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No More 9/11s: Reconceptualizing National Security And The Creation Of An American Garrison State., Jacob M. Waxman

Political Science Honors Projects

The NSA’s electronic surveillance program unsettled many Americans as an abuse of government power. In my research I reconcile this program with traditional American civil-military relations and conceptions of national security. I apply these theories to the Cold War and War on Terror, exploring how in both cases the US built a national security state using legislation, bureaucracy, and legitimizing rhetoric to respond to the Soviet and terrorist threats. I find that 9/11 expanded the American conception of national security, which precipitated the NSA surveillance program. Without significant public and Congressional pushback, the current national security state is likely to …

Nationalism And The Pressures Of War In 1812, Christie E. Pearce

Oglethorpe Journal of Undergraduate Research

One of the least understood wars in America's history-- the War of 1812-- gets a bad reputation for being a conflict without a victor. This paper strives to examine how the causes and actions of the war influenced the nationalistic culture of the US and eventually led to regional hegemony.

Girls With Guns : The Disarmament And Demobilization Of Female Ex-Combatants In Africa., Emily Katherine Maiden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the passing of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325, states recovering from violence have worked to integrate females into peacemaking and peacebuilding processes. However, many states—particularly in Africa—struggle to craft policy that properly integrates female ex-combatants into disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programs. Much of the literature on this subject focuses on how women and girls are reintegrated and rehabilitated into civilian society. However, the first vital steps in the DDR process are disarmament and demobilization. Utilizing the Peace Accords Matrix, I analyze a number of recent cases in Africa to examine ways in which DDR policy can be improved …

Hollywood’S Invention Of The Native American, And The Myth Of The Cowboy As A History, Kathleen Labbe

All Theses And Dissertations

A major institution in perpetuating beliefs of Native Americans as the “other” during the Twentieth Century was the Hollywood Western. This highly popular genre perpetuated the myth of Native Americans as the “other,” an animal like savage that could be saved only with the intervention and assimilation of White ideals and society. This paper focuses on the following questions. Firstly, why and how has the Native American been continuingly labeled, invented, and accepted as the other both in American academia and the cultural consciousness? Lastly, how has the myth of the good, white, rugged pioneer cowboy versus the savage Native …

U.S. Relationships With Iran, Israel, And Pakistan: A Realist Explanation, Aaron Daniel Coates

Master's Theses

The purpose of this work is to assess U.S. relations with Iran, Israel, and Pakistan throughout the Cold War into the contemporary age of Islamic extremism. It demonstrates how the international relations theory of realism is most applicable to these relations when compared to the four competing theories of neorealism, liberalism, neoliberal institutionalism, and constructivism. Each case study is examined and evaluated in full detail. Particular emphasis is allotted to variables such as foreign aid, interventionism, sanctions, geography, and political and cultural similarities. The thesis concludes by offering a brief explanation as to the lessons that should be learned from …

The Role Of American Tyranny In Iran's Nuclear Production: The Framework Of Public Law 112-158 Iran Threat Reduction Act Of 2011, Kimberly Jones

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

The use of war pretext in foreign policy has been studied for decades. Several theories have established how pretext are used to manage public opinions about war. Arguably, the U.S. government uses pretext to obscure the awkwardness of justifying aggressive or offensive activities to the public. U.S. accusations of Iran’s development of nuclear weapons give justification for imposing economic sanctions, but it is an act of war. Public Law 112-158 penalizes states that pay Iran for its oil. Given its current economic weakness, the U.S. government must wield its military power to retain its global preeminence. Oil that is not …

The Arab Spring’S Four Seasons: International Protections And The Sovereignty Problem, Jillian Blake, Aqsa Mahmud

Penn State Journal of Law & International Affairs (2012 - Present)

