Digital Commons Network^™

Impact Of Trap-Neuter-Return Programs On Municipal Spending, Natalie Maria Hanna

Student Theses and Dissertations

Trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs are an effective way to reduce the number of free-roaming cats without relying on euthanasia by preventing further reproduction. Despite substantial research into the effectiveness of TNR, few studies explore the financial implications of implementing TNR at the municipal level. The purpose of this research was to identify if there is a relationship between the implementation of TNR and municipal spending on animal services by analyzing annual budgets and financial reports pre- and post- TNR implementation in a single municipality alongside shelter data in the same time period. Findings in this research suggest that implementing a TNR …

Ending War, But Beginning Peace?, Alain Tschudin

New England Journal of Public Policy

The end of war, conventionally marked by the implementation of a ceasefire agreement, is popularly celebrated and politically lauded in the aftermath of extreme violence. However, the so- called “silencing of the guns” is regarded only as “negative peace” or first steps away from direct violence. What about beginning Peace? Johan Galtung, esteemed for his life work in peace studies, suggests that the situation after the cessation of hostilities might be worse than the status quo ante. With reference to contemporary violent conflict in the Middle East, focusing on hostilities between Israel and Palestine, I suggest that pursuing lasting “positive …

Land Access As Liberation: A Qualitative Study On Faith, Food, And Farming Of Urban And Rural Black Land Stewards In The United States, Dominique Edwards

Dissertations

Since 1920, Black farmers in the United States have held less than 2% of the nation's farmland, a direct result of race-based discriminatory policies embedded within federal, state, local, and county-level institutions (Daniel, 2013). Structural barriers—ranging from exclusionary lending practices by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the systematic dispossession of land through legal loopholes, heirs’ property laws, and violent racial terror—have contributed to this staggering decline in Black land ownership (Gilbert et al., 2002). The erosion of Black agrarian landholdings intensified in the latter half of the 20th century, as government programs, civil rights legislation, and technological advancements, …

Infrastructural Splintering Along The Bri: Catholic Political Ecologies And The Fractious Futures Of Sri Lanka’S Littoral Spaces, Orlando Woods

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This article considers the ways in which the material infrastructures of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) intersect with other infrastructural formations, and how the resulting overlaps can trigger processes of what I call “infrastructural splintering”. These processes cause infrastructure to be experienced in differentiating ways, creating divisive politics where there might once have been unity. Embracing these politics as an analytical starting point undermines the techno-material stability of the BRI, and reveals its more-than-material affects. I illustrate these ideas by developing a case study of the effects of the China-backed Colombo Port City project on Catholic fishing communities that …

The Role Of Arkansas Rural Libraries In Cultural Capital Development, Callie Spear Embry

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the role of rural public libraries in Arkansas in fostering cultural capital development among youth. By employing a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative analysis from the 2022 Arkansas Public Library Survey and qualitative insights gathered from semi-structured interviews with rural librarians, the research investigates three core questions: (1) How do rural libraries impact youth cultural capital development? (2) In what ways can these libraries enhance their effectiveness in this area? (3) How do librarians perceive their roles in this developmental process?

Findings indicate that rural libraries serve as pivotal cultural coordinators and community hubs, positively affecting youth engagement …

Engaging Youth In Philanthropic Practice: Field-Building Strategies And The Promise Of Youth-Possible Philanthropy™, Kimberlin D. Butler

The Foundation Review

Traditional philanthropy has largely been top-down, with communities — including youth — having limited decision-making power. Despite philanthropy’s recent shift toward participatory approaches, young people in these historically excluded communities are often ignored as contributors to philanthropic strategy.

Youth-Possible Philanthropy™ (YPP) offers a new, emerging theoretical framework that proposes to shift this dynamic by positioning youth as co-creators and possibility catalysts in philanthropic governance and strategy. YPP is grounded in possibility development, participatory approaches, and trust-based philanthropy.

The article provides strategies for operationalizing YPP. Case examples illustrate how YPP can foster authentic power-sharing and bridge gaps in philanthropic practice.

