The Political Science Independent Research Showcase Archive features an online gallery of the research, scholarship and creative activity of TCNJ Political Science students. The Showcase highlights significant work that results from deep engagement in the scholarly or creative process. Students present work that they have already prepared or presented for another purpose such as Independent Research, a Capstone course, a conference presentation, or some other outstanding scholarly/creative experience. In many cases, this will be work done in collaboration with a faculty mentor, but the student is the primary author and presenter of the work at the Showcase.
April 2025 Showcase
The 28th Annual Celebration of Student Achievement was held on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. The event featured the research, scholarship and creative activity of TCNJ students from all disciplines.
Political Science 28th Annual Celebration of Student Achievement Schedule
Political Science students
| SESSION ONE | |
| The Power and Politics of Sovereignty and Secession, 8:45 - 9:45 am, SSB 325, Mentor: Dr. Kathryn Foster |
|
| The Power of the EU to Redraw Geography: A Comparative Case Study of Ireland, Poland, and Implications for Ukraine | Jake Spiller |
| Violence and the Challenge of State Sovereignty in Latin America | Maria Ali |
| The Economic Ramifications of Scottish Secession from the United Kingdom | James O'Rourke |
| Breaking Away is Hard to Do: Accounting for Rare Success in Post-Colonial African Secession Movements | Logan Gabriel Patton |
8:45 - 9:45 am, SSB 326, Mentor: Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho
|
| |
| Reconciliation and Intervention in the Asia-Pacific | Sarah Hart, Lindsay Coronel, Sarah Kasziba-O'Rahilly, Isabelle Haney |
| SESSION TWO | |
| Comparative Choices in U.S. Politics and Policy, 10:00 - 11:00 am, SSB 324, Mentor: Dr. Kathryn Foster |
|
| Houston, We Have an Environmental Problem: Analyzing the Impact of Space Exploration Enthusiasm on Support for Climate Protection Policy | Emma Crowningshield |
| Bread and Rose-Flavored Lattes: Mapping the Fight for Private Sector Union Rights in America | Delaney Smith |
| For Richer or Poorer: How Judges Play Cupid in Alimony Awards | Michael Anzalone |
| Rolling the Dice: The Economic and Social Impact of Legal Sports Betting | Emma Smith |
| Realignments in U.S. Partisan Politics, 10:00am - 11:00 am, SSB 325, Mentor: Dr. Kathryn Foster |
|
| Discounting Votes: The Challenge of Electoral College Reform and How to Address It | Sean Duigon |
| Moving Right Along: Partisan Shifts in Perth Amboy, NJ, 2000-2024 | Jonaishia Freeman |
| What a Disaster: The Partisan Gap in Disaster Aid and Relief | Chloe Hansen |
| The Gerrymandering Spiral: How Partisan and Racial Maps Fuel Extremism | Stephen Lopez |
10:00 - 11:00 am, SSB 326, Mentor: Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho
|
| |
| Military Technology and Security in the Asia-Pacific | Dakota Kozuch, Youssef Zabady, Ethan Shilman, Salma Abbassi, Catherine Zheng |
| SESSION THREE | |
| Geopolitics of the Middle East, 2:30 - 3:30 pm SSB 324, Mentor: Dr. Kathryn Foster | |
| Chokepoint of Power: Iran's Geographic Location and U.S. Interests in the Middle East | Aria Chalileh |
| The Role of Foreign Aid in the Expansion of Israeli Settlements in the West Bank | Maimuna Quddus |
| Land for Peace? Israel, Egypt, and the Demilitarization of the Sinai Peninsula | Nikhil Jonsson |
| Chaos at Sea: Modern Piracy and the Impact on Geopolitical Chokepoints | Jacob Quitugua |
| Comparative International Cases in Politics and Policy, 2:30 - 3:30 pm SSB 325, Mentor: Dr. Kathryn Foster | |
| Turning the Page: Post-Conflict Transitions to Democracy in Africa | Jordan Demesko |
