Political Science

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    Is Motherhood Bad for Business? An Investigation into the Benefits and Drawbacks of Family Leave Policies on Women and Businesses
    (2024) DiTommaso, Jilian; McGovern, Stephen J., 1959-
    Since women have entered the workforce, they have been paid less than their male counterparts. In the latter half of the 20th century, the gender wage gap improved substantially, from women earning 65 percent of men’s earnings in 1982, to women earning 80 percent of men’s earnings in 2002. However, in the last 20 years, the wage gap has only improved by two percentage points, with women earning 82 percent of men’s earnings as of 2022. Women today are certainly better off than they were in 1982, however, women continue to struggle to be treated, and paid, equally to their male counterparts. My thesis questions why the wage gap has persisted despite many laws in place to combat unequal pay on the basis of sex. One explanation for why equal pay laws have had minimal effects on the wage gap is because many women often choose to leave the workforce entirely once they become mothers. The impact of this choice on female earnings is referred to as the “motherhood penalty.” Paid family leave policies have been relatively effective in alleviating the burden of the motherhood penalty. However, very few Americans are covered by a robust paid family leave. My thesis explores the portion of the wage gap that is attributable to the lack of policies in place to alleviate the burden of choosing between work and childcare responsibilities that often falls on women. Current family leave policies in effect, including the national Family and Medical Leave Act, are not sufficient enough to keep mothers attached to the workforce once they have children. This paper explores the effectiveness of paid family leave (PFL) policies in remedying the portion of the wage gap attributable to the motherhood penalty. Because the U.S. does not have a national PFL policy, I am examining this issue through New Jersey's state policy. 13 states currently have PFL laws in place, making a mandatory PFL scarce across the U.S. Some scholars believe that the greatest opposition to PFL is from negative opinions within the business community. My thesis investigates if it is true that negative employer attitudes towards PFL stand in the way of state PFL policy implementation.Q45.
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    Inside the Far Right: An Analysis of Accelerationist Terrorism in the United States
    (2024) Cohen, Cecilia; Mendelsohn, Barak, 1971-
    Why do some American far-right extremist groups choose accelerationist strategies while others choose more traditional strategies of terrorism? Accelerationism is the speeding up of certain elements in a system to destroy that system. In this thesis, I explain that accelerationism is a strategy and not an ideology and that accelerationism is more indirect than traditional methods of terrorism. By examining the accelerationist group Atomwaffen Division and the traditional group the Proud Boys, I find that a low level of urgency and a low level of capability explain why American far-right terrorist groups choose accelerationism over traditional strategies of terrorism.
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    Advocating for Equity in Athletics: The Fight for Title IX Compliance
    (2024) Hutchinson, Kelcey; Oberfield, Zachary W.
    This advocacy analysis aims to address the problem of athletic departments’ noncompliance with Title IX. It is intended to advise student-athletes on how they can mobilize and advocate for change in their own schools’ compliance. Title IX is a federal law passed in 1972 that requires schools to provide equal opportunities, proportional scholarships, and equal treatment as a whole to men’s and women’s athletes, regardless of a team’s success or revenue. A school is noncompliant with Title IX if it disadvantages student-athletes on the basis of gender in any of the three categories of the law (Bonnette 2021). A staggering 92.7% of universities and colleges are currently out of compliance with Title IX. This equates to female athletes missing out on more than $1.1 billion in athletics scholarships annually and 225,568 opportunities to participate in collegiate sports (“Schools Are Increasing the Gaps” 2023). Noncompliance with this law is a serious problem that needs to be addressed in order to ensure equity and fairness for all athletes across the high school and college levels. Advocating for Title IX is vitally important because noncompliance with the law causes gender inequities that often impact female athletes and female sports opportunities. In most cases, Title IX noncompliance predominately affects female athletes, leaving them to miss out on funding, opportunities, and treatment received by male athletes. Educating athletes on Title IX regulations can help close the gap within these disparities and empower athletes to advocate for change within their own athletic departments. It has been 52 years since Title IX was passed, and the need to fight for equity and fair treatment is stronger than ever. I will analyze three possible solutions that student-athletes can consider when advocating for Title IX compliance at their own schools. The first solution is student-athletes should file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) to force investigations into schools that are out of compliance with Title IX. The OCR is responsible for enforcing laws requiring nondiscrimination by institutions receiving federal money. The agency can enforce Title IX regulations by launching investigations into schools that are not complying with the law. The second solution is student-athletes advocating for the hiring of more women in leadership and coaching positions within their athletic departments. There is currently a lack of females in coaching and athletic leadership positions, especially compared to when Title IX was passed. The third solution is student-athletes pushing for education on Title IX requirements, which has the potential to lead to student-led lawsuits against institutions that are out of compliance. The three solutions will be analyzed based on the following criteria: feasibility, length of time to implement, and effectiveness. Ultimately, I recommend that athletes educate themselves on Title IX and their rights under the law. Knowledge is power when it comes to advocating for changing Title IX compliance. I also recommend that athletes voice their concerns to their athletic departments. If athletes want to see progress, it all starts with using their voice and addressing inequities directly. Athletes should talk to every person that can about inequities they see or experience at their 7 schools and should exhaust all their options before turning to more drastic solutions such as filing an OCR complaint or Title IX lawsuit. Both of these solutions have their pros and cons, so it is important that athletes weigh their options in how they want to go about advocating. For female athletes, I recommend advocating for the hiring of more women coaches and leaders within their athletic departments. Female representation plays a vital role in advocating for gender equity in sports. Lastly, I recommend that athletes understand that they have the power to advocate for changing Title IX compliance. All athletes deserve to be treated equitably.
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    Democratizing Transit Planning: The Role of Democratic Planning in Overcoming Obstacles to Equitable Transit Policy
    (2024) Graves, Will; McGovern, Stephen J., 1959-
    Americans rely on transportation in almost every aspect of their daily lives, whether it be working, shopping, visiting friends, attending church or going to the doctor. Yet, for more than a century, many have struggled to overcome the effects of inequitable transportation policy. There is great concern among scholars and policymakers that some Americans lack the basic necessity of transportation. However, local transportation policies often create inequities instead of improving them. This thesis investigates how to overcome obstacles to equitable transportation policy. Significant attention in transit equity is focused on determining guidelines for achieving equitable transit outcomes, yet there is less attention on how equity best-practices succeed within the politics of public transit planning. While the Biden administration has taken important steps to remedy inequitable transit policy, the efforts of local government officials to realize and act upon these efforts indicates the most important aspect for overcoming obstacles and establishing equitable public transit. Thus, I decided to focus specifically on the role of democracy within the planning process. I performed a comparative case study of recent transit policy in Gwinnett County, one of Atlanta’s core metropolitan counties, and the second most populous county in the State of Georgia. As metropolitan areas experience increasing inversion, my research sheds light on the importance of local politics in shaping local transit policy. My case analysis suggests that a focus on democratic planning can yield equitable policy. Further, government officials play the most important role in advancing a democratic planning process. Despite limitations, my research reveals the extent to which the election of local politicians can impact the desired transit outcomes of the public, and the integral role of local elections for advancing transit equity. I provide important insights into who wields power in the public transit planning process, and how to advance equitable public transit through the complex political landscape of American metropolitan areas.