2016 Conference

Panel 1A: International Organizations

1st Floor West Lounge
Chair: Christian Jorgensen, DePaul University
Discussant: Christian Jorgensen, DePaul University

• Alexandru Hirsu, Hamilton College

  The Impact of the European Union on Corruption in Romania

• Jaime Kent, Illinois State University

  Geopolitical Implications of the Melting Arctic Ice Cap: Are States Doomed to Conflict or Convinced to Cooperate?

• Nothizile Ncube, Wartburg College

  The Impact of European Union Membership on the Levels of Economic Development

Panel 1B: Group Identity

Spotlight Room
Chair: Frank Cassata, Illinois State University
Discussants: Steven Oaks, Monmouth College, Christopher Brennan, Governors State University

• Sydney Alcaraz, Illinois State University

  Partisanship and Partner Preference: The Question of Ethnicity

• Nick Canfield, Illinois State University

  Talking Over the Wall: A Contact Theory Analysis of Mexicans' Opinions of The U.S.A.

• Caleb Griffin, Illinois State University

  Helping Strangers: How Language Acquisition Makes Individuals More Willing to Help Outgroup Members

• Chelsea Legay, St. John's University

  The Ambiguous Political Identity of Gypsies in the United States

Panel 1C: Social Justice

3rd Floor East Lounge
Chair: Fahmida Zaman, Illinois State University
Discussant: Fahmida Zaman, Illinois State University

• Tanner Willhelm, Monmouth College

  The Leading Causes of the Ongoing Phenomenon of Police Corruption

• Ken-Terika Zellner, Northwestern University

  Deconstruction on Trial: Jury Nullification as Derridean Justice

Panel 2A: Political Theory

1st Floor West Lounge
Chair: George Stanton, Illinois State University
Discussants: Cameron Dieter, Beloit College, George Stanton, Illinois State University

• Christopher Brennan, Governors State University

  Toward Alienation or Integration: The Impact of the Western Weltanschauung on the Modern Middle East

• Riley Budke, Beloit College

  Creativity and Justice: The Arts in Plato's Republic and Laws

• Ryan Hazuka, Beloit College

  Hierarchical Structure Within John Locke's Theory of Property

Panel 2B: Poverty and Political Development

Spotlight Room
Chair: Kirk Richardson, Illinois State University
Discussants: Dayna Schickedanz, Illinois State University, Kirk Richardson, Illinois State University

• Patricia Huete, Illinois State University

  Social Capital in Low-Income Communities: Can It Reduce Poverty?

• Andrew Kuka, Illinois State University

  Community Land Trusts: A Help or Hindrance to Community Development in the United States

• Jessica Linder, Illinois State University

  Pro-Poor Tourism: Poverty Alleviation Techniques of the 21st Century

• Adreina Patilliet, Beloit College

  Food Insecurity - An Analysis of Amartya Sen's Entitlement Approach

Panel 2C: Political Behavior

3rd Floor East Lounge
Chair: Sydney Alcaraz, Illinois State University
Discussant: Sydney Alcaraz, Illinois State University

• Michael Hill, Jason Kokkat, and Eric Hansen, Illinois State University

  Sincerity Trumps Strategy: Explaining the Youth Vote in the 2016 Presidential Primary

• Hannah Mathes, Illinois State University

  In the Shadow of Citizens United: Economic Interests & Direct Democracy

• Kyle Davis, Western Illinois University

  The Future Generation: An Examination of College Students Political Activity

Luncheon 11:55 to 12:30pm
Circus Room

(for participants)

Keynote Speaker (12:30-1:15)
Circus Room

(open to the public)

Debra Leiter, University of Missouri, Kansas City
Let's Give Them Something to Talk About: Political Communication and Vote in East and West Germany

Panel 3A: American Political Thought

1st Floor West Lounge
Chair: Izak Harvey-Wolff, Beloit College
Discussants: Jake Dragonetti, Beloit College, Izak Harvey-Wolff, Beloit College

• Cameron Diete, Beloit College

  "A Loathsome Plague Called Reaction": Fear in Prescriptive Conservative Thought

• Jonathan Harsh, Beloit College

  Faith Versus Politics: Arguing for the Moderate Separation Between Church and State

• Stafford Perry, Beloit College

  Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Who Was More Successful?

• Collin Reid, Beloit College

  Populist Divisions: Sources of Popularity and Legitimacy

Panel 3B: Human Rights

Spotlight Room
Chair: Ken-Terika Zellner, Northwestern University
Discussants: Chelsea Legay, St. John's University, Connor Somgynari, University of Mississippi

• Frank Cassata, Illinois State University

  Roma Class Struggle: Domestic Vs. International Law

• Christian Jorgensen, DePaul University

  Immigration Detention in the United States: Violations of International and Human Rights Law

• Allison Maybee, Wartburg College

  Human Trafficking in Nations: An Empirical Approach to Examining Causal Factors

• Steven Oaks, Monmouth College

  The Inhumane Response: Europe's Failure of the Syrian Refugees

Panel 3C: International Relations Theory

3rd Floor East Lounge
Chair: Adam Johnson, Monmouth College
Discussant: Adam Johnson, Monmouth College

• Brian Johnson, Western Illinois University

  Realism and Constructivism in the Middle East

• Trevor Kenahan, Beloit College

  The Paradox of War and Politics

Panel 4A: Political Institutions

1st Floor West Lounge
Chair: Collin Reid, Beloit College
Discussants: Nick Canfield, Illinois State University, Collin Reid, Beloit College

• Jake Dragonetti, Beloit College

  Speech Protection and Protection from Speech: Forming Constitutional College Codes Regarding Hateful Expression

• Izak Harvey-Wolff, Beloit College

  Hateful Speech and the Marketplace of Ideas:
An Alternative Rationale for Speech Codes on College Campuses

• Robyn Parkinson, Westminster College

  Senators and Supreme Court Nominations: Why Some Senators Deviate

• Jacob Tomlinson, Western Illinois University

  Is Congress Still Regionally Divided?: An Analysis of Trubowitz's Model

Panel 4B: International Relations Conflict

Spotlight Room
Chair: Jaime Kent, Illinois State University
Discussants: Kenneth Kilman, Illinois State University, Ryan Mackie, Illinois State University

• Michael Ernst, Monmouth College

  Drone Warfare: A Cost Benefit Analysis of the United States' Use of Unmanned Aerial Assault Vehicles

• Adam Johnson, Monmouth College

  A Lesson of Proxies: Case Studies of Hezbollah and Boko Haram

• Kirk Richardson, Illinois State University

  Fomenting Rebellion: A Rare Events Analysis of How Access to Power Affects Ethnopolitical Violence

• Connor Somgynari, University of Mississippi

  Their Brothers' Keepers? : Ethnicity, Rebel Diplomacy, and State Support for Insurgency

Panel 4C: State Development and State Failure

3rd Floor East Lounge
Chair: Caleb Griffin, Illinois State University
Discussant: Caleb Griffin, Illinois State University

• Abdirizak Diis, Western Illinois University

  How Corruption Undermined the Effectiveness of Somali Federal Government

• AFahmida Zaman, Illinois State University

  State Formation in Bangladesh: An Ongoing Project?