This project addresses the relationship between vulnerability and climate change induced human population displacement. Anthropogenic climate change is increasingly altering the way people live. A significant consequence of the effects of climate change is human displacement due to climate effects such as hurricanes, sea level rise, and drought. People displaced by the effects of climate change suffer from a legal protection gap. Increasing global attention is being addressed at closing this gap. My research explores the relationship between vulnerability and climate change induced displacement by analyzing case studies of hurricane induced displacement in the U.S. Gulf Coast, cyclone induced displacement in Bangladesh, and drought induced displacement in Somalia. Analysis of these case studies demonstrates that there is a relationship between socioeconomically vulnerable populations and displaced populations. Both in developed and developing countries, environmental displacement affects vulnerable populations disproportionately. Policy aimed at closing the legal protection gap for environmentally displaced persons should address the socioeconomic inequalities that make marginalized groups more vulnerable to climate change.

I focus on the ongoing effects produced by the Dayton Peace Agreement in Bosnia-Herzegovina. I explore areas this agreement failed to address and how these failures have resulted in new discriminatory practices and prolonged the process of reconciliation. Through a provision in the Dayton Peace Agreement, the Bosnian government justifies the establishment of segregated schools, separating two of the most antagonist populations, Bosniak (Muslim) and Serb (Orthodox Christian) students. I analyze the conditions for ethnic discrimination produced by conflicting narratives in ninth grade history textbooks. Furthermore, with questionnaires that I sent out to individuals who have attended homogeneous schools, I examine whether history textbooks serve as a legitimate representation of collective memory. I elucidate how variation in the historical narrative may disparately affect Bosniaks and Serbs and the possibility of reconciliation through the assignment and internalization of “us” and “the other”. Through an analysis of ninth grade history textbooks, I argue that the lack of a consistent narrative alongside competing historical accounts hinder Bosnia- Herzegovina’s internal peace and reconciliation process.

In the 1990’s, Washington State led the nation in adopting unprecedented punitive legislation, which fundamentally altered the punishment of sex offenses. Due to this history, certain subsets of the sex offense population have indeterminate sentences and could potentially be held for life; this system exists in direct contrast to the overall sentencing system in Washington State, which mandates fixed sentences for all other crimes. The motivations and effects of this divergent sentencing standard have not been fully addressed and deserve careful scrutiny. Furthermore, these policies hold significant consequences for the overall prison population as twenty percent of those currently incarcerated in Washington State were convicted for sex crimes. This project will investigate the legislative and sentencing changes regarding Washington State sex offenses in the last forty years. Through evaluations of historic Washington State criminal codes, I document how legislation regarding sex offenses has intensified since the 1980’s, specifically examining rape crimes. Utilizing Washington State sentencing data, I will demonstrate recent trends in the sentencing of sex offenses and evaluate how the sentences for this population have changed between 1986 and 2013. I will also interview local elected officials, affiliates, and attorneys involved in the sentencing of sex offenses to gain a qualitative perspective on this issue. In evaluating the human consequences of this sentencing model, I argue that we need to reevaluate the structure, motivation, and treatment of sex offenses in Washington State today.