International Relations Commons^™

Health Politics, Covid-19, And The Vaccine: A Comparison Of How Germany And The U.S. Cultivated Public Trust During The Covid-19 Pandemic., Kai Gundlach

CMC Senior Theses

Public trust is important during an ongoing crisis as it determines people’s compliance with government mandates and laws. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Germany and the U.S. operated with different levels of public trust and people placed their trust in different public institutions. My thesis examines how political tactics such as fear, use of science, and expert pronouncements impacted public trust and the COVID-19 response in both countries.

The Impact Of Armed Drones On Human Security Goals, Sarath Kakani

CMC Senior Theses

The rapid proliferation of armed drones around the globe has sparked a debate on their benefits and their tradeoffs. Through a traditional security perspective, drones are the ideal weapon of the future: incredible technological capabilities lend tactical advantages to any military that owns drones. They allow actors to strike at enemy combatants without no risk to their own troops and minimal risk to any civilian bystanders. Yet through a nontraditional human security lens, armed drones have been nothing short of a disaster in protecting civilians and reducing collateral damage. The tactical advantages they lend users are some of their most …

The Trilateral Challenge: The Impact Of Russian And Chinese Nuclear Threats On U.S. Strategy, Catherine Murphy

CMC Senior Theses

The article explores the United States’ nuclear deterrence strategy in the context of rising nuclear threats from Russia and China. The U.S. arsenal has 1,770 deployed warheads across intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and bombers. A posture set by the presidential administration continues to reject a No First Use policy, focusing on modernization and renewed arms control with Russia and China. Russia, with 1,674 deployed warheads, suspended the New START Treaty following its invasion of Ukraine. China’s secretive nuclear program estimates 500 warheads, projecting growth and emphasizing its ICBM stockpile. The China-Russia partnership poses a significant risk …

American-European Alignment: An Assessment Of Economic And Security Factors Impacting The Relationship Between The United States And Europe Since Wwii, Peter Nicholas Gianaris

CMC Senior Theses

The United States and Europe have had a relationship that has constantly augmented during the past 80 years. The extent of this change has depended on a number of factors including security and economics. This paper seeks to analyze the relationship between the United States and Europe throughout the Cold War, following the Cold War, and in the wake of Russia’s current invasion of Ukraine. It will view the partnership through a security and economic lens and seek to determine how much both factors impact the relationship and in what way each factor has impacted the relationship. It will also …

Strategic Narrative And Global Public Opinion On The Russia-Ukraine Conflict, Jason Rhett

CMC Senior Theses

Through analyzing the cases of public opinion in Russia and South Africa, this thesis explores the nature of strategic narratives and the effects that they have on public opinion. Using the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a case study, it is conclusive that while strategic narratives are important and impactful, they are not the only factor that shape domestic and international public opinion. In Russia, while narrative has swayed a large portion of the population, there are those who’s stances can be attributed to the pressure to conform to the Russian nationalist majority. In South Africa, the country’s leadership has taken a …

China’S Strategic Calculus: A Comparative Analysis Of China’S Approaches Towards The Philippines And Vietnam In The South China Sea Dispute, Letian Wang

CMC Senior Theses

The South China Sea (SCS) dispute is a longstanding territorial conflict involving several surrounding states. In this paper, I analyze the differences in China’s policies towards the Philippines and Vietnam as China exerts its expansion into the SCS using relevant International Relations theories. The Philippines’ democratic values, alliance with the U.S., small-scale volume of trade with China, and active strategies against China all contradict China’s interests to be the regional hegemonic power. In contrast, Vietnam’s socialist regime, alliance with China, substantial trade with China, and passive strategies do not contradict China’s interests as much and even comply with them. Hence, …

From The Barrel To The Border: Exploring The Roots And Ramifications Of Gun Trafficking From The United States To Mexico, Alexandra Punishill

CMC Senior Theses

Nowhere is the discussion surrounding gun violence more prominent than in the United States, with the impacts of our gun-friendly culture being felt around the world. This thesis analyzes the dynamics of gun trafficking from the United States to Mexico and sheds light on its role in fueling the epidemic of gun violence south of the border. It is argued that the particular system of federalism adopted by the United States has led to a variety of state-level gun regulations that have shaped domestic gun policy and have had an international impact. Despite Mexico’s persistent efforts to combat the gun …

The Role Of Women’S Activists And Organizations In Post-Conflict Kosovo, Olivia Carusi

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the role of civic organizations to advance women’s rights in Kosovo after the conflict in the late 1990s. Following the Kosovo-Serbia War, Western state building missions came into Kosovo to support Kosovo’s independence and help guide them on a path toward developed statehood. However, those missions brought with them patriarchal leaders who marginalized women’s voices and neglected to enshrine women’s rights. As a result, local actorsand organizations stepped up to improve the lives of Kosovar women. Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), and their member organizations, is one of the most successful civic actors in Kosovo, working locally and …

