Digital Commons Network^™

Financial Stress Among Low- And Moderate-Income Latino Adults In California: The Role Of Price Pressures And Holiday Spending, Luisa Blanco, Philip Husband, Nataly Luna, Enrique Torres, Sara Weiss

School of Public Policy Working Papers

We examine financial stress among low- and moderate-income Latino adults in California during a period of elevated prices and the 2025 holiday season. Participants from the Mobile Financial Diary cohort (n = 69; 218 person-wave observations) completed four monthly surveys covering November 2025 through February 2026. We compare four measures of financial health, wellbeing, stress, and anxiety across income groups and analyze open-ended responses using the RADaR technique. Respondents below the sample median income had lower financial health and higher financial stress and anxiety, whereas perceived financial wellbeing did not differ significantly. Holiday stress was similar across groups, but lower-income …

Building Health Resilience Against The Threat Of “Jakarta Sinking”: A Scoping Review, Risky Kusuma Hartono, Dewi Shinta

Journal of Indonesian Health Policy and Administration

In Jakarta, land subsidence amplifies flood risks—often described as the city “sinking”—which increases exposure to waterborne and vector-borne diseases, disrupts essential health services, and undermines health system resilience. This review examines how subsidence-induced flood amplification impacts health and its implications for system resilience. This study employs a literature review approach that combines narrative synthesis with scoping-oriented evidence mapping. Peer-reviewed articles in English or Indonesian (2015–2025) were searched across PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Portal Garuda using the following terms: flooding, Jakarta land subsidence, health impacts, and health system resilience. Data on hazards, populations, health outcomes, and resilience functions were …

Politics Of Maritime Security Governance: Institutional Fragmentation, Securitization And Community Engagement In Decentralized Border Area Of Indonesia, Suhirwan Suhirwan, Siswo Hadi Sumantri, Lukman Yudho Prakoso, Ahmad Gafuri Dohamid

Jurnal Wacana Politik

ABSTRACT. Decentralized archipelagic states face governance challenges in translating national security frameworks into localized institutional practices. This paper analyses the formalization of coastal community participation into maritime security governance in Batam, Indonesia through multi-layered political mechanisms. The study uses a qualitative case study design incorporating insights from securitization theory and multi-level governance frameworks. Data were collected between March and July 2025, comprising 18 semi-structured interviews, policy document analysis, mapping of institutional coordination, and field observations. The findings reveal a persistent multi-level securitization gap: national threat narratives, particularly those articulated in terms of sovereignty, have not been proportionally translated into regional …

Reducing Food Waste Through Education And Community Collaboration, Myeesha Lance, Sharneece Gary

EFNEP

This Land-Grant Press publication explores strategies to reduce food waste through education, innovation, and community engagement. It highlights consumer behaviors, date label confusion, and planning practices that drive waste, while offering practical solutions like meal planning, grocery management, and clearer food labeling. Key takeaways include the importance of behavior change, policy collaboration, and Extension-led outreach. Target audiences include educators, policymakers, community leaders, and households seeking to improve sustainability and food security

Age Differences In Perceived Individual And Community Recovery After Tornadoes: Implications For Community-Centered Recovery Policy In An Aging Society, Sizhuo Chen, Zhen Cong

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

"This study examines perceived individual recovery and perceived community recovery among tornado survivors across three waves spanning four years. Using three-wave longitudinal survey data from survivors in Dallas, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; and Birmingham, Alabama collected in 2021, 2022, and 2025, we estimate recovery trajectories using linear mixed-effects growth models. We link respondents to tract-level SVI 2020 component measures to examine whether tract-level social vulnerability contextualizes age differences in recovery perceptions. We ask: (1) How do perceived individual recovery and perceived community recovery change over time? (2) Do these trajectories differ by age group? (3) Do community social vulnerability measures contextualize …

Evaluation Of Disaster Mitigation Policy Implementation And Public Health Integration Through The “Sipatokkong” Program In Strengthening Tourism Village Resilience, Nurul Azisah Sahrani, Andi Alif Raihan Analta

Journal of Indonesian Health Policy and Administration

Disaster risks in tourism villages are increasing, generating multidimensional impacts on environmental, economic, institutional, and public health. In late 2024, Mattabulu Tourism Village experienced an 83% decline in tourist visits following a series of disasters, disrupting tourism activities and weakening local governance capacity. This study uses a qualitative case study design to evaluate disaster mitigation policy implementation through the “Sipatokkong” Program. Evaluation applied four Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development–Development Assistance Committee (OECD-DAC) criteria: relevance, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability, operationalized through policy implementation, street-level bureaucracy, and collaborative governance frameworks. Data were obtained from five documents and non-participatory field observations conducted …

