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Title: "Gimme Shelter"™: The Hidden Causes and Consequences of Internal Displacement.
Creator: Kelley, Kaitlyn N., Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: What are the causes and consequences of internal displacement during civil conflicts? This project makes two general claims: First, internal displacement is often the intentional byproduct of territorial consolidation during civil wars. Second, internal displacement can create an unfortunate and heretofore undiscovered feedback loop: wide-scale displacement leads to increases in civil war duration as well as intensity, which thereby leads to increased displacement. This project examines these...
Show moreWhat are the causes and consequences of internal displacement during civil conflicts? This project makes two general claims: First, internal displacement is often the intentional byproduct of territorial consolidation during civil wars. Second, internal displacement can create an unfortunate and heretofore undiscovered feedback loop: wide-scale displacement leads to increases in civil war duration as well as intensity, which thereby leads to increased displacement. This project examines these claims through the use of unique micro-level data on the Colombian Civil War as well as cross-national investigations of internal displacement and civil war duration.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_undergradsymposium2015-0012
Format: Citation

Title: The Best Laid Plans, Laid to Rest: The Fall of the Florida Department of Community Affairs.
Creator: Medin, Kyle A., Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: Florida Governor Rick Scott defended his move to eliminate the growth management-oriented Department of Community Affairs (DCA) in 2011, claiming that the DCA was killing jobs in the state of Florida, and that it was an inefficient use of Government money. This paper set out to test Governor Scott's claims against the data, to see if there was evidence to support his assertions. The relationship between DCA's presence and three employment variables (monthly construction jobs, aggregate jobs,...
Show moreFlorida Governor Rick Scott defended his move to eliminate the growth management-oriented Department of Community Affairs (DCA) in 2011, claiming that the DCA was killing jobs in the state of Florida, and that it was an inefficient use of Government money. This paper set out to test Governor Scott's claims against the data, to see if there was evidence to support his assertions. The relationship between DCA's presence and three employment variables (monthly construction jobs, aggregate jobs, unemployment rate) was tested with multivariate linear regression models. DCA's effect on job growth was tested by comparing job growth data from Florida with the corresponding data from Texas (a state without any such growth management agency) and the national average (to contextualize the states' growth), using paired t-tests. The effectiveness of the DCA at regulating housing growth was similarly tested, by comparing data on housing growth rates and housing density from Florida with the corresponding data from Texas and the national average using paired t-tests. The majority of the tests refuted Gov. Scott's claims. This paper lends support to the proponents of growth management, using a novel approach.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_uhm-0567
Format: Thesis

Title: Change in US Supreme Court Justices' Voting Patterns during Economic Recessions.
Creator: Kline, Lindsey M., Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: This research aims to identify how Supreme Court justice voting patterns are influenced by a number of factors.
Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_uhm-0461
Format: Thesis

Title: Chinese High-Level Diplomatic Visits to Africa: The Trade Ramifications of Increased Relations.
Creator: Denny, Brian, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: China's political leaders travel to Africa for a variety of reasons, one of which is to enhance economic relations. Friendly ties with resource-rich countries ensure China's continued access to much-needed raw materials and African export markets. The development financing that often accompanies China's diplomatic visits to Africa also helps eliminates high barriers to trade. In my analyses, I explore the impact of Chinese high-level visits to African states on bilateral Sino-African trade....
Show moreChina's political leaders travel to Africa for a variety of reasons, one of which is to enhance economic relations. Friendly ties with resource-rich countries ensure China's continued access to much-needed raw materials and African export markets. The development financing that often accompanies China's diplomatic visits to Africa also helps eliminates high barriers to trade. In my analyses, I explore the impact of Chinese high-level visits to African states on bilateral Sino-African trade. Using a dataset covering the African travels of the Chinese President, Premier, Foreign Minister, and Commerce Minister from 2003 to 2010, a gravity model of international trade indicates that the Premier having ever visited a particular country was significantly correlated with over a 40% increase in Chinese exports to that country, all else remaining constant. African countries having ever received a visit by the Commerce Minister typically experienced a near doubling in exports to China, all else constant.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_uhm-0131
Format: Thesis

