Political Science & Law
Olivia Persinger, Olivia_persinger1@baylor.edu
Baylor University, with Dr. Elizabeth Corey
Political Science
The New Buffalo: The Benefits and Harms of Indian Gaming
Native American tribes once found self-sufficiency by living off the land and killing buffalo. As time progressed, the tribes' capability to gain self-sufficiency has changed to where most tribes now promote their economic development, sovereignty, and strong tribal governments through tribal gaming. Thus, tribes have cultivated their "new buffalo" through the provision from the Indian Gaming Association. While tribal gaming brings advantages such as increased job opportunities and revenue; it also brings disadvantages such as problem gambling and increased criminal activity. This research uses an economic and political focus on these topics, asking what the benefits and harms are to Native Americans from tribal gaming. The first step in approaching these questions is to understand the development of the Indian Gaming Association since the passing of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Next, scholarly written sources, legal documents, and interviews with contemporary figures fill out a portrait of the current situation. This research's purpose is to evaluate how tribal sovereignty and Native Americans are affected by the presence of the Indian Gaming Association in an economic and political sense. Although the results are not finalized, this research's theory is that tribal governments gain slight tribal sovereignty from tribal gaming; however, the U.S. government gains the most benefits from tribal gaming. This research suggests the need for the U.S. Government to preserve and protect the tribal sovereignty of Native Americans through tribal gaming instead of using them as pawns in the economic and political process.
Ethan Ivy, eivy@forum.montevallo.edu
University of Montevallo, with Dr. Andrea Eckelman
Political Science
Did the removal of federal oversight in elections through the Shelby Co. V. Holder (2013) Supreme Court Case, result in a reduction of minority voter registration in the state of Alabama?
The gutting of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 resulted in a reduction of black voter registration in the state of Alabama. This reduction is after years of historical disenfranchisement, through the founding of the U.S., the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Jim Crow, black people have historically not been allotted their full rights as citizens, especially at the ballot box (Gerston). The Civil Rights Movement brought forth necessary changes to the United States manifested in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The VRA significantly enfranchised black voters. Despite this, Section 5 of the VRA, the federal oversight for elections in specific counties and states, was struck down in 2013 by the Supreme
Court. Since these counties have made many strides to make voting and voter registration more difficult for black people, this research continues to be vital for the protections of the right to vote for both people of color and citizens of the United States. Further research should seek to explain how the voter registration related to the actual voters in elections. In addition, looking at why politicians choose to enfranchise and disenfranchise voting for different groups of people.
Jazmin Ponce, jponce@mail.snu.edu
Southern Nazarene University, with Dr. Rosfeld & Dr.Rodin
Politics and Law
Three- and Ten-Year Bars
This research paper examines how the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) affects immigrant’s decisions to pursue citizenship. The IIRIRA, enacted in 1996, introduced the three and ten-year bars under Section 212, which pose significant challenges to undocumented immigrants seeking legal status. This paper specifically explores the perspectives of undocumented immigrants regarding the impact of the three and ten-year bars on their path towards citizenship.To investigate this process, interviews with undocumented Latino individuals were conducted to gain insight into their experience navigating their legal immigration process. These interviews captured the narratives of undocumented immigrants, providing insights into the complexities and hardships they face in their pursuit of legal status and citizenship, including the onerous three- and ten-year bars put in place by the IIRIRA. Findings suggest that the IIRIRA's bars complicate the process of obtaining legal status for undocumented immigrants, create obstacles that lead to prolonged separation from family members, and produce economic hardships, and emotional strain. These findings emphasize the need to reform the three- and ten-year bars to keep families unified and reduce hardships for them. Furthermore, by reforming these bars, undocumented immigrants can be offered the opportunity to naturalize, enabling them to emerge from the shadows and fully integrate into society
Session Location
- Foster 203
Session Date/Time
- Thursday, 11:15am - 12:15pm
Session Type
- Oral Student Presentations
- Student Presentations