The Power of the Placement of Public Sculpture

The Power of the Placement of Public Sculpture explores the aesthetic effects public sculpture has on the environment around it. The work presented includes a discussion of case studies in select American and international communities. Relevance is brought to the topic through the documentation of the placement of a fabricated eight-foot avocado sculpture displayed on the University of Denver campus. Reflection on the experience exposes additional questions and demonstrates the importance of the placement of a public sculpture.

Influence of Religious Institutions in the Creation and Implementation of Public Policy: The Case of Roman Catholic Argentina and Secular Uruguay

The strong presence of religious institutions in Latin America, especially the Roman Catholic Church, and their participation in the creation and implementation of public policy within a sovereign state can be counter-productive for the social development and progress of that specific country. Argentina and Uruguay and the social controversy of social issues of abortion and same-sex marriage are used as examples to establish the accuracy of the above statement. Historical, statistical, and legislative information about both topics in both countries show that the political power that the Roman Catholic Church has in the region is more an outdated influence than a reality, and the principle of secularization appears to be the most stabilizing philosophy for modern nations.