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International Mediation In The Sudan Conflict: A Critical Appraisal And Alternative Tracks, The Initiative Research And Analysis Committee The Sudanese Initiative To Stop The War And Build Peace

The Journal of Social Encounters

Extensive international intervention is one of the most prominent features of the ongoing war in Sudan since early 2023. As a result of the conflict that erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, Sudan is witnessing what is widely recognized as one of the most severe humanitarian crises in modern history; It has been characterized by massive displacement, large-scale refugee flows, and famine, along with widespread human rights violations and crimes against humanity—both direct and indirect consequences of military operations that have raged across thirteen of Sudan’s states, where the Rapid Support Forces are actively …

The Rights Of Religious Minorities In Sudan: A Case Study Of Armenians, Jon Armajani

The Journal of Social Encounters

This essay examines the constitutions of the Republic of Sudan and minority rights, with a focus on Armenians in that country.  It provides (1) the demographics of Sudan; (2) an overview of the Armenians of Sudan; (3) a history of Sudan’s constitutions; (4) an analysis of their provisions and related laws on minority rights, citizenship, naturalization, and inheritance; (5) an overview of Sudan’s civil war, which began on April 15, 2023, and (6) a concluding section which analyzes risks to Armenians and other religious and ethnic minorities in Sudan.

Magnifica Humanitas, The ‘Universal Destination Of Goods,’ And Social Movements, John Sniegocki

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Leo’S Choices, Katherine G. Schmidt

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Artificial Intelligence And The Rediscovery Of The Human: An Islamic Reflection On Magnifica Humanitas, Mazhar Ali Bari, Biliana Popova

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

A Catalyst For Change: The Extraordinary Anaka Women’S Collective During The June 2026 Belfast Pogrom, Dianne Kirby

The Journal of Social Encounters

Prompted by the pogrom that erupted in Belfast in June this year, this article explores how a women’s collective, Anaka, established by female asylum seekers, refugees and migrants (ASRMs) less than a decade previously, took the lead in ensuring the safety and welfare of the city’s migrant communities in a context where they were horrifically failed by police and politicians, by the state and the institutions meant to protect them. Anaka began as a small-scale endeavour to mitigate the difficulties confronting women struggling to navigate a harsh asylum system. It became a widely respected advocacy and campaigning group for ASRMs. …

Operation Metro Surge In Central Minnesota: A Personal Perspective, Pedro A. G. Dos Santos

The Journal of Social Encounters

This essay provides a personal account, grounded in social science intellectual traditions and methods, of Operation Metro Surge and its aftermath in Central Minnesota. Emphasizing the differences between what happened in Central Minnesota (and other rural areas in the state) and what happened in the Twin Cities Metro area, this essay focuses on two events to contextualize the ways in which Operation Metro Surge disrupted the lives of immigrants and of the Minnesotans trying to protect their neighbors.

Rethinking Women, Peace And Security In Southern Africa: Patriarchy, Policies, And Perspectives, Kgomotso Komane

The Journal of Social Encounters

Southern Africa is a relatively peaceful region, however, it has witnessed a range of diverse, multiple and ongoing conflicts that have prompted various peace interventions from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), neighbouring countries and international actors. An astounding pattern is revealed when observing the involvements of all the actors in the peace interventions. What is revealed is that, till present day, women remain marginalised in peace processes despite existing structures and policies that reaffirm their rightful participation in these processes. Rethinking women’s role in peace and security is necessary because existing approaches to peace are shaped by patriarchal norms. …

Genocide By Algorithm In Gaza: Artificial Intelligence, Countervailing Responsibility, And The Corruption Of Public Discourse, Branislav Radeljić

The Journal of Social Encounters

The accelerating integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into military systems[i] raises major concerns across fields such as security studies, international public law, and critical technology studies. As warned in 2023, “[t]he world’s major military powers have begun a race to wire AI into warfare. […] No one is inviting AI to formulate a grand strategy, or join a meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. But the same seductive logic that accelerated the nuclear arms race could over a period of years, propel AI up the chain of command.”[ii] In the military domain, algorithmic systems function as epistemic …

The Erosion Of International Norms And The Crisis Of Global Leadership In The Era Of Selective Warfare, Farhia Abdi

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Un-African Union Cooperation In Darfur: Multilevel Governance In Action And The Future Of International-Regional Peace Operations, Philip Mutio

