Age And Congressional Leader Success: Are They Getting Too Old,
2026
Northern Illinois University
Age And Congressional Leader Success: Are They Getting Too Old, Edward N. Drinkwine, Scot Schraufnagel
Honors Capstones
Congressional leaders play a central role in shaping legislative agendas, maintaining party cohesion, and negotiating policy outcomes. Despite the important roles they play, our nation's congressional leaders continue to grow older, and research has rarely examined how age influences their effectiveness in these roles. This study asks whether older congressional leaders are less effective at advancing legislation than their younger counterparts. Using data on leaders serving in the U.S. House and Senate from the 93rd through the 118th Congress, the analysis compares leaders’ ages with their Legislative Effectiveness Score Ratios, controlling for legal experience, state legislative experience, elite education, ideology, …
The Limits Of Democratic Representation: Institutional Constraints And The Failure To Reflect Public Will In The Case Of Congressional Term Limits,
2026
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
The Limits Of Democratic Representation: Institutional Constraints And The Failure To Reflect Public Will In The Case Of Congressional Term Limits, Kian Mcwilliams
Political Science Undergraduate Honors Theses
This study examines why congressional term limit reform has not succeeded despite widespread public support. Although there has been sustained bipartisan approval across decades, term limits have not gained any meaningful institutional traction, raising a central question: Why do reforms with strong public backing fail to advance within Congress itself? Drawing on historical analysis, public opinion data, and original survey research conducted with Members of Congress, this study argues that the failure of congressional term limit reform is not the result of a lack of public engagement, but rather a consequence of institutional constraints that prevent public preferences from translating …
Digital Media, Political Priming, And The Strategy Of Donald J. Trump’S 2024 Presidential Campaign,
2026
Liberty University
Digital Media, Political Priming, And The Strategy Of Donald J. Trump’S 2024 Presidential Campaign, Emma Dayton
Senior Honors Theses
This thesis applies the priming theory of communications and examines its effectiveness in the political realm, specifically, within the digital strategies implemented throughout the 2024 presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump. It was asked to what extent Donald Trump’s digital political priming on social media influenced the most important issues to voters in the 2024 election. The use and impact of rhetoric, images, and partnerships were analyzed in this study to determine the extent to which Trump was able to influence the issues voters deemed as most important. By comparing Trump’s social media use with polling showing the economy and …
Does The Party Label Matter? Partisanship, Election Timing, And Ballot Drop-Off In Municipal Elections,
2026
Western Michigan University
Does The Party Label Matter? Partisanship, Election Timing, And Ballot Drop-Off In Municipal Elections, Joelle Francis Whitaker
Masters Theses
This project examines if party labels drive participation in municipal elections. Progressive Era reforms removed partisan labels in attempts to weaken party machines and simplify local governance. Many cities continue to implement these reforms today. However, existing research suggests that party labels provide important informational and mobilizing cues that should increase turnout, especially in low-information elections. Using a comparison of four Michigan municipalities, this paper evaluates how partisan and nonpartisan systems shape local election turnout. The results show that the relationship is more complicated than expected. While party labels will still matter for how voters make decisions, election timing emerges …
Campaign Finance And Democratic Integrity: Studying The Effects Of Campaign Finance On Elections,
2026
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Campaign Finance And Democratic Integrity: Studying The Effects Of Campaign Finance On Elections, Abigail C. Johnson
Political Science Undergraduate Honors Theses
Using data collected from the Stanford Database on Ideology, Money in Politics, and Elections (DIME) this paper examines the connection between campaign finance results in independent expenditures. Focusing on 2022 and 2024 United States Senatorial election cycles, this research investigates whether or not female and male senatorial candidates receive higher or lower rates of supportive and opposing funding and how such funding effects the electoral outcomes of female candidates. Through logit regression analyses and descriptive statistics, like histogram and distribution graphs conducted in RStudio, this research measures how financial backing from outside groups affects probability in Senatorial primary electoral …
