Unelected bureaucrats make a broad range of important policy decisions raising concerns of accountability in a democratic society. Many classics in the literature highlight the need to understand agency decisions at stages prior to the final vote by agency appointees, but few studies of the bureaucracy do so. To this point, scholars have treated the issue of shirking as one where laziness and inefficiency are the driving forces. However, it is more realistic to expect that shirking comes in the form of ideological resistance by administrators. I develop a theory that the independence afforded to the bureaucracy is functionally comparable to that of the judiciary, allowing for the insertion of individual attitudinal preferences by bureaucrats. Drawing from the attitudinal model of judicial research, I look at whether attitudes affect the decision making of administrative law judges at the National Labor Relations Board, the influence administrative law judge decisions have on reviewing bodies, and whether attitudinal decision making can be controlled by external political and legal actors. Results demonstrate that Democratic judges are more likely than Republican judges to rule for labor in unfair labor practice cases, administrative law judge decisions provide the basis for subsequent decisions of reviewing bodies, and that few political and legal controls exist over this set of bureaucrats. This research provides evidence that lower level bureaucrats make decisions based on their own political preferences and that these preferences have far ranging consequences for policy and law.

During the 2008 Presidential election, questions concerning Barack Obama’s religious views arose. Specifically, the controversy surrounding Obama’s former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, caused some people to wonder how Wright’s theology may have influenced Obama. This project investigates Obama’s religious views and examines several forces, including Wright, which influenced his theological perspective. Wright bases his theological perspective on the works of James Cone, a significant figure in Black Liberation Theology and a mentor to Wright. This thesis compares and contrasts Obama’s religious perspective with that of James Cone.

ABSTRACT District Superintendent and School Board President Perceptions regarding Leadership Characteristics for Superintendents of Texas Schools. (December 2009) Kenneth Lee Groholski, B.S., Sam Houston State University M.Ed., Tarleton State University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. John R. Hoyle The purpose of this study was to compare the perceptions of Texas Public School superintendents and school board presidents on the importance of leadership characteristics of the superintendency. The questionnaire used in this study was developed by Dr. Douglas D. Wilson and modified by the researcher. Responses to a Likert Scale instrument and a nominal ranking of ten leadership characteristics were solicited from superintendents and school board presidents of Texas public schools. The population was superintendents and school board presidents from Texas Public Schools. The population was divided into large school districts (>10,000 students) and small school districts (<10,000 students). Data was then generated regarding the respondent’s perceptions of leadership characteristics. Descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney Tests for differences were used to determine if possible significant differences exist in the data. Results were reported using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 14.0). Major findings of the study suggest: 1. Superintendents may view the importance of instructional leadership, prior work experience in education, and effective school board relations significantly higher than school board presidents. 2. Superintendents of small schools may view the importance of instructional leadership, prior work experience in education, and effective school board relations significantly higher than school board presidents of small schools. Conversely, school board presidents of small schools may view the focus on professional development significantly higher than superintendents of small schools. 3. Superintendents of large schools may view the importance of instructional leadership, comfort with media relations and politics, and effective school board relations significantly higher than school board presidents of large schools. 4. Regardless of school size, superintendents and school board presidents appeared to be in agreement concerning the three least important superintendent leadership characteristics.

