Digital Commons Network^™

This Is A War: The 1977-78 Coal Strike And The Fracturing Of The Postwar Social Compact, Christian B. Rowe

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The 1977–78 coal strike was a landmark moment for the American labor movement. Despite holding out for 110 days with no pay or benefits through a historically severe winter, miners were unable to advance their demands and achieve a progressive contract. By invoking the Taft–Hartley Act to end the strike, Jimmy Carter destabilized the New Deal political coalition by enraging one of its core constituencies and placing the needs of the state over the needs of unionized industrial workers. The BCOA’s immovable position in negotiations was an early sign that the labor-management accord that had governed industrial relations since World …

Characterizing Nursery Habitat For Juvenile Invasive Carp (Hypophthalmichthys Spp.) On The Ohio River, Rebecca Hiller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Since their introduction to US waters, Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and Bighead Carp (H. nobilis) have rapidly spread throughout the Mississippi River basin and its major tributaries, but their invasion has stalled within the Ohio River. Recent research has suggested this slowed spread could be due to a lack of suitable nursery habitat in the Ohio River, affecting recruitment of invasive carp. This study aims to characterize the habitats juvenile carp are utilizing by investigating three main lines of inquiry: that juvenile carp habitat use is limited by (1) the flow regime of the Ohio River …

Green Bank Chime/Frb Outriggers Commissioning And Analog System Development, Kholoud Sharif Tag Alkhatem Khairy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The main objective of this thesis is to document the development and commissioning of the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment. (CHIME) outrigger at the Green Bank Observatory. (GBO) in Green Bank, WV. This novel cylindrical wide-field radio transient telescope is currently operating in conjunction with CHIME. The CHIME outrigger at GBO aims to contribute significantly to the field of radio astronomy, with implications for both Fast Radio Burst. (FRB) science and broader astronomical research. The construction and commissioning of the CHIME outrigger at the GBO mark a pivotal step forward in pursuing high-precision wide-field detection and localization of radio transients, …

Watershed-Level Survey Of Antimicrobial Resistance From Onsite Wastewater Systems, Trey Franklin Clark

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has quickly become one of the largest global health and development threats. Research related to environmental modes of transmission of AMR has accelerated in recent years, and the US Environmental Protection Agency is particularly interested in this emerging contaminant. Knowledge of how onsite (decentralized) wastewater treatment systems contribute to this issue is lacking, so this research serves to analyze and quantify the environmental dissemination of AMR and fecal contamination from these sources at a watershed level while using statistical analysis to assess relationships between physiochemical, spatial, and sampling parameters. This research surveyed four watersheds …

Motivation And Well-Being: A Study Of Wvu Extension Volunteers, Amber Renae Goff

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Volunteers are the heart of the land-grant outreach model. They bring education and resources to communities across West Virginia. Volunteers have been relied upon in many aspects of Extension programming and current budget conditions have reduced the level of staffing within WVU Extension. There may be an increased demand for volunteers to help with programming. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between motivation and the perceived level of well-being within the WVU Extension volunteer programs. The study yielded 464 responses from a descriptive survey. Based on the results, WVU Extension volunteers are motivated based on their …

Extinction Bursts Reexamined: The Role Of Consummatory Time And Response Reallocation, Braden Toler

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Two experiments were conducted to examine how the removal of the opportunity to consume reinforcement and the reallocation of that time might account for extinction bursts during within-session transitions from FR 1 to extinction. In Experiment 1, rats and pigeons were trained under FR 1 schedules and subsequently exposed to within-session extinction. Total counts of responses suggested that extinction bursts occurred for each subject, but when adjusted to exclude responses that would have overlapped with food consumption, no bursts were observed. In Experiment 2, pigeons experienced four extinction arrangements: conventional extinction, response-independent reinforcement, conditioned reinforcement, and differential reinforcement of alternative …

“Promoting Safe Firearm Storage Through Media-Based Interventions”, Abigali Bordelon

2025 Honors Symposium

Although often underrepresented in public discussions of gun violence in the United States, unintentional pediatric shootings contributed to the ongoing gun violence endemic. These shootings routinely share characteristics which make them an ideal target for public health and injury prevention efforts. As individual's often learn about unintentional pediatric shootings and form opinions based on media reports of these incidents, it is crucial that we explore how the mainstream media is framing these events and what must be changed in order to better support prevention efforts. This project examines safe firearm storage patterns and attitudes within the U.S. and mainstream media …

Front Matter, Vol. 57 (2025)

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Masthead, Vol. 57 (2025)

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Foreword: The Geneva Conventions At 75: Need For Innovation, Michael P. Scharf, Annalie Buscarino

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

White Paper On The Need To Strengthen International Humanitarian Law To Address The Challenges Of 21st Century Warfare, Cleveland Experts Meeting

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

"On the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, thirty leading experts in the field of IHL from around the world gathered at Case Western Reserve University School of Law in Cleveland, Ohio, on September 26, 2024, to discuss whether there is a need to strengthen IHL to address the challenges of 21st century warfare, and how that could best be accomplished. The experts participated in three follow-up meetings over Zoom on October 31, November 7, and November 14, 2024. The participating experts are listed at the end of this document. The experts participated in their personal capacity; the views expressed …

Digital Sovereignty And Ai: New Threats To Corporate Participation In Internet Governance?, Michael J. Kelly, David E. Satola

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

Authoritarian regimes have long challenged the multistakeholder model of Internet governance in pursuit of more state-centered controls. Recent assertions of digital sovereignty, coupled with dramatic advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), present twin threats that those regimes may now deploy to advance that challenge. This Article argues that corporations, which currently have a seat at the governance table, must engage with this debate on the side of Western liberal democracy and Internet human rights or risk losing those seats. (Abstract from authors.)