The Journal of Social Encounters

This paper will explore the changing dynamics between global and regional governance frameworks using the example of the UN partnership with regional and sub-regional organizations in the management of intricate peace and security issues. The analysis is anchored on the case of African Union–United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), an example of layered governance, to examine the effect of coordination problems, operational difficulties, and joint mission performance in the areas of peace talks, post-conflict reconstruction, and civilian protection. Along with persistent issues including scarce resources, political instability, and disjointed command structures, the report acknowledges significant advancements such as increased …

United Nations Reform: Opportunity For Small And Medium States, Joseph Preston Baratta

The Journal of Social Encounters

The Pact for the Future of 2024, which had been in preparation for years out of general concern for the decline of the United Nations and specifically for the decline of the Sustainable Development Goals, proved a lost opportunity.  The small and medium sized states did not respond officially to proposals for UN reform offered by civil society.  Hence the Pact reaffirmed principles of the existing UN, which at least was not a withdrawal, and the ideas circulated might yet serve some future reform effort.  Proposals considered here include those of the Stimson Center and more radical and systematic ones …

Promoting The Bipartisan Dimension Of Political Leadership: A Study Of The Impact Of A Normative Intervention With Newly Elected Members Of Congress, Jaime M. Ruvalcaba

Dissertations

The U.S. political system is more polarized now than at any time in the past century, as evidenced by the rise of political incivility, legislative gridlock, and hyperpolarization. To date, most studies and efforts have focused on institutional strategies to explain, transform, and mitigate the challenges posed to the political environment. By contrast, little attention has been paid to the normative or values-based behaviors of leaders to either explain or influence political leadership in ways that positively impact the political environment. Fortunately, some organizational programs, like Harvard’s Bipartisan Program for Newly Elected Members of Congress, have taken a different tack, …

Sustainability Challenges And Opportunities In A University Police Fleet: A Case Study Of Idling, Emissions, And Electrification Potential, Van Slusser

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

This case study examines fleet sustainability challenges within the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Police Department, a multicampus public safety agency operating aging gasoline vehicles central to daily patrol and administrative functions. Rising maintenance costs, increased vehicle downtime, and extensive idling created both operational strain and avoidable environmental impacts. Aging internal-combustion vehicles contributed to elevated emissions and fuel consumption, particularly under high-heat conditions and equipment demands typical of campus policing. Telematics monitoring indicated that approximately 48% of total engine-on time consisted of idling, highlighting a substantial source of avoidable fuel use and emissions. The study employed a qualitative case …

Exploring The Definition Of Democracy And Rule Of Law From Afghan Women’S Perspective, Lynda Boswell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although the United States funded programs from 2001 to 2021 to promote democracy, the rule of law, and opportunities for Afghan women, existing reports and evaluations focused primarily on expenditures, implementation, outputs, and accountability rather than Afghan women’s perspectives, particularly after the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. This study addressed that gap by exploring how Afghan women experienced and understood democracy and the rule of law before and after the U.S. withdrawal and how U.S.-supported programs influenced their perceptions and experiences. Guided by theoretical frameworks of democracy and the rule of law as applied in Afghanistan and other …

Lessons From Tanzania’S Ujamaa For Smart Settlements In Nepal: Social Justice And Economic Development, Keshav Bhattarai, Ambika P. Adhikari

Himalayan Research Papers Archive

Nepal’s constitutional commitment to a “socialism-oriented” state places social justice, equitable access to resources and housing, and protection of marginalized populations at the center of national development discourse. However, persistent landlessness, informal settlements, unemployment, youth outmigration, and unequal access to infrastructure reveal a significant gap between constitutional aspirations and socioeconomic realities.