Over the last two decades, several studies have confirmed that there is a leadership crisis among the nation's community colleges. In response to this leadership crisis, the American Association of Community Colleges [AACC] commissioned the development of a leadership competency framework consisting of six leadership competency areas deemed "either `very' or `extremely' essential to the effective performance of community college leaders." Since the release of this framework, limited research has been conducted on the importance of and the preparation in the identified competencies. The majority of research that has been conducted has focused on the position of president, even though there are several leadership positions within community colleges that are facing a leadership crisis. One such position is that of academic affairs officer. This study had two purposes. The first was to extend the research that has been conducted on the AACC leadership competencies by examining how community college academic affairs officers perceived the importance of and their own level of professional preparation in the identified competencies. The second was to examine the leadership development experiences that academic affairs officers identified as the most beneficial to their professional development as academic affairs officers. This study was a quantitative, descriptive, correlational design and used a questionnaire to collect data. The population for this study was academic affairs officers at public community colleges in the United States. The academic affairs officers that were included in the population were identified from the membership directory of the AACC. The survey instrument used for this study was based on the AACC leadership competency framework, as modified by Duree, which included 45 leadership competencies summarized into six leadership competency areas: organizational strategy, resource management, communication, collaboration, community college advocacy, and professionalism. Using two four-point scales, academic affairs officers (n=102) were asked to rate the importance of and their own level of professional preparation in the identified competencies. The survey instrument also asked academic affairs officers to rank the top five leadership development experiences that they feel have been the most beneficial to their professional development as academic affairs officers. In general, academic affairs officers believe that the AACC leadership competency areas are important for effective leadership in leading academic affairs. The most important leadership competency area was communication, followed by organizational strategy, community college advocacy, collaboration, professionalism, and resource management. In addition, academic affairs officers perceive that they are moderately or very well-prepared to perform many but not all of the identified competencies. For those identified competencies that academic affairs officers did not feel as prepared to perform, several were rated as important for effective leadership. Academic affairs officers ranked progressive job responsibilities as the leadership development experience felt to be the most beneficial to their professional development as academic affairs officers. Academic affairs officers then ranked challenging job assignments; participation in institutional task forces, committees, and commissions; and networking as the second, third, and fourth most beneficial leadership development experiences, respectively. The fifth most beneficial leadership development experience was networking, followed by attendance at conferences and specialized workshops. Based upon frequency totals, university-based degree programs and mentoring (role as mentee, not mentor) were also considered beneficial leadership development experiences. The significance of this study is that it provides practical, relevant, and timely information for both current practicing academic affairs officers and those who aspire to lead public community colleges in the position of academic affairs officer. The results of this study have several implications for practice. These implications include: to inform those persons seeking academic affairs officer positions of the relative importance of the AACC leadership competencies and the leadership development experiences deemed to be the most beneficial by a sample of incumbents; to inform leaders of higher education and professional development programs of the leadership competencies that should perhaps be included in the curricula of their programs; and to provide resources to be used by search committees in formulating desired qualifications and, later, in interviewing candidates for the position of academic affairs officer.

Student governance has been in existence as an integral part of higher education almost since the founding of the first college in colonial America. However, little is understood about the lived experience of students involved in student governance, and specifically those who participate in leadership positions within student government organizations such as the student government president. Therefore, the primary purposes of this study are to highlight experiences of students who served as presidents of a liberal arts college’s student government association and to examine the meanings these individuals construct out of their leadership experiences. This study employed qualitative methods, which included in-depth, open-ended, semi-structured interviews and journaling. The sample was made up of six students who served as student government association presidents at a small, private, liberal-arts college. From the data derived through the interview and journaling processes, an overall picture of the experiences of the participants and the meanings that the participants construct of their experiences was drawn. Based on the results, several themes regarding the participants’ experiences as student government presidents emerged from the data, which include: positive and negative facets of their presidencies, stress as a substantial element during their time in office, dissimilar experiences of women and minority students, varied experiences regarding relationships and conflicts with members of the campus community, the multiple roles required of a student government president, and personal approaches to leadership that a student government president must possess and hone. Conclusions based on the data were included and implications for student affairs practitioners were discussed as well as recommendations for further study were made.

