Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2023, Mass Communication (Communication)

Studies of media coverage and framing of armed conflict in Africa routinely focus on the roles of Western media. In the post-independent periods, foreign media provided in-depth news as some African countries degenerated into armed conflicts. As Africa's newest country became dangerous for journalists, South Sudan's post-independence government imposed restrictions on local journalists' coverage of the third civil war (2013-2020). In neighboring Kenya, the East African (TEA) became a de facto regional African media covering the conflict during this period. This dissertation focused its qualitative examinations of TEA archives to explore the newspaper's coverage and framing of the conflict as an African newspaper. This research further examined TEAs' role in agenda-setting and framing theoretical frameworks. Among other conclusions, the dissertation found that TEA shaped the news agenda by using officials' news sources' narratives and framings. The study also concluded that as an African newspaper, TEA did not offer unique coverage or news framing; instead, it followed the traditional journalist practice of using and relying on officials as news sources. This dissertation is limited to the East African newspaper as a case study.

Committee: Steve Howard (Advisor) Subjects: Mass Communications; Mass Media

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2023, Economics

Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rates of child marriage in the world today, despite laws and policies targeted at reducing these rates. The region also commonly participates in the traditional practice of bride price payments, a monetary or in kind transfer of gifts from the groom's family to the wife's family around the timing of marriage. Bride price practices incentivize families to make economic decisions about their daughter's marriage and affect the equilibrium of the marriage market. In this paper, I consider how an agricultural commodity price shock affects the probability of child marriage in East Africa using a differences-in-differences-style methodology. I find that a 1 percent increase in the global coffee price increases the rate of child marriage by .66 percentage points for girls in coffee regions compared to non-coffee regions. Mechanisms, including labor allocation within a household and the opportunity cost of paying a bride price during an income shock, are discussed in tandem with the results.

Committee: Gregory Niemesh (Advisor); Jenny Minier (Committee Member); Riley Acton (Committee Member) Subjects: Economics

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2018, Environment and Natural Resources

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the principal food source for Eastern Africa's rising populations. In Morogoro Region, Tanzania, 56% of agricultural land is cropped with maize and 90% of its people are smallholder farmers. For these reasons, understanding the relationship between crop management decisions, agricultural soil quality, and maize yield is of critical importance. Field management practices were recorded during the November – January (short) rainy season crop, and the March – June (long) rainy season, and water use during the short rainy season. Soil samples were taken from each field in June 2017 and analyzed for soil quality parameters pH, total nitrogen (TN), soil organic carbon (SOC), bulk density (BD), texture, aggregate stability (AS), and penetration resistance. Analyses indicated that during both the short and long rainy seasons, maize production resulted in a lower pH than in vegetable production, or maize – cowpea intercrop. Fields which were cropped with maize in the long rainy season had higher clay content (Clay) than did those cropped with a maize – cowpea intercrop. Sand content (Sand) appeared to be higher in fields cropped with a maize – cowpea intercrop in maize in the long rainy season. Textural variation was accounted for a spatial gradient in soil series, which likely informed crop choice. Aggregate stability was found to be higher in fields cropped with maize in the short rainy season than with vegetable. TN, SOC, BD, silt content (Silt), and penetration resistance were not found to vary between iii crop management practice. Each soil quality parameter was entered into a linear regression model and a mixed effects model with long rainy season maize yields to determine the property's association with maize production. These analyses indicated that BD and sand concentration were negatively affecting maize yields while silt concentration, and to a lesser extent, SOC and AS were positiv (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Rattan Lal PhD (Advisor); Jeffory Hattey PhD (Committee Member); Stephen Culman PhD (Committee Member); Mark Erbaugh PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Agricultural Chemicals; Agriculture; Agronomy; Soil Sciences

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2018, African-American and African Studies

Eritrea is a country that has been under-researched, especially in regard to its cultural elements. This project will explore the role of music in Eritrea, specifically during the 1970's through the 1990's, the height of the Eritrean-Ethiopian war. Through an ethnomusicological lens, the project will trace the history of the political climate by analyzing the lyrics of popular resistance songs. How did the music reflect political tensions? Who were key musicians and what were the repercussions for making controversial music? In what ways did the music promote mobilization or disunity? Interviewing Eritrean musicians and ex-soldiers further inform the project by providing firsthand accounts of living in the era. I argue that Eritrean music was a necessary tool for the liberation of Eritrean people from the Ethiopian regime, and that the environment of warfare impacted the content of Eritrean music. In addition, I argue that the armed struggle resulted in a high level of cultural organizing which influenced the creation of a collective Eritrean identity. While much scholarly work has been done on the political history of the Eritrean-Ethiopian war, not much has been done on the role of arts during this era. The goal of this research is to begin to ameliorate this by including Eritrea in the growing works of musicology studies based in Africa.

