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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Symbolic Politics Of Same-Sex Marriage Legalization, Kaden Sinning Dec 2022

The Symbolic Politics Of Same-Sex Marriage Legalization, Kaden Sinning

Honors Projects

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s landmark decision Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide, many commentators highlighted increasing resistance to the ruling. Some observed typical public backlash, but others noted targeted LGBTQ rights bills from state legislators. While much of the scholarly literature suggests that public backlash is short-lived and tends to resolve toward Supreme Court doctrine, less clear is the impact of state legislative efforts following judicial decisions. To help clarify this discrepancy, this research examines the effect of Obergefell on state bill proposals. I argue that Obergefell acts as a trigger for state legislators to …


Interns And Institutions: Interactions Between Unpaid Interns And Public Policy, Hannah G. Waterman May 2022

Interns And Institutions: Interactions Between Unpaid Interns And Public Policy, Hannah G. Waterman

Honors Projects

Political, and especially Congressional, internships are all but mandatory to launch a career in politics. This text examines the demographics of how these internships are dispersed, how they are paid, who is paid, and how this manifests in full-time Congressional staff demographics. Data shows that both paid and unpaid Congressional internships belong disproportionately to white students. Top staff in the House of Representatives is similarly disproportionately white. The text also examines the inherent danger of working in Congress and the broader case for paid internships.


Inspiring Active Citizenship In The Community From Within The Classroom, Nathan A. Halm Apr 2022

Inspiring Active Citizenship In The Community From Within The Classroom, Nathan A. Halm

Honors Projects

This project presents an alternative to contemporary civic education courses and methods in an attempt to inspire students to become Active Citizens. Fighting against common sentiments surrounding contemporary politics such as divisiveness, polarization, apathy, and disenfranchisement, this project provides a framework for students to engage at the local level in an effective and genuine way.


Securing The Future Of Democracy Through The Continued Education Of "Divisive" Concepts, Rachel Larsen Apr 2022

Securing The Future Of Democracy Through The Continued Education Of "Divisive" Concepts, Rachel Larsen

Honors Projects

Research shows that social studies education should be about more than just teaching standards to a test. The curriculum should be integrated with student life, to prepare them for a future of participating in our democracy. House Bills 322 and 327 would directly prevent these efforts and further alienate students of color and LGBTQ+ students. Students should be included and feel welcome in the school building, considering they will spend the majority of their childhood learning there. A preferred policy alternative to the two House Bills would be to draft legislation that protects divisive concepts, provides training for teachers and …


For Our Future: Why Suffrage Must Be Extended To Disenfranchised Youth, Nolan Mchugh Apr 2022

For Our Future: Why Suffrage Must Be Extended To Disenfranchised Youth, Nolan Mchugh

Honors Projects

Is our democracy truly representative if large portions of our population consistently fail to make their voices heard at the polls? 18-24 year olds consistently turn out to vote at the lowest levels of any age group, and yet these are the voters who will live the longest with the policy decisions being made today: how can we improve voter turnout and civic engagement in the next generation to ensure our democracy is truly "by the people and for the people?" To answer this question, we must turn to another group whose voices are not heard at the ballot box, …