Matthias Vogel – Page 2 – Undergraduate Research Symposium Abstracts

Drones Implanted into Combat, and Their Effects on Countries that Manufacture, Use, and Distribute Them 

Presenter(s): Ramon Hernandez

Co Presenter(s): Elliana Pastrano, Thomas Hesser

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthias Vogel

Poster 184

Global Engagement ARC

For over decades, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been in combat and dominating the remote fighting tactics that militaries around the world use. Despite being effective and reliable, the question that will be analyzed under this research is the morality behind remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs) in combat, public’s consensus on them, and the deadly effects drones have on countries and the targets they are being used on.

Within this research, different UAVs around the world will be examined and compared to Germany, which has recently joined countries like U.S., U.K., and Israel who currently use UAVs. From this approach, the research will take the angle of a country’s beginning stages of implementing combat drones. In this context, the research will analyze the countries that manufacture the equipment, the countries that use them and the legal hurdles they may have gone through, and the countries that participate in distributing the drones/ drone parts, though not in combat.
In part of doing this research, a clear hypothesis to the topic will be presented which will assist in future scholarly analysis of the subject moving forward as more countries begin to adopt UAVs as well help give a better understanding of how they will look like for the countries, its people, and the ethics of RPVs combat strategy.

月子中心, “Maternity Hotels” for Chinese Mothers in the United States as a Form of Immigration

Presenter(s): Lauren Garcia

Co Presenter(s): Jaidan McLean

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthias Vogel & Alina Chen

Poster 183

Session: Global Engagement ARC

In this presentation, we will be exploring the topic of birth tourism, specifically regarding mothers from China. Birth tourism is where pregnant women come to the United States for the purpose of giving birth on U.S. soil so that their child will be granted U.S. citizenship. The 14th Amendment allows birth tourism to act as a “constitutional loophole” for immigration. Many people have voiced mixed feelings and concerns about this, primarily after the discovery of a major “maternity hotel” in Southern California. This has sparked much debate on whether or not the phenomenon should to be restricted or if it is simply another form of immigration Chinese mothers use to give their children a brighter future as citizenship in the United States opens up countless opportunities. We will discuss reasons why Chinese mothers leave their country and we will explore why Chinese mothers deem the U.S. to hold some of the “best opportunities” for their children. In the current political climate, immigration is a much- discussed topic and our exploration of this form of immigration aims to bring increased awareness around birth tourism which is often disputed as “unworthy” out of ignorance and often hidden from public view.

Chinese New Year Traditions and their Importance Today

Presenter(s): Renee Baker

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthias Vogel

Poster 182

Session: Global Engagement ARC

Unlike many countries around the world, China celebrates the new year based on the lunar cycle. (Chinese New Year usually falls in late-January to early-February.) This project will explore the origin of the Chinese Zodiac signs or shi er sheng xiao “(十二生肖),” and raise awareness on other Chinese cultural traditions people of importance still today. As we discuss each animal and their significance, we will also draw parallels to how they relate and tie into current Chinese culture. Our project will trace how legends and mythology have transitioned into fixed cultural traditions. We want to explore the origin of elements like lucky red envelopes (红包), the cleaning of homes to banish evil spirits, Chinese cuisine and other rituals that are said to bring good fortune to the participants. The goal is to investigate where Chinese New Year’s traditions originated from and how they still play into Chinese culture as well as the Chinese economy.

How does legislation of foot traffic in Machu Picchu affect the economic livelihood of indigenous groups in Peru?

