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The Strait Of Hormuz As An Instrument Of Iran’S Geoeconomic Statecraft In Shaping Foreign Policy Amid The Dynamics Of Contemporary Conflicts, Daffa Rabbani Widy Hayat, Noeryfqa Okta Harizal, Ahmad Sahide

Jurnal Wacana Politik

This study examines how Iran strategically utilizes the Strait of Hormuz as an instrument of geoeconomic statecraft in formulating foreign policy amid intensifying international sanctions following the United States withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018. Employing Neoclassical Realism and Geoeconomics as the theoretical framework, this study analyzes how domestic elite decision-making mediates systemic pressure and transforms geographical assets into sources of asymmetric bargaining power. Through a single-case study approach supported by qualitative deep analysis of institutional reports, academic literature, and policy documents, this study finds that Iran systematically operationalizes the Strait of Hormuz through three interconnected mechanisms: asymmetric military signaling, …

The Disconnect In Female Labour Force Participation Policy In Egypt: Design And Implementation Gaps, Miral Mohamed Omran

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the disconnect between Egypt's ambitious female labor force participation (FLFP) policy goals in the National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030 and the declining indicators since its launch. Applying Van Meter and Van Horn's implementation framework, it analyzes the full policy process using qualitative interviews across government, civil society, and private sector actors involved in the national policy’s design and execution. Findings reveal structural failures, resource shortages, coordination gaps, leadership turnover, and donor-driven fragmentation, intensified by cultural norms and frontline resistance. Recommendations prioritize short-term administrative tweaks leveraging public sector downsizing for harmonization and rethinking the …

Resilience And Social Support On Depression Risk For Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients In South Tangerang, Indonesia, Adhityawarman Menaldi, Sali Rahadi Asih, Farah Ainul Mardhiyyah

Kesmas

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health concern with psychosocial impacts, such as reduced resilience and depression. This study examined the moderating role of perceived social support on the relationship between resilience and depression among individuals diagnosed with COPD in South Tangerang, Indonesia. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted between January and February 2024 using self-administered questionnaires. Participants were adult patients with clinically diagnosed COPD, recruited from all public health centers (PHC) in South Tangerang. A total of 125 participants met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Participants had a mean age of 41.46±15.69 …

Determinants Of Musculoskeletal Disorder In Formal And Informal Workers In Indonesia, Herlina J. El-Matury, Nabila Syahlan, Mohd Rafee B. Baharuddin

Kesmas

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a leading cause of disability globally and are strongly influenced by occupational conditions. Evidence comparing MSD risk between formal and informal workers remains limited, particularly in developing countries. This study examined the association between individual and job-related factors with MSD symptoms among formal and informal workers in Indonesia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,089 workers in North Sumatra Province, Indonesia, from August 2024 to December 2025. Participants were recruited using stratified convenience sampling from both the formal (office and health workers) and informal (drivers, traders, and farmers) sectors. MSD symptoms were assessed using the Nordic …

King Of The Jungle: Comparative Analysis Of The Geopolitical Narratives Surrounding Fordlandia And A Proposed Resort Park In El Mirador, Rachel Jaeger

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Environmental geopolitics is a field of study in which narratives about the environment are analyzed to reveal the underlying motivations and objectives they support. Using Shannon O’Lear’s (2020) framework of environmental geopolitics, I conduct a comparative analysis of the narratives surrounding two distinct development projects: Henry Ford’s historical company town in the Brazilian Amazon, Fordlandia, and a proposed ecotourism resort park in El Mirador, Guatemala. Analysis of Fordlandia reveals a narrative of American frontierism and a man-versus-nature perspective that served to paint the environment as belligerent and thereby justify corporate control and Indigenous assimilation. Narratives surrounding El Mirador differ, representing …

Direct Democracy In The Twenty-First Century: Massachusetts Open Town Meeting And Citizen Participation, Daniel W. Santos

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Town Meeting is a unique system of democratic governance that can be found only in New England towns, where it has been the primary form of local government for nearly four centuries. Town Meeting is a type of direct democracy where laws, policy, and decisions are made by a plurality of a town’s eligible voters acting as its legislative body. There is limited scholarship addressing Town Meeting, with much of the extant literature focusing on the benefits of the direct democracy aspect of this form of government. Town Meeting has been generally known to be poorly attended by citizens. The …

Narrative Construction In Post-Conflict Society: How Narratives Can Shape Conflict Perpetuation And Reconciliation Possibilities In Syria., Abigail H. Eid

Capstone Collection

In December 2024, Syria’s long-standing Assad regime was overthrown, and the country entered a new era of post-conflict reconstruction. This study explores the narratives Syrians in the diaspora are constructing about this regime change and the new era for Syrian society. To do so, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 Syrians in the diaspora of various backgrounds and analyzed using an inductive narrative analysis to see which themes emerged. The findings were further organized to understand how these narratives may contribute to perpetuating conflict or promoting peacebuilding and reconciliation. Based on the analysis, there are four main types of narratives …

