International Relations Commons^™

Levels-Of-Analysis In International Relations, Anat Niv-Solomon

Open Educational Resources

The objective of this assignment is for students to be able to apply the concept of Levels-of-Analysis to real-world events. The students are required to explain an international event with accounts and narratives that fit in the three different levels of analysis - individual, state, and system.

This assignment can be used in introductory classes to international relations and international politics, as well as in classes about foreign policy analysis or national and international security.

Military Influence On Middle Eastern Democratization Following The Arab Spring, Andrew Fleming

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Despite experiencing countless wars, sectarian extremism, imperialism, and authoritarian rule, very few events have impacted the Middle East more significantly than the Arab Spring. Starting in 2010, the Arab Spring marked a turning point in which the people of numerous Arabic states collectively gathered to protest and combat the oppressive regimes that had controlled the region for decades. The Spring was indicative of the strong, recurring ambitions for revolution and regime change across the Middle East, presenting the Arab nations with an opportunity to reform their states from within. For some Middle Eastern states, the Arab Spring served as a …

Democracy In The Mena, Alexandria Petrof

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

There is not sufficient evidence that the Middle East will be able to democratize effectively. First and foremost, most attempts of implementing democracy have failed. The landscape and lack of industrialization also plays a role in the inability to apply democratic systems into this area. Lastly, the educational system, or lack thereof, struggles to educate their children and citizens as a whole and education is one of the biggest factors in the success of democracy.

The Impact Of Human Rights Abuses And Emigration In Venezuela, Caroline Hanna

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

My overall goal with my Honors project is to have a better understanding of the human rights situation in Venezuela and how human rights abuses are one of the many factors in the high levels of emigration. The influx of migrants has led to serious issues in many South American countries, especially Colombia, as many countries face economic hurdles, and the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the global economy. I want to address the international response to this crisis as well due to the differing responses of the Syrian refugee crisis and the Venezuelan migration crisis. In order to do this, …

Designing For Democracy: How Democratizing States Design International Organizations, Marissa Wyant

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Building on work by Paul Poast and Johannes Urpelainen that suggests that democratizing states are more likely to form new international governmental organizations rather than join existing ones, I ask the question: how do these states design the organizations they form, and how do those design choices compare to the choices made by consolidated democracies and by nondemocracies? I focus on three design choices made by states regarding membership constraints, voting procedures, and dispute resolution processes. By comparing and analyzing founding charters, I find that democratizing states were more likely to constrain access to membership into these organizations to regional …

Stability Operations In The United Nations: The Changing Norms Of The Use Of Force In Peacekeeping Operations, Sarwar J. Minar

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The United Nations (UN) started undertaking “stability operations” in the beginning of the 21st century. This may be simply defined as the use of proactive offensive force against targeted non-state actors to contain aggressors, establish authority, help enforce law and order, and ultimately ensure the protection of civilians, which also has long-term implications for lasting political solutions. This represents a change in the UN peace operations and adoption of the novel secondary norm, namely the use of proactive offensive force against targeted non-state actors defined as enemies. While primary norms refer to the collective expectations of appropriate behavior, secondary norms …

Clinging To Power: Authoritarian Leaders And Coercive Effectiveness, Christian J. Wolfe

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This study identifies three tactics authoritarian leaders use to attempt to effectively coerce their citizens without losing power: 1) performance legitimacy, 2) nationalist legitimacy, and 3) institutional legitimacy. To demonstrate these tactics of what I call “coercive effectiveness,” the author employs a most-different-systems analysis on the regimes of Xi Jinping (2012 2015) and Bashar al-Assad (2000-2004). The author finds that coercion is more likely to be effective under the following conditions: 1) when leaders use economic performance and institutionalist strategies rather than nationalist tactics, 2) when an authoritarian leader climbs the ladder to power rather than inheriting leadership and 3) …

The State And Cannabis : What Is Success? A Comparative Analysis Of Cannabis Policy In The United States Of America, Uruguay, And Canada, Gideon C. Cunningham

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Globally, the policies that states engage in concerning the cultivation, production, distribution, and sale of recreational cannabis in the 21st century is changing rapidly. Three countries have now legalized, regulated, and implemented recreational cannabis frameworks, albeit in starkly different ways. These countries are The United States of America, Uruguay, and Canada. This research identifies the contradictory nature of cannabis policy goals and compares the similarities and differences of each countries’ recreational cannabis framework. It proposes a theory of understanding the contradictory nature of creating cannabis policies post-legalization and presents a framework from which to analyze the success of individual cannabis …

Exploitation And Domination: A Marxist Analysis Of The Impact Of Class Structure On State Terrorism, Joseph J. Hammons

