Monthly Archives: February 2016

Dustin’s Final Annotated Bibliography

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Dustin A Runyard

POL 399

Annotated bibliography

NATO Sources:

NATO and European Allies mainly has case studies of the political atmosphere of the nation state directed towards NATO’s mission.  Chapters six through eleven are dealing with the case studies and what was describe previously. Chapter one through six deals with the actual workings and macro view of NATO, its operations and roles.  Chapters two through five deal exclusively with the generic factors in NATO and are valuable to the research.

Transforming NATO deals with a theory of clubs goods, where allies choose to join the club for the most rational outcome, while a second theory is offered with a complementary theory where the main benefit of the agreement has a secondary benefit.  As this benefit increases so does the need or want for the complementary benefit to increase in conjunction.  The book deals has information on the GDP, size of militaries and other influences directed to NATO from its members and tries to identify the returns for these investments in this “club”.

The United States and NATO since 9/11 is a US foreign policy view point of NATO.  The first chapter deals with the history of the formation, while chapters two through six deals with the US lead operations since the gulf war to present.  These include Bosnia (2) and Kosovo (3), NATO with Bush post 9/11 (4), Afghanistan (5), OIF (6) and NATO’s transformation with the war on terror and conclusion on prospects in the last two chapters.

NATO’s new mission has the value of a macro view for the US and the European community’s transition post 9/11.  The source starts out post-cold war and the transition that occurred in the first few chapters while in the second portion it deals with the war on terror and the promotion of democracies.  The last chapter is unique where it describes the events of Operation enduring Freedom and NATO enlargement in the Caucus areas surrounding the Middle East.

NATO’s Balancing Act is a description of NATO in a macro sense, the first chapter dealing with the history and transformation of NATO post-cold war in conjunction with its roles.  Chapters two through three deals with the types of security threats and the defensive policies.  The remaining chapters are all case studies of relationships with nation states, and terrorism.  However seven and eight deal with relationships with other IO’s, the EU in particular is of importance for this research, while eight is of enlargement verse deepening policies.  This source is extremely valuable and will be used as a primary source.

NATO & EU SECURITY

The NATO and the European Union’s common security policy is a short piece that clearly states its purpose.  The author, Sarwar Kashmeri, maintains that the EU has been exceedingly more efficient and effective in global security and has maintain a better fighting force and deployed theses forces with success.  Kashmeri argues that the fighting forces of NATO picks and choses its deployments and has stymied in growth and foreign policies in the aftermath of the cold war.  Kashmeri uses EU civil and military deployments, mainly in Africa, as his main arguments while the unilateral military action without the aid of NATO is pointed out as an abysmal failure in diplomacy between the alliances.  The piece contains military expenditures for NATO as well for the EU, with other statistical materials and charts that might be useful in presenting an argument.

Combined EU and NATO Sources:

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union’s Common Security and Defense Policy: Intersecting Trajectories.  This source written by Sawar Kashmeri argues that NATO is diminished post-cold war and is far from the efficient fighting force that it’s been known for.  His arguments are from the unilateral wars in Afghanistan and Libya.  Kashmeri further argues that the EU has maintained more effective security missions abroad and has handled them far more effectively than that of NATO.  Kashmeri states that there is no need for NATO to diminish, rather it needs to evolve into a more manageable entity, or NATO 2.0, that lets the EU dictate policies for transatlantic cooperation.

The European Security and Defense Policy: NATO’s Companion-or Competitor?  The source details how the EU defense policy has merged cross purpose with NATO’s policies.  The source indicates that there are needs for NATO, primarily gesturing in the direction of the US, to share the level of burden when acting in the interest of the European allies objectives.  The argument is that the US has traditionally view that the European community has needed more of an active role in the stability of Europe, and there is a need for the US to embrace the emergence of the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP), and work in conjunction with it through NATO.

EU sources:

The European Union in the Security of Europe explores how securitization has evolved within the EU.  The introduction pays attention to the fact that this is a unique blend for the EU, since the EU is not considered a state, but a larger community of States that have collective legitimacy, giving more complexity to the issue for security in Europe.  The source states that its main objective is to examine how the security policies of the EU have evolved with the conclusion of the cold-war.  It states that its goal is not to theorize on the use of power or its legitimacy but examine the current practices empirically.  Chapter’s one through three examines the history of security as well as the external and internal security polices, while four through eight examine the security dilemmas it faces with state actors.

