Political Science Commons^™

Maritime Industry Cybersecurity Threats In 2025: Advanced Persistent Threats (Apts), Hacktivism And Vulnerabilities, Minodora Badea, Olga Bucovetchi, Adrian V. Gheorghe, Mihaela Hnatiuc, Gabriel Raicu

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Background: The maritime industry, vital for global trade, faces escalating cyber threats in 2025. Critical port infrastructures are increasingly vulnerable due to rapid digitalization and the integration of IT and operational technology (OT) systems. Methods: Using 112 incidents from the Maritime Cyber Attack Database (MCAD, 2020-2025), we developed a novel quantitative risk assessment model based on a Threat-Vulnerability-Impact (T-V-I) framework, calibrated with MITRE ATT&CK techniques and validated against historical incidents. Results: Our analysis reveals a 150% rise in incidents, with OT compromise identified as the paramount threat (98/100 risk score). Ports in Poland and Taiwan face the …

The Women’S Legal Rights Index: A New Approach To Measuring Women’S Autonomy, Mona Shadia

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Existing indicators of women’s empowerment focus on women’s educational attainment. Yet theories of women’s empowerment in politics, in particular their role in democratization, extend beyond the consequences of education to require agency and autonomy in their lives. In the first chapter of this dissertation, I argue that in an effort to measure women’s citizenship and standing in their respective societies, access to legal rights should be measured and considered. My theoretical framework builds on literature that demonstrates that while education is critical to women’s prosperity in many facets of life, other measures related to their legal rights can provide a …

Postsecondary Enrollment Demand-Gap Estimation Model: Projecting The Postsecondary Demand-Gap For California By 2035, Manish Ranjan Shrivastav

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The postsecondary education system in California has been under the pressure of expansion by the means of opening a new campus for several years. The Legislative Analyst’s Office has been recommending whether to open new campus or not as a part of its mandate. In 1990, it recommended opening up of one campus of CSU, however, its projections grossly underestimated the future demand. In 2017, the LAO in its report recommended that given the demand projections there is no need for a new campus. The study commissioned by the Chancellor’s office of California State University also made the same recommendation. …

Building The Beast: The Evolution Of Mara Salvatrucha (Ms-13) From Street Gang To Transnational Criminal Organization, Marisa Mendoza

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores the evolution of Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) from a social stoner group in Los Angeles to a feared transnational criminal organization (TCO). Through a longitudinal study of literature and opensource materials spanning over 50 years, this study examines suppression and policy reforms enacted in the United States, Mexico, and Northern Triangle region of Central America that have catalyzed shifts in the criminal ecosystem, and vice versa. By exploring the genealogical makeup of TCO networks, particularly La Cosa Nostra, Mexican Mafia prison gang, and Los Zetas drug trafficking cartel, it will provide a better understanding of how an anomaly …

Essays On Political Factors, Exchange Rate Regimes, And Economic Growth, Kunchun Chu

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores the relationship among political regimes, regional initiatives, and exchange rate regimes in East and Southeast Asian countries, with a particular focus on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The work is structured around three interrelated essays, each addressing a critical aspect of the relationship.

The first essay examines how the political regime of a country influences its choice of exchange rate regime. Focusing on East and Southeast Asian countries, this study utilizes a comparative analysis to determine the extent to which political regime type shape monetary policy decisions. The findings provide new insights into the political economy …

Innovating Government The Open Way: Modeling The Open Data Ecosystem, Jeanne Holm

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Governments around the world are releasing open data with the aim of stimulating innovation, driving economic development, and advancing social good. Despite significant investment in data infrastructure and technology, many open data initiatives struggle to effectively engage stakeholders or deliver on their intended outcomes. Thus, this dissertation targets the research question: How can a human-centered open government data ecosystem be modeled to ensure that stakeholders are engaged and find data? It also explores which stakeholders should be engaged and what methods are most effective in engaging them. To address the research questions, this dissertation adopts a design science methodology and …

Bridging Science And Sustainability: Palestinians’ Perspective On Examining The Role Of Stem Education In The West Bank’S Development, Amir Rashed

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines the transformative potential of integrated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education as a catalyst for sustainable development in the West Bank, Palestine, amid the constraints of Israeli occupation. It explores how structural barriers—including restricted movement, inadequate infrastructure, limited resources, gender disparities, and sociopolitical instability—undermine access to quality education and impede efforts to build a knowledge-based society. Employing a qualitative research design, the study draws on interviews with college professors and NGO professionals to investigate how integrated STEM education can foster critical thinking, innovation, and problem-solving skills that address pressing local challenges such as water scarcity, renewable …

