Digital Commons Network^™

The Sixty-Six Percent, Natalie Abruzzo

Capstones

The Sixty-Six Percent represent the percentage of women in the U.S. who are overweight. They are regarded as full-figured or “plus” size in the world of women’s apparel. Even though more than half of American women wear a “plus” size - size 14 and up - designs for these women account for a fraction of women’s apparel - Only 37% of women's wear is plus-size.

The Sixty-Six Percent is coming at an important time in a broader conversation about de-stigmatizing what it means to be a plus-size woman in America. Fat shaming has become taboo and mainstream media as well …

Bike-Geist Nyc, Jack D'Isidoro

Capstones

More people ride bicycles in New York City than ever before, and that number continues to grow. At the turn of the 20th century, this city was the epicenter of a cultural obsession with bicycles, and is on the verge of a second renaissance with these simple machines. This project highlights different iterations of bicycle culture within modern New York City, and the socioeconomic, interpersonal, and self-expressive stories it produces.

Strangers In Their Own Lands: A Story Of Japanese Brazilians, Ken Aragaki

Capstones

Brazil is home to the largest Japanese community outside of Japan. Since the first dispatch of Japanese immigrants in 1908, more than 240,000 people moved from Japan to Brazil between the early 1900s and the 1970s. Many of them settled outside the city of São Paulo and started working as coffee farmers under unfamiliar and harsh conditions. Today, according to some estimates, more than 1.6 million people of Japanese descent live in Brazil.

As Japan became the world’s economic power, it sought foreign workers to fill its booming labor market. The government turned to Japanese Brazilians and started granting them …

Language, Culture And Spatial Cognition: Bringing Anthropology To The Table, Norbert Ross, Jeffrey T. Shenton, Werner Hertzog, Mike Kohut

Baltic International Yearbook of Cognition, Logic and Communication

Languages vary in their semantic partitioning of the world. This has led to speculation that language might shape basic cognitive processes. Spatial cognition has been an area of research in which linguistic relativity – the effect of language on thought – has both been proposed and rejected. Prior studies have been inconclusive, lacking experimental rigor or appropriate research design. Lacking detailed ethnographic knowledge as well as failing to pay attention to intralanguage variations, these studies often fall short of defining an appropriate concept of language, culture, and cognition. Our study constitutes the first research exploring (1) individuals speaking different languages …

Culture Shapes Whether The Pursuit Of Happiness Predictshigher Or Lower Well-Being, Brett Q. Ford, Julia O. Dmitrieva, Daniel Heller, Yulia Chentsova-Dutton, Igor Grossmann, Maya Tamir, Yukiko Uchida, Birgit Koopmann-Holm, Victoria A. Floerke, Meike Uhrig, Tatiana Bokhan, Iris B. Mauss

Psychology

Pursuing happiness can paradoxically impair well-being. Here, the authors propose the potential downsides to pursuing happiness may be specific to individualistic cultures. In collectivistic (vs. individualistic) cultures, pursuing happiness may be more successful because happiness is viewed--and thus pursued--in relatively socially engaged ways. In 4 geographical regions that vary in level of collectivism (United States, Germany, Russia, East Asia), we assessed participants' well-being, motivation to pursue happiness, and to what extent they pursued happiness in socially engaged ways. Motivation to pursue happiness predicted lower well-being in the United States, did not predict well-being in Germany, and predicted higher well-being in …

A Cultural Consideration: Eliminating The Barriers In Order To Effectively Communicate Crises, Morgan H. Dunaway

Master's Theses

This study aimed at gaining a better understanding of the Hispanic American culture in an effort to evaluate how they view and receive messages sent from the government. The purpose of this study was to further the conversation that messages should be designed with careful thought in order to resonate with the target audience involved in the communication process. A previous study found that the majority of the Hispanic American population felt as if they are overlooked and would not be warned properly in a time of crisis (Heath, Lee, & Ni, 2009). Therefore, the present study focused on variables …

Racial Experience As An Alternative Operationalization Of Race, Jada Benn Torres, Gabriel A. Torres Colón

Human Biology Open Access Pre-Prints

The study of human variation is central to both social and biomedical sciences; however, despite agreeing that variation is integral to the human experience, social and biomedical scientists diverge in how variation is theorized and operationalized. Race becomes especially problematic because it is a cultural concept that contains implicit and explicit understandings of how collective bodies differ. In this paper, we propose an operationalization of race that is attentive to both racial experience and human biological diversity—placing them within the same ontological sphere. Furthermore, we argue that this approach can more effectively advance antiracist pedagogy and politics.

