Digital Commons Network^™

Freedom Through Education: The Sunflower County Freedom Project, Susan Rebecca Morrison

Honors Theses

The United States intelligence community is an integral part of the security of our' nation. It has been continually growing and redesigning itself for the past 230 years to suit the needs of the people and of the nation. Inhibiting the American intelligence system, however, is the struggle for the U.S. to find a balance between the rights of the people and the security of the nation. This struggle has been at the basis of change in almost every instance of intelligence redesign. It is these changes that have become the study of this thesis. Major trends found in the …

Complicating "Female Suicide Bombers" : Violence, Agency And Gender In The Rhetoric Of Shahida, Chelsea Rock

Honors Theses

Since 2002, popular Western news media has become fixated with the "advent" of the Palestinian female suicide bomber when a woman named Wafa Idris detonated herself on a busy Jaffa Road in Israel. Questions about gender, domesticity, violence, subjectivity, and technology arise as researchers, journalists and others confront culturally conceived notions about women and their roles in both Islamic and Western societies. Proposing a broader concept of violence that is cognizant of women's violent histories and struggles over agency, this essay suggests that analyses of women and violence are incomplete without critically thinking about the "female suicide bomber"--or shahida--within their …

What's Behind Genocide?: The Social Construction Of Ethnicity And Mass Killing, Brianna Marie Phillips

Honors Theses

This thesis offers insight into the causes of genocide through a comparative analysis of four incidents, two that are seen as ideologically-based and two that are seen as the result of ethnic conflict: the mass killing that occurred during Joseph Stalin’s reign in the Soviet Union, specifically the period from the early 1930s to the late 1940s, the genocide that occurred in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, that which took place against Bosnian Muslims from 1992 to 1995, and the Rwandan genocide of 1994. To determine the of each of the respective genocides, constructivist theories of the factors behind ethnic …

Kichi Mondai (The Military Base Problem) : A Study Of How American Bases In Okinawa Are Presented To The American People, Mark Carney

Honors Theses

Media representations play a role in how one perceives a particular space. The American media presented the American military bases in Okinawa during the period of American civil administration (1945-1972) as necessary and beneficial for the Okinawan people . Because the media linked the bases and the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands (USCAR) as dependent upon one another, the media considered the benefits brought to Okinawa by the existence ofUSCAR a result of the bases as well. Despite Okinawan resistance to both USCAR and the military bases, the press presented the Okinawan people as actually wanting the …

Winston Churchill And Social Reform, Patrick Winston Kelso

Honors Theses

The purpose of this Senior Honors Thesis is to examine the role of Winston Churchill in regards to social reform in Twentieth Century Britain. Although many books have been written on Churchill’s life, few specifically speak to his role in domestic politics. Often times Churchill’s role as Prime Minister during World War II overshadows his lengthy parliamentary career. This study will attempt to explain the role Winston Churchill played i__ domestic politics in respect to social reform and the rise of the British welfare state. Biographies, academic journal articles, books, memoirs, speeches, archival material, as well as books by the …

American Prisoners Of War In Vietnam Tell Their Stories, Ryan Frost

Honors Theses

This paper seeks to examine the experiences of Vietnam POWs, both those held in thejungles of South Vietnam and those in the Hanoi prison camps of North Vietnam based on POW narratives consisting of memoirs, autobiographies, and interviews. Early POW history depicts great differences between the two groups of POWs, giving the impression that Pilot POWS, who comprised the majority of prisoners in Hanoi camps, acted more honorably while interned in comparison to enlisted army POWS, who spent the majority of their captivity in the jungles of South Vietnam. This paper demonstrates the similarities in their experiences through these narrative …

From Opposing Sides : The Duality Of Citizens' And Their Government's Views On Town Squares, Zachary Powell

Honors Theses

The purpose of my paper is to explore how the State's and the people's views concerning town squares come together. I will focus mainly on the duality between these two views: one the one hand, the State uses these spaces to display its power and for physical security. On the other side, the populace sees these spaces as theirs, as central to their community as citizens. Furthermore, they see it as a place to confront their government. Where else would be better than the place where the government seems to take on physical form?

