Digital Commons Network^™

The Electoral Success Of Communist-Successor Parties In The Czech Republic And Romania, Harley L. Roe

Master's Theses

Communist-successor parties are impacted by six social and political factors: party reimaging, coalition building, corruption and scandal, party leadership, EU accession, and social indicators. This project explores how the descendants of the totalitarian communist parties in the Czech Republic and Romania are influenced by each factor by analyzing election result data against these indicators. Party reimaging and coalition building are the most influential in determining voter turnout, while the other four work in conjunction to influence election results. This project contributes to the literature on electoral volatility, post-communist countries, voter behavior, and seeks to offer a model that can predict …

Long Working Hours, Happiness, And Quality Of Democracy With The Case Studies Of Japan And Denmark, Yu Namie

Master's Theses

This thesis aims to reveal the hypothesis that long working hour reduce people’s happiness and undermine democracy. For achieving this goal, this study clarifies the relationship between long working hours, happiness, and political engagement. Moreover, in order to seek the way to increase social happiness, it tries to figure out how global free market economy relates the working hours. The research method mainly relies on the fieldwork in Japan and Denmark.

First, this study succeeded to reinforce the argument that long working hour negatively influenced people’s happiness. Also, if we define the quality of democracy as the society constituted with …

Notions Of Discontent And Distinction: Reflections Of Young Diasporic Taiwanese Americans, Andrew T. Chen

Master's Theses

In 1971, Taiwan lost its seat in the United Nations and has been vying for international validation ever since. The Kuomintang’s (KMT) loss and the development of Taiwan’s democracy has left millions with varying opinions pertaining to the status of Taiwan. It also brings up the importance of what it means to be Taiwanese and how Taiwanese people identify and distinguish themselves from China. For much of the Republic of China’s (ROC) existence in Taiwan the independence movement for the de facto nation-state has lived outside of its borders, making achievements and enduring hardships for Taiwan and Taiwanese Americans throughout …

Emigration, Repatriation And The Reality Of Returned Youth In El Salvador, Isabel C. Duarte Vasquez

Master's Theses

According to US Customs and Border Protection, over 59 thousand unaccompanied minors from the Northern Triangle (Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador) have been detained at the US border, of those 59 thousand, 17 thousand are from El Salvador. El Salvador is home to some of the most dangerous and ruthless gangs of the twenty-first century. Their ruthlessness comes from 1980s guerrilla warfare experience. In addition, El Salvador serves as a transshipment point for illicit substances from South America into Mexico. These dynamics fuel the homicide rate of the region as local gang members must protect their territory by any means …

“Mexico, Public Policy And Obesity In A Global Context”, Daniela Carina Bermudez

Master's Theses

Mexico has one of the most obese populations in the world. A country known for its diversity of rich flavorful food is drowning in low nutritional food products. This thesis examines Mexico’s obesity epidemic within the larger global context of international economic trade policies, public policies and Mexico’s health policies. The key research questions are 1) why is there an obesity epidemic in Mexico? and 2) what remedies should Mexico implement to control it? This thesis contributes to a viable policy strategy for the Mexican government to control and prevent the further increase of this obesity epidemic. Reviewing both the …

Islamophobia In The United States How American News Coverage And Social Media Perpetuate Fear & Hate Against Islam, Rida Kazmi

Master's Theses

In recent years, Islamophobia in the United States has risen to levels never seen before. While 2016 marks the 15-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, hatred and fear of Muslims and Islam has reached an all-time high instead of steadily decreasing. The rise in Islamophobia is due in large part to the news coverage that people are exposed to, with media stories on terrorist attacks often conflating Islam and violence in both subtle and other ways. Furthermore, we see that similar coverage of acts of violence committed by non-Muslims is often markedly different, both in tone and language. Through American …

A Political Ecology Of Copper Production And Environmental Degradation In Zambia, Chalwe C. Mwansa

Master's Theses

Zambia has been producing copper for more than a century. Over the past three decades, the country has attracted large scale investments within the mining sector making it one the formidable destination for investment in Africa. However, the relationship between copper production and environmental degradation is intrinsically linked and further hampered by socioeconomic, political and developmental factors.The case of Zambia is used to empirically validate and authenticate how environmental management resulting from copper production has adversely affected the country. The nation's copper production was initially under private ownership in the colonial era; Post Independence, nationalization of copper production was initiated …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Micro-Level Poverty Interventions In The Highlands Of Guatemala, Jacqueline A. Castro

