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Political Science

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Religion’S Impact In Foreign Policy, Alexis Potapczak Apr 2023

Religion’S Impact In Foreign Policy, Alexis Potapczak

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

This research paper analyzes religion's involvement in foreign policy concerning the time period that the United States was involved in the Cold War. Previous contributions to the research of foreign policy show that religion does have a profound impact, and now can be applied to theories surrounding the Cold War. I theorize that Cold War foreign policy was strongly influenced by Christian rhetoric and practices. I will compare the current ways of quantifying the involvement of religion in foreign policies with decisions made by the United States' foreign policy leaders during the Red Scare. Decision makers', like congressmen and President …

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Political Biases In State Supreme Courts, Jackson Uyl Apr 2023

Political Biases In State Supreme Courts, Jackson Uyl

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

The judiciary of the United States makes thousands of decisions a year that directly affect the political landscape of the United States. When judges make decisions, they purportedly make their rulings based on the rule of law presented for a given case. Judges, however, are not without biases and can be prone to make rulings that have been cultivated by their political beliefs. This study focuses on the political decision making of state Supreme Court justices and examines how they make decisions that are potentially politically motivated in cases dealing with criminal rights and economic liberties. My research examines how …

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Religiosity And Conspiracy Theories, Mark Fields Apr 2023

Religiosity And Conspiracy Theories, Mark Fields

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

Conspiracy theories are a popular phenomenon because they affect core beliefs and, accordingly, their actions. As prevalent as conspiracy theories are, we do not know why some people believe them and others do not, nor do we know why some conspiracy theories are more 'infectious' than others. I theorize that there is a positive correlation between belief in organized religion and belief in conspiracy theories because both religion and conspiracy theories are based on faith rather than empirical knowledge. Conspiracy theories vary in their characteristics, and therefore the variation between conspiracy theories might have an effect on the amount of …

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Religious Liberty In Modern American Constitutional Law, Leah Renkema Apr 2023

Religious Liberty In Modern American Constitutional Law, Leah Renkema

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

In its most recent completed term, the United States Supreme Court decided a number of key cases altering the placement of religious liberty in modern American constitutional law. While the Court has long struck different balances between preserving the constitutional mandates on both religious liberty and religious establishment, there has been a general consensus by those studying the Court that their interpretations over the past twenty years underneath the Roberts Court have trended towards the more accommodationist understanding of religious liberty. There is less agreement on what this newly composed Court and their recent decisions mean for the direction of …

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Mental Health And Homelessness, Makayla Wilson Apr 2022

Mental Health And Homelessness, Makayla Wilson

21st Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2022)

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, one area tragically impacted has been access to secure housing. The huge economic impacts of the shutdowns and job losses of the pandemic prompted the federal as well as state governments to provide emergency resources for help keep people housed as well as to help those without housing to secure a place to live. These interventions have had many important impacts. They have not, however, reduced or ended the rising levels of homelessness nationally since 2016. The result is an increasingly visible epidemic of unsheltered homelessness, affecting both individuals and families. When analyzing …

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Analysis Of Disability Rights Policy In American Charter Schools, Lily Kate Pritchard Apr 2022

Analysis Of Disability Rights Policy In American Charter Schools, Lily Kate Pritchard

21st Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2022)

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 explicitly states that any individual with a disability–physical, emotional, cognitive, or otherwise–is to be protected from discrimination regarding public services, including education. This paper will examine how American charter schools often do not provide such inclusive education. Data indicate that charter schools frequently manipulate requirements in order to avoid serving students with special needs. This paper will look at the problems that exist within charter schools–notably in the Midwest–and explore potential policy solutions to address the discrimination against students meant to be served by special education programs. Many of these schools work around …

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Analysis Of United States National Security Policy On Cyberterrorism From China, Megan Mead Apr 2022

Analysis Of United States National Security Policy On Cyberterrorism From China, Megan Mead

21st Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2022)

Cyberterrorism is a relatively new threat globally but has increased rapidly in recent years due to the development of more sophisticated and advanced computer-based technology. Many people question the existence of a substantial threat from the Chinese government in terms of their use of cyber technology on the United States. Intelligence shows China has continuously used their cyber technology capabilities as a way to exploit other countries, businesses, and local populations. Scholarly research, news outlets, and official government documents all conclude that Chinese cyberterrorism is a large security threat to the United States. China has used their technology to infiltrate …

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Global Technologies: A Discussion Regarding The Digital Divide, Stephen Hommowun Apr 2020

Global Technologies: A Discussion Regarding The Digital Divide, Stephen Hommowun

19th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2020)

The digital divide is a concept that explains the gap in technological access between the global north and south. The purpose of this study is to show how technology can be used to enact social change. This study has found that there is a positive correlation between less technological access and less social change. As such, this study will also discuss factors that limit countries’ ability to develop new technology. These factors include a country’s economic strength, their literacy and educational standards, infrastructure in place, and political organization.

