Digital Commons Network^™

Framing Of Latinx Vote Choice And Voter Registration, Laurel E. Bennett

Student Publications

This work investigates media framing done by CNN between the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. Although Latinx voters remain underrepresented and under researched, they have the ability to highly influence elections. Specifically, CNN uses the sleeping giant frame, the need for Latinx voter registration as a frame, and the importance of Latinx voter mobilization as a frame in the 2020 presidential election more prominently than in the 2016 presidential election upon consideration of Latinx vote choice and voter turnout.

Masculinity, Car Culture, And Carbon Emissions, Benjamin C. Hasenkopf, Robert F. Steiner Ii

Student Publications

Car culture is a subculture that exists in which people value the aesthetic, cultural, or historical significance of certain vehicles, and who often use their own vehicle as a means of self expression. We assumed that car culture was a dominantly male subculture and wanted to evaluate whether gender in advertising was related to fuel efficiency. We wanted to see how each decade would differ in the terms of the number of gender targeted advertisements. We also wanted to see how fuel economies and marketing strategies changed over time. We also wanted to compare fuel economies of cars that were …

Changes Over Time In Media Framing Of Voting Rights For Hispanic Americans, Leslie A. Wolfe

Student Publications

This paper is an analysis of the changes in media framing of Hispanic Americans' voting rights in the Chicago Tribune from 1965 through 1975, following the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and from 2016 through 2021. The specific frames that will be mentioned are those surrounding Spanish language assistance in voting, political and racial redistricting or gerrymandering, voter fraud, and voter ID laws.

Media Framing And The Election Integrity Protection Act Of 2021, Timothy Fay

Student Publications

It is no secret that today's media landscape is saturated with various narratives and frames that dictate how political events and debates are consumer by the American public. This paper seeks to analyze how national and local media outlets frame the Election Integrity Protection Act of 2021, one of the numerous voting bills that followed the 2020 Election. My expectation is that these sources will vary in terms of their partisan skew as a result of their geographic location and the ideologies of their viewers. This qualitative media analysis focuses on how each publication does or does not align one …

Australia And A Wire Through The Heart, Addison E. Lomax

Student Publications

Throughout a period of exploration in the colony of Australia, the development of the Overland Telegraph, as discovered by Charles Todd, increased Australian interaction on a global scale. Although the documentary A Wire Through the Heart does not depict all of the complex struggles English colonizers faced when settling Australia, the film accurately reflects the technological advancements, the significance of explorers, and environmental difficulties many colonizers encountered in Australia throughout the early 1800s. Alongside the increase in communication with the rest of the world, the Overland Telegraph assisted in the development of a unique, Australian culture separate from its original …

Our Greatest Weapon: The Rhetoric Of Invasion In Arrival And Independence Day, Emma G. Schilling

Student Publications

Inside of every alien invasion story is a central ‘us vs. them’ mentality that carries the thematic and moral weight of the story. Because of this, alien invasion films can be viewed through a postcolonial lens that reveals the destructive implications of colonialism, including a fear of the foreign and the figure of the white savior. Roland Emmerich’s Independence Day (1996) and Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival (2016) are no exception to this. Although both films are about aliens coming to Earth, the perspectives they follow in telling the story, their depictions of the military and scientists, their commentary on the role …

Dissociative Identity Disorder: Etiology, Media, And Stigma, Leah N. Millard

Student Publications

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is often portrayed incorrectly in the media, causing the public to know little about the disorder other than the stigmatizing information from the media. Because of this, individuals with the disorder often face more stigmatizing behaviors than the "normal" amount of stigma those with mental disorders often face. The newest revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) contributes the etiology of the disorder to underlying trauma, however many psychologists consider a "sociocognitive" or "fantasy" model. Current research provides more support for the trauma/posttraumatic model of the disorder and further supports the harm …

“Reds Driven Off”: The Us Media’S Propaganda During The Gulf Of Tonkin Incident, Steven M. Landry

