Digital Commons Network^™

Force Displacement, Forced Perspective: The Rhetorics Of Refugee Experience, Jonathan Burgess

All Dissertations

This dissertation interrogates the intersection of digital media, displacement, and human rights within the contemporary geopolitical landscape, with a specific focus on the MENA region. From a perspective firmly rooted rhetoric, it dissects the complex relationship between technology and displaced populations, emphasizing the role of transmedia storytelling in shaping refugee experiences and narratives and the potential for transmedia storytelling to facilitate greater insights into needs and gaps for displaced people. Central to the analysis is the paradox of digital tools both as emancipatory devices and tools of surveillance and control, which are further elucidated through case studies.

Engaging with thinkers …

Material World, Nicole Weldy

All Theses

My thesis, Material World, delves into the use of the crochet unit as a construction technique for building forms. Through this, I aim to organize different materials in a way that responds to the challenges posed by the physical world. My artistic process is centered around honoring the inherent qualities of thread and uses these qualities to create form, lightness, and linearity. At the same time, I remain receptive to transformative processes such as combining three-dimensional (3D) printed lines and lace stiffener to push the boundaries of what thread can do. By combining manual craftsmanship with technology materialized as …

(Un)Seen: Reshaping Emotional Abuse, Emily Collins

All Theses

(Un)seen is a collection of sculptures, drawings, and video performance that reveals the unseen physiological and psychological effects stemming from emotional abuse. I use the human body, its anatomy, and contrived anomalies to reshape and give form to emotional abuse that typically remains unseen. The bulk of research in neuroscience and the related fields have focused primarily on the response to visible causes of trauma such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, and combat trauma, leaving the trauma from emotional abuse less acknowledged. Studies of this type of abuse are sadly overlooked due to the lack of an outwardly visible appearance. …

Trash, Fragments, And Breaking Things: Toward A Grotesque Cripistemology For Disabled Life Writing, Michelle Anne Lloyd

All Dissertations

Despite the boom of memoirs of mental health post-1997 and the first advertisements for Prozac, most of them follow the same formula and come from the same places of privilege. This privilege is evident in the author bios on the books themselves and the careers of the writers. The popularity of these books within both abled and disabled realms has therefore created a script that those with mental illnesses are expected to abide by. Following in the example of Margaret Price, Katie Rose Guest Pryal, Merri Lisa Johnson, and others, I resituate mental illness as mental disability and place it …

Unveiling Linguistic Equity: Two Deaf Women Highlight Sign Language In Iran, Ardavan Guity

Society for American Sign Language Journal

The emergence of awareness of sign language and deaf culture in Iran has brought attention to the need for language rights within the deaf communities of Iran. Deaf Persian/Iranian women face a unique and challenging situation, experiencing oppression on two fronts: gender and being deaf. These women aspire to achieve their dreams but often encounter restrictions imposed by Iranian society. This study focuses on the narratives of two deaf women, highlighting their journeys, overcoming obstacles to advance themselves in society, and striving for equity, independence, and self-determination. The story of Katayoon Guity showcases her journey as a successful artist, while …

50th Anniversary Of “Ameslan Prohibited”: Celebrating Betty G. Miller’S Creativity, Pamela Conley

Society for American Sign Language Journal

The art piece known as “Ameslan Prohibited” may currently enjoy an excellent standing in the eyes of deaf people in the United States and abroad, but this was not the case in 1972 when it was first exhibited to the public. Fifty years have passed with the art piece shifting from being thought of as outrageous by many viewers to being highly acclaimed. “Ameslan Prohibited” refers to society’s historical and contemporary lack of support for the language of deaf people in the United States, American Sign Language (ASL). The now deceased Betty Gloria Miller was the creator of “Ameslan Prohibited”; …

A Tribute To Barbara Marie Kannapell, Mj Bienvenu, Kathy Jankowski

Society for American Sign Language Journal

No abstract provided.

A Tribute To Nathie Lee Marbury, Niesha Washington-Shepard, Carolyn Mccaskill

Society for American Sign Language Journal

No abstract provided.

A Tribute To Marie Jean Philip, Mj Bienvenu, Jessica Meehan

Society for American Sign Language Journal

No abstract provided.

Deaf Women: Agents Of Change, Arlene B. Kelly

Society for American Sign Language Journal

No abstract provided.

Volume 6, Number 2, Full Issue

Society for American Sign Language Journal

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

The Robert Frost Review

No abstract provided.

Editor's Note, Virginia Smith

The Robert Frost Review

No abstract provided.

