Political Science Commons^™

The Effect Of An Illinois Wesleyan University Education On Political Ideology, Jordan T. Ault '04

Honors Projects

The nation has seen a rebirth of many of the Vietnam-era values in today's students. Protests, mostly in opposition to the war in Iraq, have become frequent events on college campuses. Student organizations advocating equal rights for women, racial minorities and the gay community have made their voice heard in state and federal legislatures. Perhaps there is some truth to the view that college students are a very liberal group that tends to become more liberal as they approach graduation. Many scholars feel that the university environment nurtures this liberalization in the student body. There seems to be a general …

Protecting Women From Domestic Violence: A Comparative Perspective, Mollie Whitehead '04

Honors Projects

Domestic violence against women is a social problem that occurs in nearly every comer of the world. Recently, some states have begun to recognize that women must be protected from abuse by family members and intimates. While policies and practices designed to protect women have emerged in a number of countries, many lag behind on the issue. This paper will examine the causal factors behind the variation in protection for women. The literature on women and politics suggests that when women are able to directly influence policies, via electoral pressure or participation in decision-making, women-friendly legislation will be more prevalent. …

Beneath The Red Curtain: Intentions And Motivations Behind An Authoritarian Regime's Move Toward Democracy, Andrew G. Sur '03

Honors Projects

Although Mao Zedong stated that people's democracy was the surest way to maintain the Chinese Communist Party's popular base, the idea of implementing elections at the village level was unheard of during the Mao era. The post-Mao era, however, has brought monumental changes in China's political, economic, and social structures. These changes have increased rural instability among China's peasants who consist of nearly 75% of China's total population. Indeed some of the most profound changes and instructive lessons in China's contemporary history have come from the countryside.

Soft Money And The Electoral Success Of Women Candidates For The U.S. House Of Representatives, Cameo M. Kaisler '03

Honors Projects

Research has shown that when they run, women candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives are as successful as their male counterparts in fundraising for and winning their elections. However, female candidates continue to face numerous barriers to becoming candidates and winning their races. This analysis is an investigation of another potential barrier to the success of women candidates, the recent ban on soft money contributions to federal level campaigns. Following analysis of the sources and average totals of campaign financing for male and female, Democratic and Republican candidates in the 2000 and 2002 elections, it can be noted that …

The Importance Of Mass Culture For Democratization, James D. Melton '03

Honors Projects

In the last thirty years, the importance of political culture in political science has risen, declined, and has risen again. Although the theories of political culture have been strengthened and refined in this process, modern culture theorists have yet to empirically demonstrate culture's ability to be used as an independent variable or to make causal claims using culture. This paper makes an attempt to solve these empirical deficiencies in cultural theory by setting up what Brian Barry calls a "critical test." Using the former USSR and the post-communist countries in Eastern Europe, I will test two hypotheses. First, mass values …

Contentious Policies: The Experiment With Affirmative Action In Undergraduate Admissions To Public Universities, Elizabeth R. Notz '03

Honors Projects

Affirmative action policies have polarized the American public for over a quarter of a century. With regard to undergraduate university admissions, the Department of Education has not issued a definitive policy stance and has chosen to rely upon the results of previous and forthcoming research. Most scholars have not seized the opportunity to explore the effectiveness of affirmative action on a university's minority admission or enrollment rates. Additionally, scholars have not established the role that other confounding factors, such as financial aid and academic preparation, play in determining admission or enrollment rates. This research explores the role of affirmative action …

Constructing A Common Ukrainian Identity: An Empirical Study, Igor Khrestin '02

Honors Projects

This study will examine the factors influencing the construction of a common national identity in Ukraine. The uniqueness of the Ukrainian case stems from its oppressive Russian-dominated past, its communist experience, and a weak role of nationalism prior to independence. Until 1991, Ukraine lacked the necessary components to be considered a successful nation-state. Literally translated as "borderland," Ukraine has never had a readily-identifiable common territory or a common people. Harsh assimilatory policies of its rulers have left a sharply divided society, with differing languages, customs, and conflicting identities. When the Soviet Union collapsed, the state of Ukraine proclaimed its independence …

A Question Of Motivations: Determining Why Donor Countries Give Aid, Sarah Fuller '02

