Political Science Commons^™

Femme Fatale: Explaining The Tactical Deployment Of Female Operatives By Terrorist Organizations, Katharine Burrage Russell

Dissertations - ALL

What explains variation in women’s participation in terrorist organization? Why do some terrorist organizations deploy women in violent, operative roles, whereas other terrorist organizations only deploy men as operatives? Why do some terrorist organizations begin a conflict with only male operatives but later begin to recruit, train, and deploy female operatives? Previous literature examining the deployment of women by terrorist organizations has been largely divided into those who examine the radicalization process of potential recruits (the “supply” side of the equation) or the reasons why an organization seeks to recruit women as potential operatives (the “demand” side). Scholarship examining the …

Is Syria Truly On The Path To Democracy?, William Ulterino

Opinion Matters: Student Analyses of World News

This op-ed assesses the plausibility that Syria’s new government will usher in the first true democracy for an Islamic nation in the Middle East.

Restoring Confidence In Our Elections: An Analysis Of Post-Election Audits In South Dakota, Evan Sippel

Honors Thesis

Post-election audits have been a standard practice for election officials across much of the United States since the 2000 presidential election. However, there were still six states that had never performed a post-election audit as the nation prepared for the 2020 presidential election. Due to the controversies of the 2020 presidential election and the resulting decrease in voter confidence, particularly among Republican voters, there was a concerted effort in the few remaining states to pass legislation that would require election officials to conduct post-election audits. In response to this pressure, South Dakota passed a law to require that election officials …

Deterrence, Détente, Disarmament: German Relations With Nato And Russia Since Reunification, James Mroczka

Honors Theses

One consequence of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine was the German Chancellor’s declaration of a turning point in his country’s foreign policy. Although Germany is a loyal liberal democracy, it is noted for its staunch efforts to mediate between its Western friends, especially its NATO allies, and Russia. However, the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war has become emblematic of the persistent cooling of relations between these factions. This historical moment has thus called into question the efficacy of certain longstanding aspects of German foreign policy, including its attempts at mediation. Many of Germany’s behaviors seem deeply entrenched, however.

This begs the …

Japan And Its Hesitation In Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage, Morgan R. Lewellen

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Japan is the only state in the G7 that has not legalized same-sex marriages despite increasing support of LGBTQ+ rights and norms for respecting human rights. While some local governments and constitutional courts have made progress with recognizing same-sex partnerships and deeming the ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, the Japanese national government has not enacted comprehensive pro-LGBTQ+ policy. Instead, the Diet (Japan’s legislative body) passed the “LGBT Understanding and Enhancement Bill” in 2023, which is a law that fails to legally recognize same-sex marriage or provide protections. This project aims to explore Japan’s hesitancy by examining politics, culture, history, and …

Breaking News And Broken Hopes: Inter-Korean Engagement And The Emotional Consequences Of Media Framing, Sophia Lizanne Trombley

Honors Theses

This thesis analyzes two periods of pro-North Korean engagement regimes in South Korea during the presidencies of Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003), Roh Moo-hyun (2003-2008), and Moon Jae-in (2017-2023). Through analysis of the three aforementioned presidents’ initiatives for engagement with the North, categorization of news headlines from two major South Korean sources, and public opinion polls, I argue that especially high and low emotional reactions among the South Korean public during these periods were exacerbated by news media’s overly dramatized portrayal of inter-Korean interactions, both big and small. This has led to desensitization and emotional exhaustion among the South Korean public, causing …

The Mechanism Of Election Denial: How Ideological Extremism Leads To Anti-Support For The United States Government, Emily C. Reeks

Honors Theses

The violent events of January 6, 2021 explicitly demonstrated the widening ideological gap in the United States, as citizens and members of Congress both questioned the results of the 2020 election. This research paper seeks to understand if this increasing ideological extremity might manifest itself as questioning the legitimacy of an election among members of Congress. Researchers across decades have studied the sort of effects that increasing ideological extremity can have on voters; however, I could not find much research on how it might affect members of Congress. I theorize that ideological extremity amongst members of Congress is causing them …

Weathering The Storm: Examining Mississippi’S Disaster Recovery For Diverse Economic Groups, Ethan C. Robertson

