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Title: INVESTIGATING ECONOMIC INEQUALITY AND VOTER TURNOUT IN THE INDUSTRIALIZED DEMOCRACIES.
Creator: Freeman, Benjamin, Kinsey, Barbara, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This paper investigates economic inequality and voter turnout in a sample of 21 industrialized democracies using a pooled time series model of elections from 1970 to 1999. The findings demonstrate a connection between inequality and voter turnout wherein increases in inequality lead to reductions in voter turnout. The ramifications for democratic accountability and representative democracy are discussed.
Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: CFE0000554, ucf:46415
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000554

Title: Democracy and Education Equity in Latin America.
Creator: Stonerook, Olen, Kinsey, Barbara, Morales, Waltraud, Kiel, Dwight, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In the literature democratic longevity in countries transitioning from authoritarian regimes to democracy is linked to economic development; four factors of economic development are identified: industrialization, education, urbanization, and growing wealth. Education is viewed as a primary factor for effective democratic participation and economic development. This thesis examines the relationship between level of democracy and educational outputs and outcomes. Does the level of democracy ...
Show moreIn the literature democratic longevity in countries transitioning from authoritarian regimes to democracy is linked to economic development; four factors of economic development are identified: industrialization, education, urbanization, and growing wealth. Education is viewed as a primary factor for effective democratic participation and economic development. This thesis examines the relationship between level of democracy and educational outputs and outcomes. Does the level of democracy (political rights and civil liberties) have an effect on the levels of investment in education and measurable outcomes in education equity toward meeting the educational needs of the newly represented public? The expectation is that the increased scope of political participation and representation in new democratic regimes would result in higher government spending for education with implications for education equity.This study is conducted using a cross-sectional, longitudinal statistical model. The analysis is based on 18 Latin American countries over a thirty-eight-year period, from 1972 to 2010. To examine the connection between level of democracy and education equity, the study explores the effects of democracy on different levels of education, gender, and social class. In addition to the quantitative analysis, a qualitative component aims at contextualizing this relationship that is, examining closer the mechanism that underlies the connection between democracy and education equity in the cases of Mexico and Brazil.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0004170, ucf:49073
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004170

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

Title: DOES FOREIGN AID PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT? A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF FOREIGN AID ON DEVELOPMENT IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA.
Creator: Gray, Rachael, Kinsey, Barbara, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Foreign aid aims to improve economic conditions and quality of life in developing countries. The literature on the efficacy of foreign aid to date has been inconclusive; yet there is some evidence that institutional factors may condition the relationship between aid and development. This research focuses on the effects of foreign aid on development, taking into consideration the effects of political institutional factors as intervening in the connection between aid and development....
Show moreForeign aid aims to improve economic conditions and quality of life in developing countries. The literature on the efficacy of foreign aid to date has been inconclusive; yet there is some evidence that institutional factors may condition the relationship between aid and development. This research focuses on the effects of foreign aid on development, taking into consideration the effects of political institutional factors as intervening in the connection between aid and development. Specifically, this study considers the effects of democracy (political rights and civil liberties) and level of corruption on the relationship between aid and development in sub-Saharan Africa. Development is determined by the Human Development Index, which takes into account gross national income, life expectancy, and education level. My findings indicate that aid is ineffective at promoting development in sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, it is found that democracy, as determined by level of political freedom, is positively associated to development in aid recipient countries. HIV prevalence rate, the location of the country relative to the coastline, and percent of arable land were found to be significant factors affecting development. The level of corruption and political stability do not have a significant effect on development. The study is conducted using a cross-national, longitudinal, statistical model. The impact of foreign aid on development is examined for 45 countries over a fourteen-year period, from 1995 to 2009. The results of the study show that foreign aid has a negative effect on development, yet development is affected by level of democracy, geographical location, percent of arable land, and HIV prevalence rate. Development is higher in countries located on the coastline, with a higher percentage of arable land, a higher level of democracy, and a higher rate of HIV.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003705, ucf:48804
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003705