The purpose of this study was to analyze and assess the attitude of Lincoln and Congress toward emancipation of slaves during the Civil War.Hypotheses1. Abraham Lincoln, as the sixteenth President of the United States, was determined to preserve the Union and to preserve slavery where it existed.2. The Thirty-Seventh Congress of the United States was determined to preserve the Union and to preserve slavery where it existed.3. Lincoln showed enthusiasm toward emancipation of slaves.4. Lincoln was sensitive to the needs and desires of freed slaves.5. The Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves.Historical FindingsThe five historical hypotheses evaluated in this study reveal significant information and they are explained below:1. Abraham Lincoln, as the sixteenth President of the United States, was determined to save the Union. Therefore, the hypothesis that Abraham Lincoln, as the sixteenth President of the United States, was determined to abolish slavery is historically rejected.2. The Thirty-Seventh Congress of the United States was determined to save the Union. Therefore, the hypothesis that the Thirty-Seventh Congress of the United States was determined to abolish slavery is historically rejected.3. Lincoln showed enthusiasm toward gradual emancipation of slaves with compensation. Therefore, the hypothesis that Lincoln showed enthusiasm toward outright emancipation of slaves is historically rejected. 4. Lincoln was not sensitive to the needs and desires of Negroes, because this concern was overshadowed by his immediate desires to retain the Union. Therefore, the hypothesis that Lincoln was sensitive to the needs and desires of Negroes is historically rejected.5. The Emancipation Proclamation did not free slaves because of the following three reasons:(1) the Emancipation Proclamation applied to slaves in areas still under the control of the Confederacy; (2) the limitations of the Emancipation Proclamation made it a paper tiger; (3) the Emancipation Proclamation applied to slaves located where it had no power to execute its provisions.

Problemformulering: Det amerikanska valet år 2016 har gått till historien. Det stod mellan två oväntade kandidater, Hillary Clinton som var USA:s första kvinna att kandidera till president. Den andra kandidaten var Donald Trump, en framgångsrik affärsman utan politisk bakgrund. Segrare blev Donald Trump, vilket förbluffade världen. Presidenten började sin första dag med att kritisera medier för att dem ska använda sig utav “Fake News” när det publicerar nyheter. Det är presidentens begrepp “Fake News” som lade idén för vår studie. Syfte: Studien ämnar undersöka huruvida Svenska Dagbladet och Dagens Nyheters utformning och gestaltningar i nyheter framställs och därmed presenteras för medborgarna samt huruvida de två valda tidningarna framställer President Trump. Metod och material: En kvantitativ innehållsanalys har genomförts bestående av totalt 40 analysobjekt från Svenska Dagbladet och Dagens Nyheter. Huvudresultat: Nyheters logik och berättartekniker, nyheters beskrivande innehåll samt nyheters utformning utgör i samverkan med varandra, i större och mindre utsträckning, en god grund för hur individer väljer sin informationskälla och uppfattar verkligheten. Dessa skapar även förutsättningar för mediernas betydelse i samhället och vilken påverkan de har på individer i samhället. Utan medialiseringen och nyhetsvärderingen tenderar gestaltningen i nyhetsrapportering inom politik att bli intetsägande. Vidare är de politiska aktörerna och medierna beroende av varandra och samspelet mellan varandra för att fånga uppmärksamheten hos individer i samhället.

The primary purpose of this investigation was to identify and describe the current role of the executive vice president in higher education. The subpurposes of the study were to determine (1) the duties of the executive vice president, (2) the decision-making responsibilities associated with the position, (3) the degree of agreement between presidents, executive vice presidents, and written documents regarding the duties of the office, and (4) the extent of numerical increase or decrease of the position. An analysis of the findings led to the following conclusions that (1) there is close agreement between presidents and executive vice presidents regarding the duties and requirements of the position of executive vice president; (2) there is little agreement between presidents of differing types and sizes of institutions and between vice presidents of such differing institutions; (3) a majority of institutions have written job descriptions for the position but few of these documents actually describe the position with detail; (4) this study also generated a composite job description; and (5) finally, demonstrates that the position of executive vice president has grown at a significant rate over the past decade.