The European Union: Politics and Polices, details and defines the EU.  It explains questions as what is the EU, how it evolves, what difference it makes in Europe and globally.  Chapter one explains theories and the issues and histories of European integration and interdependence, while two through four are more involved with the transatlantic relationship.  Chapters five through eleven are more heavily invested with the formations of institutions and current polices.  Chapters twelve through sixteen pertain mainly to this research since it deals mainly with policies and what the institution offers regarding goods, however for some background knowledge with the formation of the EU or European Community (EC) this source will be extremely useful as well.

The Foreign Policy of the European Union: Assessing Europe’s Role in the World, explains the EU’s polices and expansion of the EU’s foreign policy arena.  The source starts the first chapter with the formational history of the EU, while the next few chapters deal with separate analysis of the ESDP which is latter named the Common Security and Defense Policy.  The source then details the external relationships first regarding the transatlantic then moves into more regional case studies such as Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Understanding the European Union: A Concise introduction, is a background source that has been chosen for its familiarity for referencing.  The first three chapters will be useful in explaining how the EEC became the EU.  While seven eight and nine will help identify goods that the EU has in place and offers to members and non-members as well as some exclusionary mechanism it holds.  It also details the transatlantic relationship and lightly treads on the external policy in chapter eight.

Club Goods Theory:

For the theory, Patrick McNutt has published a theory explaining the difference between club goods and public goods.

Sources:

Bebler, A., ed. NATO at 60. Amsterdam, NLD: IOS Press, 2010. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 22 January 2016.

Bindi, Federiga M. The Foreign Policy of the European Union: Assessing Europe’s Role in the World. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution, 2012. Print.

Goldgeier, James M.. Future of NATO. New York, NY, USA: Council on Foreign Relations, 2010. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 22 January 2016.

Hallams, Ellen. The United States and NATO since 9/11: The Transatlantic Alliance Renewed. London: Routledge, 2010. Print.

Hill, Christopher, and Michael Smith. International Relations and the European Union. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2011. Print.

Hunter, Robert Edwards. The European Security and Defense Policy: NATO’s Companion – or Competitor? Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2002. Print.

Ivanov, Ivan Dinev. Transforming NATO: New Allies, Missions, and Capabilities. Lanham, MD: Lexington, 2011. Print.

Jones, Erik, Anand Menon, and Stephen Weatherill. The Oxford Handbook of the European Union. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2012. Print.

Kaplan, Lawrence S., and Robert W. Clawson. NATO after Thirty Years. Wilmington, Delaware: Scholarly Resources, 1981. Print.

Kashmeri, Sarwar A. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union’s Common Security and Defense Policy: Intersecting Trajectories. Carlisle, PA: Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College, 2011. Print.

Larrabee, F. Stephen, Johnson, Stuart E., and Gordon, John IV. NATO and the Challenges of Austerity. Santa Monica, CA, USA: RAND Corporation, 2012. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 22 January 2016.

Marsh, Steve, and G. Wyn Rees. The European Union in the Security of Europe: From Cold War to Terror War. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2012. Print.

McCormick, John. Understanding the European Union: A Concise Introduction. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011. Print.

McCormick, John, and Johnathan Olsen. The European Union: Politics and Policies. Boulder, CO: Westview, 2014. Print.

McNutt, Patrick.  Public Goods and Club Goods 1999. Web. 15 February 2016

Merlingen, Michael. EU Security Policy: What It Is, How It Works, Why It Matters? Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 2012. Print.

Moore, Rebecca R. NATO’s New Mission: Projecting Stability in a Post-Cold War World. Westport, CT: Praeger Security International, 2007. Print.

NATO Facts and Figures. Brussels: NATO Information Service, 1976. Print.

Petersson, Magnus, and Janne Haaland. Matlary. NATO’s European Allies: Military Capability and Political Will. Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. Print.

Rodrigues, L.N., and Dubovyk, V., eds. NATO Science for Peace and Security – E : Human and Societal Dynamics : Perceptions of NATO and the New Strategic Concept. Amsterdam, NLD: IOS Press, 2010. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 22 January 2016.

Yost, David S. NATO’s Balancing Act. Washington DC: United States Institute of Peace, 2014. Print.

