Other International and Area Studies Commons^™

The U.S. Grand Strategy Toward The Pacific Islands, Angela Vasovic

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The United States has recently placed its relations with the Pacific Islands, fourteen small states far out in the Pacific Ocean, on its high-priority diplomatic agenda. Although it has been interacting with the islands since the 1800s and had heavily relied on their cooperation during World War II, the importance of the islands waned in the eyes of the United States in the late twentieth and the beginning of the twenty first century as the country turned its attention to other regions of the world. However, in recent years, the U.S. has recognized the need to strengthen relations with the …

Building A Global Partnership Through A Shared History, Lisa Lacross, Shawn Dillard, Bri Ard, Kern Jackson

International Journal of Transformative Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Effective global partnerships in higher education promote intercultural awareness (Delong et al., 2011) and influence future study and work abroad experiences by articulating the value of global learning (Lewin, 2009). Seeking to broaden global engagement opportunities for minoritized students, specifically African Americans, one institution developed a virtual exchange program through a global partnership of stakeholders from Ghana, Togo, Benin, Cape Verde, and the United States. Grounded in a shared history of the 2019 discovery of the last reported ship to bring enslaved West Africans to the United States, students from Mobile, Alabama and Cotonou, Benin participated in virtual discussions that …

“K-Pop In Public”: Vietnamese Youth Using Dance To Queer The Public Space, Ha Bich Dong, Thuy Bich Dong

Peace and Conflict Studies Journal Conference

In Vietnam, where public protests are criminalized (Kerkvliet, 2022), young people continue finding creative ways to advocate for their rights through different venues, particularly the arts. This research combines digital ethnography and duoethnography to examine K-pop dance covers in Vietnamese public spaces as a platform for youth to explore their gender identities, connect, and visibilize queerness.

K-pop is a music genre, pop culture, and cultural phenomenon that emerged in South Korea and has gained significant popularity and influence around the world (Aini, 2020). We, two researchers (one is a K-pop dancer), began the research by using digital ethnography (Zorn, & …

Exploring The Contribution Of Transformational Leadership In Non-Formal Peace Education Initiatives In Sri Lanka, Janith Prabashwara Perera

Peace and Conflict Studies Journal Conference

The transformative power of Peace Education cannot be undermined in the volatile era in which we live. Through cultivating knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values, Peace Education aims to shift the mindsets and behaviours of individuals and groups away from violence toward peace. In recent times, many youth have stepped up to lead Peace Education programmes, particularly targeting youth in their local communities. Their leadership often aligns with the 'Transformational Leadership' model, which fosters change in followers and society.

This research examines youth leaders in Non-Formal Peace Education in Post-War Sri Lanka, focusing on their adoption of the Transformational Leadership Model …

How To Become A Soldier In The Black Liberation Army: Sixteen Tomes, Tony Gaskew

Peace and Conflict Studies Journal Conference

From 1970 to 1983, it is estimated that the Black Liberation Army (BLA), by way of armed resistance in the name of revolutionary justice, was responsible for expropriating the lives of dozens of police officers across the United States of America. Yes, as unbelievable, and as extra-terrestrial as it might sound today, there was a very brief period in U.S. history when there were consequences for indiscriminate acts of police violence against the Black community. However, in the fields of conflict resolution and peace studies, the BLA is invisible. As a Black man who was born and raised in the …

The Police State Legacy, Security Sector Governance And Reform (Ssg&R) Within A P/Cve* Framing In Tunisia: Local Ownership At A Critical Juncture, Fatma Jabbari

Peace and Conflict Studies Journal Conference

No abstract provided.

The Role Of U.S. Leadership In Resolving Indo-Pak Ensuring Rivalry, Abdul Sadiq Khan

Peace and Conflict Studies Journal Conference

The partition of British India in 1947 and the subsequent events caused a great deal of mutual mistrust that has persisted in the bilateral ties between Pakistan and India for seven decades. Post-Partition India inherited the state infrastructure of the British. Pakistan, on the other hand, has to build its state apparatus from the ground up. Indian leadership was certain that the nascent state of Pakistan would not survive and eventually reunify with India. The two countries are marked by the history of wars like in 1948, 1965, and 1999 over Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan and India appear to be …

