Political Science Commons^™

Defending The Role Of A Principle Of Proportionality In Just Punishment, Emma Mecklenburg

Honors Theses

What makes a punishment just or unjust is a familiar topic that the public and scholars alike recognize as an important question. Many factors are involved in conversations surrounding the just length of sentences, but this paper will specifically investigate two central questions: First, what makes a punishment just, and second, what role does a principle of proportionality play in thinking about just punishment.

The Value Of Prison Education: Evaluating The Impact Of Education Through Desistance, Cheryl Chan

Honors Theses

The United States faces an epidemic of incarceration, draining resources, disrupting families, and hindering societal participation. Prison education emerges as a method to address this cycle, with vocational and academic programs being pivotal. While vocational programs are more common, their long-term efficacy remains uncertain. Academic education, exemplified by programs like the Bard Prison Initiative, provides incarcerated individuals with an opportunity to change. Typically, the success of these programs are measured using recidivism. However, recidivism has become too narrow of a measure to properly capture the nuances of an education. There has been an emerging body of scholarship studying desistance and …

Letter From The Editors

Araneum: Richmond Journal of American & Global Affairs

No abstract provided.

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 …

Democratic Backsliding In The American States: The Case Of Judicial Independence, Meghan Leonard

Faculty Publications – Politics and Government

With ever-increasing gridlock and polarization at the national level, many new policy changes in the U.S. have come at the state level, including legislation that takes the form of democratic backsliding by restricting the right to vote, limiting free speech and expression, and gerrymandering state and federal legislative districts. A key component missing from scholarly discussion of federalism and the erosion of electoral democratic norms is the effect of federalism on the structure of institutions within the states, particularly on judicial independence. In this article, I examine the relationship between measures of democracy and introduction of court-curbing legislation in the …

Ireland, Intellectual Property And The Political Economy Of Information Monopolies, Kenneth W. Murphy

Articles

Ireland’s policies towards US-owned global digital intermediaries (Big Tech) have emerged as an international political issue and received global media attention. So far, political and media focus has been on the impact of Ireland’s tax policies on the revenue-raising ability of other European states and perceptions of light touch regulation of those corporations based in the Republic. The current paper will focus on how Ireland’s switch to a focus on capital allowances for the sizeable American tech corporations has enabled the latter to sustain their dominance in the digital transition through incentivizing and subsidizing their switch to assetization as a …

A Citizen’S Perspective Of Clientelism In Morocco, Adam Lahlou

Honors Program Theses

This undergraduate research thesis aims to examine the implications of clientelism in Morocco from the perspectives of the citizens. Clientelism, or patronage-based political exchange can have a significant impact on political systems, and representative politics. While studies have been done examining citizen’s perspectives on clientelism, this aimed to be the first study in the context of Morocco. Using qualitative data from interviews and literature examination, the author tested three assumptions. He analyzed if clientelistic networks in Morocco are entrenched via Urban-Rural divides, if clientelism has had a symbiotic relationship with the Amazigh’s movement for greater political representation, and if Moroccan …

Coattailing For Regime Continuity?: Unraveling Duterte's Legacy In Marcos Jr.'S 2022 Electoral Victory, Gabrielle Ann S. Mendoza, Imelda B. Deinla, Cristine Lian C. Domingo, Jurel K. Yap

Ateneo School of Government Publications

The electoral victory of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been attributed to a range of factors such as misinformation, patronage, and populism. We argue that Marcos’ electoral victory should not be treated as an isolated instantaneous event, but rather a result of a shift in the country's political narrative due to the legacy of his predecessor. The shift to illiberal populism is tied to the public's continued support for Duterte's flagship policies as well as in the proliferation of populist rhetoric on social media. Using a non-probability survey of 1500 Filipinos, we find that support for President Duterte and his …

Religious Right Countermovement Tactics: Taking Down Lgbtq+ Rights One Letter At A Time, Hannah J. O'Connor

Political Science Honors Projects

The group we know today as the “Religious Right” (“R.R.”) has been in contention with the LGBTQ+ movement since the early 1970s. Using a single case study method, I analyze how, if at all, Religious Right framing and LGBTQ+ counter-framing evolved at a point in time where the R.R. recognized it was losing its fight against same-sex marriage. Using Arizona’s 2013 Senate Bill 1045 (one of the nation’s first bathroom bills) as a case study, I find that the Religious Right translates protectionist framing from its anti-gay marriage crusade into its anti-trans rights offensive, and the LGBTQ+ movement also responds …

