Oral Session 1- 10:30-11:30AM PST
Oral Session 1- Rooms A-C
Abstract Volume and Quick Reference Guide
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ROOM A
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
10:30-10:50am
CowN: Mo-Nitrogenase's Guardian Against CO Inhibition
Presenter(s): Max Strul, Kiersten Chong, Chloe Garcia, Terrence Lee, Ruchita Kharwa, Michelle Jin
Advisor(s): Dr. Cedric Owens
Fertilizer and more specifically ammonia production is an extremely critical aspect of modern agriculture given the high demands of crop production. These high demands require a greater need for fertilizer, but this comes at a cost: a lot of energy and pollution. The industry standard Haber-Bosch procedure of ammonia production requires extreme pressures and temperatures, making it unsustainable in the long term, especially given the rising needs. Alternative methods of ammonia production include bio-synthesis. The enzyme Mo-nitrogenase from G. diazotrophicus produces ammonia with minimal waste, only requiring ATP, hydrogen, and nitrogen. In order to make this enzyme a viable alternative, it’s efficiency must be maximized, including in environments with possible inhibitory conditions. A known inhibitor of the enzyme nitrogenase is Carbon Monoxide (CO). This inhibition renders the enzyme inactive, however, another protein, known as CowN, seems to protect against the inhibition of CO. This protein-protein interaction is one that is unknown, so our lab aims to characterize the interactions between these two proteins in order to understand how to maximize the efficiency of the enzyme for its future use in the industry of ammonia production.
Mathematics
10:50-11:10am
Road Map to Zeta and Theta
Presenter(s): Natanael Alpay
Advisor(s): Dr. Ahmed Sebbar
Over the Student-Faculty Research course, we started by a review of the Fourier series, the Rieman-Lebesque lemma, analytic and geometric approaches, which needs some complementary reviews on functions theory, and integrals. For instance, different types of convergence of series of functions. We computed Gaussian integrals, different approaches have been used: Differential equations, residues theorem. We used Fourier series to derive The Poisson summation formula with application to the Gaussian functions, which leads us to the Theta function and its functional equation as a consequence of the Poisson summation formula. As results we study the numerical application of the Jacobi functional equation for a fast computation of the sum of some numerical series, and the solutions the heat equation.
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ROOM B
English
10:30-10:50am
Rhetorical Consciousness: Chomsky & Foucault on Justice versus Power
Presenter(s): Jacqueline Gilleland
Advisor(s): Dr. Jan Osborn
Lived realities are rhetorically constructed on the account that all human beings use symbol systems to perceive and communicate their “reality.” Rhetoric is fundamental to human consciousness, our symbol systems shaping and reflecting our world. Even arguments surrounding rhetorically constructed principles and ideologies are rhetorical in nature. This essay examines the relationship between symbol systems in use -language- and how lived realities are rhetorically constructed. Additionally, it examines how rhetoric takes ontological, axiological, and epistemic form, instrumental to the social construction of being, values, and knowledge. A theoretical framework based on Smith’s theory of Rhetorical Consciousness is used in this survey. The debate provides the text for analysis. The topic and questions in the debate are inherently rhetorical, Chomsky and Foucault’s discourse revealing their perceptions of self, values, and knowledge. This study reveals that “truth” is not universal or static. Furthermore, that rhetoric is a continual construction and evolution of “truth.” This paper contributes to research examining the relationship between human rhetorical consciousness and rhetorically constructed realities.
