Political Science Commons^™

Rethinking Autonomy In The Digital Age: Between Human Exceptionalism, Hybridity And Conviviality, Anne Hoss

Human-Machine Communication

In the humanities and social sciences, there is a long tradition of discourses on the relationship between automats and human autonomy. Socio-technological transformation processes of the past decades have revitalized related discussions. At the same time, based on ideas of either human exceptionalism or hybridity, current debates tend to focus on ontological questions and comparisons between humans and machines. This paper aims to widen recent discursive foci by introducing Ivan Illich’s work which highlights institutions, power structures, and the social shaping of technology as key factors of humanartifact relations and autonomous action. It will be argued that Illich’s approach contributes …

Renewing Voter Confidence In Election Outcomes: A Qualitative Examination Of Election Processes And Security Measures, Hannah Barnes

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This paper explores the topic of voter confidence in U.S. election outcomes and seeks to identify the factors that influence that confidence. Given the increasing interest in questions surrounding election integrity and election security, it is important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the current election structure in America. By analyzing components of the election process such as voter registration, voting machines and other election technology, along with existing voting laws and proposed legislation, I highlight key areas where voter confidence is strongly impacted. Through this research I determined that by improving voter education and awareness of functions within …

Bridges And Brigades: Balancing Hard And Soft Power In Global Affinity Towards China, Zachary R. Levinson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As the People’s Republic of China continues its attempt to match the United States as a global hegemon, it has put forth significant efforts to build influence and gain the support of smaller countries around the globe utilizing both hard and soft power. However, the question remains whether these efforts have resulted in greater favorability toward China. This study seeks to answer this question. I use a Bayesian Item Response Theory (IRT) model to generate latent measures of Chinese hard and soft power around the globe using data on Chinese economic aid, alliances, diplomatic exchanges, and security assistance. This is …

Florida’S Most Recent Anti-Transgender Political Policies And Their Effects On Transgender Adults, Jaron A. Sanchez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

During May of 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed multiple bills into law, which included House Bill 1521, Senate Bill 1580, and Senate Bill 254. Critics have regarded these bills to directly discriminate against transgender individuals and negatively impact their quality of life. The main research question this project seeks to answer is what impact these bills have, if any, on transgender individuals who live in the state of Florida. This includes experiences that negatively impact quality of life outcomes and mental health disparities. An online survey of a small sample of the population that self identifies as transgender, that …

Intent, Content, And State Specific Circumstances 25 Years Later: A Comparative Analysis Of Contemporary Protections For Women Refugees Among Beijing Declaration Signatory Countries, Grace Bennett

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Women refugees suffer from high levels of abuse, discrimination, and sexual and gender-based violence. This paper aims to determine what factors account for different levels of state commitment to protections for women refugees. Existing literature suggests a connection between states’ concern for gender equality and ethical treatment of women, and their commitment towards the protection of women refugees. A content analysis of the Beijing Declaration 25+ national reports, along with the World Health Organization, United Nations, and other similar reports, seeks to further explore this connection. In doing so, this study examines three categories: states’ stated intentions or concerns, state …

The Battle Over Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion And Critical Race Theory In Florida: A Case Study On The Stop W.O.K.E. Act, Grace Anne Castelin

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Accelerating from 2022 and continuing through 2024, the state of Florida has experienced significant policy changes, particularly within the realm of higher education and affairs of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Many progressive officials, experts, and activists assert arguments that the state is on the verge of evolving into an authoritarian regime while many illiberal policies are being produced through the Florida legislature and current executive leadership—social and economic sectors are consequently threatened in order to maintain political oppression. The Stop W.O.K.E. Act has served as a catalyst for shifting the state's political stance on DEI, culminating in a chain …

Masculinity And Political Discourse: A Critical Analysis Of European Leaders, Taylor R. Haycock

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This project examines how European leaders of autocratic and democratic nations engage with masculinity discourses in their public speeches. Do authoritarian leaders use masculinity in a different way than democratic leaders? I answer this question by completing a critical discourse analysis of speeches from Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Boris Johnson, and Emmanuel Macron, the leaders of Russia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and France, respectively. The speeches were publicized from July 2019 to September 2022, when all four leaders were simultaneously in office. I found that a similar rhetorical strategy focusing on dominance and strength was used across regime types …

Historical Legacies & Contemporary Anti-Americanism In Latin America, Ana Bello Marín

