Independent Studies
2023-2024
Abdulaziz Aboalkhoyour, “Effects of Drug Policy on the Environment in Columbia.”
Christian Vanhoek, “U.S. Foreign Policy in Haiti.”
Gabby Lyon, “K-12 Special Education Policy in the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
Jason Harsha, “Climate Change Strategies in the Middle East.”
Jordy Santana, “Messaging in a Crisis: How Mythic Frames Shape American Perceptions of Foreign Conflicts.”
2022-2023
Mary-Elise Alworth wrote a senior thesis titled “Gender and Political Candidacy in Southern Virginia.”
Maya Jenkins wrote a senior thesis titled “Abolition, Survival, and Black Women College Students in Virginia.”
Joey Zeldin wrote a senior thesis titled “Hollywood, Heinz Field, and the Hill” Analyzing Celebrities & Amateurs in Congressional Elections.”
Claire Jackson wrote a senior thesis titled “Common Ground, Catholicism and Care in the Abortion Debate.”
Sarah Miller wrote a senior thesis titled “A Comparative Analysis of Vienna and The United States’ Efforts in Gender Mainstreaming Transportation.”
2021-2022
Sisi Barahona completed a URES with Professor Martinez. Sisi helped collect information on human rights abuses in Honduras and completed a literature review examining why impunity continues in Honduras.
Sally Burkley is coauthor [with Professor Farnsworth, Kate Seltzer, a 2021 UMW political science and communication graduate, and others] of a conference paper: “Winning (and Losing) on Late Night: Political Humor and the 2020 Presidential Campaign.” The paper was presented at the online meeting of the American Political Science Association Preconference in Political Communication.
Sally Burkley is coauthor [with Prof. Farnsworth] of a Washington Post opinion column entitled: “Virginia School Boards Can Dismiss the Loud Voices.”
Cassie Atkinson is coauthor [with Prof. Farnsworth and Prof. Hanna in Geography] of an opinion column, “The Democratic Electoral Decline of 2021,” published in Virginia Capitol Connections.
2020-2021
Austin Chapple and Alexia Inge completed URES projects with Professor Cooperman on women state legislators in the Virginia General Assembly.
Mary-Elise Alworth and Maya Jenkins completed URES projects with Professor Cooperman on women Speakers in state legislatures.
2019-2020
Rachel McVicker completed an Independent Study titled “Allied Contributions to Post-9/11 Wars,” with Professor Jason Davidson
Harrison Vaughan generated figures for Prof. Elizabeth Freund Larus, Politics and Society in Contemporary China, 2nd ed.
Kyle Lehmann assisted with research, writing, and editing for Professor Elizabeth Freund Larus, Politics and Society in Contemporary China, 2nd ed.
Aeriana Mann assisted with Professor Ranjit Singh’s project on private landowner attitudes towards land conservation in Stafford County, VA
Zareen Emdad completed an Independent Study titled “India-China interactions in trade, investment and economic cooperation,” with Professor Surupa Gupta
2017-2018
Emily Rothstein received an Undergraduate Research Grant for fieldwork in Nepal in February-March 2018. Emily Rothstein is working on an independent study on the leftist influences on the 2015 constitution in Nepal.
Mariam Ansari wrote an independent study on the factors explaining the lack of democratic consolidation in Pakistan.
Noah Gardner did an independent study project this semester on “Socialism in US Politics.”
2016-2017
John Karellas completed an individual study titled “Investor-State Dispute Settlement: the political challenges to constructing global rules.”
Tyler J. Bugbee received undergraduate research funds from the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences for his research on the Iraqi Revolt of 1920.
Christopher Crumplar received undergraduate research funds from the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences for his thesis “Counterinsurgency in the Malayan Emergency, 1948-1960.”
Zachary Truex completed an individual study titled “The United States and the Two-State Solution: Analysis for a Best Policy.”
Christine Turanchik completed an individual study titled “Readings on Cybersecurity”
Rob Wimberly completed an individual study titled “Readings on North Korea and East Asian Security.”
Joskamery Tavarez completed an individual study titled “Counterterrorism from Bush to Obama.”
Ryan Craig completed an individual study titled “Nazi Germany’s Alliances.”
Tara Waters completed an individual study titled “Understanding and Preventing Terrorist Attacks.”
Anna Pigeon completed an individual study titled “The Politics of Womens Participation in the Workforce in Jordan.”
Emma Valinksi completed an individual study titled “Honesty and Trustworthiness of Presidential Candidates in the 2016 General Election.” Emma will be presenting this research at the Political Science Student Conference at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Eric Sunderberg completed an individual study titled “Operation Dixie: Race and Unions.”
Corey Bolyard researched the role of China in former Soviet republics.
Molly Miller completed a research project on political dissent in Putin’s Russia.
Dmytro Tchaikovsky researched Portuguese counterinsurgency in Angola.
Andrew Kwalwasser completed an individual study titled “Civil Religion in post-World War II Japan.”
Rachel Jones and Aidan O’Dell researched Republican women in the 115th Congress with Professor Cooperman.
John Karellas completed two research projects with Professor Gupta titled “Trade, Investment and connectivity in South and Southeast Asia” and “Foreign Policy under Modi.”