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(1 - 28 of 28)
- Title
- The "Trafalgar Square Conservation Area": Deconstructing Spatial Narratives with/in a Collective Framework.
- Creator
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Bergholtz, Joel, Department of English
- Abstract/Description
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Abstract: (Key Terms: Collective Framework, Rhetorical Theory, Trafalgar Square, Spatial Narratives) This thesis is a rhetorical examination of language as elicited in spatial narratives. In doing so, it examines the various symbols that public spaces employ in order to rhetorically speak to us, move us, and make us act in certain ways. More specifically, it addresses Trafalgar Square as a problem space, deconstructing the various spatial narratives leading into and within the square. In...
Show moreAbstract: (Key Terms: Collective Framework, Rhetorical Theory, Trafalgar Square, Spatial Narratives) This thesis is a rhetorical examination of language as elicited in spatial narratives. In doing so, it examines the various symbols that public spaces employ in order to rhetorically speak to us, move us, and make us act in certain ways. More specifically, it addresses Trafalgar Square as a problem space, deconstructing the various spatial narratives leading into and within the square. In deconstructing these narratives, it attempts to find implicit meaning in what is explicitly inscribed into the land, and to examine this meaning alongside the social narrative that its occupants hold. This constructed narrative is explored through three frameworks: that of the physical framework of the square, those spatially enacted frameworks leading into it, and the larger collective framework of the city to which the square contributes. It finds that the frameworks of public space generally work toward establishing and authorizing a unifying ideological connection between the present society and societies of the past. However, these narratives are dependent on individual agents participating in the space's various frameworks; the meaning of a space is obfuscated by a society's current participant's usage of the space. In addition to this obfuscation, it discovers that the past role of a space can obfuscate the present meaning and role of the space in the overall framework, and that the present meaning can in turn obfuscate how individuals relate to and interpret the past.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0294
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- An Analysis of Recent Legislation on Religious Attire in France.
- Creator
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Ahmad, Moshtayeen, Program in International Affairs
- Abstract/Description
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This thesis aims to situate the controversy surrounding Muslim women's attire in France in a historical context of this country, specifically the development of the French concept of laïcité. In 1905, there occurred an important development in the law, pertaining to the separation of church and state. In France, this is called laïcité and was "informed by and predicated upon French secularism and later inculcated in the ideals of French citizenship (liberté, egalité, and fraternité) through ...
Show moreThis thesis aims to situate the controversy surrounding Muslim women's attire in France in a historical context of this country, specifically the development of the French concept of laïcité. In 1905, there occurred an important development in the law, pertaining to the separation of church and state. In France, this is called laïcité and was "informed by and predicated upon French secularism and later inculcated in the ideals of French citizenship (liberté, egalité, and fraternité) through 'neutral' civic education" (Gordner 2008, 75). The relationship between the Roman Catholic Church and the state was the main reason for this judicial development that lead to laïcité. Its main purpose was to curb the influence of the Cahtolic Church in state matters. However, in the later part of the 20th century, Islam has taken the place previously associated with the Catholic Church in that its influence was seen as being in contrast with a laïque society and has become "the new focal point for the state secular policy in France" (Gordner 2008, 72). Obviously, there are far fewer Muslims in France than there were or are Catholics, but the concept of laïcité is invoked with regards to limiting certain Islamic practices in public spaces. This shift caused several tensions between French citizens and North African immigrants as France tried to preserve its traditional French culture. As a result, in 2004, a law was passed in France to ban "ostentatious religious symbols" in public schools. Even though the law applies to all religious symbols, most observers would argue that it was really intended towards Muslim girls wearing the Muslim headscarf, hijab. "The wearing of small Christian crosses, for example, is not disallowed and therefore the law can be interpreted to be directed at the wearing of the Muslim headscarf" (Gray 2008, 101). In this Honors Thesis I will explore the question if the French bans on select religious attire in public schools (2004) and the niqab in public spheres (2011) are specifically related to the religion of Islam or if other factors, such as immigration, social exclusion, "otherness" of Muslim minorities etc. play 5 a role. I also will explore the history of laïcité in France and its current application. I further my research by looking into other Francophone countries dealing with similar issues. Much research is available on the 2004 law banning ostentatious religious symbols in public schools. Since the 2011 controversy surrounding the full-face veil is relatively new, there is little scholarly research published at this time. My literature research is also limited due to the fact that I have no background in the French language. However, this topic is of interest because France has the largest Muslim minority in a Western country and therefore the way France deals with this population is of interest to other countries as well.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0103
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Becoming American.
