Digital Commons Network^™

Model Minorities: Asian Americans And The White-Black Racial Paradigm, Jason Tom

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines the racial wedge driven by Whites between Blacks and Asian Americans during the Cold War on to the present. Model minorities is a term coined by whites in the 1960s to suppress Civil Rights protests and Black demands. By elevating a minority group through success stories, whites constructed a means to suppress Black people’s organizing for change against systemic racism and oppression.

Journalism Through Learning Design, Geoff Decker

Capstones

Abstract

At its core, journalism is a civic enterprise with a mission to help citizens better understand their world and communities. Fulfilling this lofty mission in today’s digital media landscape poses new and evolving challenges, but it also presents a unique opportunity to reexamine the relationship between storytellers and their audiences. Advancements in the learning sciences in recent decades offer important insights into how the mind works. In teaching and learning, pedagogical experts and practitioners increasingly utilize these insights to refine and implement instructional strategies that increase student engagement, motivation, and learning. This capstone project aims to establish a framework …

Exploring The Relationship Between Anger, Aggression, And Perpetrator Substance Use In The Commission Of Sexual Offenses, Dominique Rivera

Student Theses

This study examined the potential association between perpetrator substance use, anger, and aggressive behavior in the commission of sexual crimes. The sample included 246 adult males convicted of rape (n = 54) or child molestation (n = 192). Descriptive statistics revealed that 64.6% of the individuals in this sample (n = 159) were intoxicated at the time of the offense. Results showed that perpetrators who used substances at the time of the offense were more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior toward the victim (e.g., weapon use, verbal abuse) than those who did not. Offenders with higher pervasive anger scores were …

Legalization Of Marijuana And Its Effect On Alcohol Related Accident Fatalities, Azamat Sadikov

Theses and Dissertations

This Masters’ Thesis examines the effect of legalization of recreational marijuana on alcohol related car accident fatalities in the state of Colorado. I used the Synthetic Control Method to analyze this effect. Results of my findings indicate that after legalization of marijuana there was no significant increase in the number of drunk driving accident fatalities.

In Search Of A Stimulating Visual Dance Art Medium: Overlapping Realities In Live And Screen Dance, Yael Levitin Saban

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis paper captures research into historical examples of artistic performance pioneers who integrated multiple layers of imagery into complex dialogue and describes how this research inspired and influenced the creation of an original 17-minute video work, “Overlay.”. My interest throughout my MFA Thesis Project has been to understand the effect of fusing or layering multiple movement-based art forms, the application and integration of modern technology to established traditional stage performance, and the creation of engaging new art form.

Exploring Behavioral Flexibility, Problem-Solving, And Innovation In Captive Asian Elephants (Elephas Maximus), Amanda Puitiza

Theses and Dissertations

Asian elephants encounter and adapt to changing environments by problem-solving and innovating. In this study, we assessed behavioral measures, such as persistence and motivation, to determine potential predictors of problem-solving success. This is the first examination of problem-solving in elephants with a multi-solution puzzle box.

Are Giant Pandas (Ailuropoda Melanoleuca) Averse To Inequity?, Miranda R. Trapani

Theses and Dissertations

Inequity aversion, a negative response to situations of unequal reward distribution, is a cognitive trait usually seen in social species. This capacity is thought to regulate cooperative relationships in intelligent, cognitively flexible animals. Giant pandas are a unique case in that wild populations are characterized as nonsocial, however captive populations are socially housed until sexual maturity. This allows for the study of a nonsocial species in a social context and thus the assessment of socio-cognitive flexibility across evolutionarily distant taxa. Here, we assessed whether the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) displays inequity aversion by testing ten juveniles living at …

Using Day And Night Camera Trap Videos To Identify Wild Asian Elephants (Elephas Maximus) In The Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary, Kanchanaburi, Thailand, Sasha Montero

Theses and Dissertations

Observation and regular monitoring of wild populations is critical for the conservation of endangered species like the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). This study used 24 morphological characteristics to identify Asian elephants from camera trap videos collected in the Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary in Thailand between February 2019 and January 2020.

Variation In Personality Among Semi-Wild Myanmar Timber Elephants, Sateesh Venkatesh

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines two personality traits: exploration and neophobia, which could influence human-elephant conflicts. Thirty-one semi-wild elephants were tested over two trials using a custom novel puzzle tube containing three tasks and three rewards. Our studies show that elephants do vary significantly between individuals in both exploration and neophobia.

Behavioral Differences Among Varyingly-Disturbed Populations Of Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Macropus Giganteus) In New South Wales, Australia, Francesca A. Iacobucci

Theses and Dissertations

Despite their iconic status, kangaroo spp. are often treated as pests in Australia due to perceived abundance and extensive grazing behaviors. With growing suburbanization, animals such as kangaroo spp., are forced to inhabit human-dominated areas. Little research has been done examining how different aspects of human-induced disturbance can varyingly affect the behavior of wild animals. Specifically, this study examined how varyingly-disturbed areas affect behaviors such as vigilance, foraging, joey emergence during the in/out stage of pouch emergence, and play in three eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) populations. Results suggest that acute environmental disturbances (e.g., dogs barking or …

Music As A Tool, Kayla Boone

Capstones

My community is focused on individuals who are currently struggling or have struggled with their mental health and are seeking music as an alternative to psychotherapy.

