Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of Bali Spirit Festival To Support Sustainable Spiritual Tourism, Mohamad Yusuf, I Putu Gede Eka Praptika

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Spiritual tourism has developed significantly through creative activities such as the Bali Spirit Festival in Ubud, Bali. The aim of this paper is to analyse the practice of Bali Spirit Festival and its prospects for supporting tourism sustainability. The research design is descriptive-analytical and based on qualitative data. The data collection was done through in-depth interviews and a study of the literature. The research results reveal that spiritual tourism is oriented toward self-development based on religious values, culture, and nature without being exclusively tied to a specific religion. Further, the principles of spiritual tourism in Bali Spirit Festival can contribute …

Barley As A Human Companion Species - Exploring The Relationship Between Barley And North Atlantic Peoples: 4000 Bc – Ad 1200, Chloe Combs

Theses and Dissertations

Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is an ancient cereal crop originating in the Fertile Crescent approximately 12,000 years ago and is presently one of the most important cereal crops globally. Barley has a long and complex history. This thesis aims to explore one dimension of this history through the lens of human companion species using archaeobotanical data collected from the islands of the North Atlantic from the Neolithic (4,000 BC) to the Norse period (AD 1200).

Document Productivity Cycle (Study Case Of Samudera Raksa Ship Museum), Ciwuk Musiana Yudhawasthi, Lydia Christiani

Proceedings from the Document Academy

The study aims to discuss document productivity in the case of the Samudera Raksa Ship Museum. To answer this, the researchers made a productivity document study based on (1) Blasius Sudarsono's axiom, which states that "In the beginning, it was the human will to express what he thought and/or felt;" (2) Sudarsono's thoughts regarding documents as processes and products; (3) Lund’s concept of document creation; (4) Sabine Roux's thoughts on the rhizome concept in the document productivity process; and (5) the concept of museum communication by Yudhawasthi. Based on these theoretical frameworks, an analysis of the document productivity in the …

From Mind To Matter: Patterns Of Innovation In The Archaeological Record And The Ecology Of Social Learning, Kathryn Demps, Nicole M. Herzog, Matt Clark

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Archaeology and cultural evolution theory both predict that environmental variation and population size drive the likelihood of inventions (via individual learning) and their conversion to population-wide innovations (via social uptake). We use the case study of the adoption of the bow and arrow in the Great Basin to infer how patterns of cultural variation, invention, and innovation affect investment in new technologies over time and the conditions under which we could predict cultural innovation to occur. Using an agent-based simulation to investigate the conditions that manifest in the innovation of technology, we find the following: (1) increasing ecological variation results …

Regional Folk Beliefs, Edward D. Ives

Dr. Edward D. Ives Papers

This accession contains over 4,000 folk beliefs organized on individual, 4x6-inch index cards. A majority of the belief cards were collected by students participating during the 1960s as part of the American Folklore course taught by Dr. Edward D. “Sandy” Ives. Folk beliefs originate primarily from Maine and the Maritimes, but occasionally extend into other areas. Each download contains a copy of the 1965 syllabus for American Folklore, explaining the assignment given to students.

Please Note: A significant number of these cards are handwritten and are not currently available as typed transcriptions. The belief cards are organized into categories noted …

Review Of Soil Analysis In Forensic Taphonomy Chemical And Biological Effects Of Buried Human Remains, Erik Schulz

Nebraska Anthropologist

Review of Soil Analysis in Forensic Taphonomy Chemical and Biological Effects of Buried Human Remains, edited by Mark Tibbett and David O. Carter. 2008. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, Boca Raton, Florida. vii + 340 pp. US $47.35 (alk. paper), ISBN 978-1-4200-6991-4. Reviewed by Erik Schulz School of Global Integrative Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The content in this book is easy to read and understand as the authors and editors took time to simplify scientific terms and made sure to put the information in both scientific terms as well as simple enough for the public to understand. This …

Review Of Still Life With Bones: Genocide, Forensics, And What Remains, Mack Cristino

Nebraska Anthropologist

Review of Still Life with Bones: Genocide, Forensics, and What Remains by Alexa Hagerty. 2023. Crown Publishing Group, New York. xvi + pp. 228. $28.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-593-44313-2. Review by: Mack Cristino, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Alexa Hagerty pours her entire heart into this book in both recounting her own personal experiences and passions in contributing to the repatriation of these victims and in bringing about awareness of such governmental corruption. Millions of innocent people are dead at the hands of greedy figureheads, and it is in the marriage of forensics and empathy that we will solve these crimes and …

Feminist Geography: Impact And Inclusion In Geographical Research, Michael Atuahene Djan

Nebraska Anthropologist

Feminist theories have significantly influenced the field of geography, challenging traditional notions of objectivity and shedding light on the intricate relationships between place, gender, and society. The emergence of feminist geography has been crucial in advocating for the inclusion of women's perspectives, countering historical marginalization in academic debates. This systematic review aims to summarize and assess the impact of feminist theory on geography, exploring topics such as gendered spaces, feminist methodologies, and the integration of women's voices in research. Utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Checklist, the study employed a thematic analysis of secondary sources. …

Revew Of Forensic Anthropology: A Comprehensive Introduction, John O. Obafunwa, William R. Belcher

Nebraska Anthropologist

Review of Forensic Anthropology: A Comprehensive Introduction edited by Natalie R. Langley and Maria Teresa A. Tersigni-Tarrant. 2017, 2nd Edition. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, Boca Raton, Florida, USA. ISBN: 13: 978-1-4987-3612-1 (Hardback). Reviewed by John O. Obafunwa and William R. Belcher, School of Global Integrative Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Overall, this text fits very well into the body of literature in forensic anthropology and has largely addressed the purpose for undergraduate and graduate courses. It is not overly technical, and it is good for undergraduate teaching and practical work. The reviewers would also recommend it to graduate …

Impediments To Peace: In Response To ‘The Evolution Of Peace’ By Luke Glowacki (December 16, 2022), Raymond B. Hames

Department of Anthropology: Faculty Publications

A response to ‘The evolution of peace’ by Luke Glowacki (December 16, 2022)

While effective institutional practices are critical for the evolution of peace certain factors deter their effectiveness. In-group and out-group dynamics may make peace difficult between culturally distinct groups. Critical ecological conditions often lead to intractable conflict over resources. And within group conflicts of interest most prominently between generations may inhibit effective peace making

Lofi Hip Hop Beats To Chill/Relax/Analyze To: Examining The Development, Components, And Online Participation Of Lofi Hip Hop, Sam Vasich

Anthropology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Students across the globe are familiar with the YouTube phenomenon of the ‘Lofi Girl’ and her ‘lofi hip hop radio [beats to relax/study to]’. The YouTube livestream hosting chilled-out music has become a beacon for those trying to accomplish tasks, study for exams, or relax. But, how has this livestream managed to amass a subscription base of over fourteen million? What draws people to this webpage, and what keeps them coming back? This paper examines the development, features, and online participation of lofi hip hop. As explored in the paper, the genre of lofi hip hop is a syncretic soundform …

The Mouse In The Museum, Maggie Colangelo, Bernard Means

Virtual Curation Lab's Comic Publications

Find out about America's first successful public museum of art and natural history from a unique perspective: a mouse! The museum mouse guides you through Charles Willson Peale's Philadelphia Museum from its founding in his own home to its eventual establishment in what is now called Independence Hall. You will encounter a killer bear, an eagle that has seen better days, and the massive bones of an extinct elephant: the mastodon. This gripping tale is brought to you by Maggie Colangelo and Bernard K. Means, co-creators of Founding Monsters, Founding Monsters Tales, Mystery of the Missing Megafauna, and Tales from …

The Past As A Colonialist Resource, Deepa Das Acevedo

Faculty Articles

Originalism’s critics have failed to block its rise. For many jurists and legal scholars, the question is no longer whether to espouse originalism but how to espouse it. This Article argues that critics have ceded too much ground by focusing on discrediting originalism as either bad history or shoddy linguistics. To disrupt the cycle of endless “methodological” refinements and effectively address originalism’s continued popularity, critics must do two things: identify a better disciplinary analogue for originalist interpretation and advance an argument that moves beyond methods.

Anthropology can assist with both tasks. Both anthropological analysis and originalist interpretation are premised on …

Ua12/2/83 Pi Kappa Phi, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.