| Politics on Ice: International Law and the Battle to Control Antarctica | Rohan Jonsson |
| Reproductive Rights and Wrongs: Gaining and Losing Abortion Access in Central and South America | Amelia Laubsch |
| Zoning In: Why Demilitarization Zones Work and Why They Don’t | Jack Boufford |
| 2:30 - 3:30 pm SSB 326, Mentor: Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| Peace and Stability in the Asia-Pacific | Ben Cupit, Priscilla Atuahene, Ashley Castellanos, Jasmine Fleming |
| 2:30 - 3:30 pm BSC 100 poster, Mentor: Samuel Kanig & Althia Muse | |
| Beyond the Score: Why Standardized Tests Should No Longer Determine College Admission | Jared Williams |
| SESSION FOUR | |
| How Ethnicity and Culture Shape Political Outcomes, 3:45 - 4:45 pm SSB 325, Mentor: Dr. Kathryn Foster | |
| Seclusion or Inclusion? Accounting for the Distribution of Egypt’s Coptic Community | AnnMarie Ekladious |
| Stuck in Territorial Limbo: The Barriers to Puerto Rico’s Statehood | Adam Manuel Rodriguez-Hernandez |
| Protesting Too Much: How Culture and History Shape Racism Solidarity Movements | Jacob Lackey |
| From Colony to Nation: Ethnicity, Culture, and the Quest for Unity in Trinidad and Tobago | Shania Rivas |
| 3:45 - 4:45 pm SSB 326, Mentor: Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| Domestic Politics and Security in the Asia-Pacific | Jaden Pearson, Leila Garcia Barahona, Spencer Mckitrick, David Whetton, Anna Kolodiy |
International Studies 28th Annual Celebration of Student Achievement Schedule
| SESSION ONE | |
| 8:45 - 9:45 am, BSC 100 poster, Mentor: Dr. Ann Warner-Ault | |
| Exploring Legal Trends in Latin America | Gianella Bautista |
| SESSION TWO | |
| 10:30 - 10:50 am, Bliss 145 Mentor: Dr. Miriam Lowi | |
| Exodus Echoes: Decoding Egyptian Coptic Migration Through Mubarak and Sisi | Youstina Hana |
| SESSION FOUR | |
| 3:45 - 4:35 pm, SSB 324, Mentor: Dr. Nicholas Toloudis | |
| How die Linke Fractured: the Emergence of the BSW | Harrison Lavelle |
| Theater Movements and Crumbling Communism in Eastern Europe: An Examination of Nonviolent Tactics | Hope Margarum |
| Symbolism in South Korean Labour Movement | Anushka Pradhan |
December 2024 Showcase
The 2024 Political Science Independent Research Showcase (PIRS) was held on December 4, 2024.
2024 Political Science Independent Research Showcase Schedule
| Title | Presenters | |
|---|---|---|
| 11:00 am - 12:15 pm SSB 226 |
“It Comes with the Job”: Rights Attached to Employment | Maria Dimian, Harrison Lavelle, Daniel Gleason, Ton’Yea Mason |
| 11:00 am - 12:15 pm SSB 228 |
Variations in Voting & Democracy | Danny Wilson, Angelica Cyril, Kristiana Kuras, Sydney Eltringham |
| 12:15 pm - 1:30 pm SSB 226 |
Who Defines the Nation? | Andrew Bellows, Julia Larko, Joey Louis Delauretis, Vivianna de Leon Gonzalez |
| 12:15 pm - 1:15 pm SSB 228 |
Criminal Justice & Means of Coercion | Kaitlyn Yetman, Wafa Qureshi, Madison Poulas |
| 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm SSB 223 |
China’s Influence | James O’rouke, Rian De Vera, AnnMarie Ekladious, Emma Smith, Delaney Smith |
| 1:15 pm - 2:30 pm SSB 223 |
Japan and Regional Security | Emma Crowningshield, Maimuna Quddus, Jacob Lackey, Stephen Lopez, Ethan Shilman |
| 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm SSB 223 |
Cooperation and Competition in the Asia-Pacific | Robert Kelly, Andrea LaMorticella, Maria Ali, Michael Anzalone, Jordan Demesko |
| 3:45 pm - 5:00 pm SSB 223 |
Culture, Regime Type, and Peace in the Asia-Pacific | Michael London, Chloe Hansen, Jack Boufford, Aria Chalileh, Sean Duigon |
December 2023 Showcase
Congratulations to the Political Science and International Studies students who presented their projects & research, showcasing a semester of hard work.
