Nuclear Weapons And Conflict Escalation: Impacts On Fatalities And The India-China Case,
2026
University of Mississippi
Nuclear Weapons And Conflict Escalation: Impacts On Fatalities And The India-China Case, Tyden J. Kortman
Honors Theses
The study of nuclear weapons and their impact on conflict have existed as long as nuclear weapons themselves. Nonetheless, many questions remain on whether nuclear weapons serve primarily as a deterrent to conflict or as an avenue towards the deadliest form of warfare in human history. We use both statistical analysis against a large conflict dataset and a case study of India-China conflicts from 1955-1979 to contribute to the ongoing literature on this question. We hypothesize that nuclear weapons lower the rate of conflict and dispute escalation. After statistical testing and case study analysis, we found that there was no …
Thoughts, Lately,
2026
University of North Alabama
Thoughts, Lately, Thomas L. Reid
Theses
Swift changes in government occur through several avenues. One option involves quick decisive action that entails violence. These set of poems exhibit a reaction to suddenly changing political and social structures in America during the second term of a divisive executive administration. Alongside this change—the author’s personal experiences as queer individual in a historic area of the deep South.
Judicial Confirmation Politics: Senatorial Framing And The Public's Response,
2026
University of Mississippi
Judicial Confirmation Politics: Senatorial Framing And The Public's Response, Edward W. Hunter Jr.
Honors Theses
In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled affirmative action in higher education unconstitutional, intensifying debates over the role of identity in selection processes. This study extends that discussion beyond college admissions to the federal judicial confirmation process. It uses a content analysis of Senate Judiciary Committee hearing transcripts to examine how U.S. senators frame the identities of judicial nominees, and a nationally representative survey to assess how senators’ identity framing shapes public opinion. I find that both Democratic and Republican senators engage in identity framing to signal alignment with their respective constituencies. Public responses to this rhetoric are substantially filtered through …
Resilience In Place Names: German-Hehe War Memories And Cultural Identity In Iringa Toponyms,
2026
Mkwawa University College of Education
Resilience In Place Names: German-Hehe War Memories And Cultural Identity In Iringa Toponyms, Claudio G. Kisake, Sophilini M. Yisega, Spemba E. Spemba
Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences
Toponyms, or place names, act as vital markers of historical memory, cultural identity and resilience. In Iringa, Tanzania, toponymy offers valuable insights into the enduring impacts associated with the German-Hehe War (1890–1898), and colonial encounters on indigenous communities. This study explores how place names—such as Kitanzini (‘a place with a noose for hanging people’), Ilundamatwe or Lundamatwe (‘a collection of slaughtered heads’), and Gangilonga (‘the speaking stone’)—convey narratives of Hehe war superiority, resistance, and survival. Using a qualitative approach, the research incorporates archival sources, oral histories, and linguistic analysis to investigate the stories behind naming and renaming, the role of …
A Practitioner’S Perspective On Teaching Ap Comparative Government And Politics,
2026
Utah State University
A Practitioner’S Perspective On Teaching Ap Comparative Government And Politics, Edgar Díaz
The Great Lakes Social Studies Journal
In this paper, I share my perspective and experiences as an Advanced Placement (AP) Comparative Government and Politics teacher during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. To engage students with the content and strengthen their literacy skills, I adopted the Teaching and Learning Cycle (TLC), a pedagogical framework for scaffolded instruction, in combination with technological tools. This article includes a sample lesson plan illustrating how the TLC was implemented in an AP Comp Gov course to support students’ content understanding and their ability to express their ideas through structured, purposeful writing. My goal is to highlight practical strategies for effectively …
The Legacy Of Lead: Lead Exposure's Harmful Effects And Its Concentration In Poc Communities,
2026
Fordham University