Ua12/2/82 Phi Beta Sigma, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

Ua12/2/81 Omega Psi Phi, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

Ua12/2/85 Sigma Gamma Rho, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about Sigma Gamma Rho sorority.

Ua12/2/86 Zeta Phi Beta, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about Zeta Phi Beta sorority.

Student Perspectives On Returning To In-Person Learning Modalities, Lance K. Tulloch

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Following the pandemic-induced shift in educational modalities from in-person to online, the calls for a return to “normalcy” or in-person learning guided institutional policy making and culture more broadly. This study is an initial step towards tracking and interrogating this shift and the artifacts brought into view at Western Washington University. A quantitative survey and two rounds of qualitative focus groups and interviews were performed in order to assess student perspectives on this transition or 'return' to in-person learning. The resulting code, FIRBO, calls attention to Folk Knowledge, Interaction, Resources, Barriers, and Openness. These themes highlight and interact with a …

The Shifting Suns: A New Understanding Of The Five Suns Story Of The Mexica Empire And 16th Century Colonial Mexico, Heungtae Yang

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

In this dissertation, I study the Mexica creation story commonly known as the Five Suns Story (Abbreviation: FSS) to explain the coexistence of multiple texts of FSS, the evolution of FSS from 1400 to 1600, and its multiple functions in multiple cultural spheres of the Mexica society. In contrast to previous studies up to the 1990s, whose main goals were to cite the Five Suns Story as part of a larger research topics, reconstruct a pure pre-Columbian version of the story, and analyze specific aspects of its symbolism, I conduct an intensive study of the FSS that brings together multiple …

Simply Butter (One Pat At A Time), Maddie Mcsweeney

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Simply Butter (one pat at a time) is an investigation of food and intimacy through sculpture, installation, performance, printmaking, and recordkeeping. In this series of Happenings, I explore themes of love, loss, and empathy while dealing with emotions related to grief and mental health issues. I look to cultural phenomena and art history figures who are concerned with similar sentiments to make conceptual connections and inform my choices when creating this project. Drawn to silliness and the absurd, I use the rudimentary yet familiar form of a stick of butter to act as a monolithic stand-in for the emotionally, mentally, …

Pharmaceutical Messianism And The Politics Of Covid-19 In The United States, Gideon Lasco, Vincen Gregory Yu, Nishtha Bharti

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, public officials in the United States–from the President to governors, mayors, lawmakers, and even school district commissioners–touted unproven treatments for COVID-19 alongside, and sometimes as opposed to, mask and vaccine mandates. Utilising the framework of ‘pharmaceutical messianism’, our article focuses on three such cures–hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin, and monoclonal antibodies–to explore how pharmaceuticals were mobilised within politicised pandemic discourses. Using the states of Utah, Texas, and Florida as illustrative examples, we make the case for paying attention to pharmaceutical messianism at the subnational and local levels, which can very well determine pandemic responses and outcomes in contexts such …

Sensing, Knowing, And Making Water Quality Along Marikina River In The Philippines, Gideon Lasco, Anita Hardon

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Water quality is a major concern around the world, but assessments of quality often privilege producers, regulators and experts over consumers. With water supplies and sources constantly in flux, how do ordinary people experience and “sense” quality? How do they define “good” or “good enough” water, and what practices do they engage in to “make” good water? In this article, we attend to these questions by presenting findings from an open-ended qualitative study carried out along the Marikina River, Manila, the Philippines – a waterway that courses from rural and mountainous villages to highly urbanized communities. First, we describe the …

Deciphering A Non-Meal: Pantawid-Gutom And The Everyday Negotiation Of Hunger In The Philippines, Gideon Lasco, Jhaki Mendoza

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Pantawid-gutom literally means “to bridge hunger” and refers to a range of food and non-food products and practices in the Philippines that allow people to survive in between “serious meals.” What does its existence as a liminal category between food/non-food or serious/non-serious meal signify, particularly for millions of Filipino families who regularly experience hunger? Drawing on fieldwork in low-income urban communities on Luzon Island, and from a review of the scholarly and popular literature, we use local conceptions of pantawid-gutom—hitherto overlooked in the scholarship—as a starting point for exploring the lived reality of food insecurity in the country. The efficacy …