Presenter(s): Emma Ziari—International Studies, Political Science

Co-Presenter(s): Edwin Guerrero, Eloise Navarro

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthias Vogel

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

How does the legislation of foot traffic in Machu Picchu affect the economic livelihood of indigenous groups in Peru? In January of 2020, Peru deported five tourists accused of damaging a temple in Machu Picchu, the famous ancient Incan ruins in the Andes . Our presentation discusses how tourism in Machu Picchu has disaffected indigenous culture, indigenous people, and the environment in the Peruvian Andes . We examine societal and economic pressures and argue that each has been magnified by tourism as our analyses of policy changes, environmental degradation in Machu Picchu, and indigenous narratives show . We contend that while tourism in Machu Picchu seems to have clear economic benefits, the societal and environmental costs have been steadily increasing . Culturally, tourism has led to the desecration of indigenous burial sites . Environmentally, because the number of tourists has been increasing, the erosion of the site has continued to increase . Our research of this issue wants to contribute to a better understanding of the effects of global tourism . This information will be useful in identifying key global issues in tourism and contribute to informed decision-making processes for the implementation of a more environmentally and culturally-conscious tourism industry .

Yakuza in Japan: Why are they still there?

Presenter(s): Caitlyn Yost—International Studies

Co-Presenter(s): Calvin Parker-Durost

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthias Vogel

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

For generations, Japan has been trying to control and contain their mafia organizations known as the yakuza . The yakuza groups have, since the Tokugawa era in the early 1800s, been an issue and to this day they continue to defy the Japanese government which has never been able to fully rid the country of these organizations . In our research, we examine why the Japanese government has such a hard time trying to deal with yakuza and why the yakuza have a big impact on Japanese society . For our research, we will be using sources such as historical documents, police reports, articles/newspapers, and first-hand accounts on dealing with yakuza . Taking a look at such sources has led us to finding out that the Japanese government is starting to crack down on yakuza more since 2011 with the support of the United States government though the yakuza still continue to hold roots in Japanese businesses and citizens still go to yakuza to deal with issues rather than deal with the Japanese legal process . We hope to bring awareness to this topic and teach people how the yakuza organizations have changed and adapted over the years, how they are currently being handled in Japan, and how they could be dealt with in the future .

Preserving the Authenticity of Chinese New Year in Process of Modernization Through Generational Perspectives

Presenter(s): Evelyn Woo—Psychology, International Studies

Co-Presenter(s): Tina Chan

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthias Vogel

Session 5: It’s a Small World After All

This project explores generational gaps in celebrating Chinese New Year, which is arguably the most important holiday in China . Also known as the Spring Festival, traditional rituals include the family reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, putting up lucky red decorations, handing out red envelopes to children, and setting off firecrackers . In the last decade, many new forms of commemorating Chinese New Year have developed among young people, such as sending virtual red envelopes for online money transfers via WeChat, a popular messaging app, and watching the extravagant Chinese New Year Gala on screens rather than participating in small festivities with family . These technology-driven changes are of particular concern to some elders who think that the younger generation is turning away from traditional family values and customs . The purpose of this project is to examine attitudes toward the Spring Festival and question whether it is losing its authenticity . We debate in how far this transition is indicative of a larger restructuring of Chinese society and contrast different generational perspectives by analyzing Western and Chinese news outlets, social media blog posts, and websites . We expect to find that with China’s rapid urbanization, cultural traditions are not lost but simply changed, which some may see as growth, while others interpret it as a disappearing act . Our project has strong social significance, as it points out schisms in Chinese society and issues China faces in its process of modernization .

Human Trafficking in Haiti

Presenter(s): Sydnee Warren—Exploring

Co-Presenter(s): Sara Harvey

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthias Vogel

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

The State Department of the United States of America has in 2019 raised concerns about human and sex trafficking taking place in the Dominican Republic and in Haiti . Our research project examines the many factors contributing to human trafficking in the nation of Haiti, where thousands are affected by human trafficking every year . As a developing country, Haiti struggles to overcome this problem . We seek to expose the main developments and causes for the Haitian sex and labor trafficking market by reviewing and compiling government data, reports issued by international non-governmental organizations, and individual case studies over the past decade . We will show that the Haitian government has not taken sufficient action to hold traffickers accountable or to eradicate the “Restavek” system, a system that has delivered one quarter of Haitian children into domestic servitude and harsh labor . We contend that Haiti continues to be in a human rights struggle of devastating consequences for individual lives . Our project aims to bring to widespread public attention the violations of basic human rights in developing and often ignored countries like Haiti and we hope to shine a spotlight onto human trafficking in Haiti in an effort to try and gain support for the movement to overcome human trafficking .