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Distinctions Between Democratic Developments In Africa: Different Journeys For Similar Outcomes?, Emma Deslauriers-Knop Apr 2020

Distinctions Between Democratic Developments In Africa: Different Journeys For Similar Outcomes?, Emma Deslauriers-Knop

19th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2020)

Democracy has had a tumultuous experience in sub-Saharan Africa. However, democracy has been gaining traction across the continent especially since the early 1990’s in the so-called “third wave” of democracy. This study explores democratic developments in Africa in order to determine potential factors of influence within the creation and “success” of a democracy, as reported by indices such as Freedom House Index and Transparency Index. In addition to the resulting democracy, this study examines the process of the transition of power from the previous regime of a country to the newfound democracy, and how this is a critical make or …

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The Digital Divide In Sub-Saharan Africa, Taylor Spanbauer Apr 2020

The Digital Divide In Sub-Saharan Africa, Taylor Spanbauer

19th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2020)

The existence of a digital divide affects all information technology (IT) users. The digital divide is known as the gap between those who are able to make effective use of technology and the Internet, and those who are not. My project will explore the existence of a digital divide between countries in the global north and countries in the global south. Additionally, I will investigate the possible causes of the digital divide, and the positive or negative effects the divide may have on societies, all with an emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. Causes of the digital divide can be traced to …

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Population, Politics And Power: An Investigation Into The Tribal Systems Governing Nigeria’S Democracy After The 1967 Civil War, Marvellous Ogudoro Apr 2020

Population, Politics And Power: An Investigation Into The Tribal Systems Governing Nigeria’S Democracy After The 1967 Civil War, Marvellous Ogudoro

19th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2020)

Nigeria is the most populous Black nation in the world but economically underperforming relative to its huge natural resources. The country’s interesting history is a by-product of numerous forces that moved across Africa and Europe starting in the 18th century. The 1967 civil war that divided Nigeria was inspired by the tribal grievances created by British Colonizers. It was fought for economic reasons. The Nigerian state could not allow Biafra to successfully secede as most of the revenue-generating oil wells were located in the South-Eastern part of the country(known as Biafra during the war). The underlying tensions that led to …

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The Resource Curse In Africa, Madison Smith Apr 2020

The Resource Curse In Africa, Madison Smith

19th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2020)

Countries with an abundance of highly valued natural resources face the possibility of thriving or struggling due to the presence of such resources. This project examines the potential resource curse in sub-Saharan Africa. The research here will draw on previous insights on how resources affect economic and political development in Africa. I will consider how the availability of valuable resources affects political elites’ relationship with their citizens and why the impact of resources matters in a comparative perspective. Using data collection and research on the existence of the resource curse, I expect to find that the curse is real and …

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Setback Of Foreign Aid In Sub-Saharan Africa, Sungmin Suh Apr 2020

Setback Of Foreign Aid In Sub-Saharan Africa, Sungmin Suh

19th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2020)

Every year, tens of billions of dollars are transferred as foreign aid to so-called developing countries, including sub-Saharan African states. My research regards the overall effectiveness in the development of these recipients. Some evidence supports the success of foreign aid in fostering development. My focus is to understand the effectiveness of foreign aid beyond the individual outcomes of various aid programs. Particularly, I will explore how aid affects investment, self-determination, democracy, and transparency in recipient nations. In this study, I examine the realities of the countries at individual country-levels rather than the macro measures focused on by such scholars as …

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Democratic Development In Africa, Isabella Musherure Apr 2020

Democratic Development In Africa, Isabella Musherure

19th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2020)

The last three decades have seen states in Africa, alongside states around the world, experiment with democracy to varying degrees. Scholarship on the successes and struggle among these democratic attempts suggest certain factors influence the transitions to and consolidation of democracy. These factors include structural and contingent factors, national vs. international factors, and economic vs. political factors. Yet there are still unknown influences on democracy. My research seeks to understand the call for democracy and the reasons why some citizens are pro-democracy and others aren’t, what neopatrimonialism is and the implications that it has on society. Lastly, understand how informal …

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Influences Of Corruption On Political Participation, Yung Yue Tneh Apr 2019

Influences Of Corruption On Political Participation, Yung Yue Tneh

18th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2019)

This project examines how political scandals and corruption in the government affect public opinion and political participation. I expect to find that while political scandals might have a negative impact on both public opinion and political participation it does not have a big impact because political scandals have become a natural element in the politics today.

