Political Science Commons^™

Mandatory Busing And Desegregation: Wichita, 1954 – 1999, Pilar Pedraza-Bailey

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Wichita opened its first officially integrated school in 1954. Yet, by 1965, approximately 85% of schools in Wichita were predominantly white. After a 1966 complaint to the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) and a protracted legal battle, a federal administrative judge ordered the district to come up with a plan for integration or lose federal funding in 1971. The resulting mandatory busing plan remained in effect in Wichita for more than 40 years. Yet, in 2016, nine years after the official end of mandatory busing in Wichita, 25% of the city’s schools had already returned to what the …

A Survey Of Single-Use Plastic Foodware Ordinances Of The San Francisco Bay Region, Christopher Slafter

Master's Projects and Capstones

Municipal jurisdictions in the San Francisco Bay Region (SFBR) are passing comprehensive single-use plastic (SUP) foodware ordinances in response to growing public pressure, and a California mandate to achieve zero waste. SUP foodware items have become an issue of concern because they are readily available in the restaurant industry, and are regularly among the top-ten pollutants collected during beach cleanups. SUP foodware items pose a danger to marine wildlife and contribute to rising carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. Policy makers in the SFBR are creating local ordinances that regulate the distribution and use of a variety of SUP foodware …

Travel To Cuba: A Case Study Of Media Branding In A Politicized Context, Yaneisis Infante

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to detail a case study of U.S. tourism to Cuba in a politicized context; specifically, to compare and contrast the Obama and Trump administrations. This study seeks to examine how the Cuban “brand” and the island’s overall tourism strategy is formulated, circulated, shaped and reshaped by various actors and the public in the changing context of the newly antagonistic bilateral U.S.-Cuba political relationship. The research questions explore issues of how diplomatic relations impact Cuban tourism and advertising messaging. This paper also discusses the changes in the U.S. news media coverage of Cuba as a …

The Ethics Of Resisting Immigration Law, Javier S. Hidalgo

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

States heavily restrict immigration, and many people violate these restrictions. For example, unauthorized immigrants cross borders without official permission, and other actors, such as people smugglers, assist them in doing so. How should we evaluate resistance to immigration law from a moral perspective? In this article, I survey recent work on the ethics of resisting immigration law. In particular, I examine three categories of resistance to immigration law as the following: unauthorized immigration, people smuggling, and citizens' resistance to laws that prohibit them from assisting or interacting with unauthorized immigrants.

Impact Or Impasse: How To Measure University Student Effect On Community Organizations, Joel Mcreynolds

Capstone Projects – Politics and Government

This applied research project examines the impact that student engagement has on the goals of a university’s community partners. A pilot study conducted in 2019 draws upon questionnaire and interview data gathered from administrators of seven community organizations that are longtime partners with Illinois State University. Key findings that emerge from descriptive statistics and thematic analysis of the data suggest that the positive impact students have on community organizations far outweighs any challenges the organizations may experience. The project concludes with recommendations on how to enhance the research tool for future evaluations and how to further improve the beneficial impacts …

Recessions Or Partisanship: What Explains Climate Skepticism In The U.S.?, Abhishek S. Sambatur

Undergraduate Economic Review

This paper investigates the variations in public mood pertaining to climate skepticism and attempts to empirically assess whether economic recessions or partisanship help explain aggregate-level trends and movements across a 16-year time horizon. Public survey data from the iPoll and Gallup Organization were used to construct the Climate Change Skeptic Index (CCSI) that served as a proxy to capture public opinion trends in skepticism across the U.S. A two-part vector autoregressive model suggests that while economic recessions might be causally linked to climate skepticism, partisanship plays a more influential role in explaining it over time. The key result is that …

Resolution Impeaching Donald John Trump, President Of The United States, For High Crimes And Misdemeanors, Jerold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee

United States House of Representatives: Documents

Resolved, That Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors and that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited to the United States Senate: Articles of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United States of America in the name of itself and of the people of the United States of America, against Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America, in maintenance and support of its impeachment against him for high CrImes and misdemeanors.

ARTICLE I: ABUSE OF POWER

ARTICLE II: OBSTRUCTION OF CONGRESS

Torn Apart: A Closer Look At Our Cover Image, Sandra Rios

Culture, Society, and Praxis

No abstract provided.

The Peaceful Transition Of Spain: How Authoritarianism Became Democracy, Emma Haiser

Honors Theses

The peaceful transition from authoritarianism under Francisco Franco to a democratic constitutional monarchy after Franco’s death stands as a critical juncture in modern Spanish history because of the uniqueness of the historical event. The transition occurred without direct foreign intervention to manipulate Spanish politicians into passing democratic legislation; instead, the transition was initiated by Francoist leaders who willingly enacted the regime’s change which undermined their initial place in society. The Spanish transition was caused by three main factors: societal opposition to the Francoist regime, democratic international influence, and progressive leaders taking office after Franco’s death. This paper will explore the …

Democratic Innovations In North America, Christopher F. Karpowitz, Chad Raphael

Communication

This chapter assesses the state of democratic innovations in North America, including the United States, Canada, and English-speaking countries of the Caribbean. We begin by setting these innovations in the contexts of democracy on the continent, which includes both established democracies and countries that have only recently decolonised. We go on to discuss major trends in democratic innovations over the past two decades in North America, including referendums and initiatives, mini-publics and collaborative governance, and digital participation in political and civic life. We note the broad range of issues addressed by these innovations and their effects on democratic institutions at …

