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LEFTOVERS OF A DISSOLVED EMPIRE: ASSESSING THE POLITICAL STABILITY OF THE FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS OF KAZAKHSTAN, GEORGIA, AND THE UKRAINE
Title
LEFTOVERS OF A DISSOLVED EMPIRE: ASSESSING THE POLITICAL STABILITY OF THE FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS OF KAZAKHSTAN, GEORGIA, AND THE UKRAINE.
Creator
Davis, Taraleigh, Sadri, Houman, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The intent of this thesis is to explore why when compared to the former Soviet Republics of Ukraine and Georgia there is a measure of stability in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan has made it a priority to slowly build a sense of its own nationalism after decades of Soviet control. In over 20 years of independence it has only known violence for an 18-month period. The Republic of Kazakhstan has gone from the leftovers from a dissolved empire to a stable regional power. Kazakhstan's hegemony in Asia and...
Show moreThe intent of this thesis is to explore why when compared to the former Soviet Republics of Ukraine and Georgia there is a measure of stability in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan has made it a priority to slowly build a sense of its own nationalism after decades of Soviet control. In over 20 years of independence it has only known violence for an 18-month period. The Republic of Kazakhstan has gone from the leftovers from a dissolved empire to a stable regional power. Kazakhstan's hegemony in Asia and peaceful ethnic-governmental relations has made it possible for Kazakhstan to have a multi-faceted foreign policy with Russia, China, and the United States and this paper will try to answer the question of how this has been possible.
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Date Issued
2017
Identifier
CFH2000272, ucf:45891
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000272
THE RISE OF ASIA'S DEMOCRATIC SPACE POWERS: HOW JAPAN AND INDIA BECAME THE NEXT SPACE POWERS IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY.
Title
THE RISE OF ASIA'S DEMOCRATIC SPACE POWERS: HOW JAPAN AND INDIA BECAME THE NEXT SPACE POWERS IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY.
Creator
Kunze, Shane, Handberg, Roger, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Since the end of World War II the world has seen several nations expand into the space age. Also after the Second World War, the Cold War began and many nations found themselves allying themselves with either the hegemony of the West or the Communists. Space was no exception in this dilemma, as weaker nations began to develop their own indigenous space programs and had technological diffusion from one of the hegemonies. Japan and India are two democracies that both sought support for their...
Show moreSince the end of World War II the world has seen several nations expand into the space age. Also after the Second World War, the Cold War began and many nations found themselves allying themselves with either the hegemony of the West or the Communists. Space was no exception in this dilemma, as weaker nations began to develop their own indigenous space programs and had technological diffusion from one of the hegemonies. Japan and India are two democracies that both sought support for their indigenous space programs from the west, particularly from the U.S. These two nations emerged from poverty and a broken infrastructure during the 1950s and have grown over the last sixty years into two of the most advanced space-faring nations in the world. These two nations have overcome several external and internal factors ranging from Communist expansion to bureaucratic strife. Japan and India have been and remain the two leading democratic nations in Asia that have risen to the rank of space power.
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Date Issued
2012
Identifier
CFH0004170, ucf:44858
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004170
Human Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation in Southeast Asia
Title
Human Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation in Southeast Asia.
Creator
Niamvanichkul, Nodwarang, Sadri, Houman, Morales, Waltraud, Houghton, David, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This study centers on the political aspects of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in Southeast Asia. Specifically, the human trafficking is a security studies concern because it is not only a social issue, but also a security threat. Just as with drug trafficking, human trafficking has security consequences. The study analyzed human trafficking issues in the following three countries in Southeast Asia: Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia. These three countries were chosen due to the high...
Show moreThis study centers on the political aspects of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in Southeast Asia. Specifically, the human trafficking is a security studies concern because it is not only a social issue, but also a security threat. Just as with drug trafficking, human trafficking has security consequences. The study analyzed human trafficking issues in the following three countries in Southeast Asia: Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia. These three countries were chosen due to the high levels of human trafficking. In each of the chosen cases, there is an examination of human trafficking issues in terms of political structures, political policies, economy, and international aid. Findings showed that individual economic status was the most important factor in human trafficking. Regime type, although important, did not show as significant results when compared to individual economic status. However, there was a positive relationship found between international organizations and human trafficking. Recommendations were made concerning the formulation and implementation of political policies. If international organizations take action in each of the three countries, then the problem of human trafficking can decrease.
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Date Issued
2013
Identifier
CFE0004901, ucf:49659
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004901
TURKEY IN THE CASPIAN SEA REGION
Title
TURKEY IN THE CASPIAN SEA REGION.
