American Studies Commons^™

In Search Of America: One Barbershop At A Time, Keith M. Buswell

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports

Barbershops are a mainstay of the American tradition and have served as an anchor to main streets across the country. They have a colorful history and play an important role as community gathering places for men and boys. Before our society became more mobile, a boy may have grown up in the same barbershop, in the same barber chair, getting his hair cut by the same barber, from his years as a toddler, a teenager, and into his young adulthood. Many old school barbers have cut the hair of multiple generations, grandfathers, fathers, and sons, while standing in the same ...

Diasporadical: In Ryan Coogler's 'Black Panther,' Family Secrets, Cultural Alienation And Black Love, Terri P. Bowles

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

This is a review of the film Black Panther (2018) by Ryan Coogler, which traces the arc of the comic book hero as he faces an unanticipated challenge to his power by a man who threatens not just his throne but also the future of his nation. The review explores the ways in which the legacy of slavery and colonialism inform the distinct political and philosophical ideologies of the two main characters, and how inequality drives political thought.

The Prehistory Of The Hollywood Eastern Genre, John Eisele

Arts & Sciences Publications

No abstract provided.

Fine Southern Gentlemen: The Three Beaux Of Edna Pontellier, Keli Masten

The Hilltop Review

Much of the literary criticism on Kate Chopin’s The Awakening has focused upon the main character, Edna Pontellier, and her journey of self-discovery, but the surrounding cast is rich with personalities as diverse and enlightening as Edna’s own. While most of the characters seem clearly defined as to their values, desires, and how they reconcile any dissonance they might face, and Edna Pontellier might seem like the only person suffering the torment of this discord, each character is actually negotiating a careful playing field replete with rules, regulations, and strict penalties if one is to run afoul. This ...

Just A Coincidence? Whether Intention In Artistic Expression Alters Significance: An Analysis And Comparison Of Herman Melville's Moby-Dick And Matt Kish's Moby-Dick In Pictures: One Drawing For Every Page, Brittany Barnhouse

Access*: Interdisciplinary Journal of Student Research and Scholarship

Using examples from Melville's Moby-Dick and Matt Kish's Moby-Dick in Pictures: One Drawing for Every Page, this paper explores how intention and coincidence contribute to perception of literature and art. There are too many patterns and details for certain aspects of Moby-Dick to be just a coincidence, and when the novel is viewed with this in mind, it changes the reader's relationship with the text and subsequently inspired artwork. By questioning the relationship with coincidence and intention as it relates to truth in storytelling and art, the reader by extension begins to question the very same in ...

Selling Togetherness: Family Vacation Advertising, Zandria Michaud

Access*: Interdisciplinary Journal of Student Research and Scholarship

Family vacation advertisers want parents to believe that their destination will create memorable moments families cannot experience anywhere else. They want parents to believe their life will be better for choosing those experiences. But underneath advertisers' overt messages are hidden meanings related to their product and society. By looking at three contemporary TV family vacation advertisements, I discover the obvious, and not-so-obvious, messages these companies are sending viewers. These three advertisements commodify family by using elements of governmentality and nostalgia while hiding deeper ideologies like patriarchy and globalization. Critically studying these ads reveals cultural ideologies and norms. This essay begins ...

Won't You Be My Neighbor? (Movie Review), Joshua Matthews

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"Was Rogers the actor the same as Rogers the producer, and was that person the same as the real-life Fred Rogers who had a wife and two children and probably also the same kind of sins and temptations that we all have?"

Posting about ­­­­­­­­the movie Won't You Be My Neighbor? from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/movie-review-wont-you-be-my-neighbor/

Prophetic Rhetoric And Natural Rights - Mlk Mountaintop.Pptx, Jon P. Radwan

Jon P. Radwan

No abstract provided.

Hawthorne’S “The Birthmark” As An Introduction To The Modern Debate Of Eugenics, Eve Papa

Sacred Heart University Scholar

This article will contribute to the current debate about eugenics through an analysis of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark.” This will concern the story’s theme and character development, as well the period in which it was written. Of particular interest will be main character’s fixation on the correction of disability in the seemingly isolated world in which he lives. Also relevant is the research of Napier and Garland-Thomson and the literature on disabilities.

The Unbribable Witness: Image, Word, And Testimony Of Crimes Against Humanity In Mark Twain’S King Leopold’S Soliloquy (1905), Nora Nunn

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

In the creation of King Leopold’s Soliloquy, a textured, visually irrefutable, and darkly satirical account of crimes against humanity in the Belgian Congo Free State, Mark Twain aimed to evoke his Euro-American audience’s empathy by activating their imaginations and inaugurating political reform. Informed by the work of cultural and literary critics such as Roland Barthes, this paper considers how the visual imagery in Twain’s text engender questions about fact, testimony, and witnessing in the realm of human rights and collective violence—both in the Congo Free State and, indirectly, in the United States. I ultimately argue that ...

