Digital Commons Network^™

Crossing Borders: The U.S. And Canadian Adoption Of The Wagner Act And The Limits Of U.S. Preemption, Grace Winkeljohn

University of Miami International and Comparative Law Review

Labor law refers to the regulation of the relationship between employees and their employers. The main principle of labor law protection is the employees’ right to collectively bargain. This principle has served as a cornerstone of industrialized society since the beginning of the twentieth century, helping increase workplace equality. A comparison of labor laws in the United States and Canada offers a unique perspective, as these two North American countries share an almost identical foundation that has evolved in distinct ways over time. A strong distinction between the two systems is the adopted doctrine of preemption by the U.S., leaving …

Obstetric Violence In The Case Law Of The Universal And Inter-American Human Rights Systems, Carmen Cecilia Martínez López

University of Miami International and Comparative Law Review

This Article explores how obstetric violence is treated within two major international human rights systems: the Inter-American System of Human Rights and the United Nations treaty body system. While obstetric violence has been increasingly recognized as a form of gender-based violence and a violation of fundamental rights, the articulation of its scope, state obligations, and standards of redress has varied across institutions.

Building on this analysis, the Article argues that a comparative approach to these systems not only illuminates key similarities and differences in legal standards, but also reveals concrete gaps and opportunities to advance the protection of reproductive autonomy. …

Legislating With An Expiration Date & The Duty To Reevaluate: Sunset Provisions As A Safeguard In Self-Defense Laws, Samantha Morales

University of Miami International and Comparative Law Review

Self-defense laws have a long history in the jurisprudence of many countries around the world, reflecting the essential right to protect oneself from harm. At their core, self-defense laws seek to balance the rights of individuals against one another in threatening, violent, or high-risk scenarios, presenting a classic legal dilemma—one person’s rights end where another’s begin.

Through a comparative and analytical lens, this Note explores the origins, current state, and impact of self-defense laws, focusing specifically on the United States and the United Kingdom. Tracing the development of self-defense doctrine from its roots in the common law, the analysis highlights …

Front Matter And Table Of Contents

University of Miami International and Comparative Law Review

No abstract provided.

Expanding “We The People”: Constitutional Language And Gender (In)Equality In The United States, France, Germany, And Sweden, Sophia Elaine Ward

University of Miami International and Comparative Law Review

While the U.S. Constitution opens with the inclusive promise of representing “We the People,” it remains silent on gender equality. That silence leaves gender-based rights dependent on judicial interpretation rather than constitutional command, producing uneven, unstable protections that shift with changing courts and political regimes. Although the U.S. Supreme Court addresses sex discrimination through the Equal Protection Clause, its jurisprudence relies on a formal equality framework that fails to confront structural and systemic gender inequality and offers no durable constitutional guarantee.

This Note argues that the U.S. can no longer rely on judicial interpretation alone to secure gender equality. Instead, …

Human Rights In The Americas Symposium: An Examination Of Past, Present, And Future, Caroline Bettinger-López, Tamar Ezer, Shantanice Vaxter, Hannah Garry, Alexzandrea Bartle, Austin Brewster, Brittany Findley, Ana Garcia-Velez, Andrew Kiliment, Christian Kruger, Ana Luiza Potgornik Ferreira, Abigail Matherne, Genice Nadal, Lucia Niño Junyent, Yasmin Rizvi, Amanda Sarmientos, Megan Schutzen, Roberta Spehl, Sara White, Meg Williams

University of Miami International and Comparative Law Review

Human Rights in the Americas Symposium: An Examination of Past, Present, and Future documents a week-long convening hosted by the University of Miami School of Law in November 2025, held in conjunctions with the 194th Period of Sessions of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The Symposium brought together scholars, advocates, policymakers, students, artists, and community members to assess the evolution, current challenges, and future trajectory of human rights in the Americas.

