International Relations Commons^™

Al Qaeda's Propaganda War: A War For Hearts And Minds, Jill Hannah Pohl

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Literature on terrorist efforts to win over hearts and minds discusses several influential factors: the politics of the organization, the relationship of the organization to the public, levels of violence, provocation of counterterror responses, and the use of various forms of propaganda. It is my contention that mass media propaganda, which reaches the widest audience, is most influential in the battle for hearts and minds. Al Qaeda has exploited this tool to sustain support.

In spite of this, Arab Public Opinion Surveys show a decline in support for Al Qaeda's anti-Western goals, and fluctuations in support for its methods. They …

Rwanda: (Limited) Effects Of The First Female Parliamentary Majority In The World, Charlene Anita Raman-Preston

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The case of Rwanda provides a laboratory to explore a unique set of circumstances. This thesis builds upon feminist theory, the literature on post-conflict situations and failed states. It finds that although Rwanda's post-conflict situation provided unexpected and historic opportunities for women to enter politics (a record 64 percent of the members of parliament are female), more women in parliament does not mean the end of patriarchy. Since 1994, Rwanda has experienced significant yet limited progress toward gender equality in employment and education. However, much remains to be done and gender dynamics have not changed substantively. Rather, increasing the numbers …

The Power Of Perception: Securitization, Democratic Peace, And Enduring Rivalries, Derrick Charles Seaver

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

What best explains the democratic peace: empirical indicators of democracy or the mutual perceptions of democracy within a dyadic relationship? This paper will examine three enduring rivalry dyads: the United States-Great Britain, France-Germany, and India-Pakistan, during the course of their respective enduring rivalries (Bennett, 1997; Diehl and Goertz, 2000). Within each of these dyads, I will provide detailed case studies of two conflicts at different phases of democratization - six cases in total - in order to ascertain the answers to three questions: 1) What role, if any, did the democratic character of the individual governments play in the resolution …

Religious Fundamentalism Vs. Security: What Really Drives Likud's Policies Towards Israeli Settlements?, Claudio Vinicius Santo

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This research challenges the general claim that religious fundamentalist groups exercise great influence in Israeli policies regarding settlements in the Palestinian disputed territory. It proposes an alternate hypothesis that security considerations, rather, are the driving factors underlying the government's decision process. These two propositions are evaluated by assessing three settlement decisions made under a Likud led government - a common factor purposely chosen given the known symbiotic relation between religious fundamentalist groups and the Likud's right wing political movement. Upon assessing the return of Sinai to Egypt, the annexation of the Golan Heights, and the unilateral disengagement from Gaza Strip, …

Resource Control And Political Development In Africa: The Cases Of The Democratic Republic Of The Congo And The Republic Of Botswana, Oweka Ime

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Ironically, it appears that the countries with the greatest resource wealth have often had the hardest time achieving political and economic stability. Is there a direct correlation between the way in which natural resources are controlled within a country and its democratic process? How do other factors come into play, such as MNC involvement or the level of natural resource revenue dependency? This study compares and contrasts two resource-rich countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Botswana between 1885 and 2012. To address the problem under investigation, three hypotheses have been formulated: 1) the higher the …

The Little Brother Syndrome And Nuclear Proliferation, An Exploratory Analysis Of Pakistan And North Korea's Risk Prone Policies, Richard Ellis Hebblethwaite

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The successful pursuit of nuclear weapons technology by Pakistani and North Korean leaders has fundamentally shifted the post war nuclear paradigm that established the monopoly of five nuclear powers over nuclear weapons and supplies of fissile materials under the Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). How does one explain the daring nuclear pursuit of Pakistan and North Korea and their success in achieving this capability? Numerous theories have tried to explain both the rationale and the causal factor(s) for nuclear proliferation and specifically nuclear arms. While realism and neo-realism concentrate on the fear of the unknown; i.e., the international system and military power …

When Laws And Representation Are Not Enough: Enduring Impunity And Post-Conflict Sexual Violence In Liberia And Sierra Leone, Ashley D. Kitchen

