Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Remembering An Invasion: The Panama Intervention In America’S Political Memory, Dave Nagaji

Senior Theses

In December of 1989, the United States launched Operation Just Cause, a military invasion of the country of Panama, capturing Manuel Noriega and overthrowing his government. This research project examines how Colin Powell, Richard Cheney, James Baker, and George H.W. Bush presented Operation Just Cause in their memoirs. It attempts to determine how these senior leaders’ depictions of this invasion incorporated it into the Bush administration’s overall foreign-policy strategy. The research finds that their general approach was to present the Panama intervention as an isolated incident which had no intentional link to other major events at the time, was not …

Assessing Columbia's Homeless Court, Andrew Wilson

Senior Theses

This report provides relevant background information on the state of homelessness in Columbia and describes the problems that criminal offenders who are homeless faced under traditional modes of correction. It then outlines the concept and history of the homeless court model and explains how these programs are intended to improve legal outcomes for individuals facing homelessness. The collection of perspectives from government and nonprofit stakeholders and homeless court participants brought together in the thesis form a qualitative framework for considering how successful the homeless court has been in accomplishing its goals and what opportunities exist for improving it. Additionally, this …

From Ruby Ridge To Oklahoma City: The Radicalization Of Timothy Mcveigh, Allison Reese

Senior Theses

The Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995 was a watershed moment in American history and indelibly changed the way Americans viewed terrorism and public safety. While the effects of the bombing are well-documented, not as much attention has been paid to the motivations of the bomber, Timothy McVeigh. He was spurred to action by the events of the Waco siege, where the FBI engaged in a 51-day standoff with the Branch Davidians, a small religious group suspected of owning illegal weapons. However, this was not the first incident that inspired his later actions. In 1992, the Weaver family entered …

"Give Me Your Tired..." And The Government Will Decide Who Stays: Examining The U.S.'S Inconsistent Responses To Immigrant Groups Seeking Protection, Clare Deck

Senior Theses

What accounts for the inconsistencies in the way the U.S. responds to large scale influxes of immigrants who are seeking protection within the U.S.’s borders? The author comes to conclusions that the political interests of the United States are largely responsible for how the U.S. responds to large scale immigrant groups seeking protection. The author further argues that the inconsistencies of the U.S. response from case to case is due to the protection gap that exists within the UNHCR’s definition of refugee, and the resulting ease with which the U.S. can apply the definition, when, where, and how it chooses …

Women's Roles In Peacebuilding, Yu Nagahama

Senior Theses

How can we restore peace after conflicts? And how can we maintain it? The institution of successful peacebuilding has been a critical task for the international community since the end of the Cold War. The United Nations, the Member States, scholars, and civic organizations have been searching for the perfect solutions to establish sustainable peace. However, in many cases, conflict resolutions are fragile, and many of them end up with the recurrence of violence. According to the United Nations, countries that have experienced wars are more likely to have successive wars within a decade (United Nations 2017). In 2000, the …

America's 'Just Wars' In The 21st Century: Implications Of Just War Theory On The Middle East, Sara Bakhtiar

Senior Theses

This paper will examine the presence of just war theory in the rhetoric and actions of U.S. leaders and policymakers. I look at Afghanistan to highlight the United States' misuse of just war doctrine, which led to highly destructive consequences. I then look at Syria and how just war language is already being used to justify a potential intervention in the state. Last, I assess the United States' intervention in Yemen to argue that the U.S. does not intervene in the Middle East for strictly humanitarian purposes, but rather to pursue and advance its own interests like policies of regime …

Female Labor Force Participation And Tertiary Education: A Case Study Of India And Brazil, Consuelo Alina Bills

Senior Theses

Female labor force participation (FLFP) is important for the socio-economic development of a nation because it promotes efficiency and equity. Generally, high female participation in the labor market implies: advancement in the economic and social standings and empowerment of women. These things promote equality and utilize all available human capital, which create a greater capacity for economic growth and poverty reduction. Understanding women's decision to partake in the labor market, as well as the factors that encourage to either participate in or refrain from the workforce, is imperative for policy makers to create legislation to help an economy develop and …

Representation And Global Power In A Multicultural Germany: A Discourse Analysis Of The German Response(S) To The Presence Of Syrian Refugees, Kyle William Zarif

Senior Theses

This thesis seeks to assess the German political response to the presence of Syrian refugees from 2015-17 within the cultural context of Germany and the overall EU political approach to the Syrian conflict. To this end, it examines the German media conversation surrounding Syrian refugees, using a quantitative media study done by the UNHCR. In turn, it compares the rhetorical and political approaches of the mainstream German center (Merkel's Christian Democratic Union Party) and the right wing (the Alternative for Germany Party and PEGIDA) within the context of shifting popular German sentiments towards refugees. Considering the internal response, cultural context, …

