Digital Commons Network^™

Integrating Digital And On-Site Fieldwork: Practical Solutions For Scholars With Limited On-Site Access, Mai T. Truong

Political Science Faculty Research and Publications

When faced with unfolding protests, autocrats frequently respond with anti-protest propaganda loaded with negative narratives about protesters. Although a substantial body of literature has suggested that anti-protest propaganda can effectively alter the way the public views protests, few researchers have examined the mechanism through which propaganda negatively affects public support for protests. In this article, the authors explain the role that anti-protest propaganda plays in weakening public support for protests. Using an innovative experiment involving mediation analysis, the authors administered a survey to 950 Vietnamese respondents. The experimental results showed that anti-protest propaganda may deter support for protests more by …

Conditioning Elections: The Instability With Dynamic Voters, Lorenzo Collier

Political Science Student Papers and Posters

The stability of electoral outcomes is a cornerstone of democratic legitimacy, yet real-world elections increasingly exhibit volatility driven by dynamic voter populations and shifting preferences. By treating elections as a function f(x) where x represents voter choice, we can study the conditioning of election outcome functions under perturbations, analogous to sensitivity analysis of numerical solvers. This paper investigates the mechanisms underlying instability in elections when voters and their beliefs evolve over time, focusing on the effects of conditioning decisions on anticipated future changes. By surveying classical and contemporary models of voting rules under dynamic settings, this paper demonstrates how seemingly …

Gender And Party Polarization In The Us Congress: Hypervisibility And Invisibility, Rosalyn Cooperman

Political Science & International Affairs Articles

The history and practice of party polarization in Congress is a gendered concept. Men have comprised the overwhelming majority of legislators from both parties, served as their party’s leaders, and dominated the party caucuses. As women and women of color have increased their presence in the institution, particularly among Democrats, gender and race have emerged as important themes in understanding party polarization in contemporary congresses. In an analysis of legislative activity of members in the 104th to the 117th Congresses, I find the two most distinct groups of partisans, Democratic women and Republican men, are prominently featured in the opposing …

Analyzing Attitudes On Social Welfare: Partisanship Versus Self-Interest, Jack D. Ryder

Student Publications

What influences Americans' attitudes on social welfare? Why do some Americans vote seemingly against their interests? Using data from the 2020 National Election Survey, this paper will test hypotheses examining how rurality and Republican partisanship are associated with lower favorability toward social welfare spending. This paper will also analyze the current literature on immigration, locality, and partisanship to see how they shape attitudes toward welfare spending. Overall, the regression models show that Republican partisanship is more correlated with support for social welfare cuts than an individual’s rurality. This study is important for understanding how partisanship shapes attitudes on policy and …

Zero Textbook Cost Syllabus For Pol1101 (American Government: Practices And Values), Michael A. Villanova

Open Educational Resources

In this course, we will analyze the ideas, history, and values of American politics and government. This course is divided into three parts. First, we will examine the foundations of American politics by looking at America’s founding documents, early American political thought, and the history of civil liberties and civil rights. Second, we will read about political behavior and discuss what motivates political participation in America. Third, we will look at American political institutions in the three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judiciary. This class will provide students with an introductory understanding of key concepts, theories, debates, and ideas …

Arms Up Or Down? The Effect Of International Organization Membership On Military Expenditures, Maria Christina Kardash

Student Publications

In this paper, I investigate the relationship between the total number of international organizations a state is involved in and its military expenditures as a percentage of GDP. Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative analysis, I find support for my hypothesis that the more international organizations a state is a member of, the less a state will expend on its military. Qualitatively, I focus on the three main theories of international relations (realism, liberalism, and constructivism) to construct a theoretical foundation for my paper. Under realism, I focus on free riding behavior, under liberalism, I center on non-military priorities, and under …

Environmental Receipts: The Ecological Footprint Of Multilateral Development Banks, Mike Wigdor

Student Publications

This paper assesses whether membership in multilateral development banks (MDBs) is associated with lower ecological footprints. Drawing on country-year data from the 2025 Quality of Government (QoG) Basic Dataset and the Correlates of War (CoW) IGO Dataset, I analyze 1,714 observations from 1970–2008. Ecological footprint (global hectares per capita) is used as the dependent variable, while the central explanatory variable is the total number of MDB memberships annually. I utilize an OLS regression model controlling for logged GDP per capita, regime type, oil production value, urbanization, and economic globalization. Contrary to my hypothesis that MDB safeguards, norm diffusion, and pooling …

Portfolio And Appendix Chris M. Larson, Chris M. Larson

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Abstract:

This is a collection of assignments and reflections of my work throughout the course of the Masters in Social Work program at the University of Montana. Included are assignments reflecting on the Indian Child Welfare Act, housing, barriers to care for Non-White and female veterans within the VA clinic, the quality of care in nursing homes, American Drug policy, confidentiality in the YWCA, training on interventions based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, cost benefit analysis of in home care programs, and a proposal for my practicum site Missoula Aging Services. It has reflections on the five elements of advanced practice, …

From Seapower To Shining Seapower, Michael Lee

Publications and Research

The liberal world order is dead: the United States has abandoned both the domestic and international institutional commitments that enabled it to function. How can liberal democracy survive in an increasingly hostile world? How can liberal democracies grow powerful enough to defend themselves without becoming the empires they fear? I argue that seapowers have historically represented a distinct kind of hegemon, that is more amenable to international cooperation, and democracy at home. Moreover, the transition from declining seapowers to rising ones has played a vital role in preserving a space for more liberal states (relative to their historical context), such …

Editor's Introduction, Michael D. Pante

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.

Navigating Permitting Reform: A Comparative U.S. Analysis With Illustrative Evidence From Indiana, Toan Minh Bui

Annual Student Research Poster Session

This study examines the effects of permitting reform on infrastructure performance in the United States, highlighting the trade-offs between regulatory efficiency and environmental oversight. Using a comparative multi-case design, we analyze twelve transportation, energy, and public facility projects across six states—two each representing high, moderate, and low reform intensities. The analysis combines quantitative performance indicators (cost overruns, schedule delays, environmental oversight scores) with qualitative assessments of legal frameworks, administrative capacity, and political context. Findings show that moderate-intensity reforms—those that streamline procedural steps while retaining environmental safeguards—deliver the most consistent balance of timely delivery, cost control, and regulatory integrity. High-intensity reforms …

Turkish Eyes For America: How Turkey Embraced The United States In The Interwar Period, Jack Goodwin

The Ozark Historical Review

This research discusses the unique relationship developed between the United States and Turkey between world wars and invites us to reconsider the popular understanding of the United States’ place in Turkey and questions the ways American officials believed were the most effective at spreading their national ideals and culture.

The American Role In The Political Crises Of The Arab World: Iraq As A Case Study (2011–2021), “Fatima Azhra’A” Al- Rhamneh

Jordan Journal of Applied Science-Humanities Series

This study aimed to analyze the American stance on the political crises occurring in the Arab world, using Iraq as a case study from 2011 to 2021. To achieve this, analytical, descriptive, and qualitative methods were employed, focusing on the collection, interpretation, and analysis of secondary data, which were deemed most appropriate for the nature and objectives of the study. The results indicated that US-Iraqi relations have significantly shifted according to American interests. The U.S. position often influenced the onset, escalation, or resolution of political crises. For example, the U.S. occupation of Iraq and the poor decisions made during that …

Realidades De Las Organizaciones De La Sociedad Civil En México: Índice De Fomento A Las Actividades De Las Osc, Pablo Armando González Ulloa Aguirre

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Este artículo presenta los hallazgos derivados de la construcción de un Índice que evalúa el estado del fomento de las Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil (OSC) en las 32 entidades federativas de México durante el año 2021. También describe los criterios considerados en la construcción del Índice y los resultados obtenidos en cada una de sus dimensiones. El Índice proporciona una perspectiva integral y multidimensional sobre el estudio del fomento a las OSC, analizando las dimensiones legal, institucional y programática con el objetivo de comparar los avances y los retrocesos en este ámbito. Al hacerlo, ofrece una oportunidad para mejorar …

Democratic Reliance On Non-State Actors For Climate Change: How Promotion Of Subnational And Non-State Actors Mend The Gap To National Mitigation Outcomes., Yezen Nael Said

COP30

Representative democracies face structural and political challenges that hinder the implementation of robust climate action. Short electoral cycles discourage long-term investments in mitigation, while institutional inertia and political polarization stall responsive policymaking. Interest group influence further weakens reform efforts. These limitations are compounded by the public's tendency to prioritize immediate, tangible benefits over long-term environmental gains, as illustrated by voter resistance to proactive climate taxation in Norway and Germany’s sluggish implementation of Paris Agreement targets. National climate strategies must therefore be reinforced by subnational and non-state actors. Cities, in particular, can serve as engines of innovation and implementation, leveraging localized …

Rethinking The Narrative Of Turkey’S July 15 Events: An Intelligence Operation Disguised As A Coup Attempt, Mustafa Kirisci, Ibrahim Kocaman, Murat Balci

