Political Science Commons^™

Local Government And Community Development In The 21st Century: Evidence From Nigeria, Olawale Akinrinde, Akanbi Ololade

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

The central aim of this study is to examine and highlight the role of local government in community development. Drawing evidence from Iwo Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria, this study brings the Nigerian political arrangement to the fore by establishing its negation of the undergrowth of community development which underscores true federalism. Relying on the General Systems theory further, this study established a linkage between local government and community development in Nigeria. Challenges such as lack of true federalism, local government autonomy, lack of funds, and under-staffing were discovered as root causes of local governments' inability and failure …

Entrepreneurship And Job Creation In Rural Subsaharan Africa: A Case Study Of Selected Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurs In Nigeria And Kenya, Terhemen Justine Agabo, Jackson Akor

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

The bulk of the poor in sub-Saharan Africa live in rural areas and Entrepreneurship is often used as a tool to curb poverty across communities. This study investigates the impact of entrepreneurship on employment and economic livelihoods in selected rural communities in Nigeria and Kenya using a Theory of Change framework. Acombination of descriptive and exploratory techniques was used to analyze the data gathered from interviews conducted among 40 respondents comprising Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurs working in rural communities and residents of the selected communities. Findings show that entrepreneurship contributes to the employment of locals in the communities, especially in …

Interrogating Factors Encumbering E-Government Projects In Zimbabwe, Bismark Mutizwa

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

a journey of public sector transformation through the adoption and implementation of e-government projects. E-government projects are viewed as vehicles of organisational capacity embedded with transparent, accountability, efficiency and effectiveness. In a bid to bring about transmogrification in the public sector, the Zimbabwean government has implemented a number of e-government projects. To this end, this research paper seeks to examine the factors that are hindering the success of these projects and offer remedial actions that can be adopted to guarantee project success.

Who Will Silence The Guns? (The Youth As African Solutions To African Problems), Chimwemwe A. Fabiano, Margaret Lowilla, Tabitha Mwangi, Ikran Abdullahi

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

The 50th Anniversary of the Organization of African Union marked a significant time for reflection on the progress made on the continent, as well as persisting challenges. Protracted civil conflicts, proliferation of small arms and light weapons amongst civilian populations and the spread of violent extremism were identified as significant impediments to the progress of the continent. The initiative 'Silence the Guns by 2020 recognises dialogue-centred conflict prevention and resolution, human centred development and peace as requisite to ensuring and realizing Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. This paper identifies alternative dispute resolution methods and soft power approaches as key …

Beijing In Bamako: Burdens Of Involvement Even For The Non-Colonial Non-Interventionist, Albert Mhangami

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

In pursuit of the AU's 'Silence of the Guns', Foreign military involvement on the African continent has become a heavily polarized conversation. China, with its non-colonial ties to the continent and non- intervention policy for the first time sent actual combat troops to a peacekeeping mission in Mali sparking questions about China's changing role in the world. This article takes a different view. It analyses the dynamics that caused China to become militarily involved on the continent. , The paper focuses on the interconnected nature of conflict in Africa, the role of Continental and local authorities, and the role of …

Engendering Community Participation Or Contestations? Examining The Mandatory Community Development Agreement In The Extractive Sector Of Sierra Leone, Wusu Conteh

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

The African Mining Vision has engendered the introduction of mandatory community development agreement (CDA) into the legal framework of some countries in Africa. In 2009, Sierra Leone enacted the Mines and Minerals Act that obligates mining companies to invest in host communities. The study focuses on the Sierra Rutile CDA program's case in Sierra Leone. Extant scholarly works have largely explored the resource curse and voluntary corporate social responsibility. There are limited studies to unravel the new mandatory community development agreement. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the CDA in Sierra Leone. The results show that the …

Democratization As A Peacekeeping Strategy: A Comparative Analysis Of The United States And The European Union, Gabrielle Orphali

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine whether democratization should be utilized as a method of peacekeeping. This is determined by studying both the United States and the European Union's efforts to spread democracy globally. The historic framework is studied to understand the unique perspective each body has formed in defining democracy, and the method through which it should be spread. The definition of power, democracy, and the state are studied. The concepts are applied to the case studies of Iraq and Turkey in order to make a determination.