Honors Theses

This study investigates the systemic disparities in disaster recovery resource allocation in Mississippi, with a particular focus on the challenges faced by underprivileged communities. Guided by the central research question—how can we make disaster recovery more equitable?—this research critically examines whether current disaster recovery policy in Mississippi is equitable and how effectively it addresses the needs of diverse economic groups. The current disaster recovery model often fails to address the unique needs of socio-economically vulnerable populations, hindering their ability to recover effectively. Through case studies of Hurricane Katrina (2005), the Mississippi River Flooding (2011), and undeclared tornadoes in December 2022, …

Living In Paradise? Cameroonian Women In The American Diaspora, Joseph Takougang

Journal of African Policy Studies

For decades after independence, African migration was a phenomenon that could be attributed to a patriarchal culture that encouraged male domination. Later, that traditional mindset was reinforced by a colonial system that often marginalized the role of women in many African societies. Indeed, because young men were more likely to be educated than their female counterparts under the colonial system, they were advantaged after independence to attend institutions of higher learning abroad when it became necessary to train young Africans to occupy important government and other decision-making positions in the newly independent states. Recently, however, women have become important players, …

Socioeconomic Status Of Parents And Provision Of Education In The Context Of The Covid-19 Pandemic In Cameroon: The Case Of The Southwest Region, Sophie Edume Etomes, Fonkeng Epah George

Journal of African Policy Studies

This study examines the effect of the socioeconomic status of parents on the provision of education during the COVID-19 lockdown in Cameroon. Three major objectives guided this study, which examines the effects of parents’ educational level and level of income on the provision of education and how the emergency response strategy adopted by the government affected the provision of quality education for all. A case study research design was used, and the Southwest Region was chosen as the study site. Forty parents from rural and urban areas within the region were selected while twelve divisional delegates were sampled for the …

Transformation Of Artisanal Small-Scale Mining (Asm) In Ghana: From Pre-Colonial To The Modern Era, Emmanuel Ababio Ofosu-Mensah

Journal of African Policy Studies

Literature abounds on the nature and impact of gold mining activities in Ghana, but limited efforts have so far been directed at exploring a concise historical account of the transformation of artisanal small-scale gold mining in Ghana from the pre-colonial era to the present. Against this background, this article traces the history of gold mining policies and regulations that have brought about the transformation of the artisanal small-scale mining sector in Ghana. Drawing on archival documents, interviews, newspaper reports, and a review of secondary materials, this study reveals that, unlike the situation in the pre-colonial era, artisanal mining from the …

The Women’S Emancipation Struggle In Senegal During The 1980s And 1990s: The Case Of The “Yewwu-Yewwi” Movement, Aliou Ly

Journal of African Policy Studies

Senegalese women’s socio-cultural and economic status has always been shaped by local customs, religion, and gender structures. During the colonial period, against the backdrop of the opportunity to have a Western education, economic changes and extremely rapid urbanization encouraged Senegalese women to join the political arena in supporting various male political leaders. This trend continued during the post-colonial period, leading to the election of female parliamentarians and women holding high governmental positions in the 1960s and 1970s. The 1980s saw the creation of more vocal and visible women’s organizations such as the Yewwu-Yewwi “Pour la Liberation des Femmes” movement of …

Cover And Table Of Contents, Journal Of African Policy Studies

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Healthcare Policy And Administration In Nigeria: A Critical Analysis, Robert A. Dibie

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper examines the perception of the effectiveness of the healthcare system in Nigeria by citizens and residents of the country. It argues that the Nigerian government needs to adopt a more pragmatic healthcare policy, one that could be more effectively implemented. Unlike the old practice of the Ministry of Health, an innovative approach to healthcare delivery should involve benchmarks, strategic doing, and coordination of priorities, as well as partnerships with various stakeholders from the private sector, including nongovernmental organizations and foreign investors. The paper uses quantitative and qualitative data derived from questionnaire surveys and interviews administered to 3,202 Nigerian …

Africa And Us Foreign Direct Investments In The 21st Century: The Contours Of Global Engagement, Moses K. Tesi

