Public Policy: Professional Papers

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Examining Rural Tourism and Guesthouse Development in Rugova, Kosovo
(2025-12-02) Jakupi, Dritëro
This project examined rural tourism development in Kosovo, focusing on the Rugova region. Rural tourism has gained growing attention as a promising approach to reduce poverty, diversify rural economies, promote sustainability, and improve the well-being of marginalized communities. Rugova was chosen for its potential and since it exemplifies a context of rural environment, economy and history through its remote location, distinct and cultural heritage and economic struggles considering that its population is among the most impoverished in the country. he main goal of this paper was to extract all the key factors required to turn Rugova into a successful rural tourism spot. The methodology of this project is qualitative and based in primary data obtained from the examination of three rural tourism locations in Kosovo (Rugova, Novobërdë and Kaçanik), and secondary data that examined the international, national, and local context of this sector and analyzed developments in nearby countries that are in a more advanced stage of rural tourism development such as Albania, Cyprus and Romania. The case study examinations reveal a number of opportunities for Rugova as an emerging rural tourism destination, which could be actualized through a collaborative effort between public institutions, international organizations and local communities and a number of policy changes. To transform Rugova into a mature rural tourism destination, it is recommended that a national rural tourism association is established which would greatly benefit the rural tourism activity in Kosovo in terms of marketing, offer diversification, and long-term sustainability.
Migrating To Minnesota: Exploring Factors Driving Somali Migration and Comparing Socioeconomic Outcomes Across Six U.S. States
(2025-11-01) Mohamed, Fadumo
Minnesota has the largest Somali community in the United States and continues to attract more Somali people to move here. This paper explores the factors driving Somali migration and compares socioeconomic outcomes across six U.S. States. This paper is not a production of new knowledge but a synthesis of what is known using literature review and descriptive statistics. After cleaning the data, T-tests were used to see if the averages of Minnesota were statistically significantly different from the averages of five other comparison states. The findings indicate that Somalis residing in Minnesota on average have similar or slightly better outcomes than those living in the comparison states, except for housing outcomes.
Is There a Wage Penalty for Speaking an Indigenous Language? Exploring Economic Outcomes among Native Americans in the U.S.
(2024-04-12) Murillo, Daniel
Bilingualism in U.S. labor markets is typically seen as beneficial, providing diverse skills and broader job opportunities. Yet, the economic impact of indigenous languages in urban settings has been less explored. This study examines wage differences between bilingual Native Americans fluent in an indigenous language plus English, and their monolingual English-speaking counterparts. Prior research has linked lower earnings among bilingual Native Americans to their prevalence in isolated or culturally unique areas. The present study hypothesizes that adjusting for metropolitan area characteristics may eliminate these wage disparities. Utilizing data from the American Community Survey from 2010-2019, and employing Hierarchical Regression and Propensity Score Matching, this paper assesses hourly wages among U.S.-born Native Americans in metropolitan areas. It explores whether the observed wage penalties for bilingual individuals are dependent on geographic characteristics, rather than inherent linguistic skills or cultural bias. The findings reveal a statistically persistent significant wage penalty for individuals fluent in indigenous languages in addition to English in urban areas of the United States.
Is it our Race or our Place? Examining Differences in College Enrollment Using the Blinder-Oaxaca Decomposition Method
(2025-06-06) Constantine, Sally
College enrollment is a key driver of economic mobility, yet persistent disparities by race and high school locale raise critical questions about access to postsecondary education. Using nationally representative data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), this paper employs a linear probability model and the Blinder-Oaxaca Decomposition method to examine how race and high school locale influence college enrollment among Black and White non-Hispanic students. The findings indicate that racial identity plays a more significant role than high school locale in explaining differences in college enrollment. To remedy disparities, policies should emphasize expanding college readiness resources, restoring consideration of race in college admissions, and improving support for students in urban and historically marginalized communities.
Mercenaries in the Battle Space: Identifying the Evolution and Emerging Trends of Global Private Military Companies
(2025-06-02) Coleman, Morgan Nicole; McGregor, Jack; McIntyre, Rosalyn; Shaw, Alice
This report examines the evolving role of private military companies (PMCs) across diverse geopolitical contexts, with particular attention to their growing influence in shaping global defense paradigms. It is structured around five regional contexts—Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. An additional thematic category on emerging trends, explores operational and logistical scopes, state affiliations, and legal environments that facilitate PMC activity. In Europe, Russian-affiliated PMCs dominate, using complex logistical and operational networks to avoid sanctions while providing regime security in Africa and beyond. In Asia, Chinese PMCs safeguard Belt and Road Initiative investments, capitalizing on new legal frameworks and relationships in Central Asia. The Middle East continues to serve as a historical and contemporary hub for PMC activity, with nations like the UAE and Turkey seeking cyber capabilities and advanced weaponry to assert geopolitical influence. Africa emerges as a focal point for PMC deployment due to its resource wealth, state fragility, and anti-colonial sentiment, largely accommodating Russian and Chinese actors. In Latin America, Colombia serves a dual role—both as a supplier and sponsor of PMC personnel across diverse missions ranging from anti-narcotics to humanitarian interventions. The final section addresses emerging trends, including the new image of PMCs, their expanded functions beyond traditional combat roles, and rising concerns around human rights, civilian harm, and accountability. The report notes the fragmented and underdeveloped state of existing scholarship, highlighting the need for further research into the ethical and strategic implications of PMC proliferation.