Student Publications

In 2008, the Annenburg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania conducted a poll to determine just how informed voters were following that year’s presidential election. One of the most shocking things they found was that 46.4% of those polled still believed that Saddam Hussein played a role in the terrorist attacks on the US on September 11th, 2001. No evidence had ever emerged linking him to it after 5 years of war in Iraq, but that did not matter, as “voters, once deceived, tend to stay that way despite all evidence.” Botched initial reporting can permanently entrench false …

“Peace For Our Time”: Past And Present Receptions Of Neville Chamberlain’S Speech And The Munich Agreement, Erica L. Uszak

Student Publications

This paper covers British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's role in the Munich Agreement, as well as his September 30th speech in London, and explains how Chamberlain's attempt to negotiate "peace" with Hitler was received by the public. This paper examines three major newspapers: The London Times, The Manchester Guardian, and The New York Times, to see whether the press interpreted Chamberlain's negotiation with Hitler as a success or a failure. The paper also builds off of the newspapers' coverage to explain how Chamberlain and his policy of appeasement have been perceived through present-day.

The National Intelligencer Validating Cowardice: How A Washington D.C. Newspaper Redefined Defeat Into Republican Victory, Wesley C. Cline

Student Publications

The fall and burning of Washington D.C. without substantial resistance by the American army and militia was initially an obvious disgrace, however the widely read Washington based newspaper, The National Intelligencer, sought to rewrite this story of defeat into a narrative highlighting republican virtue. Utilizing preexisting stereotypes perpetuated in their paper of British soldiers acting immoral, the staff of The National Intelligencer articulated that the men defending Washington had to return to their individual homes on account of the impending barbarism and savagery of the British invaders, therefore vindicating the militiamen of their lack of resistance and praising their virtuous …

Surveillance And The Self: Understanding Privacy And Identity In Digital Environments, Alecea Ritter Standlee

Friday Forum

The widespread use of internet enabled devices among contemporary US adults has given rise to a series of questions about issues of identity, privacy and group behaviors. The increasing use of algorithmic systems in social media and the attendant privacy concerns among users may also contribute to increased levels of strategic management of identity among users. In order to contribute to this discussion, this project examines perceptions and practices of privacy and self-representation in digital spaces among college age adults 18-24. This project utilizes semi-structured interview data collected with college students in the Eastern United States and focuses on both …

What Is Colorism?, Teal L. Tasker

Student Publications

Analyze any advertising campaign colorism, dark-skinned, skin lightening, skin bleaching or notice the types of people represented in the media and on television and one major conclusion will be made clear -- Colorism is a prevalent issue worldwide. When the complexity of colorism transpires within a race it causes an even greater societal struggle, making it almost impossible to eliminate.

Millennials And The Increasing Use Of Social Media: Impact On The Employee Life Cycle, Sarah M. Pryor

Student Publications

The millennial generation is a generation of society that values technology, media, and connections, all three being equally important. This paper studies and theorizes the implications that social media has had on the workplace throughout the employee life cycle and how the traditional processes of this cycle have been altered. In the workforce, this aspect of the employee life cycle incorporates all different stages an employee goes through. From networking to being hired, to forming connections with co-workers, to working hard and performing well, to being fired, social media has impacted each stage of this cycle. Social media is a …

The Media Effect And The Implications For Racial Minority Groups, Hailey E. Hoffman

Student Publications

The Media Effects Theory explains the impact media exposure can have on both the individual and societal level. Recent studies have shown that the increase in media consumption influences the perceptions an individual develops about their self and of other groups. The attitudes individuals develop become more susceptible to media influence when they are given smart technology starting in early childhood. The lack of diversity and negative stereotypes portrayed within the media magnifies the media effect experienced by minority users. The news, entertainment, fashion, and beauty industries are areas of the media that society has become particularly fixed on. These …

Black Feminism: Dismantling Tropes And Embracing Sisterhood, Elaine Negron

Student Publications

This paper examines the usage of films like Set it off (1996) and Girl’s Trip (2017) and their sisterhood as friends as a way to dismantle tropes typically used towards Black Women. It is through the story lines of each movie that the main characters contradict certain female tropes and go against the societal norms that women are suppose to follow. Meanwhile, dismantling these tropes leads to the empowerment of sisterhood in these communities.

