Department: International and Comparative Politics ![[clear]](close-x.png "Remove this limiter")
17 matches in the database.
These are records: 1 - 17.
1.
Banhos, Pablo Albuquerque.
HOW DOES A DEMOCRATIC BRAZIL CONSTRAST WITH AUTHORITARIAN BRAZIL IN TERMS OF PROMOTING HUMAN SECURITY?.
Degree: MA, International and Comparative Politics, 2009, Wright State University
► Banhos, Pablo A. M. A., International and Comparative Politics M. A. Program,…
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▼ Banhos, Pablo A. M. A., International and Comparative Politics M. A. Program, Wright State University, 2009. How Does A Democratic Brazil Contrast With Authoritarian Brazil In Terms Of Promoting Human Security? This study compares and contrasts two distinct regimes, the Brazilian military regime (1964-1985) and Brazil’s current democratic regime (1985-2007). The focus of this thesis is to determine why, compared to the authoritarian regime, human security has improved measurably under democracy in some areas but not in others. To assess this paradox, one variable has been chosen: the rule of law, specifically conceptualized as violations of physical integrity. This research centers on the metropolitan areas of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and is based on a qualitative examination supplemented by quantitative evidence. The study finds that violations of physical integrity need to be reevaluated more comprehensively, as failures to make progress in this area of human rights so often contribute to the deterioration of legitimacy of both regime types, in Brazil and elsewhere.
Advisors/Committee Members: Green, December.
Subjects: Political science
Keywords: BRAZIL; Police-A; military; Death Squads; São; São Paulo; Squads
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2.
Clark, Kyleigh M.
When Prohibition and Violence Collide: The Case of Mexico.
Degree: MA, International and Comparative Politics, 2011, Wright State University
► Some theorists have found a positive correlation between increased drug prohibition enforcement…
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▼ Some theorists have found a positive correlation between increased drug prohibition enforcement and a rise in violence. These studies focus on the United States and Colombia, arguing that prohibition amplifies violence, rather than decreasing it. Much like the United States and Colombia earlier in their histories, Mexico has recently experienced an escalation in violence. Since beginning a democratic transition in 2000, the Mexican government has intensified a war on drugs by strengthening the rule of law, battling corruption, and cooperating with the United States' drug war. This study, using a congruence method with process-tracing, will analyze the Mexican case in depth, with the goal of determining whether increased drug prohibition enforcement has escalated drug-related violence in Mexico, and what effect the violence has on the legitimacy of democracy itself in Mexico.
Advisors/Committee Members: Green, December.
Subjects: International Relations; Latin American Studies; Political Science
Keywords: Mexico, the war on drugs, democratization
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3.
Conaway, Matthew Bolyn.
When "Boys Will Not Be Boys": Variations of Wartime Sexual Violence by Armed Opposition Groups in Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone, and Nepal.
Degree: MA, International and Comparative Politics, 2012, Wright State University
► Wartime sexual violence is often assumed to be inevitable during conflict yet…
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▼ Wartime sexual violence is often assumed to be inevitable during conflict yet empirical evidence indicates that sexual violence varies in type and frequency within and across conflicts as well as among armed groups. A solid understanding of what variable(s) and causal pathway(s) permit the variation of systematic sexual violence in intrastate conflict situations by specific groups has yet to be developed. What factors explain the variation of sexual violence by certain armed opposition groups during conflict situations? This comparative study employs process-tracing and the congruence method to consider the utility of hypotheses drawn from the work of Elisabeth J. Wood and Kathryn Farr using data from the Sri Lankan (1983-2009), Sierra Leonean (1991-2002), and Nepalese (1996-2005) civil wars. It finds that insurgent leadership prohibition of sexual violence against civilians and equitable intragroup gender dynamics are correlated with a lower frequency of sexual violence against civilian populations by insurgencies during civil wars. The author theorizes that when leadership prohibits sexual violence, enforces strong internal group discipline, and frames women‘s (equitable) participation as integral for achieving the broader ideological and strategic goals of the insurgency (i.e., nationalist, leftist, etc.), sexual violence against women and girls is less frequent during civil wars by armed opposition groups vis-à-vis government armed forces.
Advisors/Committee Members: Green, December.
Subjects: African Studies; Gender Studies; Political Science; South Asian Studies
Keywords: wartime sexual violence, rape, variation, masculinity, female combatants, civil wars, insurgencies, repertoire of violence, Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone, Nepal
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4.
Cronenwett, Megan R.
