Climate change, pollution, greenhouse gasses, and other environmental factors of fossil fuels have led to research about renewable energy and its viability. Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy has become increasingly innovative and efficient within the past couple of decades. The European Union is one of the leading advocates, which this study aims…
Tag: honors thesis spotlight
Honors Thesis Spotlight: Right-Wing Political Violence in Modern Colombia (1970-1990): The State Legitimacy
The period from 1970 to 1990 in Colombia is characterized by internal conflict. Beginning in the 1960s, left-wing guerilla groups emerged, spurred by Marxist-Lennonist ideology. About two decades later, in response to the left-wing insurgents, paramilitary groups were formed and fueled by politically conservative and anti-communist ideology. These right-wing groups were backed by the Colombian…
Honors Thesis Spotlight: The Jewish Civilization Samuel P. Huntington: A Critique of “Judeo-Christian” Civilizational Values
Samuel P Huntington describes the term Judeo-Christian in his paper titled Clash of Civilization, wherein he groups together Judaism and Christianity and classifies Israel as a western country due to the assumed commonalities the two religions share. However, the commonalities they share lack evidence of actually being similar. This thesis suggests that Harrington inaccurately groups…
Honors Thesis Spotlight: Faith Matters: Towards a Group Theory of Evangelicals’ Role in American Politics
Contemporary Evangelical Christians are often associated with having a right-wing political ideology. This association is driven by the political phenomenon observed in American known as the “God Gap”. This “Gap” refers to a political difference between those who identify with religion and those who do not; specifically, those who align themselves with a religion are…
Honors Thesis Spotlight: International Public Health: Human Trafficking in Florida
Miami, Florida experiences some of the highest levels of human trafficking: an epidemic that runs rampant through the state, country, and globe. Legislative bodies around the world are desperately seeking solutions. Minnesota offers a model that all countries should consider, and it’s a model that Florida could adhere to in the near future. Minnesota…
Honors Thesis Spotlight: The Effects of Democracy on Human Development
Citizens in the United States and across the globe consider democracy essential for improved human development, but the relationship may be more nuanced than most research suggests. Most scholars identify a positive correlation between human development and democracy because of its primary features: electoral accountability, access to information, and individual rights and civil liberties. In…
Honors Thesis Spotlight: Impact of Amendment 4 on Black Voting Attitudes in America
The state of Florida has long held particularly strict regulations concerning the ability of individuals who have been convicted of a felony to vote. Florida was one of only four states to permanently block felons from voting unless they received approval from the governor. For a felon’s rights to be restored, they had to meet…
Honors Thesis Spotlight: Belt and Road Initiative in Southeast Asia: Unlocking Alternative Sources of Investment for Corrupt States
In 2013, the Chinese government launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): a regional integration project that establishes routes and provides resources to approximately 70 countries and national organizations. Benefits and negative consequences accompany the initiative; while poorer countries in Southeast Asia benefit from financial aid, there are still roadblocks to economic freedom, including corruptive…
Honors Thesis Spotlight: Splintering Off: Catalonia’s Search for Sovereignty
In 2017, the Catalonia region of Spain held a referendum for independence where 2.26 million people flocked to the polls to vote on the region’s secession from Spain. Catalonia’s bold campaign for autonomy sparked a country-wide debate and garnered international attention. The Spanish Central government declared the referendum illegal, thereby nullifying the Catalonian Declaration of…
Honors Thesis Spotlight: Disciplining for Quality: Does State Medical Board Disciplinary Action Affect Healthcare Quality?
State Medical Boards (SMBs) regulate the medical profession. They issue licenses, standardize the medical field, and discipline physicians who abuse their power or perform poorly. Since SMBs work on behalf of state governments, they are subject to the Principal-Agent Model, a relationship where an agent represents the interests of a principal. In this instance, SMBs…
Wicked Problems, Wicked Solutions 