Political Science Commons^™

Contested Class Hegemonies And The Limits Of Ethnic Politics In Zambia: The Case Of The 2021 Elections, Jotham C. Momba

Southern African Journal of Policy and Development

Ethnic politics in Zambia is a function of the extent to which the petty bourgeoisie, who thrive largely on the ideology of tribalism, exercise strong hegemony over the other social classes in their respective ethnic groups. However, when other social classes challenge that hegemony, evidence from the Zambian experience shows that the pertinence of ethnicity as a political force is significantly reduced. The members of the petty bourgeoisie in Zambia have exercised hegemony over other social classes in the country’s post-colonial period after they successfully led the struggle for political independence. The petty bourgeoisie are, however, factionalised along ethnic lines, …

Examining The Effect Of Climate Change Denialism In American Christianity On International Climate Policy, Hope Mcbride

Selected Honors Theses

While 53% of Americans say anthropogenic climate change is happening, only 32% of American evangelical Protestants share that belief (Alper). Key reasons for this gap include the values and political affiliations held by religious Americans. Historically, there have been dissenting opinions on the role of Christianity in global warming, but ultimately data have demonstrated that the opinions of American Christians can influence major global political decisions, such as President Trump’s executive order pulling the United States out of the keystone Paris Agreement.

Prison Privatization And Its Impacts On Inmate Quality Of Life: An Analysis Through Logan's Eight Dimensions Model, Hafsa Ahmed

Master in Public Administration Theses

This capstone paper delves deeply into the ramifications of prison privatization on inmates' quality of life in contracted immigration detention facilities. With the increasing inclination towards privatizing correctional institutions, especially immigration detention centers, a rigorous evaluation is indispensable to ascertain the ramifications of such privatizations on the welfare of incarcerated individuals. In this exploration, Logan's quality of confinement model is meticulously applied to selected immigration detention centers to scrutinize the living conditions and reveal profound insights into the quality of life experienced by inmates. This model allows a structured assessment of various dimensions such as safety, order, care, activity, management, …

Preserving First Amendment Values: Social Media And The Harmful Content Test, Liam Watts

Undergraduate Honors Theses

We live in a world in which the internet is unavoidable. It is used for our everyday tasks (such as sending business emails) and is even used to communicate with other individuals around the world (through messaging services, for example). Another unavoidable aspect of the internet is social media; it is used for communication, news gathering, and engaging in discussion, inter alia. Sometimes, the way individuals use social media is quite aversive. Thus, social media companies have rightfully tried to govern their platforms in a way that attempts to reduce the harm that comes from aversive content. However, social media …

A Warning From Above: How Authoritarian Anti-Protest Propaganda Works, Minh D. Trinh, Mai T. Truong

Political Science Faculty Research and Publications

When faced with unfolding protests, autocrats frequently respond with anti-protest propaganda loaded with negative narratives about protesters. Although a substantial body of literature has suggested that anti-protest propaganda can effectively alter the way the public views protests, few researchers have examined the mechanism through which propaganda negatively affects public support for protests. In this article, the authors explain the role that anti-protest propaganda plays in weakening public support for protests. Using an innovative experiment involving mediation analysis, the authors administered a survey to 950 Vietnamese respondents. The experimental results showed that anti-protest propaganda may deter support for protests more by …

Workshop Series: Reflections On An Emerging Leadership Journey, Sanjay D. Paul

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Defense Date

April 1, 2025

Candidate Name

Sanjay Paul

Personal Email Address

[email protected]

First Advisor

Dr. Emile Hawkins

Second Advisor

Dr. Debra Dean

DSL Final Project Abstract

Project Type

Global Conference Presentation

Project Overview

Reflections on an Emerging Leadership Journey is a PowerPoint presentation (of approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes) which designed to connect glo al interests in a way that can share best practices across an interdisciplinary front. Sanjay Paul shares ideas, observations, educational, volunteer, and professional experiences, along with his growth in the leadership journey. This journey can serve as a catalyst for others who are on …

Cpec In The Shadows Of Fifth Generation Warfare And The Dynamics Of Propaganda Model, Muhammad Usman Sahibzada, Wenshan Jia

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose – The clear patterns of bias and propaganda such as narrative framing and selective reporting are severely affecting the public opinion and policymakers. Overall, the study shows that media depiction of CPEC conditioned by the propagandistic model and 5GW strategies carries deep meanings for global politics. In addition, there is the necessity to increase media literacy and strategic communication so as to direct the complications of these projects. Transparency and international cooperation become important for regional stability as well as informed public discourse.