Miles Apart: A Comparative Case Study Analysis Of The Acculturation And Socioeconomic Status Of Former Colonized Populations In Post-Imperialist States, Mariea Melanie Sekijima

Senior Theses

This undergraduate thesis assesses the impact of government policies and acculturation strategies on the current socioeconomic status of former colonized populations living in their respective post-imperialist states. Despite a shared colonial history, the current positioning of Zainichi Koreans in Japan and British Hindu Indians in the UK is vastly different. I argue that this can be linked to two factors—the government strategy in response to these populations and the existence of other minorities within the same state. Using a case study approach to analyze these contrasting experiences, this thesis contributes to a wider conversation on the continual legacies of imperialism …

The Importance Of Interdisciplinarity: Redefining The Health Belief Model, Ross F. Lordo

Senior Theses

Throughout academia, there lacks an existence of a commonly utilized multicomponent and interdisciplinary approach in understanding our outside world. This thesis provides an analysis of the current state of interdisciplinarity and the need to develop interdisciplinary theory. Through this effort, the researcher utilizes the health belief model as a framework that is severely limited in applicable scope due to its constructs. Contrastingly, systems theory and game theory are validated as examples of theories with an interdisciplinary nature. Through the coding of the literature pertaining to the qualitative characteristics of the health belief model, game theory and systems theory, guidelines in …

“The Time Is Always Now:” James Baldwin In Trump’S America, Chase Stowell

Senior Theses

Gone is the optimism regarding race relations that dominated the early years of Obama’s presidency. Trump’s meteoric rise has given Americans pause, and in this time of potential reflection, it is important to re-examine James Baldwin. This essay analyzes Baldwin’s understanding of race from the inception of racism in America until its theoretical end, combining Baldwin’s novels and essays to propose practices that will help America move beyond the racial problem that has haunted its history. James Baldwin’s demand of individual reflection upon one’s system of reality necessitates the end of political demonology, as well as a reframing of rhetoric …

The Effects Of Food Security On Socioeconomic Mobility In The United States: A Case Study In Allendale County, South Carolina, Taylor St Clarke

Senior Theses

This thesis examines the relationship between food security – defined as accessibility to an affordable, nutritious, and sustainable source of food – and socioeconomic mobility in the continental United States. This thesis is primarily focused on the effects of food insecurity on both individuals and communities, examining the chronic long-term effects of such insecurity on areas known as “food deserts,” which are often given status as areas of persistent poverty. This research further examines the effects of a sustained poor diet, brought about by food insecurity, on the individual and overarching community in a food desert and how such a …

The Arts And Technology: How Educational Technology Can Bring Humanities Further Into Elementary And Primary School Systems, Coleman D. Alameda

Senior Theses

As the world becomes more inclined to implement technology in nearly every aspect of society, the United States Department of Education must find a way to incorporate new styles of modern and high-tech teaching without pushing out certain subjects from its curriculum. I believe technology can be used to bring the Humanities further into the classroom. In today’s society American education programs are desperately trying to make up for subpar primary school scores in mathematics and science. According to the government accredited international education forum (the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) the United States was found to be below …

The Effects Of Perceived Social Rank On Socially Anxious Adolescents, Ernest Garcia

Senior Theses

Anxiety has become the United States’ most common mental health disorder affecting about one third of both adolescents and adults. The American College Health Association has also reported an increase in undergraduate students reporting “overwhelming anxiety” from 50% in 2011 to 62% in 2016. While anxiety affects individuals in different age groups, adolescence can be a time of heightened anxiety, in part because of the constant evaluation from others and because the processes that allow individuals to understand and interact with another, are still developing. Social anxiety has also been linked with perceived social rank, a system that is presumed …

Nationalize Or Localize: Senatorial Incumbent And Challenger Differences In Issue Prioritization, Joshua Rosenberg

Senior Theses

How do politicians choose which issues to emphasize in an election? Studying campaign behavior is crucial to understanding how political ads target voters and prioritize issues. Senate candidates normally attempt to either nationalize the election or emphasize state issues in their campaigns. How do Senate incumbent and challenger candidates differ in terms of issue prioritization? I hypothesize the challengers attempt to nationalize the election, while the incumbents generally focus their efforts on state issues. Political conventional wisdom indicates challengers typically try to nationalize the election by attempting to criticize the incumbent for either supporting or voting against the current presidential …

Keep It 100: Do The First 100 Days Really Matter?, Hallie Balch

Senior Theses

When someone holds the Office of the President, possibly the most complicated job in the history of the United States, we expect a lot from them. Political Scientists Thomas Cronin and Michael Genovese point out in their article, Paradoxes of the Presidency, that Americans expect their leader to be someone that is a “common man,” yet also someone that is unlike anyone else, someone that is bold, yet reserved, someone who can unify the nation, but stand for exactly what their party outlines. The paradoxes are countless and even more impossibly, the American people expect changes from the President the …