Honors Projects

Despite the fact that foreign aid has been around in its present form since World War II, foreign aid analysis, especially from the donor's point of view, has been and continues to be highly contested. In 1992, the United Nations claimed that "ODA [Official Development Assistance] allocation is 'strange and arbitrary'" and "ODA is determined not by the needs of developing countries, but by the fluctuating goodwill of the people and their parliaments in the rich countries. As a result, it is largely ad hoc and unpredictable" (United Nations Development Programme, 45). This statement cannot, however, explain why Africa is …

A Question Of Motivations: Determining Why Donor Countries Give Aid, Sarah Fuller '02

Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research

Despite the fact that foreign aid has been around in its present form since World War II, foreign aid analysis, especially from the donor's point of view, has been and continues to be highly contested. In 1992, the United Nations claimed that "ODA [Official Development Assistance] allocation is 'strange and arbitrary'" and "ODA is determined not by the needs of developing countries, but by the fluctuating goodwill of the people and their parliaments in the rich countries. As a result, it is largely ad hoc and unpredictable" (United Nations Development Programme, 45). This statement cannot, however, explain why Africa is …

Let Us In, Let Us In: A Study Of Female Representation In Post-Communist Legislatures, Rebecca Ray '01

Honors Projects

There is no dispute that women are grossly under-represented in the world's legislatures. However, there are several explanations for this under-representation and for the variation that exists between regions and between countries. The prevailing literature points to institutional, developmental, and cultural variables. This study uses the post-communist context in order to control for aspects of culture and current altitudes associated with the legacy of communism. Given the common experience of state socialism and the re-traditionalization of social values associated with a backlash against directive emancipation, culture cannot be the main factor in determining the wide variation in levels of female …

Croatia's Leap Toward Gender Equality In The Parliament: Rules Versus Players, Josip Glaurdic '01

Honors Projects

A number of political, socioeconomic, and cultural factors have been identified as having an effect on the level of women's parliamentary representation. Studies concentrating on the most prosperous longstanding democracies accentuate the importance of political factors, whereas most of the studies that include less developed nations suggest a more pronounced role for socioeconomic and/or cultural factors. Conclusions about the relevance of a particular group of factors become much less clear-cut when tested on a sample of nations such as the post-communist bloc, which does not clearly belong to either camp. This study examines the effects of political factors using what …

Elector System Design And Ethnic Separatism: A Rationalist Approach To Ethnic Politics In Eastern Europe, Eric Wesselkamper '00

Honors Projects

The resurgence of nationalism taking place throughout Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union raises important questions with respect to ethnic political mobilization, particularly with respect to the potential for ethnic separatism. Moreover, the region provides scholars an excellent setting in which to study the political effects of constitutional choices. This article, utilizing a rationalist approach which emphasizes the cost-benefit calculus of ethnic groups, seeks to analyze the impact of one such constitutional choice, the electoral system. The competing theories regarding the determinants of ethnic separatism are also examined. We find that the most important factor in explaining ethnic separatism …

Benefits By Gender: Determinants Of Welfare Accessibility For Migrant Women In Western Europe, Kathryn Vojack '00

Honors Projects

According to statistical data, there are dissimilarities between the ease of welfare accessibility for migrant men and migrant women within European nations. Research proposes the following to be linked with welfare access: percent GDP spent on welfare, size of immigrant population, percent of Roman Catholic Church identification, relative leftism of country, percent of women in the workforce, and public attitudes of immigrant population, welfare system and feminism. Analyses of these variables indicate that welfare accessibility for migrant women is primarily explained by attitudes towards gender roles and the status of women in society rather than the size of the immigrant …

National Political Influence And The Catholic Church, Jennifer Nash '00

Honors Projects

Previous literature has focused on the political importance ofthe Catholic Church within democratic transitions, while little research has followed the role ofthe Church in post transitional settings. The present research acknowledges a marked variation in the political influence among the national Churches of Poland, Brazil, Hungary and Spain following the institution of democracy. Within the national context, the Church's religious mission, the association ofthe Church with the former regime and the influence of the International Catholic Church emerge as explanatory factors.

Beyond Narrow Liberalism, Justin B. Taylor '99

Honors Projects

Of growing debate among those concerned with American political culture and democratic theory is the modern conception ofliberal democratic theory. This work attempts to broaden our understanding ofdemocracy. I will argue that modern liberalism has narrowed our conception of individual liberty. This narrowed focus has produce a reliance on the use ofpublic regulation and interest group pressure as substitutes for civic engagement. In an attempt to move past a mere critique of narrow liberalism, this essay will develop a research design and an empirical test to measure our current political culture's support for a robust democracy and its future prospects …

The Economic Impact Upon Modern U.S. Elections, James Jackson

University Avenue Undergraduate Journal of Economics

Economic voting has been blamed for Bush’s loss in 1992, Carter’s loss in 1980, and attributed to Clinton’s win in 1996. I intend to dispel the myths against economic voting by showing that it does occur, and examining the four different manners in which it occurs: retrospective, prospective, pocketbook and sociotropic voting.