10:50-11:10am
The Dialogic Power of Campaign Signage in 2020 Election Discourse
Presenter(s): Lauren Bramlett
Advisor(s): Dr. Jan Osborn
This project examines how election signs are used in the 2020 Election Discourse. It focuses on campaign signs displayed in a Dallas, Texas neighborhood and analyzes the patterns of rhetorical interaction in the discourse. Campaign signage plays a central role in the communication of ideological power, acting as emblems of support used by both the Democratic and Republican parties. Mikhail Bakhtin’s theory of dialogism provides the methodology through which to view signage, revealing the inherent interactive nature of signs as they relate to other signs, to past discourses, to expected responses, and to widely shared conceptual horizons of viewers. Further, this study observes the significance of spatial positioning and aesthetic features as forms of rhetoric used to establish ideological power in 2020 Election Discourse. The multiple communication strategies of signage support a study of dimensionality in relation to rhetoric, emphasizing the impact of texts beyond oral/written language. Rather, power is conveyed through the contextualization and positioning of a text in time and space and viewing a text as isolated yields little meaning; language is constantly relating to what has been said and what is expected to be said. Thus, signage is dialogic; it communicates through its connection to other signs and utterances. These interactions imply that on a broader level, power in 2020 Election Discourse lies more in the ability of external information to influence understanding of a text than in the overt content of the text itself.
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ROOM C
Economics
10:30-10:50am
Measuring Culture and Understanding Cultural Change in the United States
Presenter(s): Nicole Saito
Advisor(s): Dr. Erik Kimbrough
Westward migration played a crucial role in shaping the history of the United States, producing diverse, regionally differentiated patterns of social, economic, and political activity that persist to the present. One explanation for this regional variation is the “founder effect” – the idea that the settler colonists of a particular region exercised outsized influence in shaping its culture (see Fischer 1989, Woodard 2011). According to this theory, as migrants spread across the continent, they brought distinctive cultural toolkits with them, and because they were the earliest arrivals, they established the norms and institutions to which subsequent arrivals assimilated, and perpetuated. Cultural diversity may constitute a previously obscured source of friction influencing the equilibration of labor across culturally distinct regions. Scholars, accounting primarily for economic costs and benefits, assert that expected internal migration is greater than actual migration, concluding there are resultant labor market inefficiencies from differing rates of unemployment across regions. However, the matching process underlying migration may depend on both economic and sociocultural factors, and the apparent 'inefficiencies' observed may instead reflect an equilibrium that accounts for both economic and cultural costs. This project tests whether regional cultural distance (measured by the similarity of naming practices at the county level) significantly influences internal migration above and beyond the economic factors typically studied, on the basic assumption that a migrant’s choice of destination is influenced by cultural similarity to the individual’s place of origin. Our measures of cultural similarity and migration are constructed from the complete count U.S. Census from 1850-1870 and historical Social Security records of common names in the U.S. The data are analyzed for all states within the union prior to 1820. We find evidence supporting the view that cultural distance is an important source of friction reducing internal migration in the early U.S.
Interdisciplinary
10:50-11:10am
Cognitive Diversity in Teams
Presenter(s): Coury Hawks, Tanshi Mohan
Advisor(s): Dr. Keith Hankins
Do teams characterized by cognitive diversity still outperform homogeneous teams when we account for the ways that diversity can lead to miscommunication and conflict? Our research uses formal modeling, computational simulations, and human subject experiments to explore cognitive diversity effects in teams. We based our study on Hong and Pages's "Diversity Trumps ability” study, which found that a homogenous group or a group that had similar ways of approaching a problem would be outperformed by a cognitively diverse group; or one that had different ways of thinking and approaching a problem. With Dr. Keith Hankins, we worked to extend the Hong and Page model to account for the possibility that diversity is sometimes associated with miscommunication and conflict. Dr. Hankins had previously built a computational model to explore these dynamics. We sought to translate that model into an experimental setting to analyze the problem with real human subjects. Our experiment will further integrate human behavior into Hong and Page's computational model by introducing these costs by creating consistent discrepancies between participants' heuristics; for example, we can insert artificial miscommunication by making a participant's heuristic off by some set number. In later stages, we hope that participants will conduct the search on the map themselves, in groups, instead of the program running their choice(s) of heuristics and immediately determining the group's location. We expect that introducing communication costs qualifies the support that the Hong and Page model (and other work like it) provides to diversify teams. In particular, our research highlights the importance of accounting for how teams work together. We hope that our experiments will help identify some of the miscommunication sources in groups and how some groups manage to mitigate the costs associated with it.
