APUS ePress: Political Science

Jesse Miller
Program: Political Science: Capstone-Thesis: Master of Arts (MA)
Awarded: November 2016
Capstone Instructor: Dr. Angela Parham
Abstract: In considerations of judicial behavior, studies of the Supreme Court have long been reliant on the votes cast by justices as a source of quantifiable information. This work seeks to establish oral arguments as an alternative source of useful quantifiable data that can be used to further academic understandings of models of judicial behavior. Through an analysis of the arguments presented by legal professionals in three oral proceedings contextualized in relation to an earlier ruling of the Court in which the ideological predispositions of the majority of the justices was made known, this paper attempts to discern if legal professionals more commonly think of individual justice as driven by policy preferences or legal factors.

Paul M. Pigulski
Program: Political Science: Capstone-Thesis: Master of Arts (MA)
Awarded: February 2015
Capstone Instructor: Dr. Stephen R. Schwalbe
Abstract: Landslide elections for House seats have sometimes been referred to as pivotal and occasionally as representing the death of the losing political party. The goal of this research was to identify new landslide election winners and determine their length of tenure as representatives. The research included examining three relatively recent House elections occurring concurrently with presidential election landslides: 1964, 1972 and 1984. The finding indicated little difference in tenure between landslide winners and non-landslide winners. This paper recommends less attention be paid to victory margins by campaigns and political scientists.

Krista Marie Harlan
Program: Political Science: Capstone-Thesis: Master of Arts (MA)
Awarded: July 2013
Capstone Instructor: Dr. Stephen R Schwalbe
Abstract: The goal of this research was to investigate whether the United States could successfully disarm its nuclear weapons program. This research examined four prerequisites that the United States (US) would have to fulfill in order to disarm successfully: maintain deterrence, reassure allies and the international community, provide funding for alternative defense sources, and provide support for international nuclear treaties and organizations. The findings indicate that the United States will need to rely on its conventional forces as the alternative to its nuclear program deterrence. It can also reassure its allies and major nuclear states by pursuing high-level dialog on US disarmament. The US must also assist the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with safeguarding nuclear materials and by adopting the additional protocol. Finally, the US should reallocate nuclear program funds to assist in the modernization of its conventional forces. This paper recommends modernizing conventional forces, refitting nuclear weapons with conventional warheads to utilize delivery systems, and allowing the IAEA to inspect US nuclear facilities.