International and Area Studies Commons^™

Attitudes Around Circulatory Migration In Puerto Rico, 2017-2023: Puerto Rico Without Puerto Ricans, Alondra Sostre Gotay

Senior Theses

Puerto Rican migration to the United States has historically been circulatory, as is characteristic of Caribbean migration and migration from territories. After the mass exodus from Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria in 2017, newspapers are reporting that Puerto Ricans are returning to the island. This study used posts from social media to obtain people’s perspective on return migration, and understood these through a framework of push and pull factors. The study created an informal database in order to break down close readings of social media. From that, a table was created that quantified recurrences of common patterns. The study determined …

The Politics Of An Impossible Situation: Italian Parties Muddling Through The Migrant Crisis, Tyler Mooney

Senior Theses

Italy’s geographical location in the Southern Mediterranean has long made it a popular European entry point for migrants arriving from Africa. During the 2010s, the issue of migration was catapulted into the center of Italian politics as hundreds of thousands of migrants arrived each year. Successive Italian governments enacted countless measures to securitize and externalize Italy’s borders, from cooperating with non-state actors in Libya to criminalizing NGO ships providing aid to migrants at sea. However, while some policies have been successful in limiting the flow of migrants, Italy has proven incapable of cutting the flow off completely, and today, the …

Media Framing Of The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine: An Analysis Of The Tv Program 'Evening With Vladimir Solovyov', Hellen Petrovskaya

Senior Theses

This study examines how Russian state-controlled media frames Russia’s assault on Ukraine by analyzing the coverage of the first year of the full-scale invasion on Russia’s most popular political talk show 'Evening with Vladimir Solovyov.' Based on content analysis of eight three-hour episodes of the talk show covering the major events in the conflict between February 2022 and February 2023, the research identifies several main frames in the official discourse on the topic, including (1) Nazism, (2) Genocide, (3) West as an Enemy, (4) Slavic Unity, (5) Liberation of Ukrainian Lands, and (6) Russia as a Victim of Western Sanctions …

Colonial Legacies And Contemporary Struggles: The Paradox Of Globalization As An Agent Of Neocolonialism In The Caribbean, Lesley Ann East

Senior Theses

This thesis examines the manifestation of neocolonialism in the Caribbean through the intersections of contemporary foreign investment and globalization. Historically, Western powers like the UK and the United States played a major role in shaping global power dynamics through colonialism. However, a shifting paradigm sees emerging nations from the East, notably China and Taiwan, exerting influence in the Western hemisphere and previously colonized regions like the Caribbean. Using qualitative comparisons and drawing from diverse sources, the study analyzes academic literature and reports from international organizations, critically evaluating theoretical frameworks in international relations and postcolonial studies. The research uncovers a pattern …

Waste In Relation To Populism: The Case Of Tunis, Aya Khadija Guen

Senior Theses

Throughout this body of work, I explore the challenges faced regarding proper waste management and its interconnectedness in political developments. Specifically, I examine this subject in the case of the greater metropolitan area of Tunis. Having lived in Tunisia each summer since I was born, I have seen the many stages of the country’s waste issue. I came to my research to discover the conditions that have led to illegal dumpsites and Tunisia’s growing waste management issue. The waste management sector regressed post-2011 revolution. With this, I have always assumed that the waste issue is intertwined with the country’s political …

Watering The Grassroots: The Importance Of A Comprehensive Approach To Conflict In The Sahel, Chanelle A. Dortch

Senior Theses

The withdrawal of French troops from Mali in August 2021 has revealed massive structural problems with crisis intervention and conflict mitigation in Africa. The purpose of this research is to reveal how foreign intervention in the Sahel has failed to stabilize the region in the face of mounting political, socioeconomic, and environmental crises. This paper examines Mali and France, two countries that are centered in crisis in the Sahel, and how the politics of intervention have resulted in the current situation. While the crisis in the Sahel does not yet have a clear result, this project seeks to contextualize current …

Armenia: Overcoming Economic And Geopolitical Obstacles, Chester English

Senior Theses

Over thirty years of Armenian independence has been characterized by existential security threats, a hollow political establishment, economic and defense reliance on Russia, and an out of touch diaspora. This paper takes on a historical analysis to identify the roots of these problems, and ultimately attempts to seek out potential solutions and identify Armenia’s place in an ever changing global landscape. Beyond the history, it studies the relationships Armenia has with its neighbors, its diaspora, and the international community at large. Establishing a forward looking outlook, Armenia’s goals should be oriented toward investment based relations with its diaspora; embracing the …

The Glass Menagerie Of Refugee Resettlement: Securitization Post 9/11 And Refugee Resettlement Regimes In Germany And Canada, Sabina Abdukahhorova

