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The Impact of the Criminal Justice System on the Civic Engagement and Political Participation of Young Adults
No full textIn the U.S. many individuals have some level of contact with the criminal justice system, and for many this serves as their only direct experience with the democratic state. It can shape how they perceive the U.S. democratic government and how they see themselves as members of the state. In some cases, it is likely that the criminal justice system leads to silencing and alienation. In this paper I examine one possible example of this: the impact of the criminal justice system on levels of civic and political engagement. Civic engagement and political participation are seen as pillars of democracy by providing avenues for the people to voice their interests and values to the government. Levels of civic and political activity can be a useful measure of the health of democracy. I examine whether negative experiences with the criminal justice system lead to decreased levels of civic and political activity. I begin with a theoretical analysis, then employ a survey to study undergraduate students at a small liberal arts college and then conduct three interviews to gain a more in-depth understanding of experiences and perspectives. My findings suggest that there is a strong link between perceptions of the criminal justice system and both levels of civic and political engagement and views of legitimacy. They also suggest the need for further research on the relationship between the criminal justice system and levels of civic and political engagement
Intercropping as a Form of Integrated Pest Management: How Crop Diversification Alters Arthropod Community Compositions and Effects Mustard Green Damage
No full textThis study aimed to assess the impacts of intercropping on insect pests and natural enemies in mustard greens (Brassica juncea). It was hypothesized that increasing crop diversity by row-intercropping would lead to a decrease in pest diversity and abundance due to increases in natural enemy diversity and abundances, and ultimately reduce crop damage to mustard greens.. Mustard greens were grown in monoculture and intercropped with marigolds (Tagetes patula), or cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) to assess intercropping as an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy in the Campus Learning Garden at the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio. Each treatment was replicated twice. Target pests included leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), and aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae), while target natural enemies were syrphid flies (Diptera: Syrphidae), braconid and ichneumonid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Ichneumonidae), ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae), and arachnids (Arachnida). Pests and natural enemies were sampled using pitfalls, sweep nets, and sticky traps. Crop damage to the mustard greens was assessed based on visible leaf damage (0 = less than 25% of the plant damaged to 3 = more than 75% of the plant damaged). Using analysis of variance (ANOVA), it was found that increasing crop diversity, regardless of intercrop species, increased pest diversity, increased aphid abundance, and decreased leafhopper abundance. Additionally, using analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that treatment had no significant effect on mustard green crop damage. Based on descriptive statistics, changes in crop diversity also influenced the diversity and relative abundance of natural enemies. These findings suggest that intercropping mustard greens with marigolds or cilantro can suppress certain pest species, such as leafhoppers, though this effect does not appear to be the result of increased natural enemy diversity or abundance. Finally, intercropping mustard greens with marigolds or cilantro had no significant effect on reducing mustard green crop damage
A Decade of Disparities: Comparing Barriers to Healthcare Access for LGB People from 2013 to 2023
No full textThe purpose of this study is to assess barriers in healthcare access faced by sexual minorities utilizing data from the 2023 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and comparing the results to similar research by Dahlhamer et al., a group of researchers that utilized the 2013 NHIS. Recreating Dahlhamer et al.’s methodology to enable comparison, a multinomial logistic regression model was conducted along with a two-tailed significance test, and descriptive statistics were collected. The results revealed that sexual minorities face significant barriers to healthcare access in 2023, especially cost-related barriers. Cost-related barriers to healthcare worsened from 2013 to 2023, but non-cost-related barriers slightly improved. Bisexual individuals face the highest prevalence of barriers to care compared to Gay/Lesbian and Straight individuals in 2013 and 2023. This study highlights the need for continued attention to healthcare equity in the United States
Simulating Cyber-Attacks: A Practical Exploration of Vulnerabilities and Defenses in Web Security
No full textThis Independent Study examines cybersecurity vulnerabilities within corporate environments, focusing on how attackers exploit weaknesses in digital infrastructures and how strategic improvements can mitigate these risks. Through an analysis of significant cyber-attacks on major corporations, this study delves into both the technical aspects of these breaches and the social engineering techniques that often play a critical role in bypassing security measures. The project aims to replicate a controlled version of these vulnerabilities through the development of a mock website using Django, Python, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. This site is structured to hold \u27dummy\u27 sensitive information, creating an environment in which various cyberattacks, such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS) and weak password protocols, can be simulated to analyze common entry points for malicious actors.