Master's Theses

Despite immense efforts of poverty alleviation in the Western highlands of Guatemala, poverty is intense and widespread. Amidst an abundant array of poverty interventions, existing evidence on those interventions are not sufficient. Highlighting basic knowledge regarding impact evaluations, this paper aims to determine the most effective poverty intervention for the Western highland areas of Guatemala. Focusing on impact evaluations, this paper reviews 17 Latin American interventions, paying close attention to what may be applicable to this region. Using only the highest quality data from Latin America, it is clear that cash transfers and graduation programs are the most impactful interventions …

Challenging Filipino Colonial Mentality With Philippine Art, Francesca V. Mateo

Master's Theses

For 350 years, the Philippines was colonized by Spain and the United States. The Philippines became a sovereign nation in 1946 yet, fifty years later, colonial teachings continue to oppress Filipinos due to their colonial mentality (CM.) CM is an internalized oppression among Filipinos in which they experience an automatic preference for anything Western—European or U.S. American—and rejection of anything Filipino. Although Filipinos show signs of a CM, there are Filipinos who are challenging CM by engaging in Philippine art. Philippine art is defined as Filipino-made visual art, literature, music, and dance intended to promote Philippine culture. This …

The Politics Of Contagion, Joseph M. Young

Master's Theses

Contagion events have occurred throughout history leaving death and destruction in their wake. Often sensationalized in movies and shows such as Contagion and The Walking Dead, contagion events are life-altering events filled with gory symptoms and elevated mortality rates. The dangers of contagion events prompted governments to develop agencies with the purpose of preventing and mitigating the risks contagions pose. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other agencies across the globe pour millions of dollars each year into eliminating the risk of contagions and making the world a safer place. However, while more resources are dedicated to …

"Who Am I?": The Development Of A Male Palestinian Political Identity, Tala J. Dayyat

Master's Theses

The Palestinian people have lived under numerous imperial rulers; first, the Ottoman Empire, then later the British. Today they live under the military occupation of the state of Israel as second class citizen millions more living abroad as refugees. Young Palestinian men have become the leaders and the physical manifestation of the struggle against Israel, a political Goliath that has used tactics to repress the Palestinians such as, detentions, beatings, and land confiscation, which many outside of the Israeli state deem as illegal. Scholar Rashid Khalidi states that “the quintessential Palestinian experience, which illustrates some of the most basic issues …

Plastic Oceans: A New Way In Solving Our Plastic Pollution, Dakota S. Floyd

Master's Theses

By 2050, the world’s oceans will have more plastic than fish with potentially catastrophic consequences on sea life and the health of the ocean. Economically, countries with coastal boundaries will be heavily impacted as plastic pollution has already generated a 13 billion dollars in monetary losses. Considering that this is an extreme problem that we are currently facing the current solution is not enough in curbing our plastic pollution. While, recycling programs have been beneficial in reclaiming some plastic our mass consumption of plastic has outpaced the capabilities of recycling efforts. If we are to find a solution in our …

Rape As A Weapon Of War In Darfur, Fardowsa Abdullahi

Master's Theses

In the Darfur conflict the Sudanese government forces and the Janjaweed have used rape as a weapon of war, in the ethnic cleansing of non-Arab tribes in the region. Rape as a weapon of war was also used to degrade, terrorize women and destroy families and communities. In Darfur women and girls were raped in front of their family members. Victims ranging as young as eight years were raped in Darfur. This research investigates rape as a weapon of war. I took a qualitative approach by examining how rape was used as a weapon of war in Darfur and by …

The Persuasive Effect Of Youtube Videos On Food Waste Habits, Deeti Gupta

Master's Theses

In the past decade, food waste has emerged as one of the most important food sustainability issues in developed societies and has received increased attention from academic scholars, policymakers, environmental and other civil society organizations. There have also been a growing number of efforts to mitigate this problem, an important component of which has been education to provide consumers with a clearer understanding of the food waste problem and the methods that they can take to change their food waste behaviors. One of the educational approaches has involved social marketing. Social marketers have recently turned to YouTube and other video …

The Inter- And Intra-Rater Reliability Of Athletic Trainers At Identifying Acl Injury Risk Factors Using The Cutting Screening Tool, Kelly Buckholz Smallbeck

Master's Theses

Background: ACL injuries are a frequently talked about injury in sports and have a multitude of negative side effects. A majority of injuries occur during single-leg cutting motions. Clinical screening tools are an effective way to identify those demonstrating more ACL injury risk factors. Recent research has created a variety of clinical screening tools to identify ACL injury risk factors, however none screen athletes during a single-leg cutting motion.

