Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Self Is Dead – Alienation And Nihilism In Rick And Morty, Lucas Miranda

Class, Race and Corporate Power

Drawing upon Erich Fromm’s psychoanalytical-diagnosis of man in capitalism, this essay reflects upon some of the most political and philosophical themes of Cartoon Network’s adult animated sitcom Rick and Morty. It focuses mainly in juxtaposing the nihilism and the alienation of the characters Rick and Jerry, respectively. Discussing the loss of agency due to the illusions and repressions of contemporary society, the essay concludes that capitalism benefits from both Jerry and Rick’s self-destructive worldviews.

Rediscovering The Future: What We Need From Star Trek: Discovery (Part One), Bryant W. Sculos

Class, Race and Corporate Power

In this first of two essays on CBS's Star Trek: Discovery, this essay describes what we should want from this newest contribution to the Star Trek universe. The essay argues that Discovery should takes sides on important contemporary politics issues, in the tradition of the best of previous Star Trek shows and films. Specifically, Discovery needs: 1. a complex treatment of identity politics, 2. a critical presentation of internal cultural diversity and imperialism, and 3. a more nuanced and specific vision of the political economy of the Federation.

Assertion And Repetition: A Review Of Gareth Stedman Jones, "Karl Marx: Greatness And Illusion” (Harvard University Press, 2016), Daniel Skidmore-Hess

Class, Race and Corporate Power

A review of Gareth Stedman Jones, "Karl Marx: Greatness and Illusion” published by Harvard University Press, 2016.

Who’S Afraid Of ‘Toxic Masculinity’?, Bryant W. Sculos

Class, Race and Corporate Power

Part autoethnography, part critique, this essay details the author's personal experience with the far-right media world and explores the universal opposition to "toxic masculinity" from the Left and the Right. The Left opposes the substance of toxic masculinity for the harms it creates in society. The Right fears toxic masculinity as a concept, because it is a threat to their identities and broader ideological acceptance of capitalism.

The Syrian Refugee Crisis And The European Union: A Case Study Of Germany And Hungary, Simone-Ariane Schelb

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis on the Common European Asylum System. It evaluates the extent to which the European Union was able to implement a common asylum system, identifies discrepancies between different European countries, primarily Germany and Hungary, and briefly examines the roots of these differences. To this end, the structure of the international refugee protection regime and the German and Hungarian asylum systems are analyzed. Furthermore, the thesis explores how the governments of the two countries perceive the rights of refugees and how their views have affected their handling of the crisis. The case …

Speaking Private Authority: The Construction Of Sustainability In Forests And Fisheries, Roberto Jose Flores

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this dissertation is to expand upon current understandings of the emergent global phenomenon that is private authority. Private authority is a process wherein private actors create, implement, and enforce rules aimed at managing global problems. As private authority is becoming increasingly important in the conduct of global governance, broadening our understanding of it will serve the field of International Relations. In this dissertation I argue that private actors are not simply outgrowths of structures or certain material conditions, rather they are purposive actors strategically pursuing an agenda. As such, explaining private authority requires an examination of the …

Refugees Welcome: A Multilevel Analysis Of Refugee Labor Market Integration In The Swedish Welfare State, Jeffrey D. Maslanik

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To explore the complexities of refugee labor market integration in Sweden, the research performed a multi-level analysis of refugee labor market integration: from the perspective of civil society (meso-level) and from that of the refugee (micro-level). Sweden was ideal for this task because historically, it has been Europe’s most generous welfare state and during the height of the crisis, received the highest number of refugees of any European Member State (163,000 or 1,600 per 100,000 people).

The research was guided by two primary research questions: First, how have the roles of the state and civil society adjusted over time in …

Corporate Profits And The Assault On Democracy: A Review Essay, Ronald W. Cox

Class, Race and Corporate Power

A critical review discussing Global Capitalism and the Crisis of Democracy by Jerry Harris (Clarity Press, 2016), The One Percent Solution by Gordon Lafer (Cornell University Press, 2017), Democracy in Chains by Nancy MacLean (Viking, 2017), The Long Depression by Michael Roberts (Haymarket Books, 2016), and Global Capitalism and the Crisis of Humanity by William Robinson (Cambridge University Press, 2014).