The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Transit In The San Francisco Bay Area, Richard W. Lee, David B. Reinke, Christopher E. Ferrell, Charles Rivasplata, John M. Eells, Luana Chen

Mineta Transportation Institute

This report presents the findings from our study for the California State Assembly Transportation Committee on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Bay Area Transit. The study consisted of a review of the literature on the effects of the pandemic on transit in the US, a detailed look at changes in ridership and economics for Bay Area transit agencies, comparisons of Bay Area transit ridership changes to those in similar US metropolitan areas, and analysis of possible remedies to restore the financial health of Bay Area transit agencies. Bay Area transit ridership has recovered somewhat from the depths of …

Mitigating American Wealth Inequality With Universal Basic Income: Perceptions From Social Service Professionals, Caitlin Dinneen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Extreme wealth disparities between the richest and poorest Americans are a problem in the United States. Although the existing literature has established mixed results regarding the efficacy of universal basic income as a tool to alleviate income inequality, no one has studied the perspectives of social service professionals in Minnesota. The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of Minnesota based social service professionals regarding universal basic income through the lens of Benet’s polarities of democracy framework. The research question for this study was what are the perceptions of Minnesota based social service professionals regarding the potential impact …

The Role Of Affordable Housing In Enhancing Tenants' Economic Stability In Connecticut: A Focus On Income, Employment, And Housing Stability, Osaid Zubi

Dissertations

This study examined the role of affordable housing in promoting economic stability among low- and moderate-income households in Connecticut. Focusing on income security, employment opportunities, and housing retention, this research highlighted the significance of affordable housing as a means to alleviate financial strain, support job retention, and foster community resilience. Utilizing a phenomenological approach, the study gathered insights from tenants, policymakers, and developers through conducting interviews and a focus group. Connecticut was chosen as the study site due to its high cost of living and affordable housing shortage, exacerbated by its proximity to New York City. Findings underscore the economic …

Working Paper: The Role Of Nafeer And Social Networks In Sudan’S Humanitarian Response And The Challenges For International Aid, Mazin Sharfi

The Journal of Social Encounters

This paper explores the integral role of Nafeer, a traditional Sudanese communal practice, and social networks in addressing humanitarian crises, focusing on the ongoing 2023 conflict. Nafeer, rooted in rural agricultural settings, has evolved to mobilise urban communities for emergency responses, while social networks extend social support beyond family ties, providing a complementary layer of resource-sharing. Both systems, decentralised and grassroots in nature, contrast sharply with formal international aid structures. The research highlights how Nafeer and social networks mobilise resources through traditional means, such as mobilising social capital and economic resources including remittances, and modern mechanisms, like crowdfunding. It underscores …

Promoting Equity: Embracing Food Justice In The Transformation Of The Food Systems For Bipoc Communities, Frank Yeboah Adusei

Journal of Extension

The food justice movement addresses systemic food inequities impacting BIPOC communities, rooted in civil rights and environmental justice movements. It advocates for fair access to culturally relevant food, combating food deserts, and promoting food sovereignty. Recognizing intersectionality, it emphasizes collaboration to dismantle systemic barriers. This study aims to understand BIPOC communities' challenges and effective strategies, stressing the importance of collaborative efforts for lasting systemic change. Extension professionals face challenges but can contribute through equity-focused strategies, community engagement, and partnerships, advancing food justice and fostering inclusive food systems.

The Jamaica Now Leadership Council: A Study Of Stakeholder Participation In The Revitalization Of Downtown Jamaica, Queens, Melva M. Miller

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Urban revitalization in the United States has often been characterized by uneven community development, where marginalized communities bear the costs while receiving limited benefits. This dissertation examines how the dynamics of stakeholder participation impacts the practice of Community Economic Development (CED), focusing on the Jamaica Now Leadership Council (JNLC) as a case study. Formed to oversee the Jamaica Now Neighborhood Action Plan, the JNLC represents a model of inclusive, stakeholder-driven urban development aimed at addressing historical disinvestment and promoting equitable economic growth in Downtown Jamaica, Queens.