Committee: Ryan Skinner (Advisor) Subjects: African History; African Studies; Ethnic Studies; Music

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2015, Agricultural, Environmental and Developmental Economics

This dissertation focusses on three topics related to human capital investments, microcredit and agriculture in East Africa. The first essay investigates how health shocks affect farm productivity in the presence of microcredit. It is expected that microcredit increases agricultural productivity by enhancing allocative and technical efficiency and by overcoming financial constraints that reduce purchase of inputs. However, microcredit will have competing uses in the event of a health shock to the household; hence, it is important to investigate changes in farm productivity due to health shocks with and without microcredit. Existing studies on the microcredit-productivity relationship do not account for the effect of uninsured health shocks to the household. A theoretical model is developed and empirically tested using data from Uganda. The problem of self-selection into microcredit is addressed by use of an endogenous switching regression model. The results reveal that uninsured health shocks lower farm productivity. However, microcredit has a significant mitigating effect on the productivity losses. Microcredit effectively serves as insurance against health shocks in rural areas where formal health insurance markets do not exist. Thus, microcredit generates a double dividend in smallholder agriculture by both improving health status of the farm population and improving agricultural productivity. The second essay explores gender disaggregated effects of microcredit on capital accumulation using a nationally representative dataset from Uganda. The study contributes to the scarce literature on long term impact of microcredit on capital asset accumulation in SSA. Using panel data, issues of selection bias and endogeneity prevalent with microcredit impact evaluations are addressed. The results show that microcredit has a positive and significant effect on physical productive assets and human capital accumulation but no effect on non-productive assets. However, when (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: David Kraybill Ph.D (Advisor); Abdoul Sam Ph.D (Committee Member); Joyce Chen Ph.D (Committee Member) Subjects: Agricultural Economics

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2015, Anthropology

This dissertation examines and explores the popular health landscape, or lay health beliefs and models, held by Maasai people in the Siana Plains of Southern Narok. Specifically it is an investigation of the most common illnesses identified by community members and how these illnesses and the accompanying practices and beliefs reflect and illustrate the community's perspectives on hygiene, or the practice of being and staying healthy. Local hygienic ideas of illness prevention and avoidance, represented in the way Maasai talk about common and significant health problems, are found to be shaped by the cosmological underpinnings of Maasai society through superficially inchoate “common sense” perspectives that embody the foundational premises shared across much of Maasai society. This dissertation employs ethnographic methods of participant observation and semi-structured, open-ended questions, agreement surveys, and free listing in four series of interviews. These interviews were conducted with 107 people in 76 interviews. Response frequency tables were generated from the 27 interviews with Maasai in the series that employed free listing. Findings demonstrate that the relationship the Maasai have with Enkai, the creator god, is both represented and reified in the language of the popular health sector through the metonymic symbols of olari, the rainy season, enkijebe, the cold wind, and with the specific disavowal of metaphysical presumption, which I refer to as “etiological agnosticism”. The explanatory model that emerges from this analysis is not merely descriptive, but represents a significant re-presentation of Maasai understandings of health and illness. This dissertation contributes to our understanding of the influence cosmological premises have on everyday perspectives that form a community's shared “common sense”, particularly in the sector of popular health. It contributes more broadly to development studies, African studies, and the ethnog (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Atwood Gaines PhD, MPH (Committee Chair); Lee Hoffer PhD (Committee Member); Vanessa Hildebrand PhD (Committee Member); Jonathan Sadowsky PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: African Studies; Health; Public Health; Religion; Sanitation

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2009, History

The goal of this study is to illustrate the role and power of the map and its connection to the exploration, conquest and colonization of German East Africa. Maps are generally considered a constant, a clear representation of reality, rather than a conceptual construct. Using a three tiered model of “gazes” (Dominion, Despot and Development) a series of maps were analyzed to show how the process of conceptual to actual control of the territory known as German East Africa was facilitated through the medium of cartography. After exploring and establishing a space intended for future use (Dominion) maps were used to solidify control through conquest (Despot), which then allowed for capitalist investment (Development). Of special highlight is the role of the Schutztruppe or German Protective Force in mapping the colony and creating the stability necessary for capital investment in the colony.