When Ballots Are Blank: Write-In’S Serving Local Government And The Implications For A Healthy And Vibrant Democracy, Thomas J. Ruter

School of Business Student Theses and Dissertations

Our democracy depends on having a supply of candidates running for elected office, but in some instances, no one wants to run. This phenomenological study asks what the effects on a healthy and vibrant democracy are if ballots are blank and the seat is filled through write-in or appointment. Rooted in democratic theory, this study explores small, rural city elections where write-ins won election. Understudied, local governments are responsible for decisions affecting the lives of millions of people each day. Workforce scarcity, the alienation of young Americans from politics, government bashing, nasty campaigns, threats of physical harm, and other barriers …

From The Pews To The Ballot Box: How Religion Shapes Voting Behavior In Ghana., Maxwell Afriyie Nimako

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation explores how religion shapes voting behavior in emerging democracies, focusing on the case of Ghana. Using the Afrobarometer survey, the first stage of the analysis shows that Pentecostals are not statistically different from Roman Catholics in terms of voting for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidates in 2007-2008 and 2013-2014. However, in 2016-2017, Pentecostal voters seem to have behaved differently from Roman Catholic voters. The dissertation subsequently explores why this variation in voting patterns emerged. This dissertation argues that explicit religious appeals made by presidential candidates and explicit religious appeals made by Pentecostal leaders for presidential candidates …

Foreign Policy Reorientation: From Globalization To Nationalism, Abdullah A. Asiri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation explores the foreign policy implications of the post-2010 resurgence of nationalism in the U.S., Europe, and other parts of the world. It explores the reorientation of foreign policy away from globalization and the post-Cold War expectations that include a rules-based order, the spread of democracy and human rights, and the free movement of capital, products, people, and information. Instead, the emerging nationalist foreign policies emphasize independence and national sovereignty, economic self-sufficiency and protectionism, and anti-democracy and universal values. These policies are also characterized in terms of limited and unilateral engagement and proneness to conflict and confrontation. This dissertation …

Historical Evolution Of The Late 20th-Century Maritime Claims, The Concept Of The Nine-Dash Line, And The Dispute In The South China Sea, Kamil Nowak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study discusses the origins and development of the South China Sea dispute. It briefly analyzes the overlapping maritime claims, their justifications and legal aspects, and key clashes between the actors across the second half of the 20th century. It uses a historical perspective to assess the present-day conflict. The study discusses the impact of international agreements, national policies, claimants' domestic factors, and external influences connected to the geopolitical situation of the period to determine how they influenced the dispute. The analysis reveals that amidst more pressing global events, the South China Sea issue was frequently overlooked by the international …

การเผยแพร่ความรู้ความเข้าใจเกี่ยวกับประเทศจีนของสื่อมวลชนไทย: กรณีศึกษาเครือมติชน-ข่าวสดและทีเอ็นเอ็น 16, ธนพร ช่วยเจริญ

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

งานวิจัยฉบับนี้ศึกษาการเผยแพร่ความรู้ความเข้าใจเกี่ยวกับประเทศจีนของสื่อมวลชนไทย ผ่านกรณีศึกษาเครือมติชน-ข่าวสดและสถานีโทรทัศน์ทีเอ็นเอ็น 16 โดยใช้แนวคิดเรื่องสื่อและนโยบายต่างประเทศ (Media and Foreign Policy) สำหรับวิเคราะห์บทบาททางการทูตของสื่อจีนผ่านนโยบายด้านสื่อของรัฐบาลจีน และการศึกษาสาร (message) ที่รัฐบาลจีนส่งมายังผู้รับสารชาวไทยผ่านเครือมติชน-ข่าวสดและทีเอ็นเอ็น 16 ผลจากการศึกษาพบว่า 1) สื่อมวลชนจีนมีบทบาททางการทูตสาธารณะในการดำเนินนโยบายต่างประเทศ โดยใช้แนวทาง “Tell China's Story Well” ในการส่งเสริมภาพลักษณ์เชิงบวกของประเทศจีน 2) รัฐบาลจีนต้องการเผยแพร่ภาพลักษณ์ความเจริญรุ่งเรืองและความยิ่งใหญ่ของประเทศจีนผ่านเนื้อหาด้านสังคมและวัฒนธรรม โดยเน้นนำเสนอเรื่องราวทางวัฒนธรรม ประวัติศาสตร์ และอารยธรรมจีนโบราณ 3) รัฐบาลจีนต้องการเผยแพร่ภาพลักษณ์ความสำเร็จทางเศรษฐกิจและความก้าวหน้าทางเทคโนโลยี เพื่อตอบโต้ภาพลักษณ์ด้านลบจากชาติตะวันตก พร้อมสื่อสารว่าประเทศจีนเป็นประเทศทันสมัย เป็นพันธมิตรที่น่าเชื่อถือและรับผิดชอบต่อสังคมโลก ไม่ใช่ภัยคุกคาม 4) ความร่วมมือด้านสื่อระหว่างเครือมติชน-ข่าวสดกับสำนักข่าวซินหัว และทีเอ็นเอ็น 16 กับกลุ่มสื่อจีน สะท้อนให้เห็นว่าสื่อไทยบางส่วนเกิดการเซนเซอร์ตนเองเมื่อนำเสนอข่าวเกี่ยวกับรัฐบาลจีนหรือประเด็นที่เกี่ยวข้องกับประเทศจีน