In December 2010, public demonstrations erupted throughout the Middle East against autocratic regimes, igniting a regional political transformation known as the Arab Spring. Depending on events, modern international criminal and humanitarian law provided certain protections to vulnerable populations. However, international law did not provide a uniform degree of protection to civilians and combatants who faced similar circumstances. This Article argues for a uniform standard of protections for all populations affected by armed conflict, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. It evaluates each of five major Arab Spring uprisings (Tunisia, Bahrain, Egypt, Syria, and Libya) and describes the legal protections that …

Are There Cracks In The Democratic Peace?, James Farmer

Honors College Theses

The Democratic Peace Principle is both a well-documented and a heavily scrutinized element of International Relations theory. My research aims to further analyze the principle to determine more precise conditions under which conflict can arise between democratic states. More specifically, my research analyzes the amount of conflict between democratic states of differing military and economic capabilities in order to see if such dyads have different dynamics than dyads with comparable military and economic might. If there are differing degrees of the democratic peace based on factors such as military and economic strength, this could indicate where future wars between democratic …

The Emergence Of Feral And Criminal Cities: U.S. Military Implications In A Time Of Austerity, Robert J. Bunker

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

This Land Warfare Paper considers the nature of the emerging global security environment. With the spread of economic liberalism that gained foothold after the conclusion of the Cold War, one might think that the 21st century is the perfect time for the modern democratic state to be a ubiquitous institution. However, between power vacuums developing in formerly autocratic states and economic troubles becoming more prevalent, the atmosphere of the world is increasingly toxic to the values upheld in Western democracy. With that being the case, nation building, and even city building, is presently beyond the scope of the diminishing resources …

The Futility Of Insurgent Leader Assassination, Arian Sharifi

Ex-Patt Magazine

Questioning the utility of using drones to kill insurgent leaders. Lessons for policy makers.

Mixed Motives? Explaining The Decision To Integrate Militaries At Civil War's End, Caroline A. Hartzell

Political Science Faculty Publications

Book Summary: Negotiating a peaceful end to civil wars, which often includes an attempt to bring together former rival military or insurgent factions into a new national army, has been a frequent goal of conflict resolution practitioners since the Cold War. In practice, however, very little is known about what works, and what doesn't work, in bringing together former opponents to build a lasting peace.

Contributors to this volume assess why some civil wars result in successful military integration while others dissolve into further strife, factionalism, and even renewed civil war. Eleven cases are studied in detail—Sudan, Zimbabwe, Lebanon, Rwanda, …

Facing The Apocalypse: Bomb Shelters And National Policy In Eisenhower’S Second Term, Angela A. Badore

Student Publications

This paper explores the issues of civilian defense from a federal perspective during Eisenhower’s second term, particularly focusing on the issue of bomb shelters during the period from 1956-1958. Despite widespread efforts to promote bomb shelters, or fallout shelters, during this period, no significant progress was made toward a federal program. By examining federal efforts such as the Holifield Committee, the Gaither Committee, Operation Alert, and the National Shelter Policy, this paper shows that efforts to set up shelter programs actually made the public and the Eisenhower administration less likely to trust such programs at all.

The War Powers Resolution Of 1973 And Its Relevance In The “War On Terror”, Samuel Day

Political Science Theses and Capstones

In September of 2013, President Obama asked Congress to take a vote that would authorize the United States to use military drones against the Syrian army and provide support for the Syrian rebels. This action by President Obama raised the question that many have been wondering since the creation of our country, who has the power to declare war and initiate hostilities against those who threaten the United States? My thesis focuses on the War Powers Resolution of 1973 and the arguments surrounding its Constitutionality, specifically the arguments supporting the Executive or Legislative branches. For my research supporting the argument …

James Demeo, Saharasia, The 4000 Bce Origins Of Child Abuse, Sex-Repression, Warfare, And Social Violence In The Deserts Of The Old World, Laina Farhat-Holzman

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

Democratic Counterinsurgents: How Democracies Can Prevail In Irregular Warfare, William Roland Patterson

