Comparative Politics Commons^™

The Fight For Education: The Rise Of Indigenous Oaxacan Teachers And Their Role In The 1980s Mexican Teacher’S Movement, Chiara Gutierrez

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis investigates the pivotal role of Indigenous Oaxacan teachers in the 1980s Mexican Teacher’s Movement, addressing a significant gap in scholarship that has often overlooked Indigenous political activism in Mexico prior to the 1990s. It argues that these teachers were critical actors whose prior organizing experience, cultivated throughout the 1970s in response to state assimilationist policies (via INI, IIISEO) and discriminatory practices (from SEP, SNTE), enabled them to significantly shape the 1980s movement. Drawing on theories of political identity (Yashar 2006), repertoires of strategies (Rossi 2023), and identity salience (Hunt & Benford), this study traces the development of their …

The Position Of The United States Of America Vis-A-Vis The Question Of Western Sahara: Assessing The Role Of Think Tanks In The Conflict, Hamid Baadeche

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

The Position of the United States of America Vis-à-vis the Question of Western Sahara: Assessing the Role of Think Tanks in the Conflict

Hamid Baadeche

Think tank organizations, particularly in the United States, have become a prominent feature of the political landscape. They act as advocates for specific policies that they consider beneficial for the country or a particular societal group. They function as a primary source of information, which they then aim to transform into well-informed policies and sound decisions. They are referred to as "the revolving doors," "idea brokers," and "idea factory." As such, their foremost objective …

Securitization Of African Migrants In Europe And North America, Chick Edmond

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

The securitization of African migrants in Europe and North America refers to the framing of immigrants as an existential security threat rather than a socioeconomic or humanitarian concerns. This discourse driven by political rhetoric, media narratives, and policy measures, often depict African migrants as risks to national security, cultural identity, and economic stability. Governments in host countries employ stringent border controls, detention and deportation policies often justified by counterterrorism and crime prevention frameworks. However, critics argue that securitization exacerbates xenophobia, violates human rights, and fails to address root causes of migration, such as conflict, poverty, and climate change. This paper …

Nuclear Disarmament And The Erosion Of Deterrence Effectiveness Case Study: Ukraine, Chick Edmond

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

The invasion of Ukraine demonstrates an interesting security paradox between nuclear disarmament norms, territorial integrity and deterrence in a self-help unpredictable international environment. Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons under the Budapest Memorandum in order to receive security guarantees resulting in brutal betrayal by nuclear armed Russia. The research investigates how Russia maintains an effective nuclear deterrence capability against other nuclear powers in the region through threats despite challenges on the battlefield. Through the combination of military resistance, strategic partnerships and robust combat methods, Ukraine has established an unmatched ability to deter a nuclear-armed enemy - Russia. This research ponders …

Nuclear Deterrence Strategies And The Balance Of Power In Europe, Chick Edmond

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

The beginning of the Cold War era indubitably defines nuclear deterrence strategies in Europe by reinforcing and re-strategizing security dynamics amongst European States. The balance of power in Europe has been geopolitically influenced by NATO and Russia in a quest to avoid any kind of security dilemmas from either side. In order to maintain a strategic deterrence balance posture, this complex security navigation scenario therefore act as stabilizing factor in the region as well as preventing any future conflict on the Europe continent resulting from security imbalances. NATO eastward enlargement has maintained a significant strategic balance of power in the …

Exploring How Political Affiliations Influence Trust In Ai Applications, Md Imran Ahsan

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines the impact of partisanship on public trust in the utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by private and public institutions. This study utilizes data from the “Artificial Intelligence: American Attitudes and Trends” survey (Zhang & Dafoe, 2019). Survey-weighted OLS regression models are employed to examine the variations in trust levels across different private and public institutions. This study hypothesizes that H1: Compared to Republicans, Democrats will report higher levels of confidence in public institutions to develop AI in the best interests of the public. H2: Compared to Democrats, Republicans will report higher levels of confidence in private institutions …

Assessing Brazil’S Economic Trajectory Post Democracy: A Synthetic Control Approach To The 1985 Transition, Mohammad Saqlain Khurshid