Living Networks: Reimagining Social Capital Beyond Institutions, Meghna Pamula

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis investigates the decline of social capital in the United States and explores how community connection can be rebuilt outside of traditional government institutions. Motivated by the question of whether social capital can be rebuilt within bureaucratic structures, the research evaluates the role of alternative, agile models such as local volunteer organizations, mutual aid networks, third spaces, and NGOs. Using a comparative case study approach and qualitative analysis, I examine initiatives across different cultures that foster social trust and connection beyond the limitations of formal systems. The findings illustrate that adaptive models of social capital that are not based …

Methodological And Data-Driven Approaches For Analyzing And Enhancing Campus Camera Coverage At The University Of Akron, Aj Stewart

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This Honors Project presents both a methodological and data-driven approach to analyzing, calculating, and enhancing the camera coverage on The University of Akron's (UA) campus using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The project uses spatial crime mapping with camera coverage analysis to support The University of Akron Police Department (UAPD) in determining surveillance gaps and suggesting strategic improvements. The goal is to develop a replicable framework for evaluating and improving camera coverage in crime hotspots using spatial analysis and viewshed analysis. The findings in this project give a usable guide for using data to improve security camera placement according to maps …

Church Attendance, Gender Roles, And Human Sexuality, Derek D. Goodrich

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

This research examines how the frequency of religious attendance impacts views on gender roles and sexuality in Christian subgroups in the United States. Prior research on the varying worldviews of American Christians has revealed a diverse group of opinions that cannot be explained solely by denominational affiliation. Based on social identity theory, this study explores whether the frequency of attendance at religious services influences congregants’ beliefs on six issues: legalization of gay marriage, the acceptance of homosexuality in society, the acceptance of transgender people, whether a parent should stay home with the children, which parent should stay home, and women …

Balancing Profit And Principle: How Firms Navigate The Rise Of Authoritarianism, Spencer Fraseur

Business Administration Dissertations - Archive

The purpose of my dissertation is to contribute to the growing discussion on the intersection of totalitarianism and business practices, highlighting the need for leaders to navigate the seismic shifts in global commerce and make ethical decisions in an increasingly complex landscape. Specifically, it examines the decline of the Rules-Based International Order (RBIO) and Liberal International Order (LIO) as well as the rise of totalitarianism across the globe, and the challenges these trends pose for businesses and managers. The first study constructs a comprehensive framework delineating the diverse responses of businesses to authoritarian regimes, ranging from resistance to accommodation. This …

Critical Approaches To Climate-Induced Migration Research And Solutions, Rosalyn Negrón, David Hernández, Hossein Ayazi, Pablo Shiladitaya Bose, Nyingilanyeofori Brown, Elora Chowdhury, Janelle Knox-Hayes, Rajini Srikanth, Banu Subramaniam, Farhana Sultana, Patrick Sylvain, Carlos Vargas-Ramos, Charles Venator-Santiago

Sustainable Solutions Lab

In this commentary we explore the confluence of factors shaping climate-induced migration and the need for comprehensive solutions grounded in historical and systemic understandings. We argue that climate change, colonial legacies, and geopolitical policies significantly influence migration patterns, particularly for historically marginalised communities. We call for scholars to develop holistic frameworks that consider environmental, political, historical, and economic factors while advocating for the legal recognition and protection of migrants and people displaced by climate impacts. Drawing on examples of internal migration and displacement in the United States and refugee camps globally, we highlight the complexities of resettlement. We propose integrated …

Where’D You Go, Ohio: Progressive Ohio Ballot Initiative Passage In A Republican Aligned State, Colin D. Swearingen, Elizabeth A. Stiles, Barrett Scheatzle*

2025 Faculty Bibliography

Over the span of just three months, Ohio voters went to the polls to weigh in on three issues concerning the threshold needed to amend the state constitution, abortion, and marijuana. Despite being a Republican-leaning state – per an author’s calculations, its Cook’s Partisan Voter Index is R+6 – the more progressive position won all three votes handily. In August, the coalition supporting the status quo of requiring a simple majority to change the state constitution, a longheld progressive position, won 57.1% of the vote (“The New York Times,” 2023a). In November, voters approved a constitutional amendment to give individuals …

Assessing Best Practices Of Facilitation Of The Free Exercise Of Religion By Army Chaplains Utilizing The Success Case Method, Geoffrey N. Bailey Phd