Egypt's Perilous Journey, David Nguyen

Senior Theses

Citizens of the United States have been conditioned to believe that rule by democracy is the most free and fair method of governing. If we hold this to be true, I inquire: why do some postmodern Arab states appear resistant to the spread of democracy within government? In order to fully evaluate the merits of a democratic form of government, it is important to analyze the obstacles that hinder its success. Within this research, the gap that I have identified concerns how the overall quality of a nation’s economy affects its ability to transition to democracy in the Middle East …

Interethnic Marriages In The United States: An In-Depth Look At Marital Challenges, Spring C. Miles

Senior Theses

As ethnic diversity increases in the United States, interethnic marriages are becoming increasingly prevalent. Despite their increasing rates, interethnic unions experience lower levels of relationship quality and are at a higher risk of divorce than same-ethnic unions. Other factors that influence marital outcomes include age at marriage, education, religion, and parental divorce. However, factors that influence specifically interethnic marriages include internal stressors, such as conflicting values and relationship expectations, and external stressors, such as a lack of social support and/or legal barriers. The best theoretical framework for studying interethnic unions is interdependence theory because it analyzes these factors and their …

#Readyforrio: How A Revised Rule 40 Impacted Sponsorship At The 2016 Summer Olympics, Anthony Carson

Senior Theses

When planning and executing the Olympic Games, a premier event in modern sport, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) relies heavily on sponsorship revenue from their official sponsors. “Worldwide Olympic Partners,” the top 11 sponsors of the 2016 Olympics, had exclusive rights during the Olympic cycle from 2013-2016.

With the purchase of these expensive sponsorship deals, brands are looking to capitalize on the “glow” of the Olympics, and use excusive Olympic intellectual property to make ties from their brand to the Games. In order to make these sponsorship deals more valuable, the IOC has historically provided official partners with added exclusivity …

Domestic Workers In Hong Kong: Their Stories, Self-Perception, And Their Portrayal In Hong Kong And Filipino Media, Lauren Ernst

Senior Theses

Foreign domestic helpers are one of the most common and unique sights in current-day Hong Kong. On the weekdays, they can be seen walking dogs, taking children to school, and completing chores around the house. On Sundays, they flood the streets in full force, relaxing and taking advantage of their one day off a week. This population faces many challenges during their time in Hong Kong – these challenges are modern as well as historical and include financial, governmental, emotional, and social challenges. Along with the challenges of day to day life, they also face challenges in that their stories …

17 Days: Cross-Country With Social Media, Zachary Alvarado

Senior Theses

"Austin Prescott and Zach Alvarado travel from South Carolina to California using social media to find and communicate with hosts throughout the country..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8k6EQnW5D4

Costs of investment were weighed against capital contributions throughout our campaign. While the film serves to inspire, entertain, and inform, the paper dives deeper into the brand-building, cost-savings, and logistics of the trip. In the end, we more than doubled our initial investment and had an awesome time while doing it.

Identity And Suicide: An Analysis Of The Connections Between Demographic Characteristics And Suicide Behaviors In Adolescents, Charles Jesse Williamson

Senior Theses

The Youth Risk Behaviors Survey is a questionnaire developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in order to monitor “priority health risk behaviors that contribute markedly to the leading causes of death, disability, and social problems among youth and adults in the United States” (CDC, 2017). This thesis uses Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests to determine if there are statistically significant relationships between age, sex, ethnicity, and English proficiency and a participant’s response to each question about suicide behaviors on the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Each demographic category exhibited a statistically significant relationship with at least two different suicide …

The Origins And Future Of Gamification, Gerald Christians

Senior Theses

This thesis paper will explore the concept of “gamification,” or the process of adding layers of game elements to an unrelated subject or task. The idea behind gamification is to take what makes games fun for the players and apply that to other areas as means of motivating people. Some of the most known gamified applications are Waze and Nike+ Run Club, to name a few.

The paper will start with a definition of gamification and its differentiation from a game. There will then be a brief discussion on why understanding gamification is important. From there, the history of …

Applying Jung's Archetypes And Theory Of The Collective Unconscious To Ovid's Metamorphoses, Lindsay Covington

Senior Theses

The premise of this thesis is to explore the concepts of Carl Jung’s collective unconscious and archetypes using myths from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. In exploring the archetypes of the Animus, the Mother, the Hero, the Child, the Trickster, and Rebirth through these myths, I aim to demonstrate their relevance to modern psychology by directly connecting them to related psychopathologies as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Behavioral and Mental Disorders V. Through this, the validity of the concept of the collective unconscious will be demonstrated in how the enduring archetypes of stories that are over two …