Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Us Military Policy In Poland And The Baltics: To Stay Or Not To Stay, Owen Bates

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

No abstract provided.

Sovereign Authority And Rule Of Law: The Effect Of U.S. Use Of Torture On Political Legitimacy, Sydney Bradley

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Governmental sovereignty is created and maintained by mutual respect for the rule of law by the government and citizens. To maintain legitimacy, a government must act within the bounds of the contract that created it. Otherwise, the relationship founded by said contract would be nullified, as would the duties and obligations that flow from that relationship. Torture exemplifies an ultra vires act used by the United States to show the consequences of over-extended authority on political legitimacy and the rule of law. Founded on the philosophies of Hugo Grotius, Thomas Hobbes, and Christine Korsgaard, this research investigates the nature of …

Police Homicide: Race And Ethnicity, Christine Henderson, Aimee Quinn, Charles E. Reasons, Veronica Salas, John Vinson, Brittney Warf

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

During the pandemic, routines were interrupted lives were changed and during this time, many individuals spent more time watching the news to learn more about how long it would take to resume normalcy. When George Floyd was murdered by four police officers, time stood still and the world watched. Outrage was immediate. The pandemic offered everyone the opportunity to witness tragedy unfold in front of them a brutality which happens every day, yet is easily ignored. This article examines the incidence of police homicides of people of color, the lack of law enforcement to seek solutions to their own internal …

Bashkëpunimi Dhe Divergjencat Në Mes Të Shba-Së Dhe Be-Së, Edona Selmani

Theses and Dissertations

Intensifikimi i marrëdhënieve mes Bashkimit Evropian dhe Shteteve të Bashkuara të Amerikës shënojnë një moment të ri për rendin global, sidomos pas Luftës së Dytë Botërore. BE-ja edhe pse nuk kishte një strukturë institucionale të konsoliduar kjo nuk e pengoj që të krijoj një raport funksional marrëdhëniesh mes dy vendeve, që përveç se ishin të dobishme në rrafshin ekonomik, ato u treguan se ishin më se të dobishme edhe në rrafshin politik e më së shumti në atë ushtarak.

Megjithatë, bashkëpunimi mes këtyre dy vendeve është shoqëruar edhe me divergjenca të ndryshme për çështje të caktuara. Trajtimi i sulmeve të …

Ndikimi I Ndotjes Së Ajrit Në Ambientin Jetësor Në Republikën E Kosovës – Komuna E Prishtinës, Nazif Fazliu

Theses and Dissertations

Ambienti jetësor ka rëndësi shumë të madhe në jetën tonë, ku rrjedhimisht duhet të kushtohet shumë rëndësi kujdesit ndaj tij pasi që ambienti paraqet ajrin që ne thithim çdo ditë. Një ndër sfidat më të mëdha që është paraqitur në ditët e sotme, si rezultat i shumë veprimtarive të ndryshme dhe si pasojë e mos angazhimit të instrumenteve shtetërore është edhe sfida e ndotjes së ambientit jetësor në Kosovë. Kjo sfidë deri më tani, ka qëndruar në një farë mënyre e papërballueshme për institucionet tona duke pasur parasysh që kemi mungesë të theksuar të informacionit mbi ndotjen e ajrit, pasojat …

Roli I Imf-Ve Në Stabilitetin Ekonomik Të Kosovës (Rast Studimi Monego Dhe Iutecredit), Aulona Binaku

Theses and Dissertations

Qëllimi i këtij punimi kërkimor është zhvillimi i analizës së sektorit të mikrokredisë në Kosovë,identifikimi dhe analiza e përbërësve që ndikojnë në përcaktimin e normave të interesit për mikrokreditë në vendin tonë. Për më tepër, hulumtimi do të vlerësojë nëse IMF-të dhe normat e interesit janë nëpërputhje me planet e tyre të biznesit, si dhe do të bëhet krahasimi i normave të interesit të Kosovës me vendet ballkanike.

