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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Trust In Government: How Sex, Race, And Ideology Shape Confidence In State And National Officials,
2026
Mississippi State University
Trust In Government: How Sex, Race, And Ideology Shape Confidence In State And National Officials, Holden A. Mattison
Honors Theses
This research examines how sex, race, and political ideology shape individual trust in state and national government officials, with a particular focus on Mississippi as a case study. Drawing on data from the Mississippi Poll (2010-2014) and the 2024 American National Election Study (ANES), the research analyzes both bivariate and multivariate relationships to assess how demographic and ideological factors influence political trust across institutional levels. The findings reveal that race and ideology are significant predictors of trust at the state level, while sex has little effect. Whites and conservatives are generally more likely to express trust in state officials, whereas …
Money And State Politics: State Legislature Partisan Dynamics And Ideology Outcomes Following Citizens United V. Fec,
2026
Bates College
Money And State Politics: State Legislature Partisan Dynamics And Ideology Outcomes Following Citizens United V. Fec, Jillian E. Pastore
Bates College Journal of Political Studies
What effect has Citizens United v. FEC had on state-level partisanship and the policy outcomes that follow from it? Scholarship on the influence of corporate and union spending in political campaigns has largely centered on federal elections. In this paper, I extend the analysis to the state level, leveraging the fact that Citizens United created a natural experiment across the states. Prior to the Supreme Court ruling, roughly half of the states prohibited corporate and union independent expenditures in state elections (including for governor, state senate, state house, and state supreme court races). The Citizens United decision effectively nullified these …
Everybody Wants To Rule The World: How Ballistic Missile Defenses Can Reduce The Risk Of War,
2026
Bates College
Everybody Wants To Rule The World: How Ballistic Missile Defenses Can Reduce The Risk Of War, Aanya Ghosh
Bates College Journal of Political Studies
Debates over ballistic missile defense often assume that defensive capability inherently destabilizes deterrence by eroding mutual vulnerability. This article challenges that assumption by arguing that the strategic effects of missile defense are neither predetermined nor uniform. Limited and layered defensive systems generate two simultaneous pressures: stabilizing deterrence-by-denial effects against limited coercive threats and destabilizing uncertainty regarding long-term retaliatory viability. Which mechanism prevails depends not on defensive technology alone, but on policy design—specifically system scale, doctrinal framing, and integration within the broader offense-defense relationship. Drawing on classical deterrence theory, offense-defense scholarship, and contemporary analyses by Roberts, Wilkening, and Daalder, Goldgeier, and …
Constitutionalization Of The Right To Vote: The Necessity For Democracy,
2026
Pepperdine University
Constitutionalization Of The Right To Vote: The Necessity For Democracy, Hanmo Yang
Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research
The Civic Debate Consortium is an intercollegiate debate conference dedicated to serving as a “hub of inspiration, innovation, education and civic engagement” (Civic Debate Consortium, n.d.) through productive dialogue. The Social Justice Debates are one of the consortium's competitive series, focused on discussing the distribution of wealth and resources in U.S. society. For the 2025-2026 debate season, debaters researched for or against the motion: “The United States should Constitutionalize the Right to Vote.” First affirmative speeches begin by defining the terms of the round, listing contentions to the argument, and then providing analysis to support the contentions. This paper serves …
"Principle Before Party": Samuel "Golden Rule" Jones And The 1899 Ohio Gubernatorial Election,
2026
Bowling Green State University
"Principle Before Party": Samuel "Golden Rule" Jones And The 1899 Ohio Gubernatorial Election, Connor Hand
Honors Projects
As partisan loyalty declined and resentment grew against American social, political, and economic conditions at the end of the nineteenth century, political reformers saw an opportunity to spread their ideals for a better society. Most reformers opted against running for office, and those who did often used standard or newly formed political parties. Mayor of Toledo and progressive businessman Samuel Jones differed from the standard reformer by seeking office while embracing a non-partisan ideology. By analyzing Jones’ writings, the partisan response to his movement, and contextualizing him amongst reformers, this essay explores how Jones stood out from the standard political …
Power, Knowledge, And Environmental Justice: The Dakota Access Pipeline Controversy,
2026
Bowling Green State University
Power, Knowledge, And Environmental Justice: The Dakota Access Pipeline Controversy, Mya Chapman
Honors Projects
In a time of rife political conflict and debate, it is important to understand the underlying power dynamics that permeate our society in America. As devised by French historian and philosopher Michel Foucault, power and knowledge are mutually constitutive forces that shape our social relations. Through the actions of certain discourses, distinct truths are cultivated that in turn, reinforce existing power structures. In this study, these concepts are applied to the Dakota Access Pipeline controversy in the form of a Foucauldian discourse analysis to understand how the pipeline remained operational in the face of great opposition. Written discourse in the …
Leadership & Title Ix: Does Political Ideology Shape Supportive Measures,
2026
Providence College
Leadership & Title Ix: Does Political Ideology Shape Supportive Measures, Jillian Evans
Political Science Student Scholarship
No abstract provided.
Diasporic Belonging Of Palestinian American Women In New England,
2026
Providence College
Diasporic Belonging Of Palestinian American Women In New England, Elizabeth Muller
Political Science Undergraduate Theses
No abstract provided.