The Shadow Corroboration Doctrine In Sexual Violence Cases, Chris Cox

University of Cincinnati Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Monopoly Of Violence In Iraq: The Emergence Of The Islamic Resistance Of Iraq, Mobilization Of The Pmf, And The Future Of State Stability, Alexis Thomas

Pepperdine Policy Review

Iraq's fragile state faces threats from multiple factors including Iranian influence within the Popular Mobilization Forces and Iraq's political system, the decentralized nature of the PMF, and potential violence surrounding critical national elections. Formed during the 2014 ISIS war, the PMF is an umbrella organization consisting of various militias broadly aligned with Grand Ayatollah Sistani, Muqtada al-Sadr, or former Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei. Since October 7, 2023, Iranian-backed PMF militias operating under the Islamic Resistance of Iraq have conducted attacks against Israeli and American targets, threatening to drag Iraq into regional conflict. PMF-affiliated parties achieved considerable success in the 2025 …

The Capital Gap: Mitigating Banking Barriers For Nonprofit Providers In Mental Health And Educational Systems, Jinhee Lee, Josefina Martinez

Pepperdine Policy Review

Nonprofit organizations are vital contributors to public welfare, yet they are systematically excluded from conventional banking systems, creating a liquidity crisis that undermines their capacity to deliver essential services. This paper discusses the structural issues of the banking sector that hinder nonprofits in acquiring credit and explains how this problem can be solved. Specifically, it aims at investigating liquidity constraints faced by schools providing mental health services and education programs. With the help of information asymmetry and relationship lending theories, the paper explains why traditional credit approaches cannot work, considering the distinctive features of the financial model of mission-oriented institutions. …

Reconstruction And Repatriation Of Looted Cultural Heritage Property Ownership Mechanism, Yichi Zhang

Pepperdine Policy Review

The displacement of cultural artifacts through conflict, colonization, and illicit trafficking has created profound gaps in humanity's shared heritage. This paper examines the systemic barriers to cultural property restitution and proposes a structured dispute resolution framework as the primary remedy. Drawing on the social, nonmarket, and economic values of cultural heritage, the study establishes why repatriation extends beyond legal formality into questions of identity, sovereignty, and collective memory. A review of existing international instruments, including the 1954 Hague Convention, the 1970 UNESCO Convention, and the ICPRCP, reveals persistent enforcement gaps and jurisdictional inconsistencies that impede meaningful restitution. Comparative case studies …

Let Freedom Read: Exploring Mississippi’S Defiance Of National Book Banning Trends, Olivia S. Hoover

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Why have book bans have surged so dramatically across the United States in recent years, especially as they have become a defining political project for conservative lawmakers? At the center of this uptick in book bans lies a confusing puzzle: while book bans overwhelmingly occur in Republican-dominated states, Mississippi, despite its conservative political landscape, has seen almost none, even as states like Florida have enacted more than a thousand in a single year. Much of the existing scholarship on book bans focuses on national patterns of them or on the lawmakers and advocacy groups driving these bans, leaving a gap …

Justice On Autopilot: Comparing Predictive Litigation And Data Justice In Bay Area Municipal Governments, Darris M. Thomas

Master's Projects and Capstones

This Capstone project examines how Bay Area municipal governments, specifically the City and County of San Francisco, Alameda County, San Mateo County, and Santa Clara County, are adopting and governing predictive litigation technologies, and what these practices reveal about the possibilities and limitations of data justice in advancing racial equity, transparency, and public accountability. Drawing on a qualitative, comparative case study methodology analyzing procurement contracts, AI governance policies, California Public Records Act (CPRA) disclosures, and semi-structured interviews gathered across fifteen municipal legal institutions, the research applies an interdisciplinary theoretical framework synthesizing John Rawls’s distributive fairness, Nancy Fraser’s recognition justice, Tom …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Citizen Response To The 2025 Post Fire Recovery In Los Angeles, Richard Vaughn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Beyond Stabilization: Biological Healing, Structural Exclusion, And The Recovery Gap After Border-Fall Trauma At The U.S.-Mexico Border, Julia Robinson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This honors thesis examines the biochemical, ethical, and public health consequences of insufficient post-operative follow-up care for undocumented immigrants injured in border falls. Discussing pathways of inflammation resolution, wound healing, and bone remodeling, this thesis argues that recovery depends on tightly regulated molecular and cellular processes that are highly vulnerable to disruption without continued monitoring and rehabilitation (Loi et al., 2016; Maruyama et al., 2020). When follow-up care is absent, these processes can be predicted to derail, leading to infection, impaired healing, and permanent disability (Chung & Sohn, 2025; Howard et al., 2020; Kruidenier et al., 2018). Framed through principles …

