Political Theory Commons^™

Cuny ’69 – Students In Social Movements. A Global Perspective, Despina Lalaki

Open Educational Resources

This teaching material was developed as a result of the CUNY 1969 Teach-in that took place in Summer 2025. Prof. Lalaki has developed a course that situates CUNY ’69 within a broader historical and global framework of student movements, and invites students to engage with sociological theory, protest texts, oral histories, news coverage, activist media, archival materials, and film.

Shouting Down Democracy: The Role Of The Deeply Engaged In American Political Discourse, Annaliese Fleck

Honors Theses

In an age of heightened polarization and increasing incivility in politics, a small but influential subset of Americans, known as the deeply engaged have emerged as dominant voices in political dialogue. This thesis investigates who these individuals are, what drives them, and how their behavior impacts democratic participation in the United States. Through a combination of theoretical analysis and original survey data, this study constructs a profile of the deeply engaged and distinguishes them from the general electorate. Drawing on foundational concepts of free speech, including isegoria and parrhesia, and the philosophies of John Stuart Mill and Karl Popper, this …

Healing Communities With Police Divestment: Seeking Abolition Through Transformative Reform And Community-Government Collaboration, Jessica E. Gillson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Concerns about the efficacy and sustainability of the U.S. carceral system have persisted throughout the country’s history, recently fueling renewed activism and bipartisan calls for reform. However, proposed solutions remain divisive. This thesis first defines the current status of our prison systems, then explores collaborative alternatives to incarceration and policing that support communities and break cycles of incarceration.

Focusing on partnerships among local governments, community organizations, justice-involved individuals, and law enforcement, this study examines holistic approaches to crime prevention, reentry, and reintegration. Using an interdisciplinary framework incorporating restorative justice, community resilience, and systems theory, it investigates how community-based strategies can …

I Am Not A Dictator; I Am A Defender: The Rhetoric Of Coup D’État In Francophone Africa, Isaac Asare Kwakye

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the rhetorical strategies used by coup leaders in Francophone Africa to authorize their actions and garner public support. Focusing on recent military takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger since 2020, I investigate how coup leaders construct narratives of legitimacy within the context of contemporary geopolitical dynamics. I utilize Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to analyze speeches by three key coup leaders: Colonel Assimi Goïta, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, and General Abdourahamane Tchiani. My analysis reveals four interconnected rhetorical frameworks: framing interventions as emergency measures, cultivating savior personas, weaponizing anti-colonial grievances, and deploying anti-corruption narratives. A comparative analysis of …

Likes, Comments, And Rhetoric: Demagoguery In The Age Of The Internet And Social Media, Andrea Posada

CMC Senior Theses

As the internet and social media have created spaces for politics, they have also facilitated the opportunity for demagogic behavior to become accessible and widespread online. This thesis compares how Donald Trump and Kamala Harris utilized social media in their respective 2016 and 2024 campaigns. It examines why Donald Trump’s online use was demagogic and harmful to political practices. I begin by defining demagoguery, providing two case studies of how demagogic behavior has existed in politics, and explaining different constraints against demagoguery. Through a history of the impact of technology on politics, I describe how the internet has evolved to …

The Rise Of Mao: Chinese Civil War And The Role Of Sub-State Actors, 1924-1949, Jackson Trahant

Tenor of Our Times

Mao Zedong led one of the most successful peasant rebellions in human history, changing the global stage of politics forever. Analysis of the 30 year war between Mao’s CCP and the Nationalist Party regime, led by Chiang Kai-shek, reveals the vital role of the Chinese peasant class as a force for revolution. Through ideological pedagogy, Mao formed a highly loyal army that in turn transformed him into a premier political figure of the 20th century, both hated and revered. His story informs the modern field of comparative politics as to how intrastate conflicts rely on sub-state actors for their success.

