Digital Commons Network^™

A Certainty-Weighted, Belief-Based Model Of Political Attitudes: A Bayesian Analysis Of American Public Attitudes Toward The Affordable Care Act, Gabriel Miao Li, Josh Pasek, Jon A. Krosnick

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

This study proposes a novel, certainty-weighted account of the process by which political beliefs shape political attitudes. Building upon expectancy-value frameworks, this paper introduces belief certainty as a moderator of belief impact. A Bayesian partial-pooling approach is used to test a model positing how beliefs about what the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act does and does not do relate to overall attitudes toward the law. This analytic method manages the complexity of multiple potentially correlated beliefs and evaluations by imposing a structural constraint to avoid multicollinearity and enable accurate estimation of parameters. Data from a nationally representative sample survey …

In Defense Of Space Offense, Alexander R. Kleitz

Space and Defense

This article argues that in the unique physical and operational environment of outer space, offensive operations hold intrinsic advantages over defensive ones. Drawing upon classical military theorists such as Clausewitz and Corbett, the author contends that the traditional dominance of the defensive form of war—rooted in terrestrial conditions—does not extend to celestial conflict. The transparency and remoteness of the space domain neutralize key defensive benefits, such as proximity to supply bases, concealment, and fortified positions, while also diminishing the factors that typically cause terrestrial offensives to culminate. Consequently, space conflict favors the side that seizes and maintains the initiative through …

Racial Capitalism And Whitelash: Trumpism And The Politics Of Oppression Redux–A New Normal Or Just New Perfume In An Old Bottle?, Bhoomi K. Thakore, J. Scott Carter, Cameron Lippard, David G. Embrick

Fast Capitalism

There is no question that Donald Trump’s actions in his second presidential term have many people bewildered, shocked, and frightened. What was deemed “not normal” in his first term in office has quickly become the “new normal.” In this paper, we argue that part of the explanation for the rise, and repeated rise, of Trumpism lies in Donald Trump’s ability to fuel and maintain a whitelash against the social progress of the 20th and early 21st century. Not only has Trumpism picked up on the “reverse racism” sentiments that have sprouted as a result of racial, gender, and social progress, …

“This Is Not Normal”: The Global Academy’S Resistance To Authoritarianism And Academic Capitalism, Catherine A. Labrenz, Christian Adeleke, Maria Lúcia T. Garcia, Aline Pandolfi, Mara Mattioni, Fabíola Xavier Leal, Marcela Nava

Fast Capitalism

Summary: In the wake of rising authoritarianism and neoliberal retrenchment, academic institutions across the globe are increasingly pressured to suppress dissent, sanitize curricula, and deprioritize justice-based scholarship. Drawing from responses to political repression in Brazil and Argentina, this paper connects present-day U.S. conditions to transnational histories of academic resistance.

Findings: We locate today’s institutional silencing within the broader logics of academic capitalism and authoritarian governance, emphasizing how compliance, rather than critical engagement, is becoming the new normal.

Applications: Drawing on radical traditions of academic and professional resistance from the Americas, we present lessons learned and action steps …

Front Matter, Fast Capitalism Editorial Team

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Frantz Fanon / Immanuel Wallerstein: Marxism, Capitalism, And The Now Uncertain World, Charles Lemert

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Fast Capitalism Editorial Team

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Masses, Platforms, And The New Data Domination: Repressive Desublimation Revisited, Raymond L.M. Lee

Fast Capitalism

The world now resembles a mosaic of platforms orchestrating subjective responses to myriad digital stimuli in everyday communication and conduct. People appear to find fulfillment mainly through intense engagement with platforms that thrive on data produced by online entanglements. This is a world society of data domination where power is derived from high-tech interconnectivity, focused on an interplay between technological innovations and mass distraction. Platforms are seen as digital monopolies banking on mass online participation for data extraction and control. In that sense, they foster new forms of desublimation that Herbert Marcuse would have regarded as a re-flowering of repressive …

Psychology, Philosophy, And The Practice Of Politics, Shimon Edelman

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Populism In The Technospheric, Jamie Ranger

Fast Capitalism

I argue that the technospheric condition - a socio-technical reality shaped by social acceleration, the industrialization of memory, and mediatization - serves as a structural catalyst for the repoliticisation of the status quo, necessitating a rethinking of Ernesto Laclau’s discursive approach to populism. Drawing on insights from Bernard Stiegler, Hartmut Rosa, and others, I characterize contemporary social life as deeply entangled with technospheric forces, which exacerbate social problems and provoke counterhegemonic responses. These responses, politically solidified in both emancipatory and reactionary populisms, are not only shaped by populist strategy but also increasingly influenced by algorithmic steering on social media. Thus, …

Trump Redux: Immigration, Indigeneity, And America, Nancy S. Love

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Conflict, Hamdy A. Abdelrahman Hassan

All Works

No abstract provided.

