Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

How Ending Gender Violence In India Improves The Nation's International Reputation And Tourism Industry: A Case For Nationalism, Sharon Nambudripad Schiffer

Graduate Masters Theses

As nations have become far more interconnected by means of globalization in the 21st century, the issues that affect one nation often have affects upon others. As India is a nation with a population of more than 1.2 billion, the issues that affect the nation also affect others. As an assault in Delhi, India made international news on December 16, 2012, the international community has become more aware of the incidents of gender-based violence that exist within the country. The ramifications of the international community's knowledge of the assault included a drastic decrease in both its international reputation and its …

Los Efectos De Las Transformaciones Agrícolas En Los Antiguos Países Socialistas: Algunas Consideraciones Para Cuba, Mario A. Gonzalez-Corzo

Publications and Research

Este estudio ofrece una síntesis de los efectos principales de las transformaciones agrícolas en un grupo selecto de antiguos países socialistas de Asia y Europa, tomando en base la importancia de indicadores como la producción física, la productividad laboral y los rendimientos agrícolas, y evalúa algunas consideraciones relevantes en el caso de Cuba. Por razones de espacio, el estudio no incluye otros indicadores de los efectos de las reformas agrícolas como los ingresos rurales, el impacto ambiental y los costos de oportunidad relacionados con la transición. Los países incluidos en el estudio son: China, Vietnam, Rusia, Ucrania, Estonia, La Republica …

Deciphering The Phenomenon Of Elite Corruption In Africa, Segun Oshewolo, Babatunde Durowaiye

Segun Oshewolo

Development challenges transverse the countries of Africa. This explains why the continent has progressed with comparative slowness in the global community. Among these challenges, the phenomenon of elite corruption proves to be one of the most potent. The paper offers a flash of intellectual insight that simultaneously distils the conceptual orientation of the phenomenon of elite corruption and also unravels its various dimensions in the African context. To achieve the latter goal, the paper adopts the theory of rent-seeking. The theory does not only expose the conspiracy to perpetuate poverty by elites, it also reveals the mechanisms for achieving that …

Hip-Hop, Medellín And Social Change, Veronica Henao Posada

Master's Theses

This study explores the ways in which the Hip-hop movement is producing social change in Medellín, Colombia. Looking specifically at a Hip-hop school called Cuatro Elementos Skuela, which exists autonomously and with very little state support in the Medellín neighborhood of Aranjuez, I argue that young people are contributing to the reconstruction of the city’s social, cultural and economic fabric. I start by explaining the historical context of Medellín, describing the different sets of conflicts that unleashed high levels of violence and caused the fragmentation of the social, cultural and economic fabric. Moreover, I review the role of the …

Foreign Direct Investment And Uncertainty: Implications For Ethiopia, Adugna Lemi, Sisay Asefa

Adugna Lemi

The paper examines the effect of price and exchange rate uncertainty and political instability on the inflow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to selected African economies. Measures of uncertainty of inflation rate and real exchange rate are incorporated by taking the conditional variance of the residual of the Autoregressive (AR) processes of each series. Pooled data result without accounting for country specific factors is misleading. Fixed effects model provides a better explanation of the variation of FDI flow to African economies. The results show that uncertainty in the rate of inflation and political instability constrain the flow of FDI only …

Do Foreign Direct Investment And Foreign Aid Promote Good Governance In Africa?, Adugna Lemi, Blen Solomon, Sisay Asefa

Adugna Lemi

The literature on the roles that governance/political and economic stability play to attract capital flows into African economies has been burgeoning. Good governance, liberalization, infrastructure, incentive packages have been regarded as cures to break the deadlock to reverse the economic plight, to attract inflow of capital and, in some cases, to reverse outflows of African economies. The flow of capital, however, has undesirable side effects on host economies’ working conditions, environmental standard, inequality, and culture, among others. These economic and social external or negative spillover effects are due to the phenomenon of “race-to-the-bottom” where companies invest in economies with lax …