The Legacy Of Lead: Lead Exposure's Harmful Effects And Its Concentration In Poc Communities, Layla Sophronia Barber
Student Theses 2015-Present
This thesis examines the disproportionate burden of lead exposure carried by low income, POC communities. The systemic nature of this problem is a symptom of a longstanding legacy of environmental injustice in the United States. Decades of federal neglect are reflected in the higher statistics of lead exposure and poisoning in predominantly black communities. While it is understood that lead exposure poses a serious threat to physical health and early cognitive development, there is a discouraging lack of urgency to remove the toxin from non-wealthy communities. The material covered by this thesis aims to identify and correct the discriminatory social …
A Sturdy Future: Mangrove Restoration Against Climate Extremes,
2026
Fordham University
A Sturdy Future: Mangrove Restoration Against Climate Extremes, Gabriella Marie Siasoco
Student Theses 2015-Present
This paper addresses the impacts of climate change on natural disasters and examines how rehabilitation of mangrove forests in Mesoamerica and the Caribbean can mitigate those effects. Rising ocean and atmospheric temperatures contribute to higher sea levels and more severe hurricanes and tropical storms, characterized by increased frequency, duration, and intensity in peak winds, storm surges, and rainfall. Mangrove ecosystems act as vital buffers against coastal disturbances such as tsunamis and extreme storms, while contributing to climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration. Additionally, they improve water quality by filtering nutrients, preventing eutrophication. Despite their ecological and economic value, mangroves in …
Please Don’T Kill Big Bird: The Crusade Against Public Broadcasting,
2026
Whittier College
Please Don’T Kill Big Bird: The Crusade Against Public Broadcasting, Paige Meyer-Draffen
Whittier Scholars Program
The sword and shield conservatives wield in their crusade against the CPB are contradictory constructs that represent the hypocrisy, greed, and monopolistic inclinations that underpin the efforts to kill public broadcasting. The Shield that conservatives stand behind is the rhetorical defenses employed to degrade the institution of Public Broadcasting. Arguments like protecting the American Family in the culture wars from programming like PBS’ Tales of the City (1993), or accusing NPR of being a biased, inaccurate journalistic outlet, and reducing PBS and NPR to only serving “wealthy, white, urban liberals and progressives, who generally look down on and judge rural …
How Ai Governance Differs Between Regime Type,
2026
University of Mississippi
How Ai Governance Differs Between Regime Type, Jackson T. Guillou
Honors Theses
This thesis will examine how artificial intelligence (AI) regulation and development differ across political regime types, arguing that governance outcomes are fundamentally shaped by institutional political structures. This thesis will draw on comparative frameworks analyzing democratic and authoritarian systems. This thesis will also include case studies of the European Union, the United States of America, China, and Russia. The study finds that democratic regimes tend to emphasize transparency, accountability, and rights-based regulation of AI. This often results in slow regulation of AI, but it is more ethically legitimate and constrained. In contrast, authoritarian regimes prioritize centralized control, strategic coordination, and …
Just War Theory And Coercive Non-Proliferation: Ethically Evaluating Nuclear Prevention Efforts,
2026
University of Mississippi Main Campus
Just War Theory And Coercive Non-Proliferation: Ethically Evaluating Nuclear Prevention Efforts, P. Walker Jacklin
Honors Theses
This thesis examines the ethics of coercively addressing non-nuclear states who are attempting to acquire nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons pose a serious danger on a global scale, so ethical analysis should balance these consequences with the coerciveness of state intervention. Just War Theory provides a useful framework that balances these considerations. Using the criteria of Just War Theory, this thesis examines two 21st century non-proliferation operations: Operation Orchard and Operation Midnight Hammer. I find that Operation Orchard fails the criteria of Just War Theory, while Operation Midnight Hammer satisfies the criteria. Making this determination is ethically risky, however, because our …