An Alternative To Armageddon: O.P. Weyland And The Development Of Tactical Air Power,
2026
University of New Orleans
An Alternative To Armageddon: O.P. Weyland And The Development Of Tactical Air Power, Paul Wells
LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations
Theorists and advocates of air power argued that aircraft, not ground forces, would become the dominant platform for victory in war. They promoted the concept of strategic bombing, using aircraft to bypass ground forces and directly attack a nation's industrial capacity to wage war, hoping to ensure quick victory and avoid a repeat of the prolonged slaughter in the trenches of WWI. In 1947, led by advocates of strategic bombing, the United States Air Force (USAF) became an independent and equal branch of the U.S. military. The USAF developed the Strategic Air Command (SAC) to meet the requirements of the …
Against Their Own Interests? Latinos And The Rightward Shift,
2026
Pace University - New York
Against Their Own Interests? Latinos And The Rightward Shift, Marianna S. Visbal
Honors College Theses
This study examines whether Latino voters in the United States are acting against their self-interests when supporting right-wing Republican candidates, particularly in recent elections characterized by increased Latino support for figures like Donald Trump despite harmful rhetoric. While existing literature and public discourse often assume that Latino voters share a clear set of interests aligned with progressive politics, this research questions that assumption. Motivated by underrepresentation in political research and personal observations within Latino communities, I explore how political self-interest is defined and understood. Using qualitative expert interviews with Latino elected officials, journalists, and political professionals based in New York …
The Double Desert Dichotomy And Its Political Consequences,
2026
University at Albany, State University of New York
The Double Desert Dichotomy And Its Political Consequences, Sophie Coker
Political Science
Millions of Americans lack adequate broadband access. While there is a lack of clear consensus of the number of households without broadband services between Federal Communications Commission and independent estimates, one factor is clear: rural communities are disproportionately excluded from adequate broadband coverage. The same areas which lack broadband access find themselves in news deserts, or a community that is no longer covered by daily or nondaily newspapers. Moreover, there is a crossover between the communities underserved by broadband services and the communities lacking local news sources. Double deserts, where lack of broadband and local news access meet, are threats …
Fascism Usa: Class And Identity Politics In The Age Of Trump,
2026
CUNY Graduate Center
Fascism Usa: Class And Identity Politics In The Age Of Trump, Marc Edelman
Publications and Research
This essay argues that Trump’s triumph in the 2024 presidential contest represents the consolidation of an oligarchical authoritarian project, backed by a multi-class and (surprisingly, for some) multi-racial electorate. It brought intensified state and freelance attacks on immigrants, labor unions, women, LGBTQ+ people, journalists, civil servants, assorted “political enemies,” and other groups that the MAGA movement targets. It is institutionalizing authoritarian governance structures in ways that will be exceedingly difficult to undo. The paper first addresses the experience of growing up in the shadow of fascism. It analyzes various sectors that supported Trump and the impacts of inflation, incumbency, economic …
Religion As Political Influence: Representation, Rhetoric, And Advocacy In American Politics,
2026
Clemson University
Religion As Political Influence: Representation, Rhetoric, And Advocacy In American Politics, Andrew G. Tate
All Dissertations
Religion has long been recognized as a central force in American political life, shaping patterns of representation, public opinion, and policy advocacy. At the same time, the contemporary religious landscape is characterized by declining denominational attachment, increasing religious diversity, and growth in non-denominational and unaffiliated populations. These changes raise questions about whether religion continues to influence politics through traditional mechanisms such as clear denominational alignment or whether its political effects now operate through more indirect or restructured pathways. This manuscript addresses this question through a multi-level analysis of religion’s political role, integrating three studies that examine descriptive representation, organizational political …
Belonging, Governance, And The Future Of The Nation: Rethinking Citizenship In Tribal Nation Communities,
2026
