International and Area Studies Commons^™

Reinventing E-Governance Policy In Local Governments In Southern Nigeria, Robert A. Dibie, Maryam O. Quadri

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper examines the extent to which electronic governance policy has contributed to more efficient service delivery in local governments in southern Nigeria. It also explores how e-governance practices has improved the relationship between citizens and local governments in southern Nigeria. It argues that despite the appropriation of funds for the purchase of computers and other electronic equipment in many local governments in the past three decades, the delivery of services in almost all the local governments under study has not improved. The paper uses data derived from questionnaire survey administered to local government staff in southern Nigeria. Two thousand …

Front Matter, Volume 25, Number 1, Institute On African Policy Studies

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Migrant Women Along The Us-Mexico Border: Femicide And Gender Based Violence, Rylee Bondeson

Senior Theses

This paper examines the social and political factors that affect the rates of gender based violence against migrant women in areas around the US-Mexico border.

Towards Inclusive Advocacy: Addressing Colonial Legacies, Evangelical Influence, And Nationalism In Uganda’S Lgbtqi+ Rights Movement, Rodrigo Pedraza Calleja

Senior Theses

This thesis explores Uganda’s homophobic legislation and attitudes, rooted in colonial morality codes and reinforced by U.S. evangelical campaigns. It critiques Western advocacy approaches and emphasizes grassroots efforts rooted in Uganda’s indigenous values. The research offers a framework for advancing LGBTQ+ rights that balances cultural sensitivity with universal human rights.

Mexico's Gender Violence Alerts: Ambiguous, Under-Resourced, And Uneven Impacts On Women’S Human Rights, Molly Ewing

Senior Theses

Mexico has some of the highest rates of violence against women and femicide in the world and these numbers continue to rise. Over the past few decades, Mexico has attempted to address this issue through a series of penal code reforms, social campaigns, and comprehensive legislation, but the impacts of such measures are undercut and unevenly felt due to a series of under looked contributing factors. Mexico is the first in the world to implement the Gender Violence Alert Mechanism (AVGM), which was established under the General Law on Women’s Access to a Life Free from Violence (LGAMVLV) of 200. …

Using Dabke To Embody Sumud: A Literature Review Of Indigenous Palestinian Dance In Relation To Ongoing Trauma, Reema Rustom

Expressive Therapies Theses

This literature review explores the psychological and psychosomatic impacts of political violence on Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation. Drawing from historical, academic, and ethnographic sources, the thesis examines how risk factors such as displacement, home destruction or demolition, and chronic exposure to military aggression contribute to trauma. Utilizing expressive arts therapy as a lens for understanding how arts-based processes support working through trauma, the review identifies existing Palestinian cultural practices that allow for the reclamation of the self, the collective, and the land. This review also highlights protective factors that support the well-being and resilience of Palestinians, such as …

"La Vida Es Un Carnaval": An Exploration Of Cuban Identity And Nostalgia Through Dance/Movement Therapy - A Community Engagement Project, Maria Fernanda Mendez Mendoza

Expressive Therapies Theses

“La Vida Es Un Carnaval” is a community engagement project and thesis that explores how identity and nostalgic resilience show up through dance/movement therapy with Cuban immigrants living in the United States, specifically Massachusetts. This project brought together six Cuban-born participants, ages 26 to 67, each with their own unique migration stories; from the Rafter Balsero Crisis of 1994, to the “Wet-Foot/Dry-Foot” policy, and family reunification. Through a mix of in-person and online sessions, participants explored their experiences using intermodal activities including dance/movement therapy techniques, conversation, journaling, artwork, and music. Themes of cultural pride, “Cubanía” – Cuban-ness, culture shock, and …

Navigating Tensions: Security And Political Implications Of The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Chris J. Ortiz-Gonzalez

Honors College Theses

Initiated in 2013 by President Xi Jinping, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a broad foreign policy strategy designed to foster regional and global development through infrastructure investments. The initiative aims to integrate China’s growing economy with the rest of the world via land and maritime networks. A key element of the BRI is the 3,000 km China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which includes highways, railways, oil and gas pipelines, and a fiber optic network connecting Kashgar in China’s southern Xinjiang to Gwadar in Pakistan’s Balochistan. However, numerous regional and global leaders remain wary of China’s intentions, believing that the …

Visibility Without Justice: The Wayuu’S Paradox Of Resistance Amid Marginalization And Systemic Violence, Courtney Kren

Senior Theses

The Wayuu, Colombia’s largest Indigenous group, endure systemic marginalization and various forms of structural, direct, and slow violence, which is compounded by preexisting vulnerabilities such as water scarcity, malnutrition, and displacement in La Guajira, a border region situated between Colombia and Venezuela. These challenges are worsened by state neglect, inaction, and environmental degradation caused by El Cerrejón, Latin America’s largest open-pit coal mine. Despite awareness of their suffering, both the Colombian state and Glencore, the company that owns El Cerrejón, perpetuate these harms, with the state hiding behind protective legal frameworks intended to protect and uphold the Wayuu’s rights but, …

