Union College

Department of Political Science


Thesis topics for 2003 - 2004

The Political Science Department considers the research and writing of the senior thesis to be of central importance to the completion of the major.  Because of the demands that the thesis places upon the student's capacities for independent thought and expression, it represents a fitting culmination of the entire undergraduate education.

The following is a list of seniors and their senior thesis topics.

 

Abott, Stephen Is Now the Right Time to Build a National Ballistic Missile Defense Shield?
Baldwin, Nikki The Modern Vice Presidency
Corrigan, Paul The Fall of the American Empire: A Modern Retelling of the Life of Caesar
Cross, Angelo The Effectiveness of Educational Reforms in the Chicago Public School System
Crowley, Kevin All Men are Created Equal? America's "Noble Lie" and the Coming Age of Biotechnology
Cunningham, Katherine Women and Irish Nationalism
Davis, Nick Post-Communist Transformation of Hungary and Romania
Dibbell, Jeremy The Framers` College: Electoral Selections of the American Executive
Eisenhut, Cliff Nazi War Atrocities Involving European Gentile Populations: A Multi-Causal, Hierarchical Explanation
Falso, Matthew American Foreign Policy: A Comparison of the Opinions of College Students in the United States and Japan
Flaherty, Colleen The Mysterious Dirty War of Argentina
Ford, Lauren The Study of the Democratization of Costa Rican and Chilean Government 
Garrett, Katharine Youth Voting in America: The Efficacy of Youth Targeted Mobilization Efforts in Youth Participation
Gellar, Sarre The Fate of United States Preponderance: Will it Cease or Flourish?
Gerien, Matt Reporting from the Bubble: The Impact of Campaign Organizations on the Press Corps and Media Coverage
Griglun, James The Political Response to Professional Sports Relocation 
Hastings, Michael Failure of Diplomacy: A Comparative Analysis of Diplomatic Efforts Involving Conflict with Iraq
Hoffman, David The Emergence of Political Corruption in Modern Society: A Case Study of the Cause of Political Corruption in Japan, Italy and Germany
Howard, Catherine Inclusion of Special Education Students: How Far Is Too Far?
Huftalen, Jennifer The Cuban Missiles Crisis: How Close Did They Come to Unleashing Nuclear Holocaust?
Iskhakov, Mark The Human Cloning Debate
Jensen, Sophie A Comparative Study of the Leaders of the Russian and Iranian Revolutions
Kagan, Alexandra Headlining China
Kay, David The Role of the Media in Shaping Public Opinion in Presidential Primary Elections
Kelley, Brian Policy Review: Social Security Past, Present, Public Opinion and Politics
Kennedy, Kevin The Roots of the United States' Flawed Environmental Public Policies
Klein, Alex Politics for Progress:  Using Political Strategy to help African Americans
Klopfer, Andrew From Tokyo to Rural America: Japanese Automobile Production Crosses the Pacific
Koonin, Robert Post-Communist Democratization: A Comparative Analysis of Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Romania
LaCorte, Shanon Split Decision: A Screenplay
Leonardo, Matt The Political State: An Ethical Inquiry
Levey, Zachary Socialism & Democracy: A Look at the Workers' Party in Brazil & the New Latin American Left
Levine, Stephanie The Politics of AIDS: A Comparative Study of South Africa, India and Haiti
Levinson, Andrew A Comparative Analysis of International Relations and the Balance of Power in Cold War and Post-Cold War East Asia
LiCalzi, Gregory The Analysis of Three American Political Machines
Lutch, Nia The Clash Between National Identity and Identity Politics in France
Martin, Amanda The Violence Against Women Act: A Reflection on Popular Culture and Reported Cases
Maslauskas, Laura A Case Study of the Schenectady Drug Treatment Court: Keeping People in Line or Wasting Time?
McLean, Debra The Swaying of the Union: The Media's Response to State of the Union Addresses
Naing, Aung An Overview of Political Tragedy of Myanmar (Burma)
Neil, Jennifer Women Living Under An Islamic Regime
Nowell, Alexi Nationalism in the Classroom
Orleans, Danielle Gender Inequalities in the Japanese Labor Market: A View from the Other Side
Ottenhoff, Patrick The Transatlantic Rift: Another Squabble or A New Order 
Owolabi, Olufunsho Democratizing the Balkans: Investigating Democracy in Greece (1974) and Post-Communist Serbia (1989)
Palmeri, Brian Attacking and Reaffirming Roe v. Wade: The Changing History of Abortion - A Social and Legal Battle
Parikh, Amar The Development of American Public Policy on Stem Cell Research
Parkin, Shaun Recipe for Disaster
Patel, Nishith Developing Countries, TRIPS, and the WTO: The Effects of Strengthened Intellectual Property Rights on FDI, Innovation, Imitation, and Welfare
Purnell, Amy A Political and Social Analysis of the Working Class as Portrayed on Popular Television Sitcoms
Racusen, Rachel Media Coverage of the 2003 Iraq War: The Influences of Embedded Journalism and Media Conglomerates
Rametra, Priya The Dilemma of Corruption: A Hindrance to India's Development?
Rosenfield, Adam Why Groups Want to Separate
Ryan, Kathryn Title IX: It's Effects on Female Athletes Today
Saperstein, Paige Theories of the American Welfare State: Explaining the Personal Responsibility and Work Reconciliation Act
Skariah, Sherine Analysis of Public Opinion as it Relates to the Iraqi War
Slavit, David The United States and French Relations: Why Did France Oppose the War in Iraq in 2003?
Sollohub, Mark The Coalition: A Study of the Alliances and Soldier-Statesman Relationships That Won the Two World Wars
Soto, Elizabeth Intelligence Failures: Perceptions and Misperceptions
Smokowski, Rebecca The Organizing and Financing of Mental Health Services in the United States
Snyder, Snyder U.S. Occupation and Democratization of Iraq
Sylvetsky, Julie Explaining the United States Response to Genocide
Taylor, Adam A History of the Normative Structure Surrounding the State Sponsored Assassination of Foreign Leaders
Terni, Lyman The Continuity of Communism in East Asia: The Viability of Communism in East Asia Faced With the Collapse in Eastern Europe
Tracia, Amie The Foreign Policy Decision-Making Dynamic of the Administration of President George W. Bush
Vander Wal, Kent Failure of American Intelligence Bureaucracy: An Examination of Organizational Causes of Intelligence Breakdown
Weiss, Adam Democratic Consolidation in Central Europe - A Success and a Failure:Hungary and Romania
Wolff, Jacob The Study of Nonprofit Organizations: A Case Study of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
Zaro, Brian The Arab-Israeli Conflict and The Two-State Solution

 

 

 

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