International and Area Studies Commons^™

Religious Aspirations Among Urban Christians In Contemporary Indonesia, Chang Yau Hoon

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Recognizing that the Christians in Indonesia are not a homogeneous group, this article examines the various contested spiritual, social, and political aspirations of urban Christians in the contexts of the historical trajectory of Indonesian modernity, forces of globalization and urbanization, the role of capital, and the development of Islam - the indispensable religious 'Other' to this minority religion in contemporary Indonesia. It sheds light on the ways in which this minority exercises agency in using political participation and social activism as a counterbalance to the growing Islamization of Indonesia, and how they strategically utilize their extensive economic, social, and political …

We All Stand Together: The Role Of The Association Of Asian Constitutional Courts And Equivalent Institutions In Promoting Constitutionalism, Maartje De Visser

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This article critically evaluates the interplay among courts with constitutional jurisdiction in Asia. This is done in the specific context of the Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions (AACC). The article finds that the AACC has to date made only a nominal contribution to cultivating inter-court relations in furtherance of common goals and advances the claim that its members ought to rectify this state of affairs. On the one hand, transnational judicial alliances have instrumental value for participating courts in the discharge of their mandate. On the other hand, the AACC can be a useful conduit in nurturing …

Review Of Beyond And Between The Cold War Blocs, Wen-Qing (Wei Wenqing) Ngoei

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In their introduction to this special issue of The International History Review, Janick Marina Schaufelbuehl, Sandra Bott, Jussi Hanhimaki and Marco Wyss state that this collection of papers examines “what independent pathways” existed for peripheral states, independence movements, or regional alliances “within the Cold War system that were not directly subjected to the East-West confrontation” (902).And there is, in principle, much to recommend this endeavor. As the introduction rightly points out, there is abundant evidence of middle and smaller powers as well as non-state actors who pursued their objectives through “an extensive array of strategies” that “did not easily fit …

The Limits Of Liberty: The Crime Of Male Same-Sex Conduct And The Rights To Life And Personal Liberty In Singapore: Lim Meng Suang V Attorney-General [2015] 1 Slr 26, Jack Tsen-Ta Lee

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In Lim Meng Suang v Attorney-General (2014), the Singapore Court of Appeal held that s 377A of the Penal Code, which criminalises acts of “gross indecency” between men whether occurring in public or private, does not infringe either the rights to equality and equal protection guaranteed by Art 12(1), or the rights to life and personal liberty guaranteed by Art 9(1) of the Constitution. This article examines the analyses of the latter provision by the Court of Appeal in Lim Meng Suang, and by the High Court in Tan Eng Hong v Attorney-General (2013) which was one of the two …

China’S “Asia Dream”: The Belt Road Initiative And The New Regional Order, William A. Callahan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Since Xi Jinping became leader in 2012, he has redirected Chinese foreign policy. This article examines the role of peripheral diplomacy in Xi’s emerging grand strategy. While it is popular to look to theories of the international system – offensive realism and liberal institutionalism – to explore this issue, this article follows constructivism to take seriously the role of ideas and domestic politics in foreign policy-making. Through an analysis of official and unofficial sources, it traces linkages between ideas, institutions, and behavior in Chinese foreign policy. In particular, it argues that Beijing is combining new ideas (China Dream, Asia Dream), …

From Gettysburg To Townsville, Australia And Back, Caroline A. Ehrhardt

Celebration

I studied abroad in Townsville, AU in the Fall 2014 and had the semester of my life. I am biology major, who has always wanted to pursue a career with animals and I got to run hands on experiments at James Cook University. I collected research on wild rock wallabies, I got Open Water Padi Dive certified and dove throughout Australia and Bali, Indonesia. I got up close with wild sharks, eels, jellyfish, and a variety of tropical fish. I joined the co-ed soccer and disc team. Most importantly, I became friends with amazing people from all over the world.