State of North Minneapolis Report
(2025-05-01) Caceres-Aranda , Alejandro; Carlson, Justin; Guendy, Monica; Ma, Shizhuo
The history of North Minneapolis has influenced its current state of development and as it continues moving forward, members of the community and local stakeholders need a shared understanding of the current status of economic development in North Minneapolis. Destination Northside Coalition, a group of organizations committed to the long-term economic prosperity of North Minneapolis, empowered the capstone team to create a report that will serve as a resource to inform residents of North Minneapolis and visitors to the area that may not be aware of what economic development activity is in progress and planned within the community. The State of North Minneapolis Report explores ongoing and planned economic development projects and initiatives in North Minneapolis and identifies and evaluates what barriers are limiting further development in the area. These projects and initiatives were assessed through interviews, observation, and secondary research to determine how they align or conflict with comprehensive economic development strategies for North Minneapolis, specifically the Minneapolis 2040 Plan and the Northside Forward Plan. The degree of alignment and key barriers are captured in themes on economic development strategy, residential landscape changes, financial and economic constraints, and political and community-level challenges. The culmination of this work is presented in recommendations that focus on supporting local developers, mitigating the negative impacts of large-scale development projects, bridging the gap between resident and business needs with planning visions, and fostering cross-sector collaboration.
Public Assistance Benefits in Minnesota: An Examination of DHS Appeals
(2025-05-01) Begin, Brian C.; Duffy, Brittany; Norman, Lillian; Peterson, Noah; Weaver, Dylan
This paper explores data from Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) Appeals Division to uncover patterns that could contribute to the high dismissal rates in Minnesota of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medical Assistance (MA). The authors were given access to appeals data for these programs for January 1 to December 31, 2024. The authors utilized linear probability models as well as geospatial analysis to inform our key findings and recommendations. From these analyses, the authors found that both county and program type influenced the likelihood of an appeal’s dismissal, as well as the type of dismissal issued. Different geospatial patterns were also found across types of dismissals. Due to these findings, it is recommended that DHS extend appeals timelines, simplify the appeal process, identify duplicate clients, continue to investigate dismissals by incorporating demographic and county characteristics, and provide standardized bias training for appeals judges.
Advancing Gender-Inclusive Responses to Climate-Driven Displacement
(2025-05-01) Adam, Jasmine; Gudmundson, Luc; Kafle, Ural; Kightlinger, Catheryn; Omar, Fatima
Climate change is a rapidly growing cause of displacement globally with the impacts of it most keenly felt by marginalized groups. The Women’s Refugee Commission is a research and advocacy organization working to ensure women’s and girls' voices are included in humanitarian policy and practice. Given the intersection between climate change and displacement, they are well-suited to improve gendered analysis in climate-driven displacement policies and practice. Reviewing academic and gray literature highlighted the challenges of describing the differential impacts of climate change and the relative lack of gender-inclusive and intersectionality in programming and policy. These interact with existing vulnerabilities for displaced people, particularly women and girls to increase risk. Interviews with professionals in humanitarian and development practice and research also revealed responses to climate change and displacement are often responsive short-term investment with a lack of investment for proactive long-term solutions. In response to this, the Women’s Refugee Commission should expand their focus to include those left behind as climate degrades, strengthen intersectional gender analysis in displacement studies, increase involvement of women and girls in climate resilience policy development, and use their research to address the lack of representative disaggregated data in climate-displacement research.
Administrative and Tax anti-NGO Laws and Civil Society Decline
(2025-05-01) Liphart Massad, Katin
This paper will discuss the importance of civil society in democracy and human rights and trends in authoritarian and anti-democratic force attacks on civic space. It will then examine case studies from three countries that have implemented administrative and transparency anti-NGO laws, and how these laws have impacted civil society within those countries. Finally, it will turn to the U.S., and analyse the current environment for U.S. civil society and the ways that U.S. civil society and democracy are vulnerable to these tactics; examine recent attempts in the U.S. to advance administrative and transparency anti-NGO laws; and, propose policy recommendations to U.S. lawmakers and civil society on how to protect U.S. civil society from these types of attacks.
