Chadron State College Assistant Professor Dr. Gabriella Pruitt Santos and three students participated in the International Studies Association Midwest Annual Conference in St. Louis on Nov. 22-23. The students were Ruhama Molla and Wongel Molla of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Kosiso Daniella Akwanamnye of Awka, Nigeria.
Pruitt Santos said the presentations were well received by the audience.
“Ruhama, Wongel, and Kosiso gained valuable feedback on their projects and connected with scholars from diverse institutions across the midwest region,” Pruitt Santos said.
Pruitt Santos presented her research “Analyzing Guatemala’s Nueva Primavera Through the Lens of Media Freedom and Government Action.” She discussed how although Bernardo Arévalo’s 2023 election in Guatemala seemed like a win for democracy, his government faces significant challenges, such as potential corruption and weak political systems. Over the past decade, violence and restrictions have made it more difficult for journalists to do their jobs. Her study compares how the previous president, Alejandro Giammattei, and Arévalo have affected press freedom.
Pruitt Santos also served as the chair of the undergraduate panel on Governance, Accountability, and Public Choice, which included an original research presentation by Ruhama Molla: “Resources and International Interventions in West African Political Coups.”
Ruhama Molla’s study examines how economic interests influence international responses to resource policies in the Sahel region of Africa in the countries of Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali. According to her abstract, while popular support for strengthening democratic institutions has increased within the young adult population, there is growing resentment toward the exploitation of resources and the political conditionality that often accompanies international interventions and aid. This has drawn attention back to domestic leadership away from Western countries.
Ruhama Molla, Wongel Molla, and Akwanamnye presented a research project that they, Pruitt-Santos, and Dr. Khadimul Islam collaborated on: “Immigration Policy Framing in Nebraska News.” It is part of a larger research project they are conducting titled “Inclusive or exclusive communities of power? Immigration, population decline, and economic development in Rural America.”
According to the abstract for the group research, rural areas in the U.S. are losing population, and some government leaders suggest immigration could help. However, there’s also growing anti-immigrant talk in politics. The study looks at how immigration is viewed in the midwest, focusing on Nebraska. Local newspapers often tell stories about immigrants that highlight their personal struggles and contributions, which can lead to support for immigration as a way to boost rural economies.
“However, the negative rhetoric in the 2024 national elections greatly impacted the tone and framing of immigration in Nebraska news to a more criminal angle,” Pruitt Santos said.
Ruhama Molla and Pruitt Santos will present their respective research projects at the 66th Annual Convention of the International Studies Association in Chicago March 2-5, 2025.