Boleto Y Entrada: A Roundtrip Ticket To A Year Abroad, Elizabeth M. Belair

Celebration

A presentation to illustrate my work with the Global Leaders of Gettysburg College (GLGC) program at Gettysburg College.

Trouble With The Neighbors: A Case Study Of The Political Relationship Between The Baltic States And Euro-Atlantic Security Institutions After Russia's Annexation Of The Crimean Peninsula, Girard Louis Bucello Iv

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This paper assesses the current state of the European security community in the aftermath of Russia's annexation of Crimea from the perspective of the three Baltic countries. The research qualitatively analyzes government documents, official statements, and publications by, and interviews with, scholars and policymakers to determine how recent Russian behavior has affected the perspective of the Baltic states, and how they have affected NATO and the EU. This paper finds that the annexation of Crimea vindicated those in the Baltic who had expected such behavior, and determines that the Baltic states have leveraged the EU and NATO to refocus attention …

Jordanian Government Response To Mass Refugee Influxes, Anne Charles Cutting

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Un Objeto De Deseo, Clara J. O'Rourke

Scholarly Undergraduate Research Journal at Clark (SURJ)

This article evaluates and compares the ways in which women are dehumanized and limited to the role of "objects of desire". The concept of the male gaze is used to depict how women are objectified in La invención de Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares and Rosario Tijeras by Jorge Franco, including it's cinematic interpretation by Emilio Maillé. Ultimately, all authors and directors sexualize female characters by limiting them in passive roles, depicting them as exotic objects in the eyes on the audience, the characters in the stories, and through narration and cinematography. This objectification reinforces passive female roles and a …

Rape And Sexual Violence: Questionable Inevitability And Moral Responsibility In Armed Conflict, Katherine W. Bogen

Scholarly Undergraduate Research Journal at Clark (SURJ)

Wartime sexual violence is a critical human rights issue that usurps the autonomy of its victims as well as their physical and psychological safety. It occurs in both ethnic and non-ethnic wars, across geographic regions, against both men and women, and regardless of the “official” position of commanders, states, and armed groups on the use of rape as tactic of war. This problem is current, pervasive, and global in spite of the status of wartime sexual violence perpetration as a crime against humanity and the capacity of the international criminal court to indict offenders. Though some scholars have argued that …

The Ethiopian State: Perennial Challenges In The Struggle For Development, Hawi Tilahune

International Studies Honors Projects

This honors thesis examines the evolution of the state and nation-building processes in four historical periods in Ethiopia. I argue that, in the generational efforts towards consolidation and change, each period throws up acute tensions between an increasingly centralizing political apparatus and the civic and material existence of ethnic peripheries. These contradictions are apparent in the attempts to secure the country's territorial sovereignty under Menelik II, the efforts towards modernization by Emperor Haile Selassie, the militaristic-cum-Marxist drive under Col. Mengistu Haile Mariam, and the construction of a developmental state under the leadership of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. While some achievements …

One Man's Reaction To Nato Expansion, Jamie M. Putnam

International Relations Honors Papers

Using the policy of NATO expansion and the events of the Ukraine crisis, this paper examines President Vladimir Putin’s impact on Russian foreign policy and analyzes the extent to which his personality and personal interests have shaped Russia’s actions. In doing so, it seems that Russia as an actor on the international stage cannot be understood without considering Putin’s role in creating what Russia is today.

Bosnia: Doomed To Failure Or A Rising Hope?, Caitlin V. Moore

Politics Honors Papers

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country that suffers from a lack of a national identity as it has three main ethnic groups, Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs, who are all fighting for power. After the Bosnian war, which lasted from 1992-1995 and involved genocide that was committed against the Bosniaks, the ethnic divisions were further entrenched. These divisions were not helped by the provisions of the Dayton Peace Accords, which was the peace settlement that brought an end to the war. Dayton created an ethnocracy within Bosnia that places more importance on ethnic groups than national identity. In order to see …