 

Outline Draft

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Shannon Renz

Outline

Needle Exchange

 

ABSTRACT :

In the United States, there is often a strong moral context in regard to creating and implementing public policy, this is especially true in regard to policies around IV drug users and needles exchanges. This is based on the understanding that IV drug users are deviant sinners who made and continue to make bad choices: it is the drug users own fault that they are IV drug users.  This is strongly reflected in the municipal, county, and state policies in regards to needle exchanges and discussions of implementing them in communities where IV drug use and disease is rampant.  Yet, some cities, such as New Haven and Chicago have overcome the challenges of moral objection, social norms and difficulty of policy to legalize needle exchanges. Prior to overcoming the policy barriers in particular cities, HIV/AIDS and heroin escalated to the point where it was becoming a public safety hazard.  HIV/AIDS coalitions initiated the needle exchanges to promote safe blood with the understanding that clean needles resulted in cleaner blood which aided in the reduction of IV drug users and HIV/AIDS cases.  This paper will use Conflict Theory as a lens to analyze the implementation of needle exchange programs and how changing social policy interrupts the social norms, order, and rules. IV drug users are not part of what society deems as a norm, hence they and the needles that they use are conflicts. Conflict Theory states that those who have the power are those who make the laws. IV drug users are not those who have power and they are unable to make laws or regulations because they are outside of the societal norm,   making laws and policies.

 

Outline:

 

  1. Define what current social policy pertaining to IV drug users
  2. Present why IV drug users are regarded as immoral and criminal
    1. Moral objection
      1. Religion
      2. socioeconomic status
  • Education or lack thereof in formal social structures
  1. Criminal punishment for drug users
  1. Define IV drug users
  2. Define drugs
    1. Heroin
    2. History of heroin and lack of historical content to society VS other drugs such as cocaine and marijuana where it has been part of culture
  3. Present examples and research of HIV/AIDS/Hep C and IV drug users crossing paths
  4. Present history of HIV/AIDS and HEP C
    1. Homosexual men
    2. Large cities- New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago
    3. Death sentence- plague in social structures
    4. Change in today’s social structures
      1. Not a death sentence
      2. Medical research
  • Medication to prolong life
  1. Define needle exchanges and correlation between HIV/AIDS and IV drug users
  2. Define what the barriers are to overcome social policy to legalize needle exchange
    1. Coalitions joined forces to implement needle exchanges
    2. HIV/AIDS no longer transmitted strictly through sexual contact
    3. % of IV drug users share needles
    4. Needles not socially excepted, prescription needed, criminal charges
  3. Good to the community
    1. What cities overcame barriers
      1. New Haven, San Francisco,
      2. Bronx Harm Reduction Program

Final Annotated Bibliography

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Joel Balicki

Annotated Bibliography

Beckhusen, Robert. Medium.com, “Don’t Mess with Poland”. 28 March 2014. Media Outlet. 2 February 2016.

This article provides information on Poland’s military and strategic defense capabilities. It also mentions what Poland will attempt to do in the future regarding military development and defensive capabilities. This source also shows statistical data on Polands military as well as fiscal budget. This is critical and useful information for being able to assess Poland’s power, through the realist framework.

I will use this source to aid in my discussion of Polish military capability and power, which directly relates to the realist framework. States are always seeking power, the military is the direct extension of a state’s power. What the Realist framework fails to address is the other variables that play into the military, such as the financial and economic aspects of warfare and military operations that may have an impact on a state as well.

Day, Matthew. Telegraph, Russia Simulates Nuclear Attack on Poland. 1 November 2009. Media Outlet. 28 January 2016.

This article from the Telegraph is quite brief, but it captures Russia’s strategic and military intentions toward Poland. It is not a shock that Russia is acting aggressively towards Poland, but it is a provoking action aimed at destabilizing Eastern Europe and tarnishing the already weak relationship between Poland and Russia.

In the context of my research, this article allows me to assess power from the Russian side of the equation. Again, this power is emphasized in Realist international theory. Indeed Russia is the most powerful hegemon in Eastern Europe, so a brief analysis of Russian intentions is something that will be included in the research.

 

Freidman, George. “Poland’s Strategy.” Geopolitical Weekly, Stratfor Global Intelligence (2012): 1-5. Online Journal Article.