Senior Theses

This research aims to demonstrate how 9/11 in the United States impacted the international securitization of borders movement and served as a push factor for an influx of displaced people from the regions affected by the War on Terror and its expansion. Through the case studies of Canada and Germany, this paper addresses how the two developed countries handled the growing demand for resettlement programs to accommodate and integrate displaced people, such as refugees and asylum seekers after 9/11, into their social and economic spheres through resettlement programs. This paper analyzes the successes and shortcomings of these two refugee resettlement …

Digital Agriculture In Africa: An Ethnographic Study Of Global Online Networking And Resource Mobilization On Mfangano Island, Ian James Muir Smith

Senior Theses

In one of the most isolated parts of Kenya, on an island in Lake Victoria, small-scale farmers are using newfound internet access in a unique and innovative way. New Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are transforming agriculture around the world, and due to a political, infrastructural, and entrepreneurial environment conducive to ICT innovation, Kenya leads the African continent in this field, known in the media as “Digital Agriculture”. In the face of the climate crisis and environmental degradation, people living on and around Mfangano Island are using self-managed volunteering platforms, crowdfunding sites, and social media in order to network with …

Diagnosing The Health And Outlook Of Democracy In Benin, Daniel Bălțoi

Senior Theses

Academics and journalists have characterized the West African state of Benin as a democracy in decline under President Patrice Talon, elected in 2016 and reelected in 2021. This thesis explains that trend and its historical background. After comparing Benin with other African democracies of varying strengths, it is concluded that despite setbacks experienced under Talon, in the long run, Benin’s democratic institutions will hold firm and survive.

Explorations In Ict4d Research And Practice: Examples From Nigeria And Pakistan, Joelle Saunders

Senior Theses

This thesis explores the field and practice of Information and Communications Technologies for Development. ICT4D is a field of research at the intersection of technology studies and development studies, a policy area for countries, and a practice of using ICTs or digital technologies to effect socioeconomic change at a country-wide level or at the level of poor and marginalized communities. Two ICT4D initiatives or projects in Nigeria and Pakistan each are examined. Through the case studies and the subsequent discussion and analysis, this thesis aims to provide a brief but incisive exploration of the research and practice of ICT4D. This …

Weapons Of Mass Migration In The 21st Century: Russia, Belarus, And The European Union, Kia Imazu Fatahi Faz Abad

Senior Theses

In recent years, a debate has arisen about a controversial method of warfare – refugees and migrants who are exploited in multi-dimensional conflicts and humanitarian crises by state actors. The notion of ‘weapons of mass migration’, or a deliberate use of refugees and migrants as leverage against other nation-states, became one of the most prominent yet underappreciated theories in academic literature. But who actually availed themselves of the “weapons of mass migration” during the European migrant crisis, and how does migration fit into the realm of international relations today? My thesis aims to provide a detailed examination of the alleged …

Consequences Of U.S. Intervention In Socialist Latin America, William Chao

Senior Theses

This thesis seeks to show the harmful effects of contemporary interventionist attempts by the United States on socialist Latin American countries such as Cuba and Venezuela. The United States continues to meddle with the politics and economies of various countries with the goal of establishing a new government that is favorable to the capitalist practices of the United States. By looking at two key moments: the Covid-19 outbreak in Cuba and the aftermath of the 2018 Venezuelan presidential elections, it becomes clear to see the damage done by harsh embargoes and U.S. support of use for military violence against the …

Adapting To Environmental Crises: Humans’ Resilience To Humanity, Isabella Volonte

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis addresses the modern adaptations of human societies in response to environmental crises during the times of Covid-19 and climate change. As humans continue to inflict destruction on the planet and each other, we must understand human adaptation as a response to human action and treat this action as one equal to the forces of nature. Chapter 1 discusses the concept that human action has evolved to be as powerful as nature in terms of destruction and catastrophic consequences on human society. This chapter addresses relevant data on the magnitude of human consequences, in the context of Covid-19 and …

Adapting To Environmental Crises: Humans’ Resilience To Humanity, Isabella Volonte

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis addresses the modern adaptations of human societies in response to environmental crises during the times of Covid-19 and climate change. As humans continue to inflict destruction on the planet and each other, we must understand human adaptation as a response to human action and treat this action as one equal to the forces of nature. Chapter 1 discusses the concept that human action has evolved to be as powerful as nature in terms of destruction and catastrophic consequences on human society. This chapter addresses relevant data on the magnitude of human consequences, in the context of Covid-19 and …

Cold War Reckonings: Authoritarianism And The Genres Of Decolonization, Jini Kim Watson

Literature

How did the Cold War shape culture and political power in decolonizing countries and give rise to authoritarian regimes in the so-called free world? Cold War Reckonings tells a new story about the Cold War and the global shift from colonialism to independent nation-states. Assembling a body of transpacific cultural works that speak to this historical conjuncture, Jini Kim Watson reveals autocracy to be not a deficient form of liberal democracy, but rather the result of Cold War entanglements with decolonization.