Title: SITUATING POLITICAL OBLIGATION IN POLITICAL ONTOLOGY: ETHICAL MARXISM AND THE EMBEDDED SELF.
Creator: Chambers, Chris A, Strawser, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Though various obligations typically affect our behavior without being recognized, they have a substantial impact on how we operate as human beings. The relationships we have between, say, our parents when in their household obligate us to take out the trash at certain times and wash the dishes after dinner. The relationships we have between our closest friends often oblige us to hear them out when they have undergone a traumatic experience. Upon reflection, it may be easy to point out a...
Show moreThough various obligations typically affect our behavior without being recognized, they have a substantial impact on how we operate as human beings. The relationships we have between, say, our parents when in their household obligate us to take out the trash at certain times and wash the dishes after dinner. The relationships we have between our closest friends often oblige us to hear them out when they have undergone a traumatic experience. Upon reflection, it may be easy to point out a number of the obligations which inform our social behavior. What is not so easy, however, is pointing out the foundation for such obligations. In this project I will explore the foundation of obligation, specifically political obligation. Through this exploration I will attempt to situation political obligation in the ontology of political actors. In particular, an analysis of liberal democracy and social democracy, and their ontological backgrounds, liberalism and communitarianism, will be utilized in order to elucidate both the usefulness and the location of political obligation. Ultimately, I will show how recourse to Marxism provides for a more robust account of political obligation.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFH2000064, ucf:45568
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000064

Title: LOOKING IN THE MIRROR: INTRA-PARTY DEMOCRACY AND PARTY POLITICS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA.
Creator: Ryan, Ty, Young, Kurt, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Political parties serve as a link between the state and society. Being so, they have a fundamental role in the consolidation of democratic values. It then becomes important to understand their internal functions and character. The purpose of this thesis is to measure the levels of intra-party democracy within three opposition political parties in Southern Africa. Also, this thesis seeks to show whether authoritarian political culture has an affect on a democratic party's behavior. This thesis...
Show morePolitical parties serve as a link between the state and society. Being so, they have a fundamental role in the consolidation of democratic values. It then becomes important to understand their internal functions and character. The purpose of this thesis is to measure the levels of intra-party democracy within three opposition political parties in Southern Africa. Also, this thesis seeks to show whether authoritarian political culture has an affect on a democratic party's behavior. This thesis will strive to show that as party levels of intra-party democracy decrease, fracturing in the party increases. A qualitative case study was conducted on UNITA in Angola, the ANC in South Africa, and the MDC in Zimbabwe. A content analysis was performed on the parties' respective constitutions and official party documents, as well as other scholarly writings. This was paired with an historical analysis of the case states and parties. The parties were assessed along a determined framework for intra-party democracy: political environment, legal framework of the state and party, the inclusiveness of the party, and party economics. Inclusiveness of the party gauges membership participation, leadership competition, gender parity, and oversight. The ANC exhibited the highest levels of intra-party democracy, and has shown the most stability. The MDC was found to have the lowest levels, and has split multiple times in recent years. All the parties demonstrated a need to open leadership participation and create better oversight mechanisms. Political parties proved to be a critical element in a state's potential democratic development, and though there exists deficiencies, the political parties of this study seem committed in many of their functions to this goal.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFH0004464, ucf:45102
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004464

Title: Why is Democracy in Decline: Democratic Backsliding in Venezuela and Turkey.
Creator: Bayraktar, Fatih, Ash, Konstantin, Wilson, Bruce, Dolan, Thomas, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: It has long been argued that the end of the 20th century marked the triumph of liberal democracy. The third wave of democracy has increased the number of democracies in the world unprecedentedly and gave hope to many that democratic revolution is underway. However, in the last decade, this democratization process seems to have halted; there has been decline both in the number and quality of democracies. This thesis proposes an agent-based theory of democratic backsliding. More specifically,...
Show moreIt has long been argued that the end of the 20th century marked the triumph of liberal democracy. The third wave of democracy has increased the number of democracies in the world unprecedentedly and gave hope to many that democratic revolution is underway. However, in the last decade, this democratization process seems to have halted; there has been decline both in the number and quality of democracies. This thesis proposes an agent-based theory of democratic backsliding. More specifically, it is argued that leaders with undemocratic normative preferences and their ability to mobilize previously persecuted segments of society are the driving factors behind the present-day authoritarian resurgence. While the leader's fight with the oppressors of the marginalized group can bring a short-term of democratization, we argue that the unconditional support given by the marginalized group to the leader can allow the leader to undermine democracy by removing the checks on his power. The paper attempts to investigate similarities in the process of democratic derogation in a comparative case study of Venezuela and Turkey. The study shows that the support given to Erdogan and Chavez by the previously persecuted groups in their respective countries, religious/conservatives in Turkey and poor in Venezuela, allowed both leaders to undermine democracy in a subtle and incremental way.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007155, ucf:52302
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007155