The study explores how power dynamics, stakeholder histories, and role expectations shape participation in …

Massachusetts Community Mediation Center Grant Program Fiscal Year 2024 Report And Evaluation, Madhawa Palihapitiya, Karina Zeferino

Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration Publications

In FY2024, the Commonwealth allocated $3,213,465 to the CMC Grant Program, supplemented by $149,674 carried over from FY2023, for a total of $3,363,139. Of the total funding, $2,542,100 (76%) was awarded to Centers in grants and technical assistance, with Centers leveraging these funds to secure an additional $2,199,813 from private foundations and other state, local, and federal sponsors. These grants supported Centers’ participation in CMC Grant Program related statewide programs, including the Housing Mediation Program (HMP), Reentry Mediation Program (ReMAp), Youth Conflict Resolution and Restorative Practices Program (Youth Program), and DEI organizational capacity-building initiatives. These grants bolstered staffing infrastructure, enabling …

Finding Our Way: Three Studies On The Evolving Role Of Arts Nonprofits In Contemporary Society, Trevor Meagher

Public Affairs Dissertations - Archive

Arts nonprofits play vital roles in defining the character of a community. However, our collective relationship with these organizations is evolving. This article-based dissertation leverages mixed methods to explore arts nonprofits’ evolving relationship with society.

The first article conceptually analyzes historical trends in arts advocacy in the United States. It explores how the arguments organizational supporters make in the hopes of securing financial and public support have developed and shifted in popularity over the past half-century. These streams are thematically connected through an emphasis on utilitarianism and value-extraction, and they have historically been employed in almost completely static proportion to …

Adaptive Leadership In Hbcus: Navigating Hybrid Work Dynamics In A Post-Pandemic Era, Brittney A. Brooks

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Leaders of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) institutions influence retention rates of HBCU employees. An organization's culture determines the behavior of its employees. When assumptions regarding organizational structure were made, communication about the company's expectations was often ignored, leading to employees becoming accustomed to the culture and resistant to change. This mindset hindered HBCU growth and the willingness to address the urgency for policy revisions. As institutions continue to transition post-COVID, adjusting human resource policies at HBCUs to cater to the individual needs of these employees is needed to maintain retention.

This exploratory mixed-methods research study investigated leadership in …

Collaborative Governance: Promoting Farmland Ownership Among Racial Minorities In Maryland, Jared T. Meacham

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This study aimed to understand how Collaborative Governance processes have been used to promote farmland ownership among racial minorities in Maryland. The ownership of farmland within the state of Maryland has been influenced by historical, political, and social dynamics, specifically those pertaining to racial and cultural minorities. The study attempted to gain clarity on this topic by incorporating a mixed-methods research methodology that included narrative interviews and an online survey. Over 200 potential participants were identified using internet-based sourcing, including personal websites, social media pages, and farming-related publications. However, only five participants completed the narrative interview portion of the study, …

Building A Culture Of Preparedness: Using Community Emergency Response Teams To Promote Preparedness Behavior, Joseph Faulk

Theses and Dissertations

Communities throughout the nation use the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program to supplement the disaster response after hazard events as well as help build a culture of preparedness. Currently, practitioners and academics have limited knowledge about how CERTs promote enhanced preparedness postures. To address that knowledge gap, 20 CERT program managers were interviewed in this study to improve the general understanding of how CERTs contribute to developing a preparedness culture. The results identify program activities, objectives, and measures. In addition, this study introduces the Preparedness Behavior Change Model and collects feedback on its usefulness, which suggests it has a …

Where Does The Money Go? Three Essays On Intergovernmental Transfers, Spending, And Poverty In Indonesia, Jacobus Cd Rijoly

Theses and Dissertations--Public Policy and Administration

Indonesia allocates substantial intergovernmental transfers to local governments; nonetheless, the decrease in poverty remains limited. This dissertation posits that the binding constraint is institutional, specifically the regulations and incentives that dictate the extent to which funds are allocated from the government to designated programs. Institutional pass-through refers to the fraction of a transfer that is allocated to a program expenditure. The three essays integrate estimation, budget composition evidence, and a formal model to explain both modest average effects and heterogeneity across regions and programs.