I will explore this duality in …

Treasuring Identity : Subject-Object Relations In Beowulf, Becky Workman

Honors Theses

Beowulfs introspection leads him to seek glory and wealth to preserve his memory after death. Unlike the battles against Grendel and Grendel's mother, Beowulfs actions against the dragon clearly prioritize the winning of treasure over the safety of the people. Beowulf seems to believe that revenge upon the dragon is a justification for risking not only his life, but the stability of the leadership of his nation. The hoard that he wins illustrates how material objects are not necessarily longer lasting or more stable than mortals. Treasure's intimate connection with the human body in the social structure of the community …

Civil War Medicine: Crisis And Heroism In The Medical Profession, 1861 - 1865, Diana Frances Semmes

Honors Theses

This thesis uses a variety of sources to look at the medical profession during the Civil War era. Both primary sources and secondary sources provide information on the perspectives of the key players during the period as well as an understanding of the knowledge present at that time and the methods and practices employed. Most of the research has been done using the J. D. Williams Library on the University of Mississippi main campus though it has been supplemented by books in my own personal collection, items loaned from Dr. Neff’s collection, online resources such as the Library of Congress …

The Continuous Struggle For Representation In The Venezuelan State, Gabriel Reyes

Honors Theses

One definition of democratic participation is a process whereby citizens influence or control those who make major decisions affecting them. Throughout Venezuela’s history, citizens have suffered under governments that aimed to limit their participation in the state. This research argues that the current Chávez regime, though seeking to concentrate power for itself in the executive branch, has also forged a space for democratic participation through its Barrio Adentro program.

In its introductory chapter, this paper examines Venezuela’s political development through a comparative lens and aims to situate Barrio Adentro within the country’s unique history. First, it shows how the political …

Freedom Of The Press In A Post-September 11 World: A Global Perspective, Melissa Erin Sindelar

Honors Theses

Since the attack on the United States on September 11, most governments around the world have tried to decrease the likelihood of terrorists attacking their own countries or working within their own countries. Lawmakers have passed new legislation to control citizens’ activities. Many of these laws have tread upon human rights, including the right to a free press, which a majority of countries around the world have constitutionally protected. These new circumstances combined with the lack of respect and protection by police and government officials around the globe have created an unsafe world for journalists. The year 2004 will be …

"I Respectfully Dissent" : Intellectual Leadership In The Nation's Highest Court, Alison M. Smith

Honors Theses

The right of an individual to dissent from the ideas of his or her peers, or even his or her government, has been one of the defining characteristics of American civil society. The United States itself was founded as a result of American colonists' dissenting from the British government, and our Constitution established a governmental system that would not only accommodate, but encourage a process of deliberative democracy in which the views of both the many and the few would be taken into account and considered thoroughly. A system of internal checks and balances between the legislative, judicial and executive …

Religion And Support Of Democracy: Protestantism, Catholicism, And The Support For Democracy In Mexico, Sara Jolly

Honors Theses

The findings are consistent with other recent studies in Latin America. Eric Patterson found a similar pattern in Argentina and Chile in his study in 2003 (Patterson 2003). The data shows that despite Mexico’s history ofstrained Church/ State relations and a 70-year authoritarian rule, the Protestants in Mexico tend to hold similar beliefs on the support for democracy as the Protestants of other Latin American countries.