Aprendizaje Remota: Cómo Dos Madres De Hijos Con Necesidades Especiales Están Lidiando Durante La Pandemia, Lisa Salinas, Arlyn Sorto

Capstones

Escuelas en todo el país cerraron sus puertas este año debido a la pandemia de coronavirus. Estudiantes, padres y maestros están viviendo una nueva realidad de clases a través de una pantalla. Para los estudiantes más vulnerables, incluyendo estudiantes con necesidades especiales, la aprendizaje remota ha sido especialmente difícil. Dos madres en la ciudad de Nueva York nos cuenta cómo están lidiando con sus hijos de necesidades especiales en medio de la pandemia, los obstáculos que están enfrentando, y cómo el departamento de educación ha fallado ha sus familias.

A Crisis Within A Crisis: Nyc Landlords Ramp Up Harassment Of Vulnerable Tenants In Wake Of Pandemic, Joseph A. Jungermann Iii

Capstones

Already burdened with more sickness and death during the pandemic than other New Yorkers, low-income tenants and tenants of color are particularly vulnerable to additional harassment by landlords who seek to take advantage of the city's health and financial crisis to force them out. Brooklyn residents Delene Ahye, Dexter Lendor and Sonny Singh tell stories of their landlord, landlord agents and building manager’s harassment, which began during the pandemic’s most dangerous spikes in New York City. These forms of harassment included intimidation, abusive construction, constant buyout offers and biometrics and surveillance technology.

Link to capstone project: https://joseph-jungermann.medium.com/a-crisis-within-a-crisis-nyc-landlords-ramp-up-harassment-of-vulnerable-tenants-in-wake-of-e09d67968208

Hips That Harm: When Medical Devices Fail Women, Sophie N. Putka

Capstones

Medical devices that save the lives of thousands of Americans each year advance at a rapid pace - but some of them consistently leave women behind. When it comes to joint replacements and even heart devices, women have worse health outcomes. Behind this preventable problem is a system that overlooks women from start to finish. Female bodies are different from male bodies, but women are often underrepresented in medical trials for device approval. Women’s participation in clinical testing for devices has increased, but there’s rarely a detailed analysis of performance by sex, and even less information on women by race …

Engaging Underserved Voters In West Virginia During The Pandemic Election, Jacob Wasserman

Capstones

This report is the final product of my Social Journalism practicum for the Class of 2020 at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. My community focus for the degree program was underserved voters in West Virginia during the pandemic election. Within this report, I discuss the community that I intended to serve with engagement journalism, the activities and approach that I took to pursue that engagement, and how I evaluated the project with both quantitative and qualitative metrics. I also discuss ideas that I learned during the process of this project, and offer reflections on the philosophy of engagement …

My Face Is Not The Problem, Malique I. Morris

Capstones

In 2019, after a weekend full of rejection in the gayest neighborhood in Los Angeles, I became so ashamed of my phenotypically black facial features, I completely stopped looking in the mirror. As it turns out, I’m one of many black people who have internalized anti-blackness to such an extent. Skin bleaching is a multi-billion-dollar sector of the cosmetics industry, with Africa being its biggest market, and studies show that black people with darker skin and wider noses are more likely to be killed during encounters with the police. So, an honest conversation about systemic racism is actually a conversation …

Who Upholds Your Human Rights When You Are “Stateless?” Why Couldn’T The Un Protect The Rohingya’S Human Rights?, Hyochan Lee

Student Theses and Dissertations

In 2017, genocide in Myanmar took place against the stateless minority Rohingya Muslims. Why couldn’t the UN protect the Rohingya’s human rights? The international community's efforts to oppose these violations against the stateless people have been only passive. Then, who upholds your human rights when you are stateless? Using chronology, historical institutionalism, and process tracing analyses, this thesis (1) evaluates the UN’s legal regime’s systemic design and capabilities in protecting human rights; then (2) identifies the design flaws of our international human rights regime; and lastly, (3) develops a recommendation to protect all people, stateless or not. Based on both …

Fish Out Of Water, Francesca Krempa

Capstones

On screen, romantic comedies provide a certain kind of predictability and escape. In real life, the cliches can be unnerving and less promising. But life isn’t always stranger than fiction – when an urbanite writer falls in love with a salt-of-the-earth voracious angler at a fishing tournament, she finds the hopeful cliches are unavoidable. https://francescakrempa.com/capstone/

From Ballooning Rents To Skyrocketing Student Debt: College Educated Millennials’ Expenses Are Keeping Them From Saving Money, William Johnson

Capstones

My capstone is a study of recent graduates' inability to save money.

