This thesis focuses on the effects of neoliberal economic and social policies in Bolivia and their role in the feminization of poor indigenous migration. The thesis argues that these neoliberal policies most deeply affect poor indigenous women in Bolivia forcing them to migrate in order to provide for their families. Through migration, women become transnational mothers ( mothers across national borders). Based on interviews conducted in both Bolivian and Argneinta with migrant women, the thesis uses the experiences of these women in order to examine both the short and long-term effects of this on "culture" and mother-child relationships as well as southern cone relationships and inequalities.

People v. Zamora was a case that was decided on January 12, 1943, which led to the conviction and sentencing of five defendants guilty of assault, nine guilty of second degree murder, and three of first degree murder. This equals a total of seventeen convictions for the murder of one man, out of twenty two who were arrested. Along with those convictions, five women were arrested and, due mainly to their refusal to cooperate were sent to a woman’s reformatory (Barajas, 36). Yet there emerged many different problems that were relevant in this trial, which were brought about by both legal and social injustices. Even prior to the start of the trial there began to be a growing suspicious sentiment surfacing amongst the American people, due in large part to the yellow journalism that was going on at the moment. There were also many legal injustices that came about due to personal and social prejudice that governed the trial from beginning to end. Through the analysis of this trial, and the ensuing events, I will analyze the trial and focus on how pivotal the Zamora trial was legally. I will also examine the results of the trial and if they had any effect on the severe police brutality and the injustices being faced by the Mexican American people in the following years, specifically focusing on the Zoot Suit Riots. I will in conjunction with that analyze the social and political effects that both of these occurrences had on Chicanos, and their growing awareness of their rights. This case and the effects of it had long lasting consequences, changing the lives of many people, “this case involves the civil rights of the Mexican people, and, as an attack upon the democratic fabric, it involves all the people” (Cullen, 5).

This thesis examines the phenomenon of feminicide in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and the representation of female victims in U.S. and Mexican mainstream media and performance activism. Specifically analyzing representations of maquiladora workers and feminicide victims in film, fashion and photography, this thesis explores the simultaneous fetishization and devaluation of border women in patriarchal society. By broadening the base of pressure for justice, via performance and internet activism, misogynist governments and policies can and will change.

Since the early days of cinema, the translation techniques used to create subtitles have gone largely unchanged. Although these cinematic translations are characterized by both corruption and textual deformation, audiovisual translators have historically justified such textual violence by citing the temporal and spatial constraints necessitated by the subtitling apparatus. This thesis takes the corruption of contemporary film translation techniques, particularly those used to translate humor, as a point of departure in order to question the ethics of these subtitles from both a practical and theoretical standpoint. The study also includes an English to Spanish translation of the film Iron Man 3 (2013) in order to root larger theoretical questions regarding the translation of humor and slang in specific examples.

The following thesis outlines the state of inter-service rivalry between the Mexican army and the navy. This thesis discusses both the technical and philosophical reasons as to why the two services are so competitive and explains some reasons as to why the two services cannot seem to work together in any capacity. My findings suggest that in order for Mexico to overcome this inter-service rivalry within their armed forces, they must increase civilian oversight and create a unifying civilian institution that promotes and fosters collaboration and accountability.

In this paper I compare two female presidents in Latin America, Argentina’s Cristina Kirchner and Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff. Both have had major policy actions they have taken during their time in office that have meet with resistance from the elite members of society who were either happy under the military dictatorships that recently ruled that nations, or are unhappy that their Presidents are trying to change the way thing are. I look at two examples in particular, the first is Media Law 25.552 in Argentina which sought to break up the media conglomerates that held a monopoly on the media, the second, the scandal involving the state-run oil company of Brazil, and subsequent protests and how the elites are using those protests to call for President Rousseff’s resignation, due to their dislike of her social programs to help the poor. For both presidents, they face many difficulties in getting their legislation through and this paper examines the difficulties that exist due to the former military regimes in each nation.