This article examines lessons Nepal can draw from Tanzania’s experience with Ujamaa, the African socialist development model initiated by President Nyerere in 1967. Using comparative policy analysis, published research, official documents, and exploratory field observations from selected Tanzanian locations, including the capital and villages in the Iringa Region, the …

From Militarization To Military Enforcement: The U.S. Armed Forces And Immigration Control In The Second Trump Administration, Kit Johnson

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Deportation After Death By Incarceration: A Right To Redemption, Jennifer Lee Koh, Tin Nguyen

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Zeus Network And The Commercialization Of Conflict: A Critical Analysis Of Exploitation, Representation, And Reality Television, Delante Clark

Graduate Scholarship and Creative Works

This study examines Zeus Network as a prominent example of the commercialization of conflict within contemporary digital media. Through reality based programming that frequently emphasizes confrontation, public humiliation, emotional volatility, and interpersonal disputes, the network has cultivated a profitable entertainment model built upon spectacle and controversy. Drawing upon conflict theory, critical race theory, and media sociology, this paper investigates whether Zeus functions as a platform for cultural representation and economic opportunity or as a system that monetizes dysfunction for audience consumption. Particular attention is given to the portrayal of Black women and Black communities, whose experiences often become central to …

Exploring The Experiences Of Nigerian Army Personnel With Toxic Leadership, Shamsideen Toyin Shafaru

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Toxic leadership has been shown to be present in Nigeria, promoting negative consequences for organizations and adverse effects on employee performance. However, how toxic leadership behaviors impact Nigerian Army operations and the performance of personnel have not been studied. Exploring toxic leadership in the Nigerian Army is important because the way in which leaders exercise influence determines the effects it has on followers. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to examine the lived experiences of Nigerian Army personnel who had worked as subordinates of individuals who exhibited toxic leadership traits and its impact on their performance. The theoretical …

Fighting With Data: Design Implications For Ai-Enabled Mission-Command Systems, C. Anthony Pfaff

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

Fighting with Data examines how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping military decision making by changing both the speed of command and the structure of cognition within mission-command systems. Rather than treating AI as a tool that merely accelerates existing staff processes, this monograph recognizes AI redistributes cognitive labor across a network of people, data, tools, and operational processes. In this new environment, commanders and staffs spend less time assembling information and more time interpreting meaning, judging uncertainty, and deciding how to act.

This shift in the human role requires a new way of thinking about trust in military AI. Traditional …

The Introduction Of High-Speed Rail And Its Impact On Mode Choice The Case Of Morocco’S Al Boraq, Michael Stewart

Theses and Dissertations

Morocco's Al Boraq, Africa's first high-speed rail line, reshaped mode choice along the Casablanca-Tangier corridor. Drawing on ONCF ridership data, 234 rider surveys, and nine months of fieldwork, this ex-post assessment finds accelerated passenger growth, substantial induced demand, and mode shift from automobiles, informing Global South HSR development.

Automated Battery Management Systems For Electric Vehicles, Woonki Na, Yuanyuan Xie

Mineta Transportation Institute

Electric vehicle (EV) safety, efficiency, and lifetime are strongly influenced by how well battery cells are managed, and as EV adoption accelerates, improving battery performance has become critical to vehicle reliability, cost, and public trust. This report conducts a field study on the core technologies and challenges in Battery Management Systems (BMS), focusing on the classification of BMS circuit topologies (design/structures) and systematically reviewing different topologies of active cell balancing circuits (systems that move energy from stronger battery cells to weaker ones). The study provides a detailed analysis of the working principles, advantages, and disadvantages of various active balancing circuit …

Sari-Sari Stores As Community Pharmacies? A Qualitative Exploration Of Sari-Sari Stores Selling Medicines In The Philippines, Melissa Louise M. Prieto, Gamaliel P. Galigao, Ana Rica S. Navarra-Cruz, Louise Gabriel R. Jimenez, Gideon Lasco

Medical Anthropology

Background and Objective. Despite laws prohibiting the sale of pharmaceuticals outside licensed pharmacies, sari-sari stores continue to informally sell medicines, bridging access challenges especially in remote areas. The study explores the roles and perceptions of sari-sari stores as informal medicine providers. Methods. The study draws on ethnographic insights from key informant interviews with fourteen (14) sari-sari store owners or tinderas, probing into medicines sold in sari-sari stores and their perceived effectiveness. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results. Sari-sari stores serve as informal yet critical points of access to common medicines for everyday illnesses, especially in remote areas where …

Cross-Border Initiatives Border Fellow Report 2025-2026, Elise Free Ma, Tori Luna Ma, Jonathan De Vicente Encarnación Ma, Yolanda Viridiana Chávez Flores Phd, Korina Odet Cortés Uribe Edd, Jessie Valcin, Cristina Solano Díaz, Etienne Mulumeoderhwa Mufungizi Phd