Creator
Akkoyunlu, Seyma, Sadri, Houman, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This thesis will determine the influence of Turkey's domestic resources on Turkey's foreign relations with the five Turkic states in the Caspian Sea Region. The spheres analyzed in this study are the common ties, which are history, culture, religion and language, with the regional countries, pan-Turkism, Turkey's initial interactions as well as ongoing constructive policies in the region. Findings showed that both Turkey and the five Turkic republics were enthusiastic to carry...
Show moreThis thesis will determine the influence of Turkey's domestic resources on Turkey's foreign relations with the five Turkic states in the Caspian Sea Region. The spheres analyzed in this study are the common ties, which are history, culture, religion and language, with the regional countries, pan-Turkism, Turkey's initial interactions as well as ongoing constructive policies in the region. Findings showed that both Turkey and the five Turkic republics were enthusiastic to carry their relations in every field to future cooperation following the break up of the Soviet Union. However the Turkic Republics' interest in Turkish development model gradually declined starting from the 1994s.The hypothesis that socio-cultural ties will ease establishing close foreign relations is applicable to all five republics. The Turkic states welcomed Turkey's educational and cultural policies with great willingness. In the field of business we find that Turkish economy follows a similar pattern in its relations with the Azerbaijani and Central Asian markets. Accordant policy goals of Turkey and the five republics led Turkey to establish close foreign relations with the regional countries. Turkey tried to give military aid to the Turkic republics of Central Asia in their struggle against terrorist groups which have the capacity to destabilize governments and to threaten international security. The hypothesis that the more Turkey has business interests in the Caspian Sea Region the more Turkey will have closer foreign relations with Turkic countries is mostly apparent in the case of Azerbaijan. In the area of energy politics Turkey has its strongest link with Azerbaijan. Besides being strong economic partners Turkey is Azerbaijan's biggest supporter in the region against Armenia.
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Date Issued
2008
Identifier
CFE0002117, ucf:47548
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002117
A COMPARATIVE STUDY: WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN KAZAKHSTAN, UZBEKISTAN, AND TAJIKISTAN
Title
A COMPARATIVE STUDY: WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN KAZAKHSTAN, UZBEKISTAN, AND TAJIKISTAN.
Creator
Ginn, Megan A, Sadri, Houman, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
After 1991 five countries emerged out of the fall of the Soviet Union to create a new region: Central Asia. No longer dominated by Soviet rule these countries fought to overcome barriers to independence and struggled to be seen by the international community as developed countries. However, these countries were far from developed and had to pay the high cost of human rights to get what they desired. This study researches and analyzes how Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan have traded the...
Show moreAfter 1991 five countries emerged out of the fall of the Soviet Union to create a new region: Central Asia. No longer dominated by Soviet rule these countries fought to overcome barriers to independence and struggled to be seen by the international community as developed countries. However, these countries were far from developed and had to pay the high cost of human rights to get what they desired. This study researches and analyzes how Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan have traded the rights of women to achieve a placebo of development. Two of the largest violations of women�s rights that have manifested because of the government�s direct actions are domestic abuse and sex trafficking. The government�s structure and leadership, the economic opportunity for women, and the cultural acceptance have all been orchestrated by the government to create a society where women�s rights are unheard of. The actions taken by the three governments seem extensive on paper and international covenants yet are never implemented to help society. Through this research women�s rights in the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan are examined through the prevalence and acceptance of both domestic violence and sex trafficking. The international conventions, domestic policies, and actions taken by political leaders are examined to better understand the underlying reasons that contribute to the persistence of these attitudes.
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Date Issued
2016
Identifier
CFH2000067, ucf:45515
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000067
THE EFFECTS OF ZINC NANOFERTILIZERS ON TOMATO PLANTS
Title
THE EFFECTS OF ZINC NANOFERTILIZERS ON TOMATO PLANTS.
Creator
Pierre, Ketsira, Santra, Swadeshmukul, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Farmers around the world aim to use soil with adequate nutrients to produce sufficient and quality crops to the world's ever-growing population. Unbalanced use of nutrients in the soil will lead to soil deficiency, which is usually seen in South and Southeast Asian countries. This soil deficiency is often due to loss of micronutrient(s) within the soil from farming practices. Micronutrient deficiency affects not only plant growth but human health. Plants grown in nutrient deficient soil...