O Estudo de Caso é um método comumente utilizado nas pesquisas psicológicas e psiquiátricas. Freud, ao fundar a psicanálise, seguiu o mesmo modelo, apresentando estudos de caso a partir de tratamentos psicanalíticos ou de documentos escritos, embora ele oferecesse uma ligação íntima entre os sintomas observados e a história do sofrimento dos pacientes. Desenvolvendo um tipo específico de intervenção psicanalítica chamada ‘construção’, Fédida propõe a ‘Construção do Caso’, a qual está vinculada à supervisão do caso atendido. Ao examinar aspectos como a memória em psicanálise, a ficção, o dispositivo ‘Traço do Caso’, o autor desta Tese estuda o recolhimento dos dados pelo analistapesquisador e sua conseqüente transformação em caso metapsicológico a ser publicado. O estudo baseia-se na leitura das “Memórias de um Doente dos Nervos”, de Daniel Paul Schreber, nas “Notas Psicanalíticas sobre um Relato Autobiográfico de um Caso de Paranóia (Dementia Paranoides)”, de Sigmund Freud, e nas contribuições de Jacques Lacan em ‘De uma Questão Preliminar a Todo Tratamento Possível da Psicose’. O autor propõe considerar a ‘Construção Metapsicológica de Caso’ como um método de escritura do caso em sua vertente ficcional, o qual parte da figuração trazida pelo paciente em tratamento, recebendo, do psicanalista, uma transfiguração que garanta a sua inteligibilidade. Para o autor, o caso publicado é sempre do analista. / Case Study is a common method used in psychological and psychiatric research. Freud, when creating Psychoanalysis, followed this model and presented case studies from psychoanalytic treatments or written papers, but offering an close connection between the observed symptoms and the history of the patients sufferings. Developing an specific type of psychoanalytic intervention called “construction”, Fédida proposes a “Case construction” that is related to a supervision of the case under treatment. When analyzing in Psychoanalysis such issues as memory, fiction, the “trait of the case” device, the author of this Thesis studies the data collection by the analyst-researcher and its subsequent transformation in a meta-psychological case to be published. The study is based in readings of Daniel Paul Schreber’s “Memories of my nervous illness”, in Sigmund Freud’s “Psycho-Analytic notes upon an autobiographical account of a case of paranoia (Dementia paranoides)” and in Jacques Lacan’s contributions in “A preliminary question about any possible treatment of psychosis”. The author suggests the consideration of a “Metapsychological Case Construction” as a writing method for the case in its fictional side, that departing from the figuration brought by the patient to the treatment, receives a transfiguration of the fantasy from the psychoanalyst which guaranties its intelligibility. For the author, the published case always belongs to the analyst.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T12:29:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Juliana Leone Paiva Victorino PG 1_135.pdf: 4897555 bytes, checksum: f2255f71534052cc9267348dec8ce134 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-03-27 / This study portrayed the process of communication and political marketing in the public life of Wenceslau Braz, president of Brazil from 1914 to 1918. She approached the Brazilian policy of that time and showed the strategies of persuasion used to indicate the position of the miner, showing how the press at the time reacted in this election period. The methodology that guided this dissertation was to "Case Study", based on the basics of Robert Yin, where several studies were conducted bibliographic, documentary and interviews with family and friends of Wenceslas. In addition four of the Brazilian press publications were analyzed. It is concluded that the participation of the press was quite irrelevant in this process and the electoral process was dictated by the political regime of the time. / Esta pesquisa retratou o processo de comunicação e marketing político na vida pública de Wenceslau Braz, presidente do Brasil de 1914 a 1918. Ela abordou a política brasileira daquela época e mostrou as estratégias de convencimento usadas para indicação do mineiro ao cargo, revelando de que maneira a imprensa da época reagiu nesse período eleitoral. A metodologia que norteou essa dissertação foi a de Estudo de Caso , baseado nos conceitos básicos de Robert Yin, onde foram realizados vários estudos bibliográficos, documentais e entrevistas com familiares e amigos de Wenceslau. Complementarmente quatro publicações da imprensa brasileira foram analisadas. Conclui-se que a participação da imprensa nesse processo foi bem irrelevante e o processo eleitoral foi ditado pelo regime político da época.