Enhancing Visitor Experiences Through Storytelling In Interpretive Tour Guiding, Naoko Yamada

International Journal of Tour Guiding and Visitor Attraction Research

Heritage interpretation enables visitors to make sense of their experiences by communicating meaningful messages at natural and cultural heritage sites. By fostering understanding, appreciation, and personal relevance, interpretation enriches visitor experiences and encourages responsible attitudes and behaviors. Among various interpretive approaches, storytelling has emerged as a particularly promising means of achieving these outcomes. However, research examining how storytelling enriches heritage interpretation and promotes deeper visitor engagement remains limited. This conceptual paper synthesizes literature from storytelling, psychology, marketing, tourism, and heritage interpretation to develop a framework explaining how storytelling influences interpretive outcomes. The framework proposes that story elements activate psychological mechanisms, …

One Land, “Different Owners”: Theoretical Explanations Of Communal Conflicts In Nigeria, Chukwudi G. Njoku

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

Communal conflicts are prevalent in Nigeria, with thousands of fatalities recorded. Literature suggests that an overwhelming percentage of these conflicts are land ownership related. Through a systematic review of literature and an analysis of conflict data, this study provides further understanding of the role of land ownership and competition in the occurrence and lethality of communal conflicts. It argues that land competition, more than other socio-economic factors is the key driver of communal conflicts in Nigeria. The findings from the analyses are explained with three theories – the tragedy of the commons which proved that the conflicts are triggered by …

Perceived Susceptibility And Automatic Compliance In Indonesia's Triple Elimination Screening: A Mixed-Methods Study, Ratna Dewi Puspita Sari, Josef Maria Seno Adjie

Journal of Indonesian Health Policy and Administration

Despite global commitments to eliminating mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus, syphilis, and hepatitis B, gaps remain in understanding the behavioral and systemic drivers of screening coverage in decentralized health systems such as Indonesia. This study aimed to analyze individual behavioral determinants and structural health system barriers affecting triple elimination screening coverage among pregnant women, focusing on perceived susceptibility and automatic compliance. A mixed-methods sequential explanatory study was conducted in Central Jakarta, Surabaya, and Karawang. The quantitative phase involved a cross-sectional survey of 1,224 pregnant women, with Health Belief Model variables analyzed using logistic regression. The qualitative phase comprised three …

Performance Evaluation Of Fiber Reinforced Hot Mix Asphalt Containing Reclaimed Asphalt Shingles, Hani Alzraiee, Ashraf Rahim, Shadi M. Saadeh, Aaditya Ojha, Adam Mansara

Mineta Transportation Institute

Reclaimed asphalt shingles (RAS) offer a promising avenue for increasing recycled content in hot mix asphalt, but the aged, stiff binder they contribute tends to reduce cracking resistance, particularly at intermediate temperatures. This study investigated whether polymer fiber reinforcement can offset that brittleness while preserving rutting and moisture performance in mixtures containing both reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and RAS. Fourteen asphalt mixtures were designed using a base blend of 25% RAP combined with RAS at either 3% or 5% by total mix weight. Two commercially available polymer fiber types, designated Fiber A and Fiber B, were added at dosages of …

Mapping Coastal Community-Based Tourism Empowerment: Public Policy And Sustainable Development On Bangka Island, Putra Pratama Saputra, Hadiyanto Abdul Rachim, Arie Surya Gutama, Moch. Zaenal Hakim

Jurnal Wacana Politik

This study analyzes the conceptualization and practice of community-based tourism empowerment on Bangka Island, serving as a strategic approach to promote sustainable and inclusive coastal tourism. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach, data were gathered through interviews with nine key informants, observations, and policy document analysis. Findings reveal that these empowerment initiatives significantly strengthen individual and institutional capacities, enhance community participation in tourism planning, and drive economic diversification from extractive industries to sustainable tourism. Furthermore, this approach facilitates economic transformation through the development of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and coastal ecotourism, concurrently reinforcing environmental conservation and cultural preservation. However, …

Developing A Climate-Adaptive Public Service Framework For Sustainable Agriculture: Preliminary Evidence From A Disaster-Prone Village In Indonesia, Susila Susila, Rizky Aditya Surya Pratama, Muhammad Daud Yusuf, Diah Apriliani