Cyber Operations And The Crime Of Aggression, Jennifer Trahan

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

The Article examines how the crime of aggression could be committed through cyber operations, analyzing the definition of the crime contained in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The Article also examines the restrictive jurisdictional regime that the ICC has over the crime of aggression, which States Parties must fix so that the ICC can have meaningful jurisdiction over the crime. The Article briefly also considers the topic of gravity and cyber-operations. (Abstract from author.)

Human Rights In Technology -- A Need For A New Norm, Els De Busser

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

The field of cyber security has relied on norms quite heavily to govern the behavior of states and non-state actors in cyberspace. However, existing norms do not offer guidance on integrating attention to human rights into the design and development of digital consumer products. This Paper introduces a way to foresee the human rights impact of new technology combined with a form of governance that regulates problems we do not know exist yet. (Abstract from author.)

The Geneva Conventions At 75: An Argument That New Legal Authority Is Needed To Fill Critical Gaps, Sandra Hodgkinson

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

For seventy-five years, the Geneva Conventions have served as the gold standard of treatment for military forces that take part in hostilities. However, modern developments on the battlefield, including the rise of non-state actors in today’s conflicts, have exposed gaps in the Geneva Conventions that require new legal authority. States should pursue avenues to fill these gaps with binding new legal authority, as well as continue the development of customary international law, and soft-law projects. (Abstract from author.)

A Taste Of Armageddon: Legal Considerations For Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, Paul R. Williams, Ryan Jane Westlake

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) represent a profound shift in the nature of warfare, where machines, not humans, make life-or-death decisions on the battlefield. While these weapons offer strategic advantages, such as reducing human casualties and increasing operational efficiency, they also introduce significant legal, ethical, and accountability challenges. This Article explores the complexities surrounding the proliferation and use of LAWS, arguing that a total ban is unlikely due to the widespread accessibility and benefits these technologies offer to those who deploy them. Rather, this Article proposes the application of strict liability—traditionally a tort law concept—to the developers of LAWS as …

Autonomous Weapons Systems And The Need To Update International Humanitarian Law?, Milena Sterio

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

This Article discusses whether the relevant rules of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and in particular, the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their 1977 Additional Protocols should be updated in order to develop a clearer framework regarding the permissibility and legality of the use of Autonomous Weapon Systems (AWS) in armed conflict. This Article first discusses the existing Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols’ rules applicable to the use of all weapons, including AWS. Next, this Article discusses possible ways of reshaping and reconceptualizing IHL in order to adapt its current rules or to develop new rules that would better regulate the use …

"Old" Law For A "New" Frontier: The Sufficiency Of International Humanitarian Law In Outer Space, Christian Jorgensen

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

As military capabilities and activities continue to expand into outer space, questions arise as to whether new legal frameworks are necessary to govern armed conflict beyond Earth. This Article argues that existing international humanitarian law (IHL) principles, including distinction, proportionality, necessity, and humanity, remain sufficient to regulate military operations in space. Rather than drafting new black-letter rules, states should focus on interpreting and applying current law in light of the unique characteristics of space warfare, including the enduring dangers of space debris and the widespread civilian reliance on satellite infrastructure. This Article examines the applicability of IHL in outer space, …

Space Warfare: Do We Need Additional Treaties?, Col. Stuart A. Pettis (Ret.)

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

With the growth in counter-space weapons and military services dedicated to space, should International Humanitarian Law be expanded to address a “war in space?” This Paper will examine what a conflict in space would look like and existing laws that govern military activities in space. Ultimately, this paper will argue that International Humanitarian Law is already flexible enough to address this new venue for conflict. (Abstract from author.)

2024 Klatsky Endowed Lecture In Human Rights, Andrew Cayley

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Sacrifice Zone: Conciliating Racial Discrimination In Louisiana's "Cancer Alley" Under The International Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Racial Discrimination, Ellen Buerk

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

In June 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) abandoned its civil rights investigation into racially discriminatory practices by Louisiana state agencies in Cancer Alley. It did so after issuing initial findings which indicated those agencies had operated in a racially discriminatory manner, subjecting predominately Black communities to adverse health outcomes resulting from air pollution. This action is one in a long line of violations by the United States of its obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) in Cancer Alley. In light of U.S. inaction in Cancer Alley, other parties to ICERD …

A Taking Or Public Interest Intent: Launching A Universal Standard For Indirect Expropriation, Naomi Matthusen

