessment serves to investigate the tension between legislative intent and government execution. By

analyzing public sector websites through the C.A.S. platform, this project will establish a “state-enforced vs.

state-executed” …

Teacher Education For Religious Diversity In British Columbia: Policy Recommendations For Sikh And Chinese Mahayana Buddhist Inclusion, Ashton Kemper

Laurier Undergraduate Journal of the Arts

No abstract provided.

Editors' Note, Jenna Abdel-Kader, Hannah Desjardine

Laurier Undergraduate Journal of the Arts

No abstract provided.

Embarrassment As A Signal: Feminist Affects And The Commodification Of Love, Bianca L. Schmitt

Laurier Undergraduate Journal of the Arts

No abstract provided.

How Vermont’S Composting Laws Can Be Used To Inform Similar Policies In New Hampshire, Felix Prigge

UNH URC Open (2026 and after)

This presentation seeks to analyze how policy makers can use the success' and failures of another state's policies to inform their own measures in order to not repeat the same mistakes. It also discusses the importance of using public feedback as a baseline for improvement.

Examining Institutional And Personal Barriers To Women's Participation In The U.S. Foreign Service, Isabella Thompson

2026 Research Poster Competition

Gender equality and equal representation for women have become heavily debated topics in the global community over the last few decades. Some countries have constitutional policies in place that promote gender equality, while others have extreme gaps between the rights of men and women. One area commonly used to assess how far a country has progressed toward gender equality is women’s representation in government and politics. A growing body of scholarly research in International Relations and Foreign Policy Analysis examines the representation of women in foreign policy and diplomacy. Descriptive statistics show wide gaps between countries in women’s representation in …

Artificial Elections: How Artificial Intelligence Can Affect Elections And Decide Our Future, Ryan D. Granger

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis examines the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in democratic elections, highlighting both its transformative potential and its associated risks. Drawing on a qualitative analysis of existing literature, the study explores how AI is increasingly integrated into political campaigns, election administration, and voter engagement. Key benefits include enhanced data analysis, personalized political messaging, and improved efficiency in campaign operations. AI also supports real-time fact-checking and more accurate vote tabulation, which can strengthen transparency and trust in electoral processes. However, the thesis emphasizes that these advantages are accompanied by significant challenges. AI technologies enable the rapid creation and dissemination …

Between Borders - The Realities Of Immigration Limbo, Jennifer C. Valenzuela

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In this research, I looked into different immigration pathways in the United States and determined different characteristics from those pathways that might be leading the Latino population into a limbo status. With the Latino population being the largest minority group in the United States, and the continuously growing number of Latino immigrants, I decided to do this research to spread awareness of possible barriers and struggles that Latinos might face when applying for an immigration pathway. I researched the different immigration pathways, focusing on Asylum, TPS, and Family Reunification, to understand the requirements that each requires to apply and the …

Immigration Securitization And Educational Access: The Impact Of U.S. Immigration Policy On International Students, Cossir Carter

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examines the securitization of international students within the broader transformation of United States immigration policy from the post-9/11 era to the present administration. Following the September 11 attacks, immigration governance was increasingly reorganized under a national security framework, significantly altering the regulatory environment surrounding student visas. Subsequent policy shifts have intensified monitoring mechanisms and administrative controls that directly shape international students’ access to education and mobility. Given the sensitivity of immigration-related participation in the current political climate, this research employs qualitative policy analysis rather than direct student surveys. Under the Trump administration, this securitization intensified through stricter visa …

The Impact Of Social Media Movements On Policy Changes Made In The United States, Michelle Levy Korine

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study focuses on researching the relationship between social media movements and policy changes in the United States. Over the last decade, digital platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and X have become important tools to encourage political involvement. These platforms have led to an increase in public participation, movements to become more popular and to organize protests. Many current studies focus on the social and cultural aspects of online activism, but fewer examine wither these movements lead to the legislative change asked for.

This thesis relies on the question, "To what extent does social media activism contribute to policy change …

Bloody Sunday: A Comparative Analysis Of Nonviolent Marches In Selma And Derry, Samantha J. Romero

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis examines two different nonviolent civil rights marches: Selma’s march for voting rights in 1965 in the United States and Derry’s march to end internment without trial in 1972 in Northern Ireland. The two marches yielded drastically different outcomes despite employing the shared tactic of nonviolence. This research addresses the vital role that the political opportunity structure, rather than tactical repertoire alone, plays in determining whether state repression leads to reform or further conflict. Through a controlled comparative analysis, the research positions the march itself as a constant across the two cases. Subsequently, governmental allies, institutional openness, and regime …

The Price Of Labor: The Kafala System And Human Rights Violations, Susana El Souki El Assal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The present research analyzes the Kafala sponsorship system and how it impacts the rights and lives of migrant workers in Middle Eastern and Arab Gulf countries. The Kafala system connects a worker's legal status to their employer, providing companies with significant power over their employees' occupations, movements, and ability to leave the nation. Although some governments as well as businesses maintain that the system promotes economic growth and provides important labor, many studies reveal that it can result in exploitation, such as passport seizure, postponed wages, unsafe working conditions, and reduced freedom. The objective of this study is to understand …

“Mother Earth” Faces Sexism” (The Relationship Between Gender, Sexism, And Politics To Climate Change Recognition), Sierra E. Nichols

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Climate change is a prominent scientific and political issue today. Research has shown women to be uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and subject towards political opinions that can be rooted in sexism. This study aims to draw a correlation between these factors. It provides an overview of the topic of climate change and women’s linkages with the environment through the topic of ecofeminism. It analyzes the topic of sexism and analyzes research surrounding different types of sexism: hostile, benevolent, and modern sexism. It discusses how studies that have categorized climate change as a gendered issue, climate change …

Centralism: Ecuador's Major Constraint Towards Decentralization, Daniel A. Moreira Castañeda

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Centralized governance has predominantly characterized Latin America, with few countries adopting decentralized systems or federalism. This study explores why decentralization and federalism remain uncommon in the region, focusing on Ecuador’s persistent centralist traditions. Despite federalism being proposed as an alternative governance model, its adoption has been limited due to structural constraints and historical legacies. Ecuador’s centralized authority, rooted in its independence, has shaped institutional arrangements and political dynamics over time. Through a comparative analysis of the decentralization process and governance quality in Ecuador, Colombia, and Argentina, the research argues that Ecuador’s ongoing centralist practices stem from historical path dependency. This …

A Historical Analysis Of The Squatter Settlements (Sukumbasi) In Nepal And The Role Of Smart Settlements, Keshav Bhattarai, Ambika P. Adhikari

Himalayan Research Papers Archive

In Nepal, landless populations can broadly be categorized into two groups: urban squatters and rural landless families. Each group can further be distinguished by its level of political connection and access to power.

Among urban squatters, politically connected groups often occupy open public spaces in cities with some degree of protection or tolerance from political parties. In contrast, less powerful urban squatters usually settle on public land because they cannot afford formal housing. These settlements are commonly located in unsafe or marginal areas, such as riverbanks, flood-prone zones, and unused public spaces. Despite these risks, many remain in urban areas …