Title: British labor's rise to power.
Creator: Laidler, Harry Wellington
Date Issued: 1945
Identifier: 2100343, CFDT2100343, ucf:4911
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FCLA/DT/2100343

Title: The campus: A fortress of democracy.
Creator: Lash, Joseph P., American Student Union
Date Issued: c1937
Identifier: 370515, CFDT370515, ucf:5515
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FCLA/DT/370515

Title: GOVERNMENT AND THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY: A CASE STUDY ON RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT'S EFFECT ON INTELLIGENCE SYSTEMS.
Creator: Lago, Jessica M, Knuckey, Jonathan, Reynolds, Ted, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The United States and Russia are two major superpowers with governments that are run in different manners. Central to a government's and country's defense is their intelligence systems. The intelligence systems of these two countries are run as part of the government and are integral to its functioning. The purpose of this thesis is to discuss how both the governments and intelligence systems are structured and do they coincide with their respective systems. Using a case study on the United...
Show moreThe United States and Russia are two major superpowers with governments that are run in different manners. Central to a government's and country's defense is their intelligence systems. The intelligence systems of these two countries are run as part of the government and are integral to its functioning. The purpose of this thesis is to discuss how both the governments and intelligence systems are structured and do they coincide with their respective systems. Using a case study on the United States and Russia, their intelligence systems and governments a comparison was drawn. While looking at the history of both governments and communities and what they are like in the present day it was determined that there exist similarities in structures. As the countries grew and modernized so did their intelligence community. The history of how the intelligence community developed in their respective country and interacted with citizens both foreign and domestic showed striking similarities to the governments own workings. Another important find was the rules and restrictions that were involved in the government's evolution was also paralleled in the intelligence communities evolution. In the United States there are regulations against intruding into the lives and properties of citizens and the intelligence community reflects this in executive order 12333 that states intelligence communities cannot collect information on citizens unless it is imperative to the safety and security of the country.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFH2000368, ucf:45832
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000368

Title: DEMOCRACY ON TRIAL: EXAMINING ARGENTINA'S RESPONSE TO THE 1994 TERRORIST ATTACK ON THE AMIA JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER IN BUENOS AIRES.
Creator: Crawford, Amy, Wilson, Bruce, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: On July 18, 1994, the Asociacion Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA), the Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, was bombed in what has been called the worst terrorist attack on Argentina in history. The bombing killed an estimated 86 people and wounded over 200. The Argentine government began a judicial investigation and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. Twenty years later, the case remains unresolved. The investigation has been marked by inefficiency and allegations of corruption....
Show moreOn July 18, 1994, the Asociacion Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA), the Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, was bombed in what has been called the worst terrorist attack on Argentina in history. The bombing killed an estimated 86 people and wounded over 200. The Argentine government began a judicial investigation and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. Twenty years later, the case remains unresolved. The investigation has been marked by inefficiency and allegations of corruption. The recent, suspicious death of the lead prosecutor of the case has further called into question the legitimacy of Argentina's government and justice system. This thesis examines the Argentine government's response to the AMIA bombing in the context of Argentine politics. This thesis discusses Argentina's democratic stability, political performance, history of corruption, and economic situation as key factors in understanding the government's response to the AMIA attack and investigation. Argentina's response does not fit within the established models of a democracy's response to terrorism. Argentina's response, or lack thereof, to this terrorist attack is perplexing, but this surprising outcome may be explained by the country's political problems. The findings of this thesis support the conclusion that the Argentine government's response to the AMIA case can be attributed to its functioning but flawed democracy and faulty political performance. Argentina has a history of political and police corruption and a weak judicial branch, which has hindered the effectiveness of the justice system and complicated the AMIA investigation. The extent to which these factors have allowed corruption and economic interests to derail the investigation is still debated and offers an area for future research.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFH0004754, ucf:45350
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004754