Editor's Note: The bibliography for this article is missing. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Domestic Political Violence: Working Towards An Answer To A Timeless Question, John Gutowski '98

Honors Projects

This paper compares two of the more prominent theories that explain the causes of domestic political violence: the older more established relative deprivation theory, and the much newer rational action theory. Deprivation theory remains the most prominent theory in the field, but rational action theory presents a formidable challenge. The following section places these two theories in the broader literature on domestic political violence. The next section presents the research design, including the operationalization, measurement, and specification of the models. The final section presents the analysis and conclusions from the models.

Controlling The Uses Of Our Bodies: A Comparison Of Women In Twenty Countries, Jennifer Pence '97

Honors Projects

Why is it that in countries such as Canada and the United States women are able to prosecute their husbands for rape, yet in countries such as Sudan, females are genitally mutilated with no recourse, in Brazil, violence against women is difficult to prosecute, and in India many woman have no choice concerning their marriage partner? What accounts for this variation? Is the source of this variation rooted in the political participation of women or does the variation stem from socio-economic modernization? Is bodily control determined by the ideological affiliations of parties within the state? This paper seeks to answer …

The Political And Economic Factors Affecting The U.S. Sugar Subsidy Program, Anne Peterson '96

Honors Projects

This paper explores the U.S. sugar subsidy programs; specifically why an increasing amount of sugar subsidy is being allocated to a decreasing number of domestic sugar growers. Traditional neoclassical economic theory fails to capture the autonomous nature of political institutions in affecting the policy making decision regarding the sugar program. Douglass North offers an analytic framework for explaining the ways in which institutions and institutional change affect the performance of economies. Two empirical models test the impact economic and political variables have on the level of sugar loans allocated to sugar growers. The House and Senate Agriculture Committees, and the …

A House Divided: Party Polarization On Welfare Issues, Amy Stewart '96

Honors Projects

Because the U.S. House of Representatives is supposedly most responsive to popular opinion, the research here investigates possible determinants of this trend as manifested by our Representatives in the House. This research postulates that not only divided government and the decline of the conservative coalition, but also the Contract with America contribute to the causation of party unity, and ultimately to the causation of party polarization on welfare issues. Consequently, this research reveals that the conservative coalition did not decline, that the unity of both parties did increase after the Contract With America, and that the Democrats remain consistently more …

Televised Political Advertising As A Strategic Tool To Positively Affect A Candidate's Chances Of Winning An Election A Case Study: The 1994 California U.S. Senate Election: Televised Advertising In The Michael Huffington Campaign, Sarah Wills '95

Honors Projects

Before Michael Huffington declared his candidacy for the 1994 U. S. Senate race in California, Dianne Feinstein, the incumbent, was predicted to win re-election with possibly the largest vote in the history of Senate elections. However, after spending $28 million dollars on a televised advertising blitz, Michael Huffington was able to come within two percentage points of winning the election. "Because of his money, Huffington turned the California race into a high-stakes cliffhanger after it had been considered by most Washington insiders to be one of the surest Democratic bets in the country"(How They Voted).

The Scope Of Abortion Rights Since Roe V. Wade And The Next Tier: The Right To Access, Thomas Wayne Gaylord '94

Honors Projects

Since the Supreme Court's 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, abortion has occupied a lot of the Court's time and energy. Beyond the legalization of the procedure, the Court has had to wrestle with several related issues, as well. Ranging from parental consent laws to waiting periods, from state-and federal-funding denials to procedural regulations, the Court has ruled on many abortion-related issues, most of them more than three times. Although most of these issues were ruled on in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992), the Court's invocation of the "undue burden" test will probably cause the Court as …

The Establishment Of Illinois Riverboat Gambling And Its Impact On Alton, Peoria, And Joliet, Julie A. Dressler '94