Objektivë e këtij hulumtimi është dhe përcaktimi i faktorëve që ndikuan në rritjen e normave të interesit gjatë vitit 2018/2019 dhe në revokimin e licencave të IuteCredit-it dhe Monegos në Kosovë. Metodologjia …

Pjesëmarrja Dhe Roli I Grave Kosovare Në Politikë, Alisa Thaqi

Theses and Dissertations

Pjesëmarrja e grave në vendimmarrje i kontribon proceseve pozitive transformuese për shoqëritë, siç janë ndryshimet e ligjeve, politikave, shërbimeve, institucioneve dhe normave shoqërore.Është e rëndësishme të sigurohet që të dëgjohen zërat e grave për vendimet që prekin jetët e tyre, jetët e familjeve të tyre dhe komuntitetit më gjërë. Këto vendime prekin gratë po aq sa edhe burrat. Prandaj, gratë duhet të përfshihen në vendimmarrje në çdo fushë dhe të kenë fuqi dhe numër të barabartë me burrat. Është përgjegjësi e qeverisë të sigurojë që grave iu ofrohen mundësi për të marrë pjesë në të gjitha nivelet e vendimmarrjes dhe …

The Fickle Financiers Of Elections?: The Impact Of Moving On Individual Contributions, Jaclyn J. Kettler, Jeffrey Lyons

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

What is the effect of a change in geographic location on the behavior of campaign donors? Looking at people who move presents a unique opportunity to assess the ways in which political behavior is altered by external circumstances. Holding the individual constant and observing how donation patterns vary under different external conditions allows us to explore donor behaviors in ways that are more difficult when using cross-sectional data. We use the DIME dataset to compare the donation behavior of over 7,000 individuals in the U.S. House election before and after they have moved. We observe the ways in which changes …

What Makes A Country Environmentally Friendly?, Sophie Plantamura

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

No abstract provided.

Diverging Identities: The Juxtaposition Of Palestinians In Israel And The Occupied Territories, Micah Russell

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

No abstract provided.

Sigma: Journal Of Political And International Studies

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

No abstract provided.

Populism And Evangelicalism: A Cross-Country Analysis Of Chile And The United States, Adam Roberts

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

No abstract provided.

Accessibility And Clarity Of Campaign Finance Databases In U.S. Cities, Ethan Bridgforth

Political Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this research project is to examine the varying states of disclosure at the municipal level depending on location and understand how the quality of campaign finance databases varies depending on what city one lives in. A literature review was conducted that focused on understanding the state of disclosure and transparency, as well as the relationship between technology and disclosure. An analysis of the campaign finance databases for six cities across the United States of America was also completed. Five individuals of differing demographics were asked to help rank the databases on a variety of aspects. I found …

Dynamics Of Power In Indiana's Voter Identification Law, Zachary Gossett

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Indiana’s voter identification law is controversial. Supporters argue that the law is necessary to protect the integrity of elections. Its critics argue that the law suppresses the votes of racial minorities and other historically marginalized and oppressed groups. The ensuing legal battle culminated in the U.S. Supreme Court case Crawford v. Marion County Election Bd. This thesis investigates this law’s oppressive intent by utilizing qualitative, interpretive content analysis. The arguments within the respondents’ case briefs are interpreted and evaluated through the context in which the law was introduced and enacted and Iris Marion Young’s five faces of oppression: exploitation, marginalization, …

Emotional Motivation: How Anger, Fear, Hope And Pride Impact Women’S Political Participation, Ashley Martin

Political Science Theses and Capstones

Despite the great strides the United States has made since passing the 19th amendment, a woman’s emotions continues to become relevant in political discussions. Research has supported that emotion has a place in motivating political involvement, however, additional evidence has shown that for women and People of Color, the display of certain emotions disparage their abilities to influence. Because of these determinations, the present questions stand, is emotion effective in motivating women to participate in politics? If so, does that apply to all women, and to what extent? I utilized the American National Election Studies Cumulative Time-Series dataset to determine …

Predicting And Measuring Support For Populism, Jay Rumas

Senior Honors Projects

Through reading the most recent research and case examples, I have discovered that the conventional wisdom on how political actors appeal to voters is rather obsolete. I have done my best to establish a profile of the “populist voter” and predict which parties they may be inclined to support. Cas Mudde, an expert on populist movements, labels populism as the use of a narrative that constructs the struggle of “the people (the majority) vs “the elite'' for political purposes. It has neither a positive or negative connotation. Populist movements often appeal to those among groups that feel as though they …

Free Speech In The Internet Era: Reviewing Policies Seeking To Modify Section 230 Of The Communications Decency Act Of 1996, Jacob Cordeiro

