Department of Political Science

This dissertation examines how transnationalism can affect Islamists’ moderation
in both Egypt and Morocco. In this dissertation, I do an in-depth comparative case study
analysis to assess the prospects of moderation of two Islamists political entities, the
Muslim Brotherhood as a transnational social movement and the Morocco Party of
Justice and Development (JDP), which has no transnational ties. Both the Muslim
Brotherhood and PJD came to power after the Arab uprising in 2011 and were key
players in the democratic transitions in both countries; however, the entities are not
related. Further, the dissertation will explore the moderation level of the Muslim
Brotherhood and PJD. Current literature on Islamists and moderation theory focuses on
political inclusion, political learning and repression as factors that would affect the
moderation of an Islamist group. Looking at Islamists as a transnational social movement
is a new aspect in the study of Islamism.

In this thesis, I examine the politics of European Union (EU) and Russian
energy relations. The main analysis is focused on the Russian energy policy towards the
European Union and whether or not Moscow’s attempts at deepening reliance on
Russian’s natural gas are a part of a Russian broad strategy or to gain political leverage
vis-à-vis European countries. More specifically, this thesis focuses on the state-owned
natural gas company Gazprom as a tool of Russia’s energy policy and the extent to which
Russian authorities use this company to shape the politics of EU – Russian energy
relations. This study investigates whether Gazprom has become an extension of the
Russian government, and whether the company has been used as leverage tool to affect
relations between the EU and Russia. Finally, this study also traces the tremendous
growth of the EU – Russia energy partnership by examining several ongoing projects.

This study empirically tests Model II of Social Field
Theory, a model elaborated by R. J. Rummel in the Dimensionality
of Nations (DON) project at the University of
Hawaii. The basic assumptions of this empirical theory
are specified and the methodological considerations for
transforming the sample data and testing the theory are
presented in detail. Comparisons are made of the findings
of this research to previous and similar empirical studies
in international relations. The results of the tests cf
Hodel II of Social Field Theory on 128 nation subjects and
twenty international groups are presented and analyzed.
Interpretations and policy implications are specified on
the basis of these findings.

This represents a study of the relationships between county
ecological characteristics and electoral competitiveness. Literature
dealing with the effect of urbanization and in-migration on electoral
competitiveness is reviewed. Two hypotheses on the relationship
of urbanization and party competitiveness are presented. Two
hypotheses on the relationship of in-migration and party competition
are presented. These relationships are examined in terms of static
and dynamic variables, analyzed separately and together. Cross-tabulations,
correlational analysis, and multiple regression are
employed to test the hypotheses, and a general knowledge of these
statistical tests is advised.

Many inner-city neighborhoods face a vast array of social and economic problems. These problems are partly due to crime and the lack of employment, housing & communication with local government. Likewise, participation in the political system is low within these neighborhoods as well. As a result, feelings of political alienation & social isolation may be found. This body of work tests for the presence of political alienation & social isolation within community-based organizations (CBOs) of West Palm Beach, FL. By looking at the presence and formation of CBOs, this work will measure if CBOs can remedy feelings of alienation & isolation, increase political participation & impact government policy-making.

The ways in which local newspapers select those actors who will be quoted in their stories has a profound effect on the local policy-making process. In stadium development issues, it is theorized that the media has a pro-growth bias because it has a vested interest in expanding its readership and it relies on institutional sources at the expense of community actors in part because of its increased need to maximize efficiency in its news gathering routines. The results are inconclusive on whether or not a growth bias exists but definitive in its illustration of the over-reliance on governmental sources. The result is that latent and/or actual community opposition to the stadium development issue is ignored in lieu of institutional complaints and the true sentiment of the public is not presented in the public arena.

The intergovernmental relations among the agencies responsible for regulating activities in and around Lake Okeechobee, and their relations with the industries they regulate, appear to lack the coordination and cooperation necessary to effectively manage the lake's resources. The objective of this thesis is to examine the factors affecting these regulatory relationships, and explore alternatives for resolving intergovernmental conflict. Several consensus building tools are examined, including Resource Planning and Management Committees as authorized by Chapter 380, Florida Statutes, as well as committees created through gubernatorial executive orders. By analyzing and comparing these tools, as well as theories of intergovernmental relations, this study will identify the best available method for fostering intergovernmental coordination in the Lake Okeechobee region and its surrounding areas.

This thesis examines the impact of electoral forces on party unity scores among Florida's Democratic congressional delegation from 1972 to 1992. The impacts of in-migration of non-southern whites, immigration of Hispanics, realignment into the Republican Party, and the enfranchisement of Black voters were analyzed. The increased party unity scores among Florida's Democratic Representatives was determined to be primarily the result of in-migration and realignment which resulted in a smaller, but more homogeneous Democratic delegation, a trend likely to continue.

The re-regulation of cable television in 1992 represented an end to the deregulatory policies that had become an integral part of government during the Reagan-Bush administrations. Deregulation had turned the fledgling cable industry into a giant $20 million unregulated monopoly which had boosted cable rates skyhigh and turned a deaf ear to customers' complaints about shoddy service. After years of political wheeling and dealing, compromising and debate, Congress finally re-regulated the cable industry, under pressure from an unusual coalition comprised of consumers, senior citizens, cable competitors and the broadcasting industry. These groups combined their political strength and won their battle against the powerful cable lobby, which had been joined in its fight against re-regulation by Hollywood film studios.

This thesis examines the importance of a CDC in the revitalization efforts for the neighborhood. The thesis also examines various elements in the political, social, and economic climate, that can have an affect on the successful establishment of the community development corporation (CDC) as the agent for revitalization in the neighborhood. CDC presidents, neighborhood residents, presidents from private lending institutions, and government officials from various levels were interviewed in an attempt to gauge the climate in which CDCs in Palm Beach County operate in. This analysis was used to predict the likelihood that the CDC will successfully be established as the agent for neighborhood revitalization in three neighborhoods in Palm Beach County.