We argue that …

Discovering Culture And Communication On The World Wide Web, Jin Xu

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Discussions of intercultural communication mostly center round the interaction of culture and communication concerning differences in values, beliefs, norms and communication styles. However, cultural differences also stem from different cognitive styles, which impact intercultural communication. This article describes an activity that introduces students to cultural cognition theory. Combining research on the Internet, small group interaction, and class discussion, this exercise encourages students to apply theory to practice, to explore cultural differences on the Internet, and to develop their critical thinking skills. It also develops their awareness and skills needed to be mindful of the nuances of cultural differences. The exercise …

Space – The Final Frontier, Sandy Fitzgerald

The ITB Journal

This paper ranges over a number of questions to do with the seemingly general sense of anxiety and discontent about life at this time, a time when we should be enjoying the embarrassment of riches heaped upon us in the West. Certainly, here in Ireland, we have experienced unprecedented wealth over the past ten years and yet you would be hard pressed to find a positive voice. Why is this? And how are we to turn this state of affairs around? My own work, over a thirty-year period, has engaged with the social, cultural and arts world and so these …

Vision, Mission, And Values: From Concept To Execution At Mayo Clinic, Sandhya Pruthi, Dawn Marie R. Davis, Dawn L. Hucke, Francesca B. Ripple, Barbara S. Tatzel, James A. Dilling, Paula J. Santrach, Jeffrey W. Bolton, John H. Noseworthy

Patient Experience Journal

Mayo Clinic displays steadfast commitment to patient care, referral relations, and health care quality through institutional examples of unique, value-add endeavors that are under way with the Mayo Clinic Patient Experience Subcommittee and the Referring Physician Office. In this article, we share the Mayo Model of Care and patient stories that embody the 8 Mayo Clinic values of respect, compassion, integrity, healing, teamwork, excellence, innovation, and stewardship. The Mayo founders imparted to their staff the passion for patient care by encouraging a fair and just culture for its employees. This culture allows the creation, maintenance, and improvement of clinical care, …

Impact Of Hospital Characteristics On Patients’ Experience Of Hospital Care: Evidence From 14 States, 2009-2011, Emily M. Johnston, Kenton J. Johnston, Jaeyong Bae, Jason M. Hockenberry, Ariel C. Avgar, Arnold Milstein Md, Mph, Sandra S. Liu, Ira Wilson, Edmund Becker

Patient Experience Journal

This paper uses patient responses to the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey for three years (2009-2011) from 1,333 acute-care hospitals in fourteen states to analyze patterns in 10 hospital-reported patient experience-of-care scores by 29 characteristics classified as: patient characteristics, payer source, patient severity, hospital characteristics, hospital operations, and market characteristics. We also evaluate how scores have changed over the three-year period. We find significant differences in patient experience-of-care scores by hospital characteristics for 250 out of 290 HCAHPS-hospital characteristic combinations measured. We find fewer significant differences in changes in scores from 2009-2011 (135 out of …

Patient Leadership: Taking Patient Experience To The Next Level?, David Mcnally, Steve Sharples, Georgina Craig, Dr Anita Goraya, Frcgp

Patient Experience Journal

NHS England commissioned the project described in this article to explore how patients and carers can, acting as leaders, make a real difference in improving experience of care. The work was carried out on a collaborative basis, co-designing the scope of the research with patient leaders and commissioners. We gathered case examples across England that had involved patient leaders in using patient and carer feedback to improve experience of care. A Patient Leaders Expert Advisory Group selected four case examples that were visited to undertake a more detailed study and subsequently discussed and agreed the key learning points and conclusions. …

The Critical Role Of Family In Patient Experience, Brian Boyle

Patient Experience Journal

In this commentary Brian Boyle raises a simple, yet critical point about the value of family in the care experience. He offers, “When you are focusing on the goals for the patient's recovery, the doctors work with the nurses, specialists, and patient’s family to decide on the appropriate care plan for the patient on both a short- and long-term basis. It is vital that this multi-disciplinary approach occurs during the formation of the care plan and is frequently updated as time goes on. The loved ones of a patient may not have a medical license or healthcare background, but their …

The State Of Patient Experience, Jason A. Wolf Phd

Patient Experience Journal

As the patient experience movement continues to flourish, there is greater alignment that experience encompasses all we do in healthcare – not simply a customer encounter, but how we engage people in mind, body and spirit, how we integrate the critical aspects of care from quality to safety to service and how we link the very complexities of our healthcare systems globally to provide for easy journeys for those receiving care. In sharing data from the latest study for The Beryl Institute on patient experience, the trends of this growing movement are seen as positive and a set of clear …