11:10-11:30am
On the Social Model’s Rhetorical Dissonance: Remediating the Disabled Embodiment of Non-Apparent Chronic Illnesses
Presenter(s): Taylor Hein
Advisor(s): Morgan Read-Davidson, Dr. Justine Van Meter
Historically, the social model of disability afforded the disability rights movement monumental sociopolitical and legislative progress. It was developed in response to the medical model, which reinforced the notion that disability is a bio-medical problem intrinsic to the impaired body that is broken and abnormal, in need of being cured, fixed, or corrected. Thus, the social model was revolutionary in creating a framework for understanding disability as a problem with society and not the individual, wherein people are disabled by physical and attitudinal barriers rather than by their impairment or illness. This project interrogates the ideological implications of such a conceptualization of disability which excludes the experience of disabled embodiment from the disability identity, such as the effects of chronic pain and fatigue on one’s body and mind. I argue that the social model’s dominance in scholarship and activism perpetuates an exclusionary paradigm of disability, the rhetorical effect of which marginalizes those with non-apparent chronic illnesses and their experiences of illness and impairment. Using critical disability studies, I demonstrate how the social model causes people with non-apparent chronic illnesses to question the validity of their citizenship in the disability community, refraining from claiming the identity because they do not believe themselves to be “disabled enough” or that they do not qualify as disabled if they have not experienced the specific inaccessibility and social discrimination outlined by the social model. Thus, the goal of this project is to remediate prior scholarship and activism and enter into the discourse of remedy and redress. I will set the agenda for a new integrative model of disability intended to expand our ontological perception and epistemological understanding of disability, consequently promoting greater inclusivity and diversity in the disability community.
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ROOM D
News and Documentary
10:30-10:50am
Polarization and the US News Media
Presenter(s): Jenna Perry
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Political polarization has exponentially surged in the United States within the past decade. Scholars are concerned about the negative impacts the ideological rhetoric present on the Internet. Social media alone cannot explain the polarization issue in the United States, as widespread use of the Internet began after the increase in polarization was already occurring. Thus, the degree to which the Internet and social media contributes to polarization is a debatable topic for many social scientists of the 21st century. Applications such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Tik Tok have become breeding grounds for highly politized content, including the presence of disinformation. Application algorithms carefully monitor and record social media user’s every click, like, or swipe, making it easy for companies to target voters on either side of the divide with specific content. This study will assess the degree in which social media usage contributes to a voter’s strength of party identification, including a voter’s tolerance for the opposing party. In addition, media platforms will be compared to one another in order to determine what types of platform is likely to be the most significant in polarizing voters. Data from the ANES 2020 survey will be used to study whether social media users are more likely to consider themselves a ‘strong’ Democrat or Republican and hold more extreme policy beliefs. Additionally, these results will be compared to data from the ANES 2016 survey, in order to study whether polarization has significantly progressed under the Trump administration.
Political Science
10:50-11:10am
American Disaster Preparedness
Presenter(s): Kaitlyn Kaplan
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The Chapman Survey of American Fears is utilized to study Americans’ perceived “readiness” for an oncoming disaster. There is a specific focus on the question “Do you think you are as ready for disasters as other people in your community” to analyze how demographic information correlates with this question. Existing literature and information regarding the American fear of disaster and how the American family copes with disaster is considered. It has been hypothesized Americans with children often feel more prepared for disaster because they have more involvement within their society. Research of past American disaster response and the publicized disaster relief programs available through various institutions such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency were important to review before analysis was conducted. Previous instances in which families have had to prepare for massive disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, are accounted for and compared to the experiences of those who live alone. Such research allows analysis to understand if there is a correlation between family size and disaster response and will suitably prove if families are better prepared for disasters than solitary individuals. These findings will be helpful for nonprofit institutions that seek to amplify American preparedness as there will be clarity as to how family size can impact perceived levels of preparedness.
