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Pushing The Limit: An Analysis Of The Women Of The Severan Dynasty, Colleen Melone

Honors Projects

By applying Judith Butler’s theories of identity to the imperial women of the Severan dynasty in ancient Rome, this paper proves that while the Severan women had many identities, such as wife, mother, philosopher, or mourner, their imperial identity was most valued due to its ability to give them the freedom to step outside many aspects of their gender and to behave in ways which would customarily be deemed inappropriate. Butler’s theories postulate that actions create identities and that these identities then interact to form new possibilities for action. Using Butler’s theories, this paper first examines the actions of the …

Religion And The Maintenance Of Hierarchy In Murder Pamhplets In Renaissance England, Jennifer Black

Constructing the Past

In early modern England, common people often received news of current events through cheaply printed and widely distributed pamphlets. The more interesting of these pamphlets were entirely devoted to relating stories of recent crimes, especially murders.

While at first reading [one such] pamphlet appears to be a simple news tabloid, it is, under the surface, much more. Murder pamphlets such as A Briefe Discourse served as messages to the public, instilling religious morals and the importance of maintaining the Great Chain of Being.

The Practicality Of Slavery In Latin America, Amy Werner

Constructing the Past

Christopher Schmidt-Nowara's book, Slavery, Freedom, and Abolition in Latin America and the Atlantic World, addresses the fact that Latin America has always been a place of great struggles and triumphs. While inconsistency and danger have always had a stronghold in this place, serious traditