Digital Commons Network^™

Investigación Reciente (Resumenes Académicos), Sebastian Dorantes, Erica Jensen, Faith Manchester, Isabelle Stoddard

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Por Qué Las Personas Hacen (Y No Hacen) Donaciones, Sebastian Dorantes

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

La filantropía es una práctica mundial formada por la cultura, los ingresos y las normas sociales. Su escala es considerable y puede ser medible a través de datos e informes. En los Estados Unidos, las donaciones benéficas alcanzaron $592,500 millones de dólares en 2024, la cifra más alta registrada. Las personas contribuyeron con aproximadamente $392,000 millones de dólares de esa cantidad, o aproximadamente dos terceras partes del total de las donaciones. A nivel mundial, la generosidad sigue siendo muy común. Países como Estados Unidos, Myanmar y Nueva Zelanda figuran consistentemente como los más caritativos, con grandes porcentajes de personas que …

Mapping The Global Classroom: An Innovation Spotlight On The Ngo Education Survey Directory Database, Angie Holzer, Roseanne M. Mirabella

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This article highlights the NGO Education Survey Directory Database as a critical tool for strengthening global nonprofit infrastructure by addressing longstanding gaps in data on nonprofit education programs. It maps the global landscape of nonprofit management education with detailed, institution-level insights, enabling researchers, funders, and practitioners to better understand capacity-building efforts worldwide. By improving transparency and access to information, the directory supports more strategic philanthropy, fosters collaboration, and promotes the development of locally grounded leadership within the nonprofit sector.

Why People Do (And Don’T) Give, Sebastian Dorantes, Erica Jensen, Isabelle Stoddard, Faith Manchester

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Philanthropy is a global practice shaped by culture, income, and social norms. Overall giving remains high, but participation is becoming more concentrated. This raises key questions about who gives, why they give, and why others choose not to. Ultimately, the relationship between donors and nonprofit organizations can have a significant impact on philanthropic behavior. It is essential for nonprofits to consider what motivates a person to donate in order to create a point of connection between the donors and the organizations.

Academic Summaries - Philanthropy, Erica Jensen, Sebastian Dorantes, Faith Manchester, Isabelle Stoddard

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Philanthropy - Joni Full Issue April 2026, Angie Holzer, Erica Jensen

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Understanding Modern American Politics Through Identity And Pop Music Between 2018 And 2025: A Musicological Analysis, Emilyn Bedell

Ramifications

This project studies how music impacts our society by examining the ways popular musicians (Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, and Hozier) imbue their songs with their identity. Their music engages their authentic self and social interests, effectively communicating their artistic and social values to their audience. This study examines three artists who recently became popular, so there is less established musicological research focused on them. To explore them deeper, I draw on cultural sources such as newspapers and magazines, in addition to academic journals. I also analyze their music and videos alongside recorded interviews to understand the sociopolitical issues for which …

Portland Public Schools ' Board Meeting Attendance And Awareness, Matan Schoenfeld

Thinking Matters Symposium

Portland Public Schools District Board meetings are the primary

touchpoint for parents, students, and staff to engage with their educational

leadership. They provide transparent communication about current and

upcoming initiatives within the district, and allow for attendees to voice questions,

concerns, and opinions. The political culture cultivated by these meetings is on

with heavy emphasis on dialogue and citizen participation. Yet there is one large

problem: many members of the PPS district community are unable (due to lack of

awareness or other practical obstacles) to attend the meetings. I believe the PPS

district would better function as an extension of …

Colonialism, Conflict, Capital, And Coups: Drivers Of Médecins Sans Frontières Operations In Mali Post-2022, Gina T. Fiorenza

Honors Capstones

Previous research has indicated that an NGO’s funding stream can limit its organizational decision making and inadvertently cause NGOs to place the priorities of donors over that of their beneficiaries. Additionally, Western-international NGOs operating in the Global South have been accused of engaging and perpetuating imbalanced power structures, often facing accusations of racism. To analyze these issues, I conducted a quantitative analysis of financial reports in conjunction with a qualitative analysis of activity reports in Mali in the past 20 years.  My findings indicate that MSF’s past collaboration with the Malian government and decision to reject state funding allows the …

Separating Access Legitimacy From Utilization Analytics: A Two-Layer Evaluation Model For Philanthropy And Development, Stephanie Zabriskie

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This article introduces a two-layer evaluation model for philanthropic and development decision-making in access-based interventions. The first layer treats Access as Outcome (AAO) as a recognized outcome when essential goods, services or resources are delivered through a viable delivery pathway, without requiring post-access utilization or compliance to validate legitimacy. The second layer evaluates post-access variation through System Coherence Conditions (SCC), defined as internal alignment across governance and decision-making, distribution and logistics, social accountability and norms, and scarcity management and continuity, which explain differences in utilization, continuity, and downstream effects as signals of system coherence rather than as retroactive worthiness thresholds. …

Utilizing Supervised Practice In School Settings As An Opportunity To Increase Student Awareness Of Food Waste Reduction Strategies, Maria Givler

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) play a vital role in facilitating nutritional health across a wide range of settings, from clinical care to community-based environments. As the profession continues to evolve, dietetics training programs are emphasizing experiential learning opportunities that address real-world public health challenges (Wegener, 2018). One such challenge is food waste, an issue with significant nutritional, environmental, and economic implications (Seberini, 2020). Within school food service systems, where millions of meals are served daily (Toossi et al.,2024), reducing waste while maintaining student satisfaction presents both a challenge and an opportunity. This article will discuss four ways supervised practice rotations …

When Social Fundraising Is Active But Hard To Measure: Nonprofit Lessons From Social Media Roi Research, Dr. Blair W. Loveland

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This article examines a nonprofit measurement problem that appears when social media is used to support fundraising but the organization cannot clearly connect that activity to a measurable financial result. The article draws on a non-experimental quantitative survey of 106 participants in roles tied to marketing, sales, or revenue reporting. The findings showed that social media use was common, but visibility into spending, formal ROI tracking, and end-to-end attribution was often weak. Seventy percent of respondents who answered the spend question did not know their organization's annual social media spend, 59 percent of respondents who answered the ROI question said …

Enhancing Transparency And Accountability In Federally Funded Nonprofits: A Convergent Framework Integrating Artificial Intelligence Analytics And Blockchain Technology, David A. Oduro, Vida Adeti

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This study examines how artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology address persistent challenges in federal nonprofit grant management. Through systematic analysis of government pilot programs and nonprofit technology adoption patterns, we develop an integrated implementation framework. Treasury Department and National Science Foundation blockchain prototypes demonstrate 40% reductions in administrative burden, with report generation decreasing from 40 staff-hours to seconds. Nonprofit AI adoption reached 92% by 2026, though significant disparities exist between large organizations (58% using AI for data analytics) and small nonprofits (19%). Drawing on interviews with federal agencies and grant recipients, this research identifies technical capacity constraints, regulatory complexity, …

Rethinking Ngo Sustainability: A Framework For Developing Support Structures Beyond Traditional Donations And Grants, Angie Holzer, Jackson Cooper

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This thought paper examines the growing instability of traditional funding streams in the global nonprofit sector and argues for a fundamental shift in how sustainability is conceptualized. Moving beyond a narrow focus on financial capital, the paper introduces a practical framework of five interconnected resource types—financial, material, human, knowledge, and network resources—supported by a sixth foundational element, relational capital, or trust. Drawing on examples and applied models, the authors demonstrate how nonprofits can strengthen resilience and long-term impact by intentionally leveraging diverse and often underutilized forms of support. The paper also highlights the evolving role of board members, emphasizing the …

Negosiasi Diplomasi Budaya K-Pop Di Indonesia: Studi Kasus Boikot Penggemar Ateez, Dhannya Febryana

Multikultura

This study examines the boycott by Indonesian fans against the K-pop group ATEEZ as part of the dynamics of South Korea’s cultural diplomacy in Southeast Asia. Building on the understanding of K-pop as an important instrument of soft power in South Korea’s cultural diplomacy strategy, this research highlights how regional audiences do not always passively accept such practices. Using a qualitative approach with digital discourse analysis, the study analyzes boycott-related discourses circulating on social media and in online news coverage to explore the narratives, meanings, and cultural implications of this action. The fan boycott is not merely an expression of …

Nonprofit Leaders’ Perceived Top Struggles: A Qualitative Study With Descriptive Quantification Of Capacity, Funding, And Operational Barriers, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Nonprofit organizations are widely understood to operate under conditions of persistent constraint, yet less is known about how nonprofit leaders themselves perceive and prioritize their struggles. This study presents findings from a qualitative analysis with descriptive quantification of open-ended responses from 77 nonprofit leaders who were asked to identify their biggest challenges. Using thematic coding, frequency counts, and order-based sequencing analysis, the study distinguishes between perceived struggles, immediate needs, and capacity-focused structural blockers. While funding and financial sustainability were the most frequently cited perceived struggles, capacity-related challenges—including board governance, staffing and volunteers, compliance burden, operational systems, and leadership bandwidth—emerged as …