Journal of African Policy Studies

The focus of this article is to analyze the state of US private investments in Africa, the nature, pattern, and trend of such investments, and various ideas about factors that have either inhibited or accelerated the growth of investment flows to countries in the region. US private investments in Africa were inconsequential from the 1960s to 1990s, but in the 2000s, significant efforts were made by the US government to encourage, promote, and support private US firms to invest in Africa, and efforts were also made by African governments to increase US private investments on the continent. My research shows …

The Rural Development Politics Under Prime Minister K.A. Busia Of Ghana, 1969-1972, Kwame Adum-Kyeremeh

Journal of African Policy Studies

This article discusses rural development under the Second Republican government of Ghana. While not directly engaging with the claims of Busia’s unrivalled rural development agenda, this article provides some perspectives as to why the assertions of unqualified success remain popular. Drawing on newspapers and published sources, it discusses the Busia government’s rural development programme and accomplishments, and finds that plans to develop rural Ghana date to several years before the Busia government. By adopting rural development as its flagship programme, Busia directed the government and citizens’ attention towards rapid rural development in the early 1970s. Widespread media publicity has helped …

Women And The Policy Process: Minimum Marriageable Age Policy Adoption In Nigeria, Ene Ekpebe

Journal of African Policy Studies

Nigeria has the eleventh highest incidence of early marriage – marriage before the age of 18 – in the world. This is problematic because early marriage has been shown to have significant health and socioeconomic disadvantages for girls. In 2003, the Child Rights Act (CRA) was adopted by the federal government of Nigeria. One of its provisions was a prohibition of early marriage. As of 2022, 25 of Nigeria’s 36 states had adopted the CRA. However, only 23 have adopted its minimum marriageable age provision without exception. This paper discusses the factors affecting the adoption of the CRA’s minimum marriageable …

Cover And Table Of Contents, Journal Of African Policy Studies

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Afghanistan: An Analysis Of U.S. Foreign Policy’S Effect On Afghan Terrorism Rates, Katelyn E. Tinsley Foust

Honors Theses

While the term ‘terrorism’ was first coined and widely used in the late 1700s regarding the French Reign of Terror, its popularity has grown dramatically around the globe in the last few decades. Advancements in things like technology and news reporting have made these attacks more popular and have given terrorists an easier outlet to be recognized around the world. One such area we hear about often is the Middle East and the Levant. Countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Israel, and more, are routinely discussed in our news cycles here in the United States, especially since the terrorist attacks on …

Case Studies In Modern Accountancy: Exploring Financial Ethics, Corporate Influence, And Regional Development Through An Interdisciplinary Lens, Caroline Klocke

Honors Theses

This thesis compiles five case studies researched and completed during the 2023-2024 academic year, each exploring a different topic pertaining to the accounting profession today. With the guidance of Dr. Victoria Dickinson, professor at the University of Mississippi, these case studies were completed throughout the Accountancy 420 class to fulfill the research requirements of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and the Patterson School of Accountancy. The first case emphasizes reliable international financial reporting, while exploring the exposure of fraudulent Chinese companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges that costed American investors billions of dollars. The second explores U.S. military spending …

The Impact Of Technological Advancements On The Likelihood Of Conflict, Miriam King

Honors Theses

There are a multitude of variables that result in the occurrence of militarized conflicts. This paper seeks to analyze the impact of one specific variable: the adaptation of a technological advancement. To isolate this relationship my study controlled for a country’s form of government, gross domestic product, and number of military personnel by year. A regression of ordinary least squares was used to investigate the correlation between conflict initiation and military technologies. A country-year data set was constructed using data from the Correlates of War Militarized Interstate Dispute Data and data from Hariri and Wingender. Three case studies were analyzed …

Beyond Victory And Settlement: Rethinking War Termination Through Post-Conflict Conditions, Emery C. Thigpen

Honors Theses

This thesis examines how different war termination types—decisive military victory, negotiated settlement, and ceasefire—shape long-term political stability through the mechanisms of enforcement, political inclusion, and economic recovery. While much of the existing literature focuses on civil wars, this study applies those insights to interstate conflicts, arguing that stability depends not on how wars end, but on whether post-war structures support compliance, legitimacy, and economic resilience. The central claim is that post-war peace is more likely to endure when enforcement mechanisms deter spoilers, inclusive political frameworks prevent renewed grievances, and economic recovery restores state capacity and legitimacy. Using a most similar …

