Political Science Commons^™

Analyzing Political Sentiment On Micro-Blogging Data: A Lexicon And Machine Learning Approach To The 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, Ava Grey

CMC Senior Theses

This paper explores the trends in sentiment towards U.S. presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump through micro-blogging social media text during the five months leading up to the election. Two datasets of varying sizes and origins were used to contextualize and validate analysis findings. The analyses include both a lexicon-based approach and a machine learning predictive method. Common sentiment analysis techniques like term frequency, term frequency inverse, various lexicons, and n-grams were utilized during the lexicon approach. During the modeling, a random forest was utilized in addition to the methods used during the lexicon approach. Results showed that overall …

Invisible No More: Looking And Listening Locally To Build Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Resilience, Anjali Thakore

CMC Senior Theses

The ubiquity of sexual violence, with its devastating physical and psychological consequences, has rendered conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) one of the most effective and enduring “invisible crimes” of war. Despite receiving growing attention across academic, political, and activist circles, wartime sexual violence remains pervasive in contemporary conflict zones. Against the backdrop of these frequent and recurring violations, this thesis explores the dissonance between high-level rhetorical commitments to preventing and punishing CRSV and on-the-ground realities. What soon emerges is a troubling pattern in which gendered violence—and women’s lived experiences more generally—while increasingly visible in theory, remains marginalised in practice. By investigating …

A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Realism In U.S. Foreign Policy, Olivia M. Licata

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines the influence of realist theory on U.S. foreign policy from 1776 to 2025. Through a temporal analysis of policy across three international power systems – multipolarity, bipolarity, and unipolarity – this paper determines that U.S. foreign policymakers follow realist prescriptions for state behavior given their perception of the United States’ status within the international balance of power system. As a result, the U.S. foreign policy has become rooted in realist assumptions and constrained to realism-prescribed behavior, which will ultimately lead to hegemonic decline. This paper calls for the reexamination of realist influences on foreign policy decision-making.

Consolidating The Carbon Trade: Policy Recommendations To Promote Standard Convergence Among The Vcm, Article 6, And Regional Pricing Instruments, Jack M. Barrett

CMC Senior Theses

Efforts to construct robust international carbon markets have repeatedly fallen short of their climate and sustainable development objectives. From the Clean Development Mechanism’s collapse under the weight of non-additional credits to the Voluntary Carbon Market’s recent legitimacy crisis, structural flaws and fragmented standards have undermined offsetting systems for more than two decades. Today, the emergence of the Paris Agreement's Article 6 mechanisms, alongside initiatives like the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM), offer a critical but fragile opportunity to rebuild market credibility. The proliferation of diverging standards across Article 6, voluntary markets, and regional carbon pricing instruments risks …

Beyond The Bank Account: Financial Inclusion And Maharashtra's Microenterprises, Kyra F. Variyava

CMC Senior Theses

Financial inclusion has evolved from mere bank account ownership to a broader imperative that encourages the active and consistent use of financial services to cultivate practices of savings and better financial management. Focusing on the underserved communities of Maharashtra’s microenterprise sector, this thesis evaluates the effectiveness of four central financial inclusion schemes: Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana, Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises, Stand-Up India, and Pradhan Mantri Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi. This thesis develops a four-dimensional evaluative framework, assessing each scheme’s performance in accessibility, awareness and financial literacy efforts, adoption of digital services, and accountability and oversight …

Pacification In Rio De Janeiro Comunidades: Perceptions Of Militarized Public Security, Ilma Turcios

CMC Senior Theses

Brazil’s history of militarization in public policy has led to the adoption of new models centered around crime intervention and community growth. Rio de Janeiro’s 2008 Comunidade (Favela) Pacification Program was one of the most notable policies reflective of these goals. Rio’s state government implemented Pacifying Police Units (UPPs) that would be permanently stationed in comunidades, driving out criminal organizations and promoting socioeconomic development.

