Digital Commons Network^™

Sexuality And Dementia: Assisted Living Staff Negotiate The Autonomy Of Residents’ Sexual Needs, Josephine Misaro

Sociology Dissertations

Assisted Living (AL) communities are residential care settings designed to offer support and assistance to adults aged 65 or older who demonstrate a physical or mental impairment that makes it difficult for them to care for themselves. These communities provide support with activities of daily living (ADL) without the level of medical care typically found in nursing homes. By offering housing, personal care services, and social engagement opportunities tailored specifically to older adults' needs, ALs aim to promote independence while improving quality of life. Apart from care, ALs provide an environment where social relationships, intimacy, and sexuality for residents are …

Mixed Race Masculinity In 2020 And Beyond, Christina M. Wan

Sociology Dissertations

Studies that center mixed-race identity and the experiences of mixed-race people do not often focus exclusively on mixed-race men. Simply put, more scholarship examines mixed race femininity than mixed race masculinity (strmic-pawl 2023). This project highlights the experiences of 17 mixed-race men, focusing on answers to the research question: “How are mixed-race men navigating multiple racial identities?” This qualitative dissertation is a journey into the lived experiences of mixed-race men at the intersections of race, ethnicity, gender, culture, and more. Drawing on Gloria Anzaldúa’s ([1987]2012) conceptualization of the borderlands, this project tells the stories of those who are situated at …

Liberatory Consciousness In Contested Space: How Nonprofit Leaders Of Color Decolonize Their Minds And Change Everything, Zuri Tau

Sociology Dissertations

Women of color leaders in the United States have a unique experience of being the "outsider-within" in their nonprofit organizations. Regardless of years of experience or education, leaders experience barriers to their thriving that have nothing to do with their ability to do the job. This qualitative dissertation argues that nonprofits are contested spaces where Black and brown women innovate to resist the institutional manifestations of the matrix of oppression. The research methodology included in-depth interviews of nine women of color who were deeply committed to social justice work and community impact. Seven of the nine women interviewed were or …

Dumb Hillbillies? Media Portrayal In The Age Of Trump A Critical Discourse Analysis, Alana M. Anton

Sociology Dissertations

Appalachia is a place of mystery rarely examined with a systematic methodological lens (Van Leeuwen; 2008; Carbó et al. 2016). The term “Appalachian” has remained a synonym for “backward” or “ignorant” or “hillbillies” for much of modern history. Do media outlet framings of Appalachians, who primarily supported Donald Trump over two U.S. election periods (2015-2021) reinforce the national understanding of Appalachians as uneducated whites? To answer the question, I used Critical Discourse Analysis to interpret 51 news articles from The New York Times, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Charleston Gazette-Mail, The Daily Yonder, and The Roanoke Times from the announcement of …

Femcels: Where Are The Women In The Incelosphere? An Exploratory Content Analysis Of Femcel Forums, Madeline Bobo

Sociology Dissertations

Previous research on the online community known as involuntary celibates (henceforth, incels) has primarily focused on the men that belong to this group. However, past research indicates the women do have a history of involuntary celibacy. Where did these women go? This research draws on previous incel research, as well as theoretical perspectives such as hegemonic masculinity and identity construction. In this grounded theory informed exploratory qualitative content analysis of online femcel forums, the data reveals that these women have found their own corner of the Internet to foster their community. Femcels share many experiences, but they remain a diverse …

The Influence Of Social Capital On College Persistence And Completion For African American Males, Jacquelyn Carlotta Strickland

Sociology Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Alarming national statistics reveal the scope and trajectory of inequality that exists for African American men completing bachelor’s degrees. Public institutions confer bachelor’s degrees to Black males at a rate of just under 35% within the six-year benchmark, the lowest completion rate among all racial groups and for male and female students. Of interest to this work is whether social capital – in the form of informal faculty mentoring and peer network support – has a significant impact on college persistence for African American men who successfully attain bachelor’s degrees. The study investigates the influence of social class, pre-college …