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation answers the question of whether or not democracies can win counterinsurgency conflicts. This is done first through an analysis of the arguments made by those who claim that democracies are uniquely incapable of doing so due to various limitations imposed by public opinion as well as the arguments of those who argue that democracies can win such conflicts given the correct strategy. Secondly, the question is investigated through an examination of three case studies: Malaysia, Vietnam, and Iraq. This analysis demonstrates that the arguments against the ability of democracies to win counterinsurgencies is not as strong as many …

North Korea: Madman Or Rational Actor, Daniel Skidmore, Dr. Raymond Christiansen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Some experts have stated that North Korea is a good example of an illogical regime, which, to a lesser or greater extent, adheres to the madman theory. The madman theory emphasizes that states will sometimes purposefully act in a random or irrational nature of violence in the hope that other nations will be afraid to deal forcefully with them. Knowing whether this commonly held belief is correct or not is an important step to solving the Korea problem.

The Congo As A Case Study: The Making Of Unipolarity, Justin Tepper

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The current international system has been described by some as unipolar. After World War II, the United States was able to develop and solidify a liberal international order built upon multilateralist principles but founded upon American military and economic supremacy. As a result of the orders success, it has become global. The Cold War is generally understood as the conflict between the liberal capitalistic American-led order and the Marxist-Leninist Soviet-centered bloc. To fully understand the making of unipolarity, however, scholars must shift their focus to the process of decolonization and the intra-NATO tensions that developed. This paper will use the …

The Silent Guerrillas: Under Slavery, In Peasant Politics, And Throughout The Industrial And Social Factories, Kevin Van Meter

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In the work that follows, I will examine what political theorist James C. Scott calls "the hidden transcripts" of social struggle, which are written between the lines of the political record through the quotidian and clandestine practices of resistance and mutual aid that are the first and last recourse of subjugated populations. By engaging with literature on contemporary and historical social movements, I will explore the emergence and brief legibility of these practices among chattel slaves in the American South, the peasantry in various settings, and in a number of other industrial and social settings in an attempt to determine …

Advocate, February 2014, Vol. [25], No. [3], Advocate

The Advocate

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

From the Editor's Desk: The New Chancellor and You (p. 3)

CUNY News in Brief (p. 5)

Guest Columnist: People of Color Are Losing the Vote, Amy Goodman and Denis Moynihan (p. 9)

Guest Columnist: When a University Hospital Backs a Surgical Robot, Controversy Ensues, Charles Ornstein (p. 10)

Social Illness: Reactions to Patient’s Tweets Broach a Brave New World of Health Visibility, Collette Sosnowy (p. 13)

Academic Freedom and the Boycott, Kristofer Petersen-Overton (p. 15)

Not Backing Down: Protests at City College over Morales/Shakur Expose CUNY at Its Most Oppressive, Michael Stivers (p. 18)

This Article …

Peacebuilding After Civil War, Caroline A. Hartzell

Political Science Faculty Publications

Book Summary: This comprehensive new Handbook explores the significance and nature of armed intrastate conflict and civil war in the modern world. Civil wars and intrastate conflict represent the principal form of organised violence since the end of World War II, and certainly in the contemporary era. These conflicts have a huge impact and drive major political change within the societies in which they occur, as well as on an international scale. The global importance of recent intrastate and regional conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Somalia, Nepal, Cote d'Ivoire, Syria and Libya – amongst others – has served to refocus …

For Right And Might: The Militarization Of The Cold War And The Remaking Of American Democracy, Michael Brenes

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation examines how Cold War defense spending shaped the evolution of American political culture and public policy from the 1940s until the 1990s. It argues that the Cold War economy contributed to the realignment of American politics in the postwar era. The fight against global communism abroad altered the structure, purpose, and public perception of the federal government following World War II, but also subsidized corporations, suburban communities, and individuals affected by defense spending. The militarization of the Cold War therefore created various dependents of America's military and defense apparatus that continuously pressed for more defense spending during the …