“Poland’s Strategy” gives an in depth review of Polands strategic military and national security situation. By using history, geography, capability, and other factors, this strategic analysis provides a brief intro to Polands complex geopolitical situation. It also touches on Russia and its significance as a major security threat.

This information will be included in the military portion of the research. It will really emphasize aspects of Polish national security strategy, which ultimately is what this research is about. There are so many variables that go into a state’s ability to defend itself or in some cases go on the offensive. It will be important to mention some of the weak points of Polish defensibility because those are the areas that the Polish government should be strengthening.

Hrechorowicz, Andrzej. Sputnik International, ‘. n.d.

—. Sputnik International, “New Polish President: Putin can walk all over me, but he won’ wake me up”. 20 August 2015. Media Outlet. 28 January 2016.

This article from Sputnik International talks about the new conservative Polish president Andrzej Duda, and his opinions on Vladimir Putin and Russia. Dialogues and direct quotes are used giving me an accurate depiction of the Polish president’s opinions. There appears to be a slight shift in how Poland will approach international politics. Open political confrontation with Russia appears to be occurring already, even though Duda has been in office such a short period.

This information can be used in conjunction with Polish domestic politics and the framework of Strategic Culture. What politicians do from the top, generally can give a good sense of popular opinion especially right after an election. There appears to be a more conservative political shift in Poland that will be addressed in the research. Politics plays a massive role in Security Culture and how Poland views itself regarding Russia.

Kauppi, Paul R. Viotti and Mark V. International Relations Theory. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc., 2012. Book.

This book source provides a beneficial analysis of Realism and its place amongst other international relations theories. Realism is one of my theoretical framworks so it is a useful tool in understanding Realism and its beliefs. It does not provide information on Poland, but I will make the analysis of Realism in Polish Russian relations.

The information that this source provides about Realism is one of the stepping stones for this research. It will guide how I analyze Polish national security decision making. One half of the research paper is assessed through Realism, so understanding the key concepts is of utmost importance.

Lantis, Jeffrey S. “Strategic Culture and National Security Policy.” International Studies Association, Blackwell Publishing (2002): 87-112. Document.

Written by Jeffrey Lantis, this source is invaluable for its information on Strategic Culture another one of my theoretical frameworks. Strategic Culture is unlike Realism in that it looks at cultures and how that impacts states decision making not just power, and the seeking of hegemony. Much of Jeffrey Lantis’ work deals with the shared assumptions and rules that prompt Strategic Culture. In short, Strategic Culture has a large impact on state behavior and this is something that I will use to look at Poland’s situation. Security culture focuses less on power and more on the internal factors that make states make the decisions they do. For instance, the Catholic Church plays an enormous role in Poland, how will that cultural aspect play into Polish decision making regarding the predominantly Orthodox Christian Russia.

National Security Bureau (Poland). National Security Strategy of the Republic of Poland. Warsaw: National Security Bureau , 2014. Book, PDF.

This source, directly from the Polish governments National Security Bureau gives an in depth review of the Polish government’s stance on national security and the various sub-sections under it. It outlines many important stances and goals for the Polish government. For instance, National Interests and Strategic Objectives, Security Environment, Operational Strategy, etc.

It truly allows me to see what the Polish governments aims are regarding their strategic position in Europe. It also mentions Russia, which for the purposes of my research is necessary in determining how Poland views its Eastern European nemesis. This source incorporates aspects from both Realism and Security Culture.

Patrick H. O’Neil, Karl Fields, Don Share. Cases in Comparative Politics. London, New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. Book.

Cases in Comparative Politics provides a case study for Russia. It provides the Russia point of view as well as information on Russian culture and governmental institutions. This will help me analyze underlying distinctions between Poland and Russia. It is of utmost importance to have a grasp on demographics and cultural norms in order to make an in depth comparison on the two states.

Although the focus of my research is not on Russia but Poland, it is important to understand the distinguishing differences between the two states and include that in my research. Although they share many similarities, the differences they do have largely overshadow those like characteristics. The differences have been highlighted throughout history and this is yet again another main component of Security Culture analysis.

 

Stepan, Juan J. Linz and Alfred. “Modern Non Democratic Regimes.” Rogowski, Patrick H. O’Neil and Ronald. Essential Readings in Comparative Politics. London, New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 267-278. Book .

This book section highlights underlying differnces in communist regimes across Eastern Europe. There was ideological conflict within soviet-type regimes that played a role in democratization. It touches on pluralism and its impact on authoritarian regimes such as Poland, which compared to other soviet-type regimes, was very different.

This information will help establish Strategic Culture and how it plays a role in modern Poland’s government and security strategy. Democratization will not be a focus in the research but should not be overlooked because it is a factor in how Poland views itself. Democratic government plays a massive role in how a state is viewed from the outside.

Taras, Raymond. Consolidating Democracy in Poland. United States of America: Westview Press, Inc., 1995. Book.

Consolidating Democracy in Poland provides information on Poland’s political history and democratization. There are key social and political factors that were involved in Polands shift from communism to democracy. In addition, there are some brief statistics regarding Poles opinions on Russia, the United States, and their place in modern Europe. It is important to note that democratization is not the focus of my research but politics plays a significant role in national security and international relations. Again, as stated in the previous section, Democracy plays a huge role in how states view you, especially when it comes to credibility and influence.

 

Walt, Stephen M. “International Relations: One world, many theories.” Foreign Policy (1998): 1-6. Document.

Stephen Walt’s brief analysis is another great source for Realist theory. It incorporates Eastern Europe through the lens of Realism. It is a supplemental source due to its limited size but it is a quality academic source written by an international relations legend. This will be an aid to the discussion of Realism and theoretical framework. Stephen Walt, is a valuable source and helps establish credibility when discussing international theory.

 

 

 

 

 

Research Proposal

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This paper will examine how gender contributes to an individual’s acceptances of their mental illness, specifically depression. Through Irving Goffman’s contributions to Labeling Theory, I will evaluate how one’s gender plays a role not only in their acceptance of their mental illness, but their openness to seeking help. Labeling Theory will be an effective lens for this paper allowing me to understand the role that stigma plays for individuals experiencing depression. Labeling Theory is essential within the field of sociology in understanding the importance of the way that individuals view themselves. Through this case study I hope to better understand how society can help those experiencing depression and avoid placing unnecessary stigma on those individuals.

Research Proposal

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Smart cars or autonomous vehicles are a fascinating development in the human technological and social landscape. Smart cars come with the promise of safer and more efficient commutes as the mundane task of driving is handled by the sensors and algorithms, rather than the driver. Yet, the benefits of autonomous vehicles may be outweighed by the technical, legal, and ethical questions that will arise from their widespread development and use. Specifically, questions of legal liability and the ethics of having a vehicle possibly making a moral decision about the life or death of parties in an unavoidable accident are particularly vexing. There has been little philosophical discussion of these issues. I seek to fill this gap and attempts to answer the questions of defining self-driving cars in terms of moral agency and what ethical system should self-driving cars be programmed to follow in the event of an unavoidable accident. I intend to argue that cars should follow a basic utilitarian ethical system and be programmed to save the maximum number of human lives possible.

I will use the theoretical frameworks of applied utilitarian ethics and applied machine ethics to inform the discussion of self-driving cars and support the assertion that self-driving cars follow a system of rules based on utilitarianism. This research is relevant because self-driving cars, in one shape or another, are a near inevitability. In recent years, elements of self-driving cars have already been introduced into mainstream cars such as driver alertness warnings, pre breaking safety systems, and cars that can parallel park themselves. While autonomous vehicle technology is not yet perfected, self-driving cars are being tested in real traffic right now. I hope to gain a significant amount of knowledge of applied ethical theory, which I will be able to pass along to my fellow students and faculty. Also, I want to help people understand the impact that ethics and morality have on their daily lives.

This research fits into the applied ethical philosophy sub field of my PPE major because it is near the cutting edge of an emerging practical ethical and philosophical dilemma. Before the advent of smart vehicles, machine ethics dwelt primarily in the realm of science fiction, or in the halls of experimental A.I. programming. Now, issues which pertained to science fiction are becoming the technical issues of contemporary life. In my attempt to chime in on the current body of knowledge of machine ethics and help answer the questions I ask in my research, I will conduct a broad literature review of machine and utilitarian ethics. From the information gathered in this review, I will use philosophical argumentation to attempt to prove that self-driving cars need to be governed by utilitarian rules.