Show moreFarmers around the world aim to use soil with adequate nutrients to produce sufficient and quality crops to the world's ever-growing population. Unbalanced use of nutrients in the soil will lead to soil deficiency, which is usually seen in South and Southeast Asian countries. This soil deficiency is often due to loss of micronutrient(s) within the soil from farming practices. Micronutrient deficiency affects not only plant growth but human health. Plants grown in nutrient deficient soil produce food with nutrient deficiencies, which affect people dependent on these foods for nutrients (Kathmandu, 2004). Nutrient deficient diseases and disorders like malnutrition are often seen in such cases. Current farming practices often involve leaching, mineralization, and bioconversion, which result in 50-70% loss of micronutrients. Smart practices from nanotechnology can lead conventional farming to more sustainable agriculture (Chhippa, 2016). This study aims to improve the dispersibility and uptake of zinc in plants different dual combination of ‘green' capping agents in zinc nanoparticles. The results of this study suggest tomato plants treated with urea coated with 3% Zn (w/w) using NAC-SAL ZnO showed a higher number of leaves and number of fruits set compared to controls.
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Date Issued
2019
Identifier
CFH2000566, ucf:45665
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000566
CHINA AND CENTRAL ASIA'S TRANSNATIONAL CONCERNS REQUIRE MULTILATERAL SOLUTIONS
Title
CHINA AND CENTRAL ASIA'S TRANSNATIONAL CONCERNS REQUIRE MULTILATERAL SOLUTIONS.
Creator
Tobin, Blake, Sadri, Houman, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
After seven decades of regional domination, the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 put the whole continent in a state of political and economic uncertainty. The sudden absence of a strong, yet generally predictable hegemon initiated an intense debate centered on whether or not the rise of China posed a grave threat to the region or whether it would bring stability and cohesion to the region. After 23 years of observation, it is now safe to presume that China does not pose a military...
Show moreAfter seven decades of regional domination, the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 put the whole continent in a state of political and economic uncertainty. The sudden absence of a strong, yet generally predictable hegemon initiated an intense debate centered on whether or not the rise of China posed a grave threat to the region or whether it would bring stability and cohesion to the region. After 23 years of observation, it is now safe to presume that China does not pose a military threat to the region. Simply because China does not have expansionist or aggressive political or economic aims does not mean that there should be no cause for concern. China does possess persistent political, economic, and security concerns that, despite the nation's best efforts, has not been able to solve. Domestically, examples of these concerns are illegal smuggling, weapons and human trafficking, illegal narcotics, organized crime, Islamic fundamentalism, ethnic nationalism, and Islamic militancy. Internationally, China has had a hard time, not only dealing with the aforementioned list, but also with piracy, ethnic unrest, anti-Chinese sentiment, corruption, and illegal port activities. The reason the solution to these problems remains elusive is the fact that they all share a common element. The element is that they are all transnational in nature; the events themselves, not fully encapsulated within the borders of just one nation-state. This makes them extremely difficult for a single nation-state to be able to effectively deal with them. It happens that Central Asian nations and littoral nations of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore are also afflicted with many of the same issues. This fact is why it will take a comprehensive and coordinated effort in order to effectively deal with the underlying causes which contribute to these problems before any noticeable effect will take place. These efforts, or transnational solutions, are the most effective way to deal with transnational concerns. Research, observations, and the case studies demonstrate that many of the most pressing transnational concerns have similar underlying factors. Income inequality, government repression, and lack of economic opportunity are a few of the most prevalent factors. The obstacles these factors cause are not insurmountable. However each one of these problems require a concentrated and coordinated effort and the cooperation of multiple nation-states. International Organizations, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, are effective mediums in which to accomplish this. What is repeatedly observed is that transnational problems are best solved using transnational solutions.
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Date Issued
2014
Identifier
CFH0004693, ucf:45241
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004693
NOT REALLY BOLLYWOOD:A HISTORY OF POPULAR HINDI FILMS, SONGS, AND DANCE WITH PEDAGOGICAL APPLICATIONS FOR UNDERSTANDING INDIAN HISTORY AND CULTURE
Title
NOT REALLY BOLLYWOOD:A HISTORY OF POPULAR HINDI FILMS, SONGS, AND DANCE WITH PEDAGOGICAL APPLICATIONS FOR UNDERSTANDING INDIAN HISTORY AND CULTURE.
Creator
Nayee, Sanjana, Kaplan, Jeffrey, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Contemporary fascination with 'Bollywood' proliferates much of reality TV dance shows, media blurbs and other communicative outlets. These avenues homogenize India as 'Bollywood', while social and political outlets place Indians and people of South Asian descent into fitted stereotypes that are ridiculed and largely distorted. The intent of this thesis was to explore how the growing international intrigues of popular Hindi films exist beyond 'Bollywood'. This study is especially important...