Geopolitics Of The 2016 Australian Defense White Paper And Its Predecessors, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Australia released the newest edition of its Defense White Paper, describing Canberra’s current and emerging national security priorities, on February 25, 2016. This continues a tradition of issuing defense white papers since 1976. This work will examine and analyze the contents of this document as well as previous Australian defense white papers, scholarly literature, and political statements assessing their geopolitical significance. It will also examine public input into Australian defense white papers and the emerging role of social media in this public involvement. It concludes by evaluating whether Australia has the political will and economic resources necessary to fulfill its …

A Place To Call Home: The Acceptance And Denial Of Burmese Refugees, Alexandra Craig

Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD

For more than 25 years Burma has been experiencing a refugee crisis due to the military government’s excessive human rights violations. The argument for not accepting refugees often prioritizes the economic troubles that a country can face when taking care of refugees. Meanwhile, those who prioritize humanitarianism often appeal to human morals and argue that refugees should be accepted wherever they need to in order to be safe. This project ultimately focuses on whether Burmese refugees should be accepted into the surrounding countries or if countries should be able to deny refuge within their borders.

An Evaluation Of Constitutional Implementation In Kenya, Frances Mcevoy

Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD

This paper seeks to find what impact Kenya’s new Constitution and its implementation had on citizen political participation since promulgation. Using a framework developed from Robert Dahl, it finds the Constitution and constitutional implementation positively affected citizen political participation in the first five years of implementation. The Constitution secured the citizens’ right of participation and made citizen political participation part of most governing institutions. Constitutional implementation improved citizens access to participation in three key areas: voting, elections, and responsive institutions.

Totality And Infinity—Nationalism And The Face: An Ethnographic Exploration In The Republic Of Turkey And State Of Israel, Charles Phifer Nicholson Jr.

Student Scholarship

This paper argues that the historical roots and current manifestations of secular and religious nationalism in the Republic of Turkey and the State of Israel are well understood in light of Emmanuel Levinas’ concept of totality. Furthermore, as discovered through ethnographic research collected concerning the lived experiences of ethnic and religious minorities in these nations, it posits that the best response to these all-encompassing, exclusive worldviews is found in the reality of the human face, as conceptualized by Levinas in connection with his notion of infinity.

The foundation and primary source of this project is ethnographic research collected in the …

The Birth Of Development: The Social, Economic And Environmental Advantages To Contraceptive Use On A Global Scale, Linda Hanes

Honors Theses

For many women around the world, pregnancy is a miraculous, exciting stage in life. But for others pregnancy means financial burden, having to stay in an abusive relationship, or giving up a career. What many people forget is that motherhood is not the default position for women. As a result of the traditional views of acceptable roles regarding women, in most, if not all cultures, there is a stigma placed on family planning and abortion. To talk about contraceptive use is to admit that sex is a natural part of life for all genders. Many cultures are not prepared to …

The Humanitarian Narrative: Defining And Problematizing An Emerging Literary Genre, Jolena Zabel

International Studies Honors Projects

This thesis defines and problematizes the emerging Anglo-American literary genre of the humanitarian narrative. It interrogates its characteristics, origins, and significance. It first defines the genre, noting its primary conventions, which include an exceptional Hero, exotic setting, and an autobiographical or laudatory-biographical narrative approach. The thesis then argues that its emergence flows from converging Anglo-American literary and political histories and traditions that extol (Western) Heroes, human rights, and Western humanitarian intervention in the Global South. Three extended close readings follow, illuminating and critiquing the genre’s features: Little Princes by Conor Grennan (2014); Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and …

Rising Tension In The South China Sea, Paul Mcquaid

Honors Theses

East Asia has been growing in importance for the United States. Not only because there is a lot of resources in the region, but because of the rapid growth of China and other states. Over the past hundred years tensions have been growing higher and higher. This paper covers the tension that is currently there. Before the tension can be explained, the states involved must be described as to better understand why these states are involved in this tension. The states that will be discussed are: China, Taiwan, and Japan. These states are the most active in the region, and …