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Belonging, Governance, And The Future Of The Nation: Rethinking Citizenship In Tribal Nation Communities, Meadow Carroll
Honors Theses
Tribal citizenship is often framed as a question of identity or legal status, but it functions more fundamentally as a structure of governance that determines who participates in political life and whether nations can sustain themselves over time. This study compares the citizenship frameworks of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes and the Cherokee Nation to examine how different enrollment criteria shape political participation, demographic continuity, and institutional capacity. Drawing on tribal constitutions, enrollment materials, governance records, and voter participation data, the analysis demonstrates that citizenship systems produce measurable differences in how tribal governments function in practice. Systems based on fixed …
Post-Dobbs: Observed Maternal And Infant Health Outcomes,
2026
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Post-Dobbs: Observed Maternal And Infant Health Outcomes, Erin P. Yenawine
Honors Theses
This research investigates how the variance in abortion legislation and access across the United States has impacted infant and maternal health. This builds upon previous research identifying a relationship between abortion policy and quantity of births, (Myers et al., 2025; Bell et al., 2025) abortion policy and infant and maternal health pre-Dobbs (Gardner, 2024), and an emerging body examining the health outcomes post-Dobbs for mothers and infants (Gemmill et al., 2025; Gressler & Lewis, 2025). Scholars indicate that primary contributors to increases in infant mortality may be the continuation of pregnancies with congenital abnormalities and compounded barriers of access to …
Federalism, Fragmentation, And The Limits Of Universal Welfare In The United States: A Comparative Analysis Of Germany And Sweden,
2026
University at Albany, State University of New York
Federalism, Fragmentation, And The Limits Of Universal Welfare In The United States: A Comparative Analysis Of Germany And Sweden, Jacqueline Arena
Political Science
This paper examines why the United States welfare state struggles to achieve universal social protection, focusing on the role of federalism, political ideology, and public opinion. It argues that the U.S. welfare state is structurally fragmented due to the division of authority between federal and state governments, which produces uneven, inconsistent, and often inadequate access to social benefits. This fragmentation is rooted in historical developments, including New Deal era political compromises, racialized policy exclusions, and resistance from organized interest groups, which embedded decentralization and inequality into the system’s foundation. Using Gøsta Esping-Andersen’s welfare regime typology and T.H. Marshall’s concept of …
Building Collaborative Capacity For Coexistence With The Montana Beaver Working Group,
2026
University of Montana, Missoula
Building Collaborative Capacity For Coexistence With The Montana Beaver Working Group, Shane Randle
Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects
Despite beavers’ recent surge in popularity, prevailing negative attitudes and the persistence of beaver removal practices remain obstacles for those advocating living with beavers. The Montana Beaver Working Group (BWG) advances beavers’ role in ecological and community resilience through members’ collaborative efforts, including beaver-related restoration and conflict resolution projects. Bringing together people with diverse values and perspectives, the BWG builds collective understanding, develops a holistic vision for beavers in Montana, and supports members in pursuing it. As the group’s impacts and membership have grown, so too has their need to adapt. For my Civic Engagement Project, I strengthened the BWG’s …
Evaluating The Psychometric Validity Of Science Curiosity,
2026
University of South Alabama
Evaluating The Psychometric Validity Of Science Curiosity, Brooke Simila
Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)
As political polarization and mass distrust in scientific consensus increases, psychologists have sought to understand individual differences that contribute to polarized political and scientific reasoning. One emerging concept in this area is science curiosity (SC), the disposition to seek and engage with scientific information for personal gratification (Kahan et al., 2017). A handful of studies have identified SC as an offsetting variable in politically motivated reasoning (Motta et al., 2021). However, the psychometric structure of SC remains underexplored; it is unclear whether SC represents a distinctive, unidimensional disposition or merely a manifestation of general curiosity traits. The purpose of this …
Examining The Domestic Politics Of Nuclear Policymaking In America: Us Participation In Nuclear Agreements From 1948 To 2024,
2026