Show moreContemporary fascination with 'Bollywood' proliferates much of reality TV dance shows, media blurbs and other communicative outlets. These avenues homogenize India as 'Bollywood', while social and political outlets place Indians and people of South Asian descent into fitted stereotypes that are ridiculed and largely distorted. The intent of this thesis was to explore how the growing international intrigues of popular Hindi films exist beyond 'Bollywood'. This study is especially important because current U.S. demographics are undergoing a 'browning' effect yet a comprehensive method for understanding South Asian peoples and their cultures have been isolated to terrorist 'breeders', the model minority or as products primed for consumption. This thesis discusses the history of popular Hindi popular cinema, its changing methods of songs and dance and includes options of pedagogical applications within secondary level classrooms. In short, this thesis is an effort to highlight the similarities present amongst the differences that are consciously and unconsciously created or implicitly believed by the general population when attempting to decipher the many different components that exist across South Asian cultures, ethnicities, traditions, histories and identities.
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Date Issued
2012
Identifier
CFH0004309, ucf:45055
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004309
Changes in Neolithic Subsistence Patterns on Flores, Indonesia Inferred by Stable Carbon, Nitrogen, and Oxygen Isotope Analyses of Sus from Liang Bua
Title
Changes in Neolithic Subsistence Patterns on Flores, Indonesia Inferred by Stable Carbon, Nitrogen, and Oxygen Isotope Analyses of Sus from Liang Bua.
Creator
Munizzi, Jordon, Dupras, Tosha, Williams, Lana, Schultz, John, Tocheri, Matthew, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Despite an abundance of archaeological material recovered from sites in Island Southeast Asia, the timing and route by which cultigens first arrived in Wallacea remains unclear. Many of the staple crops now grown on these islands were domesticated in mainland Asia, and were deliberately introduced by humans at an unknown point during the Holocene, through several possible routes. In this study, the ?13C, ?15N and ?18O values of subfossil bones and teeth attributed to Sus celebensis and Sus...
Show moreDespite an abundance of archaeological material recovered from sites in Island Southeast Asia, the timing and route by which cultigens first arrived in Wallacea remains unclear. Many of the staple crops now grown on these islands were domesticated in mainland Asia, and were deliberately introduced by humans at an unknown point during the Holocene, through several possible routes. In this study, the ?13C, ?15N and ?18O values of subfossil bones and teeth attributed to Sus celebensis and Sus scrofa are analyzed. These materials, which span the last 5160 years at Liang Bua, Flores, Indonesia are used to determine if and when there was a shift towards agricultural intensification, and whether this intensification included the integration of domesticated C4 crops. The ?13C and ?15N values of the bone and dentin collagen samples indicate an abrupt shift towards enrichment in 13C and depletion in 15N at some time between 5160 and 2750 yBP. This hints at changes in human subsistence patterns that may have included the clearing of forests, and the integration of non-endemic C4 cultigens such as foxtail millet (Setaria italica) onto the island. No statistically significant variation in the ?18O values of the enamel carbonate samples over time is observed, suggesting that once they appeared on Flores, semi-domesticated pigs became an important part of the island ecosystem, and were bred and raised on Flores instead of being continuously imported from elsewhere.
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Date Issued
2013
Identifier
CFE0004728, ucf:49820
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004728
CREATING MARGINALITY AND RECONSTRUCTING NARRATIVE: RECONFIGURING KAREN SOCIAL AND GEO-POLITICAL ALIGNMENT
Title
CREATING MARGINALITY AND RECONSTRUCTING NARRATIVE: RECONFIGURING KAREN SOCIAL AND GEO-POLITICAL ALIGNMENT.
Creator
Verchot, Barbara, Stearman, Allyn, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Pre-modern conceptualization of shifting borderlands and territories rather than fixed boundaries often allowed for the dynamic flow of peoples between polities. Until the late 1800s and the colonization of Burma in 1886 by the British Empire, this permeability of the borders of its territory was how Siam (currently Thailand) viewed its geo-political sphere (Thomson 1995:272). Britain extended the boundaries of its empire beyond India to guarantee the economic interests of the British Empire....