Dissertations

This mixed-methods study examined how U.S. Army chaplains experience and facilitate the free exercise of religion. The research explored compelling narratives of best-case facilitation experiences, identified leadership qualities associated with successful religious support, and analyzed similarities and differences between best and worst-case scenarios. Using Brinkerhoff's Success Case Method, the study distributed a quantitative survey to 1,478 active-duty chaplains (achieving a 23% response rate) followed by twelve guided interviews with participants representing diverse ranks and faith traditions. The research revealed six major themes: significant gaps in education for pluralistic ministry, tension between personal religious convictions and professional duties, crucial impact of …

Ai And Strategic Power: An Analysis Of Ai In Cyberwarfare, Krystal J. Correal

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Artificial intelligence (AI) is intertwined in nearly all aspects of civilian life and is becoming progressively embedded into global conflict in novel ways. AI’s role in cyberwarfare is altering the structure of strategic power. This paper explores how the weaponized application of AI in cyberwarfare, both in military and public use, work to benefit states with advanced AI capabilities in kinetic and non-kinetic forms while undermining those without. With the focus on superpowered states, such as the U.S., China, and Russia, and a representative non-superpower, Ukraine, the study examines the basic requirements for AI dominance: resources (financial and other), technological …

Racial Capitalism: The Political Economy Of American Punishment, Naomi Barbour

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This research examines how the criminal justice industrial complex and existing political incentives have shaped American penology, ultimately contributing to the disenfranchisement and unequal representation of marginalized groups. It identifies a significant historical shift in U.S. penal philosophy, moving from rehabilitation to retribution, arguing that this shift coincided with the rise of economic interests in the criminal justice system, facilitating the emergence of the criminal justice industrial complex. The research further examines the effects of this changing environment, arguing that the growing influence of profit-driven entities, including private prison companies, has played a crucial role in radicalizing criminal justice policies, …

From Dictatorship To Sectarianism: Iraq's Domestic Politics And Minority Rights (1979-2023), Hiba Alkhuzaee

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This study looks at how Iraq’s domestic politics have changed, moving from Saddam Hussein’s authoritarian rule to the post-2003 era that’s been heavily shaped by sectarian divisions. It focuses on how Shi’a communities were systematically oppressed under Saddam’s Sunni-led Ba’athist regime and then compares that to the frustrations many Sunnis have faced under the mostly Shi’a-led government that came after the U.S. invasion. By looking at government policies, shifts in society, and the current status of minority rights, I explore how sectarianism has shaped governance, complicated the Kurdish issue, and affected things like inter-sect marriages between Shi’a and Sunni Muslims. …

Political Turbulence And Aviation Safety: A Cross-National Analysis Of Political Stability's Effects On Aviation Accidents, Léa Faure, Lilliam Maria Cáceres Malachowski

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

To what extent does political stability affect aviation safety? This research aims to link domestic political conditions and public safety through the consideration of aviation accident frequency. Political instability can indeed have profound effects on reducing overall public safety in a variety of domains through its influence on public policies. Reduced regulations and governance efforts can appear in contentious contexts for less-prioritized fields. This could influence the reemergence of technical aviation risk factors like crew training and performance, maintenance issues, infrastructure problems, human errors, etc. This would highlight a correlation between such political instability and weaker aviation safety regulations, investments …

Examining Political Knowledge And Trust In The U.S Federal Government, Sheila Alvarez

History and Political Science | Senior Theses

The United States is a representative democracy and as such requires participation from its citizens to function; in order to participate, citizens need to have information. Trust in social institutions is often contingent on our knowledge about those institutions. For instance, increased trust in scientists, science, or both, can be affected by educational achievement and scientific knowledge (Yen & Zampelli, 2022). The relationship between trust and knowledge highlights how an understanding of concepts leads to higher receptivity (Yen & Zampelli, 2022). Research has also suggested political knowledge is a driving force of political participation and tolerance (Delli Carpini & Keeter, …

The Shadow Of Exceptionalism: Morality, Pragmatism, And Covert Action In American Cold War Foreign Policy, Kyle Stacy

History Theses - Archive

The complex forces of national identity, economic ambition, and ideological justification created a dynamic and contested landscape that shaped America’s Cold War policies. A carefully curated useful past, bolstered by religious convictions, fostered a belief in American exceptionalism and moral leadership that provided both the impetus and justification for 11 America’s actions abroad. Yet, America’s stated ideals—freedom and democracy—existed in stark tension with the pursuit of its national interests, often clashing with its self-perceived moral superiority. The Cold War environment fostered a culture of secrecy within the highest levels of government. Here, transparency and accountability were readily sacrificed for strategic …