Chinese Social Media Reaction To The Mers-Cov And Avian Influenza A (H7n9) Outbreaks, Isaac Chun-Hai Fung, King-Wa Fu, Yuchen Ying, Braydon Schaible, Yi Hao, Chung-Hong Chan, Zion Tsz-Ho Tse

Epidemiology Faculty Publications

Background: As internet and social media use have skyrocketed, epidemiologists have begun to use online data such as Google query data and Twitter trends to track the activity levels of influenza and other infectious diseases. In China, Weibo is an extremely popular microblogging site that is equivalent to Twitter. Capitalizing on the wealth of public opinion data contained in posts on Weibo, this study used Weibo as a measure of the Chinese people’s reactions to two different outbreaks: the 2012 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) outbreak, and the 2013 outbreak of human infection of avian influenza A(H7N9) in China. …

China's Rise And The Confucius Institutes: Chinese And American Perspectives, Shryll Whittaker

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The Confucius Institutes are Chinese government-backed nonprofit organizations that promote Chinese language and culture. They are housed on collegiate campuses and designed to complement Chinese language and cultural studies by providing teachers, curriculums, textbooks and other educational materials. Their establishment has been a source of controversy, especially in the United States, due to the institutes’ close ties with and the financial, administrative, and political support they receive from the Chinese government. Critics have had two primary concerns: that the Confucius Institutes provide the Chinese government access to increase soft power by issuing propaganda and that their presence on American collegiate …

Appendix 7: Open Source Information On The Fate(S) Of Perpetrators/Conspirators, Lee Crowther, Brian Champion

Faculty Publications

Between 1979 and 2010, a number of Iranian expatriates were assassinated by putative agents of the Iranian or by persons believed to be associated with the regime. This table collects information from open sources that describes judicial or fugitive outcomes for some of the alleged perpetrators.

Anatomy Of Dissent In Islamic Societies, Ahmed Souaiaia

Ahmed E SOUAIAIA

The 'Arab Spring' that began in 2011 has placed a spotlight on the transfer of political power in Islamic societies, reviving old questions about the place of political dissent and rebellion in Islamic civilization and raising new ones about the place of religion in modern Islamic societies.

In Anatomy of Dissent in Islamic Societies, Ahmed E. Souaiaia examines the complex historical evolution of Islamic civilization in an effort to trace the roots of the paradigms and principles of Islamic political and legal theories. This study is one of the first attempts at providing a fuller picture of the place of …

Remarks By Winston Langley, Provost And Vice Chancellor For Academic Affairs At Umass Boston, Winston Langley

Winston E. Langley

Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at UMass Boston, Winston Langley, discusses Rita Arditti, human rights, and the Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo.

Turkish Foreign Policy Under Regional Transformations, Murat Yesiltas, İsmail Numan Telci

Murat Yesiltas

Turkish foreign policy in the Middle East has been facing a number of new obstacles as a direct or indirect result of the Arab spring. This is not the first time that Turkey’s regional policies are challenged by factors that are not originating from Ankara. As it was the case in the past challenges as well, Turkish foreign policy architects have been introducing fresh policy tools that would limit the negative effects of the Arab spring to Ankara’s regional aspirations. In light of the recent developments in the region, this report is an attempt to analyze how Turkish foreign policy …

China And Africa: The Crucial Urban Connection, Xiangming Chen, Garth Myers

Faculty Scholarship

The relations between China and Africa have become increasingly complex over the last four decades. As China’s economic ties with Africa go beyond commodity-dominant trade, Xiangming Chen & Garth Myers consider China’s activities in Africa’s broader economy with a focus on urban infrastructure.