- Creator
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Amar, Monika, Program in International Affairs
- Abstract/Description
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This thesis examines various aspects of modern American culture and addresses potential causes and effects of American individualism and of the current mainstream American family dynamic. Discussing the effects that Americanism can have on interaction within immigrant families, as well as on society at large via globalization, this thesis evaluates historical, political and technological aspects of American society, which attribute to present-day functioning of individuals living in America...
Show moreThis thesis examines various aspects of modern American culture and addresses potential causes and effects of American individualism and of the current mainstream American family dynamic. Discussing the effects that Americanism can have on interaction within immigrant families, as well as on society at large via globalization, this thesis evaluates historical, political and technological aspects of American society, which attribute to present-day functioning of individuals living in America and beyond. Attributing changes in the way people communicate within the family realm and with others, this thesis analyzes the detrimental effects of overuse and dependence on information and communication technologies — mainly the Internet and the mobile phone — as well as the diffusion of capitalism into various realms of American society and even on a global scale as humans have become more interconnected. The intention of this thesis is to highlight the developing elements of mainstream American culture and to expose the potential for a worldwide community with the increased progressive industrialization and urbanization of more and more countries.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0337
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- The Best Laid Plans, Laid to Rest: The Fall of the Florida Department of Community Affairs.
- Creator
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Medin, Kyle A., Department of Political Science
- Abstract/Description
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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.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0567
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Breivik's Sanity: Historical and Contemporary Right-Wing Political Violence in Norway.
- Creator
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Jacobsen, Colin, College of Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Abstract/Description
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On July 22, 2011 Anders Behring Breivik bombed a government building in Oslo, resulting in the deaths of eight people. A few hours later he attacked a youth camp associated with the dominant liberal Labor Party of Norway killing 69 people, mostly teenagers. His act of mass murder captured world attention, as did his electronic distribution of an infamous document entitled 2083 – A European Declaration of Independence, which proclaims a right-wing world view with unyielding hostility towards...
Show moreOn July 22, 2011 Anders Behring Breivik bombed a government building in Oslo, resulting in the deaths of eight people. A few hours later he attacked a youth camp associated with the dominant liberal Labor Party of Norway killing 69 people, mostly teenagers. His act of mass murder captured world attention, as did his electronic distribution of an infamous document entitled 2083 – A European Declaration of Independence, which proclaims a right-wing world view with unyielding hostility towards multiculturalism and the alleged "Islamization of Europe. While right-wing extremist groups in Norway has been weak and insignificant over the past decades, the large populist right wing party, the Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet), has sustained a central role in the liberal democracy with a critical position on immigrant issues. My research focuses on the underlying ideology of historical and contemporary right wing extremism in Norway. This includes, among others, the Norwegian Nobel Laureate and Nazi sympathizer Knut Hamsun, the Norwegian fascist party (Nasjonal Samling) and the contemporary presence of xenophobic, anti-immigration and anti-Islamic right wing in Norway, including the larger context of the ideology and behavior of the mass-murderer Breivik. My research, drawing on archival research on the extreme right in Scandinavia and Europe and interviews with several prominent psychiatrists, politicians, authors on Knut Hamsun and experts on radical-right in Norway, suggest that close parallels can be noted between the rhetoric of Nazi anti-Semitism and modern Islamophobia, with incidental differences of group identities and the basis for perceiving a threat. Within the various forms of right wing extremism there are strikingly similar ideological structures used to justify political violence, and Breivik is a textbook example of how the growing presence of the right-wing extremist activity online can only be ignored at our peril.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0226
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Charter School Performance vs. Public School Performance in Florida, an FCAT Score Evaluation.