Antihaitianismo Analyzed: The Development Of A Community And Underlying Social Issues In The Dominican Republic, Raphael J. Merritt

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Discrimination manifests itself in an unending variety of forms and can be observed in nearly every society the world has seen up to the present. What is often overlooked, however, are the ways in which discriminatory behaviors form as a result of complex history and cultural relations. This is no less clear than it is with the case of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, two countries that share a small island in the Caribbean. This thesis places its focus in breaking down the complex history and attitudes that have, in turn, led to the creation and espousing of antihaitianismo in …

U.S. Government And Politics In Principle And Practice: Democracy, Rights, Freedoms And Empire, Samuel Finesurrey, Gary Greaves

Open Educational Resources

This book is written for students early in college to provide a guide to the founding documents and structures of governance that form the United States political system. This book is called American Government and Politics in Principle and Practice because you will notice that what has been inscribed in law has not always been applied in practice-particularly for indigenous peoples, enslaved peoples, people of color, women, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, those formerly incarcerated, immigrants and the working class within U.S. society. In designing this book, we have two goals. First, we want you to know what the founding documents …

Understanding The Role Of Religion In Shaping Cross-National And Domestic Attitudes And Interest In Abortion, Homosexuality, And Pornography Using Traditional And Google Search Data, Amy Adamczyk, Yu-Hsuan Liu, Jacqueline Scott

Publications and Research

Over the last 20 years, internet usage has increased substantially, providing an inexpensive source of data that may be less prone to bias and could provide a greater number of meso and macro units. However, validating big data and their usefulness has been challenging. This study uses established sources to validate Google Trends’ search interest in the “Bible” across US Designated Market Areas and “Ramadan” across nations, establishing a potential new source of religion data. We then use these measures to show that people from religiously conservative US areas and countries are more likely to disapprove of homosexuality, abortion and …

The ‘Global South’ In The Study Of World Politics: Examining A Meta Category, Sebastian Haug, Jacqueline Braveboy-Wagner, Günther Maihold

Publications and Research

This introductory contribution examines the ‘Global South’ as a meta category in the study of world politics. Against the backdrop of a steep rise in references to the ‘Global South’ across academic publications, we ask whether and how the North–South binary in general, and the ‘(Global) South’ in particular, can be put to use analytically. Building on meta categories as tools for the classification of global space, we discuss the increasing prominence of the ‘Global South’ and then outline different understandings attached to it, notably socio-economic marginality, multilateral alliance-building and resistance against global hegemonic power. Following an overview of individual …

The Effect Of Proximal Carceral Contact On Political Participation, Emily Loomis

Honors Program Theses

In light of the events of the summer of 2020 with the murder of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breanna Taylor, the United States has seen nationwide protests. The purpose of this research is to further examine the relationship between the criminal justice system and the individuals who come into indirect contact with it. The carceral state, or criminal justice system, has expanded rapidly in the last fifty years. An institution of its size and influence has far-reaching consequences, including on those who do not directly come into contact with it. This can affect how everyday citizens interact with the …

The Administration Of American Elections During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sydney Wagner

Honors Program Theses

Elazar identifies three main political subcultures that intermingle to form the national political culture: traditionalistic, moralistic, and individualistic. I am using these three political subcultures to see if they offer an insight into each state’s decision regarding election administration. In times of crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, will states react differently as they attempt to administer elections and does political culture inform such varied responses? I conducted case studies of Iowa, Georgia, and Pennsylvania and applied a series of variables including the strength of each state’s voter ID law, the voter turnout, state office control, and relevant events. After …

Anti-Communist Politics Of The Second Red Scare And How It Affected Hollywood And The Types Of Movies Being Made, Maddy Everson