Through interdisciplinary panels, thematic hearings, artistic exhibitions, and community-based engagements, participants examined pressing regional issues, including democratic backsliding, migration, housing justice, racial and gender inequality, environmental harm, and …

Protection Of The Human Rights Of Older Persons In The Americas And The Caribbean, Gloria Monique De Mees

University of Miami International and Comparative Law Review

The Americas and the Caribbean are undergoing rapid demographic aging amid structural inequality, widespread informality, and fragile social protection, exposing older persons to heightened risks of disease, poverty, exclusion, and abuse while reinforcing their construction as dependents rather than autonomous rights-holders. Grounded in the Inter-American Human Rights System, and complemented by empirical evidence, the analysis situates demographic aging as a structural human rights priority and traces the evolution of regional standards culminating in the Inter-American Convention on Protecting the Human Rights of Older Persons. It then examines advances and gaps in national protection systems in Latin America and the Caribbean …

The Prospect Of F.E.W. Resources: How Food, Energy, And Waste Management Workforce Programs Address Global Equity And Sustainability, Quincy P. Biddle

Student Theses 2015-Present

As a global society, the issues affecting a specific city or country are no longer isolated; instead, they impact other places in myriad ways. Over the past few decades, environmental degradation and economic inequality, both within and between countries, have caused shortages of necessities like food and water, inadequate access to safe energy sources, and increased pollution, impacting people’s prosperity and the well-being of the planet. It is of global interest to remediate these issues for the betterment and progress of society, and thus, an approach to addressing these complications collectively and comprehensively is of utmost importance. This paper investigates …

A Sturdy Future: Mangrove Restoration Against Climate Extremes, Gabriella Marie Siasoco

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses the impacts of climate change on natural disasters and examines how rehabilitation of mangrove forests in Mesoamerica and the Caribbean can mitigate those effects. Rising ocean and atmospheric temperatures contribute to higher sea levels and more severe hurricanes and tropical storms, characterized by increased frequency, duration, and intensity in peak winds, storm surges, and rainfall. Mangrove ecosystems act as vital buffers against coastal disturbances such as tsunamis and extreme storms, while contributing to climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration. Additionally, they improve water quality by filtering nutrients, preventing eutrophication. Despite their ecological and economic value, mangroves in …

Solid Waste Management In Greater Khartoum City, Sudan, Roba Mahmoud

Student Theses 2015-Present

This study investigates the rising solid waste management (SWM) dilemma in Greater Khartoum City (GKC), a critical environmental and public health issue caused by fast urbanization and inadequate infrastructure, with historical linkages to Sudan's colonial and postcolonial growth. Chapter 1 describes the current problem using quantitative and qualitative data, demonstrating that GKC produces approximately 3,340 tons of waste each day, with 56% organic matter, 8% plastics, and 16% paper. Collection efficiency remains severely poor, at 31.5%. Informal recyclers known as Nakasha or Barkata collect approximately 7% of total waste, supporting roughly 3,900 people, whereas filthy open dumps and unsorted medical …

How Open Is Merlot? A Descriptive Study Of Oer Availability In A Major Learning Object Repository., James Thibeault, Jamie Schmidt

Open Educational Resources Publications

The Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching (MERLOT) has long been regarded as a reputable source of open educational resources (OER). However, this reputation has rarely been subjected to systematic empirical scrutiny. This preliminary descriptive study examines how reliably MERLOT's Business section surfaces OER. Using a browsing-based methodology mirroring typical user behavior, 500 catalog records were manually evaluated across six access status categories. Results indicate that only 134 of 500 sampled resources (26.8%) qualify as OER under a definition requiring both open licensing and immediate accessibility. Of the 315 live links, 42.5% were OER, while 136 records (27.2%) …

A Quality Improvement Initiative Evaluating Factors Influencing Patient Experience With Virtual Reality During Awake​ Interventional Radiology Procedures, Quynh Dao-Payne

Doctoral Projects

Procedural anxiety and pain are common among pediatric patients undergoing awake interventional radiology (IR) procedures and may negatively affect patient comfort, cooperation, and overall patient experience. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising nonpharmacologic intervention to reduce anxiety and improve patient-centered outcomes. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate patient-reported experiences and perceived outcomes associated with VR use during awake pediatric IR procedures at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.​ A qualitative descriptive quality improvement design was utilized. Twenty pediatric​ patients ages 10–21 years undergoing awake IR procedures with VR as part of standard clinical​ care completed structured …

"En Papel,” Not In Practice: Indigenous Autonomy And The Structural Barriers To Land And Resource Control In Bolivia, Andrew F. Purcell

Honors Theses

This thesis examines why Bolivia’s 2009 plurinational constitution—despite its strong recognition of Indigenous autonomy, collective territory, and prior consultation—often produces rights that remain “en papel” rather than in practice. Based on one month of fieldwork in Tumupasa, Chojasivi, La Paz, El Alto, and Santa Cruz, the study draws on interviews, participant observation, and NGO documents to analyze the structural barriers that prevent constitutional guarantees from becoming enforceable governance tools. This gap between recognition and implementation structures the central research question: why do Bolivia’s constitutional and legal protections for indigenous land and resource rights function as symbolic guarantees rather than enforceable …