Balance Of Power In Regional Institutional Framework: Reassessment Of The China-U.S.-Japan Trilateral Relationship, Yuanyuan Fang

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Relations among China, the United States, and Japan constitute some of the most complicated and dynamic relations in the contemporary era. Since the end of the second half of the twentieth century, all three nations, which were not in favor of regional multilateralism, have changed their strategy and have actively engaged in regional Asia-Pacific institutions. This research attempts to integrate realist discourse on the balance of power and liberal analysis of institutions to look at the China–U.S.–Japan interactions within regional institutions. This study explores why China, the United States, and Japan have increased their cooperative interaction in regional institutions in …

Contested Natures, Insecurities And Territorialities: The Aerial Eradication Of Coca In Colombia, Alexander Huezo

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Until very recently, Colombia was the only country in the world that still permitted the eradication of illicit crops –primarily coca and to a lesser extent, opium poppies— through aerial fumigation. It was a controversial practice for a number of reasons, chiefly the damage caused to plants, animals, and people living in or near fumigated areas. A favored tactic in the U.S.-supported War on Drugs, aerial eradication actually contributed to the spread of illicit crops to increasingly remote areas of Colombia, such as the collectively titled lands of both indigenous and black communities. Concerns about the practice of aerial eradication, …

The Impact Of Transitional Justice On The Development Of The Rule Of Law, Craig Lang

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Little is known about the effects of transitional justice on the development of the rule of law in post-conflict states. There are assumptions in the literature that the prosecution of those responsible for human rights violations or convening a truth commission will help improve the rule of law. Using a mixed-method approach, which combined statistical analysis with in-country fieldwork, this investigation found that the impact of transitional justice, particularly trials, on the development of the rule of law is minimal and not automatic. In each of the four states examined, Colombia, Peru, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, meaningful effects from …

The Contribution Of The Special Court For Sierra Leone To The Law On Criminal Responsibility Of Children In International Criminal Law, Ana Paula Podcameni

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The revision of laws and the application of culpability to those most responsible for serious humanitarian law violations has functioned as a necessary condition for achieving peace in most post-war societies. However, there is an embarrassing silence when it comes to addressing the question of whether children are to be subjected to the principle of individual criminal responsibility. As morally controversial as it is, the question remains fundamental. Unfortunately, children have been involved in armed conflicts, as victims primarily, but not exclusively. Children are among those accused of having committed brutal and terrible international crimes in times of armed conflict …

Review: "Building Global Labor Solidarity In A Time Of Accelerating Globalization" Edited By Kim Scipes., G. Nelson Bass Iii

Class, Race and Corporate Power

A review of Building Global Labor Solidarity in a Time of Accelerating Globalization edited by Kim Scipes (2016).

Review: "Negotiating International Water Rights: Resource Conflict In Turkey, Syria And Iraq" By Müşerref Yetim, Louis Proyect

Class, Race and Corporate Power

A review of Negotiating International Water Rights: Resource Conflict in Turkey, Syria and Iraq by Müşerref Yetim (2016).

Contemporary State Policies Toward Anti-Semitism In Germany And Poland, Thomas Just

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Broadly speaking, this research is intended to shed light on how post-genocide societies attempt to address a traumatic history and reconcile the problems of ethnic and religious hatred. Germany and Poland are especially ripe cases for such research given their historical memories of the Holocaust and unique legal and diplomatic efforts to counter anti-Semitism. However, since many of the policies on this issue have only been implemented in the past ten to fifteen years, there has not yet been a comprehensive study that has evaluated their effectiveness. This dissertation will attempt to fill this gap in the literature and provide …

Screen Savior: How Black Mirror Reflects The Present More Than The Future, Bryant W. Sculos

Class, Race and Corporate Power

Despite the media treatment of Black Mirror as a dystopian series dealing with the (near) future, this essay explores season three of Charlie Brooker's immensely successful Channel 4-turned-Netflix series in order to show how the central themes of the series are actually more concerned with the present than they are with the future. The present that is reflected is, to put it mildly, not very pretty, but it offers the necessarily dark vision of the current conjuncture that we need if we are to fully appreciate where our present tendencies are leading us.