Jurnal Wacana Politik

Artikel ini bertujuan mengkaji bagaimana pelayanan publik tingkat desa dapat diintegrasikan dengan Climate-Resilient Agriculture (CRA) untuk mendukung kapasitas adaptasi petani di kawasan rawan bencana hidrometeorologi di Jawa Barat, Indonesia, serta mengidentifikasi dimensi kandidat bagi kerangka Climate-Adaptive Public Service for Sustainable Agriculture (CAPSSA). Menggunakan desain studi kasus kualitatif eksploratif yang dilandasi tinjauan literatur terstruktur dan analisis dokumen kebijakan, penelitian ini menghimpun wawancara semi-terstruktur dengan empat informan di Desa Cibiru Wetan, Kecamatan Cileunyi, Kabupaten Bandung—Kepala Desa, Kepala Dusun, Ketua RW, dan anggota kelompok tani setempat—disertai kajian dokumen kebijakan kebencanaan dan pertanian tingkat kabupaten dan provinsi yang tersedia untuk publik. Analisis awal menemukan …

Transforming Military Spectrum Management With Spectrack, Rachel Mccoy, Rafa Gould, Abby Fornadel

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

The U.S. military faces operational and financial challenges due to inefficient electromagnetic spectrum
management. This poster and accompanying research statement introduce our minimum viable product, SpecTrack, which we created in response to a challenge presented by the U.S. Department of Defense's Joint Spectrum Agency. SpecTrack centralizes and visualizes spectrum requests to offer insights, streamline communication, and reduce costs. It integrates with current tools like Spectrum XXI and HUNSWDO while enhancing usability through a visual Common Operating Picture (COP). Our user-centered design process included stakeholder interviews and site visits to Germany. The result: a scalable platform that modernizes and simplifies military …

The Heterogeneous Impacts Of The Residential Component Of A Training Program: A Semi-Parametric Analysis, Jun Cai, Alfonso Flores-Lagunes, Xintong Wang

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

Several training programs worldwide are residential, bringing enrollees to live in facilities and thus increasing program costs. In the U.S., the Job Corps (JC) program for disadvantaged youth includes a residential component. Despite extensive literature evaluating JC, the impact of the residential component has received limited attention. We develop and employ a semi-parametric model to estimate the average causal effects of this residential component, accounting for selection into both the program and the residential feature. Our findings indicate that, for JC enrollees, the residential component boosts earnings, employment, and educational degree attainment among adolescents. For other subgroups, the residential component …

Hands-On Ransomware: An Experiential Wannacry Case Study For Undergraduate Cybersecurity Education, Eli Creek Richmond, Thomas R. Devine

Military Cyber Affairs

Ransomware represents one of the most disruptive threats in the cyber landscape, yet hands-on malware analysis remains rare in undergraduate cybersecurity curricula. This paper presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of an experiential learning module centered on the WannaCry ransomware case study, deployed in a senior-level course at West Virginia University. Students performed static and dynamic analysis using industry-standard tools. Pre- and post-module assessments demonstrated measurable gains in self-reported competency across seven technical dimensions. The module's competencies align directly with DoD Cyber Workforce Framework Work Role 212, Cyber Defense Forensics Analyst, supporting education-to-workforce pipeline development.

From Framework To Toolchain: Implementing Zero Trust Architecture In Cloud-Native Environments For Dow Compliance, Shelby C. Snyder

Military Cyber Affairs

Federal agencies face a fiscal year 2027 target for enterprise-wide Zero Trust deployment, but NIST SP 800-207A defines logical components without identifying the Kubernetes technologies that implement them. This paper proposes a three-tier mapping of the Policy Engine, Policy Administrator, and Policy Enforcement Point to service mesh, microsegmentation, and perimeter tooling, stating the criteria by which each component is classified. It then applies a defined rubric to six Zero Trust vendors across component alignment, Kubernetes capability, federal authorization posture, and evidence quality, finding that no single vendor covers all three tiers. The mapping is a testable architectural proposition; a Stage …

The Future Of Transit, Adam Cohen

Mineta Transportation Institute

Public transit agencies are adapting to a post-pandemic operating environment characterized by hybrid work, more dispersed travel demand, workforce constraints, and persistent fiscal pressures. This perspective paper examines how transit agencies, such as the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), can strengthen ridership while improving the financial sustainability and long-term resilience of its transit system. The analysis synthesizes peer-reviewed research, government and industry reports, publicly available data, transit agency case studies, and expert interviews with thought leaders. The findings indicate that reliability, travel time, frequency, and customer experience remain fundamental drivers of transit use, but that traditional peak-oriented service planning …