Accounting for the Role of the Public in Democratic States' Counterterrorism Policies: A Comparative Case Study Analysis of Spain and the United Kingdom.
Degree: MA, International and Comparative Politics, 2011, Wright State University
► Democratic states are more susceptible to terrorist attacks and yet have the…
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▼ Democratic states are more susceptible to terrorist attacks and yet have the most responsibility to ensure their counterterrorism responses are in accordance with democratic principles. Respect for the rule of law and the freedoms of speech and press are just a few of the principles ingrained in democratic philosophy and likewise, by the very nature of a democracy, democratic states must be held accountable to their citizenries. These factors, however, can be a cause of dissention and can lead to a dangerous overreaction or a disproportionate response by democratic states in their counterterrorism policies, including leading to the very undemocratic response of restricting civil liberties. This thesis researches and analyzes the counterterrorism policies of Britain and Spain and applies the theory of Moral Panics to evaluate how Moral Panics has influenced their respective counterterrorism policies to account for the discrepancy found between the British and Spanish state responses to terrorism.
Advisors/Committee Members: Schlagheck, Donna.
Subjects: International Relations; Political Science
Keywords: Terrorism; counterterrorism responses; fear and terrorism; disproportionate response; overreaction; terrorism and public opinion; Moral Panics theory
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5.
Dauekeev, Bakhtiyar T.
Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a Counterbalance against the United States.
Degree: MA, International and Comparative Politics, 2011, Wright State University
► According to the balance of power concept, nations tend to unite for…
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▼ According to the balance of power concept, nations tend to unite for opposing a hegemon with an equal force. Therefore, for the leading position of the US and its ability to project power globally, there should be an opposite and equal reaction from the other emerging power centers. Since the collapse of the USSR, the hegemonic position of the United States has been unchallenged. However, there is a possibility that it might be counterbalanced in future by the growing political influence of emerging powers like Russia and China, which have already succeeded in countering the US influence in some parts of Eurasia through the mechanism known as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). This study analyzes whether the SCO is an alliance directed against the United States and whether it has a potential to become a counterweight to the hegemony of the US. The results of this thesis research will show that the SCO is a regional alliance intended to restrain the political and economic influence of the United States in the post-soviet space. In other words, this study will demonstrate that the SCO exists as a form of “soft” counterbalance against the US on a regional level.
Advisors/Committee Members: Anderson, Liam.
Subjects: International Relations
Keywords: Soft Balancing Shanghai Cooperation Organization SCO Central Asia Ideological Aspects of East/West Division
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6.
Hoff, Sara A.
Gender Politics: A Case Study of Feminism in Iran.
Degree: MA, International and Comparative Politics, 2009, Wright State University
► The literature on feminism and Islam shows that there is a distinct…
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▼ The literature on feminism and Islam shows that there is a distinct relationship and conflict between identity groups in Iran. An alliance between Muslim and secular feminists has been observed in the past in Iran; however, a breakdown of the alliance has occurred in recent years. It is my assumption that in order for feminists in Iran to unite, several principles of Iris Young‟s communicative democracy and coalition building practices have to be applied. Communicative democracy stresses that individuals‟ ideas often change when interaction with other people and their experiences occurs. Further, communicative democracy emphasizes the importance of recognizing the differences in culture and social perspectives as a resource for achieving an understanding in certain democratic discussions and processes. This study analyzes the ways women‟s identities are constructed in Iran and how interactions between the different feminist groups change or shape politics in that country. In other words, why have Muslim and secular feminist groups in Iran experienced a problematic relationship despite similarities in their agendas and how can feminists overcome such problems?This case study of feminism focuses on four different periods in Iran‟s history. The first two case studies will analyze the mechanisms of the Constitutional Revolution (1905-1911) and the Islamic Revolution (1979). In the period from 1990-2001 there was an alliance between secular and Muslim feminists in Iran, and together they accomplished several changes to better women‟s lives. However, a break in the alliance occurred following an event in 2000 when several secular feminists were arrested in Iran. Further, the study will make recommendations for building successful relationships among feminists by using Young‟s framework of communicative democracy.
Advisors/Committee Members: Green, December.
Subjects: Political science
Keywords: gender, democracy, Iran, feminism, social movements
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7.
J Haddadian, Afsaneh.
Social Movements' Emergence and Form: The Green Movement in Iran.
