Political Science Commons^™

Stratified Security Communities: Transatlantic Distrust And Identity Divergence, Afra Maike Herr

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

With mounting pressure by the United States directly and through their strategic shift and slow abdication of leadership towards Asia and away from the transatlantic community, European states have growing incentive to cooperate more strongly and integrate their defense and security efforts. The absence of such a trend of integration points to internal barriers to growing cooperation countering the external dynamic. Utilizing the theory of security communities, this thesis explores German, French, and British understanding of leadership, defense, and their respective public opinions. Focusing on the security identities of all three nations and their visions for the community as well …

Shifting Sources Of Humanitarian Aid: The Importance Of Network Resiliency And Donor Diversification, Mackenzie Marie Clark

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

As instances of forced displacement arise and become increasingly large and prolonged around the world, large influxes of humanitarian aid have become critical in assisting host countries with crisis response. The funding required to meet the immediate, emergency needs presented by a refugee situation is filled primarily by governmental humanitarian contributions, and more specifically, by the United States. Typically, the U.S. is integral to the structure of the networks of humanitarian aid being directed towards a humanitarian response as it is the largest donor, in most cases. However, what does this reliance on U.S. funding mean for the structural integrity …

A Rivalry Of Necessity: An Analysis Of Mechanisms Of Contention Between The Islamic Republic Of Iran And The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia, Aras Syahmanssuri

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The 1979 Iranian Islamic revolution that extremely concerned the Saudis leaders culminated after the overthrow of a monarchical regime of the Iranian Shah and the power rise of a theocratic Shia government led by Ayatollah Khomeini. From the early days of this revolution, Khomeini raised a unique slogan, which was “exporting the revolution” to neighboring countries. Through targeting the Shia minority in neighboring countries, this slogan highly concerned the Gulf countries including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Examining four decades of hostility, which starts from the 1979 Islamic Revolution of Iran, this study indicates that the rivalry between the Islamic …

The Path To Victory: A Comparative Analysis Of Mena Region Countries, Negar Moayed

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

During the “Arab Spring” the Arab world witnessed a wave of uprisings. As a result of these anti-government movements, four governments of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen were overthrown, three governments of Bahrain, Jordan, and to some points Saudi Arabia were faced with critical difficulties, and one government ,Syria, experienced domestic war. All these happened while some other Middle Eastern countries remained stable. Yet, the remaining questions are: how did these protests emerge? How was the collective identity which is essential for the social movements created? Why were some of these movements successful in overthrowing the regime while the others …

An Analysis Of Natural Courts: How Vacancies And Replacements On The Supreme Court Best Determine The Ideological Shifts Of The Court And What Effect Longevity Has On Ideology., Lauren Moses

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to explore natural courts and ideology among members of the Supreme Court. Most studies of the Supreme Court allocate focus to the chief justice such that the justice and his ideology determines whether the Court will be described as liberal or conservative for the chief's tenure. However, this thesis questions this model of distinction for the highest court in the land. An analysis of natural courts from Marshall through Roberts specifically targets the highest and lowest ideological shifts between natural courts to understand how vacancies and replacements manipulate the ideology of the Court. In addition to the …

الإخوان المسلمون في الأراضي الفلسطينية المحتلة 1967-1987, Adnan Abou Amer

Al Jinan الجنان

جاءت الدراسة لتبحث واقع الإسلاميين الفلسطينيين، وتحديدا جماعة الإخوان المسلمين، في الأراضي الفلسطينية المحتلة، بين عامي 1967-1987، من خلال تناولها لمراحل تطور عملهم بدءا بالدعوة والعمل الوعظي، وبرد فعلهم على هزيمة يونيو 1967، وصولا للبحث في أسباب المد الإسلامي في الأراضي المحتلة، بما فيها الأسباب الداخلية والعوامل الخارجية ، وأثر وجود الاحتلال الاسرائيلي للضفة الغربية وقطاع غزة على انتشار مظاهر الصحوة الإسلامية، واتجاهات الرأي عقب الاحتلال، وبما يتعلق بظاهرة انتشار المساجد، والدور القيادي للشيخ أحمد ياسين في إرساء دور الإخوان المسلمين، إضافة إلى أساليب العمل الإخوانية، والجوانب التنظيمية والمالية لديهم، وانتهاء بنظرة الإخوان إلى العمل المسلح ضد الاحتلال الإسرائيلي، وما …

