Political Science and Government
Resource Power : Developing a Guide to Basic Needs Support Services in Western MA
Presenter: Brianna Kasandra Ciavardone
Faculty Sponsor: Ellen Correa
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Political Science and Government
Location: Poster Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM: Campus Center Auditorium [A39]

Poverty is not simply a problem of individual behavior or a short-term economic hardship, but a product of systems put into place through policy decisions that shape access to housing, healthcare, education, and employment. A humanitarian response requires more than emergency relief; to begin to create equitable change requires working within the system to make resources visible and accessible. The Amherst Survival Center is a local organization in Amherst, MA that provides free meals, groceries, and other essential resources to people in Hampshire and Franklin counties who need support. I’m currently working with Amherst Survival Center to create a resource guide that helps connect community members experiencing instability in regard to housing, healthcare, benefits, legal aid, transportation, and crisis support in Hampshire County and Western MA. The goal of my project aims to reduce information barriers by compiling resources in the area, making it easier for members and volunteers to know where to refer someone when they need help beyond food assistance. It’s meant to be a practical, ongoing guide that helps support members of the community navigating systems that are often hard to access. In the words of social justice advocates and scholars, Akuno and Hall (2023), “this project helps community members to improve their standard of living and quality of life by identifying where, when and how to use their … resources to maximum effect (p.18).”
The Third Legislature: How the Supreme Court Utilizes Power in Times of Hyperpartisanism
Presenter: Michael Wiesen
Faculty Sponsor: Martha Yoder
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Political Science and Government
Location: Poster Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM: Concourse [B12]

The American Constitution clearly outlines a strict separation of powers, allowing the three branches of our government to separately and faithfully represent the people of the United States. The House of Representatives and Senate which combine to create the Legislative branch are meant to make laws, while the Executive branch, led by the White House, enforces them, and the Judicial branch, championed by the Supreme Court, makes sure that all actions taken by the government are constitutionally permissible. In recent years, however, hyper-partisan politics have taken over Washington, and the Legislators who are meant to serve the people are more focused on optics, funding, and winning the 'culture war' more than compromise, solutions, and effective policy. Because of this, the Executive and Judicial branches have increased their effective control over the legislative process, utilizing all available tools at their disposal to achieve political goals without needing Congressional approval. This project looks specifically at the Supreme Court and analyzes how, through the power of certiorari, the shadow docket, and the ultimate power of judicial review, the highest court in our country has been able to effectively create legislation from the bench, circumventing a system that was designed with the explicit goal of forcing political compromise. It will analyze policies created by all three branches and look at how the current political landscape of America has strayed so far from the Founding Fathers' vision. 
Manipulation of Latin American Labor and Migration in the Era of Globalization
Presenter: Adriana Raye Smith
Faculty Sponsor: Deepika Marya
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Political Science and Government
Location: Poster Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM: Room 165 [D1]

It would be fair to say, at the hands of the United States and other global powers, neoliberalism  has infiltrated almost every corner of the world. While globalization imposes a wide array of harmful effects, I will be focusing specifically on the devastation created by neoliberal policies in Latin America. As the world’s most powerful nation, the U.S. has played a consequential role in the adoption of structural adjustment policies in Latin America that have resulted in displacing many, either by turning them into refugees within their country or across borders. Examining case studies from Chile and Colombia will allow me to highlight the disruption to entire economic sectors caused by neoliberal reforms and the labor displacement that follows. Similarly, in covering NAFTA and CAFTA, I can illustrate the broad harm they have exacted on working-class people. Each section will include a description of specific data regarding displacement that results from the implementation of neoliberal policies. Finally, I will wrap up by addressing how U.S. immigration control has become more violent in the era of globalization, an issue very relevant to Latin American migrants who have been forced from their homes in pursuit of economic opportunity and survival. Anti-immigrant sentiments have reached high levels in many of the world's most influential countries, making it increasingly important to understand the roots of why people migrate. As my research suggests so far, many of the reasons can be explained by the role of neoliberalism in Latin American countries.

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Patents and Power: Understanding Exploitation in the WTO
Presenter: Rishabh Nair
Faculty Sponsor: Deepika Marya
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Political Science and Government
Location: Poster Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM: Room 165 [D2]

Intellectual property protections in the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries have reshaped global trade networks between the Global North and Global South. The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) standardizes patent protection rules worldwide, however its economic and public health implications remain controversial. Millions of people around the world struggle to access stable, inexpensive healthcare and pay expensive prices for essential foods as a result of TRIPS. Existing research has evaluated TRIPS in terms of its consequences on accessibility to the Global South but limited scholarship examines the TRIPS framework as a reflection of its imperialist inclinations. This thesis questions and investigates the role of TRIPS mechanisms for imperialist tendencies while under the guise of a neutral trade law within the agricultural and pharmaceutical sectors, two essential fields in influencing public health. This research argues that TRIPS is an exploitative mechanism used by the Global North to maintain economic dominance over the Global South through four mechanisms; forced dependency, resource extraction, cultural biases, and legal control. By comparing TRIPS to other imperialist frameworks, this study challenges a supposedly neutral trade agreement and suggests the present intellectual property rules are a flawed mechanism that call for change and democratization.

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Access to Language Services in Public Housing: A Case Study of the Boston Housing Authority
Presenter: Eden Elfathy
Faculty Sponsor: Caroline Coscia
School: UMass Boston
Research Area: Political Science and Government
Location: Poster Session 2, 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM: Room 165 [D9]

In 2001, the Clinton Administration issued Executive Order No. 13166, "Improving Access to Services for Persons With Limited English Proficiency." This order led to guidance issued by both the Department of Justice and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) focusing on federal requirements for language services to fulfill the goal of improving language access for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP). Recently, however, efforts to provide access to people with limited English proficiency have been hindered. Under the current Administration, there has been an effort to eliminate that access, notably through HUD’s updated 2025 guidance, which states that English will be the only language used for HUD communications, except in specific cases. This research paper will explore the history of access to language services in U.S. public housing, specifically using the Boston Housing Authority as a case study, examining its successes, and the current barriers that Housing Agencies face in moving to provide language access to LEP individuals.

Exploring Media Reform and Its Plausibility in American Democracy
Presenter: Maggie Maria Bourgeois
Faculty Sponsor: Eric Norman Budd
School: Fitchburg State University
Research Area: Political Science and Government
Location: Poster Session 4, 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM: Campus Center Auditorium [A52]

The First Amendment plays a foundational role in American democracy, allowing for the free exchange of robust ideas and opinions in our media that shape public discourse and hold institutions accountable. The U.S media landscape is currently dominated by corporations and social media platforms. This paper examines three primary barriers to meaningful reform: corporate consolidation, political polarization, and First Amendment constraints. The deregulation of the media market has concentrated ownership to big corporations and weakened local journalism, while partisan divide has pushed individuals to rely on algorithm-based platforms on social media forums. The constitutional protections of the First Amendment are engraved into our society, severely limiting the ability of the government to regulate content, even in response to misinformation which is constantly evolving with the development of AI generated news media; effectively amplifying the declining media literacy of the American public. This paper evaluates potential solutions to these major barriers, by evaluating other countries' responses to these issues, and weighing the plausibility of proposed solutions and their political feasibility in the United States. Ultimately, it contends that barriers to media reform are deeply intertwined within American society and our democracy, raising critical questions about whether meaningful reform is achievable in the United States.
Crisis as a Catalyst for Integration: A Comparative Analysis of the European Union and the Articles of Confederation
Presenter: Jamie Jordan Kuenzel
Faculty Sponsor: Joseph Coelho
School: Framingham State University
Research Area: Political Science and Government
Location: Poster Session 4, 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM: Campus Center Auditorium [A53]

This research examines why crisis leads to further political integration and a weakening of institutions in different cases. In existing political science literature, crisis is often viewed as a driver of integration. However, the scholarly literature has mainly studied this phenomenon within the European Union (EU). This study takes a comparative approach, examining both the EU and the United States under the Articles of Confederation, two systems with a supranational governing body. A supranational governing body transcends national boundaries and is composed of individual sovereign states that join the system as member states. These member states give up some of their sovereignty in exchange for membership and the ability to pool resources to address issues. While crises in the EU have often prompted further integration, crises under the Articles of Confederation ultimately led to the system’s dissolution and replacement with the U.S. Constitution. The research uses comparative case studies and archival analysis to examine how crises were socially constructed, interpreted, and politicized in each case. Preliminary findings demonstrate that identities, norms, and political taboos drive how crises are socially constructed. These socially constructed crises then influence whether political actors pursue further integration or halt existing institutions.