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Throughout the course of history, literature and examination on the impact of civil war has focused little on women, especially in the cases of wartime rape. While the factors which sustain wartime rape are examined with frequency, using gender as an analytical lens, the analysis regarding post-conflict sexual violence and rape is studied far less, leading to the question: what factors are correlated with the continuance of widespread acts of rape even after the cessation of official conflict? Liberia and Sierra Leone suffered high levels of both wartime rape and also post-conflict sexual violence. This comparative case study, using process …

The Effects Of Chinese Petroleum Diplomacy On Us Energy Policy Objectives In Nigeria (1993-2010), Jennifer Lynn Leapley

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The United States and China have turned to Africa as an additional source of oil to ensure reliable, secure access to oil supplies in the future. While China stresses noninterventionist foreign policies, the US, at least rhetorically, if not in practice, links its energy policy in Africa to its foreign policy goals. China's petroleum diplomacy in Africa has raised concern among some scholars and policymakers about the effect an increased Chinese economic presence will have on American foreign policy objectives.

The question arises: What impact has Chinese petroleum diplomacy had on US foreign policy objectives? More specifically, how strongly, if …

Social Movements' Emergence And Form: The Green Movement In Iran, Afsaneh J Haddadian

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Theories of social movements suggest that 'objective' changes in the structure of political opportunities and their interaction with mobilizing and framing mechanisms render a system vulnerable to mass protest. By examining the variables relevant to such interaction, this study seeks to account for the emergence and form of the 2009 Green Movement in Iran. This research uses the congruence method and process traces the movement adherents' activities, mainly their use of Information Communication Technologies, and investigates the so-called opposition leaders' activities and statements. The study argues that in accounting for emergence and form of the Green Movement, we need to …

'Counting Votes And Bodies,' Election-Related Conflicts In Africa: A Comparative Study Of Ghana And Kenya, Ibrahim Mahama Nambiema

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Since joining the 'third wave' of democracy in the 1990s, African countries have focused on elections. Some leaders conduct elections to legitimize their authoritarian rule. Many of Africa's transitional democracies are associated with flawed elections and violent conflicts. The literature on electoral conflict places little emphasis on election governance. It is my assumption that the high rate of non-credible elections in Africa can be associated with election management that has exacerbated societal cleavages. Is an effective and independent election management body a necessary prerequisite for election results to be credible? Are credible elections correlated with lower levels of conflicts? Kenya …

Ngo-State Relations: Freedom House Status And Cooperation Versus Conflict, Jacquelyn Ann Schroeder

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Based on previous academic literature, relationships between non-governmental organizations and governments are categorized as being either generally cooperative or generally conflictual, and vary state to state. Considering an assumption that more freedom afforded to a state provides space in society for a more vibrant third sector, it seems intuitive that states with more freedom will experience more cooperative relationships with the NGO sector than states with less. However, six case studies illustrate that this may not always be a correct assumption. To test this hypothesis, Freedom House statuses between 1991 and 2011 are averaged to provide an overall status of …

How The City State Fares Under State Capitalism In The Prc: Local And State-Wide Reform, Alex Gregory Elkins

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

How do national political and economic policies impact the ability of cities to accomplish urban growth and economic goals? This study examines the state policies Shanghai operates under to assess the potential for software reform in China. Specifically, this study examines software by drawing on the corruption and rule of law theories of Larry Diamond and Randall Perrenboom. This study also uses Richard Florida's creative class theory to examine tolerance of lesbians and gay men in Shanghai and its impact on the city's priority industries. Additionally, this study examines Shanghai's placement on the 2008, 2010, and 2012 Global Cities Index …

Hearts And Minds: Us Foreign Policy And Anti-Americanism In The Middle East An Analysis Of Public Perceptions From 2002-2011, Joshua I. Cummins

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The literature on anti-Americanism in the Middle East suggests that there is a strong relationship between US foreign policy and public attitudes of the United States in the region. This study analyzes Middle Eastern public opinion of the United States from 2002 until 2011, while using quantitative and qualitative analysis to determine whether US foreign policy in the Middle East correlates with approval levels of the United States. The purpose of this study was to determine if US foreign policy measures such as US support for oppressive regimes, US support for Israel, and US intervention in domestic affairs affects the …

