Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Costs Of Party System Change: The Case Of Tanzania, Riccardo Pelizzo, Abel Kinyondo, Zim Nwokora

riccardo pelizzo

Pelizzo, Kinyondo and Nwokora argue that party system changes and increases in party system changeability have generally been associated with a worsening democratic quality.

App Newsletter 5, Riccardo Pelizzo

riccardo pelizzo

Fifth issue of APP Newsletter

Confronting The Internet's Dark Side: Moral And Social Responsibility On The Free Highway, Raphael Cohen-Almagor

raphael cohen-almagor

This book focuses on the tension between Free Speech fundamentalism and Social Responsibility at the individual, corporate, and nation-state level. It brings an international perspective to the central topics (child pornography, hate speech, suicidal and homicidal enablers, cybercrime and terrorism). The central philosophical argument of this book is the Promotional Approach, which the author sees as a kind of Golden Mean between Ronald Dworkin and Joseph Raz. The book utilizes the Aristotelian doctrine of the mean to endorse the kind of practical wisdom required to make choices between freedom and security, unlimited license and moral responsibility. It argues that this …

Westerman, Robert V., B. 1948 - Collector (Sc 2905), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

MSS Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 2905. Letters to Leonard Burchfield, Louisville, Kentucky, from Representative William O. Cowger (3^rd District, Kentucky) and from Representative-elect Gene Snyder thanking him for his assistance in their elections. Includes two postcards from Cowger, sent from Venezuela and Cambodia.

Theorizing An Online Politics: How The Internet Is Reconfiguring Political Space, Subjectivity, Participation, And Conflict, Trevor G. Smith

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This work considers how politics can be reinvigorated through the use of the internet. The argument consists of two parts, the first of which develops a theoretical understanding of politics, meant to differentiate it from the anti-political status quo, which draws on the theories of participatory and agonistic democracy. It then precedes to develop and adapt this understanding of politics to the context of the internet. This is done by breaking politics up into four terrains of contestation which can be configured to be more or less political.

Politics requires, first of all, a common place to gather. Drawing on …

Kaset Rojananil [Thailand, Royal Thai Armed Forces], Kaset Rojananil

Digital Narratives of Asia

Kaset Rojananil was the Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces during the Black May riots of 1992 and was involved in the 1991 coup to overthrow the government of Chatichai Choonhavan. He gives DNA his take on those events as well as what it takes to be a leader in the military.

Public Actors In Private Markets: Toward A Developmental Finance State, Robert Hockett, Saule Omarova

Saule T. Omarova

The recent financial crisis brought into sharp relief fundamental questions about the social function and purpose of the financial system, including its relation to the “real” economy. This Article argues that, to answer these questions, we must recapture a distinctively American view of the proper relations among state, financial market, and development. This programmatic vision – captured in what we call a “developmental finance state” – is based on three key propositions: (1) that economic and social development is not an “end-state” but a continuing national policy priority; (2) that the modalities of finance are the most potent means of …

Slides: Perspectives On Water Management In Arizona, Kathy Jacobs

Innovations in Managing Western Water: New Approaches for Balancing Environmental, Social and Economic Outcomes (Martz Summer Conference, June 11-12)

Presenter: Kathy Jacobs, Director, Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions (CCASS), Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, University of Arizona

25 slides

Wang Gungwu [Hong Kong, Vice-Chancellor Hku, Historian], Wang Gungwu

Digital Narratives of Asia

Renown historian Wang Gungwu has helmed several academic institutions, including the University of Hong Kong (HKU) as Vice-Chancellor from 1986-1995. In this DNA interview, he tells of how he worked to help HKU manage the historic transition from colonial British rule to the Chinese "One-country-two-systems" rule, and along the way, grow the university's research side of the house as well.

Jobsohio: Don’T Let Progress Stand In The Way Of Progress, Patrick Martin

Patrick Martin

In February of 2011, Governor of Ohio John Kasich signed legislation that created JobsOhio. This has been a controversial program based on the method that it was implemented and some of the rules that govern the program.it. In November of 2013, ProgressOhio, a citizens advocacy group, challenged the constitutionality of the program but the suit was dismissed by the Ohio Supreme Court for lack of standing by the plaintiffs. There has been no court decision that adjudicates the program on the merits, only on the jurisdictional standing of a party to a suit that challenged the legislation. To date, only …