A Study Of The Intra-Government Conflictual Approach In The Management Of The Herdsmen-Farmers Conflict-Induced Internal Displacement In Benue State, Nigeria, Rita Iorbo

Peace and Conflict Studies Journal Conference

Abstract

The management of the herdsmen-farmers conflict-induced internal displacement in Benue State, Nigeria was characterized by the conflictual approach of the Benue State government and disagreement over displacement data by humanitarian agencies. The study explored the inter-connected relationship among stakeholders within the humanitarian eco-system and its effects on protection measures and durable solutions for the conflict-induced displacement crisis. The qualitative study was conducted among twenty-three adult females and males comprising internally displaced persons (IDPs), and humanitarian workers in the government and non-governmental humanitarian sectors. The study findings show that though the herdsmen-farmers conflict accounts for mass population displacement, loss of …

The Ukraine Crisis Narrative In Western Scholarship, Nikos Lekakis Dr, Alexander Katsaitis Dr

Peace and Conflict Studies Journal Conference

This paper examines the current Ukraine crisis that has deep geopolitical roots and often closely tied to the Euromaidan movement, outlining noticeable disagreements within the western academia regarding its interpretation by international relations theories and Russian history. On the one hand, institutional liberalists have been arguing that Russia’s aggression originates from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has selected Ukraine, on the basis of its strategic location in central Europe, to be the beginning of an effort to reconstruct a new Soviet Union or at least to create a new sphere of influence in Russia’s near borders, bond European security …

The United States Of America V. Darren Seals, Tony Gaskew

Peace and Conflict Studies Journal Conference

The United States of America has an insatiable appetite for the corpses of Black men. Although only a silent whisper in the field of conflict resolution, Black men and boys face unprecedented levels of state-sponsored direct, structural, and metaphysical violence. Empirical evidence regarding disparities within the nuanced constructs of police killings, stop-and-frisk searches, educational attainment, unemployment, mortality rates, mass incarceration, and all forms of covert counterinsurgency (COIN) operations shows that Black men are without question, enemies of the state and what Leonard Harris calls the ultimate “necro-being.” You see, on September 6, 2016, 29-year-old Black male anti-police activist Darren Seals …

The Influence Of The Un Watercourses Convention On The Development Of A Policy Design In The Nile River Basin, Zienab Ali Abdelhady

Theses and Dissertations

The adoption in 1997 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses (UN Watercourses Convention or UNWC) marked a milestone in the codification and progressive development of international water law. Similarly, the signature in 2010 by the majority of the Nile Basin states of the Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) was a major step towards a permanent legal and institutional framework as well as a significant shift from the currently applicable legal regime in the basin. The research concludes that the principles enshrined in the UNWC can assist future regional treaty …

Digital Humanitarianism: An Interview With Fleur Johns, Louis Ravn, Fleur E. Johns

Critical Humanities

In this interview, Fleur Johns elucidates the central themes of her recent book #Help: Digital Humanitarianism and the Remaking of International Order. Situating her research alongside well-established critical analyses of digital platforms and algorithms, Johns elaborates on the distinctive characteristics of digital humanitarianism, how these can be studied through digital interfaces, and the politics of Big Tech’s involvement in this transformation of humanitarianism. Most importantly, the interview sheds light on Johns’s infra-disciplinary theoretical-methodological approach that seeks to transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries, resulting in her unique fusion of critical data/algorithm studies, international legal scholarship, and social theory. Based on this, …

Recasting Gender Roles: A Study Of Indian Television Commercials (2011– 2020), Himika Akram, Alicia Mason

Faculty Submissions

On media, television commercials (TVCs) play a significant role in shaping societal perceptions of gender roles. This study examines gender depictions in Indian TVCs, focusing on key dimensions such as gender ratio in primary characters, voiceovers, settings (home, outdoor, workplace), and product categories. A content analysis of 120 TVCs from Indian brands (2011–2020) was conducted, with coding performed by the researcher. Findings reveal that men were primary characters in 54.6% of the advertisements, while women featured in 45.4%. Male voiceovers dominated at 70.1%, compared to 29.9% for females. Women were portrayed in home settings in 66.7% of TVCs, while men …

Redefining Success: Insights From Lebanese Women Leaders In Higher Education, Lina H. Safa

Education Division Scholarship

This presentation explores how Lebanese women leaders in higher education define and measure success, emphasizing their innovative approaches and transformative impact. By examining personal narratives through a phenomenological lens, the study reveals how these leaders navigate cultural challenges, offering insights into leadership dynamics in a patriarchal society and contributing to global discussions on gender equity and academic leadership.

