Tag: Political Science

Demographic Differences between Mothers with and without Substance Use Disorders

Presenter(s): Avery Turner—Psychology, Political Science

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

The present study investigates the demographic differences between mothers with Substance Use Disorders (SUD) (n=67) and mothers without (n=84) . The data was collected as part of a larger study that found significant differences in brain reward activation between the two groups when looking at happy and sad faces of their own and unknown infants . Age of the mother, ethnicity, mother’s education level, employment, annual family income, and marital status were collected from each participant in both groups via a self-report questionnaire . The two groups were compared on each of these measures using an independent samples t-test . The differences between the non-substance abusing and substance abusing groups on all of these variables, except for age, was statistically significant . This finding indicates that brain activation results need to be adjusted for these
factors, in order to determine differences solely related to drug use . Further, it may imply that these demographic variables are themselves risk factors for the development of SUDs . More research must be done with demographically similar control mothers in order to conclude that differences between the two groups are the result of SUD status and not confounded by significant demographic differences .

The 2008 Economic Crash and the Breakdown in Venezuelan Democracy

Presenter(s): Garret Simmer—Political Science

Co-Presenter(s): Jon Laus

Faculty Mentor(s): Matthias Vogel

Session 5: It’s a Small World After All

This project highlights the economic policies adopted by the Venezuelan government during and after the 2008 financial crisis and its impacts on the stability of democracy in Venezuela . To gain an understanding of the experience of the populace, we trace news reporting on the crisis in Venezuelan daily publications which we contextualize with reporting from an international perspective and academic publications on economic data and social policy . Our study will illuminate how Venezuelan democracy eroded through the breakdown of institutions following economic collapse . This project’s aims are to identify some of the root causes for the Venezuelan economic crisis and the sustained disparity experienced by the Venezuelan people . We are going to show the connection between economic and political issues and their impact on political efficacy in a democracy . Our results show: as Venezuela’s economy experienced greater economic stress, the government was able to take more drastic action threatening its democracy . Political shifts are often the result of economic fluctuations on the national and international scale . When considering relevant concepts such as globalization, media’s influence, and regional issues, it becomes clear that Venezuela’s backslide into authoritarianism was inextricably linked not only to the national economy but the global economy .

Meeting Needs and Reclaiming Communal Autonomy: Post-Conflict Community Organizing in Rural Colombia

Presenter(s): Sarah Pishioneri—Political Science

Session 4: Cultural Considerations—The Other

This presentation details community organizing practices that work to rebuild a social framework devastated by armed conflict in Caño Berruguita, a rural village in the Montes de Maria region of northwestern Colombia . Through an exploratory analysis of this particular community’s post- conflict experience and by looking more broadly at the rural reform efforts by governmental bodies and nongovernmental organizations, this presentation highlights local organizing efforts as the primary means of Colombian communities to reclaim their communal dignity and assert their territorial autonomy . The findings of this work are primarily sourced from a 10-day field study in Caño Berruguita, and secondarily from varying peace and conflict contexts provided in a 4-week intensive study program in Cartagena, Colombia . Results show that while structural organizations, projects, partnerships, and goals of informal and formal community groups not only rebuild, but embolden rural communities, community leaders themselves face significant risk by engaging in this work .

Characterizing the Conformational Fluctuations of DNA Under Physiological and Salt-Stabilized Conditions

Presenter(s): Maya Pande—Biochemistry, Political Science

Co-Presenter(s): Anabel Chang

Faculty Mentor(s): Andrew Marcus

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

The Marcus Group conducts studies on the dynamics of macromolecules in biological environments . In our experiments, we used a variety of techniques to analyze the structure of DNA with the overall goal of better understanding the conformations it can take . Our studies were focused in two areas: (1) understanding the mechanisms of DNA breathing, and (2) conducting experiments on the stabilizing and destabilizing properties of salt solutions on DNA . Techniques included circular and linear dichroism, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) . Determining the structure of DNA is crucial to understanding biochemical and molecular events essential for gene expression and DNA replication . For these processes to occur, various proteins must access ssDNA coding templates which are otherwise inaccessible due to complementary base pairing in dsDNA . Proteins rely on thermal fluctuations in the DNA double-stranded region at physiological temperatures known as DNA ‘breathing’ . Studies are ongoing, but thus far have led us to a better understanding of the energetic favorability of various conformations of DNA .

