Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Icanretire-Hispanic Segment Experience (Icr-H): A Digital Educational Intervention For Improving Retirement Preparedness Among Hispanic Workers, Luisa Blanco

School of Public Policy Working Papers

We evaluated the digital program ICanRetire-Hispanic Segment Experience (ICR-H), which was tailored to Hispanics and sought to improve retirement financial planning knowledge and motivate program participants to take specific actions to prepare for retirement. To our knowledge, this is one of the first digital educational programs on retirement preparedness that was designed to meet the informational needs of Hispanics taking into account cultural influences. We evaluated the program using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in the Understanding America Study (UAS) Internet panel. We conducted an analysis of differences in means and proportions and Difference-in-Difference (DID) between treatment and control groups …

Terrorism In Africa: An Analysis Of The Efficacy Of U.S. Counterterrorism, Max Yong

Global Tides

This paper seeks to identify whether United States aid to Africa has impacted violent terrorist activity on the continent. The existing literature has produced a range of critiques. Many have voiced concern about foreign terrorist organizations (FTO) growing and blame ineffective efforts by the U.S. for this reality. Instances of African nations, in the face of persisting security challenges from FTOs, turning to political adversaries of the U.S. for assistance is evidence of this sentiment. Furthermore, terror attacks since the onset of the U.S. Global War on Terror (GWOT) have only remained higher than in the previous era. Others have …

How Much Does It Cost To Operate Tiny Home Villages For People Experiencing Homelessness, Celeste Benitez, Cooper Conway, Declan Maddern

School of Public Policy Capstones

Los Angeles is in a homelessness crisis. Millions of dollars are poured into preventing its causes and curtailing the increased medical costs and crime rates that stem from it. The solutions vary, but one new solution in the form of tiny home villages hopes to provide a cheap and effective way to get people experiencing homelessness off the streets.

In 2021, Los Angeles began opening tiny home villages, also referred to as cabin communities, for unhoused people during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are currently 11 tiny home villages in Los Angeles, operated in a joint effort between the government and …

She Speaks For Millions: The Emergence Of Female Diplomatic Voices In The Russo-Ukrainian War, Amber Brittain-Hale

Education Division Scholarship

This research critically investigates the public diplomacy strategies deployed by a cohort of influential female European leaders on Twitter during the Russo-Ukrainian War of 2022-2023. The study comprises eight leaders - Kallas (Estonia), Marin (Finland), von der Leyen (President of the European Commission), Metsola (President of the European Parliament), Sandu (Moldova), Simonyte (Lithuania), Zourabichvili (Georgia), and Meloni (Italy) - representing millions of constituents. By mirroring the analytical attention given to Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, this study scrutinizes the distinct approaches and dif erences in emotional, cognitive, and structural language use between these influential female figures and President Zelenskyy in their …

Clausewitzian Theory Of War In The Age Of Cognitive Warfare, Amber Brittain-Hale

Education Division Scholarship

We can reconceptualise warfare by contrasting Clausewitz with the modern practice of cognitive warfare, as evidenced by Ukraine’s defence methodologies. The strategic orchestration of ‘infopolitik’ and the sophisticated use of social media can shape narratives and public perception. This article revisits Clausewitz’s tenet of war as a political instrument and juxtaposes it with contemporary conflict’s multidimensional tactics. By scrutinising Ukraine’s digital and psychological warfare tactics, one may question the applicability of Clausewitz’s framework, seeking to understand if these novel dimensions of warfare compel a redefinition or an expansion of his thesis to navigate the complexities of contemporary geopolitical confrontations.

Optimal Taxation Of Cigarettes And E-Cigarettes: Principles For Taxing Reduced-Harm Tobacco Products, James Prieger

School of Public Policy Working Papers

As the tax base for traditional tobacco excise taxes continues to erode, policymakers have growing interest to expand taxation to novel and reduced-risk tobacco products. Chief among the latter are electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS; commonly known as e-cigarettes), although other reduced-risk tobacco products such as heated tobacco and smokeless tobacco products are also being considered for taxation. There are many possible rationales for taxing such products: to raise revenue, to correct for health externalities, to improve public health, to correct for internalities caused by irrationality or misinformation, and to redistribute income. Although each rationale leads to a different objective …

Subject-Matter Coursework Vs. Subject-Matter Exams (A Situational Analysis), Dennis Douglass

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Year after year, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing receives a significant number of applicants from those who want to teach in the State of California. Focusing on one of the critical concerns of low student performance and academic achievement begins with identifying potential problems within the education system, such as a lack of quality or best-fit educators in California. Becoming a teacher in the State of California has demonstrated many areas where the credentialing criterion may contain the answers to achieving higher standards and expectations from our youths in California. Incorporating subject-matter exams onto the list of teacher credentialing criteria …

