War Don Don And Fambol Tok,
2011
CUNY Graduate Center
War Don Don And Fambol Tok, Polly Thistlethwaite
Publications and Research
Reviews two documentary films about the aftermath and reconciliation of the Sierra Leone Civil War 1991-2002.
Democratic Strength And Terrorism: An Economic Approach,
2011
Claremont McKenna College
Democratic Strength And Terrorism: An Economic Approach, Brian P. Winter
CMC Senior Theses
There has been much literature about the economic effects of terrorism in democratic countries, but this literature often considers democracy to be a binary variable. This paper sought to explore how the effects might differ depending on the strength of a democracy. In the end, I found that the numbers of attacks and the effects of those attacks do not follow a linear path. The results for autocracies and anocracies require further analysis, but democracies have revealed interesting results. It seems that democracies as a whole have more terrorist attacks, but, within this group, the more democratic a country is …
The Global Expansion Of The Al Qaeda Franchise,
2011
Claremont McKenna College
The Global Expansion Of The Al Qaeda Franchise, Benjamin S. Forster
CMC Senior Theses
This thesis examines how the international terrorist group known as Al Qaeda has expanded its operations globally since 9/11. Case studies of Al Qaeda’s operations in the Arabian Peninsula, the United Kingdom, and the United States illustrate how the organization has exploited diverse environmental conditions to achieve either a limited or fully integrated local presence. This thesis argues that Al Qaeda has evolved into a highly diffuse and decentralized franchise that exercises little command and control over its organizational arms.
Los Retos De La Formación De Un Proyecto Comunitario De Ecoturismo: Un Caso De Estudio De Puerto Cayo, Ecuador,
2011
Claremont McKenna College
Los Retos De La Formación De Un Proyecto Comunitario De Ecoturismo: Un Caso De Estudio De Puerto Cayo, Ecuador, Carly A. Graber
CMC Senior Theses
A pesar de la potencial del ecoturismo, todavía existen muchas comunidades que enfrentan obstáculos en realizar un proyecto exitoso del turismo. Vivir en el área natural o protegida no significa que la población local esté ganando del ecoturismo y desarrollándose. Un proyecto de ecoturismo exitoso no sólo tiene la carga de ser sostenible y dar beneficio al medio ambiente, el proyecto tiene que incluir la población local en una manera integral. El problema que será analizado en esta tesis es la multitud de barreras que existen frente a la movilización e integración de la población local, las cuales prohíben que …
Changing Incentives: How Electoral Reform Can Help Remove An Ethnic Focus In Political Competitions In Kenya,
2011
Claremont McKenna College
Changing Incentives: How Electoral Reform Can Help Remove An Ethnic Focus In Political Competitions In Kenya, Carliann Brashier
CMC Senior Theses
Prior to the presidential elections in December 2007, Kenya was viewed as one of the few politically stable and economically prosperous countries in Africa, a paradigm for other African countries to emulate. At least this was the view held widely in the Western world. Missing in this analysis were the growing ethnic tensions which, although not a new phenomenon to Kenya (the precedence was established during the colonial era), had grown increasingly volatile during the past two decades. The 2007 controversial election results revealed even sharper bitterness and divisions among Kenyans. Ethnic lines were drawn and the country experienced two …
Has The Franco-German Power Balance In The European Union Tipped In Favor Of Germany?,
2011
Claremont McKenna College
Has The Franco-German Power Balance In The European Union Tipped In Favor Of Germany?, Stephanie C. Haffner
CMC Senior Theses
The power balance between France and Germany in the European Union has been one of great discussion and debate. Countless journalists and scholars have argued that Germany’s power has risen gradually against the seemingly perpetually stronger France over the past sixty years, and is now finally set to surpass France; but how true are these claims? How can power within the EU truly be measured? Through an analysis of Franco-German collaboration through unionization, a critique of the contemporary discourse on the relationship, and an examination of changing contributions to the EU budget, my paper argues that the Franco-German power balance …
Post-Conflict Reconstruction In Sri Lanka And Cyprus: Avoiding A Stalemate,
2011
Claremont McKenna College
Post-Conflict Reconstruction In Sri Lanka And Cyprus: Avoiding A Stalemate, Jyotsna Shankar
CMC Senior Theses
By comparing the post-conflict reconstruction patterns of Cyprus and Sri Lanka, it is possible to evaluate what was or was not effective in the Cyprus case and how these lessons may be applied to Sri Lanka. Considering the underlying similarities of the two islands’ respective conflicts, the focus determining the best course of action for Sri Lanka, so that it does not face the same stalemate situation as Cyprus. The recommended policy contrasts with the consociationalist models proposed for Cyprus, and is instead based on the unique Basque model of autonomy.
