Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Optimal Unilateral Carbon Policy, Samuel Kortum, David A. Weisbach

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

Climate policy by a coalition of countries can shift activities—extraction, production, and consumption—to regions outside the coalition. We build a stylized general-equilibrium model of trade and carbon externalities to derive a coalition’s optimal Pareto-improving policy in such an environment. It can be implemented through: (i) a tax on fossil-fuel extraction at a rate equal to the global marginal harm from carbon emissions, (ii) a tax on imports of energy and goods, and a rebate of the tax on exports of energy but not goods, all at a lower rate per unit of carbon than the extraction tax rate, and (iii) …

Pretexts For War And The Preinvasion Crisis In Ukraine, Ron Gurantz

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

©2024 Ron Gurantz

The US strategy in the run-up to the invasion of Ukraine appeared to undermine Russian efforts to justify the war. While studies of international crises typically focus on the goals of deterrence and escalation management, recent events in Ukraine show that counterjustification is another important objective. Russia used covert activities and deception to try and create a pretext for its invasion, and the United States aggressively countered these efforts. This monograph presents an exhaustive study of the US military, diplomatic, and informational strategy in the run-up to the invasion of Ukraine and derives lessons about counterjustification that …

Fostering The Forum: Examining The Progress And Challenges In Cultivating A Free Speech Campus At Western Michigan University, Kalloli Bhatt

Honors Theses

The First Amendment’s breadth has narrowed on college and university campuses. Students, once staunch defenders of free speech, have become the censors themselves. In fact, there have been so many incidents of speaker disinvitations and scholars under scrutiny that the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, otherwise known as FIRE, has amassed years’ worth of data documenting these occurrences. This phenomenon has been so widespread for so long that scholars have been sounding the warning bells since 1987 (Bloom, 1987). While it may seem as if these problems occur at bigger universities, events that have violated First Amendment rights of …

If You Teach A Bot To Read: Using Machine Learning To Read The Paris Census, Jacob Leavitt

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Digitizing 20th-century French census records offers a valuable resource for understanding demographic shifts during significant historical events such as the Thirty Years Crisis and the Industrial Revolution. These records provide insights into the migration patterns of Jewish populations during WWII, revealing how the war impacted Jewish communities and broader population movements. Additionally, they help researchers analyze the transformation of Paris’s neighborhoods over time, examining development and decline. To digitize these records with deep learning models, researchers face the challenge of developing a dataset that allows machine reading of handwritten French census entries. Traditionally, this would require extensive manual labeling of …

Cultural Barriers And Communication: South Asian Experiences In Health Care Settings, Sabahat Moughal

Publications and Research

For U.S. immigrants, communication is a complex aspect of integration into American society, and when it involves health care, communication can become particularly challenging and stressful. This is especially true for South Asian immigrants and their health care providers, who face language, cultural, and ethnic barriers. This study addresses the health communication challenges facing this immigrant community by gathering narratives from South Asian patients and health care professionals through in-depth, open-ended interviews, conducted via Zoom or in-person and voice-recorded. The interviews aim to assess communication styles (verbal and non-verbal), methods (such as symbolic practices and culturally specific terms), and regional …

Bridging The Gap: Examining The Discrepancies In Communication Skills Between University Education And Employer Expectations, Valerie Chan

Honors Theses

Effective communication is a critical skill in the workplace, yet a persistent gap exists between the communication abilities of university graduates and the expectations of employers. This study explores the alignment between the communication skills taught in the Western Essential Studies (WES) general education curriculum at Western Michigan University (WMU) and the communication needs identified by employers. By examining four communication types—oral, written, interpersonal, and digital—this research investigates the similarities and differences in how faculty and employers define and emphasize communication skills.

Findings reveal a misalignment between the skills emphasized in university curricula and those prioritized in the workplace. Faculty …

Cover And Forewords, C. Nicholas Raphael

The Geographical Bulletin

Cover and Forewords

Volume 42-2 Complete Issue, C. Nicholas Raphael

The Geographical Bulletin

Volume 42-2 Complete Issue

Introduction To Geomorphology By Frank Ahnert., Caroline Davis

The Geographical Bulletin

This English translation of Ahnert's Einfuhrung in die Geomorph%gie is not the standard descriptive catalog of geomorphic form and landscapes. It provides an introductory textbook which is strongly grounded in systems theory and process-oriented geomorphology. This text provides more than a short general reference to theory. The theoretical foundations of geomorphology are clearly presented and accessible at the introductory level. To have process response models emphasized in an introductory text is unusual and refreshing. In addition, the theoretical themes are linked throughout the text to processes and descriptions.