Reverse-Engineering Of Disinformation Campaigns During The War In Ukraine, Lora Pitman, Ava Baratz, Kelly Morgan, Marcy Alvarado

School of Cybersecurity Faculty Publications

Information operations have long been a part of warfare. Disinformation campaigns, in particular, are usually launched by states in order to mislead and confuse populations in adversarial countries, but also to obtain support for their actions from domestic audiences. These campaigns threaten human security, at the individual level, but also state- and even international security. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia came with a new wave of disinformation not only in Ukraine itself, but also in countries from various other continents. This paper studies the characteristics of the spread of disinformation from the first day of the war in February …

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 …

Ruling In The Shadows: Analysis Of The Supreme Court’S Use Of The ‘Shadow Docket’ And Its Effects, Emilee Smart

Theses and Dissertations--Political Science

The recent increased use of the shadow docket has left the public and scholars with unanswered questions about how procedures influence outcomes and behavior. Many of these shadow docket cases have been petitioned to the justices as emergencies in very important policy areas such as immigration, abortion, elections, and transgender rights. I collect a large dataset of all outcomes of the Supreme Court's shadow docket from 2010-2022. I examine the language the justices use to justify their decisions made using alternate procedures. I find unique differences in the justifying behavior of the justices as well as significant differences in the …

Public Justice: Analyzing The Interactions Of Supreme Court Justices With The American Public, Abbie Wood

Theses and Dissertations--Political Science

When and how do Supreme Court justices choose to interact with the public? What motivating factors spur a justice to make a public appearance? In the fields of political science, public law, and legal studies, research has overwhelmingly studied on-the-bench behavior. Scholars have analyzed judicial voting patterns, opinion writing, oral arguments, and more. Despite the prevalence and importance of non-decision making activities as well as the growing reporting by media outlets concerning justices' public appearances, there remains a lack of attention devoted to exploring how justices behave off-the-bench. In this dissertation, I seek to develop this neglected area within judicial …

Empirical Linkage Between Economic Growth And Political Instability And The Effects Of Inequalities In Africa, Francis Joseph Assenga

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The examination of the relationship between political instability and economic growth is critical in today's global economy, especially in African nations facing multifaceted challenges. Over recent decades, this connection has been a key area of focus for economic scholars, driving significant empirical research. Previous studies, which examined the dynamics of this relationship consistently underscore the profound interconnectedness of economic growth and political stability in the sense that, political instability hampers economic growth, while economic downturns can trigger political unrest and government collapse.

Our study empirically investigates the linkage between economic growth, political instability, and inequality in Africa, analyzing data from …

For A Lost Drachma: Contesting Hindutva Subjectivation In India’S Universities, Bhavika Sicka

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

The aim of this essay is to apply Michel Foucault’s ideas on power and the practice of freedom to the context of India’s increasingly neoliberalized higher education landscape. The essay revisits Foucault’s notion of subjectivation to analyze the cultural politics of the Hindu Right, which, through organized violence and self-disciplinary mechanisms, has attempted to masculinize, privatize, saffronize, and brahmanicize the nation-state (and the public university), erase the othered body from the nation (and campus spaces), and shape how individuals understand themselves, their identities, and their modes of being in relation to savarna-capitalist power and knowledge. This essay will also suggest …