Research Proposal

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I chose to analyze consumption as a social problem given my interest in the environmental impact of consumption, specifically regarding waste. This research is intended to shed light on false consciousness, commodity fetishism and conspicuous consumption as drivers of consumer behavior in hopes of creating behavioral changes and constraining consumption patterns.

Operating under and implementing the theoretical frameworks of neoliberalism and the Treadmill of Production (ToP) theory, this paper will unveil what embodies and defines consumer culture in the United States as well as what permits and perpetuates consumer behavior. Consumer behavior has come to be defined by a doctrine of “buy new, buy more, and buy often” due to a host of institutions. This paper will examine specifically how politics, economics, the fashion industry, media, and advertising encourage the continuation of elaborate and excessive consumption in the United States. After inspecting how American society promotes consumption, this paper will analyze why consumers who are aware of the actions corporations take to force the rapid replacement of consumer goods through methods such as planned obsolescence, willingly continue to buy. Through the implementation of the work of Karl Marx and Thorstein Veblen and their respective concepts of commodity fetishism and conspicuous consumption, this paper will argue that consumers buy because they seek to fulfill a sense of pleasure as well as to craft their ideal version of self, which often revolves around competition to convey status and power.

Overall, economic neoliberalism sold this notion of individualism, freedom and the ability of choice in a market of higher standard goods and services to the American people. Social institutions perpetuated, but also contributed to convincing consumers of a need for products and a need to purchase. While it may appear as though consumers willingly buy into the system of consumption, there is a false consciousness around human nature which drives consumption. Consequently, not only the economy, but the environment as well, has plummeted to new states of crises and instability previously unexperienced. Allan Schnaiberg goes on to suggest that the increasing growth simply cannot be solved by the continuation of manufacturers and corporations placing exceedingly expansive and exponential demands on the environment because the rate of operation has and continues to far surpass the finite capacity of the planet. This paper will provide a critique on the impact of consumption, driven by individualism, on the environment, suggesting that the status quo of consumption simply is not viable.

Abstract

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This paper will examine how gender contributes to an individual’s acceptance of their mental illness, specifically depression. Through Erving Goffman’s contributions to Labeling Theory, I will evaluate how one’s gender contributes to their acceptance of not only their mental illness, but possibly their openness to seeking help. In regard to acceptance, stigma is often associated with depression, preventing those experiencing depression from accepting themselves and feeling accepted by others. Stigma impacts an individual’s willingness to try to mask depression or to seek assistance.

Completed annotated bibliography- Sarah Anderson

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Completed Annotated Bibliography