Design/methodology/approach – The qualitative analysis of media content is carried out for this research across the …

Walking On Sunshine: Walkable Cities Affect On The Health And Well-Being Of A Population, Carter J. Barnett

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A simple definition of a city is an organizational unit that consists of a dense population within a specific area. This unit can carry a variety of goods and services, complete with housing, businesses, places of leisure and community. A city provides residents with all three of the aspects to live, work, and play within a set distance. How people get around this area is a vital question considering the large number of people in a relatively small zone. For many metropolitan areas a personal car is how movement between city spaces is carried out, however this can cause air …

Long Live The Good King: Arthur’S Niebuhrian Kingship And Pursuit Of Justice In The Once And Future King, Camille Bewley

Harding Undergraduate Research Conference

The classic The Once and Future King, written by T.H. White, is a selection of four fantasy novels with one, linear plot: the story of Arthur, the mythological King of England. Reinhold Niebuhr’s book Moral Man and Immoral Society details the Christian realism of a world in need of justice without the ability to achieve perfect application. Through good education, Arthur is well endowed with Niebuhr’s requirements for a functional society: knowledge, honor, wisdom, and compassion. Such king-like qualities make him one of the most influential mythological characters in history, and a grand exemplar for maintaining ethical goals and personal …

Weapons Of Mass Disruption: How Small States Use Cyber To Resist Larger Powers, Russell Alexander Korb

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This paper examines the ways in which small states can engage larger actors using cyber- attacks. Since the end of both World Wars, small states have increased in both numbers and relevance, with strong international institutions and norms against military aggression allowing small states to gain legitimacy by the very act of participating in the international system. However, although small states can now do more than simply choose a larger, stronger benefactor to ward off their enemies, they still cannot defy larger powers outright due to the still- dramatic difference in capabilities between them. Those small states interested in confronting …

Compulsory Sterilisation And Reproductive Injustice In India: The Global Impact Of The American Eugenics Movement, Marina Cortez

Institute for the Humanities Theses

On 8 November 2014, Dr RK Gupta performed eighty-three tubal ligations at a makeshift clinic in Bilaspur, India — thirteen of which resulted in death. The women, most of whom belonged to the Dalit or “untouchable” caste, were recruited by family planning agencies, lured in by cash incentives or other gifts in exchange for sterilisation. Sadly, however, the Bilaspur tragedy does not exist in isolation — but rather belongs to an extensive history of government-sponsored abuse, the majority of which has been directly led by white, Western powers. Funded by the New York-based Population Council, India was one of the …

From The Podium To The Press: Coverage Of Kamala Harris's 2024 Convention Address, Sean Ewing, Julia R. Azari

Political Science Faculty Research and Publications

Kamala Harris's nomination at the 2024 Democratic National Convention was both unusual and historic. Not only was she the first woman of color to be nominated for the presidency by a major party, but she also emerged as the party's choice without having competed in any nominating contests, an outcome made possible by Joe Biden's withdrawal from the candidacy. National nominating conventions are important opportunities for parties and candidates to draw media attention, and this coverage shapes the political impact of conventions. This was especially important in 2024, given the shortened nature of the Harris campaign. Using a sample of …

Does Name, Image, And Likeness Increase Gender Inequality In College Athletics?, Aimee Christenson

Political Science Theses and Capstones

In June of 2021, the National Collegiate Athletic Association adopted its first interim policy regarding Name, Image, and Likeness. From here, college athletes have been able to benefit from opportunities regarding their brand as an athlete. While this development has been historic in its expansion of rights to athletes, it highlights the inequities between male and female athletes. Title IX requires equal opportunity for male and female students. This research raises questions about whether NIL is increasing the disparity between male and female athletes. To answer this question, I looked at NIL data collected by Kyle Ems on the NIL …