Mediante de un acercamiento cronológico, esta disertación analiza la función de la ideología como herramienta poderosa para construir la nación y moldear al futuro ciudadano en la narrativa infantil cubana pre y pos-revolucionaria. Aunque una tradición y un proceso de formación de identidad nacional anteceden la literatura infantil publicada antes del triunfo de la Revolución, en los períodos posteriores existe una estrecha relación entre el contexto social de los textos y su función ideológica. Partiendo de “La Edad de Oro” (1889) de José Martí, este estudio se enfoca en los cambios socio-culturales que influyen en el desarrollo de una narrativa infantil nacional que transita del didacticismo más férreo a una variada exploración temática. Por encontrarse entre la Colonia y la etapa revolucionaria, el período republicano ha recibido poca atención crítica, marginado a veces de la herencia literaria de la nación. Sin embargo, el análisis de varios textos representativos en este período permite apreciar la integración de un pensamiento cubano desde búsquedas y posiciones muy diferentes a las del período siguiente, de 1959 a 1989. A partir de 1990 una diversificación temática fomenta objetivos muy distantes del enunciado didáctico. Este estudio concluye que en contraste con los pertenecientes a generaciones anteriores, en los escritores formados dentro de la Revolución, especialmente a partir de la década del ochenta, existe un interés especial por abordar temáticas inexploradas en la literatura infantil tradicional. El divorcio, la muerte, los conflictos generacionales y las diferencias raciales son sólo algunos de los temas que matizan la narrativa infantil posrevolucionaria, cuyos presupuestos ideo-estéticos, se encuentran intrínsecamente relacionados al contexto sociocultural.

This dissertation explores the nature of Jose Marti's ethical ideas in relation to the rise of late Nineteenth Century Modernity and in tandem with the deconstruction and subversion of the principal constituencies of colonial and aesthetic discourses. Marti proposes a new paradigm that question the insatiable pursuit of novelty, the hostility towards tradition, the historical perspectivism and a critical stance with regard to social aesthetic Modernity. He also questions the cult of reason, the linear historicism, and the teleological progress framed in philosophical utilitarian pragmatism of bourgeois Modernity. His radical criticism of the structures and institutions of the hegemonic power of the modern state override the ontological and epistemological foundations of Modernity. Marti's deconstruction of the fundamental discourses of euro-centristic Occidental culture leads him, through his ethical writings, to an arqueology of Native American civilizations, thus reinserting, within the false premises of European universalism, his counter-discourse of tradition and the voice of the Other.

Latino immigrants who lack assimilation into U.S. society often experience discrimination and immigrant backlash. The purpose of this exploration was to better understand the historical lack of assimilation of Latino immigrants, so they may avoid discrimination and have more access to goods and services. Self-determinism helped explain why the Latino immigrant group has a problem assimilating due to exclusionary practices, while segmented assimilation offered explanations on why assimilation is difficult. In this study, assimilation was measured according to English mastery by Spanish speakers. The research question was focused on what extent the level of generational standing, education, and income relate to assimilation for Latinos in the United States. A correlational design with multiple regression analysis was used in this study to analyze the Latino National Survey of 2006 secondary data (N =8634). Results indicated that every variable was significant except grandparents born outside the United States. The implications for positive social change include providing research-based information that might assist policymakers to develop programs and laws that better assist the Hispanic ethnic group to assimilate into United States.

Corruption is a kind of behavior that undermines good governance. Current research has suggested that Jamaica's present anticorruption policy is ineffective, and needs strengthening. A civic organization in Jamaica has advocated for an independent anticorruption agency, with both investigative and prosecutorial powers to strengthen Jamaica's anticorruption policy. Little is known about the perspectives from the Jamaican business community on this concept. The purpose of this study was to discover and understand perspectives from the Jamaican business community on this concept. A framework included in this study is the principal-agent theory, which provides an understanding of the essence and relevance of perspectives from the Jamaican business community. Phenomenological research was used to gain a deep understanding of these perspectives. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 5 business owners and a focus group comprising of 6 business owners. The data were analyzed thematically. Two perspectives were that an independent anticorruption agency with both investigative and prosecutorial powers in Jamaica could result in an improvement in some social benefits for its people, but the agency itself could experience challenges. Participants also thought that a collaboration among societal actors in Jamaica could bring increased success in terms of corruption control. An implication for positive social change is that societal actors in Jamaica can use collaboration to achieve effective public policies for Jamaica.