Russian Linguistic Policy In The Post-Soviet World, Payton G. Deichler

The Dialogue

This paper examines the role of the Russian language as an instrument of soft power in the post-Soviet space, arguing that its geopolitical influence extends beyond demographic prevalence to the institutional frameworks through which it is promoted and mediated. Rather than functioning solely as a neutral medium of communication, Russian operates as an infrastructural component of influence that shapes access to media ecosystems, educational systems, and professional mobility across former Soviet republics. Drawing on the concept of a “Monopoly of Interpretation,” this study proposes that the centralized, state-linked promotion of Russian enables the consolidation of political narratives within shared linguistic …

Religion In Hobbes’ Political Project: God And Secularism In The Leviathan, Lea Mancarella

The Political Realm: Journal of Undergraduate Research in Political Science and International Relations

This article argues that Hobbes views religion as a fundamental threat to political stability because competing religious authorities and claims of divine revelation undermine obedience to the sovereign and risk returning society to a state of civil war. Through close readings of Leviathan, it shows how Hobbes reframes religion as a human invention rooted in fear, critiques the political power of the Church, and ultimately uses contradictions about God’s nature to suggest that divine law cannot be rationally known. The author concludes that Hobbes’s political project requires a secular commonwealth in which religion has no public role, ensuring that civil …

The Fall Of France And Public Opinion During The 1940 United States Presidential Election, Ethan Moyer

The Political Realm: Journal of Undergraduate Research in Political Science and International Relations

This article argues that the fall of France in 1940 triggered a profound shift in American public opinion, weakening long‑standing isolationist attitudes and creating fertile ground for Franklin Roosevelt’s internationalist agenda. Drawing on contemporary polling and political developments, it shows how period effects, elite signaling, and coordinated media messaging converged to move the United States toward greater engagement in global security. Ultimately, the study demonstrates how Roosevelt leveraged both crisis and persuasion to redefine the boundaries of mainstream foreign policy in the 1940 election cycle.

From Superstition To Stability: Hobbes On Religion And Political Order, Erin Schulz

The Political Realm: Journal of Undergraduate Research in Political Science and International Relations

In this article, the author argues that Hobbes treats religion as a profound political problem because its psychological origins, susceptibility to manipulation, and competing claims to authority can fracture obedience and destabilize the commonwealth. Through a systematic reinterpretation of miracles, prophecy, spirits, and Scripture, Hobbes strips religious authorities of independent power and places all public religious meaning under the sovereign’s control. The paper concludes that Hobbes does not abolish religion but domesticates it, transforming faith into a politically safe instrument that reinforces unity, obedience, and civil peace.

Why Right-Wing Populism Endured In Hungary But Collapsed In Brazil: A Comparative Institutional Analysis, Cooper Fensterstock

The Political Realm: Journal of Undergraduate Research in Political Science and International Relations

The main argument of this article is that right‑wing populism has endured in Hungary but collapsed in Brazil because of fundamental differences in institutional design, party cohesion, media control, and the strength of horizontal accountability. Orbán leveraged Hungary’s parliamentary fusion of powers, disciplined Fidesz party, and near-total media dominance to consolidate illiberal rule, while Bolsonaro was constrained by Brazil’s fragmented presidential system, weak party ties, independent judiciary, and pluralistic press. Through this comparative analysis, the paper shows how structural conditions—not just populist rhetoric—shape the durability of democratic backsliding.

Final Report: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap), Chelsea Livingstone

The Political Realm: Journal of Undergraduate Research in Political Science and International Relations

The article evaluates the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), arguing that while it is one of the nation’s most effective anti-hunger policies—reducing food insecurity, lifting millions out of poverty, and stabilizing household resources—it continues to produce uneven outcomes due to administrative burdens, geographic disparities, and barriers faced by rural, immigrant, and mixed‑status households. Using Kingdon’s Multiple Streams Framework, the paper explains how SNAP’s expansions and limitations reflect shifting alignments among problem recognition, feasible policy solutions, and political will. It concludes with evidence‑based recommendations to improve equity and access, including streamlined enrollment, regionally adjusted benefits, strengthened outreach, and reduced stigma to …

Can Counterterrorism Be Taken Too Far?, Charles Tracy

The Political Realm: Journal of Undergraduate Research in Political Science and International Relations

The article evaluates three major counterterrorism tools—surveillance, torture, and drone warfare—through the lens of Just War Theory, arguing that each raises distinct ethical and strategic dilemmas. It concludes that surveillance can be morally permissible when tightly regulated, torture is indefensible both legally and morally, and drone strikes are conditionally ethical only under strict oversight that minimizes civilian harm and ensures accountability. Overall, the paper contends that effective counterterrorism is possible without abandoning human rights, but only when transparency, proportionality, and legal constraints guide state action.

