Political Science Commons^™

Governors And Public Higher Education: A Multiple Case Study Of Governors Bill Haslam And Paul Patton, Shannon W. Gilkey

Dissertations

Governors can impose tremendous influence on public policy. In their attempt to address issues that their states face, and in order to sustain and improve the present and long-term health of its citizenry, some governors invest significant resources to shape the direction of their state’s postsecondary system of education. This study examined the critical elements that led two different governors to enact large-scale impact on state postsecondary education by investigating three research questions through a qualitative multiple-instrument case study: (a) How do governors’ vision for their state intersect with their view of postsecondary education as a key policy priority area …

Stewart, John George, 1890-1970 (Sc 3509), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3509. Letter, 21 September 1965, from John George Stewart, Architect of the U.S. Capitol, to U.S. Congressman William H. Natcher certifying that the accompanying flag had flown over the U.S. Capitol. The flag was for the Bowling Green, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.

Brexit And The Future Of Scotland, Brigid Stakelum

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Four years after the United Kingdom’s (UK) referendum to leave the European Union (EU), many questions remain, especially about the mechanics of the so-called “Brexit.” However, there is a general lack of media discussion about the effects of the Brexit on Scotland, who voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU, and two years prior to the EU referendum, Scotland voted to remain in the United Kingdom by a small margin. One of the main arguments for remaining in the UK was that there was doubt that Scotland could join the EU after leaving the UK. The research question for this …

A Comparative Analysis Of Institutional Trust, Traditional Social Values, And Partisanship In East And Southeast Asia, Lucas Knight

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

What factors drive an individual to trust, or not trust, their government? Over the past two decades, an extensive literature has developed that seeks to identify the sources and determinants of institutional trust in East and Southeast Asia. While this literature has solidified around several factors, for example, positive evaluations of economic performance or anti-corruption efforts, there is still significant debate on the importance of others. This study seeks to contribute to this ongoing debate by testing the role of traditionalism or traditional social values and partisanship. Utilizing data on 13 countries from Wave 4 of the Asian Barometer Survey …

First Past The Poll: A Blog About Political Statistics, Bradley Wascher

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This Capstone Experience project details my efforts to become a political data journalist. I took the first major step in August 2018, starting First Past the Poll, my politics blog. For three semesters, this website was frequently updated with nonpartisan reports on the latest elections, deep dives on long-term polling trends, and commentary on political numbers more broadly. Hoping to buck the trend of the stodgy prose prevalent throughout politics, my stories combined academic rigor with accessible writing.

As I began to find my footing in the field, First Past the Poll put me in the position to become …

Geographic And Partisan Patterns Of Support For Electoral Reforms, Aubrey Kelley

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Electoral reform has become a hotly debated issue, and it has recently been in the news at federal and state levels. On the federal level, the House of Representatives recently passed an electoral reform bill to expand early voting and allow for same-day voter registration. On the state level, Kentucky has become one of the most recent states to implement photo identification requirements. Georgia’s strict voter registration system became a subject of deep controversy during the most recent gubernatorial election. Throughout the past couple of decades, electoral reform has been tackled in a variety of different ways; some states have …

Factors Contributing To Continuing Democratic Victories In Some Southern House Districts, 1994–2008, Dillon Mccormick

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The American South went through a period of political transition in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This transition reached its climax after the 1994 elections, after which Democrats ceased to hold the majority of House seats in the South, never to regain that strength. However, Democrats continued to win a decent share of House seats in the South after 1994, with about 40% of Southern House seats being won by Democrats until the 2010 elections, after which Democrats shrunk to a much smaller minority.

This paper analyzes the factors that allowed some Democrats to continue to be elected …

Baudrillard And The Viral Violence Of Cyber Security, Alex Rivera

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This paper explores Jean Baudrillard’s theorization on war and communication, connecting it to recent developments in the field of cyber security. With the important elevation of military forces such as the United States Cyber Command, critical theory needs to interrogate the increasing stature and seriousness of the cyber domain in global military strategies. Baudrillard’s critique shifts the focus from simple military strategies to the globe’s consumption of the information that is offered by the global information complex. This paper explains the nuances of violence surrounding the exchange of media surrounding war, criticizing both pro-war and anti-war stances, to examine the …

Evaluating Constituent Representation Among Southern Members Of Congress: The Cases Of Georgia And Kentucky, Mary Adams

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This study examines the factors that influence the representative relationship between members of Congress and their constituents. Given the foundational nature of representation in democratic republics, research on the communication between citizens and their representatives is needed. Because the relationship between constituents and their representatives is most frequently studied in the electoral context, studies on the factors that impact constituent representation by their members of Congress are lacking. Using a mixed methodology of quantitative logistic regression analysis and qualitative interviews, I examine constituent-initiated contact of the office of their member of Congress and interpersonal interactions between representatives and their constituents …

Miller, Harold Asher, B. 1939 (Mss 679), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 679. Correspondence, speeches, political material and notes related to Harold Asher Miller’s political career, which included several terms on the Bowling Green City Commission and one term as the city’s Mayor in the 1980s. It also includes material related to several Miller campaigns for the Warren County Judge Executive position.