Expanding Expanded Access: A Case Of Onc201 And The Ethical Limitations Of Compassionate Use, Ava C. Hutchings

Honors Theses

This study examines the ethical and structural limitations of the Expanded Access program in the United States, with particular focus on its application to terminal pediatric illness. Although the program is intended to provide patients with life-threatening conditions access to investigational therapies outside of clinical trials, its effectiveness in serving critically ill children remains uncertain. This program is analyzed through careful consideration of regulatory review and ethical theory. Key policies governing Expanded Access are examined alongside scholarly discussions of pediatric autonomy and parental authority.

A case study of ONC201, a now-approved investigational drug, is used to illustrate how Expanded Access …

Using Human Capital To Enhance Trasport Sector Performance: A Managerial Perspectives From Transport Firms In Dar Es Salaam, Boaz Lucas Majula, Gerald Bernard Magova

Business Management Review

This study investigated the predictive relationship between human capital dimensions in enhancing transport sector performance, a managerial perspective from transport firms in Dar es Salaam. Specifically, the study examined employee education, working experience, creativity, and how each variable predicted transport sector performance. The study employed a quantitative approach, with five-point Likert scale using structured questionnaires to collect data about human capital dimensions and transport sector performance. The reliability was measured using Cronbach’s alpha and Partial Least Squares Structure Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was performed to estimate the predictive relationship between human capital drivers and transport firm’s performance. The study established the …

Design Optimization Of Active-Stabilizing Canards For High-Powered Rockets, Simon Babcock

Senior Honors Theses

Rocket canards are a common means of stabilizing a high-powered rocket in flight by producing aerodynamic forces to correct the rocket's trajectory. The size, shape, and position of the canards relative to the rocket body determine their control effectiveness and aerodynamic efficiency – two objectives of canard design with an inverse relationship to each other. By integrating automated iterative rocket trajectory simulation with adaptive surrogate modelling, this research optimized the canard planform geometry for a high-powered rocket to maximize the canards’ control effectiveness and aerodynamic efficiency through multi-variable, multi-objective design optimization. The canard design was first parameterized into four design …

Please Don’T Kill Big Bird: The Crusade Against Public Broadcasting, Paige Meyer-Draffen

Whittier Scholars Program

The sword and shield conservatives wield in their crusade against the CPB are contradictory constructs that represent the hypocrisy, greed, and monopolistic inclinations that underpin the efforts to kill public broadcasting. The Shield that conservatives stand behind is the rhetorical defenses employed to degrade the institution of Public Broadcasting. Arguments like protecting the American Family in the culture wars from programming like PBS’ Tales of the City (1993), or accusing NPR of being a biased, inaccurate journalistic outlet, and reducing PBS and NPR to only serving “wealthy, white, urban liberals and progressives, who generally look down on and judge rural …

Leaders' Influence On Organizational Culture And Employee Engagement, Georgene M. Grattan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Daycare Directors’ Experience Of Child Sexual Abuse Prevention At Licensed Daycare Centers In Oklahoma, Taylor Ashley Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Examining Financial Literacy And The Impact Of Education And Certification On Rural Hospital Administrators, Austin Scott Crowe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

A Comparative Static Analysis Of Identifier Clones And Homonyms In Open Source Projects, Jose Palomino Lau

Theses

Identifier naming is a core element of software engineering and program comprehension. While existing literature suggests that naming consistency is ideal, there is limited empirical data on identifier homonyms, instances where the same name is used for different behaviors. This thesis investigates these naming patterns through a manual analysis inspired by grounded theory, supported by static analysis with srcML across three open source projects in Java, C and Python. By establishing a behavioral framework through axial coding, this research classifies 771 identifiers into functional categories to document their presence and role within the code. The results reveal that naming redundancy …

Usa V. Tarik Chambers

2026 Decisions

USDC for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

A Content Analysis Of Media Framing Regarding Name, Image, And Likeness And The Transfer Portal In Men’S College Basketball, Ethan Alexander

Honors College Theses

This study investigates media framing as it relates to name, image, and likeness (NIL) and the transfer portal in men’s college basketball. This study serves as an introductory point for future framing research surrounding NIL and the transfer portal, two topics that have not been thoroughly researched up to this point. While the analysis does reveal previously unrecorded frames, the data and study as a whole serve as foundational tools for future research and are not conclusive regarding these specific topics and their usage within framing research. Through the deductive coding of articles published by ESPN throughout the last five …

Crummer Graduate School Of Business Bylaws - May 2026, Crummer Graduate School Of Business Faculty

Crummer Graduate School of Business Bylaws

No abstract provided.