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Latin America is often cited as a prime example of historically rooted and deeply embedded opposition to the United States. There exists a prevalent assumption in the literature that suggests a legacy of foreign intervention can breed anti-Americanism. From this theoretical point of departure, we would expect individuals who lived through periods of intervention to express more negative opinions of the U.S. This thesis aims to explore whether historical legacies continue to live on and impact individual-level evaluations of the United States. By exploiting cross-country variation in the years and types of intervention, this study tests the empirical significance of …

How Super Pacs Supercharge Fundraising And Spending For Candidates In Presidential Primaries, Domenic Maglio

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The explosion of super PAC activity in presidential primaries since the 2012 election cycle prompts an examination of these organizations’ behavior and its effects on other types of committees. Specifically, this study investigates how fundraising and spending efforts by candidate-specific super PACs, or single-candidate super PACs, benefit their supported candidate’s principal campaign committee. Integrating data from the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and various qualitative sources, this study explores how candidate-specific super PACs are progressively exploiting their unique legal structure to fundraise for themselves and their candidate’s authorized committee. The probing reveals that candidate-specific super PACs steer …

Why Do Populists (Promise To) Close Borders? Contemporary Populism And Immigration Control In Net Migration Countries, Tyler J. Rapisarda

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Populism has become prevalent worldwide as more politicians embrace it. My thesis aims to study the campaign promises of populists worldwide, regarding a reduction of immigration, and to see if they followed through on those promises. I focused on populists from Europe and the United States. A comparative analysis of Hungary, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Slovakia revealed that populist candidates who had promised closing borders or otherwise reduce immigration, did so, once elected. My research reveals different approaches, methods and strategies in border and migration control, across all countries studied.

Poisoning The Blood Of Our Country: Donald Trump And The Rhetorical Dehumanization Of Migrants, Cy Conley

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Donald Trump has made various claims and statements throughout his campaigns targeting migrants to the United States, specifically those entering illegally. From phrases that nearly replicate ones made by individuals who have led mass-dehumanization efforts in the past, such as Adolf Hitler, to policies that will displace millions of individuals and rip families apart. It can be determined that Donald Trump is dehumanizing immigrants with his rhetoric and plans for action. If Donald Trump is elected to be President of the United States, he plans to enact mass deportation efforts, removing illegal migrants who have been residing in the United …

Investigating Various Personality Factors As Predictors Of Poor Belief Updating Regarding Controversial Political Issues, Eric E. Haseman Jr

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Belief updating is a research area investigating how individuals refine or fail to refine their preexisting beliefs when confronted with corrective sources. Understanding the various drivers of poor belief updating in a political context is essential to maintaining an informed democracy, as the ideal voter in a democratic nation updates political misconceptions and false beliefs when presented with corrective sources. Despite the importance of this topic, the literature examining potential factors that could contribute to poor belief updating in a political context remains particularly limited. I aimed to address this limitation by recruiting undergraduates from the University of Central Florida’s …

The Quest For Racial Equality After The Revolution: How Black Intellectuals Envision The Struggle For Equality After Jim Crow And Apartheid, Shelby Morgan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This paper examines the ideas presented by Black public intellectuals from South Africa and the United States regarding their solutions on how to achieve real racial equality after the achievement of equality under the law. It will provide a historical comparative analysis of the two countries by examining the works of George Fredrickson, as well as some contextual background on the existence of racial disparities in the modern day. It will then present various publications by American intellectuals Ibram X. Kendi, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Cornel West, and South African authors Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh, Songezo Zibi, and Tembeka Ngcukaitobi that discuss their …

The Contribution Of The White Working-Class Toward Their Own Political And Economic Disenfranchisement, Dana De Castro

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to answer the following question: why are the white working-class in America complicit in their own political and economic disenfranchisement? Moreover, this paper utilizes two time periods in American history, specifically, the Antebellum period and the Jim Crow era, and examines the white working-class’s behavioral pattern in these periods with the historical context in mind that took place in each of the eras. Through an analysis of the two studies, it is revealed that the white working-class has long been disenfranchised politically and economically. The white working-class of the past (specifically, the Antebellum period …

Preserving Paradise: A Case Study Of Public Attitudes And Its Impact On The Conservation Of The Indian River Lagoon Watershed, Zanielle Wells

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) is an important estuary along Florida’s east coast. It is known for its ongoing water quality issues attributed to human activity in the watershed, which has resulted in extensive restoration and conservation efforts. This study researches the relationship between public perception and sentiment toward sustainable development initiatives and how they influence conservation and restoration in the Indian River Lagoon watershed. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with IRL experts who work in the government, academia, nonprofit, or nongovernmental sectors to discuss public sentiment and engagement practices within the watershed. The responses were analyzed using a causal …