War, Media, And Memory: American Television News Coverage Of The Vietnam War, Brock J. Vaughan

Bridges: An Undergraduate Journal of Contemporary Connections

Social and political impacts of television news coverage of the Vietnam War are often glorified and grossly overestimated. This paper argues that the role of the American media during the war did not directly affect public support for the war, nor did it profoundly impact American nationalism and military policy. Television news coverage did, however, influence how events were perceived and remembered. The commonly held belief that the American news media was directly responsible for the decline of public confidence in the U.S. government, ultimately contributing to the public’s distaste for any further involvement in Vietnam, is a narrow viewpoint …

Trump Administration’S Drawdown Of Troops In Afghanistan Risks Putting Peace, Progress In The Country In Danger, Erika Simpson

Political Science Publications

The conflict in Afghanistan remains one of the world's bloodiest, with ongoing violence from the Taliban, Islamic State, and al-Qaeda. Recent attacks, including a rocket barrage on Kabul's Green Zone and a massacre at Kabul University, underscore the volatile security situation. Despite the U.S.-Taliban peace agreement, the Taliban continue to conduct significant attacks. The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) struggle to operate independently, necessitating continued support from U.S. and NATO forces. The NATO-led Resolute Support Mission (RSM) and the U.S. Operation Freedom’s Sentinel (OFS) provide essential training, advice, and counterterrorism support. However, the U.S. administration's plans for a …

Smoller And Moodian: Four Takeaways From The 2020 General Election, Fred Smoller, Michael A. Moodian

Political Science Faculty Articles and Research

"Here are four takeaways pertaining to Orange County from the historic 2020 general election."

Social Housing And The Affordability Crisis: A Study Of The Effectiveness Of French And American Social Housing Systems In Meeting The Increasing Demand For Affordable Housing, Claire Sullivan

Honors Theses

The demand for affordable housing across OECD countries has sky-rocketed as the number of those cost-burdened by housing continues to increase each year. Social housing has been the traditional means by which governments have provided affordable housing to citizens, however in recent years the social housing systems of many countries have been strained to meet the rising demand for affordable housing. While this has consistently been an area of concern for major metropolitan areas, areas outside of cities are being impacted by the lack of affordable housing, as well.

This study seeks to address the impact of social housing systems …

Eco-Critique And Thought As A Force Of Nature, Stephanie Erev

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

It occurred to me not long ago that each time I read something new I pay special attention, without really meaning to, to how the work projects forward into a future or futures. This has been going on, I now think, for some years. Perhaps this quasi-conscious reading practice has played a part in the recalibration of my own orientations to the future, which, with every new climatic event, seem to grow dizzier and more disorganized, feeling some of the time like players in a game of musical chairs. Whether it is in relation to “All Around the Mulberry Bush” …

Does Bitcoin Use Affect Crime Rates?, Kevin Keane

The Corinthian

Bitcoin is the most widely used cryptocurrency in the world because of its decentralized network that completes user-to-user transactions, eliminating the need for intermediaries. During 2017, the volume of Bitcoin transactions totaled $94.3 trillion. Bitcoin transactions are recorded in a public database called the blockchain. Although the blockchain can keep track of how many transactions there are, it can’t identify the people involved in transactions. The lack of identity increases the anonymity of Bitcoin transactions, making it less detectable when used for crime. Using the Uniform Crime Reporting’s state-level crime rate data and blockchain’s Bitcoin transaction information, I estimate the …

I Can’T Breathe: Assessing The Role Of Racial Resentment And Racial Prejudice In Whites’ Feelings Toward Black Lives Matter, Emmitt Y. Riley Iii, Clarissa Peterson

Political Science Faculty publications

Since 2014, public opinion data suggests that whites have become more supportive of the Black Lives Movement. The recent murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor have prompted a national debate about the need to address systemic racism in policing within the United States. Recent studies have shown how racial resentment has spilled over into a wide range of political issues that are not associated with race; however, no current research examines how racial resentment might shape whites’ views toward Black Lives Matter. Employing the racial reaction theory and the 2016 American Election Study Survey, we hypothesize and confirm that …