Architects Of War: The Economic And Industrial Strategies Of The Third Reich And United States Under Albert Speer And William Knudsen, Spencer David Taylor

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis presents a chronological narrative that delves into the economic and industrial underpinnings of the Second World War, focusing on the contrasting war machines of Germany and the United States. By examining the strategic decisions and outcomes shaped by two central figures, Albert Speer of Germany and William S. Knudsen of the United States, this study highlights how their approaches to war production profoundly influenced the overall trajectory and outcome of the war. Knudsen’s embodiment of the American industrial spirit and Speer’s manipulation of Germany's constrained resources illustrate the crucial roles that economic strategies played alongside military operations. The …

ผลประโยชน์แห่งชาติกับกรณีคลองไทยภายใต้แนวคิดสมุททานุภาพของมาฮาน, ปณิธิ ชัยชนะ

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

วิทยานิพนธ์นี้เป็นการศึกษาผลประโยชน์แห่งชาติจากคลองไทยภายใต้แนวคิดสมุททานุภาพของมาฮาน โดยการวิจัยเอกสารและวิเคราะห์ข้อมูลจากทฤษฎีสมุททานุภาพของมาฮาน ผลการศึกษาพบว่า ผลประโยชน์แห่งชาติจากคลองไทยตามทฤษฎีสมุททานุภาพของมาฮาน ประกอบด้วย (1) ผลประโยชน์ด้านเศรษฐกิจ (2) ผลประโยชน์ด้านความมั่นคง ซึ่งเป็นผลประโยชน์ที่มีแนวโน้มเป็นวัตถุประสงค์ที่แท้จริงในการขุดคลองไทย และ (3) ผลประโยชน์ด้านความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างประเทศ ช่วยผลักดันให้ประเทศไทยสามารถยกระดับสถานะกลายเป็นมหาอำนาจระดับภูมิภาคได้ โดยมีคลองไทยเป็นเครื่องมือต่อรองกับมหาอำนาจของโลก สอดคล้องกับแนวคิดของมาฮานที่เชื่อว่าระบบระหว่างประเทศเป็นการต่อสู้เพื่อได้มาซึ่งการครอบครองผลประโยชน์ทางการเมือง เศรษฐกิจ และดินแดน โดยใช้กำลังทางบกและทะเล ขณะเดียวกัน คลองไทยที่ได้รับอิทธิพลจากระบบระหว่างประเทศกลับมีบทบาทต่อการเสริมสร้างสมุททานุภาพแก่ตัวแสดงที่เป็นรัฐในระบบระหว่างประเทศเช่นกัน โดยอยู่ในลักษณะการมอบผลประโยชน์เพื่อสร้างความได้เปรียบทางภูมิรัฐศาสตร์โดยตรงและการเป็นปัจจัยผลักดันให้พัฒนาศักยภาพเพื่อแข่งขันกับรัฐคู่แข่งที่อาศัยผลประโยชน์จากคลองไทย อย่างไรก็ตาม สมุททานุภาพของมาฮานมีข้อจำกัดในการอธิบาย ผู้วิจัยจึงพัฒนาแนวคิดสมุททานุภาพใหม่ให้มีความร่วมสมัยสอดคล้องกับบริบทโลกปัจจุบันและสอดคล้องกับบริบทของประเทศไทยมากยิ่งขึ้น

Rhetorical Demagoguery: An Exploration Of Trump’S And Hitler’S Rise To Power, Tanner Horne

Undergraduate Honors Theses

While many scholars have examined the rhetoric of President Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler individually, there is a void of scholarly work that highlights the similarities between the two leaders’ use of grandiloquent language to stoke the passions of their perspective nations. In the past one hundred years, rhetoric and propaganda have been employed to push political agendas that are divisive and dangerous. Trump’s incendiary vocabulary–“enemy of the people,” “vermin,” “retribution,” etc., employed frequently throughout his campaign and presidency, in many ways echoes Hitler's speeches and declarations. While their political strategies ultimately differed greatly, a close analysis of their speeches, …

Beyond “The Forgotten War”: A Multidimensional Exploration Of The Korean War And Its Enduring Impact, Matthew Weishaupt

History - Master of Arts in Teaching

I. Synthesis Essay...................3

II. Primary Sources................20

III. Textbook Critique..............30

IV. New Textbook Entry..........34

V. Bibliography.......................40

An Emerging War? Reviewing The Security Triangulation Between The Philippines, China And The United States Over The South China Sea Dispute, Kai Shun Chui