  1. Nguyen, D., & Burson, R. (2005). Dat: Tackling life and the NFL. Dallas, TX: Texas A&M University Press.
    1. Dat Nguyen tells about his experience in the NFL and why he thinks fans love the game. He recalls his experience playing for the Dallas Cowboys and how much he appreciated the fans because of how they were so dedicated to the team. He wants fans to know that risking death in the pursuit of your dreams is far better than living without them.
  2. Kinloch, A. M. (1973). The names of the game: Football. American Speech, 48, 146-149.
    1. This article explains how local associations or slightly romanticized views of local culture play a role in naming most NFL teams. It emphasizes the importance of cultural associations in naming the teams so that fans have an avenue to relate to.
  3. Williams, J. (2006). Protect me from what I want: Football fandom, celebrity cultures, and “new” football in England. Soccer & Society, 7, 96-114.
    1. Nick Hornby published a book called Fever Pitch that started a cultural reinvention in England over the past 20 years. He wanted it to be a heartfelt homage for his own love of soccer, but it ended up being the most important and influential autobiographical account of any sports fan experience yet written.
    2. New stadiums started a revolution to recruit more family supporters to the game. Traditionally they were a chaotic place that harbored violence, but after this revolution it became much more peaceful. The new stadiums became a place for soccer fans to express their patriotism and attracted more females to both the stadiums and playing the sports.
    3. The new FA premiere league was launched in England in 1994 and it became the first major sports league to be developed by and for television. It is now the most commercially successful soccer venture of its type in the world.
  4. Kennedy, D. (2013). A contextual analysis of Europe’s ultra football supporter’s movement. Soccer & Society, 14, 132-153.
    1. This article explores the idea of Ultra fans. They identify themselves with certain clothing and attitude and can vary from just a few people to thousands of fans. It allows the interconnections of individuals across the European continent and allows these fans to adopt the practices and ideologies of others that they come in contact with.
  5. Gaunt, R., Sindic, D., & Leyens, J.P. (2005). Intergroup relations in soccer finals: People’s forecasts of the duration of emotional reactions of in-group and out-group soccer fans. Journal of Social Psychology, 145, 117-126.
    1. The main idea is that in-group fans will experience more secondary, human emotions than those from the out-group following positive or negative events. This occurs simply because the events are more meaningful to these in-group members.
  6. Miller, M. (1997). American football: The rationalization of the irrational. International Journal of Politics, Culture, & Society, 11, 101-127.
    1. It was important for the NFL to build and sustain a strong fan base by using innovative technology to represent the game on a more intimate level to all types of fans. The appeal of football became directly related to its smooth marriage of TV and its ability to create a mass community of viewers who are able to express themselves and take on the consumer role of a fan.
    2. The effort was to increase the number of fans through the creation of Monday Night Football. It became a prime time event and extended the football weekend for the hardcore football fans.
  7. End, C. M. (2001). An examination of NFL fans’ computer mediated birging. Journal of Sport Behavior, 24, 162-182.
    1. Expresses how fans go to great lengths to publicly display their associations with sports teams. This is shown through wearing their favorite player’s jersey, or decorating their car with bumper stickers and flags.
    2. Social Identity Theory is used to explain how the tendency to identify with successful teams can be used by fans to manage their self-presentation. One way this can be done is by associating with successful groups because it drives them to maintain a positive self-esteem.
  8. Brendan, D., Terry, E., & LeCrom, C.W. (2014). Destined to succeed? Team identification and the attributional bias of NFL fans. Journal of Sport Behavior, 37, 333-350.
    1. This article shows how being a fan in today’s media saturated market can be can emotional rollercoaster because fans tend to attribute wins to internal, and stable factors. From their perspective, a successful or unsuccessful season impacts individual’s social identity.
  9. Dwyer, B. (2011). Divided loyalty? An analysis of fantasy football involvement and fan loyalty to individual national football league (NFL) teams. Journal of Sports Management, 25, 445-457.
    1. This stresses the importance of fantasy football. It is a sizeable portion of the media and intensely targets fans by corporate sponsors. They use fan loyalty to increase fans’ attitudes and their psychological commitment to their favorite teams.
  10. King, A. (2000). Football fandom and post-national identity in the New Europe. British Journal of Sociology, 51, 419-442.
    1. Soccer games are the place where regional and national identities are vividly expressed. They create an imagined community and create a new concept of locality in relation to these communities in the globalized world. It also becomes the symbol of a social network and comes to embody the central understandings of the group and acts as a common cultural resource by which members of the group are called to order.
  11. Kennedy, P. & Kennedy D. (2012). Football supporters and the commercialization of football: Comparative responses across Europe. Soccer & Society, 13, 327-340.
    1. Soccer created 8 billion euros a year in revenue. That is mostly created through the “Big 5” leagues in England, Germany, Spain, Italy, and France. It also creates a worldwide audience of more than 4 billion viewers per season, which surpasses that of the NFL’s Superbowl.
  12. Lauss, G. & Szigetvari, A. (2010). Governing by fun: EURO 2008 and the appealing power of fan zones. Soccer & Society, 11, 737-747.
    1. Fan zones are places where expectations, pleasures, and desires of visitors meet. They are supposed to offer fun and entertainment and are promised to attract thousands of people. They expand the logics of the soccer stadium into the urban area. It attracts fans without tickets and at the same time keeps them under control.
  13. Goumas, C. (2014). Home advantage and referee bias in European football. European Journal of Sport Science, 14, 243-249.
    1. Home team crowd support is a very influential thing. It is shown to be a likely causal factor and has an influence on a referee’s decision. The presence of crowd noise made the observers more likely to decide in favor of the home team.
  14. Gaunt, R., Sindic, D., & Leyens, J.P. (2005). Intergroup relations in soccer finals: People’s forecasts of the duration of emotional reactions of in-group and out-group soccer fans. Journal of Social Psychology, 145, 117-126.
    1. People tend to perceive the out-group as less human than their in-group. They often base their actions on their forecasts of how they would feel and how others would feel.
  15. Oates, T.P. (2009). New media and the repackaging of NFL fandom. Sociology of Sport Journal, 26, 31-49.
    1. Football emerged as a successful spectator sport at the end of the 19th It underwent a remarkable transformation as the presentation of athletes as commodities to be consumed by their fans. It draws the largest media audiences in the US and its draft ends up outdrawing several million viewers more than the NBA, which is closest competitor.
  16. Markovits, A.S. (2011). Sports fans across boarders. Harvard International Review, 33, 17-22.
    1. There is ample evidence that sports have performed an enlightening function in human history. As it turns out, there isn’t a big difference between US and European sports culture. They both create an obsession and they both attract a mass following.
  17. Goldie, S., & Wolfson, S. (2014). Soccer fans’ self and group perceptions of superiority over rival fans. Journal of Sport Behavior, 37, 24-36.
    1. Highly identified sports fans are likely to feel a sense of pride in their association with fellow members. They are able to perceive a difference between themselves and rival fans. These fans believe that they are more supportive and enthusiastic than their competitors. They are able to bask in glory and create hope where it appears that there isn’t any
  18. Alder, J. (2015). Football 101: The basics of football. Retrieved from http://football.about.com/cs/football101/a/bl_football101.htm
    1. This article tells the basics of football. It explains the difference between offense and defense, as well as the object of the game and how the scoring goes. It shows the measurements of the football field and how the teams are made up and also explains how the beginning of the game works.
  19. Beginners guide to soccer. Retrieved from http://ussoccerplayers.com/beginners-guide-to-soccer
    1. This is a very basic outline as to how soccer works. The rules of soccer are called The Laws and they can only be changed by a meeting of representatives that vote to decide whether the change should happen or not. The offense or defense is similar to football. However, unlike football, the field dimensions are not set. It has 4 positions and has 11 players just like football.