Title: Collective Border Policy in the European Union: Analysis of the Schengen Agreement.
Creator: Arther, Lexia, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: Refugees of the 2011 Arab Spring placed grave pressure on one of the European Union's most significant achievements: The Schengen Agreement. Established in 1985 and incorporated into the EU treaty framework in 1999, The Schengen Agreement abolishes internal border controls and allows for passport-free travel between Schengen's 26 participating member states. The project symbolizes the idea of an integrated Europe, yet arising nationalist sentiment due to the events of the Arab Spring caused...
Show moreRefugees of the 2011 Arab Spring placed grave pressure on one of the European Union's most significant achievements: The Schengen Agreement. Established in 1985 and incorporated into the EU treaty framework in 1999, The Schengen Agreement abolishes internal border controls and allows for passport-free travel between Schengen's 26 participating member states. The project symbolizes the idea of an integrated Europe, yet arising nationalist sentiment due to the events of the Arab Spring caused attitudes toward Schengen to shift as countries, like France, reinstated border controls to combat the influx of immigrants. As a result, EU Member States are beginning to question Schengen's level of effectiveness, success and stability as a collective border policy for Europe in the years to come. This thesis attempts to gain a general understanding behind what the Schengen Agreement is, why it was developed, and how the public views Schengen and attitudes toward internal border controls post Arab Spring. By critically examining Schengen from its early stages of agreement against the backdrop of European integration, to its present state operating as the Schengen Zone, the thesis analyzes membership participation in Schengen as well as assesses public attitudes toward the Schengen area to enlighten on why Schengen has become such a hotly debated issue between EU Member States.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_uhm-0227
Format: Thesis

Title: Congressional Vote Switching and the EESA of 2008: A Case Study.
Creator: Gendal, Joshua, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (EESA) of 2008, also known as the Bush bank bailout, was a monumental piece of legislation that sent about $700 billion to various financial institutions to sure up their failing assets, in hopes of preventing a total economic crash resulting from the sub prime mortgage crisis. The EESA passed through the House on the second attempt on October 3, after the first roll call failed on September 29 and was sent to the Senate, who amended and passed the...
Show moreThe Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (EESA) of 2008, also known as the Bush bank bailout, was a monumental piece of legislation that sent about $700 billion to various financial institutions to sure up their failing assets, in hopes of preventing a total economic crash resulting from the sub prime mortgage crisis. The EESA passed through the House on the second attempt on October 3, after the first roll call failed on September 29 and was sent to the Senate, who amended and passed the bill. This paper seeks to understand why 58 Members of the House of Representatives changed their vote from no to yes on the bailout within a span of four days. I hypothesize that constituency influence and campaign contributions from financial services PACs caused these members to alter their initial voting decision. I find inconclusive evidence for my constituency influence hypotheses, but surprisingly, my analysis reveals that it was members receiving relatively small amounts of campaign contributions from financial services PACs who were the switchers.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_uhm-0165
Format: Thesis

Title: Democracy and Political Islam: Evaluating Erdogan's Politics on Turkish Society.
Creator: Forero Orozco, Laura C., Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: Turkish leader, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was elected as Prime Minister in 2003 due to his appeal to both the religious and secular population in the country. His policies intended to honor the historical secular democracy in Turkey while integrating tolerance for Islamic practices in the political system. His initial policies also intended so strengthen Turkey's efforts to join the European Union (EU). Due to this he was seen as progressive, innovative, and western, yet a strong representative...
Show moreTurkish leader, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was elected as Prime Minister in 2003 due to his appeal to both the religious and secular population in the country. His policies intended to honor the historical secular democracy in Turkey while integrating tolerance for Islamic practices in the political system. His initial policies also intended so strengthen Turkey's efforts to join the European Union (EU). Due to this he was seen as progressive, innovative, and western, yet a strong representative of the Muslim majority in the country. As the years developed, these moderate policies diminished and opposition groups suffered from crackdowns from Erdoğan's administration. His governing style became increasingly reliant on religious rhetoric and some of his policies came to reflect his shift towards religious and authoritarian politics. This new pattern in Erdoğan's government has caused the approval of many who were previous supporters, such as moderates, to shift away from supporting him, but it has consolidated support from groups that were previously fervent opponents, such as strong Islamic traditionalists. This paper will evaluate the changing trends in support for Erdogan among specific demographic groups in the general election years preceding the 2014 presidential election.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_uhm-0462
Format: Thesis