Digital Voices Of The Arab Spring: Mainstream Media, Social Media, And Narrative In Egypt's Tahrir Square Protests, Sofia Nogueira Sanca

Senior Theses

This thesis questions and examines the dynamics between social media activism and mainstream media coverage during the Tahrir Square protests of the Arab Spring, focusing on how these platforms collectively shaped the global narrative and challenged the Mubarak regime's control over information. How exactly did these two types of media coverage work in tandem to contribute to the revolution's success? Through qualitative textual analysis of the events of January and February of 2011, it analyzes the tweets from activist Gigi Ibrahim alongside reports from The New York Times and Al Jazeera English to identify recurring themes, including corruption and suppression, …

What Are The Key Government And Economic Factors That Influence The Adaptation Of Western Human Rights Norms In China, India, And Turkey?, Carlota Rahola Funallet

Senior Theses

I.Abstract The adaptation of global human rights norms poses a significant challenge in diverse political and cultural contexts. In China, India, and Turkey, government policies, economic priorities, and cultural dynamics uniquely shape how these norms are engaged. China’s centralized governance prioritizes economic stability and collective rights, often at the expense of individual freedoms. In India, a democratic values and constitutional protections align with Western ideals, but caste and gender inequalities persist as systemic barriers. Turkey’s dynamic approach, influenced by secularism, religious tensions, and EU aspirations, reveals the impact of both external pressures and domestic political shifts. These case studies illustrate …

Sacred Seeds: The Transmission Of Knowledge Seen Through Aztec Religionand Agriculture, Ian S. Hohsfield

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The integration of religion and agriculture was a cornerstone of Aztec civilization, deeply influencing societal practices and knowledge systems. Scholars have long recognized the importance of religious rituals in ensuring agricultural success; however, the specific methods by which agricultural knowledge was transmitted within religious contexts—and how these methods may have contributed to knowledge gaps—remain underexplored. This thesis investigates the relationship between Aztec religious practices and the transmission of agricultural knowledge, focusing on how the methods of knowledge transmission influenced agricultural expertise and led to potential gaps. It does so by analyzing primary sources such as the Florentine Codex and the …

Gis And The 1944 U.S.–Mexico Treaty: Rethinking Transboundary Governance Under Climate And Demographic Stress, Pedro L. Sarabia

Master's Theses

This thesis examines the structural limitations of the 1944 U.S.–Mexico Water Treaty in the context of intensifying climate stress and growing population demand. Using GIS-based raster analysis of precipitation from 1981 to 2024, it maps hydrological trends in treaty-bound basins—particularly the Rio Grande and Lower Colorado—which exhibit persistently low and variable precipitation. These conditions, coupled with institutional rigidity, threaten the sustainability of binational water management. In addition to quantitative analysis, the study includes a qualitative assessment of transboundary governance dynamics, highlighting how institutional fragmentation and policy contention impede adaptive responses. The Treaty’s current surface-water-only framework excludes groundwater management, real-time data …

The Algorithm Of Inclusion: Homonationalism, Queer Advocacy, And Digital Marketing Of Un Ecosoc Ingos And Indian Ngos, Dewansh Chauhan

Master's Theses

Advocacy organizations have increasingly turned to social media as digital platforms become integral to contemporary activism, shaping public discourse and securing institutional legitimacy. This thesis examines the organizational communication of organizations that support marginalized sexualities within a neoliberal and homonationalist context. Employing Critical Content Analysis (CCA), the study analyzes a representative sample of 200 Instagram posts from 2024, comparing two international NGOs with ECOSOC status at the UN (Outright International and ILGA) and two national NGOs in India (Humsafar Trust and Naz Foundation). The findings reveal how homonationalist tendencies may manifest at the intersection of engagement metrics, identity-centric rhetoric, brand …

Sustainability In Professional Sports: A New Nexus Of Profit And Social Responsibility, Matthew Teplitz

Master's Theses

The world is facing a climate crisis – corrective action that will improve our collective situation is needed, now. Those with the power to do so, in the capitalist structure under which we live, are largely the individuals, corporations, and governments with financial resources and the platform to inspire others to act. Two such entities, complete with the financial heft to make a difference and inspiration to spare, are North America’s National Basketball Association (NBA) and Spain’s La Liga. This thesis seeks to understand what distinguishes the NBA’s approach to sustainability from La Liga, and by employing each league as …

Negotiating Migration In The Mediterranean: A Comparative Study Of Morocco And Italy’S Border Policies And Their Humanitarian Impact On Irregular Migrants, Shennel Ep Henries

Master's Theses

Serving as both a barrier and a bridge that connects Africa and Europe, the Mediterranean is today the focal point of global controversies around migration, where humanitarian interests balance against border policing and meet securitization policies. This thesis examines the questions: How do irregular migrants adapt, interpret, and maneuver around securitized Moroccan and Italian migration policies, and what do their strategies tell us about the relationship between humanitarianism and securitization in Mediterranean bordering processes? Drawing on qualitative evidence, including expert interviews with organization employees and volunteers in Morocco and Italy (Fondazione Solidarietà Caritas, Nosotras Onlus, and Caritas Maroc), field observation, …