Concepts And Measures Of Human Intelligence And Anthropology: A Systematic Review Of Academic Literature From 1930s To 2010s, Leilani Maldonado

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis explores the evolution of intelligence research and its contextualization within historical biases. Using a meta-analysis approach, the study examines word frequencies in academic literature spanning from the 1930s to the 2010s to identify shifting trends in intelligence discourse. Eleven search terms related to intelligence were analyzed to interpret changes in academic focus over time. The findings reveal significant shifts influenced by historical events, societal movements, and advancements in technology and methodology. From the prominence of IQ measures during World War II to the rise of cognitive science in the 1960s and the emergence of emotional intelligence in the …

Handheld X-Ray Fluorescence (Hhxrf) As A Non-Destructive Method For Trace Element Analysis Of Ancient Maya (Pre-Conquest 800 Bc - Ad950) Teeth From Altun Ha, Belize, Griffon G. Binkowski

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In anthropology, elemental analysis of bone and teeth can provide significant details about an individual’s life history, such as diet, toxicity exposure, residency, and migration patterns. Intra-individual comparisons can help to gather information about a single individual’s life, while inter-individual comparisons can help illustrate a community’s life history during these periods. However, current methods of elemental analysis commonly involve the destruction of skeletal samples, which can damage a collection’s integrity and be perceived as disrespectful by descendant communities. Preliminary research has validated handheld x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (HHXRF) as an accurate and reliable method of analysis appropriate for determining the elemental …

Experiences Of Healing With Ayahuasca In The United States, Rebecca Galinanes

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Ayahuasca is a psychedelic brew originating from the Amazon in South America. Commonly associated with religious use among indigenous and mestizo populations, ayahuasca has made its way to the United States, where it is currently criminalized as a Schedule I drug. Nevertheless, a church in the United States provides ayahuasca to its members as both a sacrament and tool for healing through spiritual retreat weekends. Based on participant observation and semi-structured interviews with church members, volunteers, and staff in 2023, this thesis examines how members perceived the healing they experienced during multiple ayahuasca ceremonies and interactions with church volunteers and …

Curanderismo And Healing: Insights From Hispanic Young Adults, Allisa Castro

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Curanderismo is a holistic form of traditional medicine primarily used by Latin American populations and Hispanic communities in the United States. This type of care focuses on several aspects of health including physical, emotional and spiritual (supernatural). Hispanics are the largest ethnic minority population in the United States and yet healthcare access to this population remains limited by various barriers including lack of insurance, legal status, language, poverty, and other structural factors. Within this context, exploring the perceptions and role of traditional medicine, like curanderismo, as a form of healthcare becomes crucial in understanding and addressing the unique healthcare needs …

Presenting Past People: Storytelling Through Prehistoric Garment Reconstructions, Floor Huisman, Anna Zimmermann, Ronja Lau, Karina Grömer

Textile Crossroads: Exploring European Clothing, Identity, and Culture across Millennia

This paper argues that we need to focus on past people (rather than just objects) in our narratives and museum displays to engage museum visitors more effectively. It will demonstrate that we can use a combination of well-researched physical and digital prehistoric garment reconstructions to implement more people-centered approaches also used in living history, which bring the past to life and allow visitors to literally come face-to-face with long-dead people. In this way, visitors can relate to past people on an emotional level, which helps them to learn much more about past life than many traditional displays. After outlining how …

Red Dyes From West To East In Medieval Europe: From Portuguese Manuscript Illuminations To Romanian Textiles, Irina Petroviciu, Paula Nabais, Maria J. Melo

Textile Crossroads: Exploring European Clothing, Identity, and Culture across Millennia

Red is the color par excellence, its symbolism being linked with protection and magic through its primary attributes, fire and blood. It was the predominant color from the earliest times, certainly during the Greek and Roman periods and into Medieval Europe, until blue became a competitor around the 13th century. Mineral pigments, like iron oxides, were the first red sources, used to draw lines, dots, or spots on cave walls or stones. Later, other mineral red pigments were also exploited: Cinnabar, natural mercury sulfide, since the Neolithic, and realgar, arsenic trisulfide, in Ancient Egypt. Scientific investigation revealed that, although …