Title Page,
2025
Illinois Wesleyan University
Note From The Department Chair,
2025
Illinois Wesleyan University
Note From The Department Chair, William Munro
Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research
No abstract provided.
Editors' Introduction,
2025
Illinois Wesleyan University
Editors' Introduction, Luke Alberstett, Victoria Ballesteros-Gonzalez
Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research
No abstract provided.
Authors' Biographies,
2025
Illinois Wesleyan University
Authors' Biographies
Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research
No abstract provided.
Pharmacy Benefit Managers And The Fight For Affordable Prescription Drugs: A Case For Accountability Through Regulation,
2025
Illinois Wesleyan University
Pharmacy Benefit Managers And The Fight For Affordable Prescription Drugs: A Case For Accountability Through Regulation, Cayden Webster
Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research
As prescription drug prices in the United States continue to climb, the debate surrounding cost control methods has taken center stage among politicians, providers, insurance companies, and consumers alike. At the heart of this issue lies the Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM). These third party companies were initially intended to drive drug prices down by negotiating for benefits on behalf of clients; but their hidden business strategies and oligopolistic market share has resulted in many Americans today struggling with unfair drug costs and fewer choices of treatment. In this paper, I seek to demonstrate that by expanding PBM market competition and …
Juvenile Record Expungement Policy In Illinois,
2025
Illinois Wesleyan University
Juvenile Record Expungement Policy In Illinois, Emma Kudelka
Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research
This policy paper explores juvenile expungement policies and their broader social impact. Research suggests that lenient expungement laws help prevent discrimination in education, housing, and military service, aiding rehabilitation youth offenders' reintegration. The paper begins with a historical overview of Illinois juvenile law, highlighting its shift from punitive to rehabilitative approaches. It then examines key legislation, including the Juvenile Court Act, Juvenile Justice, and Delinquency Prevention Act, and Youth Opportunity and Fairness Act. Illinois's juvenile expungement laws are analyzed, covering eligibility, process, and timeline. A comparative analysis follows, contrasting Illinois' policies with those of California and Florida to emphasize differences …
Why Are Children's Health Outcomes Different In Counties Across The United States?,
2025
Illinois Wesleyan University
Why Are Children's Health Outcomes Different In Counties Across The United States?, Caylen Pavlicek
Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research
This paper explores the relationship between family income and health outcomes for children across counties in the United States, focusing on low birth weight as a key indicator. Income disparities among counties often correlate with varying health outcomes for children, particularly those born into lower-income families who lack the resources for adequate healthcare. Utilizing data from 3,113 counties, I examine the impact of income, education, rural versus urban location, healthcare access, and other social determinants on children's health, with a specific focus on birth weight. The findings reveal a strong negative correlation between median household income and low birth weight, …
Palm Oil Expansion: Carrying On The Legacy Of Colonial Exploitation In Indonesia,
2025
Illinois Wesleyan University
Palm Oil Expansion: Carrying On The Legacy Of Colonial Exploitation In Indonesia, Melinda Burgin
Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research
Today, plantation agriculture in Indonesia is dominated by palm oil expansion. While the palm oil industry has frequently been touted as an economic boon for Indonesia, the environmental and social consequences have been dire, particularly for Indigenous peoples. Oil palm cultivation has been a part of Indonesian agriculture since its introduction by Dutch traders in the mid 19th century, but palm oil production in Indonesia really exploded in the 1990s, as seen in Figure 1. Since then, palm oil production has been a leading cause of deforestation (Austin, 2019) and caused devastation to indigenous communities as they lose swathes of …
How Much Does America Hate Black Women?,
2025
Illinois Wesleyan University
How Much Does America Hate Black Women?, Franchesca Smith
Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research
This paper explores the relationship between sociocultural factors and intersectionality by way of economic inequalities. Intersectionality is a phenomenon that receives little to no examination especially in regards to Black women. The following research uses the theories of intersectionality, human capital, and institutional to examine which has the most significant effect on the wages of Black women compared to other demographics. Findings suggest that the intersectionality of Black women does have a substantial wage gap, but the correlation is positive, which is not true for the variables Black and women when separated. Additionally, the research suggests that the human capital …
The American Party Polarization Dilemma: Why Political Attitudes Matter,
2025
Illinois Wesleyan University
The American Party Polarization Dilemma: Why Political Attitudes Matter, Chase Beitz
Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research
The question pursued in my research paper is this: Does the proliferation of extreme political attitudes fuel party polarization along party lines in the United States? I hypothesize that the greater the number and extreme tone of political statements made by powerful figures within a party, the greater the level of polarization between and within the parties. A thorough analysis was completed on 4 different eras of Republican control in Congress: the John Boehner era (2011-2015), the Paul Ryan era (2015-2019), the Kevin McCarthy era (2023), and the Mike Johnson era (2023-Present). By examining the influence exerted by the Republican …
How To Catch A Con: The Rhetorical Strategies Of Fraudulent Political Leaders,
2025
Claremont McKenna College
How To Catch A Con: The Rhetorical Strategies Of Fraudulent Political Leaders, Lukas Huntington
CMC Senior Theses
The United States faces persistent challenges in controlling political fraud. Government agencies exhibit the second-highest fraud rate of any industry, and corruption levels have only worsened over the last decade, contributing to declining public trust in national leadership. Current fraud detection efforts generally catch late-stage, large-scale fraud, highlighting the need for earlier-detection mechanisms. One way this could be accomplished involves identifying rhetorical patterns that are commonly used by political frauds in order to flag high-risk individuals. Leaning on the Theory of Planned Behavior, it was hypothesized that political frauds would exhibit more rhetorical appeals to fear, blame, pathos, and self-promotion …