Focusing on East and Southeast Asia, the book scrutinizes cultural texts ranging from dissident poetry, fiction, and writers’ conference …

Public Discourse On Migration In Germany And The United States Before And After 2015: Racist Media Narratives In The Global Right, Amy Chang

Senior Theses

Within the past decade, migration has become an increasingly controversial subject in Western countries, producing a right-wing and nationalist backlash. In Europe, Germany became the core of the Syrian refugee crisis in 2015 and gained global attention for Chancellor Angela Merkel’s open-door policy towards refugees. This substantial influx of refugees into the country caused a sharp discursive shift regarding migrants and refugees in the German media during and after 2015. At the same time, Donald Trump announced his eventually successful presidential campaign by cultivating a starkly anti-immigrant platform, which generated disproportionate media attention for his campaign and intensified anti-immigrant rhetoric …

The Great Yemeni Chess Game, John Frederick Mueller

Senior Theses

Since the establishment of a unified and internationally recognized country in 1990, Yemen and its people have struggled to reconcile their differences, leading to numerous civil wars. The most recent civil war, which officially started in 2014, has decimated the nation and its people as it continues unabated. Yemen’s geo-strategic location as well as the political and religious nature of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iran’s rivalry has led them to back opposing sides in Yemen’s civil war. Both parties' involvement in the conflict has intensified and prolonged the fighting. As a result, Yemen’s key infrastructures, such as their …

How Secularism Engenders Citizenship: A Comparison Of Secularism In France And Turkey, Naomi Janet Izett

Senior Theses

This paper explores the nature of secularism and how it is used and understood in France and Turkey. I argue that governments can reassert their authority over their citizens by controlling national identity and citizenship through the vessel of secularism. I assert that this process creates tensions between citizenship and identity that are sharply revealed when analyzing the discourse surrounding veiled women. This paper presents an overview of the relevant literature written about this topic, then moves on to compare France and Turkey by examining the history of secularism in both countries and how this term has changed over time. …

Becoming Diaspora: A Comparative Analysis Of Palestinian Diaspora Groups In New Jersey And Lebanon, Reem Zidan Farhat

Senior Theses

This study analyses the relationship of members of the Palestinian diaspora with their host countries and how these conditions affect their relationship to their Palestinian identity. The two case studies chosen are Palestinian communities in New Jersey suburbs and the Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon. In the case of Palestinians in Lebanon, their longing for return is shaped by the fact that they are essentially foreigners in Lebanon. Despite being the third or fourth generation of Palestinians born in Lebanon, these refugees are excluded socially, economically, and politically. Thus, their connection to Palestine is tied directly to their status as …

Exploring White Extremism As A Function Of Historical Legacy, Globalization, And Populism In The United Kingdom, United States, And Australia, Catherine Gassiot

Senior Theses

In this thesis, I will examine the contemporary issue of white extremism in the context of increasing globalization and populism. The Western world has witnessed an increase in terrorism by white extremists in the last decade. The object of this thesis is to identify the factors which prompted the present increase and different character of white extremist groups in comparison to prior white extremist movements like the racist skinheads in the 1980s and 1990s. To answer this question, I evaluate historical racism, impacts of globalization, the rise of right-leaning populism, racist skinhead subcultures of the 1980s and 1990s, and contemporary …

What Is Past Is Present: How “Forgetting” In Spain And The United States Has Caused Past Problems To Persist, Abigail Grace Conroy

Senior Theses

Historical memory is how we remember the past in association with our group identities. One of the main historical memories that we take part in is the historical memory of the country in which we live. Its social nature can be problematic, leaving gaps in place of horrific events that a country would rather not remember. I argue that gaps are permeated throughout historical memories and that this has allowed for problems of the past to persist in the present, no matter how a country has gone about their process of forgetting. To illustrate my argument I use two case …

The Asylum Search: How The Supreme Court's Potential Ruling In The East Bay Sanctuary V. Barr Case May Change Our Interpretation Of Asylee Rights Through The Honduras Deal, Reeve Churchill, Wislande Francisque

Fordham Undergraduate Law Review

In this Note, the authors Reeve Churchill and Wislande Francique will examine the changing interpretation of asylee rights by analyzing the Honduras Deal, the 9th District Court case East Bay Sanctuary v. Barr (2020), and Trump v. Hawaii. The Honduras Deal is evidence of the Trump Administration’s harsh restrictions towards asylum seekers. This note will contextualize the Honduras Deal through the examination of two court cases: East Bay Sanctuary v. Barr and Trump v. Hawaii. In the latter case, the Supreme Court ruled that the President has the power to bar entry to any group of immigrants that he feels …

Militarism, Economics, And Nationalism: The Russian And Chinese Expansionist Foreign Policy Of The 21st Century, Paul Charles Gargiulo Jr.