When "Boys Will Not Be Boys": Variations Of Wartime Sexual Violence By Armed Opposition Groups In Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone, And Nepal, Matthew Bolyn Conaway

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Wartime sexual violence is often assumed to be inevitable during conflict yet empirical evidence indicates that sexual violence varies in type and frequency within and across conflicts as well as among armed groups. A solid understanding of what variable(s) and causal pathway(s) permit the variation of systematic sexual violence in intrastate conflict situations by specific groups has yet to be developed. What factors explain the variation of sexual violence by certain armed opposition groups during conflict situations? This comparative study employs process-tracing and the congruence method to consider the utility of hypotheses drawn from the work of Elisabeth J. Wood …

Accounting For The Role Of The Public In Democratic States' Counterterrorism Policies: A Comparative Case Study Analysis Of Spain And The United Kingdom, Megan R. Cronenwett

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Democratic states are more susceptible to terrorist attacks and yet have the most responsibility to ensure their counterterrorism responses are in accordance with democratic principles. Respect for the rule of law and the freedoms of speech and press are just a few of the principles ingrained in democratic philosophy and likewise, by the very nature of a democracy, democratic states must be held accountable to their citizenries. These factors, however, can be a cause of dissention and can lead to a dangerous overreaction or a disproportionate response by democratic states in their counterterrorism policies, including leading to the very undemocratic …

Shanghai Cooperation Organization As A Counterbalance Against The United States, Bakhtiyar T. Dauekeev

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

According to the balance of power concept, nations tend to unite for opposing a hegemon with an equal force. Therefore, for the leading position of the US and its ability to project power globally, there should be an opposite and equal reaction from the other emerging power centers.

Since the collapse of the USSR, the hegemonic position of the United States has been unchallenged. However, there is a possibility that it might be counterbalanced in future by the growing political influence of emerging powers like Russia and China, which have already succeeded in countering the US influence in some parts …

When Prohibition And Violence Collide: The Case Of Mexico, Kyleigh M. Clark

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Some theorists have found a positive correlation between increased drug prohibition enforcement and a rise in violence. These studies focus on the United States and Colombia, arguing that prohibition amplifies violence, rather than decreasing it. Much like the United States and Colombia earlier in their histories, Mexico has recently experienced an escalation in violence. Since beginning a democratic transition in 2000, the Mexican government has intensified a war on drugs by strengthening the rule of law, battling corruption, and cooperating with the United States' drug war. This study, using a congruence method with process-tracing, will analyze the Mexican case in …

Dammed And The Damned: Draining The Bucket Dry, Carla Steiger

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates how people displaced from the construction of large dams in seek environmental justice. I studied the importance of regime type, the creation of protest groups and the formation of alliances with national, international organizations, and the media. In a comparison between protest movements against the Three Gorges Dam in China and the Sardar Sarovar Dam in India, displaced populations suffered from loss of community, livelihood, and health and were victimized by corrupt actors that supported the dams. The rapid economic development of these two countries emerged as a major point of comparison between the two. Regime type …

The Origins Of Ethno/National Separatist Terrorism: A Cross-National Analysis Of The Background Conditions Of Terrorist Campaigns, Brandon Charles Snell

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This study measures the influence that multiple social, political, and economic conditions have on the development of ethno/national separatist terrorist organizations. It begins by analyzing the nationalist theories of primordialism, modernism, and ethnosymbolism, and the terrorist theories of strategic logic and psychology. The nationalist theories consider cultural symbols a powerful component behind nationalist movements and populations with significant symbolic attachments especially prone to react aggressively against perceived threats to those symbols. Proponents of strategic logic and psychological theory also view terrorism as reactive but deviate on whether this response is conceived rationally. Examining the origins of Basque and Catalan terrorism …

Gender Politics: A Case Study Of Feminism In Iran, Sara A. Hoff

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The literature on feminism and Islam shows that there is a distinct relationship and conflict between identity groups in Iran. An alliance between Muslim and secular feminists has been observed in the past in Iran; however, a breakdown of the alliance has occurred in recent years. It is my assumption that in order for feminists in Iran to unite, several principles of Iris Young's communicative democracy and coalition building practices have to be applied. Communicative democracy stresses that individuals' ideas often change when interaction with other people and their experiences occurs. Further, communicative democracy emphasizes the importance of recognizing the …