11:10-11:30am
Measuring If Fear of Climate Change Promotes Increased Emergency Preparedness
Presenter(s): Alya Hijazi
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The objective of this research paper is to discover if fear of climate change contributes to emergency preparedness by using data from the Chapman University Survey on American Fears. It gauges how well Americans respond to the factors that contribute to climate change, if at all, by using variables and categories from the methodology report. This paper addresses the importance of climate change, while noting its emergence and popularity in recent history and politics. Past literature addressed concerns about climate change from specific demographic groups such as age, education, and political party affiliation, and it also looked at climate change denial as a base factor. Previous contributions to the field have studied demographic groups’ responses to emergencies presented by climate change-related factors, but none have linked the rising threat of climate change to emergency preparedness as a whole. The paper finds that fear of climate change does not necessarily correlate to emergency preparedness. A conclusion that can be drawn is that there are varying levels of concern about climate change, but people believe they are as prepared as others they know for emergencies whether they are afraid of climate change or not. This project can persuade others to prepare for climate change-related emergencies, and it provides useful information for those in the scientific, political, and nonprofit fields.
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ROOM E
Political Science
10:30-10:50am
Examining the Preferences and Attitudes Towards the Federal Budget
Presenter(s): Davinder Ghotra
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
This research examined the relationship between the United States Federal budget and its citizens. It will determine the attitudes toward government spending, including the preferences and in relation to how citizens will vote in current and later elections. The federal budget is something that affects all of us, and it is noteworthy how voters will vote based on the things in the budget vital to them. They’re also concerns that will be addressed concerning the budget deficits that are increasing every day. The main reasons that would include the high rise of deficits in the United States are excessive misuse printing of dollars, not spending within our means and poor economic policies that have led to widespread misuse of the budget by politicians. Within the years of increasing, there has been a distrust of the United States government over this issue, and the public opinion upon voters shows that there is real concern over the future of this country and what the government spends on. The data set used for this research is the ANES Pilot 2016 at Chapman University. Key variables we will be looking at are with the national deficit, government spending and preferences, and the priorities of the government in the economy towards minorities. Upon analyzing the results, citizens of the United States want increased spending of government in the federal budget and want the government to do more for society, especially minorities.
10:50-11:10am
For Many Americans, "To Protect and Serve" Is Nothing More Than a Motto
Presenter(s): Devin Lopez
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Amidst recent national debate over the role of force in police departments throughout the United States, as well as the growing Black Lives Matter movement, many Americans have voiced their fears of becoming the victim of police brutality. This report, utilizing the Chapman Survey on American Fears, will assess the relationships that the individual traits of race, income, and news consumption habits have over an individual's level of fear of being the victim of police brutality. Testing for race, it is expected that Blacks hold a higher fear of police brutality, a sentiment that is supported in the Critical Race Theory which takes into account the historical oppression that the Black community has faced and the impact that it leaves in modern society. With regards to income, the literature around Conflict Theory suggests that police departments exist to protect property rights and prevent low-income earners from impeding on the rights of the upper class. It was found that those with a high income level are very likely to have no fear of police brutality. A similar crosstab illustrates this correlation, with fear levels of police brutality decreasing as individuals’ income increases. Lastly, the social construction of reality theory asserts that we as a society create our own versions of reality based upon who and what we socialize with. In this case, it is expected that those who consume news through social media regularly are more likely to have a higher level of fear than those that consume print and cable news due to the “viral” nature of social media. Interestingly, Fox News and Talk Radio are the only forms of news in which those who never tune in are more likely to have a higher fear of police brutality.
11:10am-11:30am
Public Trust in Science
Presenter(s): Maggie Swett
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The goal of my research paper is to explore public trust and perception of science in the United States and how it has become more polarized over the years. Science plays a major role in society and has many functions. This paper will explain why people choose to either trust the science presented to them or distrust science. I will examine why different groups in America perceive science in different ways and how this affects people's views on topics such as climate change, pandemics, and vaccines, and what the source of this polarization is. The answer to these questions will be found in people's political ideology, religious preference, race, and geographical demographic. The data for this research was obtained from the American National Election Studies 2020 Codebook.