Global Perspectives on Wide Scale Outbreaks

Presenter(s): Kira Veselka—Business Administration, International Studies, German

Co-Presenter(s): Meama Scott

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthias Vogel

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

With many modern viruses and bacteria becoming increasingly more deadly, how countries react to disease outbreaks becomes more crucial than ever . With the recent Coronavirus epidemic beginning in Wuhan, China, spreading across the globe, we are able to watch first-hand how modern industrialized societies react to massive viral outbreaks . In this research project, we examine how countries such as China, the United States of America, Germany, and Sweden react to a massive viral outbreak and how what they do to protect their citizens from these deadly diseases interacts with existing narratives of prejudice against certain countries or segments of their population . Examining and evaluating public news media in China, Germany, Sweden and the USA we find that large-scale outbreaks can affect the public’s perspective on the perceived ‘Other’ and push narratives of fear promoting confusion and misunderstanding . A country can take a number of precautions from only warning the public and suggesting enhanced hygiene practices to quarantining large segments of its population in an effort to prevent a more significant outbreak . Which measures are taken affects public opinion and could save or stifle the efforts to contain diseases . Our research ultimately promotes ongoing efforts of overcoming narratives of prejudice and fear which and contributes to progress in the prevention of disease .

Vices in the Middle East: Censorship and Substance Control Laws in Dubai

Presenter(s): Gabriel Tsui—Journalism

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthias Vogel

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

Gambling, alcohol, and pornography are restricted in a variety of ways across the Middle East . The predominant religion within the region—Islam—forbids anything that can be considered “shameful, indecent, evil, rebellious, and oppressive” according to the Quran and, given Islam’s influence over the Middle Eastern sphere, has heavily influenced state laws governing activities seen as unethical . However, the growth of the tourism industry, particularly in countries like the United Arab Emirates, has contributed to greater tolerance of these culturally taboo activities . This project will show that tourism can be considered a significant factor contributing to the relaxation of laws governing censorship and the control of regulated substances through the examination of international news media such Al Jazeera, AP, Reuters, and reports and statistics on tourism in Dubai, as well as the United Arab Emirates’ most recent penal code to trace the most recent trends and establish a link between the tourism industry and drinking laws . Additionally, I will also conduct interviews with Arab exchange students at the University of Oregon to trace shifting public opinion on the issue . Ultimately, my research may help predict if the trend of liberalization and relaxation of laws could indicate a future of greater social freedom for the people of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates .

The Extent, Contributing Factors and Responses to Depression and Suicidal Ideation in Modern South Korea

Presenter(s): James Taylor—Linguistics

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthias Vogel

Session 5: It’s a Small World After All

The Republic of Korea (Korea) has seen a high rate of economic development in the post-WWII era and is currently the country with the 11th highest GDP worldwide (International Monetary Fund) .At the same time, Korea is beset by a mental health crisis more severe than similar countries in the world . Korea has the highest rate of suicide both in the South-East Asian region and in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), at 26 .6 people per capita as of 2018 (compared to the regional average of 10 .8 people per capita in 2015 and the OEDC average of 11 .4 in 2017) .2-5 Other mental health problems, including depression, alcohol dependence and mood disorders, correlate to suicidal ideation; as a result, the prevalence of these disorders exacerbate the core issue of suicidal ideation . This literary review evaluates the extent of these mental health issues in Korea, identifies correlatory factors relating to mental health, and presents current policies and approaches addressing mental health in part or in whole . In addition, it focuses on the population in general but also through four specific lenses: students, full-time employees, the elderly, and celebrities . The significance of this research mainly focuses on improving the quality of life for people in South Korea by identifying factors associated with mental health and proposing solutions that reduce the frequency and severity of mental health disorders .

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