Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Master's Theses

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 1531 - 1560 of 18425

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Cost-A-Lot Of Evictions And Displacement: Meda's Role In Community Organizing And The Impacts Of The Costa-Hawkins And Ellis Acts, Henna Gandhi May 2023

Cost-A-Lot Of Evictions And Displacement: Meda's Role In Community Organizing And The Impacts Of The Costa-Hawkins And Ellis Acts, Henna Gandhi

Master's Theses

In February 1995, the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (AB1164) was passed in California. Developed by two Democratic state policymakers, Senator Jim Costa and Assemblymember Phil Hawkins, the act encompassed both Senate Bill 1257 and Assembly Bill 1169 (Goldberg 2, 2018). The Costa-Hawkins Act was a vacancy decontrol legislation that overruled strict rent control measures in cities across California. In combination with rent control and Costa-Hawkins, the passage of the Ellis Act (1985) by state legislators further contributed to the affordable housing crisis. With the current affordable housing crisis, I turn to community- based organizations (CBOs) who provide housing solutions for …


How Violence Shaped The Next Generation: Intergenerational Impacts Of Abduction In Northern Uganda, Mansi Kalra May 2023

How Violence Shaped The Next Generation: Intergenerational Impacts Of Abduction In Northern Uganda, Mansi Kalra

Master's Theses

Northern Uganda has long been a major conflict zone, home to countless atrocities at the hands of the terrorist group the Lord’s Resistance Army. Widespread kidnappings occurred throughout the 1980s into the early 2000s, and today many of these individuals have been able to return to their homes. However, the scope of trauma does not end when an abductee returns home, it carries on in unpredictable ways and into the lives of family and community members. This brings to question, are the impacts of abduction intergenerational and can they impact the children of former abductees? This study utilizes survey data …


Feeling The Heat: Heterogeneous Treatment Effects Of Heat On Human Cooperation, Scott K. Klaus May 2023

Feeling The Heat: Heterogeneous Treatment Effects Of Heat On Human Cooperation, Scott K. Klaus

Master's Theses

The goal of this paper is to examine how increased temperatures affect human behavior in terms of cooperation. Currently, there is an abundance of literature regarding increased aggression in humans as temperatures rise. However, there is ambiguity concerning whether a similar effect exists in altering levels of cooperation in human interactions. Additionally, people of different characteristics may be influenced by heat at varying levels. First, we run a baseline model of prosociality on different heat measurements, such as standard and wet-bulb temperatures. Included in this model are experimental specification variables, a “trigger”, and characteristics. The trigger is defined as losing …


Tempers Rising: The Effect Of Heat On Spite, Jake C. Cosgrove May 2023

Tempers Rising: The Effect Of Heat On Spite, Jake C. Cosgrove

Master's Theses

The relationship between heat and harmful outcomes is well documented, with research connecting various adverse economic outcomes to the climate. In the presence of increasing global warming and climate change, understanding why the climate leads to negative economic outcomes is essential for forming peaceful institutions of the future. We study how behavioral economic outcomes change in the presence of heat through a lab experiment involving 1,110 observations conducted in five different countries. This paper specifically focuses on the social preference outcome of spite. We find that increased time exposure to the treatment effect of heat is required to elicit an …


Empirical Evidence For The Emergence Of Global General Normative Force In The Paris Agreement, Michael J. Nordquist May 2023

Empirical Evidence For The Emergence Of Global General Normative Force In The Paris Agreement, Michael J. Nordquist

Master's Theses

The Paris Agreement presents a unique framework to address the pressing dangers of climate change. Given the magnitude of this global problem and our reliance on international treaties to counteract its adverse effects, it is imperative that we understand the evolving norms within this domain. To evaluate the extent to which the Paris Agreement serves as a second-order "rule of recognition" in the context of global climate governance, we utilize a straightforward test rooted in Hart's theory of the rule of law. Our approach entails enumerating the number of countries worldwide that have enacted laws explicitly referencing the Paris Agreement, …


The Labor And Educational Effects Of Daca: Evidence From California, Oscar A. Alonso Guerra May 2023

The Labor And Educational Effects Of Daca: Evidence From California, Oscar A. Alonso Guerra