Fear Of Illegal Immigration In America: How Media Influences Its Viewers, Alexandra Leon Oliva

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Illegal immigration has been an ongoing social problem, leading to a great deal of variety in public opinions. Conservative media have propagated fear of illegal immigration and have influenced their viewers' perception. This past year, media coverage has been used to promote ideas on illegal immigration. The different coverages were used to explain their own examples of what they thought about the current immigration issue. Due to this, people were influenced to create their own opinions based on the information broadcasted. The framing theory implies that an individual preferred media influences their perception of illegal immigration. Using Chapman's survey of …

Demographic Influence On Public Fears Of Pollution, Isabella Morrow

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

As the population steadily increases year after year, more resources are expended and consumed, and the chance of permanently harming the world around us increases. The topic of pollution, specifically air and water pollution, is not a new concept to the public. For instance, many are aware that our actions negatively impact the environment we live in, but what are the public attitudes that coincide with pollution awareness? Many large cities, like New York City, Beijing, and Los Angeles, have their fair share of polluted air, but what is the perception from the public? This paper will aim to answer …

Behind The Belief: Why People Believe In Conspiracy Theories, Erisa Castillo

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Conspiracy theories have been used by many Americans throughout history as explanations to justify situations and events that the United States Government has carried out, however, many have no reliable evidence. The claims of these theories range from violent to completely harmless and some are categorized as strange phenomena. So why do Americans believe in conspiracy theories? One reason may be our lack of confidence, trust, and transparency between our government and us as American citizens. Using the Chapman University Survey of American Fears, I will look more closely into the various variables that play leading roles as to why …

Religion And Politics: The Influence Of Religious Affiliation And Beliefs On Political Participation, Samuel Gonzalez

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Religion has had a significant effect on voter participation in the United States and continues to change with society as it continues to develop into a more diverse environment. The “God Gap”, a coined term used to describe the more religiously attentive an individual is the more likely they are to vote Republican. Many different survey studies of the 2004 American National Election Survey (ANES) have supported this term with data showing a gap between republican and democratic votes when individuals report their attendance to religious services more than once a week.

Of those that participated in the 2016 American …

The Effect Of White Supremacist Groups In A Dominant Media Age, Kylie Sabin

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

White Supremacist groups in the U.S. are more of a problem than one may think. The recent rise in membership and number of groups poses a threat to national security and the well-being of those residing in the country. This fact is as scary as the harm they have physically caused racial and religious minorities, but yet, not much is being done about their existence or their acts of hatred. Previous literature on the topic has given insight to the rise of these groups and their motivation along with perspectives on what it is like to be someone targeted by …

Analysis Of People's Fears Due To News Outlets, Pedro Marquard

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

In the past, people obtained their news from newspapers and by conversations with other people. However, over the past couple of decades the media has completely evolved and people have access to an array of news sources. Media has great persuasive capacity, analysis has found that certain broadcast networks can influence voting patterns when introduced to Cable TV in areas where it was not broadcasted before. Research has shown that the daily news people receive has a persuasive role in an individual’s way of thinking and their personal fears. Media has a direct impact on how people react to a …

The Rise Of Social Media And The Fall Of Internal Peace: How Does Media Influence People’S Fear Of Mass Shootings?, Christian Grevin

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The impact of traditional versus social media on people’s fears of a mass shooting is a matter worthy of study given the scarcity of research and analysis. Many studies have been conducted evaluating the connection between local TV news and fear, showing that the consumption of local TV news has increased people's fear of crimes. More recently, social media has caused a shift in the distribution of news, with increasing numbers of people turning to platforms like Twitter and Facebook to receive their daily news. There have been few studies examining the relationship between social media usage and one’s fear …

The End Of The World: Fear Of The Apocalypse, Hannah Richardson

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Predicting the end of the world has been a practice for thousands of years. In recent years, it was seen in 1891 with the Mormon Armageddon, 2000 with Y2k, and 2012 when the Mayan calendar was believed to have ended. While these moments in history are often seen as entertainment by the greater population, there are many groups of people that support and live by the idea that the world will end in their lifetime or the near future. This paper will develop ideas of why people form a fear of the world ending, and the public opinion around this …

How Do Israelis And Palestinians Interpret Their Own Histories As Evidence That They Have Claim Over Israeli Held Territory?, Jacob Kubiak

Honors Theses

The Israeli-Palestinian War over Israeli-held territories has been a major controversy for many years. The modern conflict has been raging on since 1948. This conflict has caused the displacement of 1.4 million Palestinians, uprooting them from what they believe to be their ancestral home. Along with this displacement, the conflict has caused infrastructural collapse and the rise of terrorist organizations within Israel and Palestinian territories. Both groups have their own evidence in claiming the Israeli-held territory, including archaeological history and ancient texts to argue that they are the rightful owners of this land. The narratives of land claim belief are …

Governor Bullock Should Be In Us Senate, Evan Barrett

Highlands College

A newspaper column by Evan Barrett.

Published newspaper columns written by Evan Barrett on this topic, which vary somewhat in content from this commentary, appeared in the following publications:

Missoulian, December 2, 2019

Montana Standard, December 5, 2019

Havre Harold, December 5, 2019

Missoula Current, December 2, 2019

The Montana Post, December 19, 2019

Helena Independent Record, December 8, 2019

Billings Gazette, December 7, 2019