Senior Honors Projects

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA), has for over two decades provided “interactive computer services” a legal liability shield for defamatory or otherwise actionable user-generated content posted on their platforms and, for lawsuits stemming over unequal enforcement of their content policies provided enforcement efforts are taken in “good faith.” This law, passed in the early days of the Internet, incubated the Internet and social media, giving it the regulatory freedom it needed to grow into a platform where hundreds of millions of Americans can exchange ideas and engage in political and social discourse. Yet, for all the good …

From Concert To Confrontation : The Ideational Motives Of Russia's Wars With Georgia (2008) And Ukraine (2014), Inguna Miller

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation examines the ideational background of Russian foreign policy, with a particular focus on ideas relevant to Russia’s conflicts with Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014. Two broad approaches to Russian foreign policy – nationalism and pragmatism – present distinct views on Russia’s international role. Nationalism incorporates strong anti-Western and neo-imperialistic ideas with emphasis on Russia’s unique international mission and advocates a confrontational stance. Pragmatism conceptualizes Russia as a great world power but proposes a concert-based foreign policy that avoids a direct military confrontation. Both schools of thought are prevalent in Russia’s foreign policy discourse, and their ideas …

Shining A Light Into The Darkness: The Developmental Impacts Of Internment In U.S. Immigration Detention Centers On Detained Latinx Children, Rebecca Messer

Honors Theses

Americans are concerned about immigration politics and how to handle the migration of immigrants into the United States, especially those from Latinx countries who immigrate illegally. In response, the United States government has formed detention centers to house the children of these illegal immigrants. While the immediate safety and developmental appropriateness of current separation practices are of concern, few have considered what the long-term developmental and transgenerational impacts on Latinx immigrant children, held within these detention centers, will be. This thesis concludes that the negative physical, emotional, and psychological impacts both in the short and long terms are expected to …

Profiles In Leadership: Women Of Color Elected To Office In Massachusetts, Center For Women In Politics And Public Policy, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Publications from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy

In 2015, UMass Boston’s Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy released the first-ever publication exploring the elected leadership of women of color in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts largely to make known the contributions of female electeds of color across the Commonwealth. The publication also aimed to delve into what hinders and what facilitates the elected leadership of women of color. This 2021 updated publication contains profiles of the 174 women of color who have been elected to key policymaking positions and offers quantitative analysis to better understand office-holding patterns.

Evident in the profiles is the centrality of community …

Colombia's Judicial Reform: What Now?, Maya Smith

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

A current body of research examines Colombia’s judicial institutions and focuses on the successes and failures of past reforms. While the literature is overwhelmingly negative, scholars have managed to put forward pieces of a potential solution. I draw on these analyses to answer the question, “what is the best possible course of action for Colombia’s future judicial reform projects?” Throughout this paper, I draw on Colombian newspapers, think-tank reports, survey research, and academic studies to formulate a cohesive answer. This existing literature identifies that Colombia’s weak judiciary stems from Spanish colonialism’s lasting influence, the reactive and defensive nature of judges, …

How To Defend Those Who Defend: An Examination Of The Underfunding Of The Public Defender System, Selma M. Newbill

Honors Theses

The public defender system in the United States is in an indigent defense crisis because it is often unable to provide adequate representation to the citizens that the United States Constitution requires them to give. The growing attention on the system today is shedding light on public defenders’ stifling caseloads and on the people who are failing to receive the legal representation to which they are entitled by the constitution. The lack of political prioritization, the systemic inequities throughout the criminal justice system, and the underfunding of the public defender system has often rendered public defenders unable to provide their …

The Double Edge: Contradictory Functions Of Civil Society Organizations In The Tunisian Democratic Process, Dhia Ben Ali

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

“Democratic transition,” the act of becoming democratic, and “democratic consolidation,” the subsequent actions that solidify the achievement of becoming democratic, are two separate processes that go hand in hand. While several Arab Spring nations overthrew their dictators, fewer underwent a democratic transition, and only one – Tunisia – achieved democratic consolidation (Bouchlaghem and Thepaut, 2019; Sadiki, 2019; Gianni, 2019). Tunisia constitutes the sole Arab Spring country to have: 1) created and adopted a new constitution; 2) formed and institutionalized political parties that peacefully share power; and 3) achieved multiple rounds of free and fair elections (Al-Anani, 2014; Yerkes, 2019). Scholarly …

