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Vanuatu and the International Court of Justice: A Food Studies Approach to Climate Governance and Power
No full textVanuatu is a leader among small island developing states (SIDS) working to influence global climate change governance, using international diplomacy as its best defense against the climate crisis. In 2023, Vanuatu spearheaded a successful campaign for the United Nations General Assembly to request an advisory opinion (AO) from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) clarifying nations’ legal obligations related to climate change. This study uses a food studies approach to explore Vanuatu’s success in its climate governance campaign, focusing on the relationships between food sovereignty, climate justice, and power. To investigate this subject, I used an interdisciplinary literature review and ten semi-structured, qualitative interviews with subject experts in the fields of Vanuatu’s food systems or the ICJ AO campaign. By focusing on Vanuatu’s food systems, I connect complex global processes with personal experiences at the individual and community levels. I challenge dominant narratives that portray islanders as powerless against the threat of climate change and instead highlight ni-Vanuatu strength, agency, and resilience. The ICJ AO is a landmark development in global climate governance, and the case study of Vanuatu has significant consequences for climate justice at an international scale. I present a set of factors that have contributed to Vanuatu’s success in the ICJ AO campaign, including coalition-building, vulnerability, government leadership, and diplomatic independence. I also present a framework for conceptualizing a nation’s position within international climate governance movements as a function of its climate vulnerability and food sovereignty. This study has implications for how Vanuatu and other developing nations can leverage food sovereignty for greater success in international climate governance movements
THE GOOD LIFE & GROUP AGENTS
No full textIn this dissertation, I address the question of what the Good Life is for groups that are genuine well-being subjects, namely group agents consisting only of persons. This topic is both novel and timely, for there are “group turns” happening elsewhere in other areas/topics that are relevantly similar to the contemporary well-being literature, and yet there is no analogous group turn in the latter. To begin to fill this lacuna, I argue for several things. First, I indirectly argue that group agents are genuine well-being subjects. Second, I argue for irreducible group well-being. This is the view that a group agent’s well-being need not necessarily be identical to some simple function of the well-being of the group’s individual members. And finally, I argue for a perfectionist view of group agent well-being wherein what is good for group agents involves their capacity for realizing their narrative self-identity through autonomous action. I also show how my view intercedes on topics concerning other group-related phenomena
Unraveling the Intricacies Behind the Spread of Health Misinformation
No full textThe rise of social media made it easier for health misinformation to spread, creating serious challenges for society, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many explanations focused on the lack of news literacy, but this view oversimplified the issue and ignored the nuances that shaped how people engaged with health information online. This study explored the reasons behind why social media users chose to verify or share health information, going beyond the traditional focus on news literacy. This study applied the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the Uses and Gratifications (U&G) approach, and the concept of Cognitive Overload as complementary theoretical lenses to investigate factors influencing individuals’ decision-making. It examined cognition (awareness, attitudes, social norms, and perceived control), user-media interaction (socialization, entertainment, seeking information, altruism, and passing time), and affective variables (cyberchondria, fear of missing out, and fatigue) in relation to verification and sharing behaviors. The research involved an online experiment in which 455 participants in total were randomly assigned to read one of three health news articles that varied in authenticity, fully truthful, partially fabricated, or entirely false. Findings reveal that while TPB and U&G variables could partly explain why people shared health information, they were less effective in predicting verification behaviors, especially when the information was entirely true or entirely false. This result suggests that the motivations behind verifying and sharing health information were quite different. This study also highlights the complexity of verification: a great percentage of participants compared information against sources they had a personal attachment to rather than traditional expert sources, yet they even performed better in identifying certain indicators of fake news. In terms of methodology, the experimental design helped reduce social desirability bias, a common issue in survey or interview-based research on this topic. Overall, this research provides empirical and novel insights into the cognitive, emotional, operational, and sociodemographic dynamics behind the spread of health misinformation and offers guidance for designing more effective intervention strategies
SUBCLINICAL CARDIOMETABOLIC DISEASE RISK IN ADULTS WITH AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM DYSFUNCTION