App Newsletter 4, Riccardo Pelizzo

riccardo pelizzo

fourthe issue of the APP Newsletter

The Transformation Of Tibetan Identity, Mang Jia

Senior Theses

After the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1951, Tibetan identity began to secularize, shifting from a more traditional religious to a more explicitly political identity. The few studies that focus on the secularization of Tibetan identity, even if only secondarily, claim that it is either a compulsory product imposed by the reinforcement of modernization by the Chinese authority or a voluntary product through younger generations of Tibetans’ internalization, primarily through schooling, of the Chinese colonization ideology. Either way, those scholars of Tibetan studies treat the secularization of Tibetan identity as a form of cultural assimilation or deterioration of Tibetan identity. …

Pung Chhiv Kek [Cambodia, Activist], Pung Chhiv Kek

Digital Narratives of Asia

Dr Pung Chhiv Kek is the Founder and President of the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) and was nominated in 2005 for the Nobel Peace Prize as part of the 1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize project. Apart from her work to improve the rights and lives of Cambodians, she talks to DNA about her efforts to bring Hun Sen and Sihanouk together for talks, which later led to the Peace Accords of 1991.

Young Voter Turnout, Conner Larkin

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Low voter turnout amount young adults in the United States is problematic especially compared to older adults. This paper will explore why there is a low young voter turnout rate. Recent literature has proposed that educational achievement and economic advancement has accounted for higher voter turnout in older adults, while the lack there of is attributed to lower young turnout. Other literature also points to apathy as a possible causation for low youth votes. The Youth don't realize the impact they can have on an election, or the impact the election can have on them, because of lack of interest. …

Negative Campaigns And Their Influence On Voter Attitudes, Estefan Colindres

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

There is a legitimate debate over negative campaigning and whether it either mobilizes voter participation or suppresses it. Previous studies suggest that the relevant political information brought by negative campaigns play a significant role in mobilizing the electorate (Finkel and Geer, 1998). On the other hand, some studies explain that negative campaigns challenge the legitimacy of the electoral process and consequently drain the electorate (Krupnikov, 2011).

As such, my research question asks of the effect of negative campaigning on voter participation - are people turned off and to what extent? What kind of impact does negative campaigning have on voters …

Partisanship And Foreign Policy, Sauran Mussin

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Throughout the Cold War era matters of US foreign policy have been met with increasing bipartisanship as a result of the looming threat of a possible military confrontation with the USSR. Divergence between the two parties was sidelined due to the necessity for unity on account of the military and economical threat that rivaled US interests. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, more recently post 9/11 era and the launch of the Global War on Terror there has been an increasing partisanship disagreement within the US government towards foreign policy. This research paper will attempt to explain the relationship …

The Angry Electorate - Affect And Voting Decision Making, Negeen Amirieh

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Political scientists do not typically focus on the affect, but rather they focus exclusively on cognition. Relying on the 2012 ANES, the present study seeks to understand and analyze the importance of how a voter’s emotions specifically anger towards a political figure can effect the voter’s actions. In this paper, the factors that are essential in understanding emotions in politics are: effect of anger in comparison to other affects, distrust in media and reliance on party identification, and the role of cognition in relation to affect, the correlation between affect and cognition with voting behavior. The present research answers the …

Political Participation Of Millennials In The United States And Western Europe, Jenny Bhatia

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Millennials are a very large generation, the second largest in the US history. More than half of the millennials are already of voting age adults, have graduated from schools or college, and are into careers. Millennials are often described with more than a bit of a sneer, as the new "me" generation and have always participated in politics at a lower rate due to a various reasons such as the generation’s size, demographics, and views on cultural, foreign policy, role of government, and economic issues which somehow, make them unique when compared to the older generation. This research will analyze …

American Perceptions Of Iran, Avery Bissett

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

American foreign policy in regards to Iran has been among the most visible stories in recent years and will certainly continue to be as negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program continue. Although many factors influence how Americans view other countries, one of the most important factors is the media and how it covers Iran. In addition to investigating how specific media outlets shape our views of Iran, it will also investigate how the medium (print, TV, online, radio) influences our perception. It will use data from the 2012 American National Election Study, which asked participants whether they believe Iran is pursuing …

Gender Gap In The Environmental Movement, Nicholas Burghard

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

It has been known in recent years, that there is a connection between political party choice, and the importance of the environment to their members. However, this correlation may only be skin deep. The objective of this research is to delve into the specific correlations between the importance of the environment to the voter, and their gender, religion, and propensity to joining New Social Movements (NSM’s). With environmentalism becoming a strong topic in candidate and voter discussions today, studies are being done to see what the audiences are backing environmentalism, and promoting its integration into modern American society. Therefore studies …

Predictors Of Support For A Woman President, Frances Chang

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

In recent years, the number of women holding a higher political position is rising; additionally, more and more women are running for office. Furthermore, female politicians are increasingly being elected as the head of nations globally. Although the number of women in the government is increasing, they are still underrepresented politically compared to men and are still facing obstacles while running for office. The United States is one of the strongest countries around the world, with a successful democracy for hundreds of years. The country emphasizes liberty and equality; however, the United States has not yet had a female president. …