Show morePre-modern conceptualization of shifting borderlands and territories rather than fixed boundaries often allowed for the dynamic flow of peoples between polities. Until the late 1800s and the colonization of Burma in 1886 by the British Empire, this permeability of the borders of its territory was how Siam (currently Thailand) viewed its geo-political sphere (Thomson 1995:272). Britain extended the boundaries of its empire beyond India to guarantee the economic interests of the British Empire. With this push eastward, Siam abutted a polity that rejected the idea of shifting borderlands. The British ascribed to the modern concept of non-permeability of borders. This concept brought with it a rigidity of perception that extended beyond geographical frameworks to also psychologically limit the interpersonal connections of Siam's multi-ethnic minority populations and the Tai ethnic majority (Keyes 1979:54, Marlowe 1979:203, Thomson 1995:281). Ancient residents of what was once the borderland area, the Karen, lost their status as a valuable part of a symbiotic relationship with the dominant Thai polity and were placed within a discourse of opposing binary factions. The Karen, once respected as stewards of the remote forestlands, became part of a larger group of peoples all of which have been labeled as the "hill tribes" (Trakarnsuphakorn 1997:218). This paper addresses how globalization and these social and political changes have resulted in marginalizing a group of diverse peoples who are now viewed as a threat to the security of the nation-states in which they reside. The discussion continues with a look at how the narrative about the Karen has changed and introduces a proposal for constructing a new empowering for the Karen.
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Date Issued
2008
Identifier
CFE0002045, ucf:47565
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002045
FAçADE DEMOCRACY: DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION IN KAZAKHSTAN AND UZBEKISTAN
Title
FAçADE DEMOCRACY: DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION IN KAZAKHSTAN AND UZBEKISTAN.
Creator
Merritt, Robin Nicole, ME Jungblut, Bernadette, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This thesis explores the reasons behind the stagnation in the transition to democracy in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. According to their constitutions, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are democracies. In actuality, however, there is little evidence to support that these are democratic systems. These states' post-Soviet constitutions outline them as democracies – yet they lack a free press; freedom of association is suppressed; religious freedom is limited; and free speech is constrained as well....
Show moreThis thesis explores the reasons behind the stagnation in the transition to democracy in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. According to their constitutions, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are democracies. In actuality, however, there is little evidence to support that these are democratic systems. These states' post-Soviet constitutions outline them as democracies – yet they lack a free press; freedom of association is suppressed; religious freedom is limited; and free speech is constrained as well. While these two countries hold popular elections, much of their electoral processes are under the control of the executive branch of government - calling into question whether or not Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan really hold "fair and competitive" elections. In sum, in both of these states, democracy is de jure rather than de facto. Why is this so? Why are Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan not the democracies in practice that they are on paper?Many scholars and policy-makers blame the stagnation in these states' democratic transitions on the firm hands used by the countries' presidents to maintain their current power and even to increase it. Other scholars point out that Central Asia has never been democratic and thus does not know how to be so. These scholars refer, in particular, to the region's history as part of the Russian Empire and later, as part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Using frameworks drawn from Dahl's Polyarchy (1971) and Huntington's The Third Wave (1991), this thesis finds that not only are Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan straying from their constitutional democratic starting points, no single factor is to blame for the stagnation in the transitions to democracy in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Rather, it is the combination of multiple factors – both internal and external – that provides the most comprehensive explanation of these states' failure to become full-fledged democracies. Combining the elements of strong dictator-like presidents with a lack of democratic history is but the tip of the iceberg. Internal factors such as "political culture" and external factors such as the influence of the international community also play major roles in the current state of affairs in these Central Asian states.
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Date Issued
2004
Identifier
CFE0000118, ucf:46192
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000118
PEACE DEVELOPMENT IN EAST ASIA: CHINA, JAPAN, AND SOUTH KOREA
Title
PEACE DEVELOPMENT IN EAST ASIA: CHINA, JAPAN, AND SOUTH KOREA.
Creator
Tang, Yihui, Sadri, Houman A., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This thesis intends to explore the peacebuilding process in East Asia. It mainly examines the politics, cultures, and economies of China, Japan, and South Korea, along with the on-going issues between South Korea and North Korea. To be able to establish a stable and prosperous society in East Asia, these three countries play a major role, and they can create greater cooperation within the region and on the international level. Peacebuilding process highly depends on politic, culture, and...
Show moreThis thesis intends to explore the peacebuilding process in East Asia. It mainly examines the politics, cultures, and economies of China, Japan, and South Korea, along with the on-going issues between South Korea and North Korea. To be able to establish a stable and prosperous society in East Asia, these three countries play a major role, and they can create greater cooperation within the region and on the international level. Peacebuilding process highly depends on politic, culture, and economy of these three countries. Confidence Building Measures (CBM) and Peaceful Settlement of Disputes (PSD) are the excellent strategies for achieving peace in the region after studying each country carefully. Economic activities and good trade relations are essential to the peace development in East Asia.