The Art of War(games): Analyzing Assumptions Embedded Within United States - People's Republic of China Wargames
(2025-04-15) Breeze, Matthew
This paper examines the critical role of wargaming in forming United States (U.S.) policy and military decision-making in the context of potential conflict between the U.S and the People’s Republic of China (PRC). As abstract representations of conflict, wargames offer a valuable tool for policy-makers to explore various scenarios without real-world consequences of destruction and loss of life. However, the efficacy of these wargames hinges on their design and assumptions. This work argues that current table-top exercises that depict conflict between the U.S. and the PRC often fall short of adequately accounting for key factors, such as the high usage rates of weapons, logistical constraints and the protracted nature of modern conventional warfare. Drawing on historical case studies, like the U.S. Naval War College’s War Plan Orange, the 1961 Berlin Crisis games, as well as analysis of more recent publicly available wargames and the conflict against the Houthis in the Red Sea, this paper highlights the necessity for more realistic and comprehensive wargame design in the future. Ultimately, this research advocates for the development of improved wargaming methods to provide policy-makers with more accurate insights into potential U.S.-PRC conflict, thereby fostering better informed strategic decision-making and hopefully reducing the risk of war.
Special Assessment Policy and Practice: A Case Study of the City of St. Paul
(2025-04-14) Engelbrekt, Bruce
Since the early 1900’s the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota has charged special assessments to properties within its borders to help pay for street maintenance and street improvements. Over the years, the City’s process has evolved to meet demands of the times, and along the way has faced significant legal challenges that prompted a reexamination of its policies and approach to the application of “special benefit” in its assessment methodology. These influences led to the development and adoption of new special assessment policies that place special benefit – the increase in a property’s value due to a public street improvement project – at the heart of the assessment calculation method. This case study delves into the City’s assessment policies and practices by first recognizing the place special assessments occupies within the broader public finance category of “value capture.” It then provides a select historical review of the City’s special assessment policies, practices and legal challenges, and details the City’s appraisal-based approach to determining special benefit in its assessment calculations. Finally, the study analyzes the practical effects of this approach on city finances and city property owners, and considers how the policies and process might be improved through increased transparency, efficiency, equity, and other lenses.
Lost in Transition: Program Closures Impacting Youth in Hennepin County Legal System
(2024-05-01) Appleby, Stephanie
Across Minnesota, Hennepin County has the state’s highest rate of prosecution of youth; yet, they do not have a local, residential treatment program for their incarcerated youth. The decision to close the Hennepin County Home School in 2021 removed the one local option for treatment programming. These youth wait in the Juvenile Detention Center (JDC), with no access to this programming, until a bed becomes available outside of the metro counties. The wait can be anywhere from weeks to months long. In a system that was designed specifically to prioritize individualized treatment plans, Hennepin County’s youth, particularly youth of color, are lost at a time in their lives when programming and bolstering community support can be most effective at reducing criminal behavior and recidivism. This paper critically examines the history of juvenile justice in the United States, the system within Hennepin County, the use of out-of-home placements, and the closures of these placements. Public, secondary data from the Hennepin County probation office is included to demonstrate the direct impact these decisions have on these youth, including demonstrated increase in wait times within the JDC, a breakdown of the most used placements, and the demographics of which youth are most impacted. The results along with current research studies reveal a troubling image of how youth are handled within the criminal legal system.
Intersectional Methodology Application in the Graduate Setting: Unequal Hardships and Burdens at the Humphrey School
(2024-05-01) Seppelt, Emily
\Vorking Women in the Post-Dobbs Era: The Impact of State Abortion Bans
(2024-05-01) Rodgers, Renae
Social cohesion or ‘myth of oneness’?: Implications of the ban on ethnicity statistics in Fiji
(2024-05-01) Nailatikau, Merewalesi
Race and ethnicity have played significant roles in Fiji’s political landscape since gaining independence in 1970. Acknowledging the distinction between ‘race’ and ‘ethnicity,’ the terms are often used interchangeably in Fijian nomenclature practice, particularly concerning relations between indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians. The Bainimarama regime, following the 2006 military coup, implemented policies erasing ethnic identifiers and mandating ‘Fijian’ for all citizens, while prohibiting the publication of racially disaggregated statistics under the guise of combating racism. This move hindered understanding of poverty experiences among different communities. The newly elected government in 2022 has lifted these restrictions, focusing on economic recovery through a consultative multi-sectoral approach. This paper examines Fiji census data and government addresses to explore the implications of the 16-year ban on publishing ethnically disaggregated statistics on collective memory and data equity. Despite efforts to shape a master narrative, the ban has hindered progress in racial equity and understanding emerging inequality hotspots. Recommendations include advancing an integrated national data system, incorporating data in truth and reconciliation processes, establishing institutional norms to prevent abuse of power, and fostering social cohesion through consensus-building that acknowledges diverse perspectives.