Addressing Seriously The Environmental Crisis: A Bold, “Outside Of The Box” Suggestion For Addressing Climate Change And Other Forms Of Environmental Destruction, Kim Scipes

Class, Race and Corporate Power

Recognizing the severity of the environmental crisis facing humans across the planet, while focusing on the United States, this paper proposes a program that addresses the environmental crisis while providing for economic security for all Americans. It revolves around a drastic reduction of production, and a corresponding limiting of work by each person. It develops and put forth principles that any alternative program must advance, and specifically discusses the rationale for the program presented. In short, while not sure this program would ever be adopted, nonetheless, it is advanced to stimulate further thinking as to how human beings across the …

"Most Of The World Is Just Collapsing In Laughter” On Claims That Russia Intervened In The Us Election: An Interview With Noam Chomsky, David N. Gibbs

Class, Race and Corporate Power

An interview with Noam Chomsky which took place at the University of Arizona, before a public audience, on February 2, 2017. The interview was conducted and edited by Dr. David N. Gibbs. Professor Chomsky approved this transcript for publication. The interview is presented in full, with only very slight editing for style.

Foreign Policy Evaluation And The Utility Of Intervention, Graham Slater

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation identifies and explains the factors contributing to the presence and severity of U.S. foreign-policy blunders, or gross errors in strategic judgment resulting in significant harm to the national interest, since the Second World War. It hypothesizes that the grand strategy of preponderance and the overestimation of military power to transform the politics of other states have precipitated U.S. foreign-policy blunders since 1945. Examining the Vietnam War and Iraq War as case studies, it focuses on underlying conditions in the American national identity and the problematic foreign policy decision-making (FPDM) that corresponds to this bifurcated hypothesis, termed the overestimation/preponderance …

South-South Cooperation As An Alternative Development Strategy: Rethinking Development Cooperation Through South-South Cooperation In Latin America And The Caribbean- Brazil And Haiti, Karen Elaine Clay

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dissertation examined the South-South cooperation as an alternative development strategy for Southern countries by targeting the collaboration between Brazil and Haiti, two countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Examining development cooperation between Brazil and Haiti could contribute to a better understanding of the central question, why Southern countries engage in South-South cooperation?

In the context of the 2008 financial crisis and the ensuing reduction of aid coming from Global North countries to developing countries, South-South cooperation has become an alternative economic and political arrangement from the more traditional North-South framework. For this reason, South-South cooperation between emerging donors …

Reimagining Movements: Towards A Queer Ecology And Trans/Black Feminism, Gabriel Benavente

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis seeks to bridge feminist and environmental justice movements through the literature of black women writers. These writers create an archive that contribute towards the liberation of queer, black, and transgender peoples.

In the novel Parable of the Talents, Octavia Butler constructs a world that highlights the pervasive effects of climate change. As climate change expedites poverty, Americans begin to blame others, such as queer people, for the destruction of their country. Butler depicts the dangers of fundamentalism as a response to climate change, highlighting an imperative for a movement that does not romanticize the environment as heteronormative, but …

Geopolitical Account Of Iran's Ties With Non-State Actors Under The Shah: 1958-1979, Arash Reisinezhad

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Late in 2004, King Abdullah of Jordan coined a controversial phrase that still dominates the heart of the geopolitics of the Middle East: The Shia Crescent. “If pro-Iran parties or politicians dominate the new Iraqi government, a new ‘crescent’ of dominant Shia movements or governments stretching from Iran into Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon could emerge to alter the traditional balance of power between the two main Islamic sects and pose new challenges to U.S. interests and allies. What the King of Jordan saw as a threat, Iran saw as the bedrock of its newfound regional power. However, what the King …