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Date Issued
2018
Identifier
CFH2000380, ucf:45757
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000380
AN EVALUATION OF HIV/AIDS INCIDENCE REDUCTION AND AWARENESS-RAISING INTERVENTIONS INSPIRED BY THE SONAGACHI PROJECT AND THE 100% CONDOM USE PROGRAM
Title
AN EVALUATION OF HIV/AIDS INCIDENCE REDUCTION AND AWARENESS-RAISING INTERVENTIONS INSPIRED BY THE SONAGACHI PROJECT AND THE 100% CONDOM USE PROGRAM.
Creator
Fernandez, Nicole, Rovito, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
In the past thirty years, HIV/AIDS (Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) transformed from a mysteriously lethal disease affecting limited portions of the population to a true global pandemic. Although HIV/AIDS is responsible for the deaths of approximately 30 million people worldwide, prevalence rates are now increasing significantly due to increasing survival rates. However, overall increasing incidence rates now serve as a primary concern for researchers. Avert ...
Show moreIn the past thirty years, HIV/AIDS (Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) transformed from a mysteriously lethal disease affecting limited portions of the population to a true global pandemic. Although HIV/AIDS is responsible for the deaths of approximately 30 million people worldwide, prevalence rates are now increasing significantly due to increasing survival rates. However, overall increasing incidence rates now serve as a primary concern for researchers. Avert (2011) suggests that there is a lack of behavioral interventions and prevention programs aimed at decreasing the number of newly affected individuals. This is problematic as it may create not only physical and mental stress upon patients but also a source of financial and resource stress upon service organizations. In Asia, HIV/AIDS is primarily apparent in three high-risk groups: sex workers, men who have sex with men, and intravenous drug users (Avert, 2011). Service organizations target these high-risk groups with prevention programs in order to decrease infection rates and raise general awareness of the disease. This study aims to evaluate two HIV/AIDS prevention program theories(the Sonagachi Project and the 100% Condom Use Program) and the studies that implement them. This proposed evaluation assesses the effectiveness of these HIV/AIDS prevention programs in reducing infection rates and raising awareness of the disease. Due to the widespread use and apparent effectiveness of the 100% Condom Use Program and The Sonagachi Project, this study aims to assess the interventions in lessening HIV infection rates and critique the methods outlined by both. This thesis also employs a systemic review of the literature by using the program theories of The 100% Condom Use Program and The Sonagachi Project.
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Date Issued
2012
Identifier
CFH0004180, ucf:44839
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004180
THE CASPIAN SEA REGION'S KEY POSITION IN THE RISE OF MILITANT ISLAM
Title
THE CASPIAN SEA REGION'S KEY POSITION IN THE RISE OF MILITANT ISLAM.
Creator
Cage, Graham, Sadri, Houman, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Researchers and policy experts point to key issues and groups such as the Palestinian/Arab‐Israeli Conflict, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Saudi exported Wahhabism, and, in more recent times, the Iraq wars as being the source of militant Islam in this day in age. However, this perspective ignores key issues and ideals in to how this new form of Islam has emerged in recent decades. For instance, with all the conflicts that have occurred in recent decades, except for the 1979...
Show moreResearchers and policy experts point to key issues and groups such as the Palestinian/Arab‐Israeli Conflict, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Saudi exported Wahhabism, and, in more recent times, the Iraq wars as being the source of militant Islam in this day in age. However, this perspective ignores key issues and ideals in to how this new form of Islam has emerged in recent decades. For instance, with all the conflicts that have occurred in recent decades, except for the 1979 Revolution in Iran, why have they not yielded Shari'a inspired Islamic states in Yemen, Lebanon, the Occupied Territories and Iraq? Currently the only Islamic states in the Arab world are ones that lay on the Persian Gulf that were established during their independence from colonial rule. One only has to look further east and to the north of the Middle East to see militant Islam taking hold in places like Chechnya, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Waziristan and a host of other areas which do not get the attention from many people in the West. After the demise of the Soviet Union and the years directly after, a political vacuum was formed that received almost no attention from the outside world except for states with historical and cultural similarities. Here Islam has and is being used as a military and political doctrine to accomplish goals and as an ideological base for launching new attacks against its proclaimed enemies. Indeed many of the key theologians and figures have come from the Arab world, but the rise of militant Islam could not have formed with this alone. Many of the fighters on the ground in al‐Qaeda and its direct affiliated groups are indeed not Arabs but come from a wide range of different ethnic groups such as Afghans, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Uyghurs and Pakistanis who have answered bin Laden's call of lesser jihad against the West. Rather than examining militant Islam through a Middle Eastern perspective, this author wishes to give an alternate view that the current rise of militant Islam in the world is directly associated with the internal political situation of the Greater Caspian Sea Basin and not the Middle East as so many people have proposed in the past. To examine this idea, this author will look extensively at the internal conditions of states that have allowed militant Islam to arise and mature in such a short time span in this often forgotten region. The primary purpose of the proposed paper is to examine the rise of militant Islam through a Caspian Sea region lens rather than a Middle Eastern one. This study will also examine violent groups in various states to understand how groups are able to form and how they differ from each other. Countries ranging from as far as Turkey to the Xinxiang Province in China and from the southern reaches of the Russian Federation to Pakistan will be the primary focus.