Nature Of Home-Grown Terrorism Threat In Ghana, Mohammed Zulkarnain

Journal of Terrorism Studies

The present state of security in the West African sub-region raises important issues of the nature of home-grown terrorism (HGT) threats in Ghana. Most studies of home-grown terrorism have focused mainly on the psychological implications of terrorist acts. This paper examines the complexities of the Ghanaian state securities perceive the nature of the threat of home-grown terrorism in the country. Data was collected from representatives of the state security agencies using semi-structured in-depth interviews. Findings indicate that the threat nature of home-grown terrorism in Ghana varies but the most significant is the threat from the recruitment of Ghanaian Muslims by …

Analysis Of The End Of The Kurdistan Partiya Karkerên Terrorist Organization In Turkey, I Putu Hadi Pradnyana, Muhammad Syaroni Rofii

Journal of Terrorism Studies

This paper analyzes the end of the Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan (PKK) in Turkey. The PKK is a terrorist organization based on the aim of separatism from Turkey. Since its founding in 1978 until now, various acts of terror have been carried out by the PKK and Turkish authorities view the PKK as the most dangerous terrorist organization in its territory. The type of research used is descriptive qualitative. Politicization factors are the main variable in analyzing the end of the PKK in Turkey. The result of the analysis is that the PKK will soon end through constitutional agreements through Kurdish …

Public Opinion On Capital Punishment, Sydney Young

Undergraduate Research Symposium

The death penalty in the United States has its set of controversies from the people who support and those who oppose. I want to examine how the death penalty and public opinion has changed over time. I also want to examine if there are statistical differences in regard to gender and political party. I would also like to compare how different generations such as comparing the millennials to the baby boomers to see if there are any changes. The last variable I would like to analyze is difference in regard to race and ethnicities.

As a Deputy Juvenile Officer, this …

The Masked Demos: Associational Anonymity And Democratic Practice, Jennifer Forestal, Menaka Philips

Political Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The increased use of anonymous digital platforms raises substantive concerns about accountability in digital spaces. However, contemporary evaluations of anonymity focus too narrowly on its protective function: its ability to protect a diversity of speakers and ideas. Drawing on two examples of anonymous political engagements – Publius’s writing of the Federalist Papers and college students’ use of the social media platform Yik Yak – we develop an account of anonymity’s associational function: the processes by which people generate and negotiate collective identities, discussions, and actions in wider publics. As we argue, anonymity’s associational function can (1) generate conditions under which …

The Influence Of Foreign Elite Rhetoric: National Identity, Emotions, And Attitudes Toward Austerity, Alessandro Del Ponte

Political Science Faculty Articles and Research

How does foreign elite rhetoric affect citizens’ emotions and attitudes about austerity? In a survey experiment conducted on the online blogs of the two major Italian newspapers, participants read a fictional news article where the German Chancellor addressed Italians. Across treatments, I varied whether the message blamed or praised Italians, and whether the message focused on economic or symbolic concerns. Praise generated enthusiasm whereas blame spurred anger and anxiety. Moreover, respondents with a strong national or European identity who read a message of praise were more enthusiastic, less angry, and less opposed to austerity. Finally, people who identify strongly with …

India’S Nuclear Energy Conundrum: An Assessment Of The Country’S Energy Futures, Sneha Thomas

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis will assess the practicality of implementing nuclear energy into India’s power system by considering different security risks, political factors, and COVID-19 complications. Access to energy is essential to modern survival because it contributes to the safety, success, and overall well-being of individuals; allowing for a better acquisition of food, education, and industry necessities. A big concern for India has been the inability to give energy access to millions of citizens that live in no proximity to a power grid, and this has shown to correlate with a lower quality of life. Another concern for India is the search …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 96, No. 13, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

• Burned Out – COVID-19
• Payne, Michael. 15 Years with the Bagel Brothers – Sandra Hurley
• Hargrove, Matthew. Hilltoppers Get in the Win Column, Home Finale Up Next - Football
• Kieser, Nick. All Eyes on the Spring – Basketball, Softball, Soccer, Baseball
• Leboutier, Addison. Little Flock of Jesus Christ Fellowship Comes Home – Clarence Tapp
• Cox, Alex. Editorial Cartoon re: Kamala Harris
• What a Kamala Harris Vice Presidency Means for Young People of Color
• Lattimer, Jacob. Student Government Association Sustainability Committee Looks to Make an Impact …