Publications

Academia, think tanks, and international media have largely adopted the Turkish government’s narrative that the events of July 15, 2016, constituted a failed coup attempt. This dominant framing has shaped policy responses and scholarly interpretations despite the authoritarian context in which it was crafted. Many Turkish and Western scholars accepted the Turkish government’s narrative that the July 15 events were a failed coup attempt. They often rely on surface-level indicators and official statements without critically engaging with available evidence. Also, they disregarded substantial evidence and defendants’ statements in judicial proceedings that directly contradict official statements. One notable exception to this …

Research Summaries - Research For Practice: Joni September 2025 Issue, Erica Jensen, Emma Indart, Emilyn Watkins, Faith Manchester

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Program Evaluation: Best Practices And Examples For Nonprofits, Erica Bassett, Faith M. Manchester

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Mapping Nonprofit Data Accessibility In Latin American Countries: Early Insights From An Exploratory Comparative Study, Angie Holzer, Tania Hernandez, Ted Gray Barnes Jr, Noah Ellis, Sumasri Jasti, Hannah Chu, Nithin Kumar, Evan Campione, Louis Ye, Quoc Thai Dinh

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This paper presents findings from a global study of nonprofit data accessibility, focusing on Mexico and other Latin American countries. The analysis explores whether nonprofit databases exist, who operates them, what accessibility barriers are present, what requirements nonprofits must meet to register, and what registration costs they face. Using an exploratory comparative design, the study highlights both cross-country similarities and differences while situating nonprofit data systems within broader theories of transparency, accountability, and open-data governance.

Early insights reveal that about 70% of countries in Latin America maintain nonprofit registries, yet accessibility, usability, requirements, and costs vary widely. Registration processes range …

How Civil Society Organizations Build Resilience In The Face Of Financial And Political Pressures: Lessons From Czechia, Hungary, And Bulgaria, Merrill Sovner

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

How are some civil society organizations (CSOs) able to pivot and innovate in the face of political hostility and funding withdrawal, while others shrink or become inactive? It posits that it’s not just the external environment, funding, or degree of political pressure, but attributes intrinsic to each CSO that narrows the range of possible responses. It is based on sample of CSOs in Czechia, Hungary and Bulgaria that faced political pressures and funding withdrawal between 2010 and 2019. CSOs responded in three ways: reduced staff and expenditures, replaced lost funding while operating in a similar way, or reframed their work, …

Property Rights In The Face Of Historic Injustice, Bas Van Der Vossen, Fabian Wendt

Philosophy Faculty Articles and Research

It seems natural to adopt a historical approach when it comes to property titles: When property titles have a clean history, they are to be respected as a matter of justice; when they do not have a clean history, for example, in cases of prior theft, they must be returned to the original owners or their descendants. But the historical approach has serious drawbacks. This paper presents an alternative. Starting from the idea that property rights must be stable, we offer an account of why historic injustices sometimes do, but sometimes do not, undermine current titles. This account offers a …

The Inaccessibility Of Nonprofit Organizations Data In Sub-Saharan Africa, Barnabas Suva, Robert Bhero

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This article presents initial findings from a research study on nonprofit data across countries, focusing on the accessibility of nonprofit organizations in 49 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, following thorough research of accessibility data from nonprofit organizations, regulatory bodies, and nonprofit websites. Only 12% of countries maintain a functional public nonprofit organization database, and even fewer provide detailed, searchable registries. While 94% of countries legally grant nonprofit organizations tax exemption, mandatory reporting obligations are often not paired with public access, thereby weakening accountability. These findings situate data inaccessibility as an agency problem where principals (donors, policymakers, communities) lack sufficient information to …

Special Edition: Full Issue - Research For Practice, September 2025, Angie Holzer, Erica Bassett

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Transparency, Trust, And Partnerships: Strengthening Nonprofit Collaboration Through Data And Accountability, Sujeeth Reddy Sithagari, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This paper explores how transparency influences trust and strengthens partnerships within nonprofit and international development organizations. Drawing from a structured literature review of peer-reviewed articles, doctoral dissertations, and global initiatives such as the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), this article highlights the critical role of transparent communication in building stakeholder confidence. The findings indicate that while many NGOs collect performance and financial data, few use it consistently to inform external reporting or internal learning. Trust is found to be highly context-specific, shaped not only by data sharing but also by leadership humility, community engagement, and ethical governance. The study …