Master's Theses

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, implemented in 2012, has been a subject of intense debate. While much research has examined the early effects of DACA, this study contributes to the literature by analyzing more recent data on the labor and educational outcomes of DACA recipients in California. Using a difference-in-differences approach, I aim to uncover significant changes in the labor market and educational outcomes of DACA recipients over time. I find those eligible for DACA experienced noteworthy effects compared to those who were ineligible. Specifically, they exhibit a significant 3.1 percentage point increase in the likelihood of …


Undocumented Latinos In California: The Safety Under Ab 60 And Vulnerability Under Real Id, Ricardo Velazquez May 2023

Undocumented Latinos In California: The Safety Under Ab 60 And Vulnerability Under Real Id, Ricardo Velazquez

Master's Theses

This qualitative research study focuses on the safety under AB 60 driver’s licenses and how the Real ID affects the daily lives of Latino undocumented California residents. The purpose of this project is to further understand the implementation of the second provision of the Real ID Act of 2005 which issues marked identifications and driver's licenses that are federal compliant and understand how it will affect Latino undocumented California residents. The focus of this study through the literature review and the Testimonios is on the experiences of Latino undocumented immigrants living in California, and is viewed through a Latino Critical …


Understanding The Drivers Of Meat Consumption In Norway: An Exploration Of Environmental And Sociocultural Factors, Paul Wilhite May 2023

Understanding The Drivers Of Meat Consumption In Norway: An Exploration Of Environmental And Sociocultural Factors, Paul Wilhite

Master's Theses

This thesis focuses on meat consumption in Norway and issues needed to be addressed if it is to be reduced. This thesis aims to explore the sociocultural and environmental factors influencing meat consumption in Norway, a country known for its high per capita consumption of meat. By examining the historical, cultural, and economic contexts of meat consumption in Norway as well as the environmental impacts and ethical considerations associated with meat production and consumption, this thesis seeks to provide a nuanced understanding of the drivers of meat consumption in Norway. Following a brief outline of how these issues are to …


Liberté, Égalité, Identité: Media And The Construction Of French National Identity, Hannah D. Lahey May 2023

Liberté, Égalité, Identité: Media And The Construction Of French National Identity, Hannah D. Lahey

Master's Theses

In 2015, France was rocked by a series of terror attacks that seemed to act as a tipping point for the fears and tensions that had been brewing in Europe in the months leading up to the strike. These attacks, and the subsequent responses to them, point to the influence of a much longer history of French involvement in the Middle East, and the lasting impact that colonization has on French national identity formation. With the creation of French national identity, and therefore the creation of the group that is deemed necessarily outside of this identity, the moral values and …


Refugee Resettlement: Assessing The Quality Of Reception In The Southeast U.S., Adrian Laudani May 2023

Refugee Resettlement: Assessing The Quality Of Reception In The Southeast U.S., Adrian Laudani

Master's Theses

When faced with dire situations, refugees are forced to migrate without choice. As a new reality is forced upon them, many don’t have much say in what their futures hold. One option that only the fortunate bunch are presented with is resettlement in a third country. Addressing complexities within the refugee resettlement system consists of various dynamics including integration processes, cultural transitions, multilingualism, among much more. The purpose of this thesis is to address the quality of the current reception services in the United States in order to more effectively assist refugees throughout this general transition period. My main thesis …


Silent Weapon: A Documentary On Ending Police Corruption In Nigeria With A Nonviolent Social Movement, Damilola Adesanya May 2023

Silent Weapon: A Documentary On Ending Police Corruption In Nigeria With A Nonviolent Social Movement, Damilola Adesanya

Master's Theses

This documentary aims to examine the issue of police corruption in Nigeria and see how a nonviolent movement can be implemented to end this problem. The focus is on nonviolent movements like the #ENDSARS was used to bring change where there seemed to be no hope. There have been many accounts of the experiences of the citizens of Nigeria when it comes to police corruption. Unfortunately, a lot of these situations have gone untold. Some Nigerians believe there is no way to stop the police from being corrupt, as it has been going on for too long. Many citizens feel …


The Grid That Binds: The Renewable Energy Transition In Germany, France, And Italy, Katherine A. Mason May 2023

The Grid That Binds: The Renewable Energy Transition In Germany, France, And Italy, Katherine A. Mason

Master's Theses

The current energy crisis and climate change are just some of the challenges that the European Union and its member states are forced to reckon with. The loss of fossil fuel supplies from Russia in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine forced the acceleration of the renewable energy transition and created a new set of problems to be addressed, namely the effectiveness of climate work that had already begun, and what the roadmap for the future would look like. Examining the history and infrastructure of Germany, France, and Italy presents insights into how this challenge can be met, and …