Kennesaw State University
Examining The Domestic Politics Of Nuclear Policymaking In America: Us Participation In Nuclear Agreements From 1948 To 2024, Stephanie A. Stapleton
Dissertations
his dissertation examines how partisan polarization and party affiliation shape US participation in nuclear agreements. Consensus views within the nuclear policy community hold that Republican governments are necessary to make new agreements, but Republicans generally oppose new nuclear restrictions. Prompted by a trio of agreement terminations between 2018 and 2020, this research tests whether polarization has become a structural factor restricting US engagement in nuclear agreements. Using an original dataset of 86 nuclear agreements spanning arms control and extended deterrence between 1948–2024, this dissertation uses a quantitatively focused embedded mixed-methods design complemented by senior nuclear policy practitioner interviews. This research …
A Plague On Both Your Houses: Archetypes Of Political Choice,
2026
Portland State University
A Plague On Both Your Houses: Archetypes Of Political Choice, Martin Zwick
Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations
In times of political polarization, we are well-advised to heed Spinoza’s injunction, “Not to lament, not to curse, but to understand.” Understanding can be facilitated by ideas about the archetypal structures of political choice. This paper offers a systems theoretic analysis of a set of such archetypes focusing solely on their structures and not advocating any specific political positions. The primary question that must be answered is whether available or desirable political choices are dyadic or triadic, and if dyadic, whether the two alternatives of the dyad should be viewed as good versus bad or as complementary. Various modes of …
The Political Transformation Of Corporate America, 2001–2022,
2026
Columbia Law School
The Political Transformation Of Corporate America, 2001–2022, Reilly S. Steel
Faculty Scholarship
This article reconciles conflicting views about the political landscape of corporate America with new data on the revealed political preferences of 97,469 corporate directors and executives at 9,005 different U.S. companies. Driven largely by turnover, I find that average observed ideology for directors and executives has shifted meaningfully to the left over time, changing from modestly conservative in 2001 to roughly centrist by 2022. This finding supports a middle-ground position between conventional wisdom casting “big business” as a conservative stronghold and revisionist views holding the opposite. Counterfactual simulations and a difference-in-differences design suggest multifaceted reasons for these changes, and hand-collected …
Understanding Modern American Politics Through Identity And Pop Music Between 2018 And 2025: A Musicological Analysis,
2026
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Understanding Modern American Politics Through Identity And Pop Music Between 2018 And 2025: A Musicological Analysis, Emilyn Bedell
Ramifications
This project studies how music impacts our society by examining the ways popular musicians (Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, and Hozier) imbue their songs with their identity. Their music engages their authentic self and social interests, effectively communicating their artistic and social values to their audience. This study examines three artists who recently became popular, so there is less established musicological research focused on them. To explore them deeper, I draw on cultural sources such as newspapers and magazines, in addition to academic journals. I also analyze their music and videos alongside recorded interviews to understand the sociopolitical issues for which …
The Game Pattern And Related Thoughts In The Implementation Of The U.S. Intelligence Reform And
Terrorism Prevention Act,
2026
College of International Studies, National University of Defense Technology, Nanjing 210039
The Game Pattern And Related Thoughts In The Implementation Of The U.S. Intelligence Reform And Terrorism Prevention Act, Zhongjian Hu, Peng Cao
Journal of Scientific Information Research
[Purpose/significance] To summarize the implementation of the US Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act(IRTPA), and to comprehensively examine the contemporary disputes surrounding the IRTPA,and the power expansion and checks and balances of US intelligence agencies, is beneficial for further understanding the evolution of the US intelligence legal framework and its impact on the national intelligence system and mechanisms. [Method/process] This paper, from the perspective of stakeholder theory, combines methods of literature analysis and case study to summarize and analyze the basic situation, development process, and contradictory disputes of IRTPA. [Result/conclusion] The IRPTA addresses the systemic governance of intelligence dysfunction issues …