Force And Fallout: Experimental Evidence From A National Test Of The Community Expectations Standard, Christopher J. Marier, Conor Goodwin

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

A persistent ``reasonableness divide'' exists between the legal standards governing police use of force and the public’s expectations, producing ``lawful but awful'' uses of force. This study empirically tests the ``Community Expectations Standard'' (CES), a model that identifies five criteria the public uses to evaluate force: underlying governmental interest, avoidability, officer motivation, subject resistance, and the presence of a ``highly dangerous'' environment. Using a factorial survey experiment with a national sample of nearly 2,000 U.S. adults, we analyzed responses to a hypothetical vignette depicting non-lethal force using t-tests and Bayesian linear regression models. The results show that underlying governmental interest …

Factors Shaping Policy For Cybersecurity Resilience In Critical Infrastructure (Ci) Organizations: Proposing An Adaptive Cyber Resilience Policy Model (Acrpm), Raymond Pythias Friedman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examines the factors that influence cybersecurity resilience in private critical infrastructure (CI) organizations, with a focus on governance structures, internal controls, employee attitudes, and cybersecurity capabilities. Although the empirical focus is on private-sector entities, the findings bear significant implications for public policy, given the societal reliance on CI sectors such as energy, telecommunications, and water. Employing a convergent mixed-methods design, the study synthesizes quantitative survey data from cybersecurity professionals with qualitative case studies of CI organizations.

The analysis reveals that internal controls and employee attitudes are the most salient predictors of organizational resilience. Governance exerts an indirect influence …

Parties, Race, And Political Violence: Evaluating Whether Attitudes Toward The January 6 Insurrection Vary Across Racial Groups, Sarah Perez, Natasha Altema Mcneely

School of Political Science, Public Affairs, Legal and Security Studies Faculty Publications

The insurrection and its aftermath remain salient to contemporary American Politics. Existing scholarship has shown the insurrection was fueled by an effort to return Donald Trump to power while also protesting the decline of the non-Hispanic white population. Scholars also discuss the impact of continuous division across partisan and ideological lines. We are interested in exploring if these divisions are visible across attitudes of non-Hispanic white, Black, Hispanic, and Asian American/Pacific Islander respondents in a nationally representative survey. We explore the following research question. Does the impact of partisanship, ideology, and attitudes toward Trump’s responsibility affect the attitudes of respondents …

Chinese Communist Party Infiltration Of U.S. Pacific Islands: Protecting American National Security Through Defending Strategic Pacific Assets, Contessa Amedore

Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy

Many Americans picture the U.S.’s Western most border to be the coast of California. However, when threats have historically formed in the Pacific, U.S. Pacific Island territories have served as the nation’s first line of defense. Today, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have slowly but ambitiously deployed new age or ‘unrestricted’ warfare tactics against the United States and allies in their long awaited plan to assume global hegemony. Their illegal infiltration and psychological operations have gone past Taipei and reached American soil in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. This paper examines how the (CCP) uses unrestricted warfare …

Culture Mediates Climate Opinion Change: A System Dynamics Model, Louis (Lou) Gross, Yoon Ah Shin, Sara M. Constantino, Ann Kinzig, Katherine Lacasse, Brian Beckage

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Curriculum Insertion Proposal For The Academic-Military Education: The Rising Of Unmanned Aerial Systems (Uas/Drones) In Modern Combat, Tiago Marques Dos Santos Filho

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

The use of drones in the latest generation of combat has revolutionized military operations, offering new tactical and strategic-operational capabilities. Based on the author's practical experience and reference literature, using UAS in urban combat, peacekeeping missions, and jungle operations has proven to be extremely effective, providing significant advantages in terms of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and air support. Equipped with high-resolution cameras and advanced sensors, drones allow the collection of real-time critical information, assisting quick and accurate decision-making. This background raises the question of whether it is relevant to formally address this topic in academic-military undergraduation. The main hypothesis, that the …

The Potential Impact Of Simulation Based Learning In The Kosovo Security Force, Brikena Avdyli, Arbesa Zenuni

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

As the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) undergoes a strategic transformation into a fully operational military force, the need for modern and adaptive training methods has become increasingly urgent. While recent investments have focused on personnel growth, weapon procurement, and defense infrastructure, the integration of simulation-based learning (SBL) into training programs has not yet been considered. This study explores the potential of SBL - particularly virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and wargaming - as a tool for enhancing the readiness and adaptability of KSF personnel. Drawing on existing literature, the study evaluates the benefits and challenges of each technology in …

Modernizing Military Education In Kosovo: From Theory To Practice Through Innovation And Technology, Linda Ziberi, Dardan Syla

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

This paper examines the need for Kosovo's Military Academy (KMA) to modernize its education system, particularly its necessity to transition from a theory-based methodology to more modern and innovative teaching and training approaches that incorporate advanced technology. Despite ongoing institutional development, the Kosovo Military Academy continues to rely on traditional teaching methods, which limits its capacity to prepare cadets for the demands of modern military operations. Barriers such as limited funding, outdated infrastructure, and resistance to pedagogical change further complicate efforts to modernize.