Abolition Ecologies And The Making Of Freedom As A Place In Bayview-Hunters Point, Spencer Daniel O'Hara May 2023

Abolition Ecologies And The Making Of Freedom As A Place In Bayview-Hunters Point, Spencer Daniel O'Hara

Master's Theses

In this paper, I critically explore the subjectivities of Hunters Point Naval Shipyard (HPNS), part of the largest redevelopment project in San Francisco since 1906. Applying an abolition ecologies framework, I ask what explains the duplicity of the Shipyard as a site of radioactive contamination and capital accumulation, and in the same time-space one that creates the conditions for radical place-making. Hunters Point Naval Shipyard is a former commercial and military shipyard located on a peninsula in southeastern San Francisco. Motivated by its desire for a major shipbuilding and repair facility to project maritime power in the Pacific, the Navy …


Liberté, Égalité, Identité: Media And The Construction Of French National Identity, Hannah D. Lahey May 2023

Liberté, Égalité, Identité: Media And The Construction Of French National Identity, Hannah D. Lahey

Master's Theses

In 2015, France was rocked by a series of terror attacks that seemed to act as a tipping point for the fears and tensions that had been brewing in Europe in the months leading up to the strike. These attacks, and the subsequent responses to them, point to the influence of a much longer history of French involvement in the Middle East, and the lasting impact that colonization has on French national identity formation. With the creation of French national identity, and therefore the creation of the group that is deemed necessarily outside of this identity, the moral values and …


The Central American Minors Program: Advocating For Private Sponsorship, Magaly Velasco-Escobar May 2023

The Central American Minors Program: Advocating For Private Sponsorship, Magaly Velasco-Escobar

Master's Theses

Under this recommendation, minors would be interviewed by qualified officers at resettlement agencies in their home countries to assess credible fear, those deemed eligible but lacking an eligible relative would be referred for a private sponsorship pathway. Sponsors would be vetted and qualified using protocols currently in place by the Welcome Corps and Refugee Foster Care. Ideally, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) would coordinate between the private sponsors and overseas resettlement agencies, given they already do the work of vetting eligible sponsors for minors. ORR could create a program staffed with qualified individuals to coordinate this program or provide …


Three Presidencies: Presidential Influence, Internal Displacement, And Violence Trends In Colombia, Yvette A. Ramirez May 2023

Three Presidencies: Presidential Influence, Internal Displacement, And Violence Trends In Colombia, Yvette A. Ramirez

Master's Theses

Internal Displacement has become one modern day’s humanitarian crisis. The number of internally displaced persons have increased to alarming numbers in different corners of the globe. Colombia has been one of the center points of internal displacement in contemporary history. IDPs fled violence that is sourced in armed conflict mainly from the guerrilla group known as the FARC, as well as climate induced displacement in rural areas, leaving behind their homes and main source of livelihood. Victims of displacement endure a lengthy resettlement process and IDPs become marginalized in resettlement. Due to the severity of internal displacement, as a country …


Giving Birth To A Stateless Citizen: Gendered Citizenship Laws In International Human Rights., Serena Nader May 2023

Giving Birth To A Stateless Citizen: Gendered Citizenship Laws In International Human Rights., Serena Nader

Master's Theses

Citizenship rights are gendered in over 50 countries worldwide. Gendered citizenship laws limit how citizenship is granted to spouses of citizens, or how citizenship is passed from parent to child. These laws often discriminate against women or minority groups and have the potential to violate a number of human rights. Based on three specific characteristics, gendered citizenship laws have maintained social order and reinforced by incorrect internalization processes. Accordingly Gendered citizenship laws negatively impact the recognition of the international human rights of citizens, remarkably when systems are culturally patriarchal, when religion overshadows basic human rights, and when internalization processes are …


The Relationship Between Economic Complexity And Income Inequality: A Study On The United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Brooke Johnson May 2023

The Relationship Between Economic Complexity And Income Inequality: A Study On The United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Brooke Johnson

Master's Theses

This paper examines the relationship between income inequality and economic complexity, adding to the literature by providing new evidence for Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). With populations in cities rapidly increasing world-wide, settlement scaling research has revealed significant correlations between population size and various aspects of socio-economic wellbeing, including income inequality. Our study utilizes the Economic Complexity Index (ECI), a recently developed measure of economic development, to examine how changes in regional production structures influence inequality and shed light on the evolving nature of urban economies. By employing fixed effects OLS regression with clustered standard errors on both panel data from …