The Reluctant Feminist: Angela Merkel’S Cautious Leadership, Ls Gaiek, Marlyn Garcia

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Abstract: What does it mean to be a modern feminist global leader today? Global leadership research is growing, but less research focuses on female leaders, even though the 21st century thus far contains a significant rise of female leaders. Angela Merkel’s infamously historic reticence and aversion, concerning speaking about feminism, irrevocably dissolves in an interview in January of 2019. This interview offers a glimpse into Angela Merkel’s cageyness, and provides an intimate insight into her circumspect perspective concerning feminism. This article aims to explore barriers and challenges to Angela Merkel’s rise as a global leader, how crisis forged and …

A Computational Analysis Of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Public Diplomacy Discourse In Times Of Crisis, Amber Brittain-Hale

Education Division Scholarship

In this study, we delve into the public diplomacy discourse of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the ongoing crisis of the Russo-Ukrainian War. We aim to conduct a computational analysis of Zelenskyy's English, Russian, and Ukrainian speeches, exploring the linguistic patterns and code-switching employed in his discourse. The study period encompasses Russia’s build-up to and full-scale invasion of Ukraine from May 2019 to May 30, 2023. This time frame is crucial as it captures the dynamic development of the crisis and the expansion of Zelenskyy's presidency, providing a unique context for analyzing his public diplomacy efforts. By utilizing Linguistic Inquiry …

A Fake Future: The Threat Of Foreign Disinformation On The U.S. And Its Allies, Brandon M. Rubsamen

Global Tides

This paper attempts to explain the threat that foreign disinformation poses for the United States Intelligence Community and its allies. The paper examines Russian disinformation from both a historical and contemporary context and how its effect on Western democracies may only be exacerbated in light of Chinese involvement and evolving technologies. Fortunately, the paper also studies practices and strategies that the United States Intelligence Community and its allied foreign counterparts may use to respond. It is hoped that this study will help shed further light on Russian and Chinese disinformation campaigns and explain how the Intelligence Community can efficiently react.

Tax Noncompliance: The Role Of Tax Morale In Smokers’ Behavior, James Prieger

School of Public Policy Working Papers

Measuring and predicting compliance with tax obligations is important but challenging. Survey data from California smokers are investigated to show that several forms of tax avoidance and evasion were common. About 43% of smokers avoided taxes by purchasing cigarettes outside the state in the previous year, 15% admit to evading taxes through cross-border purchases, and 26% bought likely or certainly untaxed cigarettes in the state in the past month. Attitudinal factors involving tax morale contributed more toward explaining the variance in compliance rates than demographic or law-and-economics factors. The implications for policy are discussed.

The Vilnius Summit: A Platform For Female Leadership And Flexibility In Europe's Security Infrastructure, Amber Brittain-Hale

Education Division Scholarship

This paper examines the strategic evolution of Europe’s security framework in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian War and the concluded Vilnius Summit — a critical juncture, with the possibility of selecting a new Secretary General. Among the nominees was Kaja Kallas, Estonia’s Prime Minister, whose innovative vision advocated a departure from traditional models. Kallas promoted a more inclusive and flexible NATO membership structure, more active and robust support for Ukraine against Russian aggression, increased roles for women in security architecture and policymaking, and the utilisation of public diplomacy and strategic communication in novel ways. The summit culminated in the reappointment …

Redefining The Diplomatic Stage: The Evolution Of Feminine Foreign Policy In The Russo-Ukrainian War, Amber Brittain-Hale

Education Division Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Governing The Pandemic: A Comprehensive Policy Analysis Of The $4.1t Strategy, Sean D. Jasso

Education Division Scholarship

From January 2020 to March 2021, the U.S. Government implemented five laws to marshal the federal response to the December 2019 outbreak of the Coronavirus. For context, past federal emergency policies include the New Deal $1T, World War II $4T, Hurricane Katrina $120B, AIDS $100B, $2.4T Iraq War, $90B Ukraine War, $44B Climate Change, Covid Vaccines $30B and, the largest emergency spending allocation in U.S. history, Covid-19 $4.1T. An evaluation of the government’s strategy to confront the pandemic is framed into two segments: legislative function – how the Congress mobilizes emergency legislation; and, executive function – how the administration manages …

Strategies For Transitioning From A Senior Military Leader To A Civilian Leader, Wallace Michael Mains

Theses and Dissertations

The primary focus of this qualitative study was to explore how senior military veteran leaders (SMVLs) employed Senge’s (1990) five core disciplines to building a learning organization. The study investigated strategies for SMVLs to use after their transition from the military into civilian leadership roles. Senge’s (1990) five learning disciplines of personal mastery, mental models, shared vision, team learning, and systems thinking are utilized as the theoretical framework. The researcher employed qualitative research by examining SMVL narratives. The researcher examined nonhuman subjects to ensure anonymity. Narratives were located from numerous publicly accessible data sources (published books, news articles, magazines, journals, …