Title: POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AND E-PETITIONING: AN ANALYSIS OF THE POLICY-MAKING IMPACT OF THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT'S E-PETITION SYSTEM.
Creator: Cotton, Ross, Wilson, Bruce, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Worldwide, representative democracies have been experiencing declining levels of voter turnout, lower membership levels in political parties, and apathy towards their respective political systems and their ability to influence the political process. E-democracy, and specifically E-petitioning, have been touted as a possible solution to this problem by scholars of electoral systems. In 1999, the Scottish Parliament reconvened for the first time in nearly three hundred years, and quickly set...
Show moreWorldwide, representative democracies have been experiencing declining levels of voter turnout, lower membership levels in political parties, and apathy towards their respective political systems and their ability to influence the political process. E-democracy, and specifically E-petitioning, have been touted as a possible solution to this problem by scholars of electoral systems. In 1999, the Scottish Parliament reconvened for the first time in nearly three hundred years, and quickly set out to change the way politics were handled in Scotland by launching the world's first online E-petition system. Analyzing the Scottish Parliament's E-petition system, and assessing the extent to which it fulfilled the aspiration and goals of its designers serves as a litmus test to see whether it is an effective medium to increase public political participation, and whether it could be replicated in other democratic countries. Data was collected from the Scottish Parliament's E-petitioning website, which hosts all the E-petitions and details of who signed them, each E-petition's path through the Parliament, who sponsored the petition, and other important information. Since success of an E-petition is highly subjective due to the original petitioner's own desired goals, three case studies of E-petitions and a data analysis were utilized to evaluate the system. Results suggest that the Scottish Parliament's E-petition system has engaged Scots in the political process, given them a medium to participate in meaningful policy formulation, and produced tangible changes in policy through E-petitions.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFH0004083, ucf:44808
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004083

Title: A Russian view of the Moscow trials.
Creator: Barmine, Alexandre, Dewey, John, Meyer, Agnes Elizabeth Ernst, Strunsky, Simeon
Date Issued: 1938
Identifier: 2180950, CFDT2180950, ucf:4942
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FCLA/DT/2180950

Title: POLITICAL ISLAM AND DEMOCRACY.
Creator: Browne-Michael, Mikellon S, Sadri, Houman A., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The Middle East is a predominately Islamic region. Islam is not only a religion, it is the Muslim way of life and law. The western world follows a more modern system of government, in the form of democracy. Democracy is not modern, as in new, since it was started by the ancient Greeks, but it is modern, because it is the main system being adopted in contemporary times. Muslims follow the ideals found in the Holy Quran, the book dictated by the prophet Muhammad. The Middle East has had a...
Show moreThe Middle East is a predominately Islamic region. Islam is not only a religion, it is the Muslim way of life and law. The western world follows a more modern system of government, in the form of democracy. Democracy is not modern, as in new, since it was started by the ancient Greeks, but it is modern, because it is the main system being adopted in contemporary times. Muslims follow the ideals found in the Holy Quran, the book dictated by the prophet Muhammad. The Middle East has had a strong Islamic influence since the mid-seventh century. Islam originated in Mecca in 610 C.E. About twelve years later, in 622 C.E., after much persecution in Mecca, Muslims migrated to Medina. This was in 622 C.E. and it marked the start of the Muslim calendar. Soon, by 655 C.E., Islam had begun spreading over the regions along the Mediterranean Sea, Arabian Peninsula, Asia, and Africa. This research will span the political systems from pre-Ottoman, to Ottoman, to the Modern era. The beginning of the modern Middle East is marked by the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the end of World War I. Since the end of World War I, much of the Middle Eastern region has been exposed to the western system of government and western culture. The intent of this Thesis is to analyze and draw a conclusion on the possibility of Politically Islamic states having Democracy and following Democratic ideologies. It will examine the ideologies of Islam to determine if democracy, a system of government that includes the citizens of the nation having the right to speak and receiving civil liberties to choose their leaders, is actually present. It will use data from Turkey, Iran, and Egypt, Middle Eastern nations located either in, or bordering, three different continents of the world. In each country the research will examine, the governmental system, the regime type, the leaders past and present, and the policies, including how each country vary according to a specific Islamic sector (Sunni or Shia). This thesis will draw conclusions from the comparative analysis on each case study, on whether it is possible to have democracy in a state where Islamic ideologies are a major factor. From the case study findings, there were clear differences between all the countries studied. Turkey was found to be majority Sunni with a secular republic government but it is showing signs of reverting into the realm of political Islam. Iran was found to be majority Shia with a religious republic government, one that freely allows religion into the law-making body and has emphasized policies that are based on Islamic law. In addition, Iran shows adversity to western democratic bodies, which falls in line with the idea that Islam and democracy are at odds. Finally, Egypt the most revolution-plagued has changed leaders constantly through coups and protests, when the citizens find the leaders as corrupt or not acting in the best interest of the country. Like Turkey, Egypt is a secular republic with the majority of its citizens being from the Sunni Islamic sect it has recently shown an inclination to be the most democratic nation of those studied. The research showed that the Middle East is still having trouble adjusting to the idea of democracy and democratic ideology. The issues were found on various cultural, social, and leadership levels. There were not only civil and regional disputes among the nations of the Middle East, some of the issues have been extended to international levels. The split between Democracy and traditional Islamic values, appeared to only deepen the conflicts of the region.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFH0000238, ucf:44673
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0000238