Title: The Effect of Military Service on Candidate Appraisal and Vote Choice.
Creator: Kliewer, Nicole Danielle, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: In the 2008 US presidential election, 64 percent of military service members voted for Republican nominee John McCain over Democrat Barack Obama. This is a continued trend in military voting known as the "Civilian-Military" Gap, in which military service members are decidedly more Republican leaning than the general public. This project seeks to understand this voting gap by considering the impact of military service on candidate appraisal, with particular attention to views of candidate...
Show moreIn the 2008 US presidential election, 64 percent of military service members voted for Republican nominee John McCain over Democrat Barack Obama. This is a continued trend in military voting known as the "Civilian-Military" Gap, in which military service members are decidedly more Republican leaning than the general public. This project seeks to understand this voting gap by considering the impact of military service on candidate appraisal, with particular attention to views of candidate image and ideological proximity. Furthermore, this project seeks to expand our concept of military service, to include family service, often excluded from military voting models.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_uhm-0519
Format: Thesis

Title: The Effects of Framing and Emotion on Public Policy Opinions.
Creator: Robinson, Amy, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: This paper examines how the presentation format of information influences general anxiety and specific feelings of threat, and how these link to policy opinions. I hypothesize that sensationalistic framing of information will heighten the subjects' emotional response to the information presented and this heightened emotion will enhance the effects of framing on policy opinions. Further, I hypothesize that individuals that can clearly attribute blame to a threatening group will be more likely...
Show moreThis paper examines how the presentation format of information influences general anxiety and specific feelings of threat, and how these link to policy opinions. I hypothesize that sensationalistic framing of information will heighten the subjects' emotional response to the information presented and this heightened emotion will enhance the effects of framing on policy opinions. Further, I hypothesize that individuals that can clearly attribute blame to a threatening group will be more likely to punish the perpetrators through punitive policies. These hypotheses will be tested with data collected from an experiment run on subjects from Amazon's Mechanical Turk. The experiment is a 2 X 3 design that varies the sensationalist presentation of the information (plain, sensationalist) with varying levels of threat (general threat, specific threat from the out group, specific threat from the in-group). The policy outcomes of interest are search and seizure laws, political torture, and other civil liberties during the times of a terrorist attack. I expect that individuals in the attribution conditions will become more anxious and angry and then will prefer the most restrictive, punitive policies. Individuals in the plain and general threat treatment should prefer the least restrictive policies. This research will help to identify how emotions, such as anxiety and threat, mediate links between framing and opinion.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_uhm-0174
Format: Thesis

Title: Elites, Crime, and Democratic Support in Latin America.
Creator: Abboud, Sabrina G., Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: This project analyzes how elite actors influence democracy in contexts of high levels of public anxiety. Drawing from work on Affective Intelligence in Political Psychology, the project provides a theoretical explanation for the varying response of anxious citizens threatened by high rates of physical insecurity. Specifically, the project describes how elites affect public attitudes in the face of the extraordinary crime wave in Latin America. In so doing, it also explains previously...
Show moreThis project analyzes how elite actors influence democracy in contexts of high levels of public anxiety. Drawing from work on Affective Intelligence in Political Psychology, the project provides a theoretical explanation for the varying response of anxious citizens threatened by high rates of physical insecurity. Specifically, the project describes how elites affect public attitudes in the face of the extraordinary crime wave in Latin America. In so doing, it also explains previously inconsistent findings on crime's effect on democratic attitudes. Using a mixed-method strategy of elite interviews in Venezuela and Honduras as well as analysis of survey data throughout the region, the examination finds that elite opinion about crime conditions the effect of anxiety on mass democratic attitudes. When political elites emphasize anti-democratic policies, anxious citizens express more support for authoritarian principles and less support for democracy. When elites promote more democratic solutions, the effect of anxiety is null.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_undergradsymposium2015-0001
Format: Citation