2023 Political Science Independent Research Showcase Schedule
| Title | Presenter | Faculty Sponsor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SESSION ONE | |||
| 11:00 am - 12:00 pm SSB 228 |
Participation, Public Opinion, and Policy | ||
| An Analysis on the Sequence of Civics Education In K-12 | Zaniah Anderson | Dr. Dan Bowen | |
| Addressing the opioid crisis: how previous drug legislation impacts public opinion | Amanda Bilek | Dr. Dan Bowen | |
| Candidate Stances on Election Denialism: A Study of the 2022 Midterm House Elections | Frank Davis | Dr. Dan Bowen | |
| POSTER SESSION | |||
| 11:30 am - 12:30 pm second floor hallway across from classrooms |
|||
| The Combining Effects of Political and Religious Elites on Christians | Tyler Bossone | Dr. Dan Bowen | |
| The Long-Term Contributions of Public Education Towards Building an Informed Electorate | JP Egan | Dr. Dan Bowen | |
| Distrust and Abortion: The Effect of Abortion on Perceived Supreme Court Legitimacy | Arjana Goroveci | Dr. Dan Bowen | |
| Flooded with Fears: Understanding Natural Disasters' Impact on Public Opinion Towards Environmental Policy | Jenny Marcinkowski | Dr. Dan Bowen | |
| SESSION TWO | |||
| 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm SSB 226 |
US Foreign Policy in the Asia-Pacific | ||
| Public Opinion: A Role in U.S.-China Relations? | Andrew Bellows | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| U.S. Alliances in an Uncertain Asia-Pacific | Shania Rivas | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| American Prestige: The Fear of Losing Number One | Adam Rodriguez-Hernandez | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| Chinese Leadership, Nationalism, and Taiwan | Nikhil Jonsson | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| U.S. Pre-emption Feasibility in East Asia | Ton’Yea Mason | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm SSB 228 |
Vote Choice in Contemporary American Elections | ||
| Towing the Party Line: The Influence of Party Loyalty on Voter Choice in Primary Elections | Madeline Breeze | Dr. Dan Bowen | |
| Candidate Stances on Election Denialism: A Study of the 2022 Midterm House Elections | Frank Davis | Dr. Dan Bowen | |
| The Impact of Presidential Aid Response to Disasters on Voting Behavior | Ana Sofia Kyros | Dr. Dan Bowen | |
| Distrust and Populism in the 2016 Primaries | Alexander Xenakis | Dr. Dan Bowen | |
| SESSION THREE | |||
| 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm SSB 228 |
International Migration and the Politics of Displacement | ||
| The Impact of Male Out-Migration in the Sahel on Women in their Communities: A Scholarly Review | Phoebe Abeles | Dr. Miriam Lowi | |
| An Analysis of Temporary Protected Status: A Comparison of El Salvador and Colombia | Julieta Altman | Dr. Miriam Lowi | |
| Refugees as a Tool: The Global Refugee Crisis and Exploring Integration Dynamics in Germany and Turkey | Yuliia Sul | Dr. Miriam Lowi | |
| Abandoning the Lost Youth: The Failed Reception of Migrant Youth in Italy and Greece | Maura Foley | Dr. Miriam Lowi | |
| 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm SSB 226 |
Security and the Asia-Pacific | ||
| Perpetual Competitive Relationships: Examining the Importance of Small-Scale Conflicts | Julia Larko | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| What can a Superpower do to Hinder the Rise of a Rising Power? | Joey DeLauretis | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| Will Your Country be Attacked Tomorrow? | Emma Kuper | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| Factors to Integrating Cyber Command | Ryan Stromberg | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| Japan is Destined to Remain a "Middle Power Country" | Jonaishia Freeman | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| SESSION FOUR | |||
| 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm SSB 226 |
China’s Foreign Policy | ||