From Isolation to Influence: Spain's Position in the European Union
Presenter: Meghan Catherine Neville
Faculty Sponsor: Albert Lloret
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Political Science and Government
Location: Poster Session 4, 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM: Campus Center Auditorium [A56]

Spain's accession to the European Union in 1986 marked the transition to democracy and modern Western ideals after nearly four decades of a repressive dictatorship. The state of public opinion leading up to, during, and following Spain’s accession reflected a positive and hopeful attitude regarding political, social, and economic involvement in the European Union. It is apparent that a positive perception of the EU, as well as a complementary sense of identity of feeling both Spanish and European, is a sentiment shared among both the public and the political elite. However, a shift in the political landscape in Spain and across the European Union stemming from the rise of far-right parties and discourse has heightened mistrust and skepticism toward the legitimacy of the EU. The shift toward a desire for stricter sovereignty is also apparent in the United States, apparent in recent years through criticism of international organizations and embracement of “America First” foreign policy. This independent nationalism is particularly alarming in the case of Spain, as it suggests that the abuses of its past under an authoritarian regime are being forgotten. 

This study reflects the Spanish sentiment towards the EU and tracks current trends of far-right discourse as a potential threat to Spain’s commitment to the European project. An analysis of qualitative and quantitative data from the public opinion polls and political reports reinforces a favorable perspective of EU membership, indicating that Spain is likely to remain committed to the European community despite a rise in Euroscepticism among the far-right.

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Authoritarian Trauma: What Francisco Franco Left Behind
Presenter: Jimena Pueyo-García
Faculty Sponsor: Signe Predmore
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Political Science and Government
Location: Poster Session 4, 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM: Campus Center Auditorium [A57]

This project examines the long-term sociopolitical legacy and detrimental effects of authoritarianism using Francoist Spain as a case study. For nearly four decades, Franco’s regime relied on violence, legal repression, and the support of the Catholic Church to enforce a patriarchal social order that stripped women of autonomy and enforced fascist ideals of femininity, faith, and family. While Spain transitioned to democracy after Franco’s death in 1975, the effects of his rule, particularly regarding women’s repression, remained embedded in Spanish women and the larger society at whole. This ongoing research will combine historical analysis with qualitative interviews conducted with Spanish citizens who lived during, or shortly after the regime. Through these materials, the project will ultimately examine how ideologies under authoritarianism are internalized, produce lasting structural and embodied harm for victims, and continue to manifest in global contemporary politics. Using the work of scholars such as Saz, Morcillo, Mate and Nash, the study situates Francoism within the broader theoretical framework of authoritarian persistence and gendered repression. Ultimately, this project seeks to uncover the intergenerational effects of Francoist Spain to highlight that the horrors of authoritarian rule do not end with the fall of a dictator, and why the reemergence of such ideologies in contemporary politics remains a profound cause for concern.

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Effects of the Berlin Conference
Presenter: Gabriel C. Ibekilo
Faculty Sponsor: Raúl D. Gutiérrez
School: Holyoke Community College
Research Area: Political Science and Government
Location: Poster Session 5, 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM: Campus Center Auditorium [A69]

The Berlin Conference marked a significant turning point in African history, when African nations were divided into colonies with no regard for their ethnicity, culture, or history, leaving us with present-day Africa being governed by systems that were originally designed to benefit only the colonizer. This project will look at how the colonial system of indirect governance created relationships built upon corruption and patronage that remain within today’s political systems and how the extractive model of economy (dependent on privatized companies exporting raw materials) continues to produce a cycle of poverty throughout Africa due to colonialism. Finally, this project will examine how the imposition of arbitrary and artificial borders during colonialism has weakened unity among African nations and has impeded regional co-operation. Using historical analysis and current academic research to help build an argument that the lasting structural legacies of colonialism have significantly contributed to many of the political and economic challenges currently facing African nation-states today cannot be explained solely by the failures of leadership rather there are historical links between colonial era governing structures and contemporary ones, and the need for meaningful institutional reform, diversification of the economy, and enhancement of regional cooperation are all necessary elements in achieving good governance, reducing corruption, and assisting in developing sustainable development throughout Africa.

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