Degree: MA, International and Comparative Politics, 2012, Wright State University
► Theories of social movements suggest that ‘objective' changes in the structure of…
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▼ Theories of social movements suggest that ‘objective' changes in the structure of political opportunities and their interaction with mobilizing and framing mechanisms render a system vulnerable to mass protest. By examining the variables relevant to such interaction, this study seeks to account for the emergence and form of the 2009 Green Movement in Iran. This research uses the congruence method and process traces the movement adherents' activities, mainly their use of Information Communication Technologies, and investigates the so-called opposition leaders' activities and statements.The study argues that in accounting for emergence and form of the Green Movement, we need to attribute the central role to the bottom-up framing processes that gave value and meaning to the movement's goals and strategies. Political opportunity structures only appear in terms of ‘perceptual' rather than ‘objective' changes in the structure of the system. Further, the research investigates implications for other authoritarian settings and, more generally, for theories of social movements.
Advisors/Committee Members: Luehrmann, Laura.
Subjects: Political Science
Keywords: Social Movements, political opportunity structures, resource mobilization, framing processes, democracy, Green Movement, Iran, Information Communication Technologies
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8.
Leapley, Jennifer Lynn.
The Effects of Chinese Petroleum Diplomacy on US Energy Policy Objectives in Nigeria (1993-2010).
Degree: MA, International and Comparative Politics, 2012, Wright State University
► The United States and China have turned to Africa as an additional…
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▼ The United States and China have turned to Africa as an additional source of oil to ensure reliable, secure access to oil supplies in the future. While China stresses noninterventionist foreign policies, the US, at least rhetorically, if not in practice, links its energy policy in Africa to its foreign policy goals. China's petroleum diplomacy in Africa has raised concern among some scholars and policymakers about the effect an increased Chinese economic presence will have on American foreign policy objectives. The question arises: What impact has Chinese petroleum diplomacy had on US foreign policy objectives? More specifically, how strongly, if at all, does an increased Chinese economic presence correlate with less democratic African governments, worsening of African countries' human rights records, and less transparency among African governments? This paper will examine these questions using a longitudinal study of 1993 to 2010 in one case study, Nigeria.
Advisors/Committee Members: Green, December.
Subjects: International Relations
Keywords: Nigeria, China, United States, Petroleum Diplomacy, Energy Policy, Energy Politics, Oil Consumption
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9.
Nambiema, Ibrahim Mahama.
'Counting Votes and Bodies,'Election-Related Conflicts in Africa: A Comparative Study of Ghana and Kenya.
Degree: MA, International and Comparative Politics, 2012, Wright State University
► Since joining the ‘third wave' of democracy in the 1990s, African countries…
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▼ Since joining the ‘third wave' of democracy in the 1990s, African countries have focused on elections. Some leaders conduct elections to legitimize their authoritarian rule. Many of Africa's transitional democracies are associated with flawed elections and violent conflicts. The literature on electoral conflict places little emphasis on election governance. It is my assumption that the high rate of non-credible elections in Africa can be associated with election management that has exacerbated societal cleavages. Is an effective and independent election management body a necessary prerequisite for election results to be credible? Are credible elections correlated with lower levels of conflicts? Kenya and Ghana, with their parallel experience with electoral conflicts, are compared to determine if the level of effectiveness of an electoral commission is strongly correlated with the conduct of credible elections and consequently a reduced propensity for election-related conflicts.
Advisors/Committee Members: Green, December.
Subjects: Peace Studies; Political Science
Keywords: election-related violence, elections, election management bodies, conflict, democracy, Sub-Saharan Africa.
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10.
O'Brien, Morgan J. III.
Religious Pluralism in Mauritius and Turkey.
Degree: MA, International and Comparative Politics, 2007, Wright State University
► This thesis examines the treatment and facilitation of religious pluralism in Mauritius…
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▼ This thesis examines the treatment and facilitation of religious pluralism in Mauritius and Turkey. The thesis utilizes a most-different comparative case study, and argues for the existence of a tipping point that ultimately compels the elected leadership to act. The two states were chosen as most different cases due to their marked difference in religious diversity within each state, as Turkey is almost universally Muslim and Mauritius is very diverse, with large percentages of Christian, Muslim and Buddhist followers on the island state.
Advisors/Committee Members: Luehrmann, Laura.
Keywords: MAURITIUS; TURKEY; RELIGIOUS; Mauritian; Turkish; Religion; DEMOCRACY
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11.
Rubino, Francesca Luciana.
Successful Social Movements and Political Outcomes: A Case Study of the Women's Movement in Italy: 1943-48.