- Creator
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Scandling, Jonathan, Political Science
- Abstract/Description
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This paper analyzes both public and charter school performance in Florida over the time period of 2001 to 2010. It uses scores from the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test and recomposes those alphabetical values into numerical grade point averages, or G.P.A's. These G.P.A's will constitute as the chief indicator of school success. The purpose of this paper is to determine if charter schools in Florida, a component of school choice theory, have achieved their intended goal.
- Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0054
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Colonial Autonomy: Maryland's Legal Foundation.
- Creator
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Corkell, Liam, Department of History
- Abstract/Description
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The colony of Maryland, granted to Lord Baltimore by Charles I in 1632, was the host of considerable, political turmoil regarding the scale of the royal governor's authority. The Charter of Maryland granted Baltimore, for all intents and purposes, the authority of a liege lord within the province, with the intention of making the chartered colony as close a parallel to England as was physically achievable. However, with the withdrawal of supervision from across the Atlantic in the mid 17th...
Show moreThe colony of Maryland, granted to Lord Baltimore by Charles I in 1632, was the host of considerable, political turmoil regarding the scale of the royal governor's authority. The Charter of Maryland granted Baltimore, for all intents and purposes, the authority of a liege lord within the province, with the intention of making the chartered colony as close a parallel to England as was physically achievable. However, with the withdrawal of supervision from across the Atlantic in the mid 17th century, Maryland, like several of its fellow colonies, began to grapple with the idea of political autonomy. Although the sentiment behind this newly found desire for self-management was nowhere near the extent that it would be during the Imperial Crisis more than a century later, the royal governorship was effectively challenged, both in London, and North America. In this political environment, Maryland, with the absence of royal supervision, functioned not only as a colony, but as an autonomous, quasi-independent state.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0299
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Cool but Correct: Humanitarian Discourse and the US Justification for Intervention in Chile.
- Creator
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Forehand, Kristen D., Department of History
- Abstract/Description
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Intervening to supposedly protect human rights constitutes a potent justification for foreign involvement, but how humanitarian discourse became critical to the United States' (US) foreign policy remains poorly studied. I argue that humanitarian discourse, while present in the Spanish-American War of 1898, became essential to the US during the Cold War. Rationalizing the 1973 overthrow of the democratically elected socialist Chilean President Salvador Allende, the US relied on anticommunist...
Show moreIntervening to supposedly protect human rights constitutes a potent justification for foreign involvement, but how humanitarian discourse became critical to the United States' (US) foreign policy remains poorly studied. I argue that humanitarian discourse, while present in the Spanish-American War of 1898, became essential to the US during the Cold War. Rationalizing the 1973 overthrow of the democratically elected socialist Chilean President Salvador Allende, the US relied on anticommunist rhetoric joined with accusations that Allende violated Chileans' rights. However, the overthrow led to a brutal dictatorship. Thus, the thesis interrogates primary sources such as declassified government documents, speeches, memoirs, films, murals and music to discover hidden meanings. It employs the methodology of subaltern history as articulated by Ranajit Guha to investigate sources contrapuntally. Therefore, the thesis sheds light on the vaguely understood connection between imperialism and humanitarian intervention. The thesis utilizes a theoretical prism informed by Walter Benjamin, Slavoj Žižek and David Smith to understand how language can justify humanitarian intervention. Finally, the thesis adds to Latin American history and the history humanitarian intervention, specifically the scholarly works of Peter Kornbluh, Steve J. Stern and James Peck. I argue that the US manufactured rhetoric to gain approval for policies that would have otherwise been opposed. Following the Cold War, anticommunist justifications for intervention became less prevalent. However, humanitarian discourse continues. In many cases, the language becomes a façade for less noble reasons to intervene. Thus, Chile continues to provide a model for intervention in the name of protecting human rights.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0556
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Court-Curbing: Why and When Members of Congress Seek to Harm the Supreme Court.
- Creator
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Marino, Phillip, Political Science
- Abstract/Description
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Clarke and others have established that Congressional Court-curbing proposals are used to great effect by members of Congress to impose their will upon the Supreme Court. However, the reasoning behind such proposals by Congresspersons has remained largely unstudied. This paper seeks to explain why and when members of Congress will seek to curb the Court by arguing, and supporting with empirical regression analysis, that members of Congress respond to the relative 'activity' of the Court and...