Enhancing Education through Improved Communication: Case Study of Senegal

Presenter(s): Dylan Land—International Studies, Political Science

Faculty Mentor(s): Dennis Galvan

Session 1: Global Views—We vs. Them

Education is understood as a cornerstone of any development endeavor . Improved education has empirically proven to ameliorate health outcomes, bolster social and economic mobility, amplify civic participation and lay the foundation for other positive societal developments . The education system in Senegal has continued to improve through various initiatives, sponsored by the national government and the donor community . Despite the success of various reform programs, there is still much to be done in order for Senegal to meet desired benchmarks established by national, regional and global education expectations . At the core of Senegal’s educational shortcomings lies ineffective communication . There is a lack of consistent empirical data about the achievements of education initiatives . There are holes in reporting and monitoring mechanisms, and the complexity of results-based frameworks often produces inefficiency within the system, all of which, I contend, could be solved through improved communication . Grounded in expansive literature review and analysis of primary source documents, this paper will explore possible avenues for enhancing education in Senegal . Through the formation of robust communication channels, coherent systems of accountability, and transparent mechanisms for administrating, reporting and monitoring, educational deficiencies could be remedied . However, considering the significant absence of reliable and consistent data, further research is required to determine the exact measures that must be taken by relevant stakeholders . Understanding the possibilities of improving the Senegalese education system may teach us important lessons about how to further enhance education internationally and prepare students in all nations for meaningful participation in the modern world .

Attacker Behavior Modeling and Learning in Security Using Deep Neural Networks

Presenter(s): Alyssa Huque—Mathematics & Computer Science, Political Science

Faculty Mentor(s): Thanh Nguyen

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

A common dilemma many security agencies face is how to effectively allocate limited resources to protect assets . This predicament is known as the Stackelberg Security Games . In order to optimize defense tactics, security agencies need to be able to anticipate adversarial behavior . Currently, there are computer modeling techniques that simulate the Stackelberg Security Games . However, these implementations are not completely optimized for human adversaries . The quantal response model (QR) operates under the assumption that humans act with perfect rationality, a flawed assumption that was improved upon in the SUQR model . The SUQR integrated a subjective utility function (SU) that could take learned parameters, but only from limited data (Nguyen, et . al 2013) . Deep neural networks have the potential to improve further than the SUQR by providing a better prediction of the attacker’s behavior . Deep neural networks can allow for a more robust set of input features that would be able to account for more nuances of human behavior . A model that could accurately predict adversarial actions has the potential to improve resource allocation and enhance the security of valuable assets .

The Role of Women in a Migrant Farmer-Worker Lifestyle

Presenter(s): Kylie Harchut—Political Science

Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation

Women that live a migrant farm-worker lifestyle are expected to have numerous responsibilities . Moreover, in this culture, women get held to higher expectations and duties than men . The woman on the poster is supposed to symbolize a mother that lives this type of life . On the outside, the woman looks put together, picking grapes . However, deep down, the woman is struggling with having to carry the weight of having a physically strenuous job and keeping her house in order . On the side of the woman, there are cleaning and cooking supplies . The supplies symbolize that even when a woman is out in the fields working, she still is expected to continue to work when she comes home through cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the family . In the United States, eight percent of farmworkers are men under thirty-one . However, twenty percent of women that work in the fields contain the same responsibility as men . But with this job, women also have the responsibility to maintain the well-being of their families .