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ROOM F
Political Science
10:30-10:50am
Terrorism in the United States: Social Factors that Influence Fear
Presenter(s): Ryan Trask
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
This research paper will examine how the United States and its citizens respond and feel with regards to terrorist attacks using the Chapman Survey of American Fears, a nationally representative survey of the United States. The central questions that will be examined are how afraid the United States population is of a terrorist attack and how afraid they are of Islamic Extremists and Jihadists threatening their national security. The media focuses on violence and fear since it draws the greatest audience. Because this is the case, does an uncensored media heighten fear and influence the policies of national security? This research paper will also examine the fear of terrorism in regional areas of the United States. Do individuals living in the Northeastern region of the United States fear terrorism, Islamic Extremists, and Jihadists more because of the past traumatic attack of 9/11 on the World Trade Center in New York? Age will also be examined to provide evidence of whether an older population fears terrorism more due to their past experiences. It is crucial that the American government understands the probability of the United States being a terrorist hot spot and understand its citizens level of fear on terrorism and who they fear will carry out these attacks. Creating proficient counterterrorist policies will require bipartisan cooperation. This paper will also examine how political affiliation influences fear of terrorism. This research and findings are crucial to society because if there is a better understanding on how the media affects fear of terrorism, the levels of fear in different United States regions, and how an individual’s age correlates with fear of terrorism, a concrete bipartisan counterterrorist policy can be made to lessen fear and increase safety in the United States.
10:50-11:10am
An Analysis on How the Economy Impacts Voter Choice
Presenter(s): Isabella Morrow
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Recognizing the reasoning behind voter choice can help predict election results, and consequently, have a long-lasting effect on the country. The phenomena of public perception of the national economy appears to hold a significant influence over the public’s decision at the polls. An important question that must be considered is, can the state of the economy really change the way the public turns out to vote? Thus, my area of concern is how voter choice is impacted by public perceptions of the national economy. In addition, this paper will analyze if voter choice is impacted differently during midterm elections and the general election. These questions will be answered by utilizing the 2020 and 2018 American National Election Study data in SPSS. Key dependent variables include voter choice in the midterm and general elections, while independent variables include public perception of the national economy and the current perception of voters’ financial situations. Among interesting findings, the economy plays a pivotal role in presidential elections, but not as significant of a role in congressional elections. This paper’s findings suggest economic voting to be very influential during presidential elections with no incumbent running for reelection. In addition, the relationship between economic self-interests and political attitudes are significant, especially when voters are experiencing unemployment or a worsening financial situation. Understanding voter choice is extremely significant because of its effect on the political landscape of the country. Voter choice encompasses America’s democratic values and gives the public a sense of influence over the country’s government. Further, these findings are significant in determining why people vote, but only represent a small part of our understanding of voter choice.
11:10-11:30am
Do Polarizing Views on Abortion Determine Election Outcomes? The Effects and Impacts of Single-Issue Voting Behavior
Presenter(s): Katlyn Barbaccia
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Though the right to have an abortion is protected under the Constitution and has been since the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling, it continues to be a popular topic for debate today with various interpretations of the law creating extremely divided positions on the issue. For those who identify as pro-choice, its legalization was an important step forward for women’s liberation; however, recent backlash against these gains by pro-lifers has caused regressive ideals about women’s autonomy to resurface. The research’s objective is to assess whether strong feelings about abortion rights affect voting behavior. Single-issue voters make voting choices based on whether a specific candidate aligns with their perspective on particular issues. The research intends to prove that these individuals will advocate for candidates who are committed to policies that advance their personal objectives. Utilizing data from the American National Election Studies 2020 Questionnaire, the research seeks to compare people’s degree of investment in abortion rights to their voting behavior. The impact of single-issue voters on election outcomes is also discussed. Overall findings suggest that individuals who consider abortion as a very important issue are also inclined to exhibit extreme opinions regarding laws designed to regulate abortion rights. Correspondingly, the data indicates that individuals who do vote have much stronger opinions about abortion rights than those who do not vote. This implies that single-issue voters play a part in dictating public opinion as they further divide parties by encouraging them to support exclusively oppositional views. These findings contribute to how people understand single-issue voting behavior and also determine whether a woman’s right to have an abortion is an issue that is polarizing enough to have this effect.