Pregnancy And Childbirth Practices Among Immigrant Women From India: “Have A Healthy Baby”, Rama Cousik, M. Gail Hickey

The Qualitative Report

In India, practices relating to pregnancy, childbirth and child development have been rooted in cultural beliefs and traditions that are based on knowledge contained in ancient Indian texts. Many Indians residing across the globe continue to observe these practices. Some may find it challenging to do so when they are residing abroad, away from familiar surroundings and separated from their extended families. A small body of research exists that shows that migrant Indian women do observe traditional maternal practices based on cultural beliefs, but there is a need to learn more about how this knowledge is acquired, disseminated and preserved. …

The Effects Of South Korean Pop Culture On The Country’S Standards Of Beauty And Success, Cristina Cervantes, Charles Springwood, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Oral presentation abstract.

Unfree Labor In Côte D’Ivoire’S Cocoa Production: A Comparative Analysis Of The Local Cocoa And Cotton Commodity Chains, Kacie Graves, William Munro, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Oral presentation abstract.

Time To Wake Up: Importance Of Recognizing And Regulating Private Military Forces, Jia Yang, Michael Weis, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Oral presentation abstract.

“Little Brothers” By Agniia Barto: Gender And Ideology In Soviet Era Picture Books, 1920s-1930s, Boryana Borisova, Marina Balina, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

In the early 1920s, Soviet children’s literature was to provide the blueprint for becoming model citizens of this newly formed society. It became the precursor to the new two-fold ideological discourse: depicting life of Soviet children as paradise, while condemning children’s hardship and exploitation of their less fortunate counterparts abroad. Such educational and ideological tendencies are prominent in Agniia Barto’s poem, “Little Brothers” (1928), as it visually and textually represented the theme of internationalism, which was to nurture and shape a feeling of unity in struggle, as well as compassion toward the fates of foreign children. I will explore the …

United States Asia Strategy: Policy, Power, Pivot, Michael S. Montemalo

The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research

This paper is an assessment of contemporary United States strategy in the Asia-Pacific. It gives a background of United States grand strategy throughout history culminating with the 2012 Pivot to Asia designed and implemented by the Obama Administration, the Department of State, and the National Security Council. The Pivot to Asia will be viewed by assessing the hard and soft powers the United States has at its disposal as a means to further its national interests in the Asia-Pacific. Current cases focusing on Southeast Asia and East Asia will be used to assess the efficacy of the new strategy and …

The State Of The Union: What Future For African Integration In A Globalizing World?, Elizaveta Bekmanis

International Studies Honors Projects

The supersession of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) by the African Union (AU) in 2002 marked a paradigm shift in African international relations. While the OAU had become known as a talking shop that failed to foster integration, the AU was established with a revived commitment to African unity. This thesis examines what lessons the European Union has to offer for African integration and the achievements and shortcomings of the AU. I find that its legal and institutional framework displays an ambitious commitment to integration, development, and democratization but that the AU suffers from functional problems that delay implementation.

The Influence Of Environmental Ngos In The Global Society, Eric Becker

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

This paper assesses the over impact and influence of environmental NGO networks from the local to the global setting. Networks of various types of NGOs have developed and emerged in recent decades as significant actors in global politics. This paper looks at the impact these networks hold in both political and societal arenas such as the business practices of large multinational corporations. A qualitative analysis of several cases involving NGOs is conducted in a variety of arenas, assessing what actions or strategies were most affective, attempting to determine their overall effectiveness in promoting environmentally sustainable policies and practices while simultaneously …

The Golden Straightjacket Is Out Of Style, Lacey Germana

Best Integrated Writing

Germana’s review of Thomas Friedman’s The Lexus and the Olive Tree provides careful summary and critique of Friedman’s argument and passionately calls for a balance between increased standards of living and careful stewardship of the earth.