No full textAutonomic dysfunction (AD) is a precursor for cardiometabolic disease development; however, identifying AD and its associated risks presents significant challenges due to multi-system dysregulation and diverse symptom presentation. We examined subclinical cardiometabolic disease risk in AD and the utility of simple autonomic symptom assessments to identify subclinical disease risk. Study 1 thematically explored potential associations linking Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) to cardiometabolic disease risk. Neuropathic and hyperadrenergic POTS phenotypes may be related to metabolic dysregulation through autonomic neuropathy, sympathetic activity, inflammation, insulin resistance, and elevated vasoactive gut hormones. Study 2 investigated subclinical cardiovascular disease risk in POTS and whether acute aerobic exercise can improve central hemodynamic load. POTS patients had similar central hemodynamic load compared to controls and a bout of aerobic exercise did not alter hemodynamic responses in POTS or controls. Study 3 examined whether changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) contribute to orthostatic intolerance (OI) symptomology in response to acute aerobic exercise in POTS. OI symptomology was higher in POTS compared to controls, but higher OI symptomology was not related to decreased CBF in POTS patients. Study 4 examined the relationship between AD symptom severity with inflammation and arterial stiffness in adults of the general population. AD symptom severity was not an independent predictor for inflammation and arterial stiffness. These studies suggest that 1) POTS patients may not be at increased subclinical cardiovascular disease risk compared to their healthy counterparts and 2) simple assessments of AD symptomology may not be a practical stand-alone screening tool for cardiometabolic disease risk in generally healthy adults. Our findings highlight the complexity of cardiometabolic risk in AD and utility of symptom-based assessment tools
MENTAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RISK IN INTERNATIONAL MIGRANT POPULATIONS
No full textInternational migrant populations, including immigrants, refugees, and international students, are a growing population worldwide that may be vulnerable to a heightened cardiovascular disease risk. Lifestyle factors, such as poor mental health and physical inactivity, may worsen cardiovascular disease risk factors that, in turn, increase cardiovascular disease risk. We sought to examine measures of cardiovascular disease risk and the lifestyle factors that may be affecting these measures in international migrant populations. In study 1, we compared hypertension prevalence between adult immigrants and non-immigrants in the United States. We found a lower hypertension prevalence in immigrants, which was mediated by their lower health insurance coverage. In study 2, we conducted a pilot study to compare pre-clinical measures of cardiovascular disease risk and mental health symptomology between young adult refugees/New Americans who did/did not meet recommended physical activity guidelines. We did not observe differences in central blood pressure; however, those who met physical activity guidelines had lower PTSD and stress symptomology. In study 3, we performed a mixed-methods study to examine the relationships between mental health, cardiometabolic health, and physical activity levels in international college students. Our main finding was that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and light physical activity did not significantly differ in dose-response relationships with mental health and cardiometabolic health, suggesting that light physical activity may be an accessible method for improving cardiometabolic health in international students. These results may inform future health care and university policies in order to reduce cardiovascular disease burden in international migrant populations
Resolvent-Based and Data-Driven Analysis of a Supersonic Rectangular Multistream Jet
No full textCoherent structures play a key role in uncovering and predicting the underlying physics of complex turbulent flows. This dissertation employs data-driven and operator-based techniques to investigate spatiotemporal correlated structures of a complex supersonic multi-stream rectangular jet. The nozzle configuration comprises three primary shear layers: (i) an upper shear layer (USL) formed by the flow on the upper single-sided expansion ramp stream and the freestream, (ii) a splitter plate shear layer (SPSL) generated by the mixing of a core Mach 1.23 stream with a bypass Mach 1 stream at the splitter plate trailing edge (SPTE) and (iii) a lower shear layer (LSL) formed downstream of the aft-deck plate as it mixes with the freestream flow. The configuration produces a dominant high-frequency resonant tone that arises from the SPSL and persists throughout the flow field. To establish a fundamental understanding of the dominant tone, the SPSL is first examined in isolation using a combination of large-eddy simulations (LES) and linear operator-based input-output analysis. Spectral proper orthogonal decomposition (SPOD) identifies the Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) mode as the most energetic coherent structure at the dominant frequency. Resolvent analysis of the time-averaged flow also shows peak gain at the dominant frequency, indicating the KH instability as the primary energy amplification mechanism. Bispectral mode decomposition (BMD) is used to investigate the nonlinear energy cascade within the turbulent shear layer. A componentwise input-output analysis, in which forcing is restricted in space and state variables, identifies the SPTE as the most receptive regions for introducing perturbations. Two-dimensional forced simulations demonstrate remarkable similarities between pressure modes obtained through dynamic mode decomposition and those predicted from linear input-output analysis. Leveraging the insights gained, the resolvent analysis is extended to the center plane of the jet flow. A wide range of frequencies and spanwise wavenumbers is examined, showing the energy amplification peaks near the dominating KH frequency for optimal and first-suboptimal modes. The optimal resolvent mode appears in the different shear layers depending on the input frequency–wavenumber pair. An intriguing shift phenomenon is observed where the optimal and suboptimal gain distributions crossover; these events are associated with switching the most receptive regions across the three shear layers. Comparison between the resolvent model and SPOD shows that sub-optimal resolvent modes better align with the leading SPOD modes, suggesting over-optimization