Nuclear Deterrence Strategies And The Balance Of Power In Europe,
2025
Old Dominion University
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 …
When Coalitions Do Not Form: The Disability Movement And The Sustainability Movement In Congressional Hearings,
2025
Connecticut College
When Coalitions Do Not Form: The Disability Movement And The Sustainability Movement In Congressional Hearings, Samantha Lavenhagen
American Studies Honors Papers
This thesis examines why and how the disability issue network has traditionally been excluded from the legislative process. The integration of the disability issue network into congressional hearings demonstrates larger themes of power and respect in politics and society. Whether through quotes, statements for the record, or testifying as a witness, issue networks influence lawmakers and lawmaking, building and maintaining relationships with Congress Members and other issue networks. This integration of the disability issue network into congressional hearings reveals larger themes of power and respect in politics and society. More specifically, this thesis investigates the absence of disability organizations from …
Perceptions And Treatment Decisions For A Drug Offender Based On Social Class, Cocaine Type, Personal Characteristics, And Compassionate Love: A Vignette Study,
2025
Illinois State University
Perceptions And Treatment Decisions For A Drug Offender Based On Social Class, Cocaine Type, Personal Characteristics, And Compassionate Love: A Vignette Study, Yasmin A. Odeh
Theses and Dissertations
Problem: The shift from a focus on rehabilitation to the more punitive, “tough on crime” approach to illegal behavior in the U.S. has been enacted in no small way by policies connected to the use and abuse of drugs. The disparities between crack and powder cocaine—two chemically similar substances—have headlined this shift (Vagins and McCurdy 2006). However, research is scarce on laypeople’s approval of deterrence approaches for drug offenses, including as a function of types (e.g., powder vs. cocaine possession). This study examined people’s perceptions of prosecutorial decisions for drug offenders—whether they are punished, rehabilitated, or both—and whether people perceived …
Assessing Brazil’S Economic Trajectory Post Democracy: A Synthetic Control Approach To The 1985 Transition,
2025
Illinois State University
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 …
Civilian Manufacturing And National Defense: Strategic Planning For Globalization's Challenges,
2025
Missouri State University
Civilian Manufacturing And National Defense: Strategic Planning For Globalization's Challenges, Izeck Kohler
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
This thesis examines the interconnection between civilian manufacturing and national defense within the context of globalization. The study aims to identify the challenges faced by the United States in maintaining its manufacturing capabilities and to propose strategic solutions to address these challenges. Through a comprehensive analysis of historical data, case studies, and policy recommendations, the research highlights the critical role of specialized and process manufacturing sectors towards national defense. The findings suggest that the creation of a federal executive department, strategic investment, diversification, policy re-evaluation, and collaborating with allies are essential for sustaining national defense capabilities. The study concludes with …
Esg Federalism: How State Regulations Shape Esg Performance,
2025
Central Washington University
Esg Federalism: How State Regulations Shape Esg Performance, Kameron Eck
All Master's Theses
This thesis examines how state-level environmental, social, and governance (ESG) regulations influence corporate ESG performance in the United States. Using a panel dataset that combines state ESG legislation, firm-level ESG scores from S&P Global, and financial data from Compustat (2019–2024), I employ fixed-effects regression models to analyze the relationship between state ESG regulations and corporate ESG performance. The analysis incorporates firm and year fixed effects to account for unobservable heterogeneity across companies and time, while controlling for firm-specific characteristics. Additionally, the study investigates whether board gender diversity moderates this relationship. The findings contribute to the understanding of ESG policy effectiveness …
Assessing High-Speed Rail (Hsr) Policy And Politics In Washington State: Avoiding The Mistakes Of The Past,
2025
Central Washington University
Assessing High-Speed Rail (Hsr) Policy And Politics In Washington State: Avoiding The Mistakes Of The Past, Landen K. Hashimura
All Master's Theses
While international standard high-speed rail (HSR) has yet to be successfully completed in the US, there is a national interest in the topic, as evidenced by recent federal initiatives to research HSR across various corridors. The Cascadia Corridor has been identified as a region with high potential for HSR, leading to an ongoing study in the State of Washington. Given the tumultuous history of American HSR development, the Cascadia HSR initiative needs to avoid the mistakes of the past. Two major contributing factors to this failure to build HSR are uneven political support for HSR and poor policy frameworks. Despite …
“We Aren’T Dying Yet, But We’Re On The Hospital Bed.” An Analysis Of Scottish Culture And Desire For Independence,
2025
Chapman University
“We Aren’T Dying Yet, But We’Re On The Hospital Bed.” An Analysis Of Scottish Culture And Desire For Independence, Emma Walker
Honors Papers and Posters
Scottish culture has long often been associated with barbaric clans and whiskey; however, there is much more to this culture than meets the eye. After centuries of oppression and pushback on expressing cultural aspects of Scottish identity post the Union of the Crowns in 1603, Scotland has now emerged as a leader in re-establishing its culture and protecting it as well. This paper will aim to analyze how Scotland's cultural pride over time has changed and how this uptick in pride has also led to a political movement for independence. I argue that the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden, …
A Woman’S World Through The Lens Of Socialized Politics: How Accurate Knowledge Politically And Socially Empowers A Woman’S Autonomy,
2025
University of San Diego
A Woman’S World Through The Lens Of Socialized Politics: How Accurate Knowledge Politically And Socially Empowers A Woman’S Autonomy, Claire G. Herzog
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Women have dealt with being perceived as inferior to men, defective, and in need of control. My research draws a connection between the ways societal beliefs, judicial action and political action interact with each other to reinforce and reproduce these limiting beliefs about women. The interaction between these institutions result in underlying policies that target women's rights, silencing their voices and sense of independence, all while aiming to control the female body completely. Despite the perception that modern society has moved away from the sexist beliefs that had been created and ingrained into society centuries ago, we are left with …
