Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

China’S Public Health Sector In Transition: Assessing Market Reform Impacts, Bo Li

Masters Theses

Many studies have been done to evaluate China’s transitional economy and its impacts on the public health sector. It is a widely accepted proposition that the market reform initiated in the late 1980s significantly changed the public health sector. While some scholars argue that the Chinese people’s overall health status has improved compared to that of the pre-reform era, others identify declining health expenditures and widening regional gaps, indicating quite a dim health situation. In this thesis, I argue that market reforms have not improved the people’s access to health services. In the reform era, the overall civil health status …

Genocide And Genocide Prevention: Outlines Illustrated With The Tragedy In Rwanda 1994, Ginger L. Denton

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to contribute to comparative research towards a theory of modern genocide and ways to prevent mass murder. Definitions, typologies, key elements, patterns, a comparison of the Holocaust with the Rwandan genocide, and preventative measures are included in the study.

The Role Of Economic, Political, And Cultural Factors In Immigration Policy In France, The United Kingdom, And Germany, Sheri L. Rogers

Masters Theses

Immigration policy has been a crucial issue facing all Western European countries for decades; however, it has recently become an even greater concern. Much of the literature argues that shifts in immigration policy correspond with shifts in economic conditions or the power of far-right parties. Others argue that immigration policy is primarily a cultural issue, although very little research has been done to address the role of specific cultural factors in different countries.

This paper looks at the evolution of immigration policy in France, the United Kingdom, and Germany, and addresses the question of why immigration policies in each country …

Chinese Political Regime And The Rising Income Inequality In The Reform Era, Xiaoyang Hou

Masters Theses

This thesis probes the sharply rising income inequality in reform-era China under the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) authoritarian regime. Accepting the premise that economic transition inevitably leads to the income inequality, my special focus in this thesis is to demonstrate how political factors contribute to the worsening income inequality in China.

This study shows that the skewed power structure generates the income inequality. I explore three factors pertaining to the political regime that lead to the widening income inequality in reform-era China, which are: first, the nature of Chinese political system, which includes: the CCP’s dominant position in party-state China; …

The Impact Of Congress, Public Opinion, And The Media On United States Foreign Policy: The Case Of The 1994 Rwandan Genocide, Matthew Bergbower

Masters Theses

This thesis analyzes U.S. foreign policy and presidential decision-making during an international crisis. I use a case study analysis of the 1994 Rwandan genocide to determine the impact of Congress, public opinion, and the media on President Bill Clinton's foreign policies during the crisis. To accurately analyze these relationships, I present data on Clinton's behavior and policies during the Rwandan crisis. I argue that in the initial stages of an international crisis Congress, the public, and the media will be more likely to approve of the president's polices while in the latter stages Congress, the public, and the media will …

Women Representing Women's Interests In Congress, Carmen R. Allen

Masters Theses

Do congresswomen try to represent women's interests in Congress? Are congresswomen more likely than congressmen to sponsor bills dealing with women's issues? In the past, research has shown that women do seem to sponsor more legislation than men that deals directly with women. Research has also shown that women legislators feel that they are responsible for representing the interests of all women. This research looks at bill sponsorship in the U.S. House of Representatives during the 106th and 107th Congresses. The data from these two Congresses show that women do sponsor more women's issue legislation than men do. They also …

Small-State Foreign Policy: An Analysis Of Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Tonga, Tuvalu And Mauritius, Thomas M. Ethridge

Masters Theses

Small-state foreign policy is often characterized by the types of alliances that form between small and large states. It is rarely disputed that small states fend for themselves in the global milieu that creates today's societies. Rather, the debate usually begins as to why small states seek strategic alliances with large states.

This thesis, on the other hand, questions the very existence of small-state alliances by examining the foreign policy behavior of six small island states. The analysis begins with a quantitative breakdown of United Nation voting behaviors by five Pacific states — Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Tonga, and Tuvalu. Next, …

Proportional Representation Electoral Systems And Indigenous Representation: Case Studies From Bolivia, Ecuador, And Peru, Arne Romanowski

Masters Theses

The central question of this analysis is how the proportional representation electoral systems in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru are linked to indigenous political representation. I argue that the electoral system and its affect on party structures and party development are part of the reason why indigenous people, who make up a great part of the population in these three countries, are chronically under-represented in their political systems. In these case studies, district and national level data from the two most recent elections for the national legislatures was analyzed in terms of indigenous party formation and success. The study concludes that …

U.S./Nato Relations After 9/11: U.S. Contributions To Nato Missions, David E. Heinz

Masters Theses

Since the end of the Cold War, the future of NATO has been discussed amongst scholars. Critics argue that NATO is no longer relevant, while proponents argue that is still has a viable function in the international community. This thesis asks the question, what the United States contributes to NATO missions and what does this mean to NATO's future. This thesis examines NATO mission in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, looking at the background of the mission, how and why it was created and how has the mission evolved. The evidence suggests that since September 11, 2001, the United States has …