Show moreClarke and others have established that Congressional Court-curbing proposals are used to great effect by members of Congress to impose their will upon the Supreme Court. However, the reasoning behind such proposals by Congresspersons has remained largely unstudied. This paper seeks to explain why and when members of Congress will seek to curb the Court by arguing, and supporting with empirical regression analysis, that members of Congress respond to the relative 'activity' of the Court and the Court's ideological divergence from the Congressperson in question when proposing Court-curbing legislation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0075
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Education, State Ballot Initiatives Banning Same-Sex Marriage, and Attitudes Toward Homosexuals in 2004.
- Creator
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LaRose, Adam, Political Science
- Abstract/Description
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In this paper, I seek to determine the effect that the current debate on same-sex marriage has on citizens' attitudes towards homosexuals. The research to date, centers on what actors and institutional characteristics lead to state restrictions on same-sex marriage. Some researchers have even found that ballot measures regarding same-sex marriage have caused a slight increase in voter turnout among particular groups to the point that it affected the outcome of the 2004 presidential election....
Show moreIn this paper, I seek to determine the effect that the current debate on same-sex marriage has on citizens' attitudes towards homosexuals. The research to date, centers on what actors and institutional characteristics lead to state restrictions on same-sex marriage. Some researchers have even found that ballot measures regarding same-sex marriage have caused a slight increase in voter turnout among particular groups to the point that it affected the outcome of the 2004 presidential election. I argue it is important to understand how these initiatives and the debate surrounding these initiatives affect how people feel about the group that is the target of these measures: homosexuals. Using a national survey, I find that the least educated in states with these measures in2004 changed their opinions of homosexuals and those changes were in line with their ideology.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0078
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- The Effect of Economic Globalization on Transnational Terrorism a Pooled Time Series Analysis.
- Creator
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Parks, Danielle M., Department of Economics
- Abstract/Description
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This research analyzes the effect of economic globalization on the number of transnational terrorist attacks within a country. The pooled time series analysis, conducted on a sample of 160 countries from 1968 to 2014, is an updated, expanded, and revised version of Li and Schaub (2004). The analysis first replicates Li and Schaub (2004) proving the accuracy of the tests. Next, it examines the effect of a larger sample and time period. Finally, existing variables are revised and new variables...
Show moreThis research analyzes the effect of economic globalization on the number of transnational terrorist attacks within a country. The pooled time series analysis, conducted on a sample of 160 countries from 1968 to 2014, is an updated, expanded, and revised version of Li and Schaub (2004). The analysis first replicates Li and Schaub (2004) proving the accuracy of the tests. Next, it examines the effect of a larger sample and time period. Finally, existing variables are revised and new variables are added in order to improve the test. Countries have not only become more interconnected, but also the nature of transnational terrorism has radically evolved since prior research was conducted. Following the September 11, 2001, Pentagon and Twin Tower attacks, the world has been facing a new form of terrorism. Empirically, the amount of transnational terrorist attacks globally has been decreasing after the September 11, 2001, transnational terrorist attacks. Overall, the results show that international economic integration has overtime had a greater effect on the number of transnational terrorist attacks than research had previously suggested. Specifically, foreign direct investment (FDI) and portfolio investment have a statistically significant negative effect on transnational terrorist attacks within a country. However, trade openness no longer has a direct effect on transnational terrorism. Additionally, a country's economic globalization and partners' economic globalization does not have a statistically significant effect of reducing the amount of transnational terrorist attacks that a country experiences. As a result, the analysis provides policymakers with a greater understanding on what specific economic conditions may currently promote or inhibit the transnational terrorist attacks from occurring within a country.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0566
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- The Effects of Framing and Emotion on Public Policy Opinions.
- Creator
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Robinson, Amy, Department of Political Science
- Abstract/Description
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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.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0174
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- The Effects of Gender, Religiosity, and Partianship on Support for the Supreme Court's Decision in Gonzales v. Carhart (2007).
- Creator
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Hofheimer, Alison, Political Science
- Abstract/Description
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This research investigates the effects of gender, religiosity, and partisanship on the public"s support for Gonzales v. Carhart (2007). This Supreme Court decision upheld Congress"s 2003 Partial Birth Abortion ban, effectively prohibiting women from seeking and doctors from performing this specific type of abortion procedure. The Court broke from precedent in a dramatic and controversial way because it was the first time in history that the Court upheld a restriction on abortion that...