Renewed Social Democracy: Thomas Piketty And His Critiques, Patrick T. Connors

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis seeks to analyze the proposals and prescriptions of Thomas Piketty as expressed in his vast array of works and the critiques of his works. His proposals for a system of participatory socialism is grounded in the notion that inequality is expanding at an unsustainable rate, and that growing economic inequality is a problem for the future of liberal democracy and economic growth and sustainability. This thesis argues that Piketty provides many compelling arguments in favor of tackling inequality, but he falls short of a real system of justice or elaborated political theory aside from his moral intuitions of …

Selma: A Filmic Description Of History, Hunter L. Tierman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis will determine the validity of the claim made by Joseph Califano, an aide to President Lyndon Johnson, that the film Selma is not historically accurate, especially regarding the Johnson character. This topic was picked to critique historical accuracy in the film and provide a framework to determine if the film would be suitable for use in an educational setting. This thesis used multiple academic monographs, telephone conversations, interviews, and presidential archives to come to a conclusion. After thorough research, it has been determined that Selma can be used as an educational resource with appropriate cautions stated beforehand regarding …

From Authoritarian To Democratic: A Look Into South Korea's Political Evolution Through Sports And Culture, Alexandra Laguna

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Relationships between nation-states are interconnected through a delicate state of balance maintained by direct or indirect behaviors. Balance is instituted by great international powers who hold military, economic, and social dominance over others. Having greater authority over other nation-states facilitates a self-beneficial system of equilibrium – one in which great powers typically hold an increased benefit. The concept of power can be separated between direct (hard) and indirect (soft). Despite the use of direct power throughout history, indirect power can also become a compelling instrument towards developing social dominance in the international domain. The rise and dependance on technology to …

The Impact Of Supreme Court Make Up On Rulings Towards Administrative Agencies, Hannah N. Cothern

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study investigated whether or not the membership of the United States Supreme Court affects the way the institution rules in cases regarding federal administrative agencies by collecting and comparing votes from 2018-2019 and 2020-2022. It found in the first section that justices showed an anti-deferential attitude towards agencies and in the second section a deferential attitude towards agencies, despite the conservative majority being larger in the second section. The result is likely due to the types of agencies and content of cases involved.

U.S. Party Platforms And Their Response To Racial Issues, Megan Moylan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis examines the handling of racial issues in United States political party platforms from 1964 to 2016. The primary objective of this study is to analyze how the two major political parties, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, have approached issues of race in their platforms.

To accomplish this, a content analysis was conducted on the platforms of both parties during this time period. Each reference to race in the platforms was categorized as either "acclaim," "defend," or "attack." "Acclaim" refers to statements that praise racial progress or advocate for policies that benefit marginalized communities. "Defend" refers to …

Antiziganism And The Rise In Electoral Success Of Extreme Right-Wing Parties In Central And Eastern Europe, Mohamedameen I. Osman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

My thesis explores the association between Roma's perceptions of discrimination against them by native populations and electoral support of populist or extreme right-wing parties in Central and Eastern Europe. Roma communities have historically been discriminated and persecuted; however according to findings in the literature, during the Cold War there had been improvements in terms of protection of their rights and their economic advancement. Following the end of the Cold War, however, Roma lost these protections and their status worsened. This deterioration is partly attributed to the rise of far-right parties in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe; this connection, …

Propaganda, Criticism, And War: A Study Of Regime Criticism By Propagandists In War, Jack C. Seay

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This paper investigates when propagandists criticize their country's war effort, examining instances where propagandists openly criticize the regimes they are expected to support during an armed conflict. This is a unique and relatively unexplored angle on propaganda, differing from widespread research on the range of effects that propaganda has on a target population, the reasons behind using propaganda on a target population, and the methods propagandists use to raise support for a political authority. Understanding when propagandists criticize their country's war effort can mitigate their influence by helping audiences identify when and how propagandists use criticism to their advantage. The …

Changing Public Opinion On Socialism, Claudette A. Medina

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This introduction leads to the literature review, beginning with an explanation and description of socialism and political ideologies. I also touch upon historical events that shaped the perspectives of the respective generations, such as the Civil Rights movement and 9/11. After the literature review is a theory section emphasizing the life-cycle effect and period effects relevant to the research conducted later. Then comes the hypothesis and methodology section. My research hypothesis is that period effects will make Gen Z more receptive to Socialism than the Baby Boomer/Traditionalist Generation. This is soon proven correct with supporting data from opinion surveys about …