Consuming and Producing Knowledge: The Dual Role of Policymakers in Advancing Guaranteed Income Research
(2024-05-01) Meyers, Alex
Consolidation, Competition, and Antitrust Law: A Changing Landscape for Minnesota Farmers
(2024-05-01) Keliher, Matthew
Much of the research on farming and agricultural market concentration focuses on the importance of quantitative elements such as price, access to markets or capital, or concentration ratios. And while these quantitative measurements are critical for understanding the impact consolidation has on consumers and producers within the broader agricultural industry, it only represents one aspect. This qualitative study aims to capture the perspectives of Minnesota farmers to explore how consolidated agriculture markets impact farmers’ communities and livelihoods. Comparing their perspectives with the current literature regarding market concentration in agriculture and food distribution, this study aims to illuminate the views of independent farmers that are subject to the control of dominant firms that abuse their market power. Semi-structured interviews with Minnesota farmers highlight key elements of the reviewed literature and demonstrate connections between challenges faced by farmers with economic indicators such high costs of farming inputs, the limitations of quality rural healthcare, and the burden placed on farming communities through restrictions on repairing agricultural equipment. A key theme throughout the interviews revealed that many farmers view consolidated industries as systems of control. Control over how they can farm, how they can care for and feed their livestock, how they can repair their machinery, where they can sell their produce and for how much. These systems of control are often hailed as “efficiencies” by consolidated corporate power. But for farmers, these systems of control represent an end to two things farmers and all citizens value most: creativity and liberty.
The Economic and Educational Attainment of DACA Recipients in Minnesota Compared with Wisconsin
(2024-05-01) Torres DeSantiago, Edwin
This study examines both the impact of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and the impact of Minnesota’s policy allowing Minnesotans in the DACA program to pay in-state tuition and receive state-based scholarships. DACA participants were compared to individuals who just missed the age-cutoff for DACA eligibility in Minnesota and Wisconsin (who, unlike Minnesota, does not permit DACA participants to receive the benefits of residents for state colleges and universities). Using American Community Survey data from 2012 to 2021, the findings reveal a significant educational advantage for DACA-eligible individuals in Minnesota, who are 11.5 percentage points more likely to complete 4+ years of college education compared to non-DACA eligible individuals, but not in Wisconsin. In terms of income, DACA-eligible individuals in both Minnesota and Wisconsin earn about $8,000 more annually on average than their non-DACA counterparts. These results demonstrate the economic benefits of DACA eligibility but also underscore the importance of state-specific policies in shaping the success of DACA recipients, suggesting a need for further research to understand these impacts across diverse policy environments.
Relationship Between Maternal Education and Childhood Health Status in Myanmar
(2024-05-01) Thant, Shine Min
This study examines the relationship between maternal education and childhood health status measured by the child’s height-for-age Z-score (HAZ), weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ), and whether the child has received two full doses of the measles vaccine. The paper utilizes IPUMS’s 2015 Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data. The paper employs a standard ordinary least square (OLS) regression and a cluster fixed effects regression. The study shows that a mother’s education is not significantly related to her child’s WHZ, and the relationship between her education and her child’s HAZ becomes insignificant after controlling for socioeconomic variables. The child’s measles vaccine status, on the other hand, is significantly correlated with the mother’s education, even after controlling for socioeconomic variables. After adding cluster-fixed effects, the relationship between the mother’s education and the child's WHZ and HAZ disappears. Still, the mother’s education and the child’s measles vaccine status remain significant at the 10% significance level.
The Myth of the Full-Time Student: The incompatibility of student work hours and full-time graduate education
(2024-05-15) Oliver, Margaret
The Humphrey School of Public Affairs offers masters degrees that have remained largely unchanged since they were created, despite substantial shifts in conditions affecting students. This paper seeks to understand how changing societal and educational patterns have affected students’ well-being, particularly focusing on the difficulties students have in reconciling the structure of their masters degree programs and their employment. I address economic challenges that students face, including financial hardships, concerns about meeting basic needs, utilization of financial aid resources, and levels and sources of debt, with attention to intersecting identities such as race and sexuality. Data were collected through a comprehensive survey administered to the masters student population. The findings reveal that students, particularly those who were employed, struggled to support themselves and felt as though their job(s) impeded their success in school. Despite their efforts to manage work and study, many had trouble with financial security, meeting monthly expenses, and having enough food. Additionally, debt remains a pervasive issue. These findings underscore the pressing need for the Humphrey School to reassess and update its policies and program structures to better align with the realities and needs of its student body. Addressing these challenges is imperative for fostering an inclusive and supportive academic environment conducive to student success and well-being.

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