Show moreThis research investigates the effects of gender, religiosity, and partisanship on the public"s support for Gonzales v. Carhart (2007). This Supreme Court decision upheld Congress"s 2003 Partial Birth Abortion ban, effectively prohibiting women from seeking and doctors from performing this specific type of abortion procedure. The Court broke from precedent in a dramatic and controversial way because it was the first time in history that the Court upheld a restriction on abortion that contained no exception for the health of the mother. Data was obtained from a NBC and Wall Street Journal 2007 survey, which asked respondents if they favored the Court"s ruling in Gonzales. There were two versions of the question each of which was asked to half of the respondents. The first version of the question is referred to in this paper as the nondescript version because it contained no information beyond asking respondents if they favored the Court"s ruling. The second version is referred to as the informative version because its question stem contained several important considerations which are likely to have impacted respondents" answers. This research found that religiosity and partisanship have important effects on public opinion on partial birth abortion, with people who attend church more frequently and people who identify themselves as Republicans favoring the Court"s decision more. The results for gender were inconclusive. Keywords:
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0019
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Fair Trade and Indigenous Peoples: A Case Study of the Kichwa in Ecuador.
- Creator
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Wood, Samantha, Interdisciplinary Program in Social Science
- Abstract/Description
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Capitalist business ventures have a long history of exploiting traditional societies, such as indigenous groups, for their labor and natural resources. The Fair Trade business model has recently emerged as a step towards more equal international trade norms, and strives to create mutually beneficial relationships between producers and business entities. However, due to disparities in the values of each party, tensions arise as Fair Trade entities attempt to "bridge the gap" between capitalist...
Show moreCapitalist business ventures have a long history of exploiting traditional societies, such as indigenous groups, for their labor and natural resources. The Fair Trade business model has recently emerged as a step towards more equal international trade norms, and strives to create mutually beneficial relationships between producers and business entities. However, due to disparities in the values of each party, tensions arise as Fair Trade entities attempt to "bridge the gap" between capitalist endeavors and indigenous communities. Though such tensions are challenging, they do not represent failures and should be seen as components in the in the ongoing process of evolution towards more sustainable and equitable international trade norms. This thesis uses library research to investigate the goals and difficulties present in the Fair Trade movement, and uses participant observation, formal interviews, and pile sorts to present a Case Study that explores the ways that an indigenous Ecuadorian community views and engages in a Fair Trade tea initiative.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0202
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- From Laughter to Learning: The Effects of Political Satire on Political Acquisiton.
- Creator
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Hamrick, Hunter K., Department of Political Science
- Abstract/Description
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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
- History and Activism in Regards to the FDA Ban Against Homosexual Males from Donating Blood.
- Creator
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Fritz, Mary, Interdisciplinary Program in Social Science
- Abstract/Description
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This thesis deals directly with the FDA ban on sexually active homosexual men from donating blood. This work examines how organizations have made arguments against the ban and actions taken in both the legislative realm and college activism. This study also relies on scientific evidence to support the argument of those in opposition against the ban.
- Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0308
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- The Importance of Sea Power: China's Modernizing Navy and its Effects on Regional International Affairs.
- Creator
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Brockman, Daniel, Department of Political Science
- Abstract/Description
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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.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0371
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- The Media, Belief Updating, and Iraq's Missing Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Program.
- Creator
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Sanfilippo, Samantha, Political Science
- Abstract/Description
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Do individuals update their opinions when faced with new information? More specifically, does media coverage affect factual beliefs on foreign policy issues? These questions are directly related to theories of information processing, like Bayesian updating or motivated reasoning, which I plan to address in two empirical studies. First, using cross-sectional survey data from 2003 and 2004 Gallup polls, I conduct an over time study of public opinion on Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)...