Contrasting Oil Security Objectives Within A Grand Strategic Framework: The Case Of The United States And China, Ryan C. Opsal

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Energy is a critical component of a state’s national security and economic considerations, and beginning in the 20th century, this focus has been acutely centered on oil. Having evolved globally, consisting of well-developed financial markets and maritime and pipeline routes traversing the world, the oil market provides massive amounts of crude to countries on a daily basis. However, not all states simply rely on the market for oil security, and instead take additional steps to secure their respective supplies. Oil supply security is a critical driver for large, consuming states, and merits further study. And, in terms of demand on …

Degree And Patterns Of Formal Ngo Participation Within The United Nations Economic And Social Committee (Ecosoc): An Appraisal Of Ngo Consultative Status Relative To Political Pluralism, Barry D. Mowell

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The United Nations (UN) has invested increasing levels of effort in recent decades to cultivate a more effective, diverse and democratic institutional culture via the inclusion of and interaction among international civil society organizations (CSOs) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to supplement the traditional role of states as the primary transnational actors. The principle vehicle for the UN-civil society dynamic is the consultative status (CS) program within the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), wherein a diverse range of nearly 5,000 transnational organizations ostensibly participate.

This research examined patterns of participation and the nature/level of CSO/NGO involvement within the UN, with particular …

Kim Was Korea And Korea Was Kim: The Formation Of Juche Ideology And Personality Cult In North Korea, Bianca Trifoi

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Juche ideology, created by founder Kim Il-Sung, governs all aspects of North Korean society. This thesis attempts to answer the questions of why and how Juche ideology and the cult of personality surrounding Kim Il-Sung were successfully implemented in North Korea. It is a historical analysis of the formation of the North Korean state that considers developments from the late 19th century to the late 20th century, with particular attention paid to the 1950s-1970s and to Kim’s own writings and speeches. The thesis argues that Juche was successfully implemented and institutionalized in North Korea due to several factors, including the …

Us Foreign Policy Toward Azerbaijan, 1991-2015, Galib Bashirov

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aims to investigate the sources of United States (US) foreign policy toward Azerbaijan by examining the relative impact of domestic, geostrategic and structural factors in explaining US foreign policy toward the country. Azerbaijan is one of the newly independent states that emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Despite its small size, the country’s strategic location, vast oil and natural gas reserves, and its conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno- Karabakh region elevated its importance and made Azerbaijan the center of interest for great powers. As the sole superpower after the end of the Cold War, the …

Worlds Ahead?: On The Dialectics Of Cosmopolitanism And Postcapitalism, Bryant William Sculos

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation argues that the major theories of global justice (specifically within the cosmopolitan tradition) have missed an important aspect of capitalism in their attempts to deal with the most pernicious effects of the global economic system. This is not merely a left critique of cosmopolitanism (though it is certainly that as well), but its fundamental contribution is that it applies the insights of Frankfurt School Critical Theorist Theodor Adorno’s negative dialectics to offer an internal critique of cosmopolitanism. As it stands, much of the global justice and cosmopolitanism literature takes global capitalism as an unsurpassable and a foundationally unproblematic …

Interest Groups And U.S. Foreign Policy Towards Cuba: The Restoration Of Capitalism In Cuba And The Changing Interest Group Politics, Canberk Koçak

Class, Race and Corporate Power

The Cuban-American lobby successfully influenced Congress and various presidential administrations from the early 1980s until nearly the end of the century on U.S. foreign policy towards Cuba. Although two major events, the passage of the Trade Sanction Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000, and the Elián González affair of the same year, dramatically reduced the power of this conservative ethnic interest group, its influence continued during the George W. Bush presidency. Despite the lobby’s active role, since 2008 the opposition of several political actors towards the sanctions regime, such as the agribusiness lobby, the administration of Barack Obama, and …