Structural Transformation, Culture, And Women’S Labor Force Participation In Turkey, Yasemin Dildar

Doctoral Dissertations

Turkey has experienced important structural and social changes that would be expected to facilitate women’s participation in market work. Social attitudes toward working women have changed in recent years; women are becoming more educated; they are getting married at a later age; and fertility rates are declining. Despite these factors, women’s labor force participation rates are very low in comparison to the countries at a similar development stage. This dissertation analyzes the underlying causes of low female labor force participation in Turkey. In addition to a background chapter (Chapter 2) analyzing structural transformation and employment generation patterns, the dissertation has …

Intersubjective Norms: Cultural And Interpersonal Perspective, Kimin Eom, Heejung S. Kim

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Normative perspectives in cultural psychology provide a fresh view to understand the processes of cultural influence on human behavior. Although much of the existing research focuses on individuals’ internalized personal values and beliefs to explain cultural tendencies, the new perspective proposes perceived intersubjective norms as an alternative key component in cultural influence (Chiu, Gelfand, Yamagishi, Shteynberg, & Wan, 2010; Zou et al., 2009). Extending this newly emerging approach, the lead articles in this special issue address some of the important questions and issues of normative perspectives in cultural psychology. The articles provide useful explanations for why individuals vary in the …

A Conclusion, Yet An Opening To Enriching The Normative Approach Of Culture, Chi-Yue Chiu, M. J. Gelfand, J. R. Harrington, Angela K. Y. Leung, Zhi Liu, M. W. Morris, Yan Mu, G. Shteynberg, Kim-Pong Tam, Ching Wan, Xi Zou

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

We compile in this article the target article authors’ thoughtful responses to the commentaries. Their responses identify some common threads across the rich contents of the commentary pieces, interlink the observation and theoretical propositions in the commentaries with broader streams of research, present new perspectives inspired by the commentary contributors, and pose provocative questions to further ignite research efforts on the normative analysis of culture.

"Create-A-Culture: An Experiential Approach To Cross Cultural Communication Dynamics, Evelyn Plummer

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

This small group activity uses a pseudo-simulation approach to explore dynamics of enculturation, acculturation, third culture, and diaspora and the resulting influences upon cross-cultural communication competence. All human communication contexts are influenced by perceptual patterns which, in turn, are shaped by culture-based norms and views. Furthermore, as asserted by E.T. Hall, significant linkages exist between a group’s cultural influences and its communication practices. This guided, collaborative learning exercise also draws on the inherent diversity within the students’ personal cultural backgrounds and previous culture-based studies as they work together to create new (hypothetical) co-cultural groups. Through this multi-step exercise, students “experience” …

Message From The President (Of Bsu), Ja'nai Harris

SURGE

Last night as a couple of my friends scrambled to find a classroom to do work in, they came across a poster that has been plastered all around campus for weeks now. This poster, however, was different. This poster was vandalized. The face of this year’s 10th Annual Derrick K. Gondwe Memorial Lecture, Opal Tometi, had been ripped off and the word “Black” was crossed out and replaced with the word “All.” This changed the quote from “Black Lives Matter” to “All Lives Matter.” [excerpt]

Culturefest 2015, University Of Maine Office Of International Programs

Cultural Affairs Distinguished Lecture Series

Culturefest is an annual event hosted by the International Student Association and the Office of International Programs. US students from multicultural backgrounds take part and celebrate their families' heritage. The best part of Culturefest is the food court which will offer a variety of food from around the globe.

Leon Sun, Linda Hanes

International Faculty Researchers

Living and working in two countries provided a cultural contrast that has greatly inspired and influenced the art and design of Yuanliang (Leon) Sun, an associate professor of art at Western Michigan University.

Alexander Cannon, Carol Barber

International Faculty Researchers

A chance introduction to a largely unknown genre of Vietnamese royal court music that Dr. Alexander Cannon experienced while majoring in economics and music as an undergraduate forged an interest that changed the trajectory of his intended career path from analyzing economic trends to becoming an ethnomusicologist and an expert on don ca tai tu.