Generational Advancement In Sovereign Nations: A Qualitative Study Understanding The Significance Of Knowledge Infrastructure, George A. Vigil

Theses and Dissertations

Throughout history, socio-cultural and political movements have condemned indigenous peoples by advancing false rhetoric, half-truths, and equivocations championed as axiomatic principles. Foreign entities have massacred philosophies, traditions, and tribes while stealing ancestral lands that have yet to be recovered. This exploratory study examines the phenomenon of developing knowledge infrastructure within sovereign nations. A descriptive qualitative approach was used to answer the research question: To what extent, if at all, might knowledge infrastructure support generational advancement through learning and development programs within sovereign nations? Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 Tribal citizens, community members, and employees who currently or have worked …

International Comparative Education: A Case For Russia, Kirill A. Strakhov

Pepperdine Policy Review

Moscow State University (MSU) in Russia does not have an adequate general education curriculum as part of the undergraduate requirements. The curriculum does not cover classical topics such as the exploration of human nature. At the college level, Russian students are not able to change their specialization even as freshmen. The policy recommendations are going to be grounded on the various philosophical understanding of education and its role in our society. MSU should include more open discussion seminars in order to develop crucial virtues of character. At the same time, MSU should implement a general education curriculum, which would keep …

Utilizing The Private Sector To Address California’S Shortage Of Qualified Public School Teachers, Christopher J. Lacreta

Pepperdine Policy Review

Over the past decade, the State of California has been running a deficit of well-qualified teachers in its public education system. School districts consistently report the need to hire substandard teachers who differ from well-qualified teachers in that they generally have far less schooling and experience and usually receive emergency credentials so that each school can achieve its minimum number of necessary educators to conduct operations. The main reason for this shortage is that California’s public schools are almost exclusively funded by the state budget and they do not receive significant funding from local property taxes. This has contributed to …

The American Space Industry: A History Of Innovation And An Analysis Of Future Policy, Miles J. Pollard

Pepperdine Policy Review

This paper articulates the evolution of US space policy by collating the history of space program developments alongside the international treaties responsible for safe space exploration. As the US shifts from NASA-led ventures to private ventures, the treaties developed both during and after the space race are coming under scrutiny. Private US companies such as Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and Space X are investing in the future realms of space tourism, settlements, and mining that will hopefully provide untold profits for all of mankind. However, there exists the danger of a Kessler Syndrome event blocking access to Earth’s orbits if …

Abortion Pill Reversal And The Inappropriate Censorship Of Google Advertisements, Chloe S. Edwards

Pepperdine Policy Review

Abortion has been a contentious policy issue for nearly as long as United States has existed. From its legalization under the U.S. Constitution’s right to privacy in the Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade to the overturn of the decision this year in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Healthcare Organization, abortion policy has been on a back and forth swing for generations. The addition of medically advanced forms of abortion, including medical abortions administered via pills, has added another dimension to this already complicated matter. Recent censorship of abortion pill reversal ads by the internet site Google has shown the …

The Impact Of A Mobile Phone-Delivered Digital Financial Education Program On Financial Behavior Among Hispanics, Luisa Blanco, Lucia Chen, Isaias Hernandez, April D. Thames, Joyce Serido

School of Public Policy Working Papers

We explored the potential of digital financial education programs among Hispanic populations, through the design and evaluation of a mobile phone delivered digital program called Mind Your Money (MYM). This program sought to improve financial knowledge and behavior among low- to-moderate income Hispanics residing in the Greater Los Angeles area. We assessed the program through a randomized controlled trial with a wait-list control group. Our digital financial education program had a higher retention rate than comparable in-person financial coaching programs. We found that our program had a positive statistical significant effect on financial capability. Participants who completed program activities were …

Systematic Review Of Racial, Ethnic And Gender Differences On Financial Knowledge In The United States, Luisa Blanco, Cruz Garcia, Rosemary Gutierrez

School of Public Policy Working Papers

We conducted a systematic review of racial, ethnic, and gender differences on financial knowledge in the United States. We reviewed journal publications that specifically study or consider racial, ethnic, and gender differences in financial knowledge during the period 2010-2021. We include in this review a total of 33 papers, where nine focus on racial and ethnic differences, 14 focus on gender differences, and 10 consider racial, ethnic, and gender differences. From the reviewed studies, we estimate the average financial knowledge racial and ethnic gap, where Whites score on average 19 percentage points higher than Blacks, 14 percentage points higher than …

Thomas Piketty’S Brief History Of Equality (2022): Beyond Tocqueville, Marx, Rawls And Piketty I And Ii, Gordon Lloyd

School of Public Policy Working Papers

No abstract provided.