Honors Program Theses

During the Second Red Scare from 1947 to 1957, anti-communist sentiment was rampant and affected Hollywood and the types of movies being made. This was due to governmental agencies—as well as non-governmental institutions and people—being suspicious of and investigating anyone who was suspected of having communist ties. This caused a level of fear that affected what was shown in the content of the movies and who could make them. It is important to examine how the movies and film industry was influenced by the Second Red Scare. This is because Hollywood was strongly affected not only at this time but …

U.S. Presidential Election Portrayed By Foreign Media: Costa Rica And Nicaragua Comparative Study, Emily Neumann

Honors Program Theses

The U.S. presidential election not only grabs a lot of media attention from the United States, but it also catches the attention of media from around the world. How does the foreign media portray the U.S. presidential election? This study seeks to answer a piece of this question through an analysis of media sources in Costa Rica and Nicaragua in the hopes of better informing audiences on the potential frames their media be constructing their information through. The analysis considers the tone, along with the articles’ conversations of policy and personality of the candidates. After selecting 10 articles from each …

Assessing Opinions Towards Transgender Individuals, Tiffeni Russo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The purpose of this thesis is to examine changing attitudes towards transgender individuals, in that they are overwhelmingly marginalized and discriminated against. Recently, the Trump Administration has sought to limit their protections, such as their right to enter a restroom facility of their preferred gender identity. Up until recently, there was not such an overwhelming presence of transgender media available to the public. The emergence of the transgender community owes its success in part due to the Civil Rights Movement, where gays and lesbians came out in droves to push for their rights and the ability to live their lives …

Ziba, Ziba, Sherianne Schow, Brandi Kilmer, Heather Oman

TSOS Interview Gallery

Ziba, a promising medical student, fled Afghanistan in 2018 due to instability and for her safety. Life was difficult upon arrival in the United States. In Afghanistan Ziba was involved in national and international poetry, math and science competitions. Ziba went from having everything to starting completely over in a new country. Her anxiety and depression became extremely difficult to deal with She reminded herself who she was, what her passions were and in January 2019 started medical school while working part time as a cashier. Her hope for future arriving refugees is to have a mental health network established …

Divide And Slaughter: Bridging The Gap Between Animal Rights And Racial Justice Through An Analysis Of The Link Between Slaughterhouses And Domestic Violence, Kailey Mcneal

Pitzer Senior Theses

This thesis concerns the injustices present in industrial animal agriculture in the United States, domestic violence, and their disproportionate impact on marginalized communities. Despite the work of social movements centered around domestic violence and the slaughterhouse, the state of both continues to worsen, particularly for communities of color. My research seeks to uncover what factors preclude the efficacy of these movements. A qualitative analysis of the labor advocacy and animal rights movements in the slaughterhouse and the domestic violence advocacy movement suggests that the current disparate framings of these injustices and a lack of attention to race contribute to the …

Claremont College Students’ Perceptions Of Sexual Education Effectiveness: An Analysis Of Demographic Characteristics And Values, Michelle Calcany Blair

Pitzer Senior Theses

The purpose of this paper is to determine college students’ attitudes and evaluations of their K-12 sex education while considering demographic factors; in doing so, one can provide young adults with more autonomy over their education while better understanding how to make sex education more effective. The demographic factors that were considered along with student responses were: state of schooling, whether their schooling was religious or non-religious, whether one’s school was public or private, political affiliation of the school and neighborhood, race of the participants, and gender of the participants. These factors were deemed relevant for helping shape how people …

Should We Pool Or Should We Nationalize? A Quantitative Assessment Of The Role Of Sovereignty In Brexit, Alexa K. Urmaza