A Geography Of Ohio By Leonard Peacefull, Thomas A. Rumney

The Geographical Bulletin

Leonard Peacefull's new volume on the geography of Ohio arrives on the scene during a period of renewed and ex - panded interest in regional geography at all scales. What follows here is an ac - counting ofthis new and useful text on an important state of the United States. After a brief introduction, a team of au - thors cover in sixteen chapters the fun - damental components, patterns, and pro - cesses of Ohio's geographic character. The first four discuss the environments and mineral resources of Ohio (Peacefull, Schmiolin, Nash and Gerber, and Peacefull, respectively). Noting that Ohio's …

A Geographical Analysis Of Sports Wagering, Jeffrey P. Richetto, Brian Allen

The Geographical Bulletin

Gambling, in the forms of sports wagering and casino gaming, has increasingly spread across North America throughout the past 20 years. In fact, all but two states have legalized gaming venues, and in a substantial number of these states, gambling is continually becoming a mega-industry. Most studies focus on economic development and ethical issues related to gambling. By broadening the perspective of place on gambling activities this study examines the geographic undertones related to sports wagering. It is estimated that over $130 billion is wagered annually in the United States on all sporting events and that the overwhelming majority of …

News From The Chapters 1999-2000, C. Nicholas Raphael

The Geographical Bulletin

News from the Chapters 1999-2000

A New Gentrification? A Case Study Of The Russification Of Brighton Beach, New York, Keith Brown, Elvin Wyly

The Geographical Bulletin

Gentrification is often equated with the residential and consumption preferences of young, white, native-born professionals. The link between gentrification and "yuppies," however, does not seem adequate to capture the complexity oftrends currently underway in many city neighborhoods. In this paper, census data and fieldwork are utilized to develop a case study of Russian immigration and neighborhood revitalization in Brighton Beach, New York City. " Russification" has revitalized housing demand and retail activity by altering the class composition of the neighborhood, while also increasing inequality and inducing displacement similar to that observed in other gentrifying districts. Nevertheless, important cultural and policy-related …

The Context Of Mahan's 'Debatable Zone', William D. Walters, Jr.

The Geographical Bulletin

At the turn of the 19th century American naval historian Alfred Thayer Mahan (1840- 1914) developed a concept which he called the "Debatable Zone". This was a wide arc stretching from Turkey to China which Mahan argued was the key to future world development. Mahan's Debatable Zone has become the best known American contribution to early geopolitical thinking, and is often seen as one of the roots of Mackinder's heartland theory. However, Mahan's ideas can be better understood in the context of popular writing on Asia at the time. Although he had the ear of key American political figures, they …

Projections And Perceptions-Editorial Comment. The Import Of The Soviet Collapse For The Social Sciences, John Howard Wilhelm

The Geographical Bulletin

For me, as a Russian/Soviet specialist in economics, the collapse of the Soviet system offered a wonderful opportunity. It offered the opportunity to reintegrate into our civilization a peoples-ethnic Russians, Ukrainians, Belorussians, Baltic peoples, Armenians, Georgians, etc.- who prior to the great disasters of the First World War and the October Revolution of 1917 had contributed so much to European culture and intellectual life. Unfortunately, to date the opportunity has largely not been realized. It has not been realized for a number of reasons including: the terrible legacies left by Soviet rule, the failure to have really removed communists from …

The Relationship Between Politics And Public Drinking Water In The District Of Columbia, William James Smith, Jr.