The Role Of Regional Integration Organizations On Energy Transition And Sustainable Development In Africa, Neba Ridley Ngwa

Journal of African Policy Studies

The Paris Agreement represents a pivotal milestone in multilateral efforts to combat climate change and facilitate energy transition globally. As a comprehensive international legal framework, it outlines commitments for nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance resilience to climate impacts. This research examines the key role of regional and sub-regional integration organizations in facilitating energy transition and promoting sustainable development across Africa. As the continent grapples with the dual challenges of energy crisis and climate change, the African Union and its specialised agencies have emerged as key players in enhancing energy cooperation among member states. Though previous scholars have …

Social Movements And Democratization In Nigeria Since 1999: The Search For Good Governance And Justice, Kwame Adum-Kyeremeh, Danladi Abah

Journal of African Policy Studies

What factors account for the surge in social movements in Nigeria and what are the implications for democratization? Who have been the actors and what internal and external dynamics are reconfiguring the materiality of social movements? How is the state responding to the dramatic fluidity and frequency in movements? And what strategies have civil societies used to harness the potentials in social movements for sustainable democratization? Through a political economy approach, oral interviews with NGO leaders, leaders of human rights and pro-democracy activists, interviews with some citizens, and use of journals, newspapers, magazines and reports, this study interrogates and documents …

Les Archives Au Cameroun Dans Les Politiques Publiques De Développement: Des Plans Quinquennaux A La Stratégie Nationale De Développement Snd 2020–2030, Esther Olembe

Journal of African Policy Studies

Cet article examine la place des archives dans le contenu des documents de politiques publiques de développements au Cameroun, depuis les plans quinquennaux d’aprèsindépendance jusqu’à la Stratégie Nationale de Développement 2020–2030 (SND2020–2030). Après l’accession aux indépendances, les pays africains ont cherché à formuler des politiques endogènes de développement, souvent sous l’influence des modèles de coopérations internationales. Le rôle des archives dans ces processus de développement est paradoxalement resté relativement marginal, bien que crucial pour la continuité et la transparence des actions publiques, comme le démontre la revue de la littérature étudiée. L’article met en lumière la difficile intégration des systèmes …

Leading Schools In The Midst Of Covid-19: Experiences Of Basic School Leaders Of The Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem District Of The Central Region Of Ghana, Corinne Brion

Journal of African Policy Studies

This qualitative study uses a phenomenological approach to understand the experiences of thirteen Ghanaian head-teachers in suburban and rural areas of the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem district during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings revealed that these leaders faced numerous challenges related to pivoting to remote learning for the first time combined with the lack of access to technology. Other challenges pertained to the absence of infrastructure and resources such as books. Despite these challenges, these Ghanaian head-teachers were able to adapt to the crisis and alter their leadership style to educate the children they served. Currently, there is a limited …

Archives In Cameroon In Public Development Policies: From Five-Year Plans To The National Development Strategy 2020–2030, Esther Olembe

Journal of African Policy Studies

This article examines the role of archives in Cameroon’s public development policies, from post-independence five-year plans to the National Development Strategy 2020–2030 (SND2020–2030). After gaining independence, African countries sought to formulate endogenous development policies, often influenced by international cooperation models. However, archives have paradoxically remained relatively marginal in these development processes, despite being crucial for continuity and transparency in public actions, as demonstrated in the reviewed literature. The article highlights the challenges of integrating archive management systems into development strategies, despite being essential for the planning, management, and evaluation of public policies. It also analyzes current archiving policies and proposes …

Cover, Table Of Contents, And Editor's Message, Julius A. Amin

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Book Reviews, Percyslage Chigora

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Nigeria's Federalism And The Threat Of Secession: The Case Of The Ipob, Emmanuel Oladipo Ojo, Osadola Oluwaseun Samuel

Journal of African Policy Studies

Since 2015, there has been renewed agitation for the creation of the Republic of Biafra. This article focuses on one of the two organizations involved in that struggle: The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB, the second being the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB). The Federation of Nigeria, inaugurated on 1 October 1954 under the Lyttelton Constitution, which became operational on that date, has been assailed by a plethora of centrifugal pulls and secession threats since 1950. While many of these threats were resolved politically and at round tables, a few had involved armed confrontation …