An Exploration of Third Spaces In China

Exploring Third Spaces in China in a multimedia format

Deterrence Without Peace: Nuclear Weapons and the Rising Threshold of Warfare

Nuclear weapons fundamentally changed the international political landscape, leading to the emergence of deterrence theory and the notion of the Long Peace. This paper challenges these claims, arguing that nuclear weapons facilitated a more violent and volatile international system rather than stability. Drawing on constructivist theory, this paper develops the Threshold of Violence framework – a normative model which asserts that nuclear weapons elevated the perceived upper limit of tolerable violence in international politics. This raised threshold generated three trends in the nuclear era: increased frequency of proxy wars, escalating levels of benefactor involvement, and greater severity of conflicts fought with conventional weapons in proxy states. This paper examines three case studies: the Spanish Civil War as a pre-nuclear baseline, the Korean War as an early nuclear-era proxy conflict, and the ongoing War in Ukraine. This analysis finds that nuclear weapons normalized conventional and proxy warfare by reclassifying them as ‘lesser’ forms of warfare, while dismissing the massive costs borne by proxy states. In doing so, the paper offers a normative reinterpretation of the Stability-Instability paradox and challenges the claim that nuclear deterrence has delivered peace

Filmmaking Unpacked: A Guide to Navigating Creative Dilemmas

A guide to the toughest psychological, philosophical, and practical questions we face as filmmakers and creators of any type. Filmmaking Unpacked is part textbook, part self-help book, part philosophical essay collection, and part memoir. It is written, performed, and produced by Ross Morin, delivered in 26 chapters (roughly the amount of classes in a college semester). It can be used for free, in high school, college, and graduate level courses. It is particularly designed for those who haven\u27t gone to college, won\u27t go to college, or, if they did go to college, they didn\u27t get the film education that they really wanted. Filmmaking Unpacked: A Guide to Navigating Creative Dilemmas © 2026 by Ross Morin, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives. CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0https://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/oer/1007/thumbnail.jp

Voting the Bums Out or Echoes of Weimar?: The FDP, Greens, AfD, Left Party, and BSW in the 2025 Bundestag Election

In all likelihood, Germany’s 2025 federal election has driven a final nail in the coffin of a party system marked by two traditional catch-all parties and several small parties. The FDP, Greens, AfD, Left Party, and BSW together received a record vote share. However, not all of them were electoral winners. Led by the AfD, smaller opposition parties on the ideological extremes surged, while hinge parties in government lost ground. A clear pole position offered an edge in a polarized and fragmented field. This article examines pre-election developments, manifestos, candidates, results, and outlooks of five parties that have emerged as key players in a party system that shows signs of polarized pluralism

Sustainability Internship with Rendezvous River Sports

An overview of my role as a sustainability intern at a kayak guiding company in Jackson, Wyoming. This paper includes a description of the company and their mission, my responsibilities and projects, and my takeaway and analysis of the experience. As a member of the Goodwin-Niering Center for the Environment, this internship experience is a required aspect of my final senior integrative project. Therefor, I also discuss how this role will impact my final research paper

Federation of Jewish Communities in Slovakia: CEO/Treasurer Intern

This reflection paper explores my internship experience as CEO/Treasurer Intern at the Federation of Jewish Communities in Slovakia (FJCS). Building on prior familiarity with the organization, I navigated new responsibilities that tested adaptability, leadership, and organizational skills within a nonprofit leadership context. The role exposed me to strategic planning, donor relations, event organization, and policy drafting, while also highlighting the importance of communication, time management, and critical thinking. My liberal arts background provided an interdisciplinary foundation that proved essential for addressing cultural, historical, and organizational dynamics. Challenges, such as managing executive-level priorities and rescheduling high level meetings during the CEO’s absence, strengthened my crisis response and reinforced my commitment to ethical, mission-driven leadership. This experience deepened my professional skill set, clarified career goals in international nonprofit leadership, and solidified my interest in strategic communications, fundraising, and policy advocacy

Pediatric Speech Language Pathology Internship at Play and Grow Speech Therapy

Having the opportunity to engage in an internship this summer left me feeling more inspired and fulfilled than I could have imagined. Before this internship, I did not know a lot about the field of Speech Pathology, but I found it intriguing and an applicable field for my future career. This internship allowed me to gain hands-on and direct experience within the pediatric and educational sides of the field and further integrated me into the behind-the-scenes work of an SLP. During the speech therapy sessions, I was exposed to a multitude of cognitive, developmental, and motor disorders among the clients, which broadened my understanding of disabilities among children. I learned to use a variety of talking aids, such as iPads with talking software, which I used to communicate with non-verbal patients, as well as learned basic ASL to use during the sessions to communicate with those on the Autism spectrum and to further emphasize words that are critical for children\u27s development. In terms of more professional development skills, I believe that this internship enhanced my communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. For all of the learning advantages and reasons above, I would definitely choose this experience again if I had to go back. It truly was more than I could have asked for in terms of hands-on experience and professional growth, as well as aiding in my future career goal planning

Timothy McDowell Artist Assistant

This reflection summarizes my summer 2025 internship with artist Timothy McDowell, where I worked as an art registrar intern documenting, conserving, and packaging a collection of over 200 works ranging from oil paintings to beeswax and cyanotypes. My responsibilities included photographing and cataloging each piece, creating a digital database, and applying conservation techniques to ensure preservation. Alongside these technical skills, I strengthened my organizational and collaborative abilities through discussions with Tim about handling methods, professional practice, and the role of mentorship in the arts. The experience fully met my learning objectives by providing concrete registrar skills, broadening my understanding of art handling and preservation, and clarifying my commitment to pursuing art as a lifelong path, while inspiring new goals such as exploring MFA programs and residencie

New England Aquarium Marine Mammal Education and Research

This reflection examines my summer internship as a Marine Mammal Education and Research Intern with the New England Aquarium in partnership with Boston Harbor City Cruises. Through data collection on whale watches and direct engagement with the public, I gained experience in observational research, marine mammal behavior, and science communication. While the internship did not provide as much technical fieldwork as I initially expected, it strengthened my ability to interpret environmental conditions, translate complex scientific concepts for diverse audiences, and recognize the importance of long-term data collection in conservation. Learning from naturalists with varied backgrounds broadened my perspective on marine science and reinforced the role of passion in effective outreach. Overall, the experience deepened my commitment to a career in marine biology and highlighted the need for both scientific expertise and public engagement in protecting marine ecosystems