The Geographical Bulletin

The nature ofthe relationship between politics and public drinking water in the District of Columbia is examined. Thecase study of the nexus between water resource management, public health, public relations, and politics sheds light on issues that may affect quality and quantity of drinking water in the United States. The country has a complex set of laws and policies that effectively split responsibility for individual aspects of drinking water management among a variety of governmental and non-governmental agencies. Attimes, this shared responsibility breeds conflict that occurs at the expense of the general public. By examining the root cause of political …

“What The Heck Am I Looking At?”: A User-Based Examination Of The Metadata Associated With Digital Archival Objects, Donald Force

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies

Digital archival collections are invaluable resources for many different types of users. These collections, and the digital objects within them, allow users to remotely access primary and secondary sources that are often too difficult to view in person due to time and cost. These resources, however, are not without their limitations. One of the most significant challenges that users face in using these collections is understanding the original context of the object. Ideally, the metadata that accompanies most digital surrogates should serve as a bridge between the digital object and its physical counterpart. The project discussed in this paper examines …

Integrating A Practical Sport Analytics Course Into Sport Management Education, Bradley Congelio

The COSMA Journal

Integrating analytics into sport management curricula has become increasingly crucial as the sport industry embraces data-driven decision-making. However, many programs struggle to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in analytics education. This paper presents a comprehensive approach to teaching sport analytics that emphasizes hands-on experience with data using the R programming language and RStudio. The course structure and content described herein focus on leveraging the tidyverse ecosystem and National Football League (NFL) data to immerse students in conducting sport analytics. By progressing through modules on data manipulation, visualization, web scraping, and statistical analysis, students acquire both the …

Shame, Loneliness, Regret: Analyzing Theeffectiveness Of Anti-Alcohol Marketing Campaigns On Consumers, Zakary Bradbury

Honors Projects in Marketing

The alcohol market has been growing exponentially worldwide over the past decade with no trends of stopping in the near future. With this growth comes an increase in marketing efforts from both pro-alcohol companies and anti-alcohol agencies. While pro-alcohol companies have not had any trouble regarding marketing, anti-alcohol agencies have lagged behind in terms of social and digital marketing efforts. The goal of this research was to uncover how various anti-alcohol stimuli affect consumer attitudes and beliefs. To conduct research, we ran a Qualtrics survey consisting of 279 college students. The results showed that 1) when participants viewed an anti-alcohol …

Statistical Analysis For Pre- And Post- Assessments Of Sdq And Idela Scores, Diego Murillo, Franceli L. Cibrian

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This research aimed to assess the potential of Mazi Umntanakho ("Know Your Child") in tracking developmental milestones in young children. Mazi is a WhatsApp-based conversational agent that assists South African home visitors in evaluating and monitoring children's socio-emotional skills using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA). A field study was conducted in low-income South African communities, where 95 home visitors assessed 1,208 children. This detailed analysis of the data was collected during that deployment, focusing on investigating whether assessment scores improved over time and whether the length of time between assessments …

Trashed At Cedar Point: A Waste Management Analysis, Alexander Waltrich

Honors Projects

Cedar Point has a waste problem that can be solved by implementing a more sustainable waste management policy. This project addresses the impacts of waste management policies on the environment, economy, society, and their temporal viability. I propose and analyze three waste management alternatives: Status Quo, Pilot Recycling Program, and Waste Reduction Plan. Through literature evaluation and alternative assessment I recommend that Cedar Point consider implementing a Waste Reduction Plan.

Sustainability In The Aerospace And Defense Supply Chain, Bella Schmick

Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Research on sustainable practices that companies in the industry are doing, as well as how they can implement more sustainable practices in the future.

The Relations Between The Financial Wellbeing Of Custodial Grandparents, Their Overall Wellbeing, And Their Perceived Social Support, Paige L. Miller

Honors Theses

There have been numerous studies on how the financial wellbeing of custodial grandparents affects their overall wellbeing, and how the amount of social support custodial grandparents receive impacts their depressive and anxiety symptoms. However, little is known regarding the ways in which all three variables are related – financial wellbeing, overall wellbeing, and social support – or their impact on custodial grandparents. We examined the relations between these variables, as well as the moderating relation of financial wellbeing on social support and wellbeing. The data used in the current study was collected as part of a larger project, during which …

Perceptions Of Safety At School: Associations With Bullying Participant Roles And Gender, Nicholas G. Tanasa, Michelle Demaray