The Axis Of Access: A Quantitative Ethnography Of Presidential Discourse On The Construct Of College Access In The United States, Pamela M. Donnelly

Theses and Dissertations

Federal discourse pertaining to college access requires clarified definition. Use of the college access construct has become commonplace, yet no unified refinement of meaning exists. This study, which covered U.S. presidential communications from January 2009 to October 2021, addressed the abstraction of language as leaders presented ideas, policies, and opinions. Observable trends impacting social mobility for students from underserved populations were of central interest. The research methodology, Quantitative Ethnography (QE), used the tool of Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA). Eight codes were identified through grounded analysis: Affordability, Pathway Program, Underserved Populations, Class Systems, Upward Mobility, Career Readiness, Trajectory, and Career Technical …

Tax Evasion And Illicit Cigarettes In California: Prevalence And Demand-Side Correlates, James Prieger

School of Public Policy Working Papers

Unlike some areas of crime, participation in illicit tobacco markets is not rare and spans most sociodemographic groups. Measurement of the scale of illicit trade in cigarettes usually are for markets with recently increased (or continually increasing) excise taxes. This study examines survey data from adult cigarette smokers in California at a time when prices and taxes had been fairly stable for many years. Even with no recent price shocks in the market, the results indicate that one-third of cigarette packs may lack a valid tax stamp and that between 18% to 25% of smokers avoided taxes by bringing cigarettes …

Effectiveness Of Plastic Ordinances In Santa Monica, Ca: Do Regulations At The Municipal Level Reduce Plastic Waste?, John W. Hayes

School of Public Policy Capstones

Plastic is a cheap, robust and versatile material with numerous practical uses that contribute to the convenience of modern day life. However the very same properties that make it uniquely diverse and hardy also contribute to the hazards it poses to the ecosystems and human health. If current consumption and manufacturing practices remain unchanged, there will be hundreds of millions of additional tons of plastic introduced into the environment over the coming decades. To mitigate this issue, some cities, such as Santa Monica, have implemented ordinances and policies directly aimed at this growing problem, albeit with ambiguous results. To better …

Best Practices For Non-Profit Organizations Using Human-Animal Interaction As An Intervention With At-Risk Youth, Jai Oni Sly

Theses and Dissertations

Non-profit organizations and community programs work with at-risk youth to teach social-emotional skills like empathy, self-confidence, and self-efficacy. This research aimed to examine best practices for community programs that use human-animal interaction as an intervention for at-risk youth. Specifically, the phenomenological study aimed to review the successful strategies that community programs when working with the at-risk youth population. The challenges faced and how these type of community programs measure their success were also important purposes of these research. Participants shared successful strategies, how success is measured as well as challenges and recommendations for other community programs that work with the …

An Exploration Of Successful Housing Outcomes After Homelessness: An Experience Captured Through The Lens Of U.S. Veterans, Janice Filer

Theses and Dissertations

Homelessness is experienced by veterans at a higher percentage than nonveterans. Veterans represent eight percent of the homeless population (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2019). Also, the mortality rate of younger homeless veterans is higher than non-homeless veterans (Schinka et al., 2018). Veterans experience the lack of affordable housing, the lack of affordable health care, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, and a lack of family or social support (National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, 2018). The purpose of this qualitative research study was to interview prior homeless veterans from Gulf War Era I (1990 - 2001) and/or Gulf …

Educational Equity In Independent Schools: A Phenomenographic Study Of School-Wide Equity Practices, Barriers, And Leadership Behaviors Necessary To Achieve Diversity, Inclusion, And Cultural Competence, Christopher Gerard Lemieux

Theses and Dissertations

Independent schools are facing equity changes that had long been avoided, consequently, schools are now faced with adopting equity practices designed to produce equitable outcomes. Equity practices adopted have not been realized without corresponding leadership behaviors necessary to change cultural norms as well as overcoming associative barriers. This study explored how Heads of school in Southern California described the school-wide equity practices they utilized, barriers encountered, and the leadership behaviors that were necessary for achieving diversity, inclusion, and cultural competence at their school. This study used a phenomenographic design and included 11 Heads of school identified as having exemplary school-wide …

A Contemporary Study On The Impact Of Regulations On Business Performance, Brian C. Mulligan

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines Nobel Prize Laureate Hayek's ominous warning that economic liberty in the U.S. is at risk, due to regulations, of becoming an unplanned administrative state. The research seeks to understand the effects of regulations on business performance and how to right-size them for a healthy business environment. These objectives are accomplished with two papers: (1) a macro cross-discipline literature review and call for research on the impact of regulations on business performance, and (2) a qualitative grounded theory study from interviews from elite business executives on their perspectives on the impact of regulations on business performance. The findings …