Sustainable Development Of National Park Communities In China: Conditions, Challenges, And Implementation Paths, Baorong Huang, Xuetian Hu, Ling Tang, Zhi Wang, Zhi Zhang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Promoting the sustainable development of communities in national parks is essential to the high-quality construction of the world’s largest national park system in China. Drawing on systematic social surveys of communities within national parks and candidate areas, this study outlines the key characteristics of these communities and analyzes their current development status, challenges, and constraints. It proposes a fivefold approach to advancing sustainability. Namely, (1) conceptually, by establishing a theoretical and cognitive framework for human–nature coexistence and overcoming antagonistic perceptions between parks and communities; (2) strategically, by fostering model villages and green development zones led by communities; (3) institutionally, by …

Main Challenges To China’S Scientific Research Instrument Innovation From Perspective Of The United States Export Controls, Jing Li, Daixie Chen, Qinghua Lin, Guohua Xiao

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

China has long been heavily dependent on imports of scientific research instruments, making this sector particularly vulnerable to intensified technological containment by the United States and other Western countries and their efforts to maintain technological dominance. Since the Donald Trump’s tenure as the 45th president of the United States began in 2017, the United States has frequently used export controls to suppress China’s scientific and technological progress, posing great security risks to China. Based on a review of the development of scientific research instrument innovation in China, this article analyzes the updates and trends of the United States export controls …

On-Device Computing Systems For Embodied Ai: Current Research Status And Strategic Directions, Shaoshan Liu, Zhenhua Zhu, Yiming Gan, Yu Wang, Yuan Xie

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Embodied AI is emerging as a key paradigm empowering general-purpose autonomy, but it requires on-device computing systems that simultaneously support high-throughput “cognition–planning” tasks and millisecond-level real-time “perception–control” loops. Converging solutions now coalesce around three pillars: (1) dataflow- and chiplet-based architectures, (2) memory-centric heterogeneous dies, and (3) RISC-V customizable cores with open tool-chains. This study distills the latest technical progress, pinpoints the remaining core technical bottlenecks, and charts an actionable course for academia, industry, and policymakers. The study calls for unified benchmarking and standardization, open-source software–hardware ecosystems, memory-centric dataflow architectures, and efficient on-device deployment of embodied foundation models. Finally, it outlines …

Construction And Application Of Clinical Evidence Framework For Brain-Computer Interface, Wenxiu Qi, Cheng Zhou

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Brain-computer interface systems are emerging neurotechnologies that are gradually moving from laboratory research toward clinical application. However, their inherent features, including small sample sizes, heterogeneous technical pathways, and rapid product iteration, make it difficult to integrate safety and efficacy data across studies or to conduct meaningful cross-study comparisons. These challenges not only hinder the cumulative development of evidence in evidence-based medicine, but also complicate the assessment of clinical access and regulatory review. In addition, subjective evidence, such as patient experience, remains insufficiently captured in existing evaluation frameworks. It is therefore necessary to examine the structure of evidence for brain-computer interface …

The Effect Of Mental Health Check-Ins On Stigma And Symptoms Of Anxiety, Depression, And Post-Traumatic Stress, Benjamin Joseph Boeke

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This applied quantitative study examined whether participation in structured mental health check-ins was associated with self-stigma toward seeking psychological help and reported symptoms of anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and depression among law enforcement officers. Using a cross-sectional, nonexperimental comparative design, anonymous survey data were collected from 130 active sworn officers across 10 small and mid-sized Iowa law enforcement agencies. The agencies included those with and without mandatory check-in policies; primary comparisons were based on officers’ reported participation in at least one check-in. Measures included the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9. …

Are We Prepared? A Qualitative Multiple Case Study On Multijurisdictional Readiness And Response Capabilities For Atypical Complex Coordinated Incidents Involving Mass-Casualty Cbrne Threats In The State Of Washington, Christopher J. Gard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Complex coordinated terrorist attacks involving chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) elements, along with active shooter threats, pose significant challenges for first-responding law enforcement officers. Responding to active threats where civilian lives are at immediate risk of serious injury or death requires an immediate, decisive response from the initial officers on the scene. When responders learn that perpetrators have dispersed one or more CBRNE-related weapons during an ongoing violent spree, on-site law enforcement personnel must be appropriately trained and adequately equipped to quickly and decisively confront and neutralize the attacker(s). Because prolonged federal CBRNE response assets can be delayed …

Resilient Ethical Governance By Design: Building Resilience For Future-Ready Smart Cities Against Emerging Technology Disruptions In Public Sector – A Case Study Of Dallas Smart City, Emmanuel Asamoah Asare

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines how Dallas’s smart city strategic policies foster resilience against disruptions associated with emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence and Internet of Things systems. Using a convergent mixed-methods comparative case study, Dallas serves as the primary case, Austin serves as a U.S. municipal comparator, and Barcelona serves as a qualitative benchmark for ethical and trust-centered smart city governance. The study integrates document analysis, broadband and digital equity indicators, stakeholder engagement evidence, and exploratory quantitative comparisons to assess how governance adaptability, preparedness, functionality, equity, and stakeholder trust shape resilience outcomes.