A Quantitative Study Examining The Impact Of Gender On Covenantal Empowerment And Mental Health Quality Of Life Among 911 Dispatchers, Michael Ryan Udriét

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative correlational study examined factors affecting the mental health quality of life (MHQoL) of 911 dispatchers in Greater Richmond, Virginia. Dispatchers frequently experience psychological strain due to exposure to traumatic calls, demanding workloads, and inconsistent organizational support. Leadership is a crucial factor in shaping well-being, yet the influence of covenantal empowerment (CE)—a model emphasizing mutual support, shared accountability, and relational trust—on dispatcher mental health remains underexplored. This study examined the relationship between CE and MHQoL, explored gender as a moderator, and considered additional demographic and work-related factors including age, years of experience, work shift, length of shift, marital status, …

Effectiveness Of Western Foreign Aid On Poverty Reduction In Ethiopia: A Comparative Phenomenological Analysis Of International Donor Organizations And Government Practices, Solomon G. Desalegn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Western foreign aid has long aimed to promote sustainable economic development and reduce poverty in Ethiopia and across Africa. Despite being one of the continent’s top recipients of foreign aid, Ethiopia remains heavily dependent on foreign assistance, resulting in an aid-dependent economy marked by ongoing reliance on foreign aid for survival, pervasive corruption, and the perpetuation of poverty. Such outcomes starkly contrast with the original objectives of Western foreign aid. This qualitative comparative-phenomenological analysis aims to explore the lasting impact of Western aid on lifting Ethiopian citizens out of poverty. The central research question guiding this study is: “How effective …

Improving Governance In Decentralized Systems, Cynthia L. Cooper

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has invested heavily in non-pharmacological pain management through the Whole Health transformation, the Opioid Safety Initiative, and national CIH expansion efforts. Despite these systemwide priorities, implementation remains uneven across decentralized facilities, revealing barriers that extend beyond logistics or compliance. This study investigated how governance structures, professional norms, and cultural–cognitive logics shape the translation of federal mandates into local clinical practice. Guided by Policy Implementation Theory (PIT) and Institutional Theory (IT), and applying the Integrated Policy Adaptation Model (IPAM), this qualitative inquiry triangulated semi-structured interviews, surveys, and policy document analysis. IPAM’s mechanisms—Leadership Mediation (LM), Frontline Adaptation …

The Nexus Between Sino-African Economic Engagement, Us-African Security Cooperation And Foreign Direct Investment: National Security Implications Using A Comparative Analysis Of Nigeria And Other Selected African Countries, Chine Sp Logan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examines the intricate interplay between the United States-African Security Partnership, China’s African Economic Partnership-Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI), and the influx of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa. It delves into the nuances of the US-African Security Partnership, focusing on US military training and security assistance through the United States African Command (AFRICOM) and the China-Africa BRI initiative, which centers on loan funding. Moreover, it analyzes how national security considerations influence FDI inflow. By scrutinizing the roles of robust institutions, the study evaluates how these factors impact the long-term achievement of the United Nations' sustainable development goals for …

Insights On The Origins And Repercussions Of Corruption In Haiti, Yves Louissaint

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

From Agroecology To Democratic Resilience: Community-Based Food Security And Climate Adaptation In West Sumatra, Dina Yulianti, Virtuous Setyaka, Arry Bainus, Deasy Silvya Sari, Akim Akim

Jurnal Wacana Politik

The West Sumatra has a high index of food security and because of its dependence on modern farming systems that are chemical based, farmers are susceptible to environmental degradation and market forces worldwide. Through the Critical International Relations (CIR) approach of Robert W. Cox, this paper analyzes how community-based agroecological practices can be the solution to a transition between climate change adaptation and democratic resilience in West Sumatra. The current study is dedicated to the case of Cheap Staple Rice Fields (Sawah Pokok Murah - SPM) an agroecological farming system, a grassroots movement that helps to break free of the …

Who Gets To Be Taken Seriously? Three Atypical Scholars Navigate Doctoral Education At The Intersections Of Race, Neurodivergence, And Veteran Identity, Sr. Richard De La Garza

Dissertations

As a first-generation, neurodivergent, Mexican American/Chicano veteran, I entered the University of San Diego's doctoral program having had experiences that most institutional intake processes would label as risk factors. The Findings chapter of this dissertation begins by describing those experiences—not as a confession, but as the foundation for a systematic inquiry into how doctoral legitimacy is produced, withheld, and defended. The description of my life experiences is followed by a discussion of the doctoral journeys of two other study participants who also were atypical doctoral candidates.