The Influence Of The Federalist Society On Originalism In Supreme Court Opinions,
2026
University of Mississippi
The Influence Of The Federalist Society On Originalism In Supreme Court Opinions, Edoardo Santopuoli
Honors Theses
This thesis will investigate the influence of the Federalist Society on the use of originalism in Supreme Court opinions. To investigate this influence, justices that served on the Supreme Court from 1994 to 2022 are categorized based on whether or not they are affiliated with the Federalist Society. Then using artificial intelligence (ChatGPT version 5.3), ten Supreme Court opinions known to be originalist are used as a baseline for artificial intelligence to know what an originalist opinion looks like. Then, all majority opinions of the Supreme Court from that timeframe are scored from 1-10, with 10 meaning an opinion is …
Peace Agreements, Provisions, And Profit: How Peace Agreement Provisions Impact Foreign Direct Investment Inflows,
2026
University of Mississippi
Peace Agreements, Provisions, And Profit: How Peace Agreement Provisions Impact Foreign Direct Investment Inflows, Wendi M. Sheehan
Honors Theses
There are many provisions that post-civil war states may include in peace treaties. This paper seeks to analyze the inclusion of three specific provisions– political power sharing and political institutions, rule of law/property rights, and infrastructure and reconstruction– and their impact on the resulting foreign direct investment inflows into a post-conflict nation over the course of ten years. I hypothesize that states that include one or more of these provisions will subsequently experience higher FDI inflows. To test this theory, I used the peace agreement information from the PA-X Peace Agreements dataset and FDI inflow information from the United Nations’ …
Manufacturing A Confederate Martyr: John Yates Beall, John Wilkes Booth, And The Politics Of Postwar Memory,
2026
University of Texas at El Paso
Manufacturing A Confederate Martyr: John Yates Beall, John Wilkes Booth, And The Politics Of Postwar Memory, Corin M. Fyrdrian
Student Papers (History)
John Yates Beall, a Confederate naval officer and privateer executed by the United States in 1865, has often been remembered through a Lost Cause framework that casts him as a chivalric martyr and “victim of honor.” This thesis challenges that interpretation by situating Beall’s life, wartime actions, trial, execution, and postwar memory within competing ideas of honor, legality, violence, and Confederate nationalism. Through analysis of Beall’s military activities, legal arguments, newspaper coverage, personal writings, and later narratives, this thesis argues that his postwar image was not merely preserved but actively constructed. Lost Cause writers transformed his execution into a moral …
The Politics Of Sustainability: Corporate Environmental Responsibility And Policy Implications,
2026
Indiana University - Kokomo
The Politics Of Sustainability: Corporate Environmental Responsibility And Policy Implications, Andy Tuholski
Commonwealth Review of Political Science
This literature review aims to examine how political factors influence corporate environmental responsibility (CER) initiatives and the subsequent policy implications for environmental sustainability. By synthesizing existing research, it will (a) provide a comprehensive overview of the political dynamics that shape CER and highlight the role of policy in promoting sustainable corporate practices; and (b) offer information for policymakers, corporate leaders, and environmental advocates on fostering sustainable corporate practices through informed policymaking.
Party, Place, And Pocketbooks: What Shapes Americans’ Trust In Political Institutions,
2026
Washington University in St. Louis
Party, Place, And Pocketbooks: What Shapes Americans’ Trust In Political Institutions, Hwayong Shin
Weidenbaum Center Survey (WCS) Reports
Evidence from the Weidenbaum Center Surveys (Waves 6–8) suggests that trust in institutions has not simply evaporated. Instead, it is being sorted along several cleavages, such as partisanship, geography, and personal economic security. While trust in the federal government remains relatively low yet stable from May 2025 to March 2026, trust in specific institutions varies across partisan, geographic, and economic cleavages. This fragmentation of trust points to a potential challenge to the stability of American democracy.