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

Outstanding note of the year 2025

In 2023, the Russian government announced drastic measures to take control over the management of specific foreign investments located in Russia in response to sanctions imposed on Russian assets abroad. These measures affected nearly onefourth of the largest 200 companies in the world. Expropriation clauses in bilateral investment treaties between nations exist to prevent the usurpation of foreign investments by host state governments, yet the standards for what constitutes indirect expropriation remain unclear and unpredictable and fail to adequately balance government and investor interests. This Note proposes and rationalizes a new definition for indirect …

The Geneva Conventions At 75: Need For Innovation (Keynote Address), John Bellinger

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

New Treaty Law On Autonomous Weapons? An Opportunity To Reframe The Discourse, Laurie R. Blank

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

Calls for a new treaty for autonomous weapons—or for any other new technology—stem from a concern at the most basic level: the concern that LOAC’s existing treaties are not sufficient to fulfill their core purposes of protecting civilians and other vulnerable persons and regulating the conduct of hostilities. Could treaties drafted in 1949—when air power was new and space a distant dream, when the first operational computer ran its first program and navigation relied on the compass and sextant—be sufficient for the complexities and challenges of the electromagnetic spectrum, artificial intelligence, quantum mechanics, machine learning, cyber, anti-satellite weapons, and other …

Autonomous Weapons Systems And Proportionality: The Need For Regulation, Craig Martin

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

This Article examines the question of whether International Humanitarian Law (IHL) requires modification to effectively govern autonomous weapons systems (AWS). Given that the imminent development and deployment is unlikely to be prohibited, and that AWS may not comply with IHL in certain circumstances, the question of why and how IHL needs to be adjusted is important, and not sufficiently studied. The analysis focuses on the principle of proportionality—a principle whose implementation demands complex, contextual, and sophisticated judgment—as a means of exploring and illustrating the issue. The Article explains why the operationalization of the principle of proportionality would present challenges for …

Does The Dual-Use Of Space Objects Necessitate A New Geneva Convention?, Svenja Berrang, Ll.M.

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

With “the first commercial space war” in Ukraine, the widespread and ever-increasing practice of using commercial space systems and services for military activities came to the public eye. States increasingly rely on and integrate commercial space activities1 into military activities to enhance their military capabilities and to strengthen deterrence. But by incorporating commercial actors into their military activities, States may incidentally make civil actors become military targets during an international armed conflict. Eventually, this may endanger commercial employees when those employees take direct part in hostilities and ultimately lose their protection as non-targeted civilians.

This Article examines the increased reliance …

Uncovering Spain's Lost Victims: Can The Continuing Crimes Doctrine Expand The Jurisdiction Of The International Criminal Court?, Kaitlyn Booher

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

Throughout Spain’s transition years (1975-1985), the country has maintained an “agreement to forget” and consequently failed to prosecute any perpetrators of crimes during the Franco dictatorship. This Note examines Franco-era forced disappearances in Spain and argues that the ICC has ratione temporis jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute perpetrators under the application of the continuing crimes doctrine, which is consistent with the principle of nullum crimen sine lege. (Abstract from author.)

Improving Equity, Diversity, And Inclusion In Lis Education: Insights For Curriculum Development And Professional Preparation, Lili Luo

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Objective – To explore how the graduate-level Library and Information Studies (LIS) curriculum can be redesigned to be more socially justice focused and thus better prepare graduates to address equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) issues in their workplace. Design – A cross-sectional, descriptive online survey study. Setting – MA/PG Diploma program in LIS at University College, London (UCL). Subjects – 59 recent graduates from the MA/PG Diploma program in LIS at University College, London (UCL). Methods – Using the descriptive survey methodology, a 13-item online questionnaire was sent to a purposive sample of 733 alumni from the MA/PG Diploma program …

Japanese Incarceration Memorial As Trauma Portfolio Play, A. J. Faas, Alyssa Singh, Cibella Gamma

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

In collaboration with the Japanese American Museum of San José, California, we examined their exhibit of WWII-era incarceration of Japanese Americans to understand how the presentation of different positionalities (e.g., Japanese/American, loyal/disloyal) engage with and contest the terms of incarceration and internal politics within the Japanese American community. In our analysis, we focus on the reproduction and contestation of particular narratives of power and identity and treat the memorial exhibit as a variety of community-based “trauma portfolio” that unsettles state bureaucratic constructions of suffering and (in)justice. We conclude by identifying transformative possibilities for engaging with the different positionalities of incarcerated …

Evaluation Of A Community-Based Socialization Program For Independently Living Older Adults, Patricia A. Shane, Anne T. Ferguson, Erin L. Woodhead

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Social isolation among older adults is a major public health concern because of the adverse impact it has on health and well-being. Reducing social isolation can improve health and decrease the use of costly healthcare services. However, there is little consensus on the critical ingredients of programming to reduce social isolation. Bay Area Older Adults® (BAO) is a nonprofit organization whose community-based Healthy Living Program (HLP) focuses on building and nourishing older adults’ social networks through transitions such as retirement, divorce and loss of loved ones. The current study was a program evaluation of the HLP using a survey to …