Honors Theses

The announcement of Brexit on June 23, 2016 shocked Europe as well as the greater global community. Political scientists continue to debate the causes of Brexit, but this paper argues that the debate over sovereignty, particularly the tension between national and pooled sovereignties, played a substantial role in the outcome of the referendum. This paper evaluates the extent to which the Brexit referendum was a rejection of pooled sovereignty and a reprioritization of national sovereignty. This paper conducts a discourse analysis on 4109 sources from the Leave and Remain campaigns, which were all assessed for the use of nineteen terms …

Increasing Police Accountability To The Citizens It Serves: The Production Of High-Quality Public Services Through Bottom-Up Governance, Esther B. Kim

Honors Theses

In light of the recent protests against police brutality, we have witnessed overall patterns of dissatisfaction in public opinion with the current state of policing, exacerbated by an inability to produce widespread and substantial police reform. This perplexing issue is the result of increased reliance on top-down regulation, which relies upon the assumption that the users of police services do not directly contribute to the quality of the service produced. As a consequence, there is a general lack of avenues for citizen participation, or bottom-up governance, to effectively channel public opinion towards creating substantive changes within police departments. Constructing a …

Neo-Colonial Actors?: Analyzing French Ngos In Francophone West Africa, Katharine R. Kilcoyne

Honors Theses

Non-governmental organizations (NGO) have the reputation for being benevolent organizations that help populations in need. Globally, these organizations promote this particular image to the public, but international NGOs also often work in tandem with other neo-colonial structure systems to maintain Western domination over poor and underdeveloped countries in Africa and elsewhere. This thesis looks at this phenomenon through the lens of French neo-colonialism and the Françafrique regime to study the extent to which French NGOs participate in this neo-colonial system in Francophone West Africa. Using interview data and data collected from the European Commission’s ECHO, this thesis looks at the …

Us And Them: Populism In The United States, Julia E. Pfau

Honors Theses

The term “populism” has been thrown around recently—heedless of any cohesive meaning—to describe a wide variety of politics. But can we define populism with sufficient clarity and precision as to make it a useful term with which to analyze political rhetoric? This thesis weaves together the fragmented literature on populism to invent a unique definition: populism in the United States is a mode of political persuasion characterized by an effort to promote the interests of “the people,” understood to be a monolithic and moral group of ordinary Americans, against a “corrupt” elite or establishment which obstructs these interests. Using this …

สงครามโลกครั้งที่ 1 กับการระบุตัวตนของสยามในสังคมระหว่างประเทศ, ศิวพล ชมภูพันธุ์

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

วิทยานิพนธ์นี้ศึกษาสงครามโลกครั้งที่ 1 กับการระบุตัวตนของสยามในสังคมระหว่างประเทศผ่านกรอบแนวคิดเรื่องสังคมระหว่างประเทศของสำนักอังกฤษและแนวคิดเรื่องการระบุตัวตนของชาติ จากการศึกษาพบว่า สงครามโลกครั้งที่ 1 เป็นจุดสัมฤทธิผลสูงสุดในกระบวนการระบุตัวตนของสยามในสังคมระหว่างประเทศอันเป็นผลมาจากการแสดงบทบาทระหว่างประเทศของการเป็นรัฐสมัยใหม่ อีกทั้งยังเป็นการแสดงผลของการผสมผสานความรู้ความเข้าใจเกี่ยวกับการทำงานของสถาบันระหว่างประเทศให้เป็นที่ประจักษ์แก่นานาอารยประเทศ ในอีกด้านหนึ่ง การระบุตัวตนของสยามจากสงครามโลกครั้งที่ 1 ได้ถูกนำมาใช้เป็นโอกาสในการเมืองภายในด้วยการเสริมสร้างความสำคัญให้แก่ระบอบราชาธิปไตยและการยกพระราชสถานะของพระบาทสมเด็จพระมงกุฎเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัวให้สูงเด่นยิ่งขึ้น

The Political Logic Of Government Disclosure: Evidence From Information Requests In Mexico, Daniel Berliner, Benjamin E. Bagozzi, Brian Palmer-Rubin, Aaron Erlich