Yo Soy Latino: Does My Vote Matter?, Jonathan Charres

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

It has been said by many political scientists that the Latino population in the United States has the potential to be a huge political player in political elections, especially with their steady growing population. However, population growth is not translating into an increase of political participation. Although many studies have been made to understand why Latino political participation is low, I will take a different approach and focus on Latino political efficacy, comparing different states. Using the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) Latino National Survey, I will seek to answer whether Latinos feel more politically empowered in …

Campaign Donations And Political Efficacy, Lauren Ewashko

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

With the marked increase in campaign spending and thus campaign fundraising we have seen an increase of Super PAC donations to political campaigns. The decline of political efficacy and political trust in the United States is sometimes linked to the increase of these kinds of big money donations in elections. It has been argued that the average civilian no longer feels like their donation counts towards achieving a win in political campaigns. There are those who say that the fact that politics is dominated by a small number of big donors has lead to a decline in individual contributions by …

The Effect Of Voter Identification Laws On Voter Turnout, Robert Heins

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

My research project studies the relationship between voter turnout and voter identification laws. This is a very controversial topic, with proponents for each side arguing that the change, or lack of change, would affect voter turnout in some way. Some states have implemented different forms of voter identification, and by comparing the state’s voter turnout before and after the new polices, the effects of voter identification laws become more apparent. Studies have been completed on this topic, however many are contradictory and do don't address specific changes but overall trends.

My independent variable is the status of voter identification laws …

Bowling Online: Youth, Participatory Politics, And New Media, Kathryn Newburn

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Understanding the ways youth engage in politics is vital to the preservation of democracy, as they will eventually be its administrators. Young Americans are disconnecting from formal political participation; election turnout is weak and membership in political parties and organizations is declining. However, the turn away from traditional, institutional political participation has been accompanied by the rise of an alternative political tool: new media. Social networks, blogs, and other virtual communities now offer alternative, informal platforms through which youth have found a political voice. Research has largely been divided into examinations of waning institutional engagement and, separately, the rise of …

Political Activism And Trust In Government, Josh Nudelman

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

22 percent of United States citizens believe that they can trust the government in Washington to do the right thing most of the time, and Congress has an 11 percent approval rate according to a Gallup Poll. These numbers statistically indicate that citizens do not believe that the individuals they elected to represent them are truly representing them and are advocating on their own behalf. Individuals do not believe congressmen and women have their best interest at hand and are simply trying to please party leaders so they can get reelected. Elected officials are often times wrapped up in scandals …

Support For Welfare, Matthew Reminick

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Although there is much debate over the effectiveness of social programs, there has not been much research attempting to discover who exactly supports spending government resources on welfare. Previous research suggests that the American people are divided over creating a welfare state. Many economic data shows that providing assistance is beneficial short-term, but can have varying effects in the future. The research I conducted attempts to define and analyze welfare while surmising which groups of Americans are most likely to back increased federal spending towards welfare. Using the ANES 2012 data, I evaluated voter responses to election surveys, paying close …

Campaign Finance Makes America Go Round: A Demographic Study Of Individual Campaign Contributions, Geneva Sherman

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

How political campaigns are financed directly affects every citizen in the United States. This can be attributed to the fact that campaign money is correlated to the laws that pass through congress and the interests that are taken into consideration. Although the 2010 passage of Citizens United has increased the influence of corporate and wealthy interests, individual campaign donations represent a major percentage of funds raised and are heavily relied upon. The present study investigates what type of individual makes these political contributions based on household income, education level, age, gender, race, political party identification and trust in government. The …

Civics And Politics: Does Civic Education Affect Levels Of Political Knowledge?, Lauren Siaumau

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

In the midst of a rapid decline of an active youth in the political scene, it would seem appropriate that the causes of such a phenomenon would be researched in an effort to find an explanation and possibly a solution to this problem. Previous research on this issue has yielded various possible factors. I intend to focus on the education aspect, specifically a civic education and how that translates to our youth being more politically active. The question posed in regards to this issue is are civically educated individuals more inclined to be politically active? While other research has brought …

Who Cares About Inequality Of Opportunity And Why?, James Trocme

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Inequality is one of the most pressing economic issues in today’s world. High levels of economic inequality are associated with a large number of negative economic side effects and with correspondingly high levels of political inequality. This results in the voices of the few being heard more loudly than the voices of the many and a disruption of democracy. However, in the United States there seems to be very little political will to take action that might curb the problem of inequality. Many scholars agree that the defining aspect of a person’s opinion on the subject is their own self-interest, …