A Tale Of Two Organizations: San Francisco & Tokyo, An Analysis Of Urban Youth Poverty In The Developed World, Arturo Paredes

Master's Projects and Capstones

This study analyzes the experiences of low-income youth in terms of their access to educational opportunities in connection to their social mobility, the study focuses on two highly prosperous cities: San Francisco and Tokyo specifically dwelling into some affected population groups and overall neighborhoods where low-income populations are clustered in. The study delves into youth poverty as a complex phenomenon facing communities and its direct implications for the lives of youth in the context of educational experiences and its connection to socio-economic outcomes. By focusing on two organizations addressing this issue in each of the contexts, the study highlights interventions, …

Alternative Worlds: John Maddox Iv’S Fractal Families In New Millennium Narratives Of Afro-Puerto Rican Women, Roberta Hurtado

PALARA: Publication of the Afro-Latin/American Research Association

No abstract provided.

Interlude 3: Untitled By Wifredo Lam, Mey-Yen Moriuchi

PALARA: Publication of the Afro-Latin/American Research Association

No abstract provided.

“El Chino Se Considera Blanco Y Basta”: Racialización, Negritud Y Agencia En Apuntes Históricos De Los Chinos En Cuba De Antonio Chuffat Latour, Sebastián Díaz Martínez

PALARA: Publication of the Afro-Latin/American Research Association

Apuntes históricos de los chinos en Cuba (1927) del escritor afro-chino-cubano Antonio Chuffat Latour es un caso privilegiado para analizar los imaginarios asociados raciales entre poblaciones afrocubanas y sino-cubanas frente a las discursos sobre la nación en la Cuba republicana. Si bien en el caso puntual de Chuffat ha sido contextualizado como un activo integrante de movimientos afrocubanos (Yun, 2008), es bastante limitada la presencia o importancia acordada a lo negro dentro de su obra. Aunque esta tiene como objetivo la recopilación de distintas fuentes sobre la experiencia china en Cuba, las interacciones y relaciones de mestizaje cultural entre ambas …

Full Issue, Palara Editors

PALARA: Publication of the Afro-Latin/American Research Association

No abstract provided.

Author Bios, Palara Editors

PALARA: Publication of the Afro-Latin/American Research Association

No abstract provided.

A Cultural Pluralistic Reading On The Afro- And Chinese-Cuban Communities In Memorias De Una Cubanita Que Nació Con El Siglo (1964), Francisco Chen-López

PALARA: Publication of the Afro-Latin/American Research Association

This article deploys the cultural pluralism theory, which focuses on how minoritized groups integrate while preserving their cultural identities instead of assimilating into the dominant culture. In her memoir, Renée Méndez Capote describes how Black and Chinese people coexisted in twentieth-century Cuba while maintaining their own cultural identities and were in the process of integrating into the definition of the cubanidad. Via this theoretical framework, this research provides a different approach to studying the literary representation of Afro-Asian relationships in Cuba, aiming to contribute to the constantly growing field of Afro-Asian studies in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Interlude 1: The Eternal Presence By Wifredo Lam, Mey-Yen Moriuchi

PALARA: Publication of the Afro-Latin/American Research Association

No abstract provided.

The Chinese-Afro-Cuban Diaspora And Its Many Faces, Wiliam Luis

PALARA: Publication of the Afro-Latin/American Research Association

No abstract provided.

“Afro-Brazilian Nei Lopes’S Poetnics (2014)”, John Maddox Iv

PALARA: Publication of the Afro-Latin/American Research Association

No abstract provided.

Introduction, Debbie Lee-Distefano, Luisa Marcela Ossa

PALARA: Publication of the Afro-Latin/American Research Association

No abstract provided.

Where Has Saudi Arabia Been? Reframing Power, Progress, And The Privilege Of A Region Misunderstood, Essraa Nawar

Library Articles and Research

"Everywhere—from policy circles to tech summits—people are asking: What is happening in Saudi Arabia? Why is everyone talking about it now? What changed?

And so I ask: Where has Saudi Arabia really been?

The answer is layered and long overdue. Saudi Arabia hasn’t been absent. It has been building—quietly, strategically, and deliberately. During my recent visit to Riyadh, I conducted extensive interviews, site visits, and both qualitative and quantitative data collection across public and private sectors. I engaged with professionals from ministries, startups, universities, and cultural institutions. This piece is not a mere reflection—it is grounded in data, dialogue, and …

The Hidden Logic Behind Migration And Success, Elsa Russom

Master's Projects and Capstones

This research paper explores the hidden drivers of financial success among Eritrean migrants navigating uncertainty, displacement, and limited institutional access. Drawing on original survey data collected from diaspora communities across East African host countries, I apply a mixed-methods framework combining ordinal and binary logistic regression, random forest classification, bootstrapping, and Bayesian causal mediation; to identify the structural and cultural variables most predictive of financial stability. The findings reveal that participation in Ekub, a traditional rotating savings association, and engagement in communal support systems are the strongest predictors of financial success, outperforming conventional factors such as age, education, or employment status. …

Front Matter, Palara Editors

PALARA: Publication of the Afro-Latin/American Research Association

No abstract provided.