Honors Projects

Riverboat gambling IS characteristic of the political economic theory which states development is managed by a growth machine, which is a small number of key actors and institutions in the community (Holupka and Schlay, 176). Those actors, such as politicians and businessmen, often benefit the most and are likely to encourage public funding in order to assure the business will locate in the city. (Holupka and Schlay, 180). Unlike most corporations, which would probably have thousands of investors, the riverboats have limited partnerships and are considered entrepreneurial endeavors in which the partners anticipate a high return on their investment. The …

Child Witnesses In Sexual Abuse Cases And The Sixth Amendment Confrontation Clause, Kelly Thuet '94

Honors Projects

The legal debate over statutes which allow special treatment for child witnesses of sexual abuse has sparked recent discussion. These statutes permit the testimony of the children to be videotaped or transmitted via one-or two-way closed circuit television into the courtroom. Critics argue these statutes violate the defendant's Sixth Amendment Confrontation Right -to be confronted by the witnesses against him/her. Supporters feel these measures are necessary to protect the interests of young victims of sexual abuse. The goal of this paper is to address the tension between society's interest in protecting child victims and the right of defendants to confront …

Post-Cold War Nationalism In Germany And Austria: A Comparative Study, Garett William Graubins '94

Honors Projects

A majority of the studies concerning the European continent have focused only upon the well-chronicled sagas left behind by specific countries. Volumes have been published on the French Revolution, German Empires, Italian Fascism, the Hapsburg Empire, and the rises and falls of each individual nation. An increasingly popular euphemism is put forth in Chaos Theory, wherein a butterfly beating its wings in Japan will alter the weather in New York City. In science as in life, it is well known that a chain of events can have a point of crisis that can magnify small changes. From such a perspective, …

Collective Security In The Gulf: An Analysis Of The Development Of The Gulf Cooperation Council And Regional Security As A Function Of The Council, David Michael Priess '93

Honors Projects

The region today referred to as the Middle East has always interested the greatest world empires. From the times of Alexander the Great through those of the Roman Empire, the Arab expansion, the Mongols, the Ottomans, and indeed right up to the present, this area at the crossroads of three continents has drawn the attention and interference of foreign peoples. Some of them came to conquer, others simply to pass through on their way to other locales, but all considered the area in some way important to their imperial and/or commercial goals and aspirations.

Inequalities In The Educational Systems In South Africa, Angela Goebel '92

Honors Projects

The problems in South Africa began with the first white settler staking his claim to the land. Behind him came thousands more with similar intent, each demanding a little more. The infiltration of Europeans into South Africa not only stripped the indigenous people of their land but of their entire way of life. Gradually, all freedom was lost and the Africans became controlled and exploited by these settlers. Two centuries and several wars later, the whites had formed their own nation here on the African's land and began establishing institutions and laws to maintain their control.

Modernization And Development: An Empirical Study Of South Korea And Brazil, Douglas J. Becker '91

Honors Projects

The united states has both the moral responsibility and a practical interest in economic development in the Third World. Morally, the U.S. and its Western allies have responsibility for two reasons. First and foremost, we have postulated that our presence in the Third World would benefit the entire world. Economic interdependence is thought to be one of the true assets of free trade and economic assistance. Unfortunately, the optimism within the General Agreement of Trade and Tariffs (GATT) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, or World Bank) have little empirical evidence to support their claims. The U.S. …

The Challenge To The Judiciary Of The Nineties:Managing Appeals In The Federal Courts, Kelly N. Kalus '90

Honors Projects

Court reform is a growing national priority. The overwhelming number of litigants populating American courtrooms today has placed a serious burden upon judicial institutions to produce well-thought, reasoned decisions in light of a rapidly increasing caseload. This caseload growth has restricted judges from fully effectuating their duties. Consequently, efforts to accommodate the growing demand for judicial services reflect a deviation from the traditional role and responsibilities of the American judge. For the United states judicial system, such a departure from tradition has dangerous and potentially irreversible implications. Immediate action must be taken to prevent any serious ramifications from arising.

The Illinois Appellate System Procedure And Practice, Robert L. Kamholz Jr.

Honors Projects

The appellate procedure and practice which characterize the Illinois judicial system comprise an awesome body of factual material which is, I am certain, impossible to present in one volume no matter how bulky it may be. This volume does not attempt to describe the whole of that procedure. It also is not a guide suitable for legal reference. It is, however, a general description of the superficial workings of the Illinois appellate system. In most cases, procedure is the only topic of discussion. What substantive information there is contained in the discussion exists to shed light on how the practice …