Hypothesis: A clinical screening tool using a single-leg cutting motion (the Cutting Screening Tool, or CST) will reliably identify ACL injury risk factors when used by athletic trainers.

Methods: Six currently …

Prepared Practitioners: An Evaluation Of The Professional Development Experiences Of Sport-Based Youth Development Practitioners, Danielle A. Derosa

Master's Theses

Professional development for Out-of-School time (OST) staff is a comprehensive term that can refer to a variety of education, training, and development opportunities (Bouffard & Little, 2004). As a way to develop staff, organizations spend time and resources to provide opportunities that encourage the acquisition of knowledge and growth. One theory that has been looked at for its impact on professional development is the Community of Practice (CoP) is a framework (Wenger, 1998). With its focus on learning as social participation, CoP framework defines itself along three dimensions; joint enterprise, mutual engagement and shared repertoire (Cheng & Lee, 2013; Akerson, …

Addressing The Gender Workforce Gap In The Scientific Journal Editorial Hierarchy, Nishelli Ishti Ahmed

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Emotional Support And Health Related Self-Efficacy In Older Inmates, Deborah N. Steciak-Noujaim

Master's Theses

Inmates age 50 and older are the fastest growing segment of the prison population. Because the majority of inmates return to the community, adequate self-care is essential for managing their overall health. Studies among older community-living persons indicate that emotional support is associated with improved efficacy for managing one’s health (e.g., health related self-efficacy). Data collected from the “Physical Functioning and Mental Health of Older Prisoners” study were analyzed to determine if emotional support is associated with health-related self-efficacy among older inmates in Connecticut. Even after controlling for demographic, incarceration and clinical/behavioral factors, older inmates reporting lower levels of emotional …

The Association Of Ethnic-Racial Socialization With Ethnic-Racial Identity In Black Youth: A Meta-Analysis, Khris-Ann K. Small

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Subphonemic Sensitivity In Low Literacy Adults, Monica Y.C. Li

Master's Theses

The link between phonological abilities and reading skills has been well-established in both typical and atypical language development. However, the nature of the phonological deficits in poor readers remains a debated topic. While poor readers have been mostly assumed to have underspecified or “fuzzy” phonological representations (Tallal et al., 1998), the opposite alternative, over-specified phonological representations, has also been hypothesized (Serniclaes, 2006). To examine the two phonological hypotheses, the current study used the eye-tracking paradigm in the study of Dahan et al. (2001) to investigate individuals’ sensitivity to subphonemic information in young adults with a wide range of reading abilities. …

Social Capital, Creativity And Cultural Vitality: Prioritization Factors For Sustainable Public Space Systems Design, Rachel D. Gilroy

Master's Theses

The real problems, needs and opportunities of urban neighborhoods are not being served by conventional models of urban planning and sustainable development. The city of New Haven, Connecticut will be studied to develop a framework for planning and design of the public realm (public space/place/landscape) which addresses urban neighborhood sustainability through a social lens, using a mixed-methods, transdisciplinarity research model. Geospatial data on social capital and cultural vitality indicators will be integrated with other sustainability indicators to create a quantitative analysis component. Development of a participatory design process to foster social bonding, creativity and sustainability inquiry will comprise a qualitative …

Game Theory Analysis Of Intra-District Water Transfers; Case Study Of The Berrenda Mesa Water District, Harry Riordan Ferdon

Master's Theses

California state officials have continued to warn and encourage preparedness for the growing threats of water scarcity. This puts pressure on water suppliers to develop technological and managerial solutions to alleviate the problems associated with scarcity. A recent popular management strategy for distributing water is encouraging water transfers. While there has been analyses on water transfers between large districts and agencies, little analysis has been completed for smaller scale trades, i.e. between individuals in the same water district. This analysis models an agricultural water district, based on the Berrenda Mesa Water District (BMWD). In the model, the growers in the …

Enhancing Capacity And Managing Demand To Increase Short-Term Throughput On The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, Kevin Reid Carstens

Master's Theses

While there are many proposals for fixing congestion between San Francisco and Oakland in California by adding a new bridge or tube, these solutions will take decades to implement even though a solution is needed now. This thesis assesses sixteen different strategies for reducing congestion in the short-term in the four categories of improving transit, promoting carpooling, implementing intelligent transportation systems practices, and incentivizing alternatives to using the Bay Bridge. Top priorities include HOV improvements on the West Grand Avenue and Powell Street onramps, altering WestCAT Lynx and BART transit services, partnering with rideshare apps to increase transit station accessibility …