Power, Positionality, And Conceptions Of Stewardship And Ownership In The Cleanup Of Nomans Land Island, Massachusetts, Michael Greenberg

Honors Theses

One of the most pressing issues facing Indigenous groups today, especially in the intimate New Engl'and communilties of the northeastern United States, is their ongoing struggle to reclaim and preserve sovereignty on land they once cultivated as stewards but now live on under the encroachment of larger States. In recent years, the United States government has sought to deal with issues of Native American sovereignty through granting federal recognition to tribes, thus creating a relationship of "nation-to-nation status" between a tribal government and the national government. This relationship generates a complex power structure on global, national, regional, and tribal levels, …

Discovering The Potential For Advancements In Intrusion Detection Systems, Kenneth J. Buonforte

Honors Theses

An intrusion detection system (IDS) is a collection of monitors strategically placed on a network or individual host in order to detect anomalous behavior. Since James Anderson introduced one of the first frameworks for an intrusion detection system in [1]. researchers have extended the capabilities of these systems. IDSs take many forms, from systems as basic as command line audit logs to those that emulate the defense mechanisms of the human immune system. However, as intrusion detection has evolved, scientists and administrators alike are beginning to question the need for this technology due to its lack of quantifiable performance and …

Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind? : American Citizens And The Genocide In Rwanda, Colette T. Connor

Honors Theses

As citizens of the most powerful country in today's global world, Americans can no longer make the excuse, "out of sight, out of mind." Ten years ago Americans betrayed Rwandans. Their betrayal was mild yet widespread, but had repercussions of tremendous human cost. Each individual American most likely did not feel responsible for the genocide, but the collective outcome of their bystander behavior contributed to the world's inaction. This sad truth can serve as an inspiration: this does not have to happen next time, as American citizens have the agency to influence U.S. foreign policy decisions.

Networking Is Not Everything: The Factors That Led To The Eventual Decline Of The Brigate Rosse, Courtney Janos Geraci

Honors Theses

This thesis concerns the Brigate Rosse, an Italian terrorist organization that was active from the late-1960s to the mid-1980s, the networks through which the Brigate Rosse chose to work, how these networks helped/hindered the success of the Brigate Rosse, and how the murder of Aldo Moro marked the turning point in the BR s success. To gather data, T looked at primary sources, such as communications that were sent by the BR and government documents, as well as secondary sources which examined the actions of the Brigate Rosse, the networks they maintained, and the social and political circumstances of Italy …

Maya Ritual And Myth: Human Sacrifice In The Context Of The Ballgame And The Relationship To The Popol Vuh, Jessica Zaccagnini

Honors Theses

The ballgame existed as an integral facet of Mayan life. Ritual and mythic expression are inextricably linked to the execution of the ballgame and are deeply integrated into Mayan culture. Ritual human sacrifice is an unquestionable aspect related to the ballgame. The Maya rulers extended the outcome of the ballgarne by satisfying the deities through ritual and human sacrifice (Scarborough 1991 :143). The Quiche book of epic narratives, named the Papal Vuh, is a recurring theme in the exploration of the ballgame and it is deeply weighted with mythic significance. A discussion of how this theme is interwoven into the …

The Saint Patrick's Battalion Of The Mexican-American War: Why They Deserted Just To Fight On, Jeffrey L. Hanson

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Flanking Sequences Modulate Diepoxide Cross-Linking Efficiencies At The 5'-Gnc Sste, Gregory A. Sawyer

Honors Theses

Diepoxybutane, diepoxyoctane, and mechlorethamine are cytotoxic DNA crosslinking agents that vary in their carcinogenic versus chemotherapeutic potentials. Interstrand cross-linking occurs between the N7 positions of deoxyguanosine residues on opposite strands of the DNA duplex. Each synthetic DNA oligomer used in this study contained four 5'-N\GN2CN3 sites (within a 32 base sequence) and we have systematically varied the bases in the N1 and N2 positions to determine the resulting cross-linking efficiencies of each cytotoxic agent. Each duplex was 5' -end labeled and incubated with cross-linking agent. Interstrand cross-links were purified through denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and then subjected to piperidine cleavage. …

The Effect Of Slavery On Southern Farmland Values In The Antebellum And Postbellum Era, Brandon Devlin

Honors Theses

In the past 30 years, the legacy of African-American slavery has experienced a transformation in historical perspective. Morality aside, several historians have suggested that the accepted views regarding slavery need revision, particularly in an economic sense. Utilizing cliometrics, census records, diaries, and first-hand accounts of slavery in the South, economic historians such as Robert Fogel and Stanley Engennan have made a compelling case for the viability and profitability of slavery by exposing the nuances of the system that historical generalities often ignore. Of course, words like "viable" and ''profitable" do not necessarily mean "virtuous"or even "preferable", but it does imply …