Von Fischen Im Wasser Und Andere Mediationserzählungen [Of Fish In Water And Other Mediation Stories] (In German), Nadja Alexander

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This essay offers an international and cross-cultural perspective on mediation. It builds on the contributions to this journal issue and extends the conversation to include (1) the role of culture in mediations models and (2) the taboo topic of directive, evaluative approaches. After reviewing various taxonomies of mediation models, the author’s mediation meta model is used as a framework to analyze diverse approaches of mediation including those presented in this issue. Historical-cultural perspectives provide further layers of depth and nuance that thicken the already complex storylines of the human mediation narrative. If mediation is to succeed in attaining truly global …

Changes In Luoshui: How The Outside World Affects Luoshui Village And The Mosuo Culture, Lucy Woychuk-Mlinac

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Is tourism really the biggest harm to Mosuo culture? Mosuo people are often the center of studies about how tourism affects the traditions and cultures of minority groups, but there is little focus on the other influences that change Mosuo culture. This study focuses on the lives of the Mosuo in Luoshui village, and how their everyday lives are influenced by the world outside of the village. Without knowing the causes of changes in the Mosuo village, there is little hope for fixing the situation and keeping dying traditions alive. Looking into their religion, education, and the holiday shazhu, …

Theravada Buddhism, Identity, And Cultural Continuity In Jinghong, Xishuangbanna, James H. Granderson

Student Publications

This ethnographic field study focuses upon the relationship between the urban Jinghong and surrounding rural Dai population of lay people, as well as a few individuals from other ethnic groups, and Theravada Buddhism. Specifically, I observed how Theravada Buddhism and Dai ethnic culture are continued through the monastic system and the lay community that supports that system. I also observed how individuals balance living modern and urban lifestyles while also incorporating Theravada Buddhism into their daily lives. Both of these involved observing the relationship between Theravada monastics in city and rural temples and common people in daily life, as well …

Book Review: Transforming The Dead, Anne L. Grauer

Anthropology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Hargrave, Schermer, Hedman, and Lillie have crafted a volume, Transforming the Dead: Culturally Modified Bone in the Prehistoric Midwest, that provides readers with a rich and nuanced understanding of human bone as object and symbol.

The Experience Of Chronic Pain Management: A Multi-Voiced Narrative Analysis, Loren Wilbers

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since the late 1990s, the abuse of prescription opioid painkillers has been constructed as a major social problem in the United States, commonly referred to in the media as the “prescription painkiller epidemic.” Stories of addiction, overdose deaths, robberies, and other tragedies related to prescription opioids have been, and continue to be, commonly featured in the media. In response to public outcry regarding the “epidemic,” government and medical institutions have enforced strict regulations on the distribution of opioids, targeting most of these regulations at the treatment of chronic pain in particular. In this dissertation, I examine the experience of chronic …

Diversity And Inclusion Faculty Fellowship, Jennifer Thomson

Bucknell: Occupied

Jennifer Thomson, assistant professor of History at Bucknell University, interviews Carmen Henne-Ochoa and Atiya Kai Stokes-Brown about their new roles as Diversity and Inclusion Faculty Fellows and their hopes for their roles. The discussion includes their experiences engaging the campus in discussions related to this topic and their efforts to influence the campus culture.

Enhancement Of Trace Organic Contaminant Degradation By Crude Enzyme Extract From Trametes Versicolor Culture: Effect Of Mediator Type And Concentration, Ngoc Luong Nguyen, Faisal Ibney Hai, Jinguo Kang, Frederic Leusch, Felicity Roddick, S Faraj Magram, William Price, Long Nghiem

Faisal I Hai

The performance of two redox mediating compounds, namely 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HBT) and syringaldehyde (SA), was compared in terms of enhancement of enzymatic degradation of a diverse set of 14 phenolic and 16 non-phenolic trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) and the toxicity of the treated media. Extracellular enzyme extract (predominantly containing laccase) from Trametes versicolor culture achieved efficient degradation (70-95%) of nine phenolic and one non-phenolic TrOCs. Mediator dosing extended the spectrum of efficiently degraded TrOCs to 13 phenolic and three non-phenolic compounds, with moderate improvements in removal of a few other non-phenolic compounds. TrOC removal efficiency improved significantly as the HBT dose …

Ebony And Ivory? Interracial Dating Intentions And Behaviors Of Disadvantaged African American Women In Kentucky, David J. Luke, Carrie B. Oser

Sociology Faculty Publications

Using data from 595 predominantly disadvantaged African American women in Kentucky, this study examines perceptions about racial/ethnic partner availability, cultural mistrust, and racism as correlates of interracial dating intentions and behaviors with both white and Hispanic men. Participants reported levels of dating intentions and behaviors were significantly higher with whites than Hispanics. The multivariate models indicate less cultural mistrust and believing it is easier to find a man of that racial/ethnic category were associated with higher interracial dating intentions. Women were more likely to have dated a white man if they believed it was easier to find a white man …