From Farewell To Fáilte: The Voices Of Iowa’S Irish Daughters, Katie Hermanson

History Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

Irish women’s immigration to Iowa brought rich culture and lasting impacts, despite their contributions being silenced by history. Women left Ireland for economic opportunity and education abroad to support their impoverished families. Millions emigrated between 1830 and 1915, spreading across the world. The Irish women who came to the United States encountered discrimination and cultural stereotyping as they worked in domestic service, developed religious orders, taught school, owned businesses and raised families. Women bore the burden of supporting their families in Ireland by sending remittances home and communicating between countries. Their cultural identity as exiles dwelled in guilt for leaving …

Postoperative Stress Accelerates Atherosclerosis Through Inflammatory Remodeling Of The Hdl Proteome And Impaired Reverse Cholesterol Transport, Dominique M. Boucher, Victoria Lorant, Valerie Rochon, Abigail Carter, Cameron Stotts, My Anh Nguyen, Thomas Laval, Christina Emerton, Nathan Joyce, Nysa Vinayak, Marlena Scaffidi, David Cook, Katey J. Rayner, Rebecca C. Auer, Scott M. Gordon, Mireille I. Ouimet

Physiology Faculty Publications

Over 10 million patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery each year face major cardiovascular complications within 30 days, many due to destabilized atherosclerotic plaques. Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), driven by HDL and Apoa1, protects against plaque progression, but the effects of surgical inflammation on this pathway remain unclear. Using an abdominal laparotomy model in ApoE^−/− mice on a Western diet, we isolated the impact of surgical inflammation without confounding blood loss. Surgery acutely impaired RCT and cholesterol efflux, with inflammatory remodeling of HDL marked by elevated SAA1/2 and reduced Apoa1. Plaques exhibited higher intracellular lipids, PLIN2 expression, and cleaved caspase-3, indicating …

Police Accountability For Racial Justice And Equality: A Human Rights Analysis Of Perceptions Of Police Legitimacy In Orlando, Florida, Katherine Wilson Mccoy, R. Denisse Córdova Montes

University of Miami International and Comparative Law Review

The murder of George Floyd marked a watershed moment in the global fight against racism. In response, the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted Resolution 43/1, calling for a comprehensive report on systemic racism and human rights violations against Africans and people of African descent by law enforcement. Despite this increased scrutiny, legislators have increasingly used laws to police poverty. Florida House Bill 1365 went into effect on October 1, 2024, prohibiting public camping and sleeping on public property without authorization. Critics argue that such measures disproportionately target marginalized groups by criminalizing life-sustaining activities. Research suggests that repeated interactions, especially …

Barriers, Beliefs, And Brilliance: African American Males Perceptions Of Academic Success, Cara C. Bowie

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

This phenomenological study looked at the lived experience and perceptions of academically successful African American male students in Riverbend County, Arkansas.  With the help of the Critical Race Theory (CRT) and a phenomenological orientation, the research aimed to address the research question: What aspects of the educational systems do academically successful African American male students identify as most influential and impactful in their success?  Brookhaven High School was purposely chosen, with ten participants having a minimum 3.0 GPA.  The main data collection tool was semi-structured interviews, and Moustakas (1994) transcendental phenomenological analysis approach was used to determine textual and structural …

Alicia Anderson V. Superior Court Of Delaware

2026 Decisions

USDC for the District of Delaware

African American Male Administrators’ Perceptions Of Leadership Expectations At The Secondary Level, Dimitri D. Williams

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

The underrepresentation of African American male administrators at the secondary level in public education, paired with racialized leadership expectations, demands a deeper examination of their lived experiences. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the perceptions that came from the lived experiences of African American male administrators at the secondary level, with particular focus on their various leadership journeys, perceived expectations, and identity construction within predominantly Caucasian spaces. This study is rooted in Critical Race Theory and the conceptual frameworks of double consciousness, code-switching, tokenism, and impostor syndrome. This study investigated how race influences leadership expectations, professional advancement, and daily administrative practice. …