How Does A Democratic Brazil Constrast With Authoritarian Brazil In Terms Of Promoting Human Security?, Pablo Albuquerque Banhos

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This study compares and contrasts two distinct regimes, the Brazilian military regime (1964-1985) and Brazil's current democratic regime (1985-2007). The focus of this thesis is to determine why, compared to the authoritarian regime, human security has improved measurably under democracy in some areas but not in others. To assess this paradox, one variable has been chosen: the rule of law, specifically conceptualized as violations of physical integrity. This research centers on the metropolitan areas of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and is based on a qualitative examination supplemented by quantitative evidence. The study finds that violations of physical integrity …

Religious Pluralism In Mauritius And Turkey, Morgan J. O'Brien Iii

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the treatment and facilitation of religious pluralism in Mauritius and Turkey. The thesis utilizes a most-different comparative case study, and argues for the existence of a tipping point that ultimately compels the elected leadership to act. The two states were chosen as most different cases due to their marked difference in religious diversity within each state, as Turkey is almost universally Muslim and Mauritius is very diverse, with large percentages of Christian, Muslim and Buddhist followers on the island state.

Non-State Actors And Asymmetric Warfare: A New Paradigm For International Relations, Matthew H. Wahlert

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

A billiard table metaphorically explains the conduct of states within the international system- sometimes clashing and other times tenuously co-existing. Yet, the international system ultimately remains a construct and pattern for the state actors. Spatially, the dimensions and context of the system fit the needs, requirements, and structure of the states. However, the system is one dimensional and does not account for the realities of the complexities inherent to the post Cold War Era. Currently, the state actor does not maintain an exclusive monopoly in the formation of the playing field. However, non-state actors usurp space and dimensions not defined …

The False Promise Of International Financial Institutions In Building Stable Democracies In Third World Countries, Foday Sulimani

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The available literature on the democratic process in third world countries shows that there is a strong correlation between the strength of a country's economic and social infrastructure and the successful promotion of democratic principles. It is my assumption that democracy can not be established without strong economic and social infrastructures. Furthermore, the current aid programs as operated by international financial institutions (IFIs) like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) give false hope to third world countries that fail to develop sound socioeconomic policies and yet want to establish …

The Value Of Deliberative Democratic Practices To Civic Education, Brooke M. Shannon

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The causal relationship between measures of deliberative democratic practices and quality of citizen participation were examined using selected variables from the International Association for the Evaluation of Education Achievement's (IEA) 1999 Civic Education Study (CivEd). Logit regression for survey data was used to analyze whether a causal relationship existed between two indicators of deliberative democratic practices and a total of four measures of both current and expected student participation using data from three countries, the United States, England, and Australia. One independent variable, the degree to which students believed their teachers encouraged discussion of controversial political or social issues, had …

Successful Social Movements And Political Outcomes: A Case Study Of The Women's Movement In Italy: 1943-48, Francesca Luciana Rubino

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the definition of civil society, social movements and success and then analyzes these variables through a historical case study. It looks at the role of two women’s groups in Italy from 1943-48 as they worked to achieve three political goals (women’s suffrage, greater representation in politics, and the new constitution). The thesis will look at whether the variables necessary to social movement success were present in the movement in helping Italian women in the movement who mobilized and organized to achieve their said goals and objectives. It will conclude with remarks as to the lessons learned from …

Anti-System Parties:Policy Choices For Democracies A Study Of India's Bharatiya Janata Party And Austria's Freedom Party, Kristina M. Teater

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

In the decades following WWII, countries across the globe witnessed the rise of anti-system parties. Political scientists have attributed their success to economic conditions, electoral systems, party systems and the electorate’s disaffection with mainstream parties. The analysis also suggests the influence of global factors. While the causes for success have been examined, effective policy choices for democracies have not been equally explored. This study makes the argument that by including anti-system parties in government, states are able to lessen the threat they pose to democracy. The analysis of India’s Bharatiya Janata Party and Austria’s Freedom party suggest that anti-system parties …