This thesis aims to delve into the multifaceted views of renowned author and theologian C.S. Lewis on the institution of marriage, as presented through his literary works. Although Lewis does not dedicate one single work to the importance of Christian marriage, he does provide various insights throughout his fictional and nonfictional works, which, when considered within his philosophical, moral framework, offer a compelling case for why marital commitment is conducive to helping shape moral individuals regardless of faith or background. This research seeks to synthesize Lewis’ nuanced perspectives on marital relationships through a comprehensive analysis, shedding light on their significance within his broader theological and philosophical framework. The objective of this thesis is not to defend Lewis’ (or the Christian) conception of marriage but merely to attempt to show that his rational arguments, bridging the gap between faith and reason, can appeal to a larger audience.

ABSTRACT Stephen Douglas was a statesman in the mid-1800’s that used his diplomatic skills, leadership, and influence for the greater good of his country. Douglas was a prominent politician that served as state attorney, state legislator, and Supreme Court judge for the state of Illinois, then advanced to U.S. Congressman. He played a significant role in shaping the nation’s politics during the most tumultuous period leading up to the Civil War. Douglas is most known as Abraham Lincoln’s political opponent in the 1858 Illinois Senate race and the 1860 Presidential election. His divergent viewpoint from Lincoln on how to eliminate slavery in the country led him to being a contentious figure in American history, often relegating him to the role of a mere politician, rather than a statesman. Douglas was a champion of Western expansion for the country. In his opinion, expansion was key to the country’s higher national goals. He believed if popular sovereignty were implemented in the new western territories, it would ultimately result in freedom’s displacement of slavery. While Douglas saw slavery agitation as a dangerous distraction from the achievement of a greater and stronger America, a Constitutional path to its extinction needed to be respected. The success of popular sovereignty and its ability to rid the country of slavery by westward expansion was reliant on the free choice of the people. Therein, lay the constitutional path to end slavery without igniting a civil war. Douglas’s purported amorality toward slavery, as well as his juxtaposition to Lincoln, who came to be revered as a martyr for the anti-slavery cause, contributed to the obscurity of Douglas’s statesman-like qualities. Incorporating evidence from both primary and secondary sources, this study illustrates that the life of Stephen Douglas exemplified a bedrock of principles, a moral compass, a vision, and the ability to form a consensus, that made him a statesman in his own right.

The recent Arizona Supreme Court Case of Trisha A. v. Department of Child Safety (2019) raised important issues regarding due process and parental rights in Arizona and federal constitutional law, mainly as they interact with an obscure but important part of Arizona’s child welfare statutes relating to parental termination, A.R.S. 8-537(C). In this thesis, I will reconstruct the developments that led to the Trisha case, discuss its possible implications, and briefly suggest possible recommendations for reform. This thesis will thus proceed 1: through the relevant federal caselaw that outlines the Supreme Court interpretation of the U.S. Constitution in the realm of family rights and due process; 2: through relevant Arizona statutes regarding the termination of parental rights; 3: the legislative history of A.R.S. 8-537(C) specifically; 4: through relevant Arizona state caselaw on parental terminations, 5: through the implications and costs of A.R.S. 8-537(C), before briefly concluding with possibilities for reform.

This study is a qualitative analysis that makes use of Rick Williams’ Personal Impact Assessment (PIA) to gauge the feelings, narratives, and intuitions that people receive when they view photographs of criminal defendants being made to do a “perp walk.” Participants gave their impressions, which were then categorized and analyzed, along with other statements that they made during an interview outside of the PIA. This study attempted to understand better the received messages of the common media practice of spreading images of perp walks.