Bridging Theory And Practice: The Vision And Action Plan Of The Istr Research For Practice Affinity Group, Angie Holzer, Christopher Dayson, Dana Doan, Patricia Quinn, Tayyeb Hadi, Michele Fugiel Gartner, Carissa Van Den Berk-Clark, Ana María Sánchez, Farouq Aliyu Muhammad, Romina Farías, Christopher Einolf

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This article presents the strategic vision and comprehensive action plan of the International Society for Third Sector Research (ISTR) Research for Practice (R4P) Affinity Group, established to address the persistent gap between academic research and nonprofit practice in the third sector. Recognizing that practitioners are primarily focused on action and problem-solving while academics concentrate on knowledge accumulation and theory building, the R4P initiative creates a systematic framework for enhanced collaboration to maximize societal impact and advance evidence-informed practice. The R4P model employs a multi-dimensional approach through seven specialized sub-committees—Advocacy, Education & Training, Practitioner Engagement & Matchmaking, Research Accessibility and Sharing, …

Cross-Border Climate Adaptation – Transboundary Agreement For Climate Justice & Security, Andre Ferreira

COP30

This policy paper shall highlight the need for COP30 negotiators to adopt a Transboundary Adaptation Compact (TAA), a rights-based framework meant to coordinate climate adaptation across shared resources, mobilize finance, and manage the growing challenges of ecocide risks/cross-border migration. While shared bodies of water provide crucial resources for billions of people globally, their international governance is often fragmented. The climate crisis is compounding already existing tensions over water allocations that emerge from lack of cooperation between nation-states, threatening ecocide in river deltas, wetlands, and mangroves. Therefore, this paper aims to draw from existing case studies of successful regional cooperation, such …

Justice In Transition : Emphasizing Indigenous Leadership, Rights And Fair Access To Finance, Mariam Medhat Adel Ghazy

COP30

As the international climate crisis amplifies, solving it through only decreasing emissions is no longer efficient. Climate justice acknowledges that environmental change unequally impacts low income groups - despite these communities being the least contributors to the issue (What Is Climate Justice? - UC Center for Climate Justice, 2022). This paper aims to explore the challenges that must be confronted to make climate justice applicable : including indigenous people into climate finance and governance ; and holding transnational corporations responsible for climate – interconnected human right violations and ecocide. Drawing on case studies from Canada and Indonesia, the paper will …

Conflict Emissions And Environmental Destruction: Exacerbating Insecurity And Exclusion Among Vulnerable And Indigenous Communities In The Absence Of Inclusive Climate Governance, Mariem Yasser

COP30

This policy paper highlights that Indigenous and marginalized communities who manage an estimated 80 % of world biodiversity have access to less than 1 % of climate funding and are sidelined in national level decision-making (Rights and Resources Initiative, 2021). At the same time, armed conflict contributes an estimated 5.5 % of global CO₂-equivalent emissions that affects Indigenous peoples in fragile rural areas. (IPCC, 2022). Unlike failure of REDD +program in the Amazon region of Colombia, which excluded Indigenous governance and permitted deforestation to increase exponentially, DRC has developed community forest concessions integrating Indigenous and community management into climate governance …

Deep-Sea Mining In The Pacific: Climate Justice, Ecocide, And Security In Nauru And Kiribati, Zeyad El-Sayed

COP30

This policy paper explores how the growing international controversy over deep-sea mining (DSM) can be addressed under the considerations of climate justice, through analyzing two case studies, Nauru and Kiribati, of Pacific islands. Both states are highly vulnerable to climate change and economic instability, yet have adopted different strategies. Nauru has improved and enhanced its DSM plans in the Clarion–Clipperton Zone to ensure its sovereign development rights and economic needs. On the other hand, Kiribati has taken more mechanisms that are cautious measures to temporary pause the DSM negotiations in response to public pressure and environmental concerns. These cases show …

Indigenous Leadership In The Fight Against Environmental Racism And Ecocide: Advancing Climate Justice And Human Rights, Carlos Matheus Matos Santos Dos Santos

COP30

Climate change intensifies social, economic, racial, and gender inequalities, disproportionately affecting historically marginalized communities, such as indigenous peoples, black populations, and riverine communities. In Brazil, practices of environmental racism and actions that constitute ecocide (such as the installation of large enterprises, illegal mining, and predatory exploitation of natural resources) compromise ecosystems and traditional ways of life. Cases such as the Belo Monte Power Plant and the expansion of mining on indigenous lands illustrate the inadequacy of socio-environmental protection mechanisms and the implementation of necropolitical policies that remove or expose communities to environmental degradation. The analysis highlights the need to integrate …