Senior Theses

While the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 may have harkened in a new era of global peace, the rise of nationalist governments in China and Russia have changed this circumstance as seen in their respective spheres of influence. During the first two decades of the 21st Century, China and Russia have become increasingly aggressive in the application of their foreign policies, attempting to assert their presence on the global stage. From 1945 through 1991, there has been a historical precedence of Chinese and Russian dominance in the South China Sea and in Eastern Europe. This was in part …

"Underage Marriage: The Global Cultural Paradigm", Alexandra Ciociola Murphy

Senior Theses

Underage marriage is a union where one or both parties is under the age of 18. Marriage before the age of 18 not only has severe health and developmental consequences for those that fall victim to the practice, but also economic consequences for regions where it is practiced. Many solutions have been proposed to eliminate underage practice, but with minimal results. The writing in this research explores the causes, effects and solutions of underage marriage comparatively between Morocco, Bangladesh, and the United States. Historical context, regional culture, and economic development are taken into consideration and analyzed to draw to the …

Bantu Education, And Its Living Educational And Socioeconomic Legacy In Apartheid And Post-Apartheid South Africa, Matthew Anthony Gallo

Senior Theses

Despite its 25th anniversary of democratic governance, the Republic of South Africa still reels from its past Apartheid legacy, especially in its education sector. One famous Apartheid policy was Bantu Education, which legally restricted the delivery of educational services to black South Africans during Apartheid. Because of Bantu Education and its lasting legacy in South Africa, many black South Africans have historically and continue to be denied access to quality education, depriving them of employment and other socioeconomic opportunities. This paper explores both educational and socioeconomic factors, such as school curriculum and vocational training, to demonstrate the important and foundational …

Hacking Nation-State Relationships: Exploiting The Vulnerability Of The Liberal International Order, Ray Marie Tischio

Senior Theses

This thesis explores the implications of nation-state cyberwarfare and cyber conflict in the context of geopolitics and international studies. The emergence of nation-state cyber conflict has increased in frequency and severity in the last decade. In order to investigate what renders cyberwarfare a new and unique challenge to specific geopolitical climates and international systems at large, research on state-level cyber conflict within bilateral relationships—all of which cyber activity is significantly prevalent—is presented in the following three case studies: US-China, US-Iran, and US-Russia. Findings of these three case studies are used in subsequent analysis to articulate the specific ways in which …

"Political Stability In The Eye Of The Storm: An Institutional Analysis On The Social Effects Of Water Management In Jordan", Madelaine Michelle Diaz Durufour

Senior Theses

Water scarcity in Jordan has, for decades, been a serious source of political tension domestically and abroad. In this tumultuous region, political stability or lack thereof determines many aspects of social life. Jordan has been resilient in the face of wars and insurgencies, most recently the 2011 Arab Spring protests, which led to the toppling of authoritarian governments and the ongoing Syrian Civil War. The case study on the provision of water in Jordan is relevant due to its location in a region with an arid and semiarid climate, as well as its unstable geopolitical neighbors. Institutions have an effect …

"Child Marriage Across Cultural Contexts: A Comparative Analysis Between South Asia And Sub-Saharan Africa", Farhana Hussain

Senior Theses

Child marriage is a major social issue that occurs around the globe to this present day, particularly within South Asian and Sub-Saharan African nations. This paper discusses the underlying factors perpetuating child marriage that are shared in common between these two distinct regions. Through exploring such factors from two countries in each respective region as case studies, the paper also enlightens readers about current initiatives being undertaken to address child marriage and further suggests other social, economic, and policy oriented measures that can be taken to ensure young girls are protected from this ongoing practice within their communities and can …

From Third Culture Kids (Tck) To Adult Third Culture Kids (Atck): What Has Caused These Global Phenomena And What Are Their Effects?, Giovanna Meinberg Paganini

Senior Theses

This paper explores the phenomena of Third Culture Kids (TCKs) and Adult Third Culture Kids (ATCKs). TCKs and ATCKs are individuals who grew up outside their parents’ and their own country of origin. A TCK is not simply a person who had to move to a different country but also often refers to those individuals who have spent the first eighteen years of their lives (developmental years) in more than one country. The primary aim of this paper is to look at what features and experiences are shared amongst TCKs and how they differentiate from individuals who did not grow …