Superdiversity In Music Education, Brent C. Talbot

Sunderman Conservatory of Music Faculty Publications

Globalization has changed the social, cultural, and linguistic diversity in societies all over the world (Blommaert, J & Rampton, B. Diversities, 13(2), 1–22 (2011)). As new technologies have rapidly developed alongside increased forms of transnational flow, so have new forms of language, art, music, communication, and expression. This rapid and varied blending of cultures, ideas, and modes of communication is what Vertovec (2007) describes as super-diversity—diversity within diversity. In this narrative, I explore the theoretical and methodological pluralism that has aided my research in diverse settings, drawing from post-structuralism, critical theory, sociolinguistics, complexity theory, and discourse analysis—specifically Scollon and Scollon’s …

Music Theory And The Epistemology Of The Internet; Or, Analyzing Music Under The New Thinkpiece Regime, William O'Hara

Sunderman Conservatory of Music Faculty Publications

Over the past twenty-five years, the growth of the Internet has completely transformed journalism and media. «The relationship between new media and journalism», write Eugenia Siapera and Andreas Veglis, «has become a close embrace to the point where it is difficult to imagine an exclusively offline journalism» [Siapera-Veglis 2012, 1]. This relationship has not only seen existing publications - from traditional newspapers like The New York Times, The Guardian, Le Monde, and Der Spiegel to magazines like The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, The Paris Review, and The London Review of Books - move partially …

The Effects Of Coworker Relationships, Involvement, And Supportiveness On Job Satisfaction And Performance, Stephen F. Occhipinti, Nicholas M. Rollo, Eric J. Klimowicz

Student Publications

Past research has indicated that relationships, involvement, and supportiveness have an effect on job satisfaction and performance. A study was done on Gettysburg College students who have had experience with group work. Sixty-four (29 males, 35 females) Gettysburg College students were used as participants in the study. The study was split fairly evenly between sophomores, juniors, and seniors. To start, the survey included two demographic questions: gender and class year. Participants completed an online survey about the relationships among group mates, group involvement, and group support experience. Questions about the overall satisfaction and performance were also included. A correlational design …

How Different Generations Perceive Political News, Elizabeth C. Hilfrank

Student Publications

The 2016 presidential election was one of the first elections to see new media play a large role. While also being the first presidential election many millennials could vote in, this research paper looks at how different generations used various news sources to receive political news in 2016. The paper is supported by a documentary video case-study of the author's close close family and friends' perception of political news in 2016.

Levels Of Media Consumption And Muslim Intolerance, Kathryn E. Cushman

Student Publications

Exploring the various factors that lead to Muslim intolerance, specifically the role of media consumption and the control variables of age and education levels

Factors Influencing The Evolution Of Chinese Disaster Relief Efforts, Lucas W. Gaylor

Student Publications

Disasters are life-altering events for any country. Every country around the world suffers from various kinds of disasters, whether produced by natural or human forces. The impact that these disasters have on people’s lives makes the topic of disaster relief and management a critical one for all governments around the globe; China is certainly no exception to the importance of disaster relief policy. As a country that has fallen victim to many disasters in recent memory, its disaster relief policy is one that has been analyzed at length by scholars around the world. In this piece, I seek to analyze …

The Mainstream Misrepresentation Of Muslim Women In The Media, Megan A. Mastro

What All Americans Should Know About Women in the Muslim World

I discuss the widespread misrepresentation of Islamic women in multiple sources of media and its subsequent effects on the general population's perception of this demographic as a whole.