What Is Success? How Peer Support Workers In Ontario See Addiction & Recovery, Ngaire Rasmussen

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The drug crisis in Canada has high mortality rates, especially in remote and rural communities, but there are significant barriers to accessing healthcare to which peer support may represent a partial solution, (Eddie et al., 2019; Englander et al., 2020; The Government of Canada, 2023; Kourgiantakis et al., 2023; Lavalley et al., 2020; Lennox et al., 202; Russell et al., 2021). Research how peer support workers define success in their work with adults experiencing addiction in Ontario, Canada is lacking, but important to understanding the crisis and implementing peer programs. Grounded in Marxist theory, the following exploratory research investigated the …

The Lacey Act: Balancing The Scales Of Federal Authority And Individual Liberty, Bradley Kwon

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the balance between federal authority and individual liberties within the framework of American federalism, using the Lacey Act as a case study. Enacted in 1900 to regulate wildlife trafficking, the Lacey Act has undergone significant amendments that expanded federal authority and reshaped the balance of power between state governments and individual rights. By integrating theoretical insights from scholars such as Martha Derthick and Dennis LaGory, this thesis explores the federal government’s transition from a cooperative model to a coercive one, particularly during the Rights Revolution of the 1960s. The analysis highlights the legislative history of the Lacey …

Isegoria In Crisis: Hong Kong's Innovation System And Articulating The Right To Be Heard Using Deliberative Democratic Theory, Bhanu Cheepurupalli

CMC Senior Theses

I argue that Hong Kong maintains democratic deliberation through its innovation policy apparatus despite lacking traditional democratic processes. Using deliberative democratic theory and the concept of isegoria (speech of equals before equals), I demonstrate how Hong Kong's innovation governance sustains meaningful consensus outside conventional democratic frameworks.

My analysis shows that while Hong Kong lacks free elections, democratic deliberation persists through alternative channels within science and technology governance. Innovation policy functions as a vehicle for justice-advancing deliberation despite institutional constraints, as deliberative bodies operate within limited time, authority, and resources.

I trace how Hong Kong's innovation policy apparatus developed through the …

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 …

From Likes To Legislation: How The Internet Has Facilitated Hate Speech, Anti-Dei Discourse And Policy, And Threatens Our Democracy, Carmen Lynn Benavides-Garb

Undergraduate Scholarship

I argue that the way hate speech, and Anti-DEI rhetoric spreads online, through social media and algorithms, has impacted real-world Anti-DEI policies, attitudes, and overall backlash. In this essay I will begin by discussing the four themes found in my literature review, 1) Online Hate Speech, 2) Social Media and Algorithms, 3) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and 4) Anti-DEI Movements. From there, I will discuss the historical background of DEI movements in America to provide context about what makes this moment in history unique. I will then discuss the role of the Trump Presidency in relation to Anti-DEI work. …

Of Monsters And Men: Fantasy, Aesthetics, And The Nation In Pan's Labyrinth (2006) And The Shape Of Water (2017), Ally Fleming

Scripps Senior Theses

ABSTRACT: Guillermo del Toro has established himself as one of Hollywood’s most beloved filmmakers due to his ability to blend popular genres with arthouse flair. This is especially true when it comes to fairy tales, a common thread woven throughout his films that are consistently imbued with political commentary on authoritarianism. This is most apparent in two of his most critically acclaimed films, Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) and The Shape of Water (2017). Part of why these films are so beloved is how they utilize popular culture not just as tools to foreground the story’s setting, but also to guide the …

The Politics Of Memory: The Memorialization Of Student Protests And The Archive, Jane Orkand Lovett

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis explores the politics of memory and archival power in student activism at Scripps College, arguing that archives are active sites where social power is negotiated and contested. Using frameworks of institutional versus collective memory and John Gaventa’s three dimensions of power, it examines how architectural, digital, and physical archives shape narratives of resistance and institutional authority. Case studies, including the Drop Sodexo campaign, Scripps Graffiti Wall, and the Liberation Through Education movement, demonstrate how students use archives to assert agency, counter institutional narratives, and sustain political momentum. The study highlights the co-optation of activism by institutional actors and …

The Politics Of Fear: Exploring Diversity And Representation In The Modern Horror Genre, Abbie Oh Arroyo

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis explores the horror films and how they have been politicized in the context of modern day poiltics (2017-2021). Works suchs as Jordan Peele's Get Out, Jayro Bustamante's La Llorona, and Nia DaCosta's Candyman are used as case studies that analyze how these films may have been shaped by the political happenings of their time as well as how these films are used as a medium of advocacy and for social commentary.