Show moreDo individuals update their opinions when faced with new information? More specifically, does media coverage affect factual beliefs on foreign policy issues? These questions are directly related to theories of information processing, like Bayesian updating or motivated reasoning, which I plan to address in two empirical studies. First, using cross-sectional survey data from 2003 and 2004 Gallup polls, I conduct an over time study of public opinion on Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) program. Next, I use a technique known as within-survey/within-subjects counterfactual comparisons (Barabas and Jerit 2009) on the same dataset to study the effects of media coverage on the public's perceptions about many different aspects of the Iraqi WMD program (everything from nuclear devices, to chemical and biological weapons, and potential links to al Qaeda). All of these analyses are possible thanks to a unique set of questions that capture opinions, the certainty with which individuals hold their belief, and a collection of media data surrounding the survey. Overall, the results suggest that individuals tend to revise their beliefs in a manner consistent with the Bayesian theoretical perspective.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0036
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- The Muted Candidate.
- Creator
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Waldeck, Christopher, School of Communication
- Abstract/Description
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During political debates, there are often candidates who are "muted" onstage by a dominant group because their ideologies and beliefs are different from those within the dominant group. By analyzing the Republican primary debates I was able to observe the candidates that were being muted, who the dominant group was, how the muted group was being muted, and what values and ideas were the most dominant. In this debate I found that in each debate the candidate whose ideas were muted the most was...
Show moreDuring political debates, there are often candidates who are "muted" onstage by a dominant group because their ideologies and beliefs are different from those within the dominant group. By analyzing the Republican primary debates I was able to observe the candidates that were being muted, who the dominant group was, how the muted group was being muted, and what values and ideas were the most dominant. In this debate I found that in each debate the candidate whose ideas were muted the most was Ron Paul. The questions he was asked were meant to address his ideas rather than take a position on an issue. He was often scoffed at by the candidates or ignored by them. Despite making it to the final four, he was still considered an outsider during the debates by the questions he was asked by the moderator and the reactions of the other candidates. In order to move forward as a Democracy, all ideas must be brought to the table not just the ones of the dominant group in order to truly represent the people in America. Keywords Muted, Dominant, Republican, Democrat, Libertarian
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0247
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- The Nature of Consultative Status: An Examination of the Relationship between NGOs and the UN.
- Creator
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Lawrence, Emily, Program in International Affairs
- Abstract/Description
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This thesis relates to the consultative status arrangement between NGOs and the UN. It explores the ability of NGOs to maintain consultative status when raising awareness for human rights violations that member states would prefer to keep hidden. The work focuses on an NGO's reputation, political ties and accreditation methods as the main factors of relevance. Internal dynamics within the Economic and Social Council's Committee on NGOs are also considered.
- Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0249
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- New Descriptive Representation in the White House and African Americans' Sense of External Political Efficacy.
- Creator
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O'Brien, Kevin, Department of Political Science
- Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0427
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Restorative and Retributive Justice Techniques: A Case Study of the Former Yugoslavia.
- Creator
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King, Janelle, Program in International Affairs
- Abstract/Description
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This research project focuses on methods of bringing sustainable peace and justice to the victims and their communities of the former Yugoslavia, specifically regarding the countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Serbia. The paper discusses the various restorative and retributive justice mechanisms that have been established to bring justice to the Balkan region. There has been insufficient scholarly investigation into both perspectives of justice, while also considering the opinions...
Show moreThis research project focuses on methods of bringing sustainable peace and justice to the victims and their communities of the former Yugoslavia, specifically regarding the countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Serbia. The paper discusses the various restorative and retributive justice mechanisms that have been established to bring justice to the Balkan region. There has been insufficient scholarly investigation into both perspectives of justice, while also considering the opinions of locals and victims who lived through the conflict. The conclusions from this paper will be helpful to victims, community members, political leaders, and nongovernmental, civil society, and international organizations in this specific region in order to successfully restore justice. The primary research in this study involved several qualitative interviews with various representatives from nongovernmental and international organizations, the Tribunal that incarcerates perpetrators of the human rights abuses that occurred in the 1990s, and locals who lived either in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, or Serbia during the conflicts. The research attempts to determine what is missing in these countries to achieve sustainable peace. Conclusively, persistent themes are acknowledged through these interviews and addressed in a methodological foundation to attain viable reconciliation in the context of the region.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0474
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- The Role of Hip-Hop Music and Culture: Opinions of the Lives of Ethnically and Racially Diverse College Students.
