Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Saving The Smokies: Land Rights In The Middle And Mountain South, Robin J. Happel

Student Theses 2015-Present

From the Trail of Tears to the forced evictions that turned Cades Cove into a ghost town, Appalachia’s residents have long been betrayed by their governments. Currently, mountaintop removal – the destruction of hundreds of mountain peaks for coal – mirrors past abuses, and has sparked a new cycle of catastrophic health effects and land loss. This legacy of human rights abuses is far from Appalachia’s only option, however. In examining both the past and current socioeconomic structures that enable environmentally destructive practices like mountaintop removal, it is possible to chart a path forward. And, by adopting a system similar …

Radical Social Ecology As Deep Pragmatism: A Call To The Abolition Of Systemic Dissonance And The Minimization Of Entropic Chaos, Arielle Brender

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper aims to shed light on the dissonance caused by the superimposition of Dominant Human Systems on Natural Systems. I highlight the synthetic nature of Dominant Human Systems as egoic and linguistic phenomenon manufactured by a mere portion of the human population, which renders them inherently oppressive unto peoples and landscapes whose wisdom were barred from the design process. In pursuing a radical pragmatic approach to mending the simultaneous oppression and destruction of the human being and the earth, I highlight the necessity of minimizing entropic chaos caused by excess energy expenditure, an essential feature of systems that aim …

The Ethics Of Environmental Litigation, Jenna Marie Dibenedetto

Student Theses 2015-Present

Abstract

We are raised from the early days of our youth to distinguish right from wrong, evil from good. Though there are many careers that have easily distinguishable ethics from their day of creation, others require spend their entire professional careers floating in a grey area. Being a lawyer can leave you in limbo very often. The ethical battle between prosecuting people whose actions go against everything you believe in and defending someone who actions you struggle to rationalize, looking for a “nail in the coffin” or finding a way to pry it open can play a large role in …

Pacific In Peril: Micronesia’S Food Security, Development, And Health Under A Changing Climate, Yota Pacifico Oue

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis focuses on food security in Micronesian Island nations and how the effects of climate change are detrimental to the region’s fisheries resources and agricultural production. Because the Micronesian islands are on the forefront of climate change, the effects of ocean acidification, rising sea levels, and higher mean surface areas pose immediate risks to the region’s food security. Not only does climate change threaten both sources of the region’s food – fisheries and traditional agriculture – but includes ramifications for economic development, environmental conservation, and public health. Each island nation in the Pacific is entitled to an Exclusive Economic …

A Green Opportunity: Why American Conservatives Will Benefit By Fighting Climate Change, Byrne W. Cronin

Student Theses 2015-Present

For much of the twenty-first century, there has been a debate in America over the existence of anthropogenic climate change. This debate is unnecessary and polarizing, as liberals often advocate for climate-change-mitigation policy while conservatives often declare anthropogenic climate change false or unimportant. Along with this, debate over climate change largely prevents effective policy from being passed in the US, which is a problem because as one of the most populous, polluting and powerful countries, we have a significant impact on how the fight to mitigate climate change proceeds.

The goal of this thesis is to work towards ending that …

Inch By Inch: Expanding The Community Garden Programs In New York City, Michael Bailey

Student Theses 2015-Present

The importance of community gardens in New York City is twofold: first as a portal to a real natural aesthetic in an otherwise brick and concrete urban jungle, and second as a sustainable alternative to agribusinesses that are dominant in the contemporary private sector. This paper addresses the issue of the diminishing community garden support in NYC, especially in middle and lower-income areas. The introduction is a personal anecdote about the poor quality of New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) gardens, and the work being done behind the scenes to improve them. Chapter one provides data showing the scope and …

Building A Bridge Between Philanthropy And Profit: The History, Economics, And Politics Of Environmental Impact In A Commerce Society, Yekaterina Goncharova

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper examines our consumerist society through past and present data, business practice, supply chain, economics, and its impact on human and environmental well-being. Upon examination, the thesis aims to suggest change through social indicators and policy. It answers numerous questions surrounding both the problems and solutions associated with environmental policy. These include: the question as to what exactly is social and environmental impact investing? What are current changes impacting humanity’s ecological footprint? Why does society need to make changes? Most importantly, it assesses how we can change? Chapter 1 explores the past and what led to an increase of …

The Impacts Of Green Spaces On Crime In New York City, Matthew Edward Iannone Jr.

Student Theses 2015-Present

From the early 1960s through the mid-1990s, crime in New York City ran rampant. With a gradually dwindling police during this time, a high unemployment rate, and an rapidly increasing metropolitan population, crime peaked in the early 1990s, with the murder rate hitting a record-high of 2,245 in 1990. When Mayor Rudy Giuliani took office in 1994 and appoint Bill Bratton as the NYPD police commissioner, these rates immediately plunged. Numerous factors may have contributed to this sudden decline in crime: the police force grew significantly through the 1990s, more criminals were placed and held in prison, and the economic …