The program was recognized as a symbol of reform in urban security thanks to initial crime reductions in pacified communities. However, testimonies reveal patterns of physical and institutional violence at the hands of UPPs and continued …

Scaling Social Impact Bonds In The United States: Barriers, Incentives, And Policy Solutions, Angelique M. Rivanis

CMC Senior Theses

Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) are a form of outcomes-based financing that fund social programs by shifting financial risk from the government to private investors. While SIBs have gained international traction, their long-term viability in the United States depends on structural reforms. This thesis examines two completed U.S. SIB projects, Rikers Island in New York and the Just-in-Reach project in Los Angeles, through an analysis of their design, implementation, and outcomes. While both projects focus on criminal justice, they provide context about the scalability of SIBs across multiple social policy areas.The three primary constraints are high transaction costs, limited investor interest, …

Selective Sisterhood: Power, Race, And The Internal Division Within Feminist Waves In The United States, Aara Nanavaty

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the complex power dynamics within the United States feminist movement across its four waves, focusing on the persistent marginalization of Black women. Challenging the notion of a unified feminist agenda, it applies Steven Lukes' three dimensions of power to analyze how dominant narratives, often centered on the experiences of White, upper-middle-class women, have shaped feminist discourse and outcomes. Through case studies of the division within the suffrage movement, the President's Commission on the Status of Women, and the “Lean In” phenomenon, this research reveals how power operates not only between men and women but also within feminist …

Two Paths, One Paris Agreement: Global South Development And Diplomacy In A Changing Climate, My Fu

CMC Senior Theses

Climate action, development, and technology have grown intertwined in the international struggle against climate change. When the Paris Agreement was developed in 2015, it bridged these commitments together and encouraged the international community to collaborate in reducing global temperatures. Historically, international agreements have excluded Global South countries from benefits when it was implemented. Is the Paris Agreement the same? How effective has the Paris Agreement been in fostering the international community to support Global South countries in their economic, technological, and sustainable development? By assessing the cases of Bhutan and Kenya, the answer to this question appears to be complex. …

Alliance In Flux: Oil And The Us-Saudi Strategic Bargain Reconsidered, Austin Andersen

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the historical development and future trajectory of the longstanding relationship between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It traces its roots back to the early twentieth century, during which the Kingdom was established officially and the United States was on the hunt for a substance that quickly became one of the world’s most precious commodities–oil. Since then, oil has both acted as a binding force and a point of contention between the two nations. However, through ups and downs in the partnership, oil has remained at the heart of the arrangement. This study follows …

Powering Understanding: Cultural Underpinnings Of U.S.-China Competition In The Green Energy Transition, Bryan J. Soh

CMC Senior Theses

Rejecting the structural determinism of contemporary IR theories that neglect diverging epistemic predispositions in different states, this paper traces the cultural rationalization of green transition policies in the U.S. and China, thereby paving a way towards a positive understanding of how bilateral climate diplomacy can be better adapted for cooperation, rather than antagonistic competition, on an issue that transcends borders.

Isegoria In Crisis: Hong Kong's Innovation System And Articulating The Right To Be Heard Using Deliberative Democratic Theory, Bhanu Cheepurupalli

CMC Senior Theses

I argue that Hong Kong maintains democratic deliberation through its innovation policy apparatus despite lacking traditional democratic processes. Using deliberative democratic theory and the concept of isegoria (speech of equals before equals), I demonstrate how Hong Kong's innovation governance sustains meaningful consensus outside conventional democratic frameworks.

My analysis shows that while Hong Kong lacks free elections, democratic deliberation persists through alternative channels within science and technology governance. Innovation policy functions as a vehicle for justice-advancing deliberation despite institutional constraints, as deliberative bodies operate within limited time, authority, and resources.

I trace how Hong Kong's innovation policy apparatus developed through the …

The Inextricable Link Between Gendered Security And State Stability: Strategic Costs Of U.S. Humanitarian Retrenchment, Kirby Eh Kimball

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the strategic consequences of the 2025 U.S. foreign aid freeze on gendered security in conflict-affected states, focusing on Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine. It argues that gendered security—the protection, empowerment, and rights of women and girls—is not a peripheral humanitarian concern but a foundational determinant of state stability, development, and democratic resilience. Through a qualitative comparative case study methodology, the research synthesizes empirical literature, United Nations reports, human rights documentation, and cross-national statistical analyses to demonstrate how the collapse of gender-focused humanitarian programs following the aid freeze will critically exacerbate conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), weaken state institutions, and …

Germany’S Climate Foreign Policy Strategy And Making The High Politics Of Climate Ambition, Thomas M. Goldstein

