International Studies
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Item Restricted The controversial role of Die Neue Wache Central War Memorial in German political history(East Carolina College) Keever, Jay P.; Nischan, BodoItem Open Access SANGLA BHACHHNU: IDENTIFYING AND PRIORITIZING KEY BARRIERS TO FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN NEPAL(East Carolina University, 2018-07-25) Nixon, Krista D.; Mathews, Holly F.; International Studies ProgramHuman trafficking is a multifaceted humanitarian crisis affecting millions worldwide. Though a significant number of anti-trafficking entities and organizations are at work in the country of Nepal, there is still a significant problem. This project attempts to shed light on factors preventing progress and determine the most significant barriers to ending human trafficking in the country in order to prioritize strategies for action. Research involved two field trips to Nepal where 14 in-depth interviews were conducted with representatives from United Nations agencies, the US Department of State, the Nepali government, NGOs and INGOs, civil society organizations, and a national network of anti-trafficking organizations. Findings indicate that the most significant factors inhibiting efforts to combat human trafficking in Nepal include confusion in defining trafficking, the tendency of the Nepali government to misattribute cases of trafficking as labor violations, government corruption, and the growing cross-border network. Issues of secondary influence include underlying demographic variables perpetuating vulnerability (including gender, religion, caste, economic need and lack of education), lack of interagency collaboration, and inadequate disaster relief frameworks. Recommendations for change (including ratification of the Palermo Protocol, exposing and rectifying corruption within the government, and improving mechanisms for safe migrant labor) are provided to influence the Nepali government and NGO personnel toward best practices in anti-trafficking efforts.Item Open Access A Taste of Culture : Perceptions About American Fast Food in China(East Carolina University, 2012) Tsao, Jerry C.; Avenarius, Christine; International StudiesThis exploratory study examined perceptions about American fast food among urban, Beijing residents to explore three major objectives; perceptions about taste preferences and nutrition value, the eating relationships of group harmony and sharing dishes, and the modern values of fast and convenient food in a clean environment. The 40 semi-structured interviews were completed in the summer of 2011. The informants were selected by age, gender, and occupation. Younger informants, 18 to 30 years old, were exposed to American fast food during their childhood and adolescent periods. Older informants, over 40 years old, did not come into contact with American fast food until they had already established their food consumption patterns. The findings reveal few differences between younger and older informants because all informants restrict some American fast food consumption for both taste and health reasons. American fast food is only suitable to about half of the informants' taste palatability. They all prefer Chinese cuisine when given the choice. They perceive American fast food to be unhealthy because it uses food adulterants, contains high fat content, and lacks balance between food groups. Families eating together avoid American fast food restaurants to maintain group harmony. However, younger informants enjoy American style fast food because it provides a modern environment to socialize with friends.Item Open Access Living the Good Life? : An Analysis of Ecuador's Plan Nacional Para el Buen Vivir Development Model as an Alternative to a Neoliberal Global Framework(East Carolina University, 2012) Cobey, Ryan; Popke, E. Jeffery; International StudiesIn recent years, international relations scholars have focused considerable attention on the position of Latin America within the modern global political economy. A number of Latin American countries have attempted to implement alternative development models to the prevailing neoliberal approach. One such country is the Republic of Ecuador, which has established a development plan called buen vivir. This approach is unique because it is grounded in indigenous concepts arising from the Kichwa term sumak kawsay. This thesis draws upon data collected from government documents and public interviews to examine how Ecuador's new model challenges neoliberalism in three specific areas: development, environment and culture. The results of this investigation show that in each case there are genuine moves away from neoliberalism, but that ambiguities still exist because Ecuador must still function within a neoliberal framework. Overall, Ecuador's version of post-neoliberalism can be considered a movement beyond traditional neoliberal economics, and its indigenous concepts can provide important context for analyzing alternative development trends. Understanding better how Ecuador's buen vivir functions as an alternative to the status-quo global political economy can help advance future research regarding post-neoliberal alternative development models in Latin America.Item Restricted Islam and the West : Problematizing a Discourse of Dualism(East Carolina University, 2010) Lean, Nathan Chapman; Maher, Derek F.; International Studies"Islam and the West," a dualistic phrase that gained sudden ascendancy following the events of September 11, 2001, is used variously to refer to the mutual relationship between Muslims and those living in a sometimes ill-defined region called "the West." The binary phrase in question serves to reify what are depicted as incommensurate and incompatible opposites in terms of politics, culture, religion, and otherwise. This thesis argues that the perceived division between Islam and "the West" arises within a discourse that presumes, configures, and reinforces a relationship of conflict between the two. Coming from different viewpoints, the individuals examined in this thesis end up deploying similar linguistic maneuvers that advance their own ideological beliefs, reinforce their self-identities, and represent their respective values as universal. As a result, each group views the other as threatening and necessarily oppositional. An analysis of key terms and phrases used by influential scholars, political and religious leaders, and the general public within "Western" and Muslim-majority societies will reveal the constructed nature of the division between Islam and "the West." Additionally, this thesis will examine the ways in which other discursive practices such as selective representation, reification, and the deployment of charged stereotypes influence policy makers who seek to establish global positions of power. By problematizing the language that both sides of this perceived dualism use to represent themselves and the other, it will be demonstrated that the perceived conflicting relationship between Islam and "the West" results, in part, from the linguistic practices that each side deploys.