Theses and Dissertations

Brazil’s democratic transition in 1985 marked a pivotal moment in its political and economic history. Following 21 years of military rule, the transition introduced sweeping political reforms amidst significant economic instability. This study examines the causal impact of democratization on Brazil’s economic trajectory using the Synthetic Control Method (SCM). By constructing a synthetic counterfactual, this research estimates the economic effects of democratization. The findings suggest a negative impact of democratization on the per capita GDP of Brazil, amounting to an average annual reduction of approximately $887 per year during 15 years following the democratization. However, this effect is not statistically …

Venezuela's And Mexico's Oil Industries: Policy Making Sets The Course, Camila Gimenez Valero

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The puzzle of Venezuela's crisis is one that researchers often try to understand. How did one of the richest nations in the world become one of the poorest? Venezuela is nowadays seen as a country with political unrest, where people struggle to get by and with a corrupt government. However, this was not always the case. Throughout the 20th century Venezuela had remarkable economic stability. Having discovered the world's largest known oil reserves, the nation's economy quickly developed, and the country also became known for its long-standing democracy. After the election of Hugo Chavez in 1998, Venezuela began to decline …

Digital Orthodoxy And Political Populism In Eastern Europe: How Orthodox Media Facilitate Political Mobilization, Dmytro Garaschuk, Oleh Sokolovskyi

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the intersection of Orthodox digital media and political populism in Eastern Europe, focusing on how religious institutions utilize digital platforms to facilitate political mobilization, reinforce nationalistic narratives, and undermine democratic institutions. Drawing on a comparative analysis of six countries–Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Georgia, and Montenegro–the study identifies a shared ideological matrix that fuses populist rhetoric with theological motifs. The research highlights the strategic use of digital media by Orthodox actors to construct moral binaries, sacralize political resistance, and disseminate disinformation framed in religious language. Particular attention is given to the role of the Russian Orthodox Church and …

Equal For Whom?: An Analysis Of Multicultural Policies In Norway And The Us Through The Lens Of Immigrant Unemployment, Jodie Boisvert

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

Norway and the United States boast diverse and equal societies. Both have attempted to implement multicultural policies to facilitate immigrants' integration into the host society. Engaging with the theories of racism, xenophobia, and multiculturalism, this paper analyzes the immigrant unemployment outcomes from Norway and the United States from 2015-2020 to identify patterns and anticipate causal relationships from these patterns. Standardized data from both countries show that immigrants from Global South countries have far worse employment outcomes than immigrants from Global North countries. The xenophobic and racist histories of both countries could explain this. This paper analyzes the multicultural policies of …

Ad Hominem Arguments In Zimbabwean Political Discourse: An Analysis Of Political Argumentation, Jack Mutsvairo, Mawande Dlali

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The article investigates the motivation behind the prevalent use of the subtypes of ad hominem (personal attacks) arguments in Zimbabwe political discourse in the build-up to the 2023 harmonised council, parliamentary and presidential elections. This qualitative case study research looks at the use of ad hominem arguments by Zimbabwean politicians. Using analytical tools and concepts from informal logic and pragma-dialectical argumentation theories, this article focuses on identifying, analysing, and evaluating ad hominem arguments used in Zimbabwean political discourse, particularly in parliamentary debates and broadcast interviews. Data were purposively sampled and gathered from Hansard records, and a television interview transcript. It …

The Role Of Sufi Shrines In Local Politics: A Case Study Of Mitthan Kot Rajanpur, Pakistan, Sarfraz Ahmad

CBER Conference

This study investigates the role of Sufi shrines in the local community and in local politics. This study follows a qualitative research strategy and employs in-depth interviews to collect data from different stakeholders such as visitors of the Shrine, local politicians and Sajjada Nasheen. Thematic analysis has been used to analyze data. The findings of this study showed that the Koreja family in Mitthan Kot uses the shrine for their benefit as they are only the caretakers of the Shrine. They are not functioning for the shrine's development or for spreading the teachings of Khwaja Ghulam Farid. The results found …

Rhetoric Vs. Reality: A Study Of Public Rhetoric And Private Behavior Across Party Lines, Elizabeth Callecod