History Education And Identity Formation: A Case Study Of Uganda,
2011
Claremont McKenna College
History Education And Identity Formation: A Case Study Of Uganda, Takako Mino
CMC Senior Theses
History education builds the foundation of a common past necessary for the formation of group identity. Evaluating History curricula is important because group identity guides people’s political behavior. This Uganda case study demonstrates how different actors have manipulated History education in order to enhance the saliency of ethnic, national, and regional identities. The expansion of nationalized education and the teaching of Ugandan, East African, and African history have contributed to fostering the rise of national consciousness in Uganda. Greater awareness of national identity has promoted national integration while marginalizing non-school educated people.
Overcoming The Obstacles To Sustainability In Ghana,
2011
Claremont McKenna College
Overcoming The Obstacles To Sustainability In Ghana, Ashley M. Scott
CMC Senior Theses
For several decades following its independence from Great Britain, Ghana’s policies continued to promote over-extraction of natural resources to the detriment of its economy and rural communities. Agricultural and forestry policy has gradually evolved to foster more sustainable and equitable practices, as in building partnerships with the private sector to fund infrastructure improvements. Policy has recently recognized the dire need to adopt agricultural practices and means of forest resource extraction that are compatible with ecological stewardship. However, many shortcomings are still apparent. Large logging operations completely disregard forestry regulations with impunity, whereas rural sustenance extractors are severely punished in the …
Re-Evaluating Poverty Alleviation Strategies: The Impact Of Microfinance On Child Labor In Bangladesh.,
2011
Claremont McKenna College
Re-Evaluating Poverty Alleviation Strategies: The Impact Of Microfinance On Child Labor In Bangladesh., Lauren C. Smith
CMC Senior Theses
Microfinance has become one of the most promising tools for development and poverty alleviation over the past two decades. Millions of borrowers around the globe have utilized microcredit to start or expand their small businesses and raise their household income. One poverty-induced problem microfinance could potentially alleviate is child labor. Despite international legislation prohibiting it, child labor continues to deprive millions of children of their right to education. Without education, there is little hope for a country to increase productivity and wealth in the future. A number of scholars have highlighted a negative correlation between credit rationing and child labor. …
Immigrant Experiences In The United States: The Murids Of Senegal In New York,
2011
Claremont McKenna College
Immigrant Experiences In The United States: The Murids Of Senegal In New York, Angelia R. Tyler
CMC Senior Theses
This thesis explores West African Muslims in New York as a case study of the immigrant experience in America through discussion of the main theories of assimilation and modes of incorporation into American society. As foreign-born, black Muslims, the Murids of Senegal rely on cohesive social networks to protect themselves from discrimination. This thesis argues that through a process of “segmented assimilation” and reliance on the ethnic enclave, which provides a critical network of support, immigrants like the Murids of Senegal can better manage the challenges they face in the host environment and achieve upward social and economic mobility in …
Immigration And Identity Politics: The Senegalese In France,
2011
Claremont McKenna College
Immigration And Identity Politics: The Senegalese In France, Justine Dodgen
CMC Senior Theses
As immigrants arrive in a new culture, they must modify their behaviors to adapt to their host society. Through a review of current literature, I will examine the psychological and sociological aspects of immigration and the effects on migrant identity. I will argue that migrants most desire a bicultural identity, in which they retain some elements of their ethno-cultural identity while adopting some values of French society. The construction of a bicultural identity presents a challenge due to the particular philosophical foundations of the French nation-state and French culture. In the next chapter, I will analyze the challenges Senegalese migrants …
The Drug War In Mexico: Consequences For Mexico's Nascent Democracy,
2011
Claremont McKenna College
The Drug War In Mexico: Consequences For Mexico's Nascent Democracy, Katrina M. Weeks
CMC Senior Theses
In recent years Mexico has been confronted with accelerating levels of violence related to drug trafficking organizations and counter-drug efforts. This paper examines the consequences of Mexico’s current drug trafficking situation on the country’s fledging democracy. In particular, the impact of the drug war on Mexico’s democratic consolidation is evaluated through civil-military relations, the judicial system, and the press. Conclusions about the prospects for Mexico’s nascent democracy are then examined.