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Date Issued
2008
Identifier
CFE0002313, ucf:47873
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002313
CENTRAL ASIAN SECURITY: WITH A FOCUS ON KAZAKHSTAN
Title
CENTRAL ASIAN SECURITY: WITH A FOCUS ON KAZAKHSTAN.
Creator
Bragg, Marcus, Sadri, Houman, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This work focuses on the influence of terror, extremism, trafficking and corruption on the regional security of Central Asia, with a particular emphasis on Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is regarded as the most stable and financially developed state in Central Asia, yet domestic and regional stability are threatened by the rise in extremism, narcotics trafficking, institutional corruption and acts of terrorism. The challenges of trafficking and extremism within the region originated from outside of...
Show moreThis work focuses on the influence of terror, extremism, trafficking and corruption on the regional security of Central Asia, with a particular emphasis on Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is regarded as the most stable and financially developed state in Central Asia, yet domestic and regional stability are threatened by the rise in extremism, narcotics trafficking, institutional corruption and acts of terrorism. The challenges of trafficking and extremism within the region originated from outside of Central Asia. Foreign organizations and ideologies are significant actors in progression of regional instability. Government response to these challenges can perpetuate or stymie the aforementioned threats to regional security. Repressive regimes inadvertently contribute to the propaganda of the non-state foes. A prominent solution is the international program referred to as border management. This program aims to support border security while also promoting economic growth and ensuring the protection of human rights. Improved borders promotes regional security, economic growth can potentially undermine the growth of corruption and human rights protection can undermine a large part of extremist propaganda.
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Date Issued
2014
Identifier
CFH0004604, ucf:45267
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004604
MIGRANT WORKERS IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA:ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL INEQUALITY IN INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, AND SINGAPORE
Title
MIGRANT WORKERS IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA:ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL INEQUALITY IN INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, AND SINGAPORE.
Creator
Hajek, Patricia, Morales, Waltraud, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This thesis explores migrant labor in South-East Asia by addressing the topic of migration, specifically its causes and consequences. Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore are countries that experienced rapid industrialization from the mid-1960s throughout the 1990s. Simultaneously, the migration of people within the region increased. A key focus is how regional development has contributed to migration flows and to the position of migrants in these countries. Using a migration systems framework...
Show moreThis thesis explores migrant labor in South-East Asia by addressing the topic of migration, specifically its causes and consequences. Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore are countries that experienced rapid industrialization from the mid-1960s throughout the 1990s. Simultaneously, the migration of people within the region increased. A key focus is how regional development has contributed to migration flows and to the position of migrants in these countries. Using a migration systems framework from Castles' and Miller's The Age of Migration (2003) that draws on theoretical elements from economics, historical-structuralism and transnationalism, this thesis finds that several factors explain the causes of migration in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore and the lasting implications migration had in their respective societies. Both macro- and micro-structures influenced industrialization and a migratory labor market. The historical, political, and economic linkages shared among the countries, alongside regional integration and attractive government-led industrialization strategies contributed to large-scale flows of migrant workers within the region. These same factors made migration and settlement increasingly difficult. Consequently, human rights violations of migrants in these countries became more pronounced. Singapore's dominance of Indonesia and Malaysia in the semi-periphery of South-East Asia conditioned the environment that migrants faced in their host societies. Migrant workers from Indonesia and Malaysia enjoyed better treatment in Singapore, because of its targeted labor, immigration, and social policies. In all three countries, settlement patterns of migrant workers were virtually similar to government commitments to prevent assimilation.
