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The International Monetary Fund was created to promote peace and stability through economic interdependence and free trade. One of its many functions is to provide countries with loans and economic plans for development and to help them avoid default. However, these loans often require recipient nations to enact significant disruptive reforms that tend to lead to political instability and increased debt. Guatemala has entered loan agreements with the IMF time and time again to develop economically, yet it has faced continued political instability and economic issues since the 1990s. This paper examines how IMF loan policies contributed to increased debt and political instability in Guatemala since 1990.

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Femicide has plagued Mexico for decades, serving as a testament to the country’s intersecting challenges of corruption, over militarization, gender inequality, and organized crime that afflict the country. This thesis serves to address the various factors that perpetuate feicide. Through a case study analysis, this research explores the ways in which systemic corruption within governmental institutions creates a system of impunity that is conducive to violence, specifically gender-based violence. This thesis gives a close examination to the President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's militarized approach to combat organized crime and its effect on femicides throughout the state. Through a critical analysis of this approach, this study finds how organized crimes has been the country's scapegoat for gender-based violence, and the "War on Drugs" approach has not been effective in addressing femicide and has only exacerbated the situation. This thesis aims to highlight that a comprehensive reform in Mexico is needed within its government. In order to adequately address femicide and gender-based violence, there needs to be urgent change. Through an approach that prioritizes dismantling corruption, Mexico can break through generations of oppression that has been bestowed upon women for decades.

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While much work has analyzed the factors behind the growing incarcerated population in the US, less research has been conducted on the alarmingly high rates of recidivism that bring formerly incarcerated individuals back into the criminal justice system. This disparity in research necessitates a deeper analysis. To this extent, the present study utilizes publicly available data through the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Inmate Database to analyze the effect Age, Former Crimes, and Time served have on the probability an individual will recidivate. Participants were 200 individuals who were booked into Los Angeles County jails between 2019-2022. Demographic and criminal history data was collected on these participants and used to conduct multivariate analyses to understand the effect the three analyzed factors play in the probability a formerly incarcerated individual will recidivate. The results of these analyses in part reflect the established literature and suggest that as
individuals age, their probability of recidivism decreases. Other results differ from what has been traditionally observed. For instance, those who have served less time as opposed to what they were originally sentenced to generally recidivate at similar rates to those who serve their full sentences. Finally, with some exceptions, those with less violent criminal histories tend to recidivate at similar rates as those with violent histories. This may be because the present study analyzes a population that has been to this point excluded from the research on recidivism— those formerly incarcerated at the state and county levels. By drawing this research sample from LA County, the current study paints a fuller picture of recidivism and the factors that contribute to it.

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The end of colonialism after World War II caused an increase of ethnic conflicts in formally colonized territories. In South Asia, borders were created between India and Pakistan during the Partition of 1947, leaving a land between India and Pakistan to fend for themselves. This paper examines a region that is still up for contention between India and Pakistan, known as Jammu-Kashmir. This semi-autonomous region has been going through a form of ethnic conflict, primarily between Indian Hindu nationalists and Kashmiri Muslims. However, compared to other conflicts, the conflict between Indian citizens and Kashmiris remains relatively stable. This paper argues that the reason that there is regional stability is because of the vast ethnic groups, the different strengths of political and military power between India and Pakistan, and the increasing risk and fear of terrorism. The paper refers to other regions of the world that have on-going ethnic conflicts to come to a conclusion on the reasons for Jammu-Kashmir stability. The purpose of this paper is to analyze and understand the stability in the region, and give an explanation as to why there is regional stability.

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Chronic conditions have major increases in the global population annually. Long term illness is detrimental to one’s health specially when it is not being properly treated. When healthcare support teams lack understanding of cultural beliefs, norms, and religious views, they miss out on who their patients are as individuals and not just their illness. Consequently, taking away from other important factors which have a major role in patients’ lives. Failing to take patients’ other life factors into account when treating them, will lead to comorbidity of worsening existing illnesses and being susceptible to additional diseases. Drawing from my experiences interning with the Community Health Improvement Program (CHIPS) at San Antonio Regional Hospital (SARH), this paper examines multiple factors which had significant effects on patient outcomes who have chronic conditions. Attributed to a lack of cultural competency training implications at SARH. This paper will analyze the importance of cultural competency training and how they are effective when working with diverse populations at SARH. As a result, training will improve patient health outcomes and provider to patient communication. Additionally, the information from this paper will provide recommendations on how to provide effective cultural competency training at SARH for patients of diverse ethnic backgrounds.

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In America, women of color have the highest rates of health-related diseases compared to any other group, specifically their white counterparts. This translates to higher infant mortality rates, higher rates of postpartum-related death, higher rates of cardiovascular disease, etc. Studies have shown that this is due to the low socioeconomic position women of color often find themselves in, as well as racist practices found within the healthcare system. Adopting a feminist approach, the issue of health disparities is analyzed through three different feminist lenses: liberalism, socialism, and intersectionality. Each lens examines how feminist confront/ identify the solution, goal, and means of achieving such goals. Furthermore, how each lens confronts the issue of health inequalities. Consequently, this analysis demonstrates how intersectional feminism holds the best explanatory power method to address the health disparities/inequalities women of color face daily.

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