While the U.S. has a long history of giving foreign aid to developing countries, recent scholars are asking if foreign assistance is advantageous to recipient countries. The quest to measure the effectiveness of foreign aid is ongoing and increasingly fixates on outcomes of support rather than the amount provided. Congress and the Paris Declaration—which seeks…
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Meet a Social Scientist: Dr. James Elsner from the Department of Geography
What is your name?Dr. James Elsner What kind of work do you do for the College?I am a professor in the geography department at Florida State University. I teach, do research and engage in service in the department, profession and community. Why did you decide to become an academic? I’m a first-generation academic. In fact,…
Masters Thesis Spotlight: Reducing Recidivism Rates in Florida; Expansion of Education Opportunities
On average, the incarceration rate in America is 698 people per 100,000 residents. Florida, however, persists far beyond the average and leads the nation in average incarceration rate, which is currently 833 people per 100,000 residents. However, the high rate of incarceration does not improve recidivism. Recidivism rates are a national concern, referring to the…
Award Winning Teaching: Learning and Teaching from the Outside In
Academic writing, specifically textbooks and journals, are written much differently than most other forms. Those other forms usually have a beginning, middle, and end. The reader must start at the beginning to have any idea what the ending means. In other words, the ending will be nonsense or confusing if the reader didn’t follow the…
Meet a Social Scientist: Dr. William Berry from the Department of Political Science
Meet a Social Scientist: Dr. William Berry from the Department of Political Science
Honors Thesis Spotlight: The Impact of the 2019 Excise Tax Reduction on the Coal Industry
Public concern about the environment and sustainable energy is escalating; however, the United States remains dependent on fossil fuels for approximately 62% of its overall energy generation. A shift to alternative energy sources is underway, but the transition is slow. The slow pace is linked to the high level of political influence the coal industry…
Meet a Social Scientist: Dr. Karin Brewster from the Department of Sociology
Meet a Social Scientist: Dr. Karin Brewster from the Department of Sociology
Masters Thesis Spotlight: Children in the Workplace: Policy Recommendation for Florida State University
The COVID-19 pandemic caused global shutdowns of schools and daycares, leaving parents to balance work and new childcare options. As schools and daycares reopened, the burden persisted; they either opened at a limited capacity, benefitting few families, or opted for a remote environment, keeping children at home. The childcare and working responsibilities left parents with…
Award Winning Research: Is the “Winner-Take-All Principle” Becoming Obsolete?
Many competitions in life—from innovation races and the assignment of bonuses in the workplace to college admissions and sports—are organized as tournaments. Participants expend effort or other resources and are rewarded based on the ranking of their performance. Those trying the hardest do not always win. While ability certainly plays a role, a nontrivial component…
Tallahassee Should Not Boost Minimum Wage Quicker than State Mandate
This post first appeared in the Tallahassee Democrat. The consequences for local governments from implementing Florida’s constitutionally mandated $15 minimum wage are now being felt at the local levels. But if the budgetary direction and logic unfolding in Tallahassee is any indication, Florida taxpayers are on a rough road. The constitutional amendment requires local governments…