Abstract Draft 1

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Smart cars or autonomous vehicles are a fascinating development in the human technological and social landscape. Smart cars come with the promise of safer and more efficient commutes as the mundane task of driving is handled by the sensors and algorithms, rather than the driver. Yet, the benefits of autonomous vehicles may be outweighed by the technical, legal, and ethical questions that will arise from their widespread development and use. Specifically, questions of legal liability and the ethics of having a vehicle possibly making a moral decision about the life or death of parties in an unavoidable accident are particularly vexing. There has been little philosophical discussion of these issues. This paper seeks to fill this gap and attempts to answer the questions of defining self-driving cars in terms of moral agency and what ethical system should self-driving cars be programmed to follow. The discussion of defining self-driving cars is best handled from the perspective of machine ethics which provides a threefold ethical paradigm with progressive levels of autonomy and ethical sensitivity. Smart cars represent the inside edge of functional morality because they have a significant degree of autonomy in regards to their actions on the road, while needing a basic level of ethical sensitivity to be socially permissible.  An argument for the necessity of utilitarian programming is made on the basis that self-driving cars are devices with functional morality and a minimal level of informational density. Specifically, that smart-cars are only capable of detecting the number, size, and shape of pedestrians or other vehicles and have no capacity to gain more detailed information. Moving from this assessment, I raise questions about individual human autonomy in relation to the ethical decisions of self-driving cars and discuss possible solutions.

Abstract Final

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Operating under and implementing the theoretical frameworks of neoliberalism and the Treadmill of Production (ToP) theory, this paper will unveil what embodies and defines consumer culture in the United States as well as what permits and perpetuates consumer behavior. Consumer behavior has come to be defined by a doctrine of “buy new, buy more, and buy often” due to a host of institutions and development thereof. This paper will examine specifically how politics, economics, the fashion industry, media, and advertising encourage the continuation of elaborate and excessive consumption in the United States. After inspecting how American society promotes consumption, this paper will analyze why consumers who are aware of the actions corporations take to force the rapid replacement of consumer goods through methods such as planned obsolescence, willingly continue to buy these companies’ products. Through the implementation of the work of Karl Marx and Thorstein Veblen and their respective concepts of commodity fetishism and conspicuous consumption, this paper will argue that consumers buy because they seek to fulfill a sense of pleasure as well as to craft their ideal version of self, which often revolves around competition to convey status and power. This paper will provide a critique on the impact of consumption, driven by individualism, on the environment, suggesting that the status quo of consumption simply is not viable. Potential policy changes to regulation as well as methods allowing for individualism, but with a lesser degree of consumption, will be discussed.