Committee: John Guilmartin PhD (Committee Chair); Jennifer Siegel PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Alan Beyerchen PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: History

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1964, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2024, Media and Communication

This study utilizes an experimental design to explore how different frames impact individuals' perceptions of Muslim women when portrayed in news coverage of protests from the Middle East and North Africa region. Specifically, this research investigates the influence of news media frames on U.S. public perceptions of Muslim women activists, focusing on the impact of the hijab to test various perspectives related to minorities, gender, and stereotypical representations. In addition to examining the effect of text (positive and negative frames) and visuals (no visuals, visuals featuring veiled Muslim women, and visuals of unveiled Muslim women) on perceptions, this study also analyzes the influence of the interaction effect of the text and visual frames. This dissertation employed a factorial design, utilizing Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) to conduct an online experiment. Participants were exposed to different news frames describing protests to assess their perceptions of Muslim women activists. One of the key findings of this study highlights the influence of Western-centric notions on perceptions of Muslims. Results demonstrated that positive text frames accompanied by visuals featuring unveiled women facilitated more positive implicit perceptions compared to negative frames. However, exposure to visuals featuring veiled women fostered more support toward Muslim women's protests compared to those exposed to unveiled visuals, regardless of whether the text frame is positive or negative. Additionally, results exhibited that preexisting stereotypes of oppression and victimization, along with interactions with Muslims, emerged as the most influential predictors in shaping perceptions. iv Based on the results, the author urges editors and journalists to carefully consider the goal of their coverage of protest news from the Middle East to ensure accurate and balanced portrayals that contribute to greater social inclusion, diversity, and equity in media discourse. The (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Louisa Ha PhD (Committee Chair); Kefa Otiso PhD (Other); Lara Langel PhD (Committee Member); Yanqin Lu PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Mass Media; Middle Eastern Studies; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Womens Studies

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 1959, History

Committee: R. Stanley McCordock (Advisor) Subjects: History

Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, 2021, Geology

Variation of surface load by large water bodies has the capacity to modulate earthquake nucleation processes in tectonically active regions. This study investigates whether and how crustal stress changes induced by seasonal hydrological load variations modulate seismicity rate change within the Malawi Rift System of East Africa. Using altimetry data representing lake level elevation changes for Lake Malawi from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), observed from TOPEX/ POSEIDON (T/P), Jason-1 and Jason-2/OSTM satellite from 2010 to 2020, crustal stress changes were calculated for the six border faults of the Malawi rift system. A finite element analysis was used to model the crustal response to the lake-load applied to it. The seasonality in seismicity of three of the six border faults was also investigated. Results indicate contrasts in seasonality of Coulomb stress changes along the six fault planes which may be due to: the location of the faults relative to the lake-water load, the geometry of the receiver fault, and the different effect of shear stress on the six border faults. Results also suggest some possibility of lake-load modulated seasonal seismicity variations within two border faults in the region. However, correlation of variations in the rate of seismicity to Coulomb stress changes along three border faults did not provide conclusive results due to limited availability of earthquake data within the region.

Committee: Fu Yuning Dr (Advisor); Yacobucci Margaret Dr (Committee Member); Anita Simic Dr (Committee Member) Subjects: Geology; Geophysics

Master of Arts (MA), Wright State University, 2021, International and Comparative Politics

This study examined the catalysts for social movements around the globe; specifically, why and how the Arab Spring uprisings led to regime change in Tunisia, why they transformed into civil war in some countries of the Middle East and North Africa (Syria), and why they did not lead to significant change at all in other places (Bahrain). The overall results of the study confirmed that political and socio-economic grievances caused the Arab uprisings in Tunisia, Bahrain, and Syria. Tunisian protesters succeeded in regime change because of a united and structured social movement leading to an effective transitional democracy in the country, whereas Syria and Bahrain used their coercive apparatus, with the help of foreign intervention, to suppress demonstrators. Thus, on the Syrian side, protests transformed into civil war. Keywords: Arab Spring; Bahrain; Middle East and North Africa; Protests; Regime change; Social Movements; Syria; Transitional Democracy; and Tunisia.