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Rural Brain Drain, Katheryn Irwin Apr 2019

Rural Brain Drain, Katheryn Irwin

18th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2019)

This project focuses on the phenomenon of college graduates migrating to big cities, and thus creating a loss of human capital in small towns. This phenomenon is also known as rural “brain drain.” I expect to find that small towns engage in a variety of activities and development plans in order to create more opportunities and jobs for college graduates, and to gain back human capital. This phenomenon holds great significance as more and more young academics and professionals are moving to big cities and metropolitan areas than ever before.

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Voting Behavior In The U.S. House Of Representatives: What Factors Influence How Elected Officials Vote?, Natalie Harten, Michelle Abraham Apr 2019

Voting Behavior In The U.S. House Of Representatives: What Factors Influence How Elected Officials Vote?, Natalie Harten, Michelle Abraham

18th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2019)

What is the relationship between demographic characteristics (age, number of terms or tenure in office, marital status, urban/rural residence, previous military service, education, etc.) and other factors, such as related economic activities of the state from which the representative comes, immigrant populations in their state, etc., of elected U.S. Congressional representatives and the voting decision a representative makes? With sampling from California, Wisconsin and Texas, we will assess why their members of the House of Representatives voted as they did on S. 1252: Global Food Security Act of 2016.

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Public Opinion, Audrey Revercomb, Isabel Hodson, Andrew Porter Apr 2019

Public Opinion, Audrey Revercomb, Isabel Hodson, Andrew Porter

18th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2019)

Previous research has found that many U.S. college students believe that politics is not about solving problems; rather, research has found that such students see politics as complicated, untrustworthy, pressuring, and often counterproductive to acting on the ills of society. There has been an array of survey research, policy analysis, and commentary that attempts to define, understand, and document the political engagement of young people since this portrayal of college students’ views of politics in the early 1990s. Some additional research has found that, among the greatest dangers for American political stability, is that politics in the minds and actions …

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The Urban/Rural Divide, Emily Marino Apr 2019

The Urban/Rural Divide, Emily Marino

18th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2019)

The past several decades have revealed a dividing trend between the voting behavior of urban and rural areas within and among states. This project seeks to identify and explain factors that are causing urban areas to affiliate with the Democratic party and rural areas to affiliate with the Republican party. This trend of division, based on geography, has significant implications for the U.S. electoral system as it will greatly impact how, when, and where candidates campaign as well as the outcomes of elections. Such division amongst cities, towns, and even neighborhoods is creating communities isolated from the lifestyles, concerns, and …

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Improving Student Assessments Of Elections: The Use Of Information Literacy And A Course-Embedded Librarian, Todd J. Wiebe, Paula Booke Oct 2017

Improving Student Assessments Of Elections: The Use Of Information Literacy And A Course-Embedded Librarian, Todd J. Wiebe, Paula Booke

Faculty Publications

The study of U.S. elections as a part of introductory political science courses has become an increasingly difficult endeavour as students encounter the ever-changing landscape of electoral politics. Instructors seeking to equip students with the skills needed to navigate this complex terrain may look for partnerships with library faculty and staff as a means of bridging the research gap faced by students in these courses. This article examines the efficacy of a course-embedded librarian and information literacy training as a means of increasing student research confidence and competence. The findings of our quasi-experiment suggest that students participating in a course …

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Using Self Organizing Maps To Analyze Demographics And Swing State Voting In The 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, Paul T. Pearson, Cameron I. Cooper Jan 2012

Using Self Organizing Maps To Analyze Demographics And Swing State Voting In The 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, Paul T. Pearson, Cameron I. Cooper

Faculty Publications

Emergent self-organizing maps (ESOMs) and k-means clustering are used to cluster counties in each of the states of Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ohio by demographic data from the 2010 United States census. The counties in these clusters are then analyzed for how they voted in the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, and political strategies are discussed that target demographically similar geographical regions based on ESOM results. The ESOM and k-means clusterings are compared and found to be dissimilar by the variation of information distance function.

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A Flag Is Flipped And A Nation Flaps: The Politics And Patriotism Of The First International World Series, Todd J. Wiebe Apr 2010

A Flag Is Flipped And A Nation Flaps: The Politics And Patriotism Of The First International World Series, Todd J. Wiebe

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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