Title: From Laughter to Learning: The Effects of Political Satire on Political Acquisiton.
Creator: Hamrick, Hunter K., Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: This thesis examines the effect and various aspects that Political Satire shows have on the political acquisition of people. The intention of this thesis is to highlight the effects that political satires such as the Colbert Report and the Daily Show, have on a person's ability to recall political nformation presented to them in the form of broadcast media.
Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_uhm-0476
Format: Thesis

Title: Gender Stereotypes in Spoken Word Recognition.
Creator: de la Cruz, Justin, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: Two experiments were conducted to determine the role of gender stereotyping in individual spoken words. There were similar results for a phoneme monitoring (Experiment 1) and lexical decision (Experiment 2) task, with overall faster responses to the female speaker saying gendered words. Further analyses show highly significant interactions between speaker voice and word gender in both experiments, going against the initial hypothesis of male-masculine and female-feminine advantages. Future...
Show moreTwo experiments were conducted to determine the role of gender stereotyping in individual spoken words. There were similar results for a phoneme monitoring (Experiment 1) and lexical decision (Experiment 2) task, with overall faster responses to the female speaker saying gendered words. Further analyses show highly significant interactions between speaker voice and word gender in both experiments, going against the initial hypothesis of male-masculine and female-feminine advantages. Future research could explore gender stereotyping in speech within a larger, more semantically rich environment, such as sentences.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_uhm-0484
Format: Thesis

Title: The Importance of Sea Power: China's Modernizing Navy and its Effects on Regional International Affairs.
Creator: Brockman, Daniel, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: Analysts in the United States fear the unprecedented growth and modernization of China's Navy could lead to problems for the U.S. and its allies, upsetting America's political influence and economic interests in the Southeast Asia maritime region. I argue that China's naval modernization has increased China's political influence—and decreased that of the U.S.—over countries in the China Sea region that do not maintain defense agreements with the United States. Hypotheses from this argument...
Show moreAnalysts in the United States fear the unprecedented growth and modernization of China's Navy could lead to problems for the U.S. and its allies, upsetting America's political influence and economic interests in the Southeast Asia maritime region. I argue that China's naval modernization has increased China's political influence—and decreased that of the U.S.—over countries in the China Sea region that do not maintain defense agreements with the United States. Hypotheses from this argument are tested using voting data from United Nations proceedings and naval tonnage data. I find that there is a connection between China's growing Navy and how often countries in the China Sea region have voted in agreement with China (increasing) and the United States (decreasing). Furthermore, it was found that countries in this region with a U.S. military pact acted differently than those that do not maintain such an arrangement, increasing agreement with the United States relative to China.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: FSU_migr_uhm-0371
Format: Thesis

Title: An Investigation into the Representational Role of Gender in State Legislatures.
Creator: Clark, Victoria N., Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: The number of women holding state legislative office positions has risen since the 1900s. This paper explores the theory behind why the changing gender composition of state legislatures alters the types of policies states adopt. I argue that a historical social policy niche, differences in approaches to representation, and issue-based expertise drive policy differences between male and female legislators. The influx of women legislators, coupled with differences in policy preferences,...
Show moreThe number of women holding state legislative office positions has risen since the 1900s. This paper explores the theory behind why the changing gender composition of state legislatures alters the types of policies states adopt. I argue that a historical social policy niche, differences in approaches to representation, and issue-based expertise drive policy differences between male and female legislators. The influx of women legislators, coupled with differences in policy preferences, increase the likelihood that state legislatures will adopt policies favored by women. I test the theory of female representation by exploring state expansion of Medicaid. My analysis concludes that the increased presence of women in state legislatures significantly increases the chances that a state expands Medicaid.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_uhm-0530
Format: Thesis