A Comparison Of Peaceful And Violent Separatist Movements, William Dorsey Pieschel

Honors Theses

The following work is an attempt to understand why separatist movements become violent. In any given region of the world under any given state, there will always be a group of people who are not content with the present order of government. If this group is large enough, it will most likely try to alter the structure of the government, which often takes the form of separatism. I want to understand the methods of these separatist movements and specifically, why some resort to violence and others do not. The first part of my thesis analyzes different separatist movements. I chose …

Doing All You Can, Brother?': Visual Themes Of World War Ii American Propaganda Posters, Justin Rives Nicholas

Honors Theses

This thesis is a result of an in-depth analysis of the three thousand plus propaganda posters used in the United States during World War II. The bulk of these posters are housed at National Archives II in College Park, Maryland. The analysis was conducted within the context of several questions. What were the goals of the propagandists? How were those goals visually represented in the posters? What were the visual themes? Why were these goals and themes deemed necessary? How do the goals and themes fit into the overall context of a total war? The concept of being in a …

Medicine Men Of The Anti-Progressive Party : Sacred Sites, Public Lands, And The Construction Of Religious Liberty, Jacob Culbertson

Honors Theses

On December 29, 1890 the United States Seventh Calvary descended upon a group of practitioners of the blossoming Ghost Dance religion and killed more than 300 Indians belonging to multiple Northern Plains nations. The massacre at Wounded Knee Creek was the apex of the United States government's violent campaign to win the American west from its original inhabitants, and it marked a transition in strategy in the young republic's assault on Native America. Having essentially won the land battles to annex the bulk of the economically valuable Native territory, the United States turned its attention away from the physical disposal …

Argentina: La Crisis Financiera, Jennifer Barros

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Through The Eyes Of A Crusader: An Intensive Study Into The Personal Involvement Of Two Men In The Fourth Crusade, Jami Kerissa Killmaster

Honors Theses

On November 28, 1199, the Fourth Crusade began with the enlistment of an anny of knights in northern France. It was fifteen months after Pope Innocent ill had asked for men to join another crusade. The Fourth Crusade was fought with the express purpose to get possession ofJerusalem according to the pope. However, it never reached its intended goal. Both men that I have chosen to study saw these events with their own eyes, but they both give a different point of view to the events. Robert de Clari and Geoffrey de Villehardouin left accounts of the crusade written from …

Hero Twins: Explorations Of Mythic And Historical Dichotomies, Bethany J. Myers

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Gray Ghost's Sanctuary: Civilians In Mosby's Confederacy During The Civil War, James J. Cain

Honors Theses

This work examines why civilians in Mosby's Confederacy supported the 43^d Battalion of Virginia Cavalry. The tactics used by Mosby placed civilians at considerable risk with Union authorities, for his men did not live in a separate camp but stayed either in hideaways in the mountains or, more commonly, with families they knew in the area. The nature of the guerrilla warfare practiced by Mosby's men, which involved late night gatherings, lightning strikes on the enemy's weakest points, and then dispersal into the countryside until the next raid, frustrated the Federal commanders who fought against them. These commanders, however, …

Soviet History Reconsidered: The Reform Of Undergraduate History Teaching In Contemporary Russian Universities, Amy Hirschauer

Honors Theses

In my discussion, I will compare how the two universities have dealt with pressing social, financial and economic concerns. This will demonstrate not only the differences in how universities in Russia are dealing with these concerns, but also how a major university with a great deal of prestige in a large, cosmopolitan city can have much more trouble dealing with interpersonal political conflict than a smaller university in the interior, despite the fact that it receives substantially more financial support from the central government. This comparison provides a context for understanding the challenges present in teaching history, and shows how …

Cultural Alchemy: The Lacuna Of African Philosophy And Political Theory Towards Cultural Separatism, Tommy J. Curry

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.