Combating Genocide Denial Through Rwanda’S Foreign Policy, Jonathan R. Beloff

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

Rwanda’s foreign policy is still greatly influenced by the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, commonly referred to as the Rwanda Genocide. Despite the genocidal massacres ending over thirty years ago, the Rwandan government still perceives its continued threat. Despite tangible threats to the state, such as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) decline, the concern of the genocide’s lasting ideology and denial still concerns Rwandan policymakers responsible for the nation’s foreign policy and remembrance. This research relies on in-depth fieldwork with various Rwandan government agencies responsible for crafting state security, foreign policy, and anti-genocide policies. It examines …

The New Antebellum: A Sociological Interpretation Of Christian Nationalism And Its Danger To Both Christianity And American Democracy, Paige R. Dickerman

Richard T. Schellhase Essay Prize in Ethics

Hate and fear have become the new American identity, plaguing social media platforms and legislation as it drips from the mouths of the citizenry. The nation has been torn apart by polarization in a continuation of the division and extremist ideology that has tormented generations of Americans since its founding. Today, Christian nationalism is at the forefront of division and extremism in its idea of a new America, defined by traditionalism, biblical law, and an end to our taken-for-granted democratic processes. Its proponents insist that America’s survival depends on Christian laws and national observance, a claim that hides the truth …

Discrimination That Requires A Remedy: The Case Of Mothers Of Children With Disabilities, Ewa Rejman

Mercer Law Review

International human rights law devotes particular attention to the protection of vulnerable groups owing to their special needs and distinctive challenges which should be adequately considered. Building upon this premise and stressing the importance of gender approach, the Article describes particular vulnerabilities that mothers of children with disabilities face and explains how addressing them remains contingent upon safeguarding, in particular, the right to the highest attainable standard of health, the right to social security, the right to an adequate standard of living and the right to family life. Through the analysis of the responsibility for the omission in international law, …

Race Centers As Critical Curriculum Spaces In U.S. Law Schools, Katheryn Russell-Brown, Vanessa Miller

Mercer Law Review

This piece aims to amplify the role of law school race centers. In fact, these centers are central curriculum spaces for student teaching and learning about race. The discussion highlights the role of race centers in law schools, explores the scholarly potential of race centers, and proposes strategies for sustaining race centers. The piece examines the role of race centers in helping law schools meet American Bar Association Standard 303(c), which requires that law students are exposed to race‑related curriculum, such as bias, cross‑cultural competencies, or racism. Tracing the historical roots of modern‑day race centers to Black Culture Centers of …

Apathy Or Arrogance? Why High Schoolers Are Uninformed About Current Events, Delia Dixon

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This study analyzes the associations between high school student confidence levels on international current events, their motivations to learn more, optimism for the future, and their general understanding of international current events. Using a survey, I first asked students how confident they felt about their understanding of current events, their level of desire to learn more, why they felt that way, and their level of optimism for the future. The second section had the participants list 3-10 current events that they felt were the most important. The third section tested their general awareness of current global events by having them …

Res Historica, Volume 4, Lynneth Miller Renberg Phd, Alpha Rho Epsilon Phi Alpha Theta

Res Historica

The 2025 journal of historical research by Anderson University students, Res Historica.

The editorial team for this edition of Res Historica was Dr. Lynneth Miller Renberg, Samuel Sanders, and Julia Ackerman. The cover art for this volume is an open access image.

Attitudes Towards Political Censorship In Eastern And Western Germany, Brandon Pionk

Political Science Theses and Capstones

Recently there has been a lot of coverage on political censorship in Germany. Censorship has an important role in Germany due to WWII. In Germany support for freedom of the press has been declining in recent years. Right leaning political parties are emerging which has caused opposition parties to try and ban them. I analyze data in this study from the Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences (GESIS). I analyze different political culture variables in western and eastern Germany for their impact on views on censorship. I incorporate multiple variables including education, gender, age, political affiliation, and living location. Early …

Do Political Party Voter Contact & Gotv Efforts Increase Voter Turnout?, Cody Gunsalus

Political Science Theses and Capstones

While the disconnect between potential voters and those who represent them has grown, parties have spent billions of dollars and millions of hours on voter contact. My question is how effective is pre-election voter contact in increasing voter turnout? What party is most effective at voter turnout? Does the impact of voter contact differ based on education? Is it more effective depending upon age or gender? And how has it changed over time? To address these questions, I analyze National Election Studies (NES) data. The NES has surveyed the national electorate in every national election since 1948. Preliminary analysis has …