The central argument being advanced is this: What higher education calls "fit," "rigor," and …

China’S S&T Think Tank Transformation For Building A World-Class Science And Technology Power: Trends And Prospects, Dongmei Liu, Ning Huang, Yangxu Lu, Zhe Li

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

To address the strategic demands of establishing China as a world-class science and technology power, the transformation of its S&T think tanks has become an urgent priority. The unique knowledge products generated by these think tanks in supporting decision-making for national S&T advancement constitute a vital component of China’s independent knowledge system. Consequently, the transformation of S&T think tanks and the development of this domain’s independent knowledge system form a mutually reinforcing and coupling process. This study analyzes the imperatives and positioning of think tank transformation and independent knowledge system development through the renewal of intellectual foundations, the articulation of …

Understanding Federalism Through Its Impact On Disasters In The 21st Century, Jerome Bryant

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study is to understand federalism in the United States of America today. This study uses the impact of federalism in the United States on national disasters as a means to understand federalism in the U.S. The theory guiding this study is general systems theory, as presented by Ludwig von Bertalanffy (1968), as it provides a framework for understanding how systems work and the foundation upon which this collective case study can determine how federalism operates in the current-day U.S. The central question for this study is: What has been the impact of federalism on …

Building Cultural Wealth: A Look Into The 40x40 Council’S Rise East Plan, Camille L. Batiste

Master's Theses

This research began as an effort to understand how community-based organizations in neighborhoods that have experienced generational economic disinvestment address the financial and cultural wealth gap in their communities. With the 40x40 Council and its work in East Oakland serving as the case study, it is evident how this organization mobilizes to reverse the impact of cultural erasure and wealth exclusion, helping Black residents not just live, but thrive. With an enriched understanding of how the 40x40 Council frames its approach, implements its vision, and develops its longevity, the Rise East Plan utilizes an alternative wealth-building strategy that centers community, …

Governing Longevity: Biopolitics And Economic Restructuring In East Asian Aging Societies, Sherlyn She

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

How do rapidly aging societies govern longevity when demographic change threatens established welfare arrangements? This thesis examines aging governance in China, Japan, and South Korea to show how states simultaneously manage aging as a public-health problem and build it into an economic sector through what I term life capitalism.

Two interpretations of East Asian aging policy are widely circulated: that it is a peripheral case of Western neoliberalism, or a residue of Confucian familism. I reject both: the neoliberal reading captures marketization but misses the state as its active builder, since these states are expanding rather than retreating; the Confucian …

Balancing Civil Liberties And Civil Rights, Adam Opp

Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy: Briefs and Commentaries

The Framers stressed the importance of civil liberties when drafting the United States Constitution to guarantee the freedoms of individuals. However, for decades, there has been an increased focus on civil rights to protect individuals from discrimination and ensure their equality under the law. The question becomes how civil liberties and civil rights intersect, and whether this intersection is always positive, or if advocating for civil rights can come at the expense of civil liberties. This paper will discuss civil liberties and civil rights, examine how policy processes impact civil rights, and address concerns about the grave consequences for the …

How Religion, Morality, And Worldview Impact Public Policy, Adam Opp

Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy: Briefs and Commentaries

It is important to examine the intersection between religion, morality, and worldview when analyzing the creation of public policy. Faith and spiritual beliefs play a key role in how an individual behaves as a policymaker and how they view the role of government. Religion considers the critical role of authority, which the government must analyze if the people have given it the authority to take a course of action. Morality asserts that the purpose of government is to maintain a system of justice that protects individual rights. Worldview highlights the framework individuals take in approaching the role of government and …

A Just Reimagining Of The Loss & Damage Fund, Sarah Cheung

Master in Public Policy Theses

The Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), established at COP28 in 2023, represents a historic diplomatic breakthrough in multilateral climate finance, yet its design reflects the compromises necessary to secure political agreement rather than a just institutional architecture. This thesis evaluates the FRLD and two prominent reform proposals—the Bridgetown Initiative 3.0 and Esther Duflo's Grand Bargain—against a novel framework that provides a more precise way to evaluate the “justness” of different arrangements. This framework encompasses three dimensions: compensatory, distributive, and procedural justice. [JS1] A dimension of justice is achieved in a two-fold manner; first, through rhetorical commitments in …

The Offense-Defense Balance And The Modern System In Ukraine, Daniel Hogestyn

Master in Public Policy Theses

This thesis evaluates whether the Russo Ukrainian war represents a revolution in military affairs (RMA) by testing Stephen Biddle’s "modern system" theory of battlefield outcomes against recent combat operations. Applying Biddle’s formal model to the 2023 Ukrainian offensive in Zaporizhia, the thesis finds that the offensive's failure conforms closely to Biddle’s causal logic, with force employment variables drawn from 20th century combat sufficient to account for the outcome. Biddle's model in military power argues that force employment has explained victory and defeat since World War I, rather than technology or numerical preponderance alone. Many commentators claim that proliferation of small …