Nunn, Louie Broady, 1924-2004 (Sc 3487), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3487. Letter, 26 May 1969, from Governor Louie B. Nunn of Kentucky to orchestra leader Lee Maxfield, Washington, D.C., enclosing a newspaper article autographed by Nunn at Maxfield’s request. The article reports on the gift of a mule to Nunn by the director of an advocacy group for the poor, parodying a recent gift to Nunn and his fellow Republican governors of a thoroughbred colt, and Nunn’s response to the attempt to embarrass him.

Ua12/2/2 2019 Talisman: Balance, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

2019 Talisman yearbook.

• Mohr, Olivia. Balance
• Lunte, Hailee. That Warm Feeling Autumn Took from Me
• Dozer, Claire. Mother Load – Savannah Ranney
• Hubbs, Annalee. Tap After Hours – Dance
• Lancaster, Emily. Opposites Attract – Maddie Rediker & Cameron Blankenship
• Jones, Sydney. Delving into the Dirty – Taylor Gossage, Lion’s Den
• Chu, Phi. Snow Song
• Gordon, Zora. Spells & Spirit – Kristen Dalby, Witchcraft
• Powers, Noah. What is Left – Kelly Meredith, Identity Theft
• Aklilu, Bethel. Uprooting – International Students
• Steffey, Raegan. The Dirty Art Kids
• Dieudonne, Nadia. Self Starteres – Entrepreneurs
• Bass, Morgan. Young & Partisan – Politics
• Powers, Noah. …

Public Perceptions Of Angela Merkel And Other Female Politicians In Germany: A Mixed Survey Approach, Erin Woggon

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This thesis seeks to understand public perceptions of women politicians in Germany, specifically Chancellor Angela Merkel, and evaluates these perceptions based on gender, region, and representation of CDU/CSU female legislators in the Bundestag. While literature suggests that there are benefits of greater female representation in legislatures, there is a lack of research regarding how this representation impacts perceptions held by the citizens these women represent. Important to the study is also the difference in perceptions according to gender and the former East/West divide in order to understand the gender gap in Germany and the extent of the social impact left …

Morrow, Edwin Porch, 1877-1935 (Sc 3470), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3470. Letter, 25 October 1920, of Kentucky Governor Edwin P. Morrow to Sim Smith, Albany, Kentucky. Written on letterhead of the Republican State Central Committee, the letter declares that the upcoming election in Kentucky “hangs by a thread” and will be won “if the mountain women come to the polls.” The letter pleads for efforts “above all” to “fire every man so that he will bring his women out” in order to thwart the stated intention in the Bluegrass of outvoting this constituency.

Francis, Anne Elizabeth (Mcfarland), 1919-2000 (Sc 3460), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 3460. News clippings, photographs, programs, biographical sketch, etc. related to Congressman William H. Natcher of Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Kelley, Oliver Hudson, 1826-1913 (Sc 3461), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3461. Letter, 1 July 1886, of O. H. Kelley, Carrabelle, Florida, with forms and instructions relating to organization of a Subordinate Branch of the Golden Sheaf, a proposed political offshoot of the Patrons of Husbandry (the Grange).

New Deal, 1933-1939 - Relating To (Sc 3459), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3459. Letter, 4 May 1943, of South Carolina Congressman H. P. Fulmer to E. M. Biggers, Houston, Texas, challenging Biggers to justify his “statement” concerning federal agencies created under the “Roosevelt New Deal Party”; and Biggers’ reply of 5 June 1943, a lengthy criticism of “these damnable Bureaus” as the creation of “fan-tailed theorists” and encroachments on American liberty. The two letters and a compilation of names of the “Alphabetical Agencies” (also included) are reproductions created by Biggers, the owner of a printing company, for public distribution.

Hamlin, Thurman Jerome, 1924-2010 (Sc 3439), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3439. Letter, 1 October 1979, to news services and voters from Thurman Jerome Hamlin, London, Kentucky, promoting his election as a write-in candidate for Governor of Kentucky. He lists his qualifications and personal attributes, and offers to pay “you in communications” a daily fee of $100.00 to elect him, with an advisory position afterward. A frequent office-seeker, Hamlin includes some obscure references about local taxes and the election of past governors.

When Youth Run For Office, P. Francis Wilson

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The purpose of this work is threefold: to define the term ‘youth candidate’, to create a public data archive of youth candidates around the U.S., and to reveal what role age plays on the campaign trail for younger candidates. The first study shows the increase in young people running for office in the U.S.. The second study tells of age discrimination towards younger candidates on the campaign trail. Also within this document is an archive and photo album of youth candidates and their campaigns. The results of this research tell a data and experience-driven story of the quickly changing and …

Patton, Paul Edward, B. 1937 (Sc 3400), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3400. Letter, 16 April 1987, of Paul E. Patton, Pikeville, Kentucky, to Riley Handy, Bowling Green, Kentucky. The letter asks support for Patton’s campaign for Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky and outlines his experience and qualifications for the office.