Distracted U.S. Foreign Policy Sector: The Effects Of Strategic Prioritization Towards A Rising Chinese State In East Asia, Liliana Ramos

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The question of the stability of American hegemony has consumed U.S. International Relations discourse since the Post-Cold War narrative. With the rapid changes in the international realm and the countless U.S. humanitarian and military operations around the globe, it is no surprise that many well-known researchers have taken the time to look at the impact of American hegemony under strict observation. However, more analysis must be made of these operations' strategic purpose and success. This thesis strives to fill this gap by conducting in-depth case studies on various U.S. military operations from the early 2000s to the present in the …

Leaving The European Union: When Euroscepticism Meets Internal Crisis Within Member States, Isabella M. Dimesa

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In the era of global stability, it is crucial to understand the nuances that maintain peace. Neoliberal institutionalism is the ideal that institutions bound together promote peace through sharing stakes and developing positive cost-benefit matrixes that ensure cooperation. The European Union (EU), a neoliberal institution, was developed to establish a peaceful, cooperative European system to further the European agenda and foster power through combined assets. The EU has manifested this success and prosperity—until one of its member states, the United Kingdom, defected from the institution, causing a shock to the EU system. Why would an institution yielding positive returns see …

Sexual Violence In Armed Conflict: How Levels Of Sexual Violence In Peacetime Affect Levels Of Sexual Violence In Conflict, Sydney Snowden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Why do some armed conflicts have higher levels of sexual violence than others? Some existing theoretical work has pointed toward the possibility that the presence of sexual violence before armed conflict occurs can impact the levels of sexual violence during armed conflict, however, little empirical work has examined these theories. This thesis uses new, unique data to address concerns about the validity of previous studies and to explore sexual violence over the boundaries of time, looking at pre-conflict levels of sexual violence in addition to levels of sexual violence during armed conflicts. Using a parallel mixed methods research design, this …

Democracy In Latin America, Democracy Everywhere, Jamie L. Mantilla Vale

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The obstacles that hinder democracy in Latin America are the topics of interest of this research. Loopholes within Latin American democratic systems of governance are a cause for concern, but also intrigue. In this research the specific loopholes and strengths of democracies in Latin America will be spotted and explained. More specifically, this research features a series quantitative method to help explain and evaluate the characteristics of strong democracies in Latin America as well as the characteristics of weak democracies in Latin America. A series of regression models show a causal relationship between rule of law and the overall democratic …

The Correlation Between Gender Identity, Feminist Ideology, And Opinions Concerning The Overturning Of Roe V. Wade, Angelina Lan Conforti

Honors Undergraduate Theses

For many years, research has been done regarding the psychological link between gender, sex, and policy attitudes. Including, common investigations focusing on how female disposition may be a simple predictor of attitudes on "women's issues." However, the 2016 American presidential election—the first election with a female candidate as a leading party candidate, who was defeated by a male candidate accused of making discriminatory remarks about women—showed just how complex and evolving this relationship is. This was demonstrated yet again when the U.S. Supreme Court added a new female justice, then overturned the reproductive health protections of Roe vs. Wade in …

Navigating A Fragmented Landscape: Insights From Civil Society Actors In Lebanon, Daniah K. Jarrah

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In the contemporary era, civil society has become an essential component for addressing the political liberalization and democratization of Middle Eastern regimes. This study concentrates on civil society in Lebanon, a small democratic nation in the Levant. Lebanon's government is a consociational system characterized by dysfunctional power-sharing among sectarian parties. Comprehending the factors in Lebanon that influence civil society's ability to function and serve its purpose is essential. This understanding can assist in gaining insights into how civil society activists in the Middle East may mobilize to contribute to purposeful political and social evolutions.

This exploratory study seeks to gain …

The Evaluation Of Legal Rights Granted To Non-Citizen Detainees, Julia Oldershaw

Honors Undergraduate Theses

For over two decades, the United States imprisoned and detained hundreds of suspected terrorists at the United States Naval Base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. While many of these prisoners were suspected of being terrorists, no formal charges were ever levied against the detainees. All of the prisoners detained were considered non-citizens of the United States. They were not citizens of either Cuba or the United States. Instead, they were citizens of another country. While the legal precedent in the United States' territorial jurisdiction is that non-citizens are granted specific Constitutional rights, Guantánamo Bay was a legal black hole to which …