Let's Talk About Sex: Investigating Radical Feminist Theories On Prostitution In The United States, Anna E. Peterson

Scripps Senior Theses

This paper explores the feminist debates surrounding prostitution through an analysis of Catharine MacKinnon and Andrea Dworkin’s abolitionist theories, juxtaposed with critiques from Wendy Brown, Janet Halley, Susie Bright, and Marxist feminist abolitionist Esperanza Fonseca. The text examines the systemic forces of patriarchy and capitalism that commodify women’s bodies and the challenges of legislative approaches to the sex trade. While MacKinnon and Dworkin identify the structural inequalities underpinning prostitution, their legislative proposals often fail to address the stigma and systemic conditions that perpetuate the marginalization of prostituted people. Critics like Brown and Halley highlight the limitations of punitive measures, calling …

Increasing Women In Political Careers, Kendall Craig

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Women are underrepresented in political careers and through a series of questions, female, college-aged participants were asked to rank their answers to various questions in regard to inequalities women face on a scale of one to ten. The participants ran through two interventions where they learned about political careers as well as the struggles of women in political careers, the importance and impact. After the interventions, the exact same questions with the same scales were offered to participants to observe whether education on the topic could increase desire to seek careers in politics. The findings show that a small majority …

Florida’S Shift From Swing State To Republican Solid State, Alex Alonso Toledo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis seeks to understand better the changes in Florida’s recent state-level politics. Florida has recently been considered a competitive state on the national political stage, but in the last few years, it has favored the Republican Party. Using publicly-available data and information from databases allows me to lay the foundation for investigating the shift towards the Republican Party in the state. It is important to research this topic to show why specific political strategies adopted can cause significant changes in the political environment, thereby affecting how the public views and supports political parties.

Rethinking Rural Identity: Reimagining Rural Politics, Matthew B. Kirk

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This work chiefly consists of a genealogical critique of rural identity. Tracing the development and deployment of the concepts of rurality and rural consciousness, I argue that our current depictions of rurality as “spatial other,” replete with its harmful stereotypes, stem from a misconception about the nature of power. Political theorists’ and political scientists’ appraisals of rurality suggest that the set of actions that define rural politics are a product of their relative powerlessness. Rural locales’ removal from the center of power in urban spheres means that rural politics is reduced to reactionary, violent, and conservative political thought and engagement. …

Upending The International Order: Russia’S War Against Ukraine, Chick Edmond

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 shook the foundations of the global order. It exposed just how fragile international security, economic stability, and old geopolitical alliances really are in a tense self-help security environment. This analysis looks at how the conflict started, tracing it back to years of tension between Russia and NATO, especially around Ukraine’s desire to move closer to the West. The war has made it clear that international rules are only as strong as countries are willing to follow them, and that global organizations like the UN often fall short in preventing these wars as Russia ignored …

Challenges Of The Opposition In Cameroon Multipartism, Chick Edmond, Nkenglefack Dessailly Forku

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

The main goal of this study was to explore the challenges faced by Cameroon opposition political parties and how these challenges affect presidential electoral outcomes since 1990. We employed both qualitative and quantitative methods to collect data for the study. The research design was the case study design, and the sampling technique was nonprobability sampling (precisely purposeful sampling). We employed the constructivist research philosophy to show that reality resides in the different views of people. Consequently, it finds out that the opposition in Cameroon lacks credibility and vision to achieve victory in presidential elections. They also face challenges of suppression, …