Degree: MA, International and Comparative Politics, 2006, Wright State University
► This thesis examines the definition of civil society, social movements and success…
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▼ This thesis examines the definition of civil society, social movements and success and then analyzes these variables through a historical case study. It looks at the role of two women’s groups in Italy from 1943-48 as they worked to achieve three political goals (women’s suffrage, greater representation in politics, and the new constitution). The thesis will look at whether the variables necessary to social movement success were present in the movement in helping Italian women in the movement who mobilized and organized to achieve their said goals and objectives. It will conclude with remarks as to the lessons learned from the study of civil society and social movements and why these are important to the establishment of political and democratic goals and objectives. The conclusion will also discuss how social movements, civil society and women are inevitably linked and the impact of active Italian women in this movement on Italian history.
Advisors/Committee Members: Luehrmann, Laura M.
Keywords: civil society, social movements, Italy, women's groups, civic associations, fascism
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12.
Shannon, Brooke M.
The Value of Deliberative Democratic Practices to Civic Education.
Degree: MA, International and Comparative Politics, 2007, Wright State University
► The causal relationship between measures of deliberative democratic practices and quality of…
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▼ The causal relationship between measures of deliberative democratic practices and quality of citizen participation were examined using selected variables from the International Association for the Evaluation of Education Achievement’s (IEA) 1999 Civic Education Study (CivEd). Logit regression for survey data was used to analyze whether a causal relationship existed between two indicators of deliberative democratic practices and a total of four measures of both current and expected student participation using data from three countries, the United States, England, and Australia. One independent variable, the degree to which students believed their teachers encouraged discussion of controversial political or social issues, had an effect on two measures of participation, including students’ expectations to engage in both informed voting and a peaceful protest. An effect of the second independent variable, the degree to which students believed their teachers represented several sides of an issue, had an effect on students’ expectation to engage in informed voting. An interpretation of the marginal effects is discussed. Implications from this study provide insight on the value of deliberative democratic practices to civic education and point to the development of more efficient theoretical constructs for identifying and measuring differences in democratic practice and the value of those practices to civic education.
Advisors/Committee Members: Luehrmann, Laura.
Keywords: deliberation; deliberative democracy; democratic education; civic education; citizenship preparation
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13.
Snell, Brandon Charles.
The Origins of Ethno/National Separatist Terrorism: A Cross-National Analysis of the Background Conditions of Terrorist Campaigns.
Degree: MA, International and Comparative Politics, 2009, Wright State University
► This study measures the influence that multiple social, political, and economic conditions…
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▼ This study measures the influence that multiple social, political, and economic conditions have on the development of ethno/national separatist terrorist organizations. It begins by analyzing the nationalist theories of primordialism, modernism, and ethnosymbolism, and the terrorist theories of strategic logic and psychology. The nationalist theories consider cultural symbols a powerful component behind nationalist movements and populations with significant symbolic attachments especially prone to react aggressively against perceived threats to those symbols. Proponents of strategic logic and psychological theory also view terrorism as reactive but deviate on whether this response is conceived rationally. Examining the origins of Basque and Catalan terrorism and Roma passivity in Spain assists in identifying background conditions that are evaluated using a logit regression model. The logit model assesses two-hundred ninety-seven minority populations in one-hundred twenty-six states, primarily between 1945 and 2003. The results show cultural identity and sensitivity, violent encounters, political freedom, social unrest, underrepresentation, disproportionate economic privation, and stagnant educational systems and other factors of civil development correlating significantly with the formation of ethno/national separatist terrorist organizations. These findings imply an ability to detect populations and environments with increased potential for producing ethno/national separatist terrorism, and that by addressing those conditions facilitating its development, it may be possible to reduce the probability of additional campaigns developing.
Advisors/Committee Members: Anderson, Liam.
Subjects: History; International relations; Political science; Psychology; Sociology; Statistics
Keywords: terrorism; nationalism; separatism; primordialism; modernism; ethno-symbolism; strategic logic; psychological theory; logit; Basque; Catalan; Roma; Spain; Euskadi ta Askatazuna; ETA; Terra Lliure; TL; terrorist organizations; terrorist campaigns
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14.
Steiger, Carla.
Dammed and the Damned: Draining the Bucket Dry.