Nunn, Louie Broady, 1924-2004 (Sc 3405), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3405. Letter, 25 October 1971, to “Fellow Kentuckian” from Kentucky Governor Louie B. Nunn. Preparing to leave office, he provides a report on his administration’s accomplishments with respect to agriculture in the state. Much of the detail is set out in a report to Nunn from the Commissioner of Agriculture that is included with the letter.

Thatcher, Margaret Hilda (Roberts), 1925-2013 (Sc 3372), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3372. Printed letter in her handwriting, May 1979, from Margaret Thatcher to Mrs. Hobson Sinclair (June Rose Garrott), Bowling Green, Kentucky, thanking her for her message of congratulation on Thatcher’s election as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. “We were thrilled with the decisive result and good majority,” the letter states, and declares that “there is work to be done” to fulfill the trust placed in her government by the public.

Communication Goals Of American Universities: A Social Media Content Analysis, Travis Ryan

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Social media is a key communication tool for American universities. This research project is an exploratory look at how universities communicate with stakeholders via social media. In particular, the primary purpose is to explore potential emphasis on academic programs relative to the promotion of athletics as a marketing tool to bolster identity and recruit students. 3000 tweets were collected from 130 NCAA Division 1 American universities. In total, roughly 500,000 tweets have been scraped and classified using an automated script to assess tweet content. Particular emphasis was given to the concept of university rebranding as a broader marketing strategy for …

Factors That Promote Women Representation In State Legislatures, Kara Lowry

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

As more and more women run for elected offices, the need for information surrounding women in politics is growing. Scholars have extensively researched the factors that deter women from running for state legislature, but few have studied factors of the states and their populations that could potentially be promoting more female representation in state legislature. This research will compare the relationship between the state’s geographical location, the education level of the population, and the religiosity of the population to the percentage of women serving in the state legislature as of 2018. Additionally, this study will examine how Donald Trump’s presidency …

The Antagonist Of The Sino-Children, Danielle Earley

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

My research declares that the One-Child Policy has had a huge impact on foreign adoption and causes Chinese adoptees to have similar patterns of behavior, such as unique identity issues despite different life experiences. In addition, I researched effective coping mechanisms for adoptees and hypothesized that conversing and openness with adoption is beneficial. This topic is crucial for aiding scientific understanding of psychological processes in adopted individuals as well as aid others and adoptees themselves on how to effectively cope with the unique adoption experience. I personally deem this topic important not only because I was born in China, but …

The Effect Of Knowledge On Attitudes Towards The Us Supreme Court, Harlee Havens

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Knowledge regarding the judicial branch of the federal government, including the Supreme Court, is lacking in comparison to the two other branches. The Supreme Court generally receives better approval ratings than the executive and legislative branches of government. It is this relationship that I examine through a survey that measures knowledge and feelings of all three branches of government to assess if having more knowledge of the judicial branch has an impact on one’s feelings towards it. By measuring the knowledge of my respondents through a questionnaire that asked about information regarding, and functions of the US Supreme Court, I …

Debt Accumulation And Economic Growth In Emerging Market Economies: Is Debt Promoting Or Hindering Growth?, Kelly Stone

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently warned of the growing accumulation of debt in emerging market economies (EMEs) and the potential for debt crises, a clear warning for investors (Allen, 2018). While the IMF suggests investors may be better served elsewhere, EMEs hold an integral role in the international market as consumers, producers, and entrepreneurs. Despite regular research on advanced economies, middle income countries like EMEs are often ignored. As EMEs grapple with their inability to overcome the current increase in the value of the US Dollar, this study works to understand how debt impacts economic growth and other governance …

Carter, Tim Lee, 1910-1987 (Sc 3370), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 3370. Letters to retired WKU faculty member Frances Richards from Congressman Tim Lee Carter, a former student. He compliments her as “one of my finest teachers” and recalls others at WKU. He also comments on Monroe County, Kentucky’s 1971 sesquicentennial, sends her his floor speech on noise pollution, and refers briefly to poverty programs, rural depopulation, and his hope for bipartisan politics in Kentucky. Includes a letter from Carter’s sister Mae with data about her family.

Ua3/10/2 Pension Reform Bill Filed, Wku President's Office - Caboni

WKU Administration Documents

Email from WKU president Timothy Caboni to faculty & staff regarding Kentucky state pensions.

Sanders, William Willard "Whitey," 1930-2021 (Mss 659), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 659. Correspondence, articles and miscellaneous material documenting the career of newspaper editorial cartoonist Bill “Whitey” Sanders. Includes letters from readers, public figures and fellow cartoonists, video of programs and appearances, and material related to Sanders’ books and his participation in professional organizations.