Eco-Nostalgia In Popular Turkish Cinema, Ekin Gündüz Özdemirci, Salma Monani

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Book Summary: Ecomedia: Key Issues is a comprehensive textbook introducing the burgeoning field of ecomedia studies to provide an overview of the interface between environmental issues and the media globally. Linking the world of media production, distribution, and consumption to environmental understandings, the book addresses ecological meanings encoded in media texts, the environmental impacts of media production, and the relationships between media and cultural perceptions of the environment. [From the publisher]

The Weight Of Sarcasm, Meghan E. O'Donnell

SURGE

I push the door open slowly, hoping that I’ve gotten to class early enough that there aren’t a lot of people in the room yet to look at me when I enter. As I walk to my seat, I put my bag down and grab a notebook out of it quickly. Then I spend the next ten minutes before class readjusting my shirt, whichever one I’d decided was most “slimming” that day, and pulling it away from my body so that it hides my stomach as best as possible. If I can, I’ll put books right in front of me. …

Fealess Friday: Kelsey Chapman, Christina L. Bassler

SURGE

Kelsey Chapman ’15 fearlessly advocates for human rights, peace, and justice, focusing on the Middle East. An economics major and Middle East and Islamic Studies (MEIS) minor, Kelsey is the house leader for the MEIS House, an Arabic PLA, and the founder of Gettysburg’s chapter of J Street U. [excerpt]

Social Mania, Brianna Dipanni

SURGE

Ten.

That’s the total number of times I’ve checked Facebook and Instagram within the past hour alone. Ashamedly, it’s become a sort of compulsive habit. No matter what I’m doing, turning on my phone or laptop wouldn’t be complete without checking Tumblr, Facebook or Instagram. Within the past year or so, social media has become a big part of my life. It’s become part of my daily morning routine. Before the thought of getting out of bed to face the day even crosses my mind, I have to check social media and see what’s been going on in the world …

What's Below The Peak? Perceptions Of Media From Those That Live Below The World's Most Famous Mountain, Jonah P. Lucas

Student Publications

This research seeks to explore the perceptions the Sherpa people in the Khumbu region have on the media that has been created about them and their communities. Interviews conducted in the Khumbu region of Nepal with a variety of individuals gave insight into how different socio-economic and educational backgrounds affect these perceptions. This research found that all Sherpa are aware to some extent of the media about them, and its biggest effect is the international tourism trade that it promotes. Furthermore, journalists visiting the region are regarded as normal tourists, and the work they do is considered accurate and suitable …

A Savage Journey To The Heart Of Literary Freedom: Gonzo Journalism As A Vehicle For Social Criticism In The Literary Nonfiction Of Hunter S. Thompson, Jeffrey J. Horvath

Student Publications

As a professional journalist Hunter S. Thompson made it his mission to expose and defy structures of American society which he believed inhibited the exercise of personal freedom and, consequently, made realizing the “American Dream” impossible. Through his unique voice and style of literary nonfiction known as “Gonzo Journalism” Thompson is able to debunk the myth of the American Dream by attacking false conceptions of it, thereby highlighting the failures of both these conceptions and the structures of society, politics, class, and authority which give rise to them. This thesis traces the genesis of Gonzo Journalism’s formal features and themes …

The American National Exhibition And Kitchen Debates: How The World's Superpowers Portrayed The Events Of The Summer Of 1959 To Meet National Needs, Kevin D. Bardin

Student Publications

An undergraduate research paper centered on the investigation of American and Soviet propaganda efforts during and immediately after the Kitchen Debate of 1959.

“Welcome To The Feminist Cult”: Building A Feminist Community Of Practice On Tumblr, Sarah M. Connelly

Student Publications

Over the course of the last twenty years, the internet has become a powerful tool for the mobilization of social movements because of its ease of access, its allowance for greater control of organization and communication, and its rapid spread and dissemination of ideas. Tumblr, a micro-blogging site that is comprised of 227.6 million blogs and 106.3 billion posts by March 2015, is one of the most significant locations of social activism online. In recent years, Tumblr has become a platform for highly involved feminist dialogue because of the ability for like-minded users to follow and reblog posts regarding feminist …