Bakerman Student Research Awards

In the United States, Republicans and Democrats are viewed as being intrinsically distinct in their moral convictions. More specifically, Republicans are generally viewed as the party which more frequently upholds and uses religious and moral rhetoric, particularly regarding sexual activity, while Democrats are generally thought to rely on more pragmatic and inclusive rhetoric. Previous explanations explore why these partisan stereotypes exist but fail to compare how these different rhetorical styles compare to the actual behavior exhibited by both parties’ members. By using measurements of how often individuals from both parties participate in sexual morally contentious activities, such as viewing pornography, …

Determinants And Consequences Of Electrification In India: A Cross Sectional Analysis Of Socioeconomic Inequities, Devin Oommen

Honors Capstones

This study examines the effects of village-level electrification on socioeconomic welfare in rural India, with a focus on inequities in access and outcomes. Electri- fication is widely regarded as a catalyst for development, improving productivity, educational attainment, and income. However, the distribution of these bene- fits remains uneven. Using cross-sectional data from the Socioeconomic High Resolution Urban Geographic (SHRUG) dataset, this paper investigates the re- lationship between eelctricity access and estimated monthly consumption per capita, a proxy for welfare.

The analysis employs multiple linear regression to control for factors such as in- come, poverty rates, gender composition, and land ownership. …

Placing The Four Rounds Of Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations In The Twenty-First Century In A Historical And Philosophical Context, Michael J. Reimer Dr

Department of Political Science and Law Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This paper will take a three-pronged approach to the analysis of prior treaty negotiations and their comparison to the Israeli Palestinian conflict. The first prong, which will be addressed in the next section, will be a historical analysis of other treaty negotiations which resulted in end of conflict treaties. These examinations will include The Congress of Vienna, 1814-1815; the Portsmouth Treaty, 1905 which involved a Treaty between a European and a non-European state2 negotiated by the President of the United States and American Diplomats; the Paris Peace Conferences of 19193 ; and Multiparty Mediation in Cyprus, 1963-1965. In each of …

Gaining New “Terror”-Tory: The Strategic Expansion Of Al-Qaeda Into Africa, Ashley Jenkins

Opinion Matters: Student Analyses of World News

The op-ed discusses the expansion of Al-Qaeda's influence into Africa. Partnering with local extremist groups, such as JNIM and Al-Shabaab, Al-Qaeda seeks to recruit new members and undermine Africa's current democratic ambitions. The spread of extremist ideology poses a serious threat to U.S. national security and highlights the need for new counterterrorism strategies.

Revolutionary Vs. Evolutionary Democratization, Maia Nicolosi

Opinion Matters: Student Analyses of World News

This op-ed explores the democratization of Portugal and Spain, highlighting how their distinct revolutionary and evolutionary processes ultimately achieved the same result: a free, fair democracy.

Fear-Based Politics Of Vladimir Putin, Ben Capocci

Opinion Matters: Student Analyses of World News

This Op-Ed discusses the reasons for aggressive Russian actions, including the threat of nuclear warfare and the invasion of Ukraine, and how these actions are rooted in deep-seated fear of Western forces.

Casar Student Discussion Series #6: 'The 2024 Us Election Results Are Out!The 2024 Us Elections Results Will Affect The Middle East Region Positively', The Prince Alwaleed Center For American Studies And Research Casar

Performances, Events, and Presentations

Every semester, CASAR AUC holds miscellaneous student debates discussing the hot controversial topics in the US, Egypt and from around the world in hopes of raising awareness about these topics & broadening the perspectives of our students as they learn to engage in fruitful discussions as they share different opinion on the topic being deliberated. At this CASAR Student Discussion event #6 in light of the current 2024 US Elections, we debated this statement: 'The 2024 US Elections results will affect the Middle East Region positively' A brief into was given followed by short videos to watch before opening the …

The Pressing Necessity For Maternal Healthcare Reform In The Us, Chelsea Cousin

Opinion Matters: Student Analyses of World News

This Op-Ed discusses the impact of the historical legacy of slavery and anti-Black discrimination on inequities in modern Black female maternal health and pre and post natal care.