Physical Accessibility And Historic Preservation In Historic House Museums Of The Southeast, Abby Milonas

All Theses

Museums are a public good, as they provide educational recreation and preserve cultural history, and so it is crucial that they are physically accessible to as many visitors as possible. The aim of this study was to understand what architectural features of historic house museums are the least accessible and what has been done to ameliorate these challenges. The survey used in the study was developed using the guidelines for making historic buildings accessible as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards. It was distributed by email to representatives of 220 historic sites, of …

Unruly Periods: Reproductive Futurities And The Rhetorics Of Menstruation, Hannah Taylor

All Dissertations

“Unruly Periods: Reproductive Temporalities and the Rhetorics of Menstruations” argues that dominant rhetorics of shame and regulation around menstruation work to maintain strict reproductive temporalities that uphold heteropatriarchal norms. Specifically, I draw upon scholarship in queer studies and disability rhetorics to assert that sexual health texts (such as puberty books), menstrual care products (pads and tampons), and technologies of menstruation (period-tracking apps) function as a form of chronobiolitics—a teleological force that seeks to reinforce bodily normalcy. In doing so, these rhetorics of menstruation deny or elide the embodied experiences of diverse, queer, and disabled menstruators, limiting reproductive possibilities. Reproductive justice …

In This Skin, At This Institution, At This Time: Black Women University Administrators’ Stories Of Survival During The Pandemic And Racial Reckoning, Kyra Lobbins

All Dissertations

The underrepresentation of Black women in executive leadership positions at predominantly white institutions (PWIs) persists, despite their high-achieving credentials and degrees. However, crises such as the racial reckoning and the pandemic have revealed an increase in the number of Black women called upon to lead under risky circumstances, a phenomenon referred to as the glass cliff theory. In this study, I examine the leadership strategies and behaviors of Black women executives at PWIs during these critical periods. Specifically, I explore how these leaders make meaning of their adverse experiences and crucible leadership moments and whether these experiences equipped them for …

Book Review - Borderland Blacks: Two Cities In The Niagara Region During The Final Decades Of Slavery, Susanna Ashton

Publications

No abstract provided.

Pioneering The Field Of Deaf Women’S Studies, Genie Gertz, Arlene B. Kelly, Vicki Hurwitz

Society for American Sign Language Journal

This article is written by three Deaf women-scholars who pioneered Deaf Women’s Studies (DWS) about thirty plus years ago: the discipline arose from the need to explore the Deaf female experience (Kelly, 2016). Then, the 1990’s was when the DWS coursework was first developed and offered in American academia. To gain a greater understanding for DWS, the article begins by reviewing the emergence of both Black Studies and Women’s Studies as academic fields and how these were the impetus for DWS. A discussion about the Deaf women’s experiences during different periods of American history is given in detail. A brief …

Role Of Women According To The Indigenous Ways, Melanie Mckay-Cody

Society for American Sign Language Journal

Understanding the role of women according to the Indigenous Ways1 is a new topic that needs to be addressed as part of promoting diversity in the American and Canadian societies. The Deaf communities in particular will benefit from learning about the Indigenous Women. The article begins with the discussion on issues pertaining to Indigenous Deaf people. This is followed with three parts, the first covering the organization that Indigenous women created. The second covers a review of tribal signs with special attention to their cultural relevance. The third part pays tribute to Indigenous women who have done their part as …

Experiences With A Museum Exhibition On Deaf Women: Success And Room For Improvements, Meredith Peruzzi

Society for American Sign Language Journal

The creation of a permanent museum at Gallaudet University in 2007 constitutes a historic milestone in the Deaf community, showcasing Deaf people by understanding and embracing their diversity and differences. As with the larger society, the Deaf community has its share of people of color and those with additional disabilities. This article will show there are lessons to be learned on realizing and achieving a more inclusive exhibit. Subject to discussion is the exhibition on Deaf women that was found both impactful and challenging at the same time. It was in 2015 that an exhibition entitled Deaf HERstory was first …

Sticking Up For Sign Language: Historical Deaf Women In Action, Kathy Jankowski

Society for American Sign Language Journal

The attention to deaf women during an important part of United States history when oralism dominated the education of deaf children is sparse. This motivated the research undertaken for this paper questioning what role deaf women played and the strategies they adopted to promote deaf children’s sign language rights. A review of historical documents indicates that there are a number of deaf women who fought along with the rest of the deaf community against the oral only movement in the instruction of deaf children during the late nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century. A number of recurring …

Herstory And Education Of Deaf Women, Arlene B. Kelly

Society for American Sign Language Journal

No abstract provided.