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ROOM G
Political Science
10:30-10:50am
Hot or Not: Fluctuating Beliefs on Anthropogenic Climate Change
Presenter(s): Audrey Hattori
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
In past years, the pervasive issue of climate change has left staggering effects on the environment--from fires to droughts to flooding to blinding heat--and the American public. Concurrently, political polarization has been exacerbated by the election of President Trump in 2016. The amalgamation of the two has resulted in climate change to become a controversial and politicized issue at the forefront of the nation. But, that does not mean that every citizen is equally concerned about the matter. The issue seems to be split among party lines with left-leaning voters more concerned with anthropogenic climate change. According to the self-categorization theory, once a person places themself in a category, a political party in this case, they exhibit beliefs and behaviors that reaffirm their label as a member of the aforementioned group, resulting in partisans to internalize the opinion of their respective party. This paper will utilize the ANES pre-2016 survey to determine the specific demographics--party identification, age, and parental status--that influence public perception on climate change. Then, using this data, the paper will delve into whether this hot-button issue pushes respondents to vote for greener candidates--specifically, in the 2016 presidential election. One interesting finding from this research suggests that the respondents' age actually has a greater influence on their stance on climate change than party identification, which is surprising due to the rampant political polarization that has been developing in the past decade. With the growing need for action on the pressing and existential threat of climate change, this research will identify what influences voter’s beliefs and patterns--as the only way to achieve change in a democracy is through the public’s vote. With this, climate change could potentially have a greater presence on the national and local level.
10:50-11:10am
Infidelity Fears & Party Preference: Predicting the Impact of Infidelity Scandals in Politics
Presenter(s): Marina Logue
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Though researchers often look at variables that influence the likelihood of a person’s inclination towards infidelity, an area of research less frequently examined is that of the fear of infidelity even though perception and reality are not one and the same. For many voters, a candidate’s relationship history is a deciding factor in whether to consider that person as sufficiently trustworthy to hold office and act in the best interests of constituents. Utilizing data from Chapman University’s Survey of American Fears, I examine the impact that three variables have on a person’s degree of fear that a partner will be unfaithful in a romantic relationship, distinguishing the actual act of cheating from a person’s fear that the act will occur. These same variables—income, gender, and age—may also point to general unfounded jealousy, suspicion, and distrust and have previously been seen to indicate party preference, suggesting a potential correlation between party preference and the fear of infidelity. My prediction is that income and age will have a negative correlation with infidelity fears and that women will fear adultery from their partners more than men. As this looks at fearing infidelity rather than the actual presence of it in relationships, my conclusions can help determine what types of voters will be more affected by these types of scandals in politics from the entire population rather than looking at only those that have experience with or been exposed to infidelity. My initial supposition — based on my hypothesis regarding the effects of certain variables on infidelity fears — is that the opinions of Democrats rather than Republicans will be more negatively affected by adultery seen in American politics. The results of this paper may be used to predict the impact of infidelity scandals as well as the audience to which apologies and future campaigning should be directed after an infidelity scandal occurs.