Closing Up Shop, Rachel Green

Capstones

The pandemic has wreaked havoc across the world. One of the hardest hit types of business was restaurants. New York City is a hub for restaurants and bars. Many restaurateurs and bar owners have been struggling to survive throughout the year. This capstone will look at specific examples of struggling business owners and see what happened when COVID-19 hit the city. https://capstone-rachel-green.webflow.io/

Through The Screen: Disability, Aging And Technology, Shoshannah E. Buxbaum

Capstones

The Covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally altered what it means to stay connected. These are stories of how technology has shaped the lives of people with disabilities and seniors in Utah. This half-hour audio documentary, accompanying images and text delve into everything from getting hooked up to the internet for the first time, to the hurdles and expanded opportunities of remote work.

https://shoshannah-buxbaum.medium.com/through-the-screen-bb14b1c992ca

Seeking Clemency: A Profile On Jacob Rouse, Jocelyn A. Contreras, Sarah Gabrielli

Capstones

Jacob Rouse was 18 years old when he drove the getaway car that would define the rest of his life. He sat in his blue Ford Taurus, waiting to drive his three friends away from the scene of a robbery in Rochester, New York. Jacob was parked about a block away when one of his accomplices shot and killed 22-year-old Herschel Scriven, a local youth pastor and church organist.

He is now seeking clemency.

He’S ‘Like A Math Magician’: One Man’S Path Towards Clemency, Steven Vago

Capstones

This is a profile on Bobby Ehrenberg, an incarcerated person who recently applied for clemency after turning his life around. https://medium.com/@steven.vago/hes-like-a-math-magician-one-man-s-path-towards-clemency-9bcea1cfdfdc

Resilientxs: El Impacto De La Covid-19 En La Comunidad Trans Latinx De Nueva York, Oscar Molina, Ariel Goodman

Capstones

The Trans Latinx Community has been one of the most harmed due to the coronavirus pandemic in New York. According to a survey by the Williams Institute at the University of California Law School (UCLA), there were 17,300 self-identified transgender Latinas in 2016 in the State of New York. Most of them are people of color, undocumented, without any type of health insurance or job stability. To these vulnerabilities must be added the violence and prejudices that still exist against this community, which affect the equality of their rights.

There is no official data that shows how many transgender people …

Will Unions Get Out The Vote For Mayor In 2021?, Caroline Leddy

Capstones

Labor unions have played an important role in New York City politics for decades--with the 2021 mayoral election approaching, will they be able to motivate their membership to vote for the candidate they endorse, or will their members vote for whomever they want without taking into account who their union recommends? Link here: https://caroline-leddy.medium.com/will-unions-get-out-the-vote-for-mayor-in-2021-a85388813d2d

‘No Possible Peace’: Rising Construction Worker Deaths In New York And Tennessee, Ana Lucia Murillo, Mary Conlon

Capstones

Construction worker fatalities and injuries are a growing problem across the U.S. And for a myriad of factors, death rates are higher in the Southern and Western U.S. than in other regions. Over 1,000 construction workers died from injuries received on the job in 2019, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, many of whom are Latino workers. Now, advocates and workers are demanding reform after years of diminished regulation and little oversight that have cost numerous lives. Link to capstone project: https://medium.com/@analucia.murilloa/no-possible-peace-rising-construction-worker-deaths-in-new-york-and-tennessee-796f757dd199

Profits For Spotify, Pennies For Artists, Joshua R. Rosenberg

Capstones

Major recording labels have always been king-making investment houses. They market the music and manage the careers of artists such as New York singer-songwriter Blake Morgan, who has to fight tooth and nail to escape being mistreated financially. But digital distribution services have now come along and upped the parasitic ante. By dominating global market share and distributing millions of songs for the labels, companies like Spotify are piggybacking on the music industry’s already exploitative system and magnifying it exponentially. The more content you control, the larger the overall profit–even if the overwhelming majority of content creators are essentially starving. …

A Learning Nightmare For An Immigrant Family, Arlyn J. Sorto

Capstones

Just two years after settling in Texas, a Honduran mother and her two kids must grapple with the hardships of remote learning due to limited access to the internet and a language barrier during a global pandemic.

Gun Country, John Philp

Capstones

This report discusses Gun Country, a multi-format online project that serves as the capstone of my Social Journalism Masters degree at the Craig Newmark Graduate school of Journalism. The report begins by exploring the community the project was built to serve, the gun safety community, made up of survivors of gun violence, their friends and family and other advocates for gun violence prevention. The report then details what I determined to be the community’s storytelling needs, and discusses the approach I took to address these needs, by building a multi-format website that weaves together news, storytelling, dialog and advocacy. …

A Crisis Of Kelp, Rachel L. Sherman

Capstones

Along with insects and lab-grown meat, for years seaweed has been lauded as a sustainable “food of the future” by the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization. As the world increasingly turns to alternative foods in pursuit of a healthier Earth, seaweed has all the makings of an ecological savior. It’s plentiful — seaweeds and ocean algae make up roughly nine tenths of all the plant life on Earth — it’s cheap to harvest and get to market, packed with nutrition, and keeps oceans clean, absorbing more carbon dioxide and releasing more oxygen than the world’s rainforests.

But outside of Japanese …