Political Science and History

The Effects of Counterinsurgency on Salvadoran Society
 

Hannah Barine
Baylor University

The United States holds a fraught legacy of interventionism in El Salvador. A pertinent example of American influence is the counterinsurgency efforts of the Salvadoran civil war, lasting from 1979 to 1992. The United States sent millions of dollars of financial aid, benefitting the Salvadoran government and military and their fight against the insurgents, the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN). While most of the aid was directed toward military and security operations, comparatively little was allotted to humanitarian relief or reconstruction for civilian populations caught in the conflict – a disparity that shaped the character of the violence Salvadoran civilians experienced daily. This research examines the connection between American counterinsurgency policy and the psychosocial trauma of Salvadorans during the Salvadoran civil war, in correlation to Salvadoran northern immigration patterns. Under the guidance of faculty mentor Dr. Marilia Corrêa, the research methods employed were archival research from the Benson Latin America Collection, the University of London Institute of Latin America Studies, and reports, supplemented by oral history interviews with individuals who lived through the conflict. This research is significant as it contributes to the social history discussion concerning El Salvador’s civil war and examines the civilian effects of American counterinsurgency strategy.  

Hobert Bradson 

Within political thought, the end of politics often tends to be either unattainable, or merely the fulfillment of personal desires. Neither properly consider the importance of human agency and necessity of having clear, attainable political goals. Without which, political regimes expect citizens to place complete trust in political education, which is outside of themselves, or to obtain morals primarily based on their own desires. By analyzing the political writings of Saint Augustine, foremost being The City of God, I argue that he offers an alternative political end, that being restless contentment. This restless contentment is Augustine’s answer for how the moral citizen ought to live. Such a life is spent replacing evil with good, yet the moral citizen does not place their hopes in the political regime, but rather in an eschatological good. Augustine’s theory, while at times other-worldly, has substantive impact for bettering the lives of the current political community, while also maintaining political stability. Thus, while Augustine’s political philosophy is primarily intended to promote an arena for the growth of personal virtue, it still has great implications for the treatment of domestic politics. My hope is that further research will be done showing how Augustine’s restless contentment theory of government can be applied to international relations. 

Tokyo to South Texas: The Construction of Cultural Identity and Understanding Freedom and Determination through Anime at Texas A&M University Kingsville
 

David Sendejo
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
 

This research project will examine how Texans have a sense of cultural identity through anime. Specifically, individuals at Texas A&M University Kingsville, located in South Texas and home to many students, and alumni. This paper will display a cross section of History and Anthropology to argue my thesis. This study will primarily focus on award winnings series Naruto and Attack on Titan. These two-television anime are used as forms of cultural identity through philosophy, identity and socially. Naruto themes are freedom, belonging and cycle of hatred in society. In comparison, Attack on Titan themes is freedom, sacrifice, and can be used to resemble history through displaying the repetition of violence. In this project, Qualitative research will be conducted by interview questions amongst students, and alumni. In addition, references other Texas Universities’ archives to research club activities or social events that had occurred in the past. Along with this, ProQuest will be utilized through the Jernigan Library database where analysis of master’s Thesis’s and Dissertation will occur to observe their argument on the matter.