Maritime Piracy In The Straits Of Malacca And Singapore, Brian Kenny

The Political Realm: Journal of Undergraduate Research in Political Science and International Relations

This article examines the sharp rise in maritime piracy in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, arguing that the surge stems from the convergence of structural vulnerabilities—dense shipping traffic, poverty-driven motivated offenders, and limited state enforcement capacity—now intensified by global supply chain disruptions and new technologies. It shows that piracy, though currently less violent than in past decades, poses significant economic and security risks for Southeast Asia and the broader global economy. The paper concludes that effective long‑term mitigation requires both strengthened regional maritime cooperation and domestic reforms addressing the socioeconomic roots of piracy, particularly in Indonesia.

Restrictive Voting Laws In The United States, Brian Kenny

The Political Realm: Journal of Undergraduate Research in Political Science and International Relations

In this article, the author argues that the recent wave of restrictive voting laws in the United States is driven less by genuine concerns about voter fraud and more by Republican efforts to counteract demographic and political changes that disadvantage the party electorally. Reviewing political science research, it shows that while some restrictions—especially felon disenfranchisement—clearly suppress turnout among marginalized groups, the overall electoral effects of most laws remain mixed due to backlash mobilization and uneven implementation. The paper concludes that despite uncertain partisan gains, these restrictions pose significant risks to democratic equality and require both short‑term mobilization and long‑term structural …

The Equal Pay Act Of 1963, Alyssa Dawson

The Political Realm: Journal of Undergraduate Research in Political Science and International Relations

In this article, the author argues that while the Equal Pay Act of 1963 marked an important early milestone in addressing gender‑based wage discrimination, its narrow “equal work” standard, ambiguous language, and employer‑friendly judicial interpretations have limited its long‑term effectiveness. Through policy analysis and case law, it shows how the Act’s incremental design, business‑driven compromises, and failure to address structural and intersectional causes of pay disparity have left significant gaps—particularly for women of color and workers in emerging sectors like the gig economy. The paper concludes that meaningful progress requires strengthening existing enforcement mechanisms and pursuing new, adaptive policies that …

Hidden Barriers: Enforcement Asymmetry And The Political Economy Of U.S.–Mexico Food Trade And The Cattle Industry, Sabina Prieto, Chris Jackson

Honors Thesis

This project examines how enforcement irregularities in Mexican food safety regulation affect small exporters’ ability to access U.S. markets. On paper, agricultural trade is regulated by laws on food quality, certification, and logistics. In practice, it is how those rules are enforced. In Mexico, big firms and producer associations tend to gain steady support and easier certification, while smaller producers face delays, rejections, or inconsistent oversight that make it much harder to compete. This study uses a comparative case study approach to analyze how similar industries produce different outcomes in market access. By tracing key events such as disease outbreaks, …

Structural Corruption And Political Development In Arizona: Growth, Governance, And Accountability, 1912-1980, Kaitlin D'Amico

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation argues that corruption in twentieth-century Arizona flourished because the regulatory structures created during the Progressive era contained foundational vulnerabilities that were exposed and exploited by Sunbelt-era economic growth. While scholars have tended to treat Arizona’s corruption scandals as episodic, this study demonstrates that they were the predictable outcome of institutional weaknesses embedded at statehood. Covering Arizona’s political structures and identity from statehood in 1912 through the post-Bolles reform era ending in 1980, the dissertation focuses on institutional development while using Don Bolles’s investigations and 1976 assassination as a focal point. This study draws primarily on contemporary newspaper reporting, …

China-Canada Resource Diplomacy: New Era Of Land Grabbing, Valdrin Dragusha

Bridges: An Undergraduate Journal of Contemporary Connections

This paper examines the evolving economic relationship between China and Canada, particularly in the context of China's transition from a strictly social economy to an authoritarian socialist market economy. It highlights the implications of China's Going Out Policy initiated in 2000, aimed at securing vital natural resources amidst growing domestic demands driven by rapid economic expansion. The paper analyzes China's significant demand for resources, its sustainable development policies, and the changing dynamics of land acquisitions, particularly in relation to Canada, which is perceived as a strategic investment destination due to its abundant natural resources and technological advancements in clean energy. …

Considering Moderating Forces As A Critical Lens For Understanding The Internationalization Of Higher Education, Jonah M. Otto

Critical Internationalization Studies Review

No abstract provided.