Kroc IPJ Research and Resources

The 2025–2026 Border Fellows Report documents six community-led projects carried out across the Tijuana–San Diego region under the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice's Border Fellows Program. Working in academia, civil society, and the public sector, the fellows addressed distinct challenges shaped by a common context: firearms trafficking and armed violence against women and LGBTQIA+ people; youth violence and suicide risk in a public middle school; discrimination in a federal preparatory school serving more than 4,300 students; the organizational capacity and language rights of Indigenous communities in Baja California; academic accompaniment for Haitian adolescents excluded from formal schooling; and intercultural …

Survival First: How Citizens Prioritize Competing Climate-Health Risk Countermeasures Under Fiscal Constraints, Katsuya Tanaka, Kazuhide Akaishi

Center for Public Service Publications and Reports

When governments must allocate limited resources among competing climate-health countermeasures, citizen risk priorities determine political feasibility—yet whether those priorities translate into fiscal support remains poorly understood. This study develops a hybrid best–worst scaling and contingent valuation framework that integrates individual-level priority parameters into an acceptance model, enabling direct testing of whether preference intensity predicts willingness to pay. Applied to a largesample survey of residents in Yokohama, Japan—a rapidly aging metropolis facing escalating heat emergencies—the analysis reveals three findings. First, citizens exhibit a survival-first hierarchy, decisively prioritizing immediate protective measures over long-term structural interventions, with consensus varying sharply across countermeasure types. …

Sea-Level Rise Perceptions And Adaptation Strategies In South Carolina’S Coastal Tourism Destinations: Perspectives Of State And Local Officials, Tzu-Hsuan Tseng

All Theses

Sea-level rise poses a significant threat to coastal communities worldwide, yet understanding of how governance systems respond to this slow-onset hazard remains limited. This qualitative study examined how state and local government officials in South Carolina perceive sea-level rise risks and develop adaptation strategies in coastal tourism destinations.

Drawing on Resilience Theory and employing a phenomenological interviewing approach, this research analyzed perspectives from three South Carolina Office of Resilience officials and five local officials responsible for Myrtle Beach, Charleston, and Hilton Head Island. Data were analyzed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis.

Five key themes developed: First, officials acknowledge sea-level rise with …

Ssw 701.50: Social Welfare Policy, Ian G. Williams

Open Educational Resources

This syllabus is an Open Educational Resources (OER) remixed version of SSW 701.50: Social Welfare Policy, which is taught at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. This version updated the content and integrated additional OER materials, as part of the Summer 2026 cohort of The Open Knowledge Fellowship at the Mina Rees Library. It is a Zero-Textbook (ZTC) cost course and integrates materials from a range of academic disciplines. Official course description is as follows:

"This foundation course furnishes you with the orienting knowledge and skills needed to examine social welfare policies and to understand their relevance …

Leveraging Technology To Measure The Strength Of Demand For Commercial And Trafficked Sex, Michael D. Shively, Bob Rodgers, Courtney Furlong, Brooke Ruffin

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

The article examines Transaction Intercept (TI), an artificial‑intelligence platform designed to reduce sex trafficking by disrupting the revenue streams that draw organized crime into the market. Transaction Intercept deploys decoy online ads that appear to offer commercial sexual exploitation or prostitution. Automated "decoy" personas connect to individuals who click on these ads and engage them in text conversations. These exchanges can remain fully automated, ending with deterrence messages, or be transferred to police for potential enforcement action or to trained volunteers who attempt to discourage further attempts to buy sex. Transaction Intercept generates extensive, real‑time data on local demand for …

Public Participation In Community Redevelopment Agencies: A Mixed Methods Approach To Understanding The Impacts Of Collaboration In Public-Private Partnerships, Shannon Mcbride-Lewis

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

Local governments create community redevelopment agencies (CRAs) to enhance economic and redevelopment opportunities within their communities through public-private partnerships funded with tax increment financing (TIF). The use of increment revenue, the complexity of public-private partnerships, and the controversies surrounding CRAs can lead to community concerns and opposition. Collaboratively engaging the public in the development, implementation, and performance of CRA public-private partnerships is one way to improve program and project outcomes by enhancing engagement, equity, and accountability. This study asks does the level of resources (dedicated professional staff, consequential incentives, and TIF contribution) and formal public-private partnership programs of CRAs influence …