Committee: Shannon Vaughn Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Liam Anderson Ph.D. (Committee Member); Awad Halabi Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: International Relations; Political Science

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2021, Sociology

This dissertation consists of three distinct analytic papers that are designed to be published as separate articles but are also unified around the theme of contentious politics in the contemporary Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The first two papers focus on Iran as a case study, while the last one includes seventeen countries from the MENA region. The first paper (chapter two) examines the relationship between elections and political repression in electoral authoritarian regimes. Results show that voter turnout in the previous presidential election is positively associated with chances of political repression occurring in the next four years. The second paper (chapter three) assesses the relationship between diaspora protest and protest activity inside the home country. This study concludes that protest among the diaspora has a cumulative, positive impact on protest inside the home country. The third paper (chapter four) analyzes the relationship between climate change and civil conflict in seventeen countries in the MENA region. This chapter includes analyses on national as well as subnational levels. Results reveal that on the national level, there is no substantive evidence of a link between climate change and civil conflict. On this level, socioeconomic variables and history of past conflict are the most important predictors of conflict. On the subnational level, however, areas with increasing temperatures and precipitation are less likely to witness civil conflict. Taken together, this dissertation sheds light on the relationships between political participation and political repression, diaspora protests and protest emergence under authoritarian rule, and climate change and conflict. Results of these analyses can be of use to scholars of contentious politics in the MENA region and those studying social movements in other societies, especially those ruled by undemocratic regimes.

Committee: Hollie Nyseth Brehm Ph.D. (Advisor); J. Craig Jenkins Ph.D. (Committee Member); Christopher Browning Ph.D. (Committee Member); Timothy Bartley Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Sociology

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2020, Anthropology

This research investigates political and economic issues of inequality and unemployment in Uganda, as manifested in one informal settlement in Kabalagala, and the effect of these issues on HIV. Uganda is one important site to study the intersections of inequality, formal sector unemployment, urbanization, and HIV/AIDS. Contemporary inequality and formal sector unemployment are driven by colonial policies that shaped urban stratification, and postcolonial policies that privileged economic growth over job creation. A central goal was to understand men's risk of HIV in the context of these and other structural and social drivers of risk. This research used an explanatory sequential mixed methods study design, including a pilot study (2016), survey pre-test (2017), and 12 months of fieldwork that began with survey data collection (N = 292) and ended with in-depth interviews (n = 54, a subset of the survey sample). Survey data were analyzed using multiple linear regression, and interview data and field notes were analyzed through thematic analysis. Quantitative data described the patterning of risky sexual behavior (e.g. HIV risk), while qualitative data expanded on these relationships and helped to clarify areas of contention. Men in this study have lower rates of HIV testing, compared to national averages. Men also frequently report defaulting on ART, once they do receive a positive diagnosis and begin treatment. Inequality and unemployment impact their daily lives through experiences of uncertainty that must be managed. Economic instability is important, and when men cannot access resources, they are likely to engage in a variety of strategies to improve their economic status. Men also face myriad vulnerabilities driven by the political-economic context, from housing instability to incarceration. This work contributes to the anthropological literature on the political economy of health, HIV, vulnerability, and social resilience. Men's experiences of HIV and (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Janet McGrath Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Lee Hoffer Ph.D. (Committee Member); Jill Korbin Ph.D. (Committee Member); Aloen Townsend Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Cultural Anthropology; Public Health

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2019, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Architecture