To address these challenges, the paper advocates for the adoption of modern, learner-centered strategies, including Simulation and …

The Greatest Victory: Teaching Strategy And Peace Through Negotiation, W. Chad Austin

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

This article examines how structured negotiation instruction, centered on the Circle of Value framework, enhances the critical and strategic thinking skills of cadets at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA). Drawing on experiential learning, role-play simulations, and case studies—such as U.S.-China tensions over Taiwan—the article demonstrates how cadets apply integrative negotiation techniques to real-world geopolitical scenarios. The Circle of Value framework emphasizes interest-based negotiation, objective criteria, creative option generation, and the development of mutually beneficial outcomes. Through written analysis, live negotiation exercises, and reflective feedback, cadets build key competencies in communication, decision-making under pressure, and conflict resolution. The paper …

In Extremis: An International Perspective On Military Leadership Training In Extreme Situations, Sarah Von Felten

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

This comparative study explores how military leadership is developed and executed in extreme situations across diverse national contexts, including Switzerland, South Africa, India, Israel, and Canada. Each country adapts its leadership training and doctrine based on historical experiences, operational demands, and institutional culture. While some militaries, like Canada, emphasize values-based leadership aligned with democratic principles, others, such as India, prioritize cultural ethos and leading by example. Conscription-based systems like Israel’s and Switzerland`s rely heavily on early, experiential leadership, while professional forces like South Africa focus on psychological resilience and adaptability. Training approaches range from academic and doctrinal frameworks to immersive, …

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

Institutional And Regulatory Responses To Armed Robbery Against Ships : A Comparative Analysis Of Indonesia, Malaysia, And Philippines, Subhash Kumar Kakkuzhiyulla Parambath

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A History Unveiled: The French Civilizing Mission In Algeria And Contemporary Headscarf Debates, Fiona Garvey

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

Bans on face coverings are divisive in contemporary France, reflecting broader conflicts over reconciling religious identities with secularism. The concepts underlying these debates have transformed over the centuries. This comparative historical analysis covers the rise of imperial feminism in civilizing missions, its impact on Muslim women in colonial Algeria, and the extent to which imperial feminist ideologies persist in French debates over veiling. It finds that both the historical and contemporary French regimes centered on women’s status to legitimize Western domination and promote acculturation to European norms. However, these actions may only further oppress Muslim women by ignoring their agency …

Child Benefit Cash Transfers In Ireland And Canada: A Comparative Analysis Of Welfare Policy, Ang D. Lee

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

Child benefit programs involving periodic cash transfers to parents have become increasingly embraced by governments worldwide. This paper investigates policy variance between child benefit cash transfers in Ireland and Canada, two countries with ostensibly similar welfare states. While Canadian child benefits shrink as household income grows, in Ireland cash transfers are set at a universal flat rate that is irrespective of family circumstance. On the other hand, Canadian parents receive far more generous payouts than their Irish counterparts despite means-testing. To determine the drivers of such policy divergence, I empirically test six theoretical paradigms from literature by leveraging several cross-national …

Cv: Laurette Liesen (Political Science), Laurette Liesen

Political Science Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

An Introduction To Ecofeminist Thought For International Relations Students, Vivian Ike

International Relations - All Scholarship

This article introduces students of International Relations (IR) to ecofeminism, its diverse approaches, and critiques. Ecofeminism emerged in the 1970’s following the history of the intersection between the transnational women’s movement and the global environmental movement (Kelleher 2019).

Orientation Toward Consensus—The “Safest” Path For Teachers To Choose? A Response To “Agreement And Disagreement In Teachers Talk”, Stine Johansen Utler

Democracy & Education

In “Agreement and Disagreement in Teachers Talk” the author shows how Norwegian initial education teachers (Grades 1–4) are consensus-oriented in their facilitations of classroom deliberations. The author emphasizes what teachers say and do when they guide their pupils toward consensus, but reflections on why teachers are consensus-oriented are less prominent. In this response to “Agreement and Disagreement in Techers Talk,” I point to conditions and factors in the Norwegian society and the Norwegian educational context that might explain why a consensus orientation is prevalent among the teachers.

Government Communication Strategies And Citizen Participation: A Thematic Review, Ojonugwa Emmanuel, Andrew I. E. Ewoh

Journal of Public Management & Social Policy

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