Political Science Commons^™

The Nana Yaa Asantewaa War: Analysis Of The Political Institutions Of The Asante During The War Of The Golden Stool And The Existing Narratives, Angela Danso Gyane

Senior Independent Study Theses

The War of the Golden Stool was the last in the Anglo-Asante Wars, where the Asante fought against the British colonial agenda. According to the Asante oral history, Nana Yaa Asantewaa was at the forefront of this war. She was the commander, but most of the literature to not reflect this oral history. Therefore, this study seeks to address two essential questions: how did gender dynamics in the Asante Kingdom's political system shape their Resistance against the British in 1900- 01? Moreover, how does the analysis of oral histories from the matrilineal culture of the Asante decenter Western narratives of …

Data On Race, Inequality, And Social Capital In The U.S. Counties, Dongkyu Kim, Mi-Son Kim, Natasha Altema Mcneely

Political Science Faculty Publications

This article presents data on social capital at the United States’ county-level. Following Rupasingha et al. (2006), the social capital index captures the common factor among density measures of 10 different types of associations, voter turnout rates, U.S. decennial census participation rates, and the number of non-profit organizations. Based on Knack (2003), we create associational densities measures as a proxy for both bridging and bonding social capital. Including data on income inequality, racial diversity, minority group size, average household income, educational attainment, the ratio of a family household, the size of migration population, and female labor market participation rates, the …

Agricultural And Food Security Impacts From The 2010 Russia Flash Drought, Eric D. Hunt, Francesco Femia, Caitlin Werrell, Jordan Christian, Jason A. Otkin, Jeff Basara, Martha Anderson, Tyler R. White, Christopher Hain, Robb Randall, Katie Mcgaughey

Department of Political Science: Faculty Publications

The flash drought and its associated heat wave that affected western Russia in the summer of 2010 had significant cascading agricultural and socioeconomic impacts. Drought indicators sensitive to soil moisture and evapotranspiration (ET) showed that the flash drought began in June 2010, then intensified rapidly and expanded to cover much of western Russia. By early July, almost all of the major wheat producing regions of Russia were experiencing extreme water stress to the winter and spring wheat crops. The timing of the onset of the flash drought was particularly devastating as the period of most rapid intensification overlapped with the …

Litigating Socio-Economic And Women’S Rights In Benin’S Constitutional Court, Alice J. Kang, Susanna D. Wing

Department of Political Science: Faculty Publications

Scholars debate the role of legal institutions in promoting human rights in Africa. Much of the discussion focuses on Anglophone countries and does not examine the gender of litigants. We propose a constitutionalism constrained perspective that argues that which and whose rights are adjudicated are shaped by the context of constitutional reform. Where reformists are primarily concerned with safeguarding civil and political rights, high courts may protect civil and political rights claims more often than socio-economic ones. Examining hundreds of human rights decisions issued by Benin’s Constitutional Court, we ask, which and whose rights does the court protect? We find …

The Role Of Opposition In A Democracy: A Bibliometric Analysis, Abhinav Shrivastava Mr., Richa Dwivedi Ms.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Globally, democracy is under threat with the prevalence of authoritarian regime all over the world and the role of opposition in a democracy is an under studied subject and has not received adequate importance by researchers all over the world. The present study focuses on the bibliometrics analysis of the role of opposition in democratic system in order to understand the research status of the subject globally using SCOPUS and Web of Science databases.

The analysis shows that research has been undertaken by various organisations and researchers however, the present time demands more attention on the role of opposition so …

[Introduction To] Paradoxes Of Care: Children And Global Medical Aid In Egypt., Rania Kassab Sweis

Bookshelf

Each year, billions of dollars are spent on global humanitarian health initiatives. These efforts are intended to care for suffering bodies, especially those of distressed children living in poverty. But as global medical aid can often overlook the local economic and political systems that cause bodily suffering, it can also unintentionally prolong the very conditions that hurt children and undermine local aid givers. Investigating medical humanitarian encounters in Egypt, Paradoxes of Care illustrates how child aid recipients and local aid experts grapple with global aid's shortcomings and its paradoxical outcomes.

