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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Representative Government: An Evaluation Of Single-Party Dominance In The State Of Arkansas, Kennedy Lynn Hill
Representative Government: An Evaluation Of Single-Party Dominance In The State Of Arkansas, Kennedy Lynn Hill
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Studying the opinion-policy link in the state of Arkansas can determine if the state has had a representative governing body. The state, like many others, has a history of single-party dominance politics, and this study seeks to understand the conditions for policy congruence under one-party rule. Specifically, this research focuses on the past two decades of Arkansas politics, wherein the state’s legislature experienced a partisan shift from the Democratic Party to the eventual single-party dominance of the Republicans. Using data from the Arkansas Poll and the Arkansas State Legislature to analyze multivariate OLS regression models, this study investigates factors that …
Inspiring Active Citizenship In The Community From Within The Classroom, Nathan A. Halm
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
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 …
Backsliding: Donald Trump, Conspiracy Theory, & Democratic Decline, Hannah Kessel
Backsliding: Donald Trump, Conspiracy Theory, & Democratic Decline, Hannah Kessel
Senior Theses and Projects
The relationship between conspiracy and democratic decline is well established in political theory. The tradition of American conspiracy imposes fear, mistrust, and unreality on citizens, which threatens the legitimacy of democratic institutions. Democratic electoral processes rely on a shared sense of objectivity and truth. Without this, electoral legitimacy crumbles. Twitter’s emergence as a new medium for political discourse alongside the Donald Trump presidential administration have jointly posed unique challenges to American democracy within this theoretical framework. The impacts of social media on the electoral process are unmeasured, and the implications of a conspiracy-minded president are unprecedented. I observe this relationship …
Disembedded Liberalism: The Global Pressure On Democracy, Hallie Spear
Disembedded Liberalism: The Global Pressure On Democracy, Hallie Spear
CMC Senior Theses
The international political order is at a crossroads with divergent paths. Liberal democracy is once again threatened on the international stage. What's more troubling is that the most stable and influential democracies, the United States, those in Europe and India, seem to be vulnerable to the autocratic wave sweeping through the world. This thesis completes a critical analysis to understand the root causes of the recent disruption to democracy the world has observed. Focusing on three established, diverse, and populous democracies, this thesis investigates the economic conditions at play that made each nation vulnerable to populism. Neoliberal economic policies implemented …