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Student Research

Student Research List

  • Aaron Jukes, Senior

    A Visual Study of Misinformation As a Threat to Human Security

    Department: Political Science
    Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michaelene Cox

    Introduction: The rise of misinformation in the past decade have caused major concerns in popular discourse over the security of democratic elections but has led individuals in a different route.

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  • Aminat Kolawole, Junior

    Individual Human Insecurity: Violence and Drugs in Culiacun, Mexico

    Department: Political Science
    Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michaelene Cox

    Introduction: What is the effect of Culiacan drug cartels on personal human security of Mexican citizens?

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  • Cole Blackman, Senior

    How Do Recent Technological Advances Effect Our Environmental Security, and What Advances Have Been Made In Recent Years to Combat These Risks to Our Environmental Security?

    Department: Political Science
    Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michaelene Cox

    Introduction: With photography, we can get a closer look at the technological and industrial growth we have compiled on a global level. From first glance, this is something to be proud of; growth is good. But with these advances, we have not always taken into account the effect that the operation of these systems have on ecosystems and natural resources. This compilation of photos from online sources will show the effect of these technological advances on our environmental security. Studies show that many people learn better from seeing a visual representation of events. Thus, this projects intention is to open the eyes of people to the real life risks we are facing to our environmental security, and what we can do to help

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  • Cristina Catezone, Junior

    The Many Forms of Economic Insecurity in Mumbai, India

    Department: Political Science
    Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michaelene Cox

    Introduction: What strategies are lacking in Mumbai, India that could protect individuals from economic insecurity? •Human Security: a protection for people to not live a life in poverty, violence, climate change, and sudden economic/financial setbacks to provide a better life for themselves (UN Trust Fund for Human Security). •Economic Insecurity: the amount of income necessary to cover basic expenses without relying on the government. Helping people to maintain a living to provide a quality of life now as well as in the future (Turrillo 2018). • Mumbai has a total population of 20,411,274 in which 9 million people live in poverty (World Population Review).

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  • German Mendoza, Senior

    What Threats to Human Security do Domestic Military Forces Faces in Central Illinois? A Visualization of Military Security

    Department: Political Science
    Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michaelene Cox

    Introduction: The importance of studying the human security threats that domestic military forces often face is constantly increasing, especially as tensions within countries become unstable. Soldiers are trained to face a magnitude of different threats. The Human Security Paradigm attempts to reframe international security discussions around the individual as the most important level of analysis while attempting to lessen the role of national security as the key emphasis in the crafting of policy decisions. This includes the protection of individuals and groups from threats including hunger, disease, crime, and violence.

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  • Jackson Theil, Junior

    Human Insecurity For the Uighur Muslims in China

    Department: Political Science
    Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michaelene Cox

    Introduction: • Human Security has a very vague and broad definition because it helps the UN respond to a broad range of issues (UN Security Council, 2016) • The goal of human security is to work on a local level to find and identify problems and fix them in the best way possible • Human security is a people centered initiative. There are seven types of insecurities economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community, political. This photo essay will focus on the political insecurity of the Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang region of China (UN Security Council, 2016) • My research question was, what are the human insecurities the Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang province of China experience?

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  • Jacky Luu, Senior

    Security of Freedom For the People of Hong Kong

    Department: Political Science
    Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michaelene Cox

    Introduction: Human security means safety from chronic threats such as hunger, disease, and repression. It also means protection from a sudden and hurtful disruption in daily life. (Paris 2001) • The Chinese government avoids the term “human security”. The phrase is never used in public speeches, talks, documents, or the Chinese news media. (Breslin 2015)

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  • Josh R. Kimbro, Senior

    The Crisis and Controversiality of Overfishing in Micronesia Through the Lens of Environmental/Human Security

    Department: Political Science
    Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michaelene Cox

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  • Olivia Bachtold, Senior

    Spatial Analysis of Mediterranean Migrant Routes to Europe

    Department: Political Science
    Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michaelene Cox

    Introduction: How has the flow of Mediterranean migrant routes fluctuated before, during and after the European migrant crisis? Since the migrant crisis peak in 2015, there has been a universal spotlight on the abundant migrant activity through the Mediterranean. A visual analysis of migrant route patterns within the Western, Central and Eastern Mediterranean Sea regions will allow one to see how the flow of migrants has fluctuated overtime due to policy changes in Europe. For my spring semester honors contract, I chose to focus my research on the spatial understanding of migrant data through a cartographic lens

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  • Romeo McKnight, Senior

    A Dangerous Threat to Human Security Climate Change: Malawi

    Department: Political Science
    Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michaelene Cox

    Introduction: Will environmental human security in underdeveloped countries be progressively threatened as the climate changes? Malaria, is of greatest public health concerns and is known as a vector-borne disease most sensitive to long-term climate change. Underdeveloped countries such as Malawi are severely affected by these changes.

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