Indonesia Beyond Reformasi: Necessity And The “De-Centering” Of Democracy, Leonard C. Sebastian, Jonathan Chen, Adhi Priamarizki

Maryland Series in Contemporary Asian Studies

We argue that Indonesia’s path to democracy was borne out of necessity brought about by a state of extreme precariousness and then molded by its lack thereof. Its lack thereof precisely reflected the internal power struggle and elite competition between remnant groups of the New Order vying under a different set of circumstances. Notwithstanding the given peculiarities of Indonesia’s transition, the current state of democracy in Indonesia is clearly one that is also shaped by the patrimonial character of the New Order. While imminent necessity acts as a temporary stop to ensure that these predatory tendencies of Indonesia’s political system …

Keeping The Mexican Moment Alive: A Case For Public Diplomacy, Fernando De La Mora

Exchange: The Journal of Public Diplomacy

Despite a sound political and economic outlook, Mexico’s international image has been on a roller coaster ride. After years of downward spiral, the Mexican moment has again raised expectations. However, structural and systemic factors hamper Mexican public diplomacy at a time when keeping that positive momentum is critical for the country’s national interests. The systemic challenge for all emerging nations derives from widespread confusion and uncertainty regarding future power shifts and dynamics. Whether the world is to be multilpolar, nonpolar, or interpolar, public diplomacy will play an important role in accomplishing foreign policy objectives. Unlike other emerging countries, Mexico has …

International Relations Syllabus, Spring 2014, Steven Alan Samson

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

War As Political Work: Using Social Science For Strategic Success, Matthew J. Schmidt

Political Science Faculty Publications

Army culture favors a quantitative/predictive approach to analyze problems. The author argues, however, that strategic thinking requires the relative subjectivity of a qualitative approach to problem solving.

Op-Ed: Not Your Grandfather's Insurgency - Criminal, Spiritual, And Plutocratic, Robert J. Bunker

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

...Quite possibly, while it now finds itself in a reflective mood, the corporate Army will be more receptive to some of the insights provided herein, concerning the new forms of insurgencies. But first, before delving into how new insurgency forms are “new,” we must ask the question what insurgencies were like in your grandfather’s day.

Winning Well: Civil Resistance Mechanisms Of Success, Democracy, And Civil Peace, Jonathan C. Pinckney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Several recent studies indicate that revolutions of non-violent civil resistance lead to more democratic and peaceful political transitions than either violent revolutions or elite-led political transitions. However, this general trend has not been disaggregated to explain the many prominent cases where nonviolent revolutions are followed by authoritarianism or civil war. Understanding these divergent cases is critical, particularly in light of the problematic transitions following the "Arab Spring" revolutions of 2011. In this paper I explain why nonviolent revolutions sometimes lead to these negative outcomes. I show, through quantitative analysis of a dataset of all successful non-violent revolutions from 1900-2006 and …

Elections And Asset Pricing: The Politically Sensitive Equity Of Us Military Contractors, Matthew Mark Ross

Wayne State University Dissertations

I quantify the relationship between political uncertainty and equity volatility in the months around US elections from 1989-2012. The Economic Policy Uncertainty Index and Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) data are employed to measure political uncertainty faced by military contractors, capitalizing on the unique monopsony-oligopoly business environment of these firms. I employ a GARCH (1,1) model with cross-sectionally correlated moments to produce daily firm-election volatility measures. Volatility increases 11% for local, 27% for midterm, and 43% for presidential elections. These measures demonstrate that all election categories: local, federal, presidential, and midterm exhibit differential effects on equity volatility. My results …

Angelo Codevilla: To Make And Keep Peace Among Ourselves And With All Nations Study Guide, 2014, Steven Alan Samson

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Erik Von Kuehnelt-Leddihn: The Intelligent American's Guide To Europe (1979) Study Guide, 2002-2014, Steven Alan Samson

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.