Undergraduate Theses

ABSTRACT: This study aims at finding better solutions for the protection of the LGBTQ+ community, more specifically transgender people, from hate crimes they are constantly subjected to, through the usage of inductive research with an interpretivist approach, using qualitative research methodology, analyzing the experiences of the people involved and how it was perceived. To better answer the research question of “how effective are the policy making and laws in deterring transphobic crimes in Italy and USA?”, this thesis will be divided in four sections: historical analysis of the countries’ judicial advancements, definition of specific theories and terms, analysis of specific case studies of transphobic crimes and proposal of potential solutions. Moreover two cases of transphobic murders are going to be analyzed, one for the US and one for Italy, providing also a legislative and judicial outcome and explanation.Lastly, the conclusion will be composed by possible solutions and recommendations for the future.

ABSTRACT:This dissertation examines political Islam’s influence on dictatorships in Egypt & Tunisia after the Arab Spring through studying the Islamist political parties involved. By examining their historical backgrounds, the process of the Arab Spring, their time in power, and the aftermath, I clarify that Islam is compatible with democracy under certain circumstances that were evident in Tunisia but not in Egypt. The period studied includes the Arab Spring and the ten years afterwards. I use two primary methods of investigation: a quantitive analysis of each country and two case studies on the Islamist political parties. Data has been collected from archives, published reports, and newspapers. This thesis challenges the argument that Islam is not compatible with democracy. My thesis will focus on the Islamist political parties, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and the Enhada party in Tunisia. This thesis will show the rise and fall of the groups as political forces in the region, the effects of the parties on the national political landscape in each country, and the democratization process. I will consider questions such as: Are the values of the Islamist political parties compatible with Islam? Were the Islamist political parties willing to secularize the country? Finally, I will look at the cultural atmosphere produced and whether it helped produce democratization or hindered the process.

ABSTRACT: The annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation has led to numerous human rights violations. Although Russia is one of the signatories to the European Convention on Human Rights, the state shows a profound disregard for the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights by refusing to accept responsibility for human rights violations within the Crimean peninsula. This dissertation attempts to shed light on the problem of continued non-compliance by the Russian Federation through a thorough examination of the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights in relation to the inter-state case of Ukraine v. Russia. It will be shown that, notwithstanding the fact that the conflict between Ukraine and Russia is ongoing and the situation can be described as political, there are legal issues for which the ECtHR is the appropriate forum. While the European Court of Human Rights has traditionally had a high compliance rate, the question is whether the current non-compliance by the Russian Federation threatens to undermine the persuasive power of the ECtHR and disrupt the peace, democracy and tolerance that it promotes.