Bachelor of Social Sciences – Senior Theses

What factors explain the increasingly confrontational posture between Beijing and Manila since 2022? To what extent will the geopolitical tension transcend into a great-power hot war? This study aims to address these questions through a suggested framework involving the lens of structural, misperception and domestic theories to account for the factors contributing to the spiral of crisis. While security assessments of involved states are analysed on a case-by-case basis, the research findings suggest that the ongoing spiral of crisis largely adheres to the logic of security dilemma substantiated by structural and domestic factors. Offering a timely analysis regarding Manila's repivot …

Coastal Conflict: How International Law Addresses China's Claims In The South China Sea, Madeline H. Broshears

Tenor of Our Times

The South China Sea is home to natural resources and reefs that benefit its surrounding states. International law divides these waters to grant certain rights to each coastal state so as to ensure fair distribution of the waters. As of late, China’s actions in the South China Sea frequently violate the distribution of waters under international law. They have infringed upon the Philippine’s waters and attempted to establish authority over most of the South China Sea, rather than remaining within their own waters. Thus, the Philippines filed arbitration against China, and the ruling rebuked China’s behavior in the South China …

Location, Location, Location: Geographic Qualities Of Political Instability And Military Coups, William O'Connell

Theses and Dissertations--Political Science

Previous research has shown that political instability can lead to military coups, especially when it occurs close to the capital. However, other than proximity to the capital, no other geographic qualities of instability and their relationship to coups have been explored. Therefore, this dissertation serves as a detailed analysis of how the location of instability conditions its impact on coups.

To show how the locational qualities of instability influence coup likelihood, I borrow from expected utility models of coups, and explore how instability influences militaries’ disposition and ability to coup differently when it occurs in different areas within a country. …

What Factors Limit American Study Abroad Student’S Ability To Adapt To Host Countries Outside North America & Western Europe, And How Can Institutions Help Students Adjust?, Aidan E. Keller

Capstone Showcase

Ever since the turn of the 21st century, the amount of American students studying abroad has increased tremendously. Western Europe in particular had been the hub of American study abroad programs, with high-quality teaching, rich culture, a remarkable ease of travel, various sights to see, and more. Despite this, students began flocking to destinations all across the globe, from Asia to South America to Africa in unprecedented numbers. Student preferences on where they wanted to learn and experience the world had changed forever.

The American study abroad community have begun to desire unique curriculums not found in North America & …

Synergetic Effects Of Democracy And Economic Development On Income Inequality And The Role Of Relative Political Capacity, Nazif Sali

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Diving into the complex dynamics of income inequality, this dissertation studies the multifaceted relationships between democracy, economic development, and inequality, placing a spotlight on the mediating influence of Relative Political Capacity (RPC). Uncovering the pivotal role of RPC as democracies advance and economies progress, this research navigates the contours of income inequality. By dissecting distinct sub-samples of OECD and non-OECD countries, nuanced insights surface. Employing robust methodologies such as ordinary least squares regressions and fixed effects analysis, I argue that targeted policies addressing inequality can not only foster inclusive economic growth but also fortify the foundations of democratic institutions. As …

Rape Violence In India, Chisanga Chanda

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The weaponization of rape in International Relations is often analyzed through the lens of Realism, focusing on cases where rape is systematically used as a tactic of war by enemy combatants or as “spoils of war”. This phenomenon is evidenced by high-profile incidents in World War II Japan (1941), Cambodia (1975), Guatemala (1978), Bosnia (1992), and Rwanda (1994). More recently, terrorist groups like Boko Haram in Nigeria have used rape to bind recruits to the group, and ISIS in Iraq has promised women as rewards and motivation. Such cases meet the criteria for the strategic deployment of rape to terrorize, …

The Estonian And Latvian Orthodox Churches Of The Moscow Patriarchate Before And After The Russian War In Ukraine, Priit Rohtmets, Valdis Teraudkalns

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

From the beginning of the Russian war in Ukraine the Baltic Orthodox churches subordinated to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) have gone through considerable changes in their canonical status, but have also stood out with controversial public statements about the war.

In this article we analyse how the Orthodox churches of the Moscow Patriarchate have reacted to the Russian war in Ukraine and what have been the major canonical changes in Latvia and Lithuania. Additionally, we describe the most important narratives, which the churches have used when speaking about the ongoing war and pay attention to the reaction, which these …

Chinese Fintech Goes Global: Political Challenges And Business Strategies, Yujia He

Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce Faculty Publications

Fintech (the application of digital technology to financial services) has witnessed unprecedented growth, bringing significant implications for the financial system and sustainable development.1 The Financial Stability Board, an international body that monitors and makes recommendations about the global financial system, defines fintech as “technologically enabled financial innovation that could result in new business models, applications, processes, or products with an associated material effect on financial markets and institutions and the provision of financial services.”2 The use of technology in finance is certainly not new—consider the growth of electronic banking and high-frequency trading in the early 2000s. In the past two …