| Imperialist Tools: Understanding China’s Perspective on International Institutions and their Role in Fostering Aggression | Rohan Jonsson | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| Is U.S. Hegemony Perpetuated by Nuclear Weapons? An Analysis of the U.S. Hegemonic Position in the Asia-Pacific | Madison Poulas | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| Behind the Great Firewall: The Prominent Linkages of Authoritarian Regimes’ Assertiveness and Censorship Practices | Blake Gommoll | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| China and the Soviet Union’s Divergent Paths | Alexa Willbergh | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| China is Running Out of Time | Jake Spiller | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho |
December 2022 Showcase
The Department of Political Science hosted the 2022 Political Science Independent Research Showcase (PIRS) on December 7 2022. Congratulations to all the talented students. some of whom are shown here, who participated and presented their projects & research, showcasing a semester of hard work.
2022 Political Science Independent Research Showcase Schedule
| Title | Presenter | Faculty Sponsor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SESSION ONE | |||
| 12:00pm - 1:00pm SSB 227 |
Global Perspectives on Political Regimes and Social Movements | ||
| How Regime Type affects State Perceptions | Christopher Rosati | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| Term Limits and Autocratic States | Tre Scott | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| Contested Languages: Intersection of Linguistic Social Movements and Secession in Catalonia and The Basque Country | Nancy Bowne | Dr. Nicholas Toloudis | |
| Colonized Culture: A Study of Anti-Colonial Movements | Courtney Strauch | Dr. Nicholas Toloudis | |
| SESSION TWO | |||
| 1:15pm - 2:15pm SSB 227 |
Consequences of U.S. Federalism | ||
| Republican Reactions to the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid Extensions | Alexander Xenakis | Dr. Adam McMahon | |
| The Children That Were Left Behind: Understanding Federalism’s Role in the Passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act | Jenny Marcinkowski | Dr. Adam McMahon | |
| How Federalism Hurt the Judiciary: Barriers in Desegregation | Zaniah Anderson | Dr. Adam McMahon | |
| 1:15pm - 2:15pm SSB 228 |
War and National Security | ||
| Ideology & War | Aamoré Richards | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| How have the challenges of intelligence acquisition improved since 9/11? | Tyler Boyd | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| Escalation: What's the Cause? | Tyler Swartz | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| Bureaucratic Politics and Sprinting Strategies: United States and Nuclear Proliferation | Kelly Capraun | Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho | |
| SESSION THREE | |||
| 2:30 - 3:30pm SSB 227 |
Identity, Culture, and Politics in the U.S. | ||
| African American and US History According to K-12 Textbooks | Jenna Azeez | Dr. Max Burkey | |
| Respectability as Cultural Racism: Hip-Hop and White Reaction in the 1990s | Anushka Vishahan | Dr. Max Burkey | |
| Policy Recommendations for Island Beach as a Coastal Gateway Community | David Roberts | Dr. Dan Bowen | |
| Performance Artists in the Queer Rights Movements of US and UK | Henry Nolan | Dr. Nicholas Toloudis | |
| 2:30 - 3:30pm SSB 228 or SSB second floor hallway |
Poster Session | ||
| Measuring Legislative Session Length | Dylan Chidick, Frank Davis and Tre Scott | Dr. Dan Bowen | |
| Disruption or Facilitation: The Effects of Administrative Decentralization on Social Movement Repertoires | Christopher Sotiro | Dr. Nicholas Toloudis | |
| Chemical Industrial Air Pollution in Philadelphia | Lex Steigelman | Dr. Brian Potter | |
| Legislative Professionalism and Descriptive Representation | Yuliia Sul, Yarden Mach, Aamore Richards | Dr. Dan Bowen | |
| Why Do Americans Dislike Professional Legislators? | Amanda Bilek and Justin Drayton | Dr. Dan Bowen |
May 6, 2020 Showcase
POL 498: Social Movements & the Politics of Protest with Dr. Chartock
Emily Caporoso
Brexit: A Case Study between the UK and France
Daytwan Coates-Hall
How did the Brexit vote come to be and why hasn’t a similar vote occurred in other EU member states?