Land Grabs And Implications On Food Sovereignty And Social Justice In Senegal, Joanna Lafrancesca

Master's Theses

This thesis focuses on the case study of Senegal to examine the implications of large- scale land acquisitions on the livelihoods of small-scale farmers. I investigate the diverse perspectives of market enthusiasts, human rights organizations, peasants, the state, and international financial organizations on large-scale land acquisitions. Based on primary research, I argue that the state of Senegal plays an active role in permitting “land grabs” and that they pose a threat to food sovereignty among Senegalese host communities. Lastly, I argue there needs to be a broader understanding of long-term consequences and risks to insure social justice in areas affected …

The Role Of Information And Communication Technology In The Acculturation Of Vietnamese Refugees, Khanh A. Tran

Master's Theses

One of the most significant refugee populations in the United States is the Vietnamese. This group initially fled their native country to escape political oppression at the conclusion of the Vietnam War in 1975 and continued to flee in a series of separate waves that continued for more than three decades. As a relatively new immigrant group in the U.S., the Vietnamese still face a variety of challenges as they try to reestablish their lives and adapt in a new cultural environment. Acculturation is a complex process that is influenced by a number of factors. Throughout history, U.S. immigration policy …

Export Controls: A Contemporary History, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Provides highlights of my recently published book Export Controls: A Contemporary History. Describes the roles played by multiple U.S. Government agencies and congressional oversight committees in this policymaking arena including the Commerce, Defense, State, and Treasury Departments. It also reviews the roles played by international government organizations such as the Missile Technology Control Regime, export oriented businesses, and research intensive universities.

From Corps To Co-Ops: Are Co-Operatives A Viable Reintegration Strategy For Ex-Combatants?, Patrick Moses Musibi

Master's Theses

From 1989, Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programmes have played a major role in peace agreements worldwide. The first United Nations peacekeeping mission with a DDR mandate was ONUCA, (Observadores de las Naciones Unidas en Centroamerica) or the United Nations Observer Group in Central America and involved the reintegration of ex-combatants after the conflict had finished. While the disarmament and demobilization phases of the DDR programs are fairly straightforward events, success in the reintegration phase remains a great challenge. In this thesis I argue that paying closer attention to the challenges facing ex-combatants at an individual level can help in …

The Plight Of Kenyan Domestic Workers In Gulf Countries, Caroline Muthoni Gikuru

Master's Theses

Kenya’s economy remains the regional leader within the East African Community (EAC) and among East African countries at large. However, political instability such as the 2007 post-election violence and the region’s social and political instability trickling into Kenya, have negatively affected the country’s economic growth. To bridge the economic gap, Kenyan women are seeking employment in the domestic service sector in the Gulf Countries, with Saudi Arabia being the most popular destination. At their destination countries, some domestic workers are subjected to various forms of abuse by their employers, leaving the worker without recourse due to the lack of legal …

The Lion & The Ringmaster: Croatia's Accession To The European Union, Jelena N. Bilandzich

Master's Theses

July 1, 2013 marked Croatia's official induction into the European Union. For Croatia this was the culmination of a long negotiation process filled with concessions and challenges. This situation inspired the question of how Croatia's alliance with the EU has affected the state? In order to analyze this relationship the aspects of Croatian identity and sovereignty were explored, in addition to the EU's principles and problems regarding member and candidate states. The evidence found within this investigation came from a number of literary sources ranging from the academic to official government documents. Furthermore, nine interviews were conducted within Croatia, which …

Reading Between The Lines, Conor P. Brooks

SURGE

“Why do so many people come to our country? They come here and they take pictures, and then they go home and use them to show that we are a terrible place. Why do you do this?”

This question was posed to me by a sixteen-year old boy in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti while I was visiting his school on a post-earthquake relief trip in 2012. [excerpt]

Classically Cuban Concert "Recordando A Lecuona/Remembering Lecuona", Cuban Research Institute, Florida International University

Cuban Research Institute Events

This flyer promotes the event "Classically Cuban Concert "Recordando a Lecuona/Remembering Lecuona" ", cosponsored by the Latin American and Caribbean Center at FlU, Islas canarias Café and Pro Translating.