Review, Surveillance And Spies In The Civil War: Exposing Confederate Conspiracies In America’S Heartland, By Stephen E. Towne, Evan Rothera

Secrecy and Society

Review of Stephen E. Towne's Surveillance and Spies in the Civil War: Exposing Confederate Conspiracies in America’s Heartland.

The Effects Of Media Coverage On Mass Shootings In The United States, Lisa Chen

Advanced Writing: Pop Culture Intersections

This paper discusses the effects media coverage and media portrayal have on mass shootings in the United States. As the occurrences of mass shootings in the United States have increased, the depiction of these events through news outlets, media stories and journal articles have also increased. With these devastating events on the rise, the perceived public safety within the nation is at stake. By evaluating the effects of media coverage on mass shootings, we are able to uncover whether it may be encouraging the increasing trend. Through the examination of multiple news articles, scholarly journals, and books through a behavioral ...

The Power Of Influence: Traditional Celebrity Vs Social Media Influencer, Melody Nouri

Advanced Writing: Pop Culture Intersections

This article examines how YouTube and Instagram micro-celebrities are able to influence pop culture trends in regards to fashion and beauty at greater extents than the traditional celebrity. From their ability to create communities where users feel more connected to the influencer through higher levels of engagement, authenticity, and reliability, we can conclude that social media stars have the upper hand in endorsing products. From the implications of the social media star’s greater amount of influence on consumers, I conclude that product marketing efforts should prioritize using social media celebrities as their main advertising platform due to more efficient ...

Foodways (Fa 1202), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1202. Collection of papers written by students in Professor Barry Kaufkins’ Foodways class (FLK/ANTH 388) at Western Kentucky University. While a majority of the papers focus on Easter traditions, other topics of note include immigrant foodways traditions, fundraising efforts, community organizations, tailgating, and sorority life. Papers also include photographs taken by students.

Social Impacts Of Popular Culture During The Vietnam War, Chris Ashton

Advanced Writing: Pop Culture Intersections

In this paper, I will argue that popular culture is imperative to a population overcoming and learning from a time of economical, political, and social turmoil. Focusing on the Vietnam War, I will demonstrate how common it is for people to rely on popular culture for hope and education during times of crises and it is often that music, movies, or artwork are those outlets.

By dissecting the messages of other popular songs recorded during the Vietnam War while also examining books like The Vietnam War and American Music written by David James and Songs of the Vietnam Conflict by ...

Rap Music As A Positive Influence On Black Youth And American Politics, Natalie Wilson

Advanced Writing: Pop Culture Intersections

This article will examine the impact of rap music on Black American youth as well as contemporary American politics with an emphasis on police brutality.

The Effect Of Cws On Adolescent Health, Mitchell Shi

Advanced Writing: Pop Culture Intersections

This article will be covering the problem of celebrity worship. Celebrity worship has been in debate over the past few years regarding whether it is a harmful activity or not among adolescents, but with the recent established psychological disorder of Celebrity Worship Syndrome, it can be shown that it has become a serious health issue. One side argues that celebrity worship is harmless, even a helpful practice to pursue. The other side, however, argues that celebrity worship is detrimental to the mental and physical wellbeing of the adolescents. It is important to understand what celebrity worship entails, the different tests ...

Marketing Influences Through Strategic Campaigns And Sustainability, Oliver Martin

Advanced Writing: Pop Culture Intersections

This article will present how marketing can transcend boundaries and promote future globalization. The implementation of the triple bottom line consisting of environmental, social and economic values has proven to be successful in the growing of brands beyond their product and services. One study illustrates that consumers' purchasing patterns are affected by brand culture and ethics. The companies Starbucks, Ikea and Unilever utilize their extensive marketing reach not only to promote their business, but future change and equality. This article will argue how the interconnectivity of marketing campaigns will transcend barriers and create a common ground, which we so desperately ...

Private Equity Success: High Returns In A Risky World, Ross Corey

Advanced Writing: Pop Culture Intersections

This article will be covering how a private equity firm, despite the firm’s investment preferences, can lessen their risk without negatively affecting the potential gains in their assets and capital by making the right considerations. Investing in platforms such as stocks, bonds, and real estate may offer good long term returns. A small percentage of people look to invest in private equity markets. A reason for this is because funds have high minimum investments which makes private equity more exclusive compared to many public markets. A private equity investment, in most cases, is an opportunity for higher returns, with ...

Streaming Services, Binging, And Cultural Consequences, Sean Flanagan

Advanced Writing: Pop Culture Intersections

This article discusses how streaming services such as Netflix are affecting cultural ideas and attitudes towards media.