This dissertation is a study of the trajectory of thoughts (ideology) conveyed by the propaganda postcards, photographs, and sketches that were prepared by the Italian army for the specific purpose of inspiring the soldiers, and for garnering support from the population at large in the war efforts to avenge the defeat of the country in the battle of Adwa, Ethiopia (formerly Abyssinia), in 1896. Although the ultimate goal for the creation of the images was the establishment of an Italian empire in the footsteps adopted by the major European powers (England, France, Belgium, and Portugal) that already had large imperial domains in the continent, the ambitions of the leaders who sponsored the thoughts contained in the images were multipronged. Photographed and sketched from 1935, the propaganda images were also intended to cheer the invasion that would reclaim the masculinity that was believed to be lost during the defeat in Adwa in 1896, to show that the Italian military can win battles against opposing armies, emphasize the contrasts between Italians and Ethiopians through an encompassing cultural civilizing mission, and to reinforce Fascist binding ideologies in the Italian homeland. The return of Italy to Ethiopia in 1935 was to revenge the 1896 defeat and reestablish its African empire. In the History of the continent, late nineteenth century was a crucial moment that was known as the “Scramble for Africa,” because it was another late stage in Europe's expansion of capitalism by means of conquering territories and administering them as colonies following the 1886 Berlin Conference when the great powers in Europe carved out spheres of influences for their countries. Italy's march into Africa in the early twentieth century was grounded in the historical glory of the earlier Roman Empire that covered all of the Mediterranean, and the ideas of the past were integrated into the twentieth-century adventure through military conquest, parades, technology, and buildi (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Aarati Kanekar Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Flavia Maria Cunha Bastos Ph.D. (Committee Member); William Williams M.Arch. (Committee Member) Subjects: Architecture

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Ohio University, 2018, Theater

This paper explores Theatre for Development (TfD) as a research and development tool through a case study conducted in the Mathare slum of Nairobi, Kenya. Mathare is densely populated, with over half-a-million people in one square kilometer. Sanitation and water systems are poorly constructed and often controlled by cartels. This leads to health and security issues that disproportionately affect women. Development initiatives that aim to address these issues often ignore the role that community members play in development. TfD, as I modify it for this project, is an adaptation of Augusto Boal's forum theatre that generates community-led solutions to specific development issues. Using TfD, I rely on stakeholder participation to pursue a holistic research methodology that informs initiatives aimed at improving sanitation challenges. My research seeks to answer two questions: What information surfaces as a result of creating a TfD workshop in Mathare? And how does TfD succeed and fail as a methodology applied in Mathare? I present the data collected through the process of developing the workshop, conducting the workshop, and participant feedback. The data show that the practice of TfD in Mathare generates nuanced information on limitations to sanitation, and illustrates how gendered limitations restrict women's ability to make choices about their own sanitation. The data also show that TfD is useful in empowering participants to guide community dialogue around issues and ways of addressing them, and clarifying areas of misinterpretation. However, challenges can arise with budgeting time and negotiating a language barrier. Overall, I will show that TfD is a research and development tool that empowers stakeholders in the process of information collection, and allows them to invest directly and specifically in the desired outcomes.

Committee: Edna Wangui Dr. (Advisor) Subjects: African Studies; Environmental Studies; Gender; Theater

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Ohio University, 2017, Business Administration

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the relationship between youth in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and social entrepreneurship. Specifically, this study looks at their interest in becoming social entrepreneurs, and at their perception on the impact of social entrepreneurship. This research contributes to the social entrepreneurship literature by exploring how youth can leverage social enterprise to contribute to the development of countries in the MENA developing region. A quantitative methodology with 77 survey respondents revealed that understanding the meaning of social entrepreneurship and being aware of the impact that social enterprises can enable youth interest in this field. This study concludes by recommending for social entrepreneurship education and institutional support from the government, private sector, and financial institutions to promote social entrepreneurial efforts among youth.

Committee: Ikenna Uzuegbunam Dr. (Advisor) Subjects: Business Administration; Entrepreneurship

