Global & International Studies Dissertations and Theseshttps://hdl.handle.net/1808/226772024-03-29T08:54:44Z2024-03-29T08:54:44ZIs China’s increased diplomatic and economic influence in Oceania a threat to American good governance goals in the region?Steidle, Erichttps://hdl.handle.net/1808/335732022-10-04T00:28:52Z2020-06-20T00:00:00ZIs China’s increased diplomatic and economic influence in Oceania a threat to American good governance goals in the region?
Steidle, Eric
This paper examines the impact of investment by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the Pacific Island nations and assesses whether it is a threat to U.S. goals in the region. Specifically, it attempts to find correlation between changes in PRC infrastructure investment under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and changes in governance as measured by 13 indices over the period of 1996-2020. Good governance, defined as increased transparency, accountability, and effectiveness, is a U.S. strategic goal in Oceania. Most sources assume that PRC investment fosters corruption by circumventing typical lending procedures and by offering “no strings attached” loans, however, evidence had not been sufficiently examined to see if this was the case.
This paper concludes that PRC investment in Oceania has not automatically decreased governance. As such, the U.S. need not resist all PRC infrastructure projects in the region. With proper controls and oversight, nations can extract considerable benefit from these projects without sacrificing their good governance. This opens the door for mutually beneficial projects or joint investment, while allowing the U.S.and its allies to expend resources on positive competition.
2020-06-20T00:00:00Z“Weapons of the Weak” in the European Union: The Rise of Right-Wing Populism and its Implications for Domestic TerrorismSampson, Kirkhttps://hdl.handle.net/1808/314942024-01-16T16:44:30Z2019-12-31T00:00:00Z“Weapons of the Weak” in the European Union: The Rise of Right-Wing Populism and its Implications for Domestic Terrorism
Sampson, Kirk
The European Union (EU) appears nearing the end of a second wave of Islamist-inspired terrorism that peaked in 2015. However, the focus on Islamist terrorism may have diverted attention from a more pressing domestic terrorism threat. While not as lethal as Islamist terrorism, the total of non-Islamist terrorist attacks was significantly higher during the same timeframe. Of the non-Islamist attacks, right-wing terrorism accounted for a small percentage, but these numbers may be misleading. How the various EU members define right-wing terrorism may be contributing to an underestimation of the threat, but there could also be a temporal explanation. Right-wing terrorism appears to be cyclic, with the last major wave ending in the early 2000s. A concern is a new wave of right-wing terrorism may appear fueled by the same grievances that have led to increasing support for right-wing populist parties. Right-wing populist parties now have parliamentary representation in 22 of 28 EU member states and have a sizeable presence in the European Parliament. While right-wing populist parties have refrained from openly calling for violence against their perceived antagonists, the rhetoric of these groups has nonetheless helped to create a climate encouraging hatred of outgroups. These toxic narratives have inspired lone actors to commit acts of domestic terrorism around the world. Could the underlying societal issues and grievances contributing to the rise of right-wing populism in Europe also fuel a corresponding rise in right-wing terrorism? In determining the nature of future terrorist threats to the EU, this thesis explores the relationship between the rise of right-wing populism and its potential impact on domestic terrorism. Specifically, in what ways might the presence of right-wing populist parties in government (either at the national or supranational level) effect right-wing terrorism in the EU? In helping to conceptualize the terrorist threat to the EU, this thesis discusses the various definitions of terrorism, the goals and strategies of terrorist groups, the current terrorist threat assessments, and the latest trends shaping how terrorists operate. Next, the thesis focuses on conceptualizing populism to help understand the us vs. them construct and the demand- and supply-side drivers contributing to the rise of right-wing populism in Europe. This is followed by an in-depth look into the current European political and social environment to show how the various issues play into right-wing populist narratives. The European case study offers a unique opportunity to analyze right-wing populist politics simultaneously at the state and supranational levels. Also discussed are the various theories underpinning political mobilization, radicalization, us vs. them narratives, and terrorism pathways, to understand how right-wing populism factors into the radicalization process. The paper concludes by discussing seven hypotheses on how the right-wing populism could shape domestic terrorism in the EU.
2019-12-31T00:00:00ZThree theatrical imitations of Don Quijote de la Mancha; with a list of Don Quijote plays, 1607-1971Meigs, Michael Andrewhttps://hdl.handle.net/1808/306192020-08-20T15:31:19Z1971-05-31T00:00:00ZThree theatrical imitations of Don Quijote de la Mancha; with a list of Don Quijote plays, 1607-1971
Meigs, Michael Andrew
Thesis (M.A.)--University of Kansas, International Theatre Studies, 1971.
1971-05-31T00:00:00ZThe Technology Trap: Lessons from the One Laptop Per Child ProgramMoss, Brian D.https://hdl.handle.net/1808/304022022-06-08T16:47:13Z2017-08-24T00:00:00ZThe Technology Trap: Lessons from the One Laptop Per Child Program
Moss, Brian D.
Just as the industrial revolution reshaped society in much of the world during the 19th century, the rapid spread of computer technology has dramatically changed the world in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. However, just as the industrial revolution was slow to reach many parts of the world, the spread of computer technology around the globe has been anything but even. Developed countries are advancing at a faster pace than most less-developed countries, despite having started with a relative advantage, and the gap between the “global north” and the “global south” continues to grow. As a result, many efforts have been made to narrow the gap – in terms of education, health care, living standards, and more – with mixed results. In many cases, the assistance comes in the form of “boomerang aid,” which helps the donor country more than the recipient. Other cases are more benign, such as the One Laptop Per Child program explored in this paper, where well-meaning efforts fail to properly anticipate real-world challenges, leading to limited successes at best.
This thesis project was submitted to the graduate degree program in Global and International Studies and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts.
2017-08-24T00:00:00Z