Title: New Descriptive Representation in the White House and African Americans' Sense of External Political Efficacy.
Creator: O'Brien, Kevin, Department of Political Science
Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: FSU_migr_uhm-0427
Format: Thesis

Title: School Choice and Segregation in Florida.
Creator: Martin, Elizabeth, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: Although the 1954 case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka prohibited de jure racial segregation in American public schools, de facto segregation persists in many schools around the country. There is research to suggest that one of the causes of this segregation is the school choice movement, which includes charter schools, magnet schools, vouchers, and other programs intended to allow parents more choice in the school their child attends. This project examines the effects of the school...
Show moreAlthough the 1954 case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka prohibited de jure racial segregation in American public schools, de facto segregation persists in many schools around the country. There is research to suggest that one of the causes of this segregation is the school choice movement, which includes charter schools, magnet schools, vouchers, and other programs intended to allow parents more choice in the school their child attends. This project examines the effects of the school choice movement on both racial and socioeconomic segregation in Florida, a state that has fully embraced the school choice movement. I used data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the US Census to examine segregation on the school and district levels in order to gain a thorough understanding of the effects of schools of choice. The results indicate that charter and magnet schools are positively correlated with racial unbalance, but not economic unbalance. Overall this research shows that there may be unintended consequences to school choice. This is important for the state of Florida in particular to consider, since the ideological rhetoric surrounding the issue of school choice and education reform often outshines the concrete evidence of its costs.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_uhm-0271
Format: Thesis

Title: School Choice and Segregation in Florida.
Creator: Martin, Elizabeth, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: Although the 1954 case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka prohibited de jure racial segregation in American public schools, de facto segregation persists in many schools around the country. There is research to suggest that one of the causes of this segregation is the school choice movement, which includes charter schools, magnet schools, vouchers, and other programs intended to allow parents more choice in the school their child attends. This project examines the effects of the school...
Show moreAlthough the 1954 case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka prohibited de jure racial segregation in American public schools, de facto segregation persists in many schools around the country. There is research to suggest that one of the causes of this segregation is the school choice movement, which includes charter schools, magnet schools, vouchers, and other programs intended to allow parents more choice in the school their child attends. This project examines the effects of the school choice movement on both racial and socioeconomic segregation in Florida, a state that has fully embraced the school choice movement. I used data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the US Census to examine segregation on the school, district, and state levels in order to gain a thorough understanding of the effects of schools of choice. The results indicate that charter and magnet schools are more racially unbalanced than traditional schools in Florida, and that since the opening of charter schools in the state, more Florida public schools have become racially unbalanced. Unfortunately, results for socioeconomic segregation are slightly more unclear due to data constraints on poverty within schools and changes in measures between years. Overall this research shows that there may be unintended consequences to school choice. This is important for the state of Florida in particular to consider, since the ideological rhetoric surrounding the issue of school choice and education reform often outshines the concrete evidence of its costs.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_undergradresearch-0002
Format: Citation

Title: Will Financial Literacy Impact Students' Financial Decisions?.
Creator: Green, Shelby, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: This article addresses the impact of financial literacy on high school students' financial decisions. To analyze the impact, financial literacy information was provided to the treatment group and the treatment and control group discussed college expectations. Following the treatment or non-treatment, students completed a survey that was used to measure their financial decisions. Here we find that there was no significant impact. I discuss ways in which other variables impacted our outcome and...
Show moreThis article addresses the impact of financial literacy on high school students' financial decisions. To analyze the impact, financial literacy information was provided to the treatment group and the treatment and control group discussed college expectations. Following the treatment or non-treatment, students completed a survey that was used to measure their financial decisions. Here we find that there was no significant impact. I discuss ways in which other variables impacted our outcome and I propose alternatives for future research.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_uhm-0161
Format: Thesis

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