Commitment Problems In Political Situations Involving Multiple Strategic Actors And How Actors Try To Overcome Commitment Problems,
2026
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Commitment Problems In Political Situations Involving Multiple Strategic Actors And How Actors Try To Overcome Commitment Problems, Mohamud Ajama
Political Science Theses, Dissertations and Student Creative Activity
Commitment problems explain why multiple parties cannot agree on issues of concern due to a lack of trust, even when cooperation would benefit all parties involved. These problems take place when actors cannot make credible commitments about future behavior because of mistrust, uncertainty, or the absence of neutral enforcement mechanics, leading to delays, lack of cooperation, and sometimes conflict or war. Scholars have approached commitment problems from multiple angles. Fearon (1995) identifies them as empirically observable mechanisms that prevent states from reaching peace agreements. Powell (2006) extends this framework, arguing that commitment problems are due to the inability to bind …
Beyond The Rally Effect: U.S. Military Deployments And Their Independent Impact On Presidential Approval,
2026
University of South Dakota
Beyond The Rally Effect: U.S. Military Deployments And Their Independent Impact On Presidential Approval, Griffin M. Petersen
Honors Thesis
This thesis examines the relationship between the United States military and presidential job approval ratings from 1955 to 2021 through a mixed method approach. Using a multiple regression analysis, the study tested the independent effects of total active-duty troop levels and the frequency of active overseas conflicts while controlling for economic variables such as GDP and unemployment. The quantitative results indicate that while military variables are significantly correlated with approval in isolation, these effects diminish or disappear when analyzed alongside economic indicators. Specifically, the size of the military was a weak predictor of public approval, potentially due to low public …
The Politics Of The Spotlight: Exploring High-Profile Witnesses In Congressional Committee Hearings,
2026
University of Mississippi
The Politics Of The Spotlight: Exploring High-Profile Witnesses In Congressional Committee Hearings, Wesley J. Templet
Honors Theses
This thesis examines how the use of high-profile witnesses in congressional committee hearings relates to legislative effectiveness in the U.S. House of Representatives. While hearings are traditionally viewed as venues for information gathering and oversight, they also serve as highly visible platforms for political communication. This study evaluates whether committees that devote a greater share of their hearings to high-profile witnesses exhibit lower levels of legislative effectiveness due to a potential shift toward symbolic activity. Using the Congressional Committee Hearing Dataset (CoCoHD), the analysis covers House committee hearings from the 105th through the 115th Congress. The data are aggregated to …
Know But Not Recognized? Québec, The United States And The Thresholds For Diplomatic Recognition,
2026
CUNY Brooklyn College
Know But Not Recognized? Québec, The United States And The Thresholds For Diplomatic Recognition, Thomas Forget
Student Theses
This thesis examines the conditions under which the United States would recognize an independent Québec diplomatically and how it would maintain stable institutional relations with it. It also examines the extent of Québec’s paradiplomatic network’s reach in the United States, and how it influences the relationship and the probability of recognition. Based on a qualitative case study using process tracing and conceptual analysis, the thesis proposes that the institutional density of the Québec-US relationship increases the probability of functional continuity and, potentially, of programmatic cooperation after independence. However, this would not lower the significant political, legal, and strategic US thresholds …
Hospitalidad Sin Barreras: A Place-Based Approach To Resource Accessibility For Immigrant Communities In North Mississippi,
2026
University of Mississippi
Hospitalidad Sin Barreras: A Place-Based Approach To Resource Accessibility For Immigrant Communities In North Mississippi, Jackelyn Facio
Honors Theses
This project examines barriers to resource access for Spanish-speaking immigrant communities in Lafayette County, Mississippi. Using a place-based community engagement approach, the project incorporates mixed methods to produce a resource guide for Spanish- speaking immigrants in Lafayette County. Findings showed that access is shaped not only by available services, but also by interconnected barriers such as language, fragmented information systems, and concerns related to trust and safety. These barriers discourage individuals from interacting with formal institutions, resulting in a reliance on informal information networks. In response to the data collected from area residents, the project sought to centralize community input …