11:10-11:30am
Immigration Views and the Fear of Immigrants in the American Public
Presenter(s): Victor Leon
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Immigration has been a hot topic of discussion and debate in the United States political world in the most recent decades. It is rare to find a person who doesn’t have their own personal view and thoughts on the issue. In this article, I analyze and study the precepted fear the United States public has on the issue of immigration and the large influx of immigrants over the past couple of decades. This article will explore three different aspects of the immigration issue: the idea of cultural assimilation and racial groups, the perceived attitudes of American citizens towards immigrants, and the comparison between legal and illegal immigration. Using data from the Methodology Report on the Survey of American Fears from 2018, this article explains and explores how American citizens view immigration in today’s world and possibly why is it an issue they fear. The reference of the United States as a “land of immigrants” is an idea that has shaped us as a nation ever since our first steps. Immigration itself has been a hot issue of debate throughout the history of our nation. I believe this issue should be studied from today's point of view in this polarizing political environment. Being a largely debated topic, certain aspects of immigration that could invoke fear in the American public have been discussed in past years. The economic aspect of immigration (Borjas, 2018) and the relationship between immigration and the welfare system (Grand, Xu, David, 2017) are a couple of facets of the immigration topic. This article in particular concentrates on the views of Americans toward immigration and whether these views are those of fear in the US public.
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ROOM H
Political Science
10:30-10:50am
The Rise and Persistence of Islamophobia
Presenter(s): Markos Buhler
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Since the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001, Islamophobia has exponentially grown as a key player in the political and social lives of residents in the United States. Muslim and Arab-Americans have been casted out to the fringes of society and are often treated as second class citizens. The popular culture in the U.S. reflects this trend of expanded Islamophobia as countless movies and television series often portray Muslims and Arabs as the antagonist, while scarcely featuring them as the protagonist. Islamophobia has not only made its’ way onto the screen but has also found sentiment in the halls of state legislators and the White House. Politicians across the United States continue to push efforts to restrict the constitutional rights of Muslims as evident with the Oklahoma “Save our State Amendment” banning Sharia Law and with President Donald Trump running his administration as an anti-Muslim administration. It is important to note that although anti-Muslim sentiment has been prevalent across all major political affiliations, in more recent years Republicans continue to have the highest levels of discomfort with Muslims in the United States. Republican uneasiness ranges from the amount of extra screening in airports all the way to Mosques being built in communities. This paper will first discuss the rise of Islamophobia in the United States after the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001. I will discuss how Islamophobia was not created from 9/11 but was heightened due to it. Secondly, I will look into how Islamophobia has manifested itself into pop culture and more detrimentally into politics in the United States. Much care will be taken to look into the effects of how using Islamophobia as a political weapon attempts to turn countless numbers of Muslim and Arab residents in the United states into second class citizens.
10:50-11:10am
Fear of Crime V. Fear of Police Brutality
Presenter(s): Lily Mallick
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Versions of vulnerability theory along with media trends have been used in an attempt to explain police brutality and its causes. Vulnerability theory has proven that there is an inherent fear of both crime and police brutality in almost all human beings. Studies have also proven that there is a direct correlation between social media consumption and the fear of crime. This paper will conduct a cross national analysis on the relationship between fear of crime and fear of police brutality. Data will mostly be obtained from the National Fears Survey, along with pieces from the American National Election studies and other scholarly works. When looking at fear of crime, the person's preferred media outlet ( Fox / CNN ) will be focused on, in an attempt to see how the media sways their opinions. When conducting frequencies and cross-tabs, I will be looking to see which groups of people fear violent and financial crime, which groups fear police brutality and which groups fear both. I expect to see a large disconnect between these fears in certain demographics. This paper will take a deeper look at fear of police brutality, and see whether it is inherent like fear of crime, or specific to certain demographics.
11:10-11:30am
American Fears Regarding COVID-19 and the Effect on the 2020 Presidential Election
Presenter(s): Sophia Salstrom
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
There is uncertainty and fear concerning the upcoming presidential election this November 2020. One of those fears is COVID-19, and how it will affect the outcome of the presidential election. This research will examine how American worries over COVID-19 predict individual support in favor or against mail-in-voting. The data for this research was primarily obtained from the American National Election Studies (ANES) survey as well as the Methodology Report: American Fears Survey. The sample size for the American National Election Studies Survey is not finalized. The Methodology Report: American Fears Survey is 1,190. Other factors that will be included in this research are the respondent’s party identification, candidate support, fear of ballot fraud, and fear of low partisan turnout due to mail-in-voting. Also, the effect Generation-Z voters will have on the election due to growing social media influence will be analyzed and included. This research began in August of 2020 and will end in December of 2020. Hypothetically, if someone is concerned about COVID-19, they are more likely to be in favor of the usage on a large-scale mail-in-voting for the 2020 presidential election than someone who is not concerned about COVID-19.