Honors Capstones

Bullying is a serious issue in schools worldwide that plays a vital role in students’ mental health and perception of safety at school (Man et al., 2022). The current study explored how a student’s involvement in various bullying participant roles (Bully, Assistant, Victim, Defender, and Outsider) is associated with a student’s perception of safety at school. This study additionally explored if these associations varied by gender. It was hypothesized that bullying and assisting scores would be positively associated with feeling safe at school; victimization scores would be negatively associated with feeling safe at school; no predictions were made for defending …

Parenting Practices And Attachment Levels In Relation To Externalizing Behaviors In Children Raised By Nonparental Caregivers, Kourtney Mia Barfield

Honors Theses

Current literature supports parenting practices and the quality of child-caregiver attachments are correlated with child externalizing behavior. However, these results typically come from samples of biological parents and their children. It is unknown if parenting practices (i.e. poor supervision, inconsistent discipline, and positive parenting) predict attachment and externalizing behavior among children of grandparents and foster parents. Previous studies have also found
that attachment mediates the relation between parenting practices and externalizing behavior among children raised by biological parents. This study aims to determine if similar relations will be found among grandchildren and foster children and if the level of attachment …

College Proximity And College Costs: Is It More Expensive To Attend A Far-Away College?, Amanda Cook

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Many scholars have argued that it may be more costly to attend a far-away college than it is to attend a nearby college. If this is true, students who live in areas where colleges are few and far between may face higher costs than those with ample college options. This study assesses the plausibility of this line of reasoning by examining the association between geographic access to higher education, distance traveled to college, and college costs, as indicated by student debt. Using data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, this study finds that people with lower levels of …

Food Insecurity, Psychological Distress, And Discrimination Of Older Black Women In Central Texas, Revonder Ellis-Vanarsdale

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Food insecurity is an ongoing public health concern in the United States. There is limited knowledge within social work practice about the experiences of food insecurity specifically among older Black women. Historically, older Black women have faced discrimination which can also negatively impact their psychological well-being and ability to obtain an adequate food supply. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore perceptions of how psychological distress and discrimination affect Black women ages 60 and older who are food insecure in Central Texas. This study used social ecological model and intersectionality theory to identify perceived factors that affect …

The Role Of Media Literacy In Understanding Ideological Bias In News Coverage Of Texas Ag Ken Paxton's Lawsuit Against Annunciation House, Sybonae Acosta Castillo

Honors Program Theses and Research Projects

In an era of rapidly evolving news media, understanding how information is framed and spread has become a critical skill for navigating today’s complex social and political landscapes. Media literacy allows people to critically evaluate news substance, discern bias, and acknowledge the influence of language on public perception. This research examines how Texas’s six leading news outlets (Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, San Antonio Express-News, Austin American-Statesman, Everything Lubbock, El Paso Times, and the Tyler Morning Telegraph) reported on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s recent lawsuit against Annunciation House, an …

A Comparative Study Of Toxicity Propagation Using Epidemiological Models, Niloofar Yousefi

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the spread and intensity of toxic content on social media, with a particular focus on platform X (formerly known as Twitter). The growing presence of toxic interactions has sparked concerns about their effects on public discourse. Utilizing epidemiological models such as SIR (Susceptible, Infected, Recovered), SIS (Susceptible, Infected, Susceptible), SIRS (Susceptible, Infected, Recovered, Susceptible), SEIRS (Susceptible, Exposed, Infected, Recovered, Susceptible), and the novel SEImIhRS model (Susceptible, Exposed, Moderate Infected, High Infected, Recovered, Susceptible), which are traditionally used to study infectious disease dynamics, this dissertation examines toxicity in platform X discussions. A key contribution of this work is …

Recontextualized Knowledge: Available Designs Of The Long-Form Youtube Video Essay, Michelle Lynn Arendt

Dissertations and Theses

Recontextualization - the intricate process of transferring meaning material from one social semiotic context to another - is the primary avenue through which science and social science are communicated to general audiences. The prevailing popularity of social media platforms such as YouTube has encouraged a digital turn in recontextualization research and practice, with considerable emphasis given to navigating web 2.0's unique participation structure. However, compared to professional organizations, which contribute the largest amount of recontextualized scientific or social scientific content to social media platforms, independent user-generated creators consistently produce more successful content. Of interest to this project is the YouTube …