A two-part approach is taken to demonstrate the contrasting effects of minimal versus comprehensive security. Initially, the mock site operates with insufficient security, allowing for the simulation of successful attacks to highlight typical vulnerabilities. In the second phase, robust security measures are implemented, including input validation, secure authentication protocols, and encryption, showcasing the enhanced resilience that these measures provide against attacks. This dual-phase demonstration aims to underscore the critical nature of each security element in safeguarding corporate assets.
By synthesizing lessons from real-world case studies and applying them in a practical, hands-on environment, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of cybersecurity’s evolving challenges and the proactive measures required to counteract them. It emphasizes the importance of a multilayered,strategic approach to corporate cybersecurity, advocating for continual improvement and vigilance as foundational principles for securing sensitive digital assets
Love Is an Action : Reclaiming U.S. Education Through Critical Pedagogies
No full textThis project is an intellectual history of critical pedagogies, beginning with the work of foundational theories from 18th century thinkers and tracking their threads through the modern day. I address the concept of equitable and meaningful education by engaging with the historical work of theorists, applying them to my own conceptualization of educational theory and practice through an autoethnography section and Justice Dialogue. The project aims to demonstrate that critical pedagogy will move education in a direction toward creating engaged students that are prepared for life in a democratic system, and that all people in society have a role to play in educational reform. Through critique and synthesis of differing theories, I provide a roadmap of ideas to recenter the focus of education to be about passion and affirmation rather than subversion and competition
A Girl\u27s Girl: Media Analysis of Intersectionality in the Barbie Movie
No full textThis research analyzes the significance of Barbie (2023) through a sociological lens,
examining how feminism and intersectionality play a key role in identifying the film’s
overarching themes of gender, race, and identity. This qualitative study utilizes a focus group,
with specific gender identities as mostly non-binary participants, to provide insight on these
themes of gender binary, racial representation, and self-discovery as well as challenge them. This
study is grounded in feminist and sociological theories: Patricia Hill Collins’ Black Feminist
Thought through the lens of media representation and W.E.B. Du Bois’ double consciousness
from a gendered perspective as both of these frameworks assist in understanding gender and
racial societal norms. This research discusses the significance of properly representing various
marginalized groups within the film although it has marketed itself as a feminist movie. This
study is an addition to the growing discourse of representation within media as it highlights
marginalized voices to shed light on how the Barbie movie can be the start in which mainstream
media can become more diverse
How Should We Respond to Life’s Senselessness?: Absurdity, Stoicism, and Playfulness
No full textThis project explores multiple responses to the question of life’s apparent ultimate senselessness, which is essentially the notion that there are not reasons, from the human perspective, for many of the events of our lives. The first chapter, “Camusian Response to Life’s Senselessness,” focuses on Albert Camus’ The Myth of Sisyphus, which delves into the absurd nature of life. Camus provides revolt and persistence in response to life’s senselessness. The second chapter, “Stoicism as a Response to Life’s Senselessness,” focuses on Seneca’s stoic response, providing the virtue of temperance as a means of confronting life’s absurdity. These first two chapters mainly use the lens of tragedy to understand absurdity. The third and final chapter, “Gracious Playfulness as a Response to Life’s Senselessness,” focuses on finding a different avenue with which to explore life’s senselessness that engages with the humorous side of absurdity rather than only responding to tragedy
Zoonotic Persistence and Evolution of the Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from Human to White-Tailed Deer and Other Vertebrates
No full textMaximizing Engagement: The Impact of Combined Framing Strategies on Men and Women’s Response to Climate Change
No full textThis independent study aimed to examine the role of gender and framing in shaping attitudes toward environmental issues. Existing literature suggests that men and women respond to framing effects differently, with men prioritizing economic values and women tending to respond better to the ethical values of a frame. Through the body of research that I consulted, I explored the reasons behind these differences and considered whether it was possible to create a single framing strategy that could engage all gender identities. Through this exploration, I hypothesized that the combination of ethical and economic framing strategies would be more effective in increasing engagement and emotional responses toward climate change among both men and women compared to using a single frame alone. I was able to test the hypothesis by employing an experimental research design that involved surveying students, faculty, and staff at The College of Wooster. Participants were exposed to a fictional environmental story about a man named Tony who lived in a coastal community and were randomly assigned to one of the four framing conditions: an “economic frame,” an “ethical frame,” a “control frame,” and a “combined frame” that included both ethical and economic information. The findings revealed that concern for climate change varied across gender identities, with women and non-binary individuals expressing higher levels of concern than men. Notably, the ethical and combined frames were found to have the most significant impact on participants\u27 concern, while the economic frame alone did not produce any significant impact on concern