The Impact Of American Politics On Canadian Voters, Reilly Funk

Political Science Theses and Capstones

I analyze to what degree American political forces shape Canadian elections. Due to the unique economic and cultural relationship between the countries, U.S. political and policy changes impact the Canadian political landscape. I examine this relationship with a comparative study using the Canadian Election Study of the 2021 federal election. This data enables analysis of voter behaviour within a wide variety of voters. Tentative findings show that major political events within the United States, such as presidential elections and major policy shifts, have a major impact on election results in Canada. Canadian political parties consistently adjust their messaging strategies to …

Deportation And Immigration Enforcement In The United States: Analysis Of Regional And Country Variations, Exmond Ofori Sarpiah

Political Science Theses and Capstones

This study examines the motivations behind President Trump’s mass deportation policies due to the inflow of undocumented migrants from different regions in America. The study employs data visualization techniques, such as scatter plot and bar charts, to analyze regional and country variation trends in migrant removals and undocumented populations across global regions.

Campaign Finance Reform At The State Level, Darren Borsini

School of Public Policy Capstones

Should restrictions on campaign financing in the United States be laissez-faire or stringent? This debate has been had at levels as high as the Supreme Court and as wide as the legislative chambers of all fifty states. This paper aims to create a broader understanding of campaign finance reform at the state level. Specifically, this paper analyzes state-level data on campaign finance reform adoption, educational attainment, and partisan lean to determine the strength of correlations between these variables. Additionally, this paper utilizes expert knowledge gained through interviews focused on campaign finance reform with a former FPPC chair and a California …

Analyzing Public Opinion As An Input In The Systems Theory Framework By Examining The Democratic Responsiveness Of The Pennsylvania Legislature In The 2023-2024 Legislative Session, Donovan M. Villegas

Student Publications

I examine the 2023-2024 legislative session of the Pennsylvania General Assembly to determine the role public opinion plays in the content of legislation. I use a public policy systems and theories framework as my main theoretical model. Using quarterly polling that identifies the top issues for voters, I find that the Pennsylvania legislature responded to those top issues. This suggests that public opinion does play an influential role in legislative action. These results are consistent with what the systems and theories framework would predict.

The Relationship Between Precision Strikes And Terrorist Activity, Connor A. Joyce

Student Publications

Precision warfare is intended to reduce the human costs for allied combatants in conflict. However, as this new form of fighting becomes increasingly central to modern military campaigns, its impact on terrorist activity warrants close examination. This paper explores the psychological effects of trauma on terrorist behavior, engages with scholarly debates on the outcomes of precision tactics, and presents statistical analysis to argue that the United States’ use of precision warfare, from 2000 through 2019, contributed to increased amounts of terrorist activity. Empirical findings in Somalia, Yemen, and Afghanistan support this claim. Precision tactics have been known to save American …

Determinants Of Voting Behavior In The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election: Issues, Demographics, And The Pandemic's Influence, Julissa Cavazos

Posters - 2025

• The 2020 election caused many shifts in how certain groups voted based on their views on several issues which is why this research is essential.

• Leading up to the election, the top issues among voters according to news sites were the state of the economy, attitudes on how the government handled the COVID-19 pandemic, and concern over the immigration crisis.

• COVID-19 was a main factor in causing individuals to vote for Joe Biden as president.

Immigration: A Comparative Analysis Of The United States And Europe, Julissa Cavazos

Posters - 2025

* What can the United States do to improve the immigration system compared to Europe?

* What ideas and procedures could the United States adopt to alleviate the current immigration issue?

Key Factors In U.S. Mass Shootings: A Statistical Approach, Jared Martinez

Posters - 2025

Mass shootings in the U.S. have surged at an alarming rate. From 1976 to 2018, there were 155 mass public shootings, resulting in 1,078 deaths and 1,694 nonfatal injuries and the rate has only accelerated in recent years. In just eight years (2013–2021), over 200 more occurred. Understanding the factors behind these tragedies is critical for prevention. The 2022 Uvalde school shooting, where an 18-year-old legally purchased assault rifles before killing 21 people, exemplifies the consequences of easy firearm access. By identifying patterns, we can help shape policies to reduce these horrific events and protect communities

Melville And The Market: Literature And The Language Of Capitalism In Nineteenth-Century America, Emma Williams

History & Classics Undergraduate Theses

No abstract provided.