Cattle Smuggling From India To Bangladesh, Elyse Malnekoff

Honors Theses

This essay examines the current trend of rustling and transporting cattle from throughout India for trade at the cattle corridors that lie along the border between India’s West Bengal and Bangladesh. An analysis of historical and cultural factors seeks to explain how this trade possibly began and increased. These motivators include the effects of the Mad Cow disease outbreak in the 1980s on international beef trade and the many economic uses for bovines and their by-products in Bangladesh. This research also looks at cattle-specific legislation in India that prohibits many of the practices employed by smugglers and details some possible …

Burma: A Land Of Contrasts, David Butgereit

David M. Butgereit, M.S.N.

No abstract provided.

Guantánamo And Cuban Nationalism, Lecture By Michael E. Parmly, Cuban Research Institute, Florida International University

Cuban Research Institute Events

This flyer promotes the event "Guantánamo and Cuban Nationalism, Lecture by Michael E. Parmly", cosponsored by the FlU Latin American and Caribbean Center.

"Banana Republic" Honduras Open For Business After Tainted Election, Lauren Carasik

Media Presence

No abstract provided.

Good Practices In Standard Setting For Domestic Worker Contracts, Piyasiri Wickramasekara

PIYASIRI WICKRAMASEKARA

The presentation discusses international good practices in model or standard employment contracts in protection of migrant domestic workers. International instruments negotiated by ILO and UN constituents are the best sources of good practices. It outlines the provisions in international instruments, particularly the ILO Convention on Domestic Workers, 2011 (No. 189). The author maintains that for maximum effectiveness, the model/standard contracts should be mutually recognized by countries of origin and destination, and duly enforced to ensure compliance by employers, and supplemented by other measures. The author concludes that there is a large unfinished agenda in ensuring decent work for domestic workers.

Wmu International News Fall 2013, Haenicke Institute

WMU International News

In this issue:

• Empowering global engagement across the arts and sciences
• Employees abroad: Spanish immersion program expands understanding of international education
• Excelling in public relations key goal for Chinese twinning student
• WMU cultural anthropologist examines migration and lupus in Ecuador
• Ambiguity of borders continues to intrigue alumna from Berlin
• Visits to 35 countries complements global studies major
• Veteran administrator tapped to lead University’s international initiatives
• Future Iraqi engineer discovers the world at WMU
• WMU alumna coach points Japanese tennis player to Kalamazoo

Building Women’S Solidarity To Advance Women’S Rights In Bolivia, Luzdary Hammad

Master's Theses

This paper takes a historical look at the deep-seated ethnic and class divisions between women in Bolivia. It also examines the cultural challenges that help explain the status of women in Bolivia and the obstacles women face to become politically active. It provides the theories of decolonization and depatriachalization as practical ways Bolivia can move past their colonial and patriarchal history. It also looks into what feminism means overall in Latin America and what strategies Latin American women have used to make change for women. It then provides a political history of Bolivia from 1994 to the present giving the …

Discerning For Peace In Africa: The Sudan Civil Wars And Peace Processes 1955-2013, Conrad John Masabo Mr.

Conrad John Masabo Mr.

Separation of the Sudan into the Republic of Sudan (North) and the Republic of Southern Sudan (South) was globally extolled as the long-lasting solution to one of the longest civil wars in post-Colonial Africa. However, recent developments in Sudan: continued clashes between north and south, crises in the contested areas and tribal civil wars have uncovered that: separation without addressing the principal root causes of the conflicts is not the panacea to prone and protracted civil wars. Taking a historical analysis framework, the paper attempts to tackle issues of causes, opportunities and challenges for peace in Sudan.

40 Years In Paradox: Post-Normalisation Sino-Japanese Relations, Yinan He

Yinan He

Post-normalisation Sino-Japanese relations have been fraught with contradictions. In particular, three paradoxes stand out over the past 40 years. First, despite many shared geopolitical and economic interests, China and Japan have never developed genuine strategic cooperation, and since the 2000s have even evinced a trend towards thinly-veiled or open rivalry. Second, time, rather than healing the wounds of past wars, has since the mid-1980s yielded only a more vivid and bitter recollection of history that has bedevilled both official and popular relations. Third, diplomatic and commercial ties as well as “thick” societal contacts developed since normalisation have failed to bridge …