A Theoretical Analysis Of The Future Of Nato,
2011
Claremont McKenna College
A Theoretical Analysis Of The Future Of Nato, Kaj W. E. Pedersen
CMC Senior Theses
My argument about NATO’s future is a combination of both neo-realist and constructivist thought, an adaptation of both neo-realist power struggles and constructivist institutional structures. Due to a lack of a significant threat, NATO will collapse as a military alliance. However, due to the longevity of the Trans-Atlantic Relationship, the similarities in the governmental structure of its members and the history of peaceful interactions between the allies on both sides of the Atlantic, the current “security community” will remain despite the collapse of the military aspects of the Alliance. NATO has been held together through organizational inertia and shifting the …
Cultural Competence In Urban Affairs And Planning,
2011
CUNY Hunter College
Cultural Competence In Urban Affairs And Planning, Tom Angotti, Marly Pierre-Louis, Laxmi Ramasubramanian, Sigmund Shipp, Angela Tovar
Publications and Research
In the Fall of 2009, the Center for Puerto Rican Studies (CENTRO) undertook the Centro Cultural Competence Initiative (CCI) with the support of a one-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). The goal of the CCI is to address the need for culturally appropriate work in a variety of professions by training students to be culturally competent practitioners. In the Fall of 2010, the Urban Affairs and Planning Department at Hunter College joined CENTRO as a partner in this initiative. Full time Professors Sigmund Shipp, Laxmi Ramasubramanian, and Tom Angotti worked …
Analysis Of Singapore's Foreign Exchange Market Microstructure,
2011
Singapore Management University
Analysis Of Singapore's Foreign Exchange Market Microstructure, Chee Wai Wan
Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)
This paper analyses the Singapore foreign exchange market from a microstructure approach. Specifically, by applying and modifying the empirical methodology designed by Bollerslev and Melvin (1994), we examine the relationship between bid-ask spreads and the underlying volatility of the USD/SGD. Our data set comprises high-frequency USD/SGD tick data of three separate years (April-June 1989, April-May 2006, April-May 2009). We found that for the USD/SGD: i) the size of bid-ask spreads are positively related to the underlying exchange rate volatility; ii) the magnitude of the dependence on underlying volatility increases as tick volume increases; and iii) the size of the bid-ask …
Contractual Interpretation In Singapore After Zurich Insurance: Continued Refinement,
2011
Singapore Management University
Contractual Interpretation In Singapore After Zurich Insurance: Continued Refinement, Yihan Goh
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
Ever since Lord Hoffmann’s authoritative restatement of the principles relating to the interpretation of contracts in Investors Compensation Scheme v West Bromwich Building Society, various common law courts and academics have weighed in with their views on two main issues: whether the contextual approach articulated in Investors in fact represents a step forward from the traditional literal approach; and, accepting the operation of the contextual approach, whether there remains room for the exclusion of certain extrinsic evidence in interpreting contracts. But the foremost consideration underpinning these issues is that of the perceived uncertainty which the contextual approach brings. The Singapore …
Making And Unmaking Of Transnational Environmental Cooperation,
2011
Singapore Management University
Making And Unmaking Of Transnational Environmental Cooperation, Yooil Bae, Dong-Ae Shin, Yong-Wook Lee
Research Collection School of Social Sciences
There has been an ongoing debate about how (or through what mechanisms) global environmental norms have influenced domestic political debates that give rise to green policy choices. In particular, effective international environmental cooperation between transnational and domestic NGOs has been recognized as a key to successful environmental movements. In this regard, the central question guiding research on the politics of environmental norms is, under what condition(s) transnational cooperation among NGOs would be more likely to be sustained so as to achieve its goals. This article proposes that one of the mechanisms missing from the debate is a bottom-up approach through …
Not Yet Married: The Implications Of Meanings Of Marriage On Youths In Singapore,
2011
Singapore Management University
Not Yet Married: The Implications Of Meanings Of Marriage On Youths In Singapore, Paulin T. Straughan
Research Collection School of Social Sciences
Marriage is a social construct that takes on different meanings as societies develop and mature. To understand why people get married, it is important that we understand what marriage means. This paper will discuss the social transformation of marriage in Asia using Singapore as a case study. To examine two demographic trends- delayed marriage, and the increasing proportion of people who remain single - this discourse also explores the constraints imposed by contradictions between traditional norms and modern expectations. In the midst of these ideological challenges, there are important implications for the practice of marriage among younger Singaporeans. We see …
Towards A Cleaner Singapore: Sociological Study On Littering In Singapore,
2011
Singapore Management University
Towards A Cleaner Singapore: Sociological Study On Littering In Singapore, Paulin Tay Straughan, Narayanan Ganapathy, Daniel Goh, Everold Hosein
Research Collection School of Social Sciences
Keeping Singapore clean has always been the priority of the National Environment Agency (NEA). We have made much progress over the years, but as Singapore's population grows amid changing demographics, littering remains a concern.