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

Germany’s Climate Foreign Policy Strategy, released in December 2023, is the first of its kind anywhere. The document elevates a set of climate objectives to the highest level of Germany’s foreign policy. This paper examines Germany as a case study of how a consistently ambitious climate actor may shift its policy preferences over time. Party policy shifts are traced within government documents, campaign manifestos, and coalition contracts to consider the viability of three potential explanations: the demands of a “green” political constituency, a structural reaction to reduce energy dependencies, and feedback effects from international institutions. Upon investigation, the Strategy displays …

Variation In Paternity Leave Policy In Slovenia And Hungary, Kendra Nguyen

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

This paper investigates the variation in paternity leave policy in Slovenia and Hungary in order to gain insight into the drivers and obstacles to policies that support gender equality and women’s rights. Contributing to gender equality and women’s rights, paternity leave policies have been found to support both child care and maternal employment. In European countries such as Spain and Germany, such policies have decreased the gender wage gap within households and shifted opinions on gender roles regarding who is responsible for care work. Given the positive impact of paternity leave, it is of interest why Slovenia has a more …

Memories Of Black Gold: Populist Narratives Of Memory Politics Justifying The Polish Coal Industry, Yvonne Pan

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

This paper examines narratives incorporating memory politics used by right-wing populists (RWPs) to justify their support for Poland’s coal industry despite contradictory factors. Using theories of populist memory politics, this research examines coal’s role in Polish history and RWP political rhetoric involving the coal industry. It concludes that Polish RWPs narrate the coal industry as a force against foreign oppression, drawing upon a paradigm where the Polish nation is the victim of a series of historical oppressors. This victim-perpetrator relationship is projected onto the modern Poland-EU relationship, with the latter cast as the current prospective oppressor. The coal industry is …

The Development Of Central American Communities In Western Europe, Jonathan S. Valenzuela Mejia

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

Central Americans in the past 50 years have been migrating in larger and larger numbers. This is mostly caused by civil wars, economic turmoil, and political instability. The number of migrants has only increased over time and the United States has been the main destination for Central Americans and houses the largest diaspora from the region. However, in recent years, Central Americans have begun to migrate in larger numbers to Europe due to increased difficulties in migrating to the United States, and because of visa-free access to most European countries and a more streamlined asylum process. Most of these migrants …

Table Of Contents

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

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List Of Abbreviations

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

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Foreword

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

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Cloaking The Front National: Marine Le Pen, Femininity, And The Evolution Of A ‘New’ European Far-Right, Taryn M. Blecher

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

From the Front National to the Rassemblement National, Marine Le Pen has done what was once inconceivable in bringing France’s far-right into mainstream politics. The daughter of Le Diable (the devil), Marine Le Pen has ushered in a ‘new’ European rightwing populism—far from the Männerparteien of the past—with her femonationalism and media politics. This paper aims to increase our understanding of Marine Le Pen’s iteration of French nationalism and illusions of femininity. Through a series of illustrative case studies and supporting research, I reveal how Le Pen manipulates her sexuality and womanhood in an attempt to soften the crude image …

The Price Of Prevention: Spain And Italy's Approach To National Prep, Jon Burkart

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

While recent advancements in antiretroviral therapy (ART) continue to improve the outlook for people living with HIV (PLHIV), new infections remain a concern for health authorities around the world. A clinically proven intervention holds the potential to dramatically reduce new infections: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a once-daily pill for high-risk populations, including men who have sex with men (MSM), that substantially reduces HIV infection risk. However—much like rates of new infection—public provision of PrEP varies considerably among OECD countries. This case study thus seeks to answer the question: What might explain the disparate timeline of adopting public reimbursement for PrEP …

The Race To Invest: What Is The Driving Cause Of The European Union's Increased Involvement In Latin America?, Bryson C. Frank, Soo Bin Im, Alyssa Powell

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

This article analyzes the rhetoric of members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and high-level EU leaders who speak about the EU’s role in Latin America and the role of China in the region. To what extent are MEPs and other EU officials concerned about Chinese expansion and is China the reason why the EU seeks increased collaboration with Latin American partners? Our paper documents who in the EU is advocating for increased ties with Latin American countries, why they are doing so, and whether the influence of China is inducing rhetorical changes in EU foreign policy. Findings suggest that while …

Assessing Paths To Greenlandic Independence: Reconciling Inuit Cultural Autonomy With Danish Rule, Leo Freedman

