Date of Award

3-21-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Operations Research

Department

Department of Operational Sciences

First Advisor

Christopher M. Smith, PhD

Abstract

The relationship between women and stability, if any, is a topic of much debate and research. Several large and influential organizations have all researched women's effect on stability. Furthermore, several of these world organizations, the United Nations, in particular, have declared gender equality to be a driving force in promoting stability and conflict prevention. Due to the United States active involvement in conflict prevention in such regions as West Africa, research concerning the relationship between women and stability is of particular interest to the United States Africa Command. As such, this research applied Topological Data Analysis, combined with other machine learning algorithms, to Demographic and Health Survey Program data combined with Armed Conflict Location and Event Data so as to observe the relationship between women's status and armed conflicts in the West African region. While this team did not observe any direct correlation between women's well-being and stability - defined as a lack of armed conflict events - the chosen methodologies and data usage have potential implications for future research concerning stability and conflict.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-ENS-MS-19-M-143

DTIC Accession Number

AD1077547

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