Degree: MA, International and Comparative Politics, 2010, Wright State University
► This thesis investigates how people displaced from the construction of large dams…
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▼ This thesis investigates how people displaced from the construction of large dams in seek environmental justice. I studied the importance of regime type, the creation of protest groups and the formation of alliances with national, international organizations, and the media. In a comparison between protest movements against the Three Gorges Dam in China and the Sardar Sarovar Dam in India, displaced populations suffered from loss of community, livelihood, and health and were victimized by corrupt actors that supported the dams. The rapid economic development of these two countries emerged as a major point of comparison between the two. Regime type was notable in that it informed the structure of the protest movements, but was not a major determinant of the end results if the protestation. Both countries had avenues for protests. National and international NGOs and the media gave the protesters a voice in cessation of building destructive new dams. Protest movements also influenced the dissenting opinions of some politicians regarding large water infrastructure projects.
Advisors/Committee Members: Luehrmann, Laura.
Subjects: Political science
Keywords: social protest, Sardar Sarovar Dam, Three Gorges Dam, environmental justice
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15.
Sulimani, Foday.
The False Promise of International Financial Institutions in Building Stable Democracies in Third World Countries.
Degree: MA, International and Comparative Politics, 2007, Wright State University
► The available literature on the democratic process in third world countries shows…
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▼ The available literature on the democratic process in third world countries shows that there is a strong correlation between the strength of a country’s economic and social infrastructure and the successful promotion of democratic principles. It is my assumption that democracy can not be established without strong economic and social infrastructures. Furthermore, the current aid programs as operated by international financial institutions (IFIs) like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) give false hope to third world countries that fail to develop sound socioeconomic policies and yet want to establish stable democratic societies. Are neo-liberal policies advocated by international financial institutions necessarily associated with successful democratization? Is a strong economic and social infrastructure a necessary prerequisite in order for neo-liberal policies to be correlated with strong democracies?
Advisors/Committee Members: Green, December.
Keywords: Mauritius; Ghana; Mauritian; EPZ; IMF; SAPs; World Bank
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16.
Teater, Kristina M.
Anti-System Parties:Policy Choices for Democracies A Study of India's Bharatiya Janata Party and Austria's Freedom Party.
Degree: MA, International and Comparative Politics, 2006, Wright State University
► In the decades following WWII, countries across the globe witnessed the rise…
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▼ In the decades following WWII, countries across the globe witnessed the rise of anti-system parties. Political scientists have attributed their success to economic conditions, electoral systems, party systems and the electorate’s disaffection with mainstream parties. The analysis also suggests the influence of global factors. While the causes for success have been examined, effective policy choices for democracies have not been equally explored. This study makes the argument that by including anti-system parties in government, states are able to lessen the threat they pose to democracy. The analysis of India’s Bharatiya Janata Party and Austria’s Freedom party suggest that anti-system parties loose their allure when they come to power. Also, democracies by adopting the contrary policy of exclusion, in fact create conditions that foster support for anti-system parties. Lastly, this study suggests that the international community in response to anti-system parties in power should adopt a policy of cautious engagement.
Advisors/Committee Members: Anderson, Liam D.
Subjects: Political Science, General
Keywords: Anti-System, Bharatiya Janata Party, Freedom Party, India, Austria
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17.
Wahlert, Matthew H.
NON-STATE ACTORS AND ASYMMETRIC WARFARE: A NEW PARADIGM FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.
Degree: MA, International and Comparative Politics, 2007, Wright State University
► A billiard table metaphorically explains the conduct of states within the international…
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▼ A billiard table metaphorically explains the conduct of states within the international system– sometimes clashing and other times tenuously co-existing. Yet, the international system ultimately remains a construct and pattern for the state actors. Spatially, the dimensions and context of the system fit the needs, requirements, and structure of the states. However, the system is one dimensional and does not account for the realities of the complexities inherent to the post Cold War Era. Currently, the state actor does not maintain an exclusive monopoly in the formation of the playing field. However, non-state actors usurp space and dimensions not defined by the state actor. In addition, the nature of the non-state actor allows for swift, fluid, and dynamic movement in order to capitalize on the emerging multidimensional nature of the international system. I intend to use a host of sources of current literature as well as qualitative processes, in the form of case study, and quantitative methods in order to show: (1) the nature and components of the international system changed after the fall of the Soviet Union and globalization, (2) the threat from non-state actors has increased with the fall of the Soviet Union, and (3) the failed state has become part and parcel of both the "new" international system and a significant factor in the emergence of non-state actors.
Advisors/Committee Members: Anderson, Liam.
Keywords: asymmetric warfare; terrorism; al-Qaeda; Muslim Brotherhood
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