The Child Nutrition Cost Of Weather Shocks In Nigeria, Danielle M. Abaya May 2023

The Child Nutrition Cost Of Weather Shocks In Nigeria, Danielle M. Abaya

Master's Theses

Child malnutrition is alarmingly high in Nigeria with the highest number of malnourished children, the second highest population of stunted children worldwide and 17 million Nigerians facing food insecurity. According to the World Health Organization, children are predicted to suffer about 80% of weather-related illnesses and deaths. As climate change continues to pose the greatest health threat and while scientists predict its irreversible effects in the next 10 years, countries such as Nigeria are already experiencing the burden of climate change today. This study uses total rainfall to measure precipitation and two Enhanced Vegetation Index variables, total change in greenness …


Food & Cultural Entrepreneurship: Recipes For Upward Social Mobility Among Emprendedoras Inmigrantes In The Bay Area, Mariel Hernandez May 2023

Food & Cultural Entrepreneurship: Recipes For Upward Social Mobility Among Emprendedoras Inmigrantes In The Bay Area, Mariel Hernandez

Master's Theses

A qualitative research study explores the experiences of female immigrant entrepreneurs in the San Francisco Bay Area including their journey of self-employment and the challenges they have faced based on their sex, migration status and access to social capital and resources. Understanding existing knowledge on migration theory and labor economics, sustainable labor integration, as well as the gendered nature of labor migration, it is determined that female migrants can access upward social mobility through labor markets and entrepreneurship. The study identifies various commonalities between the participants including and their opportunities for social mobility. Based on five interviews with immigrant women, …


Positive Out Of The Negative: Tracking Renewable Energy Projects In Central America, Jordan Ethan Castillo (Miner) May 2023

Positive Out Of The Negative: Tracking Renewable Energy Projects In Central America, Jordan Ethan Castillo (Miner)

Master's Theses

Central America is undertaking a vast Renewable Energy (RE) transition, due to widespread investments across the region in an array of technologies. These technologies include Community Solar, Wind, and Hydroelectricity. Hydroelectricity has long been the backbone of many countries’ energy grids in the region due to the region’s long history with hydroelectricity. Ambitious climate goals coupled with diminishing hydroelectric power generation opportunities have led to an expansion of investment in Community Solar and Wind energy. The embrace of Solar and Wind has been accelerated due to declining costs for these technologies as they mature. Central America as a case study …


War And Genocide In Darfur And Its Impact On Darfur Society, Hamid Elshareif May 2023

War And Genocide In Darfur And Its Impact On Darfur Society, Hamid Elshareif

Master's Theses

The Darfur region in western Sudan has witnessed bloody revolutions and conflicts since the beginning of 2003. The Sudanese government recruited militias such as Janjaweed who killed and robbed the civilian people of Darfur. The Janjaweed practiced murder, rape, torture, the burning of villages, looting, and theft which amounted to what most people consider genocide. This genocide is being practiced against the indigenous African tribes in the western region of Sudan which is less developed and has been marginalized by the government in Khartoum. Reasons for this conflict are in question with many people seeing it as purely an Arab …


Post-Pandemic Digital Experiences & Attitudes Among Adult Immigrant Esol Learners, Lacey D. Goodloe May 2023

Post-Pandemic Digital Experiences & Attitudes Among Adult Immigrant Esol Learners, Lacey D. Goodloe

Master's Theses

This mixed-methods study considers the current reality of the “digital divide” as experienced by adult immigrant ESOL learners following the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period. Although prior research often assumes foreign-born individuals to have lower rates of access, skills and motivation to engage with technology, or to lack it altogether, this study seeks to contribute a more realistic picture which encompasses the full diversity of digital experiences among the foreign-born population. The review of the literature first covers two levels of the digital divide that often evince socioeconomic disparities: primarily access, skills and usage; and more recently, attitudes and motivation. Then, …


Development And Economic Complexity Of Mexican Municipalities: Based On Their Energy Access And Gross Production., Angelica Gloria Velasco May 2023

Development And Economic Complexity Of Mexican Municipalities: Based On Their Energy Access And Gross Production., Angelica Gloria Velasco