The Response Of A Predatory Fish, Ophiodon Elongatus, To A Marine Protected Area: Variation In Diet, Catch Rates, And Size Composition, Eric S. Anderson

Master's Theses

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a management tool used to protect and sustain many ecologically and economically important fish species from overexploitation by recreational and commercial fishing. Lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus) and some of its prey species, such as rockfish (Sebastes spp.), are species that are protected from fishing in some California MPAs. Lingcod is an apex predator that consumes a variety of fish and invertebrate species. In this study, I sought to assess the effect of an MPA on the abundance, size and diet of Lingcod. I hypothesized that Lingcod in a no-take MPA would be more …

Procedural Generation And Rendering Of Large-Scale Open-World Environments, Ian Thomas Dunn

Master's Theses

Open-world video games give players a large environment to explore along with increased freedom to navigate and manipulate that environment. These requirements pose several problems that must be addressed by a game's graphics engine. Often there are a large number of visible objects, such as all of the trees in a forest, as well as objects comprised of large amounts of geometry, such as terrain. An open-world graphics engine must be able to render large environments at varying levels of detail and smoothly transition between detail levels to provide a believable experience. Often this involves finding a way to both …

Circadian And Circatidal Rhythms Of Protein Abundance In The Intertidal Mussel Mytilus Californianus, Cory Elowe

Master's Theses

The intertidal zone is a dynamic environment that fluctuates with the 12.4-h tidal and 24-h light/dark cycle to predictably alter food availability, temperature, air exposure, wave action, oxygen partial pressure, and osmotic conditions. Intertidal sessile bivalves exhibit behavioral or physiological changes to minimize the persistent challenges of fluctuating environmental conditions, such as adjusting gaping behavior and heart rate. At the cellular level, transcriptomic studies on mussels’ baseline circadian and circatidal rhythms have determined that the circadian rhythm is the dominant transcriptional rhythm. However, as proteins reflect the basic molecular phenotype of an organism and their abundance may differ greatly from …

Integration And Qualification Of The P-Pods On The Vega Maiden Flight, Ryan Nugent

Master's Theses

On February 13, 2012, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo flew three Poly-Picosatellite Orbital Deployers (P-PODs), carrying seven European University CubeSats sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA), on the Vega Maiden Flight. This was the first time CubeSats shared a ride to space with other payloads on an ESA-owned launch opportunity. In order to meet launch requirements, it must be proven through proper documentation that the P-POD would operate properly and not interfere with the launch vehicle or other payloads on the mission. This thesis outlines the program flow, required documentation, and issues encountered during the launch campaign …

Creative Movement And Dance Integration: Their Connection To Learning Third Grade Math Concepts, Lashandria L. Redman

Master's Theses

In education, there are various methods of instruction used to engage students and strengthen learning of academic concepts. One method that can be used is arts integration. Arts integration is a pathway to learning that integrates an art form with another subject. Using movement and dance to help teach concepts that are part of an academic discipline is dance integration. This thesis involves dance integration and examines creating and presenting a movement and dance-integrated curriculum that teaches concepts that are part of the math discipline. The study explores how the movement and a dance-integrated curriculum affects student behavior and learning, …

The Effects Of Tootling Combined With Public Posting In High School Classrooms, Sarah Joan Wright

Master's Theses

A traditional tootling procedure was implemented along with a public posting component to determine the effects on academically engaged, disruptive, and passive off task behaviors in four general education high school classrooms. The study employed an A/B/B+C multiple baseline design across classrooms. The primary focus of the study was to assess potential increases in academically engaged behavior across intervention conditions. Students in the traditional tootling phase (B) were instructed to report on their peers’ positive, prosocial behaviors. At the end of the class period, the teacher silently read through the tootles and added the total toward the group goal. When …

Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy In Nitrogen/Oxygen Mixtures In The Presence Of Alpha Radiation, Sidney John Gautrau

Master's Theses

This research was part of an effort to experimentally validate computational models under development for radiation-induced atmospheric effects. Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy (CRDS) was used to measure the concentration of chemical products generated as a result of radiation interactions in a controlled atmosphere. Experiments were conducted in a vacuum chamber interfaced with a gas introduction system that controlled the initial atmospheric composition. A quadrupole mass spectrometer and tunable dye laser were integrated to confirm initial atmospheric composition, and provide wavelength flexibility for detecting a variety of chemical products generated by radiation interactions. CRDS measurements were made for ozone production resulting from …