This research examines the degree to which coercive tactics exist and affect Southeast and East Asian communities within interrogation settings. Using publicly accessible U.S. legal materials from 1990-2019, case data was collected and analyzed through a Python dictionary. The analysis consists primarily of frequency comparison and text patterning to determine if a systematic relationship exists between ethnic groups and the use of coercive tactics. Through conducting the analysis, patterns of less detailed interrogation reporting were observed in cases where language barriers were present and/or the suspect was an immigrant. Though only a select number of the cases observed showed detailed accounts of interrogation practices, the ones that did showed clear presence of coercive tactics among both groups of Asian communities.

Anti-immigrant messaging by the Trump administration frequently portrays immigrants, particularly Latinos, as threats to public safety and national security, despite evidence showing lower rates of criminal activity among immigrant populations. This study investigates how exposure to Trump-era anti-immigrant messaging affects college students’ perceptions of credibility, trust in government institutions, and willingness to engage with or share political content. The research employs an online survey with approximately 300 UCLA students, who will report on their media exposure, evaluate the credibility of selected messages, and respond to ICE recruitment materials. Participants’ attitudes toward immigrants, emotional reactions, and behavioral intentions will be measured using Likert-scale items and close-ended questions. Quantitative data will be analyzed using correlations, multiple regression, and analysis of variance. It is anticipated that exposure to propaganda will influence perceived credibility, reduce trust in institutions, and affect intentions to discuss or share content. This study contributes to understanding how state-sponsored political messaging circulates among young adults, shapes public perceptions, and influences civic engagement. Findings may inform media literacy initiatives, public communication strategies, and educational programs aimed at fostering critical thinking, reducing susceptibility to biased messaging, and promoting informed participation in democratic processes of a multicultural society.

Since the 1960s, Tulare county in the south of California’s central valley has been a center for dairy production, and is currently the milk producing capital of the United States. Unique to other regions both nationally and globally, Tulare is able to produce huge quantities of milk and milk derivatives not by sheer number of dairies, but by intense industrialization of dairying processes at a few large corporate dairies. However, Tulare only began to produce dairy products at such scale beginning in the late 1900s, when production in Los Angeles became too costly. Studying archival objects such as dairy industry journal articles and US Department of Agriculture surveys from the late 20th century, this research seeks to examine the changing factors that pushed post-World War II dairy practices towards industrialization, and simultaneously created a dialectic pushing dairying out of Los Angeles and towards Tulare county. Building on urban geographies, this research examines how the intensification and consolidation of dairying during the post war period required a dislocated hinterland to support dairying at an unprecedented scale in southern California.

Women’s sports have experienced unprecedented growth in visibility, commercialization, and engagement. However, gender disparities in sports media coverage persist. Despite legal regulations like Title IX, collegiate athletics reflect the ongoing inequalities in the media. This quantitative study explores how NCAA Division I athletic conferences represent men’s and women’s sports on Instagram. Using content analysis of still-image posts from 15 randomly selected conferences across the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), Football Conference Subdivision (FCS), and non-football subdivision, this project analyzes the frequency of posts by gender, sports type, and the content featured within each post (i.e. group or solo images). Driven by framing theory, and supported by agenda-setting, and the mere exposure effect, the study evaluates how digital media practices reinforce or challenge longstanding patterns of gender imbalance in athletics. Findings indicate that men’s sports received disproportionately more posts than women’s particularly in Power Four conferences. High-revenue women’s sports, such as basketball, were featured more frequently. When football was present in a conference, gender inequality in posting increased. Further, female athletes were more often depicted in group shots compared to their male counterparts. These findings demonstrate that despite the growth of women’s sports, gender inequalities are still heavily reflected in social media coverage.

My departmental honors experiment will test how depictions of sex and STIs in mainstream media impacts individual perception of sex and STIs. I plan to complete a theoretical background presentation in order to apply for funding to support this research the following year. I will be presenting this background as well as my research proposal.