Resilience And Reality: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of People Living With Hiv In Texas During The Covid-19 Pandemic – A Qualitative Study., Ahmed F. Alanazi

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This study investigated the lived experiences of individuals living with HIV (PLWH) in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area of Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic, using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework. The research examined the intersection of health, social dynamics, and psychological resilience among PLWH, who faced compounded vulnerabilities due to systemic inequities and the dual public health crises of HIV and COVID-19. Through semi-structured interviews with ten participants from diverse backgrounds, the study captured the profound impacts of disrupted healthcare systems, heightened stigma, and social isolation on this marginalized population. The findings reveal that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequities …

The Media Framing Of India’S Nuclear Weapons Discourse, Sitakanta Mishra, Hely Desai

International Journal of Nuclear Security

The Indian media has had an immense role in framing public perceptions of nuclear weapons within the Indian subcontinent. Examining the largely nationalistic tone of news coverage helps analyze how the media has shaped India’s idea of its status as a nuclear weapon state. Examining the sociocultural discourse around the bomb, this paper analyzes the major influence that the Indian media has in information distribution and how that influence translates to the formation of the atomic attitudes of the masses. In situating the Indian media’s approach to nuclear weapons at large, this work studied the framing of domestic nuclear weapons …

Globally Cross-Examining Case Studies Of Refugee Resettlement: How Do These Help Us Understand “Successful” Refugee Integration? A Look At Refugees And How They Are Resettled In The Usa, Canada, And Italy., Elyssa Parker

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The world’s refugee crisis is ongoing and increasing in severity. By employing a thematic analysis this thesis seeks to center refugee perspectives to define success in resettlement. Through comparative analysis, commonalities and differences are found within the resettlement practices and policies of the USA, Italy, and Canada. The Integrated Threat and Cultural Adaptation theories are utilized to help understand the actions of both the receiving society and the refugees themselves. Canada remains a top destination for refugees; however, the worsening housing crisis is proving to put significant hardship on refugees. The US refugee resettlement program is contradictory in that it …

Identifying Intangible And Biocultural Heritage Elements Toward Environmental Understanding: Engaging Stakeholders Through Art, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Grounded in a case study in Barbuda in the Caribbean, this research examines sustainability from the perspective of what arts and heritage can contribute to community engagement and local and broader understandings about the environment. This article documents a growing body of literature recognizing the role of arts and culture, including local knowledge and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), in climate change endeavors. Art and TEK present expansive world views. Contextual information situates research done on the island of Barbuda pre- and post-Hurricane Irma. Visual arts workshops engaged community members in mixed methods research. Results documented cultural elements, particularly intangible and …

Foucauldian Discourses At The Intersection Of Climate-Induced Migration And Cultural Heritage, Samantha L. Stuhlmiller

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The worsening climate crisis has created and exacerbated issues of migration, cultural heritage and power relations issues. States and communities worldwide face large-scale challenges that must be addressed to protect individuals and ensure the longevity of nations and their cultures. This thesis utilizes Foucauldian theories of power through a critical discourse analysis of relevant documents in international law, state policy, and research to assess how discourses impact the design and implementation of policies and practices that are intended to mitigate and solve these issues in Kiribati, Tuvalu, and for the Rohingya. When there are discrepancies between discourses created and reinforced …

Adolescent Male Perspectives’ On Civic Engagement: A Pilot Study On Youth Conceptualization Of Citizenship And Social Participation In Southern Trinidad, Cherisse M S Bovell

Dissertations and Theses

This pilot study examines the understanding of civic engagement among socio- economically disadvantaged adolescent males in the Anglophone Caribbean, a critically under- researched population. This inquiry is necessitated by acute observations of the structural inequalities embedded in Trinidad and Tobago’s merit-based education system and the resultant disparity in learning outcomes. This thesis project is part of a larger study, and focuses on chapters1-3. There is limited understanding of marginalised male youth political perspectives in the Caribbean region. Therefore, only assumptions can be made on the potential impacts of inadequate civic instruction on these individuals and their communities. To identify best …