Rania Kassab Sweis examines how some of the world's largest …

นโยบายรัฐบาลอัฟกานิสถานต่อการพัฒนาสิทธิสตรีในสมัยประธานาธิบดีฮามิด คาร์ไซ ระหว่าง ค.ศ. 2001 - 2014, มุกขรินทร์ ลาวัณลักขณา

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

บทความวิจัยนี้ศึกษาและวิเคราะห์นโยบายรัฐบาลอัฟกานิสถานต่อการพัฒนาสิทธิสตรีในสมัยประธานาธิบดีฮามิด คาร์ไซ ภายหลังการล่มสลายของตาลีบันระหว่าง ค.ศ. 2001 – 2014 โดยใช้หลัก “วัฏจักรของบรรทัดฐาน” (Norm Life Cycle) ภายใต้แนวคิดพลวัตรของบรรทัดฐานระหว่างประเทศ (International Norm Dynamics) เป็นกรอบวิเคราะห์นโยบายของรัฐบาลอัฟกานิสถานต่อการพัฒนาสิทธิสตรี ใน 3 ด้านสำคัญ ได้แก่ ด้านการดำเนินชีวิตในสังคมและสิทธิทางการเมือง ด้านการศึกษาและการทำงาน และด้านสาธารณสุข เพื่อวิเคราะห์ว่า อะไรคือปัจจัยสำคัญที่ทำให้รัฐบาลอัฟกานิสถานในสมัยประธานาธิบดีฮามิด คาร์ไซ ระหว่าง ค.ศ. 2001 – 2014 ไม่สามารถดำเนินนโยบายส่งเสริมสิทธิสตรีได้อย่างมีประสิทธิภาพ บทความวิจัยนี้ศึกษาและวิเคราะห์ข้อมูลจากข้อตกลงระหว่างประเทศ เอกสารราชการของอัฟกานิสถาน หนังสือและบทความจากวารสารทางวิชาการที่นำเสนอเกี่ยวกับนโยบายรัฐบาลอัฟกานิสถานต่อการพัฒนาสิทธิสตรีในสมัยประธานาธิบดีฮามิด คาร์ไซ ระหว่าง ค.ศ. 2001 – 2014 รวมถึงรายงานสรุปสถานการณ์ด้านสิทธิมนุษยชนในช่วงเวลาดังกล่าว เพื่อสนับสนุนข้อเสนอของบทความวิจัยนี้ คือ ปัจจัยสำคัญที่ทำให้รัฐบาลอัฟกานิสถานไม่สามารถดำเนินนโยบายพัฒนาสิทธิสตรีได้อย่างมีประสิทธิภาพ คือ ปัจจัยระดับรัฐบาลและระดับสังคม

การดำเนินนโยบายความมั่นคงของฟิลิปปินส์ต่อจีนในกรณีพิพาททะเลจีนใต้ ค.ศ.2010-2016, ณัฐเชษฐ์ เสงี่ยมพงษ์