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

This analytical paper seeks to understand what political, economic, and sociocultural barriers inhibit Greenlandic independence from Denmark. The concept of independence must be conceptualized from an Inuit perspective in order to analyze what sacrifices Greenland’s largest ethnic group is willing to make to achieve an independent state. The resource extraction industry offers one path towards independence by reducing dependency on Danish and EU funding. However, this paper argues that Inuit cultural values, especially an inherent connection with the physical and spiritual health of the natural environment, is of higher value than the economic benefits of investing in the resource extraction …

Navigating Progress: The Role Of State Capacity In Shaping China’S Internal Migration Dynamic, Yuzhu Zeng

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Migration is an important demographic phenomenon, especially domestic migration in an open society driven by opportunities in China after the 1970s. With the surge of internal migration, regional development disparities have widened. This study aims to examine migration flows within the subnational framework in China. Mainstream theories of migration argue that economic push/pull factors affect migration flow. I propose that state capacity and citizen registration policy are also essential components and make substantial differences in population migration. State capacity in this research is defined as the government’s capacity to extract resources via taxation to implement desired policy, revealing the effectiveness …

Originalism & Judicially-Enacted Religious Exemptions: Revisiting Employment Division Of Oregon V. Smith, Eric Russell Coykendall

CGU Theses & Dissertations

In the 1963 case Sherbert v. Verner , the Supreme Court read the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause to mean that, in certain cases, religious believers should be exempted from otherwise applicable laws. In 1990, the Supreme Court essentially overturned that framework in the case Employment Division of Oregon v. Smith . The Smith case has proved quite controversial, and numerous public-interest law firms, especially those that defend religious litigants, have regularly asked the Court to overturn it in favor of a re-application of the Sherbert precedent. Their contention is often that the Smith ruling is inconsistent with the original …

The Relationship Changes Between Asian Countries And Advanced Economies Before And After 2008, Jingyu Wang

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation is aimed to discuss the relationship change between east and southeast Asian countries and advanced economies, especially focus on the export and import changes before and after 2008. This study uses both econometrics model (fixed effect, first difference effect, difference-in-difference model) and social network models to analyze the impact of the 2008 financial crisis on these Asian countries and advanced economies. The results show that after 2008 the impact of exports with advanced economies on GDP per capita growth has changed from negative to positive, while the impact of imports with advanced economies on GDP per capita growth …

An Explanatory Analysis Of Populist Leaders As A Risk Factor For Genocide, Adal Isaw

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the association between political leadership and genocides, by investigating whether leaders involved in these events manifest populist characteristics. Understanding this association is necessary for grasping the nature of genocides and developing effective alleviation and intervention strategies. The study categorizes leaders and analyzes their roles using historical records, including speeches, official documents, policies, and public statements. Leaders were classified as either populist or non-populist based on a qualitative content analysis using literature-based predetermined keywords and phrases to gauge the intensity of populism. Archive.org was used to count these keywords, and a comparative method …

Decentralize, Depoliticize, Democratize: An Empirical Political Economy Analysis Of Global Cryptocurrency Adoption, Jennifer L. Verdier

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines the global adoption of cryptocurrency, challenging the broad narrative that it would fundamentally revolutionize finance through decentralization, depoliticization, and democratization. Despite not fully delivering on these transformative promises, cryptocurrencies have continued to gain traction. This dissertation delves into the political economy aspects that fuel this sustained adoption. Through quantitative examination of data from the International Monetary Fund, Statista, World Uncertainty Index, and the World Bank, this study investigates the complex interplay of factors influencing cryptocurrency adoption. The study employs multivariate models with TFE, assessing not only economic variables but also the critical roles of trust in traditional …

Examining The Impact Of Electric Vehicle Adoption On Health, Socioeconomic Disparities, And Policy, Arham Limoochi

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Transportation is a crucial source of air pollution in the United States, accounting for nearly 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions. This considerable contribution to environmental degradation has led many scholars to advocate for a shift towards Electric Vehicles (EVs) as an effective strategy to combat climate change and its adverse effects. EVs, known for their innovative design and reliance on alternative energy sources, differ significantly from traditional vehicles with internal combustion engines. This transition is more than a technological advancement; it symbolizes a significant move towards sustainable transportation, impacting environmental sustainability, public health, and socio-economic equity. My dissertation explores …