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ROOM J
History
10:30-10:50am
Jose Carlos Mariategui & His Vision For Peruvian Socialism
Presenter(s): Carla Frias
Advisor(s): Mateo Jarquin
Karl Marx's political ideals have long prevailed over time. Many political leaders and scholars from across the globe have placed faith on the German’s economic and political philosophy, and his vision to create a better and more just world. Jose Carlos Mariátegui was one of his great supporters; As a Peruvian intellectual from the elite class, Mariátegui believed that the conditions of Peru and South America had been negatively affected after its colonization period in 1533. In response, he published a book in 1928 called Seven Interpretive Essays of the Peruvian Reality where he re-purposed the application of Marxism as a viable path that could help remediate the colonial trauma that Peru was still holding on to. Marategui believed that the “problem of the Indian’ began when colonizers from the West replaced the Incan Empire with a capitalistic market that did not coincide with the agricultural indigenous culture. In this research paper, we will analyze why Jose Carlos Mariátegui urged to reconsider Marxism as a viable political theory that can help remediate the broken political and cultural system that Peru, and many other developing countries, are now living in. In this research paper, will de-tangle Mariategui's proposal for a socialist movement that was based on the idea of unity between the white, mestizo, indigenous and immigrant - so that together, they can intervene the force of history for a fair life. His book not only wanted to critique the capitalistic problem, but persuade a socialist solution by re-evaluating Peru’s economics history.
Political Science
10:50-11:10am
Fear of the Badge
Presenter(s): Jessica Cardenas
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Police brutality has been a popular topic over the past few years due to the rise of social media, news outlets, and socio-political issues. According to the 2018 American Fears Survey, approximately 26.6 percent of Americans said they are “afraid” or “very afraid” of being a victim of police brutality. The American Fears Survey provides in-depth, quantitative data on people and their fear of police brutality as well as their party identification and what media outlets they follow. Media sources such as FOX news, CNN, and social media have a strong influence over their audiences’ opinions and are able to illicit or suppress fear. Those who are more devoted to hearing the news everyday are more likely to be afraid of being a victim of police brutality. In addition, these media sources have particular target audiences and it is found that those who lean on the Democratic side of politics, are more likely to be afraid than Republicans. It is seen that party identification has the largest influence concerning fear of police brutality over media sources, race, income, and region. Members of a party promulgate confirmation bias by frequenting certain media outlets which influence their fear of being a victim of police brutality. Due to this media influence, the fear of police brutality has led to a greater split in society as party lines grow stronger, officers and civilians are being placed in more dangerous positions, and the next generation will have a negative impression of law enforcement.
11:10-11:30am
Political Party Identification and the Fear of Climate Change
Presenter(s): Isabella Marcus
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
This paper will conduct an analysis of the correlation between political party affiliation and its effect on the fear of climate change. Based on the Chapman University Survey of American Fears, global warming and climate change is listed among the top ten fears average Americans had in 2018. For decades, climate change has been a contentious issue in the United States and globally. Republicans and Democrats seem to have consistently been in disagreement regarding the issue and the policy surrounding it. Looking at the two main political parties, Democrats and Republicans, this study will be able to draw conclusions regarding their viewpoints. It will determine how political party affiliation and the two differing viewpoints affect the common fear that Americans have of climate change. This paper will conduct an analysis between political party identification, and additional factors including sources of media, gender, age, and income, religion, and education to determine how those factors coincide with public opinion of climate change. Multivariate regression results find that the political party affiliated with liberal points of view, Democrats, will correlate with a greater fear of climate change. On the contrary, individuals who side with the conservative point of view, Republicans, will have a lesser fear of climate change. The correlation between the additional variables and their impact on party identification as well as fear of climate change will be further elucidated in the duration of this paper.