Rajneeshpuram and Media Outcomes

Presenter(s): Alexander Har—Journalism and Political Science

Faculty Mentor(s): Dean Mundy

Session 3: Pens & Clicks are Mightier than a Sword…

Rajneeshpuram was a commune in central Oregon that was supported by the followers of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, an Indian guru practicing experimental therapy and a quasi-religion . The commune quickly came into conflict with the nearby retirement town, Antelope, and later the greater Oregon community of Wasco County, state courts, federal courts, and opposition organizations . The Rajneesh movement dominated the news, and the constant updates and statements put out by the Rajneesh press office, newspapers, and spokespersons meant the Rajneesh were covered constantly in the news . There is evidence that suggests that the commune acted purposefully to attract news for strategic gains . My central research question is: how did Rajneeshpuram use strategic communication to garner free publicity and what was the role of sensationalism in attracting free news coverage?

Using UO’s Special Collections Rajneesh Archive, I plan to analyze news stories in the form of newspaper clippings, magazines, notes from reporters covering Rajneeshpuram, Rajneesh ephemera, manuals, brochures, and any current Rajneeshee literature . I plan to look specifically for new stories that were sensationalist in coverage by analyzing headlines, bylines, leads of articles, and the language surrounding the commune . I also plan to analyze new stories that were made sensationalist by the members of the Rajneesh movement through sensationalist tactics by analyzing the language and content used by the Rajneesh channels . I expect to conclude that the commune Rajneeshpuram wanted as much coverage as possible and learn more about the tactics used at Rajneeshpuram to gain free publicity .

Biomagnification and Bioaccumulation of Pollutants and How They Disproportionately Impact the People of “Cancer Alley”

Presenter(s): Abigail Gyetvai—Environmental Studies, Political Science

Faculty Mentor(s): Peter Walker

Session 4: Preserving Mother Earth

This honors thesis examines the environmental, sociopolitical, and socio-economical aspects of Cancer Alley, Louisiana, United States of America . Cancer Alley is a name dubbed to an eighty- five-mile-long corridor in Louisiana that is dotted with petrochemical plants that continuously
poison its residents . The people living in this area are primarily lower-income, people of color who disproportionately face the full force of environmental ills that the petrochemical factories bring . The case of Cancer Alley is layered and delves into not only environmental issues—such as pollution and how various chemicals can move throughout the body, but it also deals with human rights issues and how the disempowered and disenfranchised residents in the area are being exploited due to their powerlessness . Various chemical pollutants have been emitted into the Cancer Alley air, land, and water, contributing to the worsening conditions of the area . The primary findings from this research have been that the more marginalized the group living within Cancer Alley, the more likely they are to be at risk for cancer and various other diseases . This honors thesis concludes with the application of my proposed solutions to alleviating environmental justice legislative issues surrounding Cancer Alley .

From 1960 to Now: Beginning a Pen Pal Program Between Oregon and Russia

Presenter(s): Zack Demars—Journalism, Political Science

Faculty Mentor(s): Peter Laufer

Session 3: Pens & Clicks are Mightier than the Sword

As the capstone of nearly a year of reporting by myself and 13 peers, I wrote two chapters of a forthcoming journalistic book on the ground in Rostov-on-Don and Moscow, Russia . In the majority of the book, my colleagues and I posed questions about human political and social nature as they related to an abortive pen pal project attempted between Roseburg, Oregon and then-Soviet Russia in 1960 . In the final two chapters I authored, I sought to answer those questions by posing a new potential pen pal relationship to fourth-grade students and teachers . The youngsters offered a simple answer: that kids will be kids, in search of new friends . On a broader level, however, the teachers of today and students of the past tell us that, in the words of a sculpture found in a park on the Moskva River, children are the victims of adult vices . What we are left with is a narrative that traverses continents, transcends languages, and collapses decades . It leaves us to ask what the real differences are between seemingly disparate societies in terms of politics, propaganda and human relationships .