by the linear operator in complex multi-stream jet flow. Subsequent input–output analyses with state-variable and spatial restrictions offer further insights into componentwise amplification of the jet flow response. The study is further extended to three-dimensional SPOD and resolvent analysis to account for the complete spatiotemporal dynamics of the jet. SPOD reveals a tonal two-dimensional KH mode in the SPSL, consistent with earlier findings, whereas broadband low frequencies three-dimensional structures govern USL and LSL. Tri-global resolvent analysis of the USL and LSL regions exhibits a similar trend to SPOD. The resolvent modes also reveal the self-sustaining production of streamwise vortices, which contribute to axis-switching behavior observed in rectangular jets. The insights gained from this study serve as a basis for future efforts to model and control shear layer dynamics in complex supersonic jet configurations
State Nationalism, Islamic Movements, and Islamist Parties: Exploring the Linkages
No full textThis dissertation investigates the variation in the electoral mobilization of Islamist parties in Pakistan, Tunisia, and Turkey using comparative historical analysis. These Muslim-majority countries (MMCs) have experienced free and fair elections, yet the electoral success of Islamist parties varies considerably among them. In Turkey and Tunisia, Islamist parties have mobilized successfully and won power at the national level, whereas in Pakistan, they have largely underperformed. This study argues that the root cause of these differences lies in the historical decisions made by the political elite regarding the role of Islam in fostering nationalism and state-building at the time of independence. In Pakistan, the political elite cultivated nationalism on a religious basis to build a national identity and tackle ethnic and linguistic diversity. Over time, this led to the integration of Islam into the state’s rhetoric, constitution, and legal code. In contrast, Turkey and Tunisia adopted an assertive secular model, expunging religious influence from the legal code and diminishing its visibility in the public sphere. The adoption of assertive secularism allowed Islamists in Turkey and Tunisia to tap into grievances and build broad-based religious movements, broadening their appeal beyond ultra-religious segments. Consequently, the political parties associated with these movements secured electoral victories. In Pakistan, however, the infusion of Islam into statecraft and society diminished the appeal of Islamist parties, as all political stakeholders adhered to religious rhetoric, reducing their exclusivity. Religious movements in Pakistan tend to be issue-specific and are often co-opted by other political parties and the state, further limiting the appeal of Islamist parties. Additionally, Islamist parties in Pakistan tend to champion more extreme issues and moderate less. The main contribution of this dissertation to the literature is the development of the causal mechanism through which historical choices affect the subsequent form of political Islam
Public School Districts Should Close Their “Alternative” and “Continuation” High Schools
No full textPublic school districts across the country funnel academically struggling students into alternative or continuation high schools designed to help them catch up on credits and graduate on time. However, these schools often reproduce more inequality than they alleviate. This brief summarizes findings from a two-year ethnographic case study of an alternative high school in suburban Los Angeles, California. The author finds that these schools offer limited curricula and no extracurricular opportunities, while Black, Latino, and low-income students are vastly overrepresented compared to district averages. Students transferred to alternative schools are also more likely to drop out than low-performing peers who remain at comprehensive high schools. The author recommends closing alternative schools and developing integrated credit recovery programs at comprehensive high schools instead
Cultural Differences in the Use of Augmented Reality Smart Glasses (ARSGs) Between the U.S. and South Korea: Privacy Concerns and the Technology Acceptance Model
No full textAugmented Reality Smart Glasses (ARSGs) allow users to engage in picture-taking and video recording, as well as real-time storage and sharing of pictures and videos through cloud services. Unlike smartphones, newer ARSGs resemble ordinary sunglasses, allowing for unobtrusive recording. As these devices become available on an international market, it is important to understand how different cultural attitudes towards privacy and the recording and sharing of images of bystanders could impact the acceptance and adoption of ARSGs. South Korea and the United States have vastly different culturally based perceptions of photography and recording in public. S. Korea has cultural and legal restrictions in place, while the U.S.’s values of freedom of expression and individual rights are reflected in limited restrictions. Accordingly, drawing upon the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this paper explored the impact of privacy concerns on key constructs of the TAM for U.S. and S. Korean participants. This paper examined how Americans’ (U.S. = 402) and S. Koreans’ (S. Korea = 898) perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude toward using, and behavioral intention to use ARSGs were impacted by privacy concerns. The results of this study found that S. Korean respondents had significantly greater privacy concerns about using ARSGs than U.S. respondents. However, they also had significantly more positive attitudes and greater behavioral intentions to use ARSGs. Path analyses examining ARSGs’ acceptance revealed that privacy concerns impacted attitudes towards ARSGs, but that these had a greater impact on U.S. participants than on Koreans. The results highlight the importance of considering nuanced cultural perspectives, specifically privacy concerns, in examining the development and adoption of new technologies. Raw data and scripts for this study are available to ensure reproducibility