Title: The Conditionality of Vulnerability: Three Analyses of Risk and Opportunity in Civil Military Relations.
Creator: Schiel, Rebecca, Powell, Jonathan, Kinsey, Barbara, Dolan, Thomas, Thyne, Clayton, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Prior research has not established a clear relationship between democracy and insulation from coups d'(&)#233;tat. I contend that the lack of attention paid to the conditional influences of democracy have resulted in these mixed findings. I posit that insulation from coups occurs at higher levels of economic development and judicial institutional strength in democracies. Further, the vulnerability at low levels of both economic development and judicial institutional strength is significantly...
Show morePrior research has not established a clear relationship between democracy and insulation from coups d'(&)#233;tat. I contend that the lack of attention paid to the conditional influences of democracy have resulted in these mixed findings. I posit that insulation from coups occurs at higher levels of economic development and judicial institutional strength in democracies. Further, the vulnerability at low levels of both economic development and judicial institutional strength is significantly greater in democracies than in autocracies. Empirical assessments of 165 states for the years 1950-2012 offer strong support for both arguments. Results from these studies first help to reconcile earlier research on coup risk in democracies. Second, I point to the conditionality of democratic coup risk by highlighting the roles of economic development and political institutions. Third, I underscore the vast differences in institutional arrangements within democracies, suggesting a more nuanced approach is needed in the study of democratic political institutions. In line with this research, I examine the propensity for democratization in the aftermath of irregular leader removal. Examining the actors and tactics associated with different removal types, I focus on the benefits and challenges posed to democratization in the aftermath of removals. In an empirical assessment of authoritarian states from 1950-2012, I find that only removals resulting from coups, in conjunction with economic development, have significantly higher rates of democratization compared with the null. The results of this study are twofold, finding that not all forms of irregular leadership removal result in similar rates of post-removal democratization and that coups have driven prior results finding an association between irregular leader removal, economic development, and democratization.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007365, ucf:52087
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007365

Title: African Regional Organizations and Democracy.
Creator: Schoppert, Stephanie, Morales, Waltraud, Turcu, Anca, Vasquez, Joseph, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Instability and political repression are two reasons why many states in Africa are unable to develop. African regional organizations have the potential to encourage democracy, stability and development within their regions if they have the right tools. Using case studies of two major interventions by African regional organizations this thesis will determine what those tools may be. Both the intervention of ECOWAS into Liberia and the SADC into the DRC were rife with problems but they were...
Show moreInstability and political repression are two reasons why many states in Africa are unable to develop. African regional organizations have the potential to encourage democracy, stability and development within their regions if they have the right tools. Using case studies of two major interventions by African regional organizations this thesis will determine what those tools may be. Both the intervention of ECOWAS into Liberia and the SADC into the DRC were rife with problems but they were able to bring some stability and even democracy to states in crisis. This thesis finds that African regional organizations can promote democracy and stability, but the focus is always on stability for the region. With strong institutions and mandates, policy agreement and strong leadership, African regional organizations can bring stability, development and even democracy to their regions.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004750, ucf:49778
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004750

Title: The African Puzzle: A Study of Democratic Backsliding in Sub Saharan Africa.
Creator: Rice, Ailbhe, Powell, Jonathan, Boutton, Andrew, Bledsoe, Robert, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The following study examines the future of democratization and the apparent trend towards autocratization within the context of democratic backsliding in Sub-Saharan Africa. Initially, the findings indicate that regionally, backsliding is not acting fundamentally different in Sub-Saharan Africa when compared to other regions. The analysis finds that regime duration and civil conflict are both significant when it comes to the study of democratic backsliding. The variable for the prior military...
Show moreThe following study examines the future of democratization and the apparent trend towards autocratization within the context of democratic backsliding in Sub-Saharan Africa. Initially, the findings indicate that regionally, backsliding is not acting fundamentally different in Sub-Saharan Africa when compared to other regions. The analysis finds that regime duration and civil conflict are both significant when it comes to the study of democratic backsliding. The variable for the prior military regime's is extremely significant in all of the models and is, therefore, a strong indicator of backsliding in Africa. The chief takeaway from the study is in the variable for economic growth and finds that as economic growth increases the likelihood of backsliding decreases. This variable is negative and significant for all of the models, but if Africa is taken out of the analysis the trend ultimately disappears, which indicates that Africa is potentially driving this trend of economic growth and backsliding.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007360, ucf:52080
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007360

