http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/authors/2/dustin-r-turin Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Sun, 05 Jul 2026 10:15:53 -0400 Sun, 05 Jul 2026 10:15:53 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/943/environmental-problems-and-american-politics-why-is-protecting-the-environment-so-difficult By Dustin R. Turin - This paper therefore approaches the politics of the environment in the U.S. from three perspectives: first, the environment is described as a problem of collective action writ large, wherein such paradoxes as the ‘tragedy of the commons’ belie rational individual behavior and make cooperation essential but difficult; second, the contemporary debate over the environment is described in terms of problem definition, revealing the subtle manner in which the political redefinition of environmental questions has shifted the debate into the polarized arena in which it today resides; and third... Sun, 23 Nov 2014 05:58 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/943/environmental-problems-and-american-politics-why-is-protecting-the-environment-so-difficult http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1277/reliving-american-slavery-in-12-years-a-slave By Dustin R. Turin - As if for the first time, the film unveiled the simple and uncorrupted evil that was American slavery, the institution we would rather forget but which stalks nevertheless through our nation’s all-too-recent history. The place whereto we are delivered is soul-crushing, a black hole of hatred so virulent as to extinguish any notion of redemption. We bear witness to a reality from which we have been feverishly running: American slavery, in its fundamental brutality, by virtue of its massive scale, and on account of its lengthy tenure, was one of the worst crimes in human history. Yes: as bad... Wed, 20 Nov 2013 11:34 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1277/reliving-american-slavery-in-12-years-a-slave http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/716/democracy-up-close-in-somaliland-reflections-of-an-international-election-observer By Dustin R. Turin - In May 1991, Somaliland emerged as a self-declared independent state in the aftermath of the failure and subsequent collapse of Siyad Barre’s Somalia. Although ethnically and linguistically Somalilanders are undifferentiated from their counterparts in southern Somalia, the northwestern region of Somalia has achieved an important distinction: while Somalia remains fundamentally anarchic, with no substantial national government to speak of, Somaliland is conversely peaceful, democratic, and remarkably safe by comparison. The de facto state held successful national elections in 2003 (presidential... Mon, 17 Dec 2012 11:05 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/716/democracy-up-close-in-somaliland-reflections-of-an-international-election-observer http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/656/the-challenges-of-climate-change-policy-explaining-the-failure-of-cap-and-trade-in-the-united-states-with-a-multiple-streams-framework By Dustin R. Turin - With their long-term orientation, environmental problems present a unique challenge to the system of policymaking in the United States. The question of how to address climate change—and in particular, how to mitigate the phenomenon—has been particularly acute in its ability to divide policymakers. Cap and trade, a policy tool designed to place a total ‘cap’ on carbon emissions and facilitate the ‘trade’ of pollution allowances, nevertheless emerged on the debate with a strong track record and the promise of aligning the disparate goals of environmental protection... Tue, 26 Jun 2012 06:09 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/656/the-challenges-of-climate-change-policy-explaining-the-failure-of-cap-and-trade-in-the-united-states-with-a-multiple-streams-framework http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/284/health-care-utilization-in-the-kenyan-health-system-challenges-and-opportunities By Dustin R. Turin - The prevalence of communicable disease in Kenya is a major factor in determining health outcomes. HIV prevalence among urban adults is estimated at 10%, versus an estimated 5.6% for rural adults.[vi] HIV prevalence is not evenly distributed throughout the country, with prevalence rates in Nyanza province nearly double the national average.[vii] Compounding the challenge presented by high HIV positive rates, there were in excess of 100,000 cases of Tuberculosis (TB) in 2008, with co-infection rates for TB and HIV of 45%.[viii] Malaria represents another significant burden, with 13.6% of deaths... Mon, 13 Sep 2010 06:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/284/health-care-utilization-in-the-kenyan-health-system-challenges-and-opportunities http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/263/the-taiwan-strait-from-civil-war-to-status-quo By Dustin R. Turin - In 2005, during a period of heightened tensions between China and Taiwan and with the United States deeply embroiled in two major wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the leading authority on East Asian security within the National Security Council nevertheless made the point that “one of the greatest dangers to international security” was the “possibility of a military confrontation between China and Taiwan that leads to a war between China and the United States” (Lieberthal, 2005). Analysts and media pundits have often alluded to this doomsday scenario in which Taiwan becomes... Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/263/the-taiwan-strait-from-civil-war-to-status-quo http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/223/major-development-challenges-facing-the-republic-of-angola-completing-the-democratic-transition-and-making-government-work By Dustin R. Turin -  Contemporary Angola must be regarded as the product of a deeply conflicted history. From the moment independence was declared in November 1975, the country was launched into an intense civil war that in the end claimed up to a million lives, destroyed most legitimate economic activity, and rendered vast swathes of the country useless, inundated with landmines. As a result of this legacy, there now exists a “generation of mutilados”—‘mutilated ones’—within the Angolan populace (Meredith 2006: 610). Indeed, Angola’s post-independence history reveals... Mon, 05 Apr 2010 09:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/223/major-development-challenges-facing-the-republic-of-angola-completing-the-democratic-transition-and-making-government-work http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/134/the-beijing-consensus-chinas-alternative-development-model By Dustin R. Turin - Recently a new strategy started to surface, defined in contrast to the Washington Consensus as the Beijing Consensus; and indeed, the Beijing Consensus has little in common with Washington’s model. Instead of prescribing rigid recommendations for the problems of distant nations, the Beijing Consensus is pragmatic—much like China in the post-1979 world—and recognizes the need for flexibility in solving multifarious problems. It is inherently focused on innovation, while simultaneously emphasizing ideals such as equitable development and a “Peaceful Rise” (Ramo, 2004... Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:20 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/134/the-beijing-consensus-chinas-alternative-development-model http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1/controlling-and-preventing-hiv-in-southern-africa By Dustin R. Turin - Other populations throughout the globe maintain the highest rates of HIV prevalence in concentrated sub-population groups deemed “high-risk” for contracting the virus. These groups include men who have sex with men (MSM), injection drug users (IDU), and sex-workers. These high-risk population groups are the only populations out of Africa that have historically reached HIV infection rates comparable with those in Southern Africa. For instance, in 1990 HIV prevalence for IDU reached 50% in Bangkok, Thailand while in the United States, “57 percent of AIDS cases were infected through... Sat, 17 Oct 2009 06:20 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1/controlling-and-preventing-hiv-in-southern-africa