The findings provide partial support for the study’s hypotheses. Dallas …

Refereed Research - Indispensable Yet Not Fully Legitimate: Street Markets As Invisible Subsistence Infrastructure, Raji Srinivasan, Maria C. Merino

Subsistence Marketplaces

Street markets are key provisioning systems across the Global South, supplying fresh food, employment, and retail access absent formal infrastructure. Yet despite street markets’ functional indispensability to millions of low-income consumers, their legitimacy is chronically contested, affirmed by vendors and communities yet challenged by planners, developers, and state authorities who apply formal-economy criteria in evaluating them. We theorize this as a legitimacy paradox and ask what structural mechanisms sustain it? Using composite vignettes grounded in fieldwork, we theorize three mechanisms. First, visibility without recognition: street markets are hyper-visible yet excluded from cognitive templates of legitimate, formal retail. Second, asymmetric essentiality: …

From Monopoly To Orchestration: The Hilltop And Farm Youth And The Changing Organization Of State Coercion - The Israeli Case, Idan Yaron

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

Drawing on more than a decade of ethnographic fieldwork – as a social anthropologist, studying the Far Right in Israel, on the ground, and through intimate and prolonged relationships with opinion leaders and rank-and-file activists – this essay examines the Hilltop and Farm Youth in the West Bank to reconsider Charles Tilly's influential account of state formation and the organization of coercion. It asks a simple but troubling question: why would a powerful modern state, fully capable of suppressing autonomous violent actors, sometimes allow them to persist? I argue that Tilly's theory should be confirmed, adapted, and amended. His fundamental …

Book Review: “Review Essay On Three Works About The Ukraine War”, John A. Nagl

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

• The Russian Invasion of Ukraine: February–December 2022: Destroying the Myth of Russian Invincibility, by John S. Harrel

• Black Sea Battleground: The Road to Ukraine, edited by Glen E. Howard

• Beyond Ukraine: Debating the Future of War, edited by Tim Sweijs and Jeffrey H. Michaels

Reviewed by: John A. Nagl, General John J. Pershing Professor of Warfighting Studies, Department of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations, US Army War College

A sweeping review of contemporary conflict, this review essay shows how the war in Ukraine is reshaping global security thinking and forcing strategists to confront hard …

Book Review: Nostalgic Virility As A Cause Of War: How Leaders Of Great Powers Cope With Status Decline, Christine C. Cook

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Matthieu Grandpierron

Reviewed by: Dr. Christine C. Cook, (colonel, US Army Reserve, retired), adjunct professor, US Naval War College

What happens when powerful nations feel their global status slipping away? In Nostalgic Virility as a Cause of War, Matthieu Grandpierron explores how emotional responses—rooted in pride, identity, and historical memory—can drive leaders of great powers toward conflict. This provocative study blends psychology, international relations, and strategic leadership to reveal how nostalgia can become a dangerous force in global politics.

©2026 Christine C. Cook

Book Review: The Weight Of Sand: My 450 Days Held Hostage In The Sahara, Michael Margolius

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Edith Blais

Reviewed by Commander Michael Margolius, US Navy, professor, US Army War College, and former J3 of the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency

In his review of The Weight of Sand: My 450 Days Held Hostage in the Sahara, Michael Margolius views the ordeal faced by author Edith Blais through the lens of a personnel recovery agent. Blais and her boyfriend were kidnapped and held for 15 months by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin gunmen. Margolius points out the many small and practical things that helped Blais survive and how her story can help agencies learn from her experience to …

Identification Of At-Risk Rail Network Segments And Development Of Fragility-Based Resilience Metrics, Haizhong Wang, Brian M. Staes, Benyamin Ghoreishi

Mineta Transportation Institute

This report presents a multi-hazard risk and resilience assessment of the U.S. rail network. The research identifies at-risk rail segments exposed to flash flooding, riverine flooding, extreme heat, and landslides using historical hazard records, federal accident and incident data, and meteorological datasets spanning 2000–2024. Flood exposure is mapped nationally by linking storm records to rail alignments and estimating the frequency and intensity of events at the segment level. For extreme heat, a fragility analysis of 153 documented thermal buckling derailments reveals that a significant share of failures occurred under relatively mild environmental conditions, pointing to infrastructure and maintenance factors rather …