Master's Theses

In 2015, Mexico ranked 22nd in the international list of ECI; Out of 136 countries, Mexico had a higher index than Netherlands and Denmark. How is this possible for a developing economy that in 2014 reached its highest inequality index at 50.3%? This research is focused on the behavior of the Economic Complexity Index when it interacts with income inequality (Gini Coefficient), the gross production and human development (which in this case is focused on access to basic services: education and electricity). In the first and second sections, this paper highlights the importance of the analysis at a municipality level …


The Association Between High Medical Costs & Migration In The United States, Zuriel Sanders May 2023

The Association Between High Medical Costs & Migration In The United States, Zuriel Sanders

Master's Theses

In the United States, the current medical system has been controversial due to its non-universal design. Typically those who’re employed and middle or upper class have the most access to health care due to this design. Even among those with access to health insurance the amount of out-of-pocket medical expenses that families are exposed to after insurance can cause a burden in itself for staying financially afloat that year, especially when paired with the increasing cost of living in the U.S. from 2009-Present. For the purpose of this paper, we’ll be examining the relationship between migration & high medical expenses …


Agricultural Shocks On Household Stability: A Case Study Of Tanzania Maize Farmers, Zimmi Ndlovu May 2023

Agricultural Shocks On Household Stability: A Case Study Of Tanzania Maize Farmers, Zimmi Ndlovu

Master's Theses

As the global populations grow, the need for stronger agricultural resilience in areas with high food insecurity like Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a must. Crop failure due to climate related events has increased substantially over the past decade, raising the risks to vulnerable groups like subsistence farmers. Understanding the effects of climate variability on farmers and their crops is a pivotal step towards increasing resilience and productivity. In this paper I approach this question using a Linear Probability Fixed-effects Model on Tanzanian Panel Survey data with monthly temperature and precipitation for years 2008 to 2013. Results suggest a negative relationship …


From Instability To Civil Liberties: Nonviolent Resistance In Afghanistan, Rachel L. Knowles May 2023

From Instability To Civil Liberties: Nonviolent Resistance In Afghanistan, Rachel L. Knowles

Master's Theses

When people have a fundamental issue at stake, giving in is not an option. For these types of conflict, when people’s rights are being violated, when their countries are occupied, or when they are oppressed and humiliated, they need a powerful way to persist and fight back. Oftentimes when people are left with no choice they will use the terrible and destructive nature of violence. For decades nonviolent resistance (NVR) movements have been associated with Gandhi and Martin Luther King, but people have been using nonviolent action for years. In fact, NVR has been a part of political life for …


Understanding The Impacts Of Topobathymetric Data On Storm Surge Model Predictions, Sydni Crain May 2023

Understanding The Impacts Of Topobathymetric Data On Storm Surge Model Predictions, Sydni Crain

Master's Theses

The topobathymetric characteristics of a region are regularly altered by natural and anthropogenic causes. This directly impacts the resulting storm surge during a hurricane. The primary goal of this research was to gain a better understanding of the impact that topography and bathymetry have on storm surge models, particularly the Advanced Circulation (ADCIRC) Model. Hurricane Zeta (2020) and Hurricane Ida (2021) were chosen as case studies; therefore, the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) was chosen as the study site. This research was completed by comparing ADCIRC storm surge results which were based on older, lower-resolution data with results derived from more …


Child Soldiers & Juveniles In Gangs: Opposite Sides Of The Same Coin With Dissimilar Legal Liabilities In International And American Constitutional Law, Jason Blevins May 2023

Child Soldiers & Juveniles In Gangs: Opposite Sides Of The Same Coin With Dissimilar Legal Liabilities In International And American Constitutional Law, Jason Blevins

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.


Comparative Analysis Of Rhizosphere And Endosphere Microbiome Of Different Blueberry Species (Vaccinium Sp.), Niladri Bhowmik May 2023

Comparative Analysis Of Rhizosphere And Endosphere Microbiome Of Different Blueberry Species (Vaccinium Sp.), Niladri Bhowmik

Master's Theses

Blueberries are an important agricultural commodity in all over the United States. Due to its health benefits, there is a huge demand globally, thus expanding the industry. Breeding programs are essential to maintain such industries. Challenges that play a role in contemporary breeding programs are various biotic and abiotic stress factors. Studies have shown that microorganisms are recruited by plants to alleviate them during stressful conditions. Though blueberries have been cultivated for about 100 years, how the microbiome has been affected due to this is poorly understood. We hypothesized that interspecific crosses and artificial selection have significantly changed the microbiome …