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การวิจัยนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อต้องการศึกษาการดำเนินนโยบายของประเทศจีนในการขยายอาณาเขตทางทะเลบริเวณทะเลจีนใต้ และศึกษาการดำเนินการของประเทศฟิลิปปินส์หลังจากการดำเนินการของจีนที่ส่งผลกระทบต่อความมั่นคงของชาติทางทะเล เพื่อนำมาสู่งการวิเคราะห์การกระทำของฟิลิปปินส์หลังถูกกระทบด้านความมั่นคงจากการขยายอิทธิพลของจีนในพื้นที่พิพาททะเลจีนใต้ ผลวิจัยพบว่าจากการที่จีนยังคงยืนยันการอ้างสิทธิ์ในกรณีพิพาททะเลจีนใต้ เป็นความพยายามที่ต้องการครอบครองทรัพยากรธรรมชาติในพื้นที่ทะเลจีนใต้ อีกทั้งต้องการขยายเศรษฐกิจประเทศของตนเพื่อตอบสนองต่อวิสัยทัศน์ Chinese Dream ซึ่งมีความต้องการครอบครองเส้นทางคมนาคมในพื้นที่ เพื่อเป็นประตูทางทะเลของประเทศออกสู่มหาสมุทรอินเดียและมหาสมุทรแปซิฟิก ส่งผลกระทบด้านความมั่นคงต่อประเทศพิพาทอย่างประเทศฟิลิปปินส์ ทำให้การดำรงชีวิตของประชาชนฟิลิปปินส์มีความไม่ปลอดภัยจากการดำรงชีพตามวิถีเดิมของตน อีกทั้งประเด็นทรัพยากรธรรมชาติในพื้นที่ทับซ้อน ฟิลิปปินส์จึงต้องมียุทธศาสตร์ขึ้นมาเพื่อรองรับสถานการณ์ที่เกิดขึ้นในการขยายอิทธิพลทางทะเลของประเทศจีน เพื่อเป็นการเพิ่มประสิทธิภาพในการป้องกันตน อีกทั้งได้พยายามสร้างพันธมิตรเพื่อสร้างความสมดุลขึ้นในระบบระหว่างประเทศ โดยได้ใช้ความสัมพันธ์ที่มีมายาวนานกับมหาอำนาจโลกอย่างสหรัฐฯ และญี่ปุ่น เข้ามามีบทบาทสำคัญในการกำหนดยุทธศาสตร์ของประเทศ ซึ่งงานวิจัยนี้จะทำให้เห็นความพยายามของฟิลิปปินส์ที่ดำเนินนโยบายในการป้องกันประเทศในการถูกผลกระทบจากประเทศมหาอำนาจที่พยายามขยายอิทธิพล จนกระทบต่อความมั่นคงของประเทศตนเองแล้วกำหนดออกมาเป็นยุทธศาสตร์ของประเทศ ซึ่งนับได้ว่าเป็นตัวอย่างในการดำเนินการที่ดีในการป้องกันประเทศ

Exploring Voting Habits And Attitudes Of Lgbtq+ College Students In The United States, Jordan Weber

Honors Program Theses

Citizens of the United States are regularly reminded of the importance of voting in elections. However, data shows the youngest voters turnout at the polls in far fewer numbers than older generations. The same cannot be said for marginalized and minority groups, such as members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) community. Past studies have shown that these individuals are more likely to vote than their peers who are not members of this community. While there is information about voting habits of both the youngest voters and LGBTQ citizens, there has been little research done about the …

Military Industry And The Israel-Palestine Conflict: Military Aid, Technology, And Barriers To Peace, Brandon A. Sandoval

Dissertations and Theses

This study reviews the current US and Israel militarized response to Palestine, the negative impacts on the Palestinian and Israeli people that result from this policy, and the military-industrial complex that benefits from the US-Israel relationship. I also note that the military industry profits from the Israel-Palestine conflict and, thus, has an incentive for the conflict to continue. I argue that despite billions of US dollars that have been appropriated by the U.S. Congress for Israel’s security, the US and Israel have failed to build peace in the region, ultimately wasting funds and exacerbating current conflicts. I also argue that …

A Review Of Data Protection Regulations And The Right To Privacy: The Case Of The Us And India, Chrisann Campbell

Dissertations and Theses

Since 1948 and the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the concept of privacy has grown more complex with the rise of technology and a shift to the internet. In particular, the unregulated use of technologies that can capture individuals' personal data without their knowledge or consent poses a threat to their right to privacy and other additional human rights. The protection of the collection, storing, and transfer of users' personal data against data breaches also ensures that the right to privacy is guaranteed. Through examining two countries, the U.S. and India, on the idea of privacy, personal …