Racialized Reality: Crime News And Racial Stereotype Framing, Warrington Sebree

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research shows that crime news is a primary mechanism for shaping public consciousness surrounding legal order, social morality, and threats present in their citizens communities. This research explores how news media influences negative attitudes towards criminal justice reform and Black identity. Utilizing Framing Theory, this study focuses on whether negative stereotypes in crime news triggers racial prejudice and bias towards African Americans. Participants of this study will consist of current students at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. The findings suggest that knowing the race of a potential criminal assailant influences respondents’ attitudes towards presumptions of guilt, future criminality, and criminal …

Incidental Exposure, Political Activity And Perceived Trust., Brianna Berry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study examines the concept of incidental versus traditional exposure to information through the context of a police brutality incident. Incidental exposure on social media is when a person is exposed to information or imagery without prior warning. It is hypothesized that 1) individuals who are incidentally exposed to a graphic police brutality event will be more likely to participate in politics and 2) will have lower perceived trust in the government. This randomized study utilizes two treatments (incidental exposure and traditional exposure) and a control group. Analysis of the data shows that support for H₁ is only …

The Rise Of The Nones: Religion, Leaners, And Their Connection With Partisanship In America., Kevin C. Orr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is based on the rise of the so-called “nones” in America - those who do not identify as religious - which has been a rapidly increasingly subgroup in the country. Along with the increase of the nones, religious belief and religious behavior have also been decreasing, showing a larger trend across the nation of a society detaching from religion. Nonetheless, religion in politics is still very visible. Additionally, another subgroup of America, the “leaners” - those who identify as Independents who lean towards Democrat or Republican - are a similar type of group to the nones in their …

The Influence Of Gender On Interruptions In The U.S. Courts Of Appeals., Molly Grace Baldock

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Law has historically been a male-dominated profession. The number of women earning law degrees is now close to parity with men (Moyer and Haire 2015). So, does this mean that women no longer face disadvantages in the legal profession? Unfortunately, systemic disadvantage persists. For instance, previous work on the United States Supreme Court shows that female judges and attorneys are more likely to be interrupted than men—a finding consistent with research on interruption in other contexts, like legislative bodies. This frequency of interruption can have lasting consequences on the ways in which women speak and present questions, as well as …

Positive Rhetoric, Prejudiced Policy: The Contradiction Of Islamophobia In American Government After 9-11., Molly Bilz

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Following the tragic terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, local and national leaders responded to the security crisis by uniting the country under the American ideals of freedom and democracy while condemning the Islamic terrorist group responsible. With beliefs rooted in historical American and European prejudice, Western scholarship promoted a “clash of civilizations” between Islam and the West wherein the cultures’ supposed irreconcilable differences would inevitably lead to warfare. Simultaneously, many Americans grew suspicious of Muslims after the attacks, including government officials. As hate crimes against Muslim and Middle Eastern Americans soared in the U.S., government leaders used positive rhetoric …

Implications Of Pop Cultural Diplomacy: An Analysis Of Idol-State Interactions, Elizabeth Erwin

Honors College Theses

This paper uses media coverage of idol-state interactions to understand the ways in which states utilize pop culture as a component of their public diplomacy strategy. Idol-state interactions are defined as an event where a pop cultural figure accompanies or is accompanied by a state official to a formal meeting with a representative of a foreign government. Looking specifically at South Korean diplomatic events where K-Pop idols are present, I find that idol-state interactions have the potential to increase media coverage, further cultural understanding and serve as a relationship-building tool.

The Effect Of The Political Climate On Latinos’ Wellbeing, Magda E. Mendoza Soto

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The presidential election of Donald Trump significantly influenced various aspects of the population of the United States. Given Trump’s emphasis on anti-immigrant policies, it is essential for professionals and practitioners to better understand how the Latin population is experiencing and responding to today’s political climate. Participants in this study ranged in age from 18 to 64 and were from Latin descent, which consists of persons, cultures, or countries related to the Spanish language, culture, people, or to Spain in general. Ninety-six participants completed the quantitative measures including The Adult Hope Scale (HS), Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the …