Volume 6, Number 1

Society for American Sign Language Journal

No abstract provided.

Was Jesus Christ Born A Jew Or Not? Luther And Protestant Anti-Judaism In Nazi Germany, Darian Sullivan

All Theses

Martin Luther’s role as the founder of German Protestantism placed him in a position where he was the hero for two opposing factions that formed within the German Evangelical Church in the wake of the Nazi party’s rise to power in 1933. The two factions were the pro-Nazi German Christians and the anti-Nazi Confessing Church. The two sides appealed to different aspects of Luther’s theology to defend their beliefs. Martin Luther’s theology, particularly his anti-Judaic beliefs was a crucial issue for the divided Protestant Church. Luther’s writings are crucial for determining how influential he was for both groups.

Making The Subconscious Conscious - Showcasing Unresolved Childhood Trauma Through Animation, Alexis Hunter

All Theses

The focus of this work is to shed light on unresolved childhood trauma that can contribute to mental hardships - whether people are aware of its presence in their lives or not. In this paper, I will discuss childhood trauma, its impact on adult life when left unresolved, self-parenting as a method to manage it, and how it is portrayed in various media. Drawing inspiration from my research on trauma and visual storytelling, I will present a proof-of-concept for a 2D animated short film, Strongholds, which visualizes the internal mental struggles through the character dynamics of the personifications of the …

“I Found It Again. My Home.”: The Role Of Art In The Mediation Of Trauma And Loss In Station Eleven, Emily Zhong

All Theses

This project examines the role of the fictional graphic novel – “Station Eleven” – at the center of HBO’s Station Eleven as a form of trauma mediation. The graphic novel serves as a central, physical object in the show through which the characters Miranda, Kirsten, and Tyler process trauma, find comfort, and connect with others. I trace the creation process of “Station Eleven,” from Miranda’s original doodles as a child to the surviving physical copies in the hands of Kirsten and Tyler, exploring how each character engages with the artwork. Situating my analysis within a theoretical framework of contemporary trauma …

Kitchen Witch: Animated Independent Property Pitch Bible Research And Development, Kelsey Eaves

All Theses

My thesis project centers around the production process for creating an animated program. My paper is a record of the development of my pitch bible and my efforts to raise outside interest in the property. I intend to use my work here to enter the animation industry as a jumping off point in my career. My research materials include various “Art Of” production books, Creating Cartoons with Character by Rocko’s Modern Life creator Joe Murray, and firsthand interviews from present and former television industry personnel. In this text I explore television animation pre production to highlight the creation of an …

Nightmares And Hand Grenades: Dreams As A Storytelling Tool, Olivia Felber

All Theses

Dreams and nightmares feature prominently in art, story, and religious practice and tradition throughout history. In this paper I will discuss their prominence throughout these facets in daily life, and the various ways that we, as humans, have tried to elucidate meaning from them. I will study the nature and definition of dreams and nightmares through a scientific, cultural, and historical approach. I will also discuss folklore and the interpretation of nightmarish imagery in the context of an otherworldly adventure through a nightmare. These topics and themes will be shown, explained, and discussed through the methodology of my project- a …

We Are Gullah: A Community Approach To Preserving Gullah Geechee Historical Sites Of Significance, Peter Gaytan

All Theses

The National Register of Historic Places is an inventory established by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 that identifies architectural and archaeological sites significant to American history. The National Register was created to encourage the documentation, evaluation, and protection of America’s historic resources. Over 96,000 historic properties, sites, and structures are currently listed on the National Register. Despite the number of historic places listed on the National Register there is still an overwhelmingly low number of sites listed on the National Register relating to underrepresented communities. This thesis assessed the definition of significance laid out in the National Register …

Shade, Jonathan Bolton

All Theses

SHADE is an exhibition of graphite pencil drawings that place viewers on the precarious edge of meaning. Techniques of representational drawing such as form and perspective vaguely allude to latent, traceable narratives, then destabilize the viewer’s search with confounding two-dimensional spaces, and loosely defined forms. Small, mundane scenes such as campsites, diners, and bars, are enveloped or obscured by dense, graphite expanses of skin-like surfaces. These elements destabilize viewers’ convenient categorizations of darkness, fog, or space. The identifiable scenes have reduced contexts: facial expressions, interior décor, and landscape features. These are obscured or withheld to reduce visual justifications for the …