Banana for Scale: Quantifying Reddit's Impact on Political Campaigns by Lauren Hince and Rose Hogmire
Politics and Government
Reddit, popularly known as the front-page of the internet, is an emerging platform for political campaigns. Consistently updating with fresh ideas, Reddit’s interface is dynamic with its content being exclusively user-generated. Within the website are separate communities called “subreddits,” which function similarly to online forums. IAmA (I am a) and AMA (Ask me anything) are posts on Reddit affording users the chance to ask anything of an AMA/IAmA host. Because of it’s direct contact structure, political candidates from all levels have taken to AMAs/IAmAs as a way to connect with voters; but until now scholars have not given attention to this website due to Reddit’s reputation and complex format. Our research highlights Reddit’s key role in voter representation. We examine what motivates people to engage with politicians on the website, and how their interaction affects their engagement and perception of politics. Through surveying active Reddit users we analyze the effectiveness of AMAs/IAmAs in changing the perception of a candidate, or helping them seem relatable. Our research will also introduce personal anecdotes from campaigns and Reddit users detailing their experience with this unconventional format; illuminating Reddit’s political potential.
Lauren Hince and Rose Hogmire
Senior Showcase Oral presentation
Ripon College
April 17, 2018
The author reserves all rights.
pdf
Majors: Communication, Politics and Government (Lauren Hince)
Blaine, Minnesota (Lauren Hince)
Politics and Government Senior Seminar
The Constituents Will Eat it Up: How Food Affected Political Identity in the 2016 Presidential Election by Lauren Hince
Rhetorical Criticism
From taco bowls to eating pizza with a fork, food has remained a topic of conversation surrounding political campaigns. The 2016 presidential election cycle was no exception. Faced with two candidates who defied the presidential mold, both campaigns had to find unique ways to connect with voters. Food, when used correctly, can be a powerful identification tool that shapes politician’s image. Always seen eating fast-food, Trump’s food choices gave him the nickname “the blue-collar billionaire.” By comparison, the Clinton campaign used fresh and local foods to soften her image. Both decisions reflect the rhetorical significance food can play on our political system. Through my analysis, I will attempt to answer the question: "How was food used by campaigns to alter candidates’ image?” I analyze the food choices made by Clinton and Trump campaign, and examine how these decisions affected the campaigns’ overall strategy; leading to the outcome of the 2016 election.
Lauren Hince
Senior Showcase Oral presentation
Ripon College
April 17, 2018
The author reserves all rights.
pdf
Majors: Communication, Politics and Government
Blaine, Minnesota
Rhetorical Criticism
Václav Havel on Human Conscience by Zachary Mattson
History
Václav Havel is one the main European dissidents and political leaders that helped bring the change from the old style communist regimes to capitalist democracies. Havel’s experience of living and playwriting under the Czechoslovakia’s communist regime and eventually becoming their democratically elected president greatly influenced his ideology of stressing the importance of human conscience. The political philosophy of human conscience falls into two main camps freedom of expression, which includes free thought, identity, and natural rights. The other factor is the idea of responsibility which evolves from non-political means to political means, and eventually global responsibility. Havel’s human conscience is rooted in a tradition of Czech humanism and Havel’s life experiences.
Zachary Mattson
Senior Showcase Oral Presentation
Ripon College
April 18, 2017
The author reserves all rights.
Majors: History and Politics & Government
The Attorney Generals’ Role in a Polarized Society: How the Office has Evolved and What it Needs to Survive by Nicole Zeman
Politics and Government
The Judiciary Act of 1879 established the role of the United States Attorney General (AG). The AG is the head attorney for the country, appointed by the President. The role of the Attorney General is to be the head administrator for the DOJ, and represent the United States in legal matters, which may include representing the United States Government in the Supreme Court of the United States and all other courts. From the first Attorney General the office has lacked political neutrality and the waves of political polarization throughout American history have forced the AG to play the political game. Because the President appoints the AG, the Attorney General’s loyalty, which is supposed to be to the public, has steadily prevailed to be directed at the president. The office has progressed gaining the power of precedent and the Department of Justice, which has heightened the power of the AG within society. Attorneys General such as Edmund Randolph, William Wirt, Amos T Akerman, Homer Stille Cummings, John Ashcroft and Loretta Lynch among many other have highlighted the political problem within the position through party and presidential loyalty. To fix the AG’s involvement with party politics, the Supreme Court of the United States must be granted appointment power of the AG with review every four years. The Supreme Court appointment will result in a more stable justice system, a less politicized Attorney General, and loyalty to the people to be restored.
Nicole Zeman
Senior Showcase Oral presentation
Ripon College
April 18, 2017
The author reserves all rights.
pdf
Major: Politics and Government, Business
Sussex, Wisconsin
Apocalyptic Islam: What Makes ISIS a Serious Threat to America by Jacob Sahr
Politics and Government
ISIS poses a serious threat to America and the American way of life. Whether ISIS has the ability to target the United States currently or in the near future, the aspects which constitute the brutal terror organization and state-like characteristics make ISIS an inevitable threat that America will have to confront sooner or later. This study does not encompass or delve into the historical founding of ISIS; rather, this analysis seeks to explain the aspects of ISIS which cause it to be an expanding, resilient, and powerful threat in global politics, and in the end, to the United States. The current aspects of ISIS that contribute to their increasing and omnipresent threat are recruiting tactics and ability, the organizations financial ability, military capability and strength, state functionality, and ideological principles. Considering all of these facets, there are those who believe America should not become more involved or invested in the Middle East's problems, but when these characteristics are combined ISIS serves as a very serious threat to America, its national security, and its interests. The scope of this analysis does not intend to postulate policy solutions or recommendations, but to simply demonstrate the increased need for American involvement and policy change.
Sahr, Jacob
Senior Showcase Oral presentation
Ripon College
April 19, 2016
The author reserves all rights.
pdf
Majors: Politics and Government, History
Minor: Military Science
Menasha, WI
POL 502 - Senior Seminar
Getting Social with Elected Officials: How Governors and State Legislators are Harnessing the Power of Social Media as a Form of Political Communication by Abigail R. Quackenboss
Politics and Government
The advent of the Internet and development of social media tools has had a profound impact on politics, most notably stateside being the ability to get out the youth vote in the 2008 and 2012 Presidential elections. Social media allows for a two-way flow of information, which in politics is ideal when seeking feedback from constituents. Ideally, a politician’s social media strategy will: (1) cover a variety of policy areas; (2) respond to the social-media feedback from constituents; and (3) adapt to the changing trends in social media.
This paper, in a pseudo-case study analysis, examines the social media strategies of twelve politicians, governors and state legislators alike. The paper begins with an exploration of how social media has been used in politics, by both voters and politicians. In the analysis portion of the paper, messaging, responsiveness, and adaptability are used as metrics to gauge how effectively the twelve chosen politicians are utilizing social media as a form of political communication. Findings suggest politicians inconsistently use social media as a political communication tool along the metrics of messaging, responsiveness, and adaptability, allowing room for improvement when utilizing social media as means of communicating with voters, supporters, and constituents.
Quackenboss, Abigail R.
Senior Showcase Oral presentation
Ripon College
April 23, 2015
The author reserves all rights.
pdf
Major: Politics and Government
Minor: Mathematics minor
Saint Cloud, Wisconsin
POL 501/502 Politics and Government Senior Seminar