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This study qualitatively examines the impact of three socio-economic inequalities on state terrorism: (1) income inequality; (2) unequal collective labor rights; and (3) land inequality. It proposes a theory of class structure and state terrorism based on the Marxist theory of exploitation and domination and uses Marxist class analysis in the comparison of two case studies, Brazil (1985-1990) and the Philippines (1986-1992), to determine which of the three socio-economic inequalities is most likely to lead to class struggle that will prompt the state to respond with terrorism. Findings from this study indicate that issues concerning land inequality may be a …

A Model Of Regime Change: The Impact Of Arab Spring Throughout The Middle East And North Africa, Omar Khalfan Bizuru

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the catalysts for social movements around the globe; specifically, why and how the Arab Spring uprisings led to regime change in Tunisia, why they transformed into civil war in some countries of the Middle East and North Africa (Syria), and why they did not lead to significant change at all in other places (Bahrain). The overall results of the study confirmed that political and socio-economic grievances caused the Arab uprisings in Tunisia, Bahrain, and Syria. Tunisian protesters succeeded in regime change because of a united and structured social movement leading to an effective transitional democracy in the …

China’S Legal Environment For Domestic Ngos: Standardized Policies For Greater Party-State Control Over Civil Society, Kelly E. Tursic

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines one angle of state-society relations in authoritarian states through the lens of Chinese nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and their legal environment. While grassroots organizations have not prompted political liberalization in China, they have not been entirely co-opted by the party-state either. Through an examination of policy changes, a study of 120 organizations, and a case study of a non-profit incubator, this thesis explores whether the political environment for China’s domestic NGOs varies by geographic region and issue area. The findings suggest there is not significant variation as the party-state has implemented standardized policies for increased control over civil …

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 …

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

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 …

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 …

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 …

‘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 …

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.

Making The Connections: Gender Quotas, Representation, And Critical Mass In Latin America, Katherine O'Neill

CMC Senior Theses

Using Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico as case studies, this paper examines how women’s collaboration influences the effects of gender quotas on women’s representation. The efficacy of gender quotas in increasing the numerical representation of women and improving gender equality outcomes is well-researched, but questions remain about the precise linkages between the numerical representation of women and the substantive representation of women. This thesis analyzes previously identified linkages alongside actions by women’s organizations in national legislatures and civil society to better understand women’s roles as critical actors in making gender quotas successful. The findings suggest that women’s collaboration is crucial …

The United Nations' Responsibility To Protect (R2p): Policy, Preference, Or Politics, Carl Ruth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) is a three-pillar document that was unanimously approved and adopted at the 2005 World Summit Meeting by members of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to serve as a guideline for addressing mass atrocity crimes. The research problem concerned the successful implementation of the third pillar, a key fixture of R2P, which allows the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to use forceful measures, as a last resort to address mass atrocity crimes. However, a climate of division within the UNSC has led to inaction. Using the R2P doctrine as a theoretical framework, the purpose of …

Post-Conflict Transition In Chile: Considerations For Dealing With A Resistant Armed Forces, Patrick Paterson

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Compliance and control of the Chilean armed forces, a powerful and politically influential organization, is critical to a healthy democracy in the country. The period of the transition to democracy, from the end of the 17-year military government in 1990 to the consolidation of a liberal democracy in 2010, was marked by tension and strained relations between Chilean military officers and civilian elected officials. Chilean civilian government officials – outside military circles – need to understand the reasons for military institutional resistance to identify constructive negotiation techniques. The research question is: “what negotiation techniques of civilian leaders worked best to …

International Cooperation Networks And Economic Sanction Effectiveness, Gargi Vyas

Theses and Dissertations--Political Science

An economic sanction issued by a group of states can impose large costs on a target state and induce a change in its behavior. However, there is considerable variation in the success of multilateral sanctions. I argue that multilateral sanctions will be more effective with higher cohesion within the sender network. This is because linked senders can use the threat of withdrawing cooperation on other issues to encourage their partners to enforce sanction laws domestically. I contend that the likelihood of sanction effectiveness increases with higher cohesion within the sender network and test this argument using social network analysis. Results …

The Transnational Diffusion Of Human Trafficking Policy, Glenn M. Harden

Theses and Dissertations--Political Science

Globalization has promoted the transnational diffusion of public policies. Recognizing that policies of one country are shaped by policies of others, scholars have developed several theories to explain policy diffusion. Because empirical evidence for these theories is contested, this study evaluates the relative explanatory power of the major theories of policy diffusion for human trafficking policies. To test competing theoretical claims, this study uses quantitative methods on an original, cross-national data set to analyze how human trafficking policies diffused. The results reveal that for the diffusion of human trafficking policies coercion and constructivist theories have robust support, while support is …