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2017, Popular Culture

Kenya boasts of its high production of popular culture materials. Music, TV shows, movies, popular fiction and now, in this social media age, memes, GIFs and short video clips. All these are tailored to respond to the prevailing social, economic and political conditions in the country. While they are mostly humorous and entertaining, the primary goal of many of these popular culture artefacts is to critique contemporary Kenya. Despite its consumption though, popular culture has remained highly undervalued and unappreciated as a tool for cultural, social and political transformation. Many Kenyans consume popular culture texts solely for entertainment purposes. Popular fiction, since it is studied and examined in Kenya's exam-oriented schools, is arguably the only form of popular culture that is seen as a means to an end – passing one's exams. This end however, is hardly what authors usually have in mind when they produce the texts, considering their contents. This thesis examines Kidagaa Kimemwozea, a Swahili novel by Ken Walibora, as a representation and critique of postcolonial Kenya's social, cultural and political situation. Exploring the political leadership of postcolonial Kenya, class dynamics and relations as well as gender issues, I argue that Walibora's novel does not only expose the Kenyan bourgeoisie's cunningness in their oppression of the proletarians and the male ruse to dominate their female counterparts, but it also proposes excellent paths of emancipation for the proletarians and women, and should thus be given scholarly attention.

Committee: Jeremy Wallach Dr. (Advisor); Esther Clinton Dr. (Committee Member); Kristen Rudisill Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: African Literature; Literature

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2017, Media and Communication

This dissertation examines the fatwa, an Islamic religious ruling and scholarly opinion on matters of Islamic law, and how fatwa is used as cultural, political and legal rhetoric. It illustrates how rhetoric of ulama¿ [scholars trained in Islam and Islamic law], mutakallimun [theologians], muftis [group of theologians or canon lawyers], qadis [judges], professors, and Sheikh al Islam [the highest-level state religious official], play a role in culture and communication in the Islamic world to gain political, social, cultural, and spiritual control. Specifically, the dissertation examines two of the most renowned fatwas (fatawa) issued in the past three decades: First, the fatwa issued by Ayotallah Ruhollah Khomeini on Salman Rushdie, second, the fatwa issued on Bengali Bangladeshi ex-doctor turned author, Taslima Nasrin, who has lived in exile since 1994. The most important contribution to knowledge this dissertation makes is the analysis of the fatwa issued on Egyptian author and intellectual, Dr. Faraj Fodah, who was murdered in 1992. Next to no research or media coverage exists in western sources about Fodah's life, publications, accomplishments, and assassination. Additionally, comprehensive evidence and transcripts from the trial of Fodah's assassins is presented. A combination of rhetorical criticism and discourse analysis is applied to examine the rhetoric of fatwas. Also analyzed are global perceptions of fatwas issued on Rushdie and Nasrin, both controversial authors of South Asian heritage, their involvement with the western nations that gave each asylum, and the broader western discourses that have held both authors in esteem and as exemplars of free speech. The study enhances understanding of how religion is used as an instrument for power, prestige, and political gain in Arab and Muslim majority nations. The study also helps understanding of political and cultural turbulence in the Middle East and North Africa. Finally, the dissertation highli (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Alberto Gonzalez PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Lara Lengel PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Christopher Frey PhD (Other); Ellen Gorsevski PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication; Rhetoric

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2016, American Culture Studies

This research analyzes youth political involvement and civic engagement in the Middle East and North African (MENA) regions and the impact of the U.S. -Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) cultural exchange programs on MENA-U.S. relations after September 11, 2001. Specifically, this study will examine how such programs shape mutual understanding between the U.S. and the countries of the MENA region. The study is informed by the researcher's direct experience through the MEPI program in Leadership, Civic Activism and Citizenship at Georgetown University in 2007. This study also analyzes the impact of leadership styles, conflict resolution and group dynamics, political and social change initiatives, and the role of civil society in democratic processes in the MENA region. This thesis also surveys the cultural exchange experiences of several young people from the MENA region through demonstrating the MEPI program's development, and analyzing the planning and design of different activities included in the program since its inception in 2002. Participants from five MENA countries (Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, and Lebanon) responded to a targeted online survey regarding the relationship between interest in political and civic engagement and the citizen uprisings in any of the five target countries before and after their participation in the program. One of the key findings of this study clearly correlates with Edward Said's theory of Orientalism; studying the MEPI program, using textual analysis, highlights clear implications of superiority and dominance from the host culture, in this case the United States.In addition to the theoretical outcomes of this research, the results also demonstrate that participation in the MEPI program is likely to increase interest in political issues among participants after they return to their home countries, particularly with younger participants. Gender, on the other hand, does not seem to affect the rate of politi (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Khani Begum Ph.D (Advisor); Lara Lengel Ph.D (Committee Member) Subjects: American Studies; Middle Eastern Studies