- Creator
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Del Pino, Shanelle, Program in International Affairs
- Abstract/Description
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Hip-hop music has become relevant in the field of education due to the implications it contains for understanding social issues, race relations, and diversity. This study takes a look at how minority college student leaders experience and relate to hip-hop music and hip-hop culture. The study also critically reviews how their responses are relevant in the classroom. Sociologically, hip-hop music can be viewed from different perspectives. In my research, conflict theory is most useful for...
Show moreHip-hop music has become relevant in the field of education due to the implications it contains for understanding social issues, race relations, and diversity. This study takes a look at how minority college student leaders experience and relate to hip-hop music and hip-hop culture. The study also critically reviews how their responses are relevant in the classroom. Sociologically, hip-hop music can be viewed from different perspectives. In my research, conflict theory is most useful for analyzing the participants' responses. Results indicate participants' struggles directly correlate with the application of hip-hop music in their lives as well as their leadership roles. Social activism is crucial to these individuals' roles. Their position on these Executive board depended on their ability to uplift their respective communities from minority statuses. Through their programming, these agencies promote the awareness of the issues that affect their community. Discussion should be continued on how effective hip-hop music can be in the classroom on the topics of advocacy for anti-discrimination, anti-racism and bringing about social change.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0390
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- School Choice and Segregation in Florida.
- Creator
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Martin, Elizabeth, Department of Political Science
- Abstract/Description
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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.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0271
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Student Body President Television Pilot Development.
- Creator
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Cartwright, Joshua, Jaffe, Eric, College of Motion Picture Arts
- Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0262
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Torture and States: A Physical Integrity Rights Violation Tradeoff?.
- Creator
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Spicer, Margaret, Political Science
- Abstract/Description
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Under what conditions do states torture? While many theories exist to answer this question, I focus on one - the violation of physical integrity rights. There are four types of physical integrity rights: torture, extrajudicial execution, political disappearance, and political imprisonment. In this paper I posit that there is no tradeoff between torture and the other three types of physical integrity rights; that is, when one violation occurs, other violations are NOT less likely to occur. I...
Show moreUnder what conditions do states torture? While many theories exist to answer this question, I focus on one - the violation of physical integrity rights. There are four types of physical integrity rights: torture, extrajudicial execution, political disappearance, and political imprisonment. In this paper I posit that there is no tradeoff between torture and the other three types of physical integrity rights; that is, when one violation occurs, other violations are NOT less likely to occur. I formulated my hypothesis using the foundations of Powell and Staton"s 2009 article, and I tested the hypothesis by running a bivariate probit regression on a country-year dataset of 113 countries with a temporal domain of 1995 to 2005. The results showed support for my hypothesis, opening up a wide range of implications for policy makers and human rights practitioners.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0039
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Voter-Party Linkage Strategies and Democratic Survival.
- Creator
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Dugan, Amanda, Political Science
- Abstract/Description
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Economic development is widely known to stabilize democratic regimes. Models of distributional conflict have revealed that with increased average income, the ability of political parties to agree on redistribution rates grows. A key assumption of such models is that parties are programmatic and will enact their mandates once elected. Yet, political parties vary in their dedication to programmatic platforms. Some parties are quite programmatic, only enacting policies that voters endorse, while...
Show moreEconomic development is widely known to stabilize democratic regimes. Models of distributional conflict have revealed that with increased average income, the ability of political parties to agree on redistribution rates grows. A key assumption of such models is that parties are programmatic and will enact their mandates once elected. Yet, political parties vary in their dedication to programmatic platforms. Some parties are quite programmatic, only enacting policies that voters endorse, while others are less programmatic, preferring to attract voters using clientelism. This suggests the possibility that countries with mostly clientelistic parties could experience less conflict over redistribution rates because there would be an absence of parties compelled to represent the poor once in office. In this paper, I relax the assumption in this model that parties always follow their mandates once in office, and I test the hypothesis that countries with clientelistic parties experience increased regime stability.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0108
- Format
- Thesis
- Title
- Will Financial Literacy Impact Students' Financial Decisions?.
- Creator
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Green, Shelby, Department of Political Science
- Abstract/Description
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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.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- FSU_migr_uhm-0161
- Format
- Thesis