Title: More Guns, Less Butter, and Officers at the Table: Understanding the Nexus between the Military's Integration into Politics and Resource Allocation in Democracies and Non-Democracies.
Creator: Ben Hammou, Salah, Powell, Jonathan, Boutton, Andrew, Mirilovic, Nikola, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The civilianization of government is often seen as a necessary prerequisite for successful democratization and healthy civil-military relations. This thesis explores the impact of integrating the military into political decision-making on the distribution of (")guns(") and (")butter(") (-) military spending and social spending - across dictatorships and democracies. Whereas a general consensus suggests that autocracies allocate greater goods to the military and fewer goods to the general...
Show moreThe civilianization of government is often seen as a necessary prerequisite for successful democratization and healthy civil-military relations. This thesis explores the impact of integrating the military into political decision-making on the distribution of (")guns(") and (")butter(") (-) military spending and social spending - across dictatorships and democracies. Whereas a general consensus suggests that autocracies allocate greater goods to the military and fewer goods to the general public relative to democracies, an understudied variable is the military's integration into politics in both democracies and autocracies. Given that military elites have greater incentives relative to civilian elites to prioritize military spending over social spending, I expect that integrating officers into politics should yield greater military outlays and fewer social outlays relative to more civilianized regimes, democratic or otherwise.Drawing on a number of theories concerning contentious civil-military relations, I frame this process of integration and its subsequent consequence as part of a broader means to ameliorate commitment issues between leaders and the armed forces. Specifically, I view power-sharing with military elites as a potential tool democrats and dictators may use to ensure the loyalty of the armed forces and mitigate the threat of defection or a coup d'etat. I test my arguments using data on the proportion of national cabinet positions held by military officers across 138 countries between 1964-2008. Offering some support for my expectations, this thesis highlights the necessity of fine-tuned data to explore civil-military processes and reasserts that the military may influence politics across multiple regime settings and outside of overtly ruling the country..
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007784, ucf:52367
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007784

Title: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ADOLESCENT BEHAVIOR AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
Creator: Ernst, Michael, Murray, Barbara, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Citizenship – commitment to and participation in a political community - is the heart of constitutional democracy and a free society. Knowledge of the rights, responsibilities, and privileges are the electrical impulses that keep a steady beat. Without the participation of educated citizens, a democratic republic can not and does not function. This study analyzed the relationship between adolescent behavior and civic engagement. This task was accomplished by examining the amount of civic...
Show moreCitizenship – commitment to and participation in a political community - is the heart of constitutional democracy and a free society. Knowledge of the rights, responsibilities, and privileges are the electrical impulses that keep a steady beat. Without the participation of educated citizens, a democratic republic can not and does not function. This study analyzed the relationship between adolescent behavior and civic engagement. This task was accomplished by examining the amount of civic knowledge possessed by two groups within a population. The population examined, a high school in Flagler County, was composed of "at risk" students (those who had an Individualized Education Plan) and "regular" students (those that did not). The study uncovered the message that the amount of civic knowledge possessed by American youth was not as important as it was for them to be engaged in extracurricular activities. During the course of time, educators appear to have restricted their own ability to plan for and provide learning experiences that take in to consideration the physical characteristics; physical needs; patterns of growth and maturation; physiological changes; intellectual development; intellectual characteristics; learning preferences and styles; emotional development; personality development; and social development of each and every young adolescent attending school. When interesting, affordable activities are not made available, students become bored and get in to trouble during after school hours. Adolescent behaviors such as moral judgment and risk taking (or lack thereof) affect their decision to become civically involved.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: CFE0000764, ucf:46585
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000764

Democracy (9)	+ -
democracy (7)	+ -
Democratization (3)	+ -
Africa (2)	+ -
Conflict (2)	+ -

Democratic Backsliding (2)	+ -
Middle East (2)	+ -
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