The first essay evaluates the impact of transfers on provincial poverty from 2001 to 2022 by …

Healing Communities With Police Divestment: Seeking Abolition Through Transformative Reform And Community-Government Collaboration, Jessica E. Gillson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Concerns about the efficacy and sustainability of the U.S. carceral system have persisted throughout the country’s history, recently fueling renewed activism and bipartisan calls for reform. However, proposed solutions remain divisive. This thesis first defines the current status of our prison systems, then explores collaborative alternatives to incarceration and policing that support communities and break cycles of incarceration.

Focusing on partnerships among local governments, community organizations, justice-involved individuals, and law enforcement, this study examines holistic approaches to crime prevention, reentry, and reintegration. Using an interdisciplinary framework incorporating restorative justice, community resilience, and systems theory, it investigates how community-based strategies can …

Preparing The Built Environment In Grenada For Future Sea Level Rise And Extreme Precipitation Events, Rocco D. Boyd, Meagan P. Duncan, Alivia D. Markham, Adelle K. Novak, Blaizen B. Bloom, Ashawne Edwards, Jai S. Lewis, Hans-Peter Plag

CCPO Publications

[Introduction] Communities across the globe are being affected by climate change in numerous ways. However, those most often affected, especially by sea level rise, are those small island nations that are pressed for space already; this includes the island of Grenada. Grenada is located in the southern portion of the Caribbean and is bordered by the Caribbean Sea (West) and the Atlantic Ocean (East). The planning and development authority (PDA) has been identified as the main stakeholder involved in this case study, but recommendations will be made to all parties involved to best accomplish our mission.

Key stakeholders were initially …

The New Urbanism In New York City: A Case Study Comparing Battery Park City And Alphabet City, Lena Farley

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis examines two Manhattan neighborhoods, Battery Park City and Alphabet City, through the lens of New Urbanism—an urban planning approach developed in the 1990s. New Urbanist principles prioritize walkability, connectivity, mixed-use development, diversity, varied housing options, architectural quality, green transportation, sustainability, and accessible green spaces. While Battery Park City represents a top-down, master-planned New Urbanist neighborhood based on a 1979 plan, Alphabet City emerged from the 1811 Manhattan grid with significant community-driven design, notably through community gardens and grassroots initiatives. Using a mixed-methods approach including residential surveys, qualitative, and quantitative analyses, this research investigates how these neighborhoods embody New …

Comparative Analysis Of Community Solar Energy Programs For Developing Sustainable Solar Initiatives In Lexington-Fayette County, Kentucky, Benjamin Kokkonen, Nelson Stone, Widodo Tri Saputro

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The transition to renewable energy is a critical policy priority for Lexington-Fayette County, Kentucky, as the city aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. However, expanding solar energy presents a complex challenge: increasing renewable energy capacity while preserving the county’s prime agricultural land. This capstone examines how community solar programs in Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey can inform the development of a sustainable and equitable solar initiative in Lexington.

Using a comparative program analysis of three state-level community solar models, the research evaluates policies on site selection, financial incentives, equity measures, regulatory enforcement, and program implementation. Findings indicate …

Position: Benchmarking Is Broken - Don't Let Ai Be Its Own Judge, Zerui Cheng, Stella Wohnig, Ruchika Gupta, Samiul Alam, Tassallah Abdullahi, João Alves Ribeiro, Christian Nielsen-Garcia, Saif Mir, Siran Li, Jason Orender, Seyed Ali Bahrainian, Daniel Kirste, Aaron Gokaslan, Carsten Eickhoff, Pramod Viswanath, Ruben Wolff

Computer Science Faculty Publications

The meteoric rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), with its rapidly expanding market capitalization, presents both transformative opportunities and critical challenges. Chief among these is the urgent need for a new, unified paradigm for trustworthy evaluation, as current benchmarks increasingly reveal critical vulnerabilities. Issues like data contamination and selective reporting by model developers fuel hype, while inadequate data quality control can lead to biased evaluations that, even if unintentionally, may favor specific approaches. As a flood of participants enters the AI space, this "Wild West" of assessment makes distinguishing genuine progress from exaggerated claims exceptionally difficult. Such ambiguity blurs scientific signals …