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Date Issued
2008
Identifier
CFE0002152, ucf:47929
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002152
Marx and the East
Title
Marx and the East.
Creator
Safarov, Georgii Ivanovich
Date Issued
1934
Identifier
367709, CFDT367709, ucf:5334
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/FCLA/DT/367709
PHILIPPINE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT AND PHILIPPINE MUSLIM UNREST
Title
PHILIPPINE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT AND PHILIPPINE MUSLIM UNREST.
Creator
de Leon, Justin, Sadri, Houman, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Muslim culture and society has been a part of the Philippine islands in spite of nearly ninety-five percent of the population being Christian (a majority Catholic), yet did not become a separatist movement until the 1970's. Since then, the two main separatist groups the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have been battling the Philippine government. The parties entered truces in 1996 and 2001, yet there has been a cycle of violence continues...
Show moreMuslim culture and society has been a part of the Philippine islands in spite of nearly ninety-five percent of the population being Christian (a majority Catholic), yet did not become a separatist movement until the 1970's. Since then, the two main separatist groups the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have been battling the Philippine government. The parties entered truces in 1996 and 2001, yet there has been a cycle of violence continues. The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), linked to Al Qaeda, emerged in 1990 and has launched many attacks on the Christian Philippine majority. The prolonged Muslim unrest in the ARMM has left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands displaced. The main objective of this research paper is to examine Philippine economic and political development and its impact on Philippine Muslim unrest. This paper presents a critical analysis of the economic and political development and Philippine Muslim unrest by examining six major features of the Philippines; they are: The historical evolution, economic development, political development, socio-cultural setting, geographic setting, and the quality of life of the Filipino people. This research also examines Fareed Zakaria's illiberal democracies theory, liberal institutionalism, and the Marxist theory of class revolution and primarily relies on research conducted at the University of the Philippines and from Philippine and Asian scholars. By taking a holistic comprehensive approach and by using international relations theory, this research fills two gaps in the literature about Philippine Muslim unrest. The research concludes with a look at future challenges, both short term and long term that face the country, as well as, possible future scenarios. The findings of this research are that the economic and political development and the historical evolution, though major contributory factors, are not the sole reason for the prolonged Philippine Muslim unrest. The most pervasive causal factor to Muslim unrest was the socio-cultural setting. Because of the all-pervasive nature of culture; at first glance, the socio-cultural setting was not a major apparent cause. At almost all times examined throughout this research, certain cultural tendencies guided decisions and altered the course of events more so than any other single variable. Corruption, crony capitalism, patrimonialism, and irrational institutions all stem from the tendencies of Philippine culture must be addressed to find lasting peace in the country. A move toward rational legal institutions and liberal constitutionalism, will lead the way to the creation of a liberal democracy and break the cycle of violence occurring in the Philippines.
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Date Issued
2008
Identifier
CFE0002378, ucf:47812
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002378
AN EXAMINATION OF CENTRAL ASIAN GEOPOLITICS THROUGH THE EXPECTED UTILITY MODEL: THE NEW GREAT GAME
Title
AN EXAMINATION OF CENTRAL ASIAN GEOPOLITICS THROUGH THE EXPECTED UTILITY MODEL: THE NEW GREAT GAME.
Creator
Stutte, Corey, Wan, Thomas, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The New Great Game is a geopolitical competition between regional stakeholders over energy resources in Central Asia. The author seeks to use the expected utility voting model based on Black's median voter theorem for forecasting the New Great Game in Central Asia. To judge the external validity of the voting model, the author uses data from the Correlates of War project data set, to formulate three distinct models based only on the numbers in 1992 and 1993. Capabilities and alliance data...
Show moreThe New Great Game is a geopolitical competition between regional stakeholders over energy resources in Central Asia. The author seeks to use the expected utility voting model based on Black's median voter theorem for forecasting the New Great Game in Central Asia. To judge the external validity of the voting model, the author uses data from the Correlates of War project data set, to formulate three distinct models based only on the numbers in 1992 and 1993. Capabilities and alliance data were used to develop balance of power positions and compare the outcome of 100 simulations to the actual outcome in 2000 based on Correlates of War project data. This allows us to judge whether the emergence of Russia's weak advantage as well as the continuation of the competition in the New Great Game as of 2000 could have been predicted based on what was known in 1992 and 1993. By using only one year's data to forecast the New Great Game, we are able to eliminate historical and researcher bias and judge the applicability of the model in global policy and strategic analysis.
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Date Issued
2009
Identifier
CFE0002861, ucf:48088
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002861