Political Science Faculty Research and Publications

When citizens ask questions, how does their government answer? Requests for government information confront officials with incentives both for and against disclosure. We argue that officials seek to manage political risks in ways that favor requests from government-aligned regions. We study responsiveness in the context of Mexico’s access-to-information law, using publicly available data from several hundred thousand information requests filed with Mexican federal government agencies between 2003 and 2015. Our empirical strategy makes comparisons only among requests sent to similar agencies on similar topics at similar times, while accounting for the complexity, sophistication, and sensitivity of individual requests. We find …

Incentives For Organizational Participation: A Recruitment Experiment In Mexico, Brian Palmer-Rubin, Candelaria Garay, Mathias Poertner

Political Science Faculty Research and Publications

While the presence of a strong civil society is recognized as desirable for democracies, an important question is what motivates citizens to join organizations. This article presents novel experimental evidence on the conditions under which citizens join interest organizations. We presented 1,400 citizens in two Mexican states with fliers promoting a new local interest organization. These fliers contain one of four randomly selected recruitment appeals. We find evidence that both brokerage of state patronage and demand-making for local public goods are effective recruitment appeals. The effect for patronage brokerage is especially pronounced among respondents with prior organizational contact, supporting our …

“Yes, My Career Would End”: How The Existence Of Illicit Digital Media May Inhibit Women From Participating In Politics, Esther Afrakoma Appiah Dwaah

Masters Theses

The challenges faced by women in their quest to be equal participants with men in politics is not hidden. This study set out to examine how women may be restrained from rising to the highest offices in politics amidst fear of their existing nude contents that exist digitally. The body and sexuality of women have countlessly been employed as a tool to keep them out of political participation. Relying on data gathered through interviews with twenty four respondents, the study confirmed that women who have their illicit digital media in existence are less likely to take lead roles in politics …

Una Hacienda Local Pobre: ¿Qué Explica La Recaudación Predial En México? Poor Local Finances: What Explains Property Tax Collection In Mexico?, Monica Unda-Gutierrez

Political Science Faculty Research and Publications

Este artículo analiza los principales determinantes de la recaudación predial en México de 1990 a 2010. A través de un estudio estadístico, con base en datos a esca- la municipal, se examinan las principales hipótesis sugeridas por la literatura para entender los niveles de recaudación; es decir, se evalúa la capacidad explicativa de factores económicos, políticos y administrativos. Por un lado, se analiza qué tan- to las variables socioeconómicas del municipio, así como el monto de transferen- cias que reciben, influyen en la recaudación. Y por otro, se sopesa si la capacidad institucional del municipio y el nivel de competencia …

The Superfluous Congress: Executive Dominance And Business Lobbying In Mexico’S 2013 Tax Reform, Monica Unda-Gutierrez

Political Science Faculty Research and Publications

This paper analyzes the roles played by the legislative, executive, and business sector in Mexico’s 2013 tax reform, drawing on original field-research findings. I examine each of these actors’ influence over the public period of congressional debate, as well as the typically invisible agenda-setting stage and the adoption of executive decrees following the legislative process. I find that Congress remains subordinated to the executive in budgetary matters and that business is more central in shaping the details of the tax bill. The tax reform achieved little, leaving the overall fiscal capacity of the Mexican State largely unchanged.

Este artículo analiza …

Assimilating The Dominican Tourist: What Maps Tell Tourists In Puerto Plata About The Processes Of Capitalism And Imperialism, Amy Duncan

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The tourism industry in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic is dominated by foreign enterprise. Given the history of colonization in the Dominican Republic, the social dynamics in the tourism industry are imperialist by nature. This thesis seeks to understand how tourist maps are used to assimilate tourists into the social dynamics of Puerto Plata. To do this, it unravels existing literature on tourism in the Caribbean, the nature of the tourism industry in the Dominican Republic as well as its foreign benefactors, and foundational works on the sociological aspects of tourism.

The findings of this paper are that tourist maps seek …