A Critical Review Of The Theory And Practice Of Local And Community Development As It Relates To South Dublin County, Paula Donovan

Masters

This research was undertaken in the context of the Local Government Reform Act 2014, which established new governance and management structures for local and community development in Ireland. The reforms included the establishment of Public Participation Networks (PPNs) and Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs), that were designed to work with Local Volunteer Centres, Local Development Companies, and the Local Authority, to bring about a more coherent and integrated approach to community development at local level. This research interrogates the evolution of the new framework, using South Dublin County as a case study. Linking theory, policy, and practice, it critically evaluates …

When Is It Convenient For Indigenous Women To Influence State Policies?, Alaide Vences Estudillo, Norma Don Juan Pérez, Patricia Torres Sandoval, Fabiola Del Jurado Mendoza

Peace and Conflict Studies

This paper examines the difficulties that a network of Indigenous women in Mexico deal with when they seek peace for their people under a hybrid political structure. This paper discusses some distinctive aspects of the politics that these women engage in, how they conceive their political ideas, and how they use these ideas to structurally transform the colonial relationship that the liberal state maintains toward their people. They devise various strategies to influence state policies and to withstand the discrimination they face whenever they participate in democratic affairs.

Community Quarantines And Social Protection Programs: Philippine Pandemic Response Viewed Through The Human Security Framework, Leslie Advincula-Lopez, Jessica Sandra R. Claudio, Haraya Marikit C. Mendoza

Development Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Transformative Effect Of Community Managed Nature Tourism On Community Empowerment In Odisha: Perspective From Local Residents, Jagadish Behera, Rajdeep Deb

Journal of Tourism Insights

In this study, an attempt was made to examine the relationships between community managed nature tourism and community empowerment from the local residents’ perspective, as well as to test how these relationships varied among different demographic characteristics of residents. For this study, five hypotheses were proposed based on the review of literature and tested using residents living near the protected nature camps in Odisha. A cross-sectional survey was carried out on 184 local residents selected from across the eight nature camps of Odisha. The variables examined in this study included residents' gender, age, education, occupation, and income. Data analysis was …

A Qualitative Examination Of Factors Potentially Impacting Displacement Of Historically Black Communities, Daffney Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Historically, Black communities have often been discussed in the context of crime and poverty; however, most Black communities were flourishing neighborhoods with businesses, churches, and schools. Most of the literature related to gentrification and displacement does not address the root causes of the disappearance of Black communities, which generally centers on policies, legislation, force-outs, economic development, and racial disparities. This case study aimed to explore the displacement of a suburban historically Black community in St. Louis County, Missouri. Scholars have scarcely examined or written about the history of Black communities. The research question sought to explore the impact of displacement …

Negara Hukum Kesejahteraan Di Batas Pantai: Paradoks Perlindungan Negara Terhadap Masyarakat Pesisir Di Tengah Perubahan Iklim, Aji Baskoro

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Climate change poses significant challenges to vulnerable coastal communities in Indonesia. As a welfare state, the Indonesian government is expected to safeguard these vulnerable groups through policies that promote their welfare and sustainable livelihoods. However, current policies create a paradox. This article explores this paradox: on the one hand, Indonesia adheres to the welfare state principle, which demands that all government actions be grounded in law, ensuring public safety and welfare. On the other hand, the policies focus on exploiting natural resources, exacerbating the vulnerabilities of coastal communities, particularly in the face of climate change. The article employs a normative …

Seeding Impact: Shifting From Orchestration To Emergence, Marilyn Darling, Veena Pankaj

The Foundation Review

The 2016 Foundation Review article “Emergent Learning: A Framework for Whole-System Strategy, Learning and Adaptation” talked about what an emergent strategy promises — to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Has this prediction played out in practice? Since it appeared in 2016, what has the growing community of Emergent Learning practitioners learned about what it takes to seed and grow impact?

This article addresses those questions, drawing on interviews with Emergent Learning Community members to illustrate what EL looks like in practice and how it is producing results that are emergent in nature. It …