Patricia Kou
Political Opportunity and Grievances: Differing Outcomes of Apartheid’s Sharpeville Massacre and Soweto Youth Uprising
Sean R. Wehner
Vaccination and Failed Legislation: Non-Medical Vaccination Exemptions in New Jersey & California
POL 390-01: Political Parties & Party Systems with Dr. Toloudis
Isabel Anthony
The United States and Hungary: How Populist Leaders are Elected
Alanna Namit
Populism in Competitive Authoritarian Regimes
Alexandra Shapiro
Election Turnout in Switzerland
Jada Grisson
How Racial Regimes Complicate Strategies of Political Management within Mono-Party Systems
POL 390-02: American State Politics with Dr. Bowen
Alexandra Fountaine
Understanding Welfare Policy and Incarceration: An Intersectional Approach
Casey Lishko
Disasters and Climate: Do Natural Hazards Inform Enduring Beliefs About Global Warming?
Jayson Morelli
The Effects of Mayoral Salaries on the Performance of Municipalities
Sean Simmers
Descriptive Representation and State Legislative Professionalism
Kiana Stockwell
Causes & Consequences of Polling Place Closures post-Shelby v. Holder
Michael Trerotola
LGBT Representation: Descriptive Representation in State Legislatures
POL 395: Supervised Group Research in Data Science and State Politics with Dr. Garlick
Catriona Leary, Kiana Stockwell and Alex Garlick
State Legislative Rules Shape Bill Advancement and Passage Rates
Emma Becker, Juan Carlos Belmonte, Anthony Cortazzo, Anthony Saginario, James Wright and Alex Garlick
The Effect of Partisan Alignment on Interest Group Agenda Setting
December 2020 Showcase
POL 498: Senior Seminar in Political Communication with Prof. Garlick
Watch the PIRS Showcase Panel, presented on December 2, 2020, as well as additional student presentations, below.
Professor Alex Garlick
Introduction and Overview: Professor Alex Garlick discusses the capstone projects from POL 498: Senior Seminar in Political Communication to be presented at PIRS and that are still in progress. This course was remote-only, but the students still pursued interesting research questions on contemporary issues including the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 presidential election, climate change, mass shootings, Russian disinformation campaigns and more. We hope you enjoy this innovative and rigorous work.
PIRS Showcase Panel
featuring:
Madeline Davies: “The Widening of Partisan Polarization: A Catalyzer of Diverging Climate Change Media”
Alanna Namit: “Athletes and Politics: A Study of Black Lives Matter and Athletic Activism”
Dylan Teixiera: “The Effectiveness of Social Media in Social Distance Messaging”
Kelsey Ballard
Gender, Ideology and Electability: Newspaper Coverage of the 2020 Democratic Primary
Jayson Morelli
News Consumption Trends in Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak
Joshua Oh
Social Media’s Impact on Political Opinion of Presidential Policy
Vincenzo Spanola
Young Americans Political Involvement: Evidence from Mass Shootings
Deisha Inniss
Mobilization of Black Movements through Interest Groups and the Media
Emily Evers
The 2016 Russian Internet Research Agency Twitter Disinformation Campaign and its Impact on American Newspapers