Ethnic Conflict In Côte D’Ivoire, Ayouba Doumbia

Dissertations and Theses

Since the early days of independence, the African continent has been the theatre of many ethnic conflicts. While people, in general, assume these conflicts to be political and blame the conflicts on authoritarian regimes, they dismissed the fact that conflict between ethnicities is a phenomenon that has occurred for hundreds of years and in all corners of the Earth. Entire countries have been devastated by years of ethnic strife. Once ethnic conflict breaks out, it is difficult to stop. Conflicts in the Balkans, Rwanda, Chechnya, Iraq, and Darfur are among the deadliest examples from the late 20^th and early …

Protecting Civilians In Un Peace Operations: The Need For Enhanced Training, Allison S. Haddad

Dissertations and Theses

The present study shows that the protection of civilians (POC) tasks implemented in multiple United Nations (UN) peace operations have not always been executed as intended and, as a result, are accompanied by a number of dysfunctions. Among these dysfunctions are inadequate community engagement, peacekeeper misconduct stemming from the lack of proper training mechanisms, and lack of resources. In consideration of these issues, UN peace operations would profoundly benefit from enhancements offering plausible and beneficial change to the field. Such changes involve the responsibility of the UN, the responsibility of national actors, field implementations, and the psychological well-being of peacekeepers. …

The Impact Of The International Monetary Fund’S 2016 – 2019 Loan To Egypt On The Country’S Development, Anasimon Takla

Dissertations and Theses

The primary objective of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is growth. The organization and its programs can enable the development of nations across the globe and stimulate growth. However, due to weaknesses in its system with conditions that are offered as blanket solutions for unique problems as well as unequal bargaining terms, the IMF can exacerbate the situation in nations that are already suffering with crises. Following years of unrest after the Arab Spring, Egypt finds itself in an unwieldly position having both vowed to increasing its development as well as introduced major reforms based on IMF recommendations in order …

Donald Trump V. The Electorate: A Twitter Feud For The Ages, Natalie Gould

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis began as an exploration into Donald Trump’s Twitter use in the final year of his presidency, starting with his first (and at the time, only) impeachment and ending with the November 2020 election. As an incumbent running for re-election, Donald Trump broke from precedent by opting out of the traditional messaging strategy of expanding his base and promoting unity and instead focused on energizing his existing supporters. Throughout his campaign and presidency, his Trumpian-style of rhetoric which perpetuated an “us versus them” mentality resulted in threats and real violence by his supporters.

The role of social media has …

Viral Jihad: A Genealogy Of Al-Qaeda And Isis' Propaganda, Renee Perper

CMC Senior Theses

For the past twenty years, the United States has been at war. Yet, while invocations of war often evoke images of soldiers on the battlefield, the war the U.S. has been fighting looks far different. In the past two decades, the U.S. has attempted to curb the impact of terrorist organizations’ media usage. This paper explores the genealogy of that media battle through a case study of al-Qaeda and ISIS’ media apparatuses. It argues that, often overlooked, is the role that media plays as a foundational element in both groups’ organizational structures. Moreover, this paper will demonstrate how ISIS has …

The Sri Lanka-China-India Triangle: A Regional Power Transition, Nandeeni Patel

CMC Senior Theses

In 2016, China became the largest importer of Sri Lanka goods and services, surpassing India. Since then, the Chinese government has signed significant trade, development, and security deals with the island nation. This thesis argues that Sri Lanka's domestic politics, centered around its decades-long civil war and consequent human rights concerns, have served as the crux of its triangular relations with two regional powers: India and China. The human rights issue, in tandem with Sri Lanka's agency as a small state, has drawn Sri Lanka to China. The China-Sri Lanka relationship and has now expanded to developing security and development …

Dropping The Ball: A Political And Economic Analysis Of Public Subsidization For Stadium Construction Projects, Max Fisher

CMC Senior Theses

The results generated by this research argue that the high cost of public subsidization does not outweigh the benefits associated with new stadiums. By using several cost-benefit analyses, my research adds to the current literature that these projects, while seemingly beneficial for communities, induces negligible or even negative outcomes. In particular, this study details the Las Vegas Raiders and the New York Yankees, explaining how these teams were able to achieve a new stadium. To understand why politicians continually support stadium construction despite extensive literature showing its harms, this research includes explanations based on the political theory from authors such …

Comparative Analysis Of Racist Implications Of The Welfare State In The U.S. Vs. U.K. Through Child Benefits, Furaha Njoroge

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis explores America’s narratives surrounding safety net, varying history of child benefits and welfare between the U.S and U.K., newfound research regarding England’s programs, implicit bias, and interviews and scholarly reports of relevant experts. By comparing the welfare states of both the U.S and the U.K, it is proven how racism is both deeply rooted in how citizens of both countries perceive safety nets, and has thus led to the exclusion of racial minorities in both welfare systems. Specifically, looking at child benefits, we can determine these negative impacts and policies erected which further oppress Black Americans, the Black …

Organized Labour’S Impact On The 2020 Election, Cooper Pryde

CMC Senior Theses

Against all odds, Donald Trump won the 2016 election. A critical reason why this happened was his support amongst union members. Specifically, this helped him with the crucial Rust Belt swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Joe Biden learned from this and ran on the most pro-labour platform in recent history. This platform ingratiated him with union leadership who donated generously to his campaign. Unions also spent considerable resources politically organizing for the campaign. Organized labour’s support was a vital reason why Biden won all three swing Rust Belt states and ultimately the presidency. Organized labour did not only …

Education Inequality In The United States: A Wicked Problem With A Wicked Solution, Lincoln Bernard

CMC Senior Theses

A problem wicked in its complexity and detriment; the United States has failed most of its students in its inability to address the unashamedly rampant inequality throughout its public education system. The inequality in American public schools appears evident and boundless, but the causes of that inequality, and especially its solutions, are not as obvious. It is easy to explain away the system’s failures as a product of the United States’ ultra-varied environment, but further investigation reveals much of the systems problems are self-caused, resulting from the United States’ uniquely local approach to supporting its schools. A misguided fear of …

‘It’S Like Baking A Cake’: An Analysis Of Conscience Voting In The New Zealand House Of Representatives Since The Introduction Of The Mixed-Member Proportional System In 1996, Harrison Hosking

CMC Senior Theses

Conscience voting in the New Zealand House of Representatives offers a unique opportunity to assess Sam Peltzman’s ‘Principal-Agent Theory’ as outlined in his 1984 paper, Constituent Interest and Congressional Voting.

This thesis begins with a brief assessment of the principal-agent model (and other literature regarding parliamentary representation) before looking at the New Zealand Parliamentary system and the phenomenon of private member’s bills and how they aid the legislative process. This is followed by an exploration of a constructed dataset of conscience votes that have occurred since the inception of the mixed-member proportional (MMP) electoral system in 1996. An analysis …

Donald Trump’S Authoritarianism: The Decline Of Democracy Under Trump, Gabe Fisher

CMC Senior Theses

Donald Trump was the most anti-democratic president in American history. During his 2016 campaign, he encouraged violence at his rallies. He also levied harsh attacks against his opponents and even called one a “devil.” When he assumed office as president, he demanded complete loyalty and levied attacks against the press that conjured up memories of notorious autocrats. And when he lost a free and fair election in 2020, he discontinued a 200-year-old tradition and a hallmark of American democracy: the peaceful transfer of power. He also incited an insurrection when he unsuccessfully overturned the election’s results. The GOP has continued …

How American Transit Agencies Determine Fare Policy: It All Comes Down To Politics, Julian Thesseling

CMC Senior Theses

This paper will provide readers with an understanding of the variables that US transit agencies grapple with when developing fare policy, with a particular focus on the political process. The framework chapter will examine the objectives of public transportation and how agencies face difficulties in achieving these objectives. While this paper will focus on American transportation policy, the framework will draw from the experiences of cities across the world. Three case study chapters will then each discuss an American city or region’s approach to fare policy, and how variables have either complicated or enhanced agencies’ ability to develop effective fare …

Asian American Voting During The 2020 Elections: A Rising, Divided Voting Group, Vi Nguyen

CMC Senior Theses

Asian Americans continue to be an untapped force within American politics. Despite their status as the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group in the United States they have had surprisingly low political participation rates.[1] But 2020 represented a watershed moment. Campaign outreach and voter participation increased, and Asian Americans assumed new prominence on the national stage. Nonetheless, the 2020 elections also demonstrate historical divides within the community and a lack of cohesion as a voting group.

This thesis investigates Asian American voter behavior during the 2020 election and links trends within this year's elections to assess Asian American panethnicity. It …

Community-Based Disaster Risk Management And Covid-19: How Local Ngos In Latin America Adapted To The Pandemic, Emily Pugh

CMC Senior Theses

The global COVID-19 pandemic posed new challenges for communities across Latin America: lack of access to potable water and food, loss of jobs and lack of access to technology now needed for children to attend school. By interviewing different leaders of NGOs throughout the continent, I was able to find out how local NGOs were adapting their typical activities to help their communities face these new and worsening challenges. While the NGOs in this study do not primarily focus on disaster relief, each adapted their initiatives to deal with the current needs of the community they serve. Some were able …

The Softer Sex? Women Legislating War, Shanil Verjee

CMC Senior Theses

There is a long-standing assumption in feminist international relations theory that women are more peace-oriented than men, and that, therefore, if more women were put in positions of power, there would be less war. This paper explores whether this assumption holds true in the United States federal legislature by examining the voting and congressional records of women in Congress over time, in both the Republican and Democratic parties, and comparing them to the records of male members of Congress to determine whether women exhibit a significantly different legislative approach to war.

"We The People": Self-Governance And The Evolving Treatment Of Freedom Of Assembly In The United States, Josephine Savaria-Watson

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis looks to ground the importance of a vigorous right to assemble in the history of the United States. I argue that given the events of the last year, the current Supreme Court doctrine that limits assembly and association to expressive purposes is too restrictive and fundamentally misunderstands group rights. Instead, I argue that the Supreme Court must reinvigorate the right to assemble in order to protect democratic governance.

I begin with the history of assembly in the United States in Chapter II, which demonstrates how assemblies have been utilized by minority groups as a means to exercise political …

The Politicization And Polarization Of Climate Change, Williamson Grassle

CMC Senior Theses

In the mid to late 20th-century, climate change and other environmental issues were addressed on a bipartisan basis, with Republican politicians like President Richard Nixon and George H.W. Bush supporting and advancing measures to combat climate change. However, since the 1990s, climate change has become increasingly polarized, with significant polarization in the last decade. This paper dives into the causes behind climate change's politicization and polarization and what the future holds for bipartisan agreement by analyzing peer-reviewed articles, campaign contributions, news stories, political archives, and past interviews with climate experts. The analysis finds that the polarization has been driven by …

Understanding Place-Based Immigration: The Proposal, Its Popularity, And Its Prospects, Mohamad Moslimani

CMC Senior Theses

The idea to create a new class of place-based visas is gaining traction in policy circles. These visas, known in some instances as “heartland visas” and as part of a class of immigration reform called “place-based immigration” (PBI), are designed to give state and local governments the ability to sponsor immigrants to live and work in their local communities. The proposal has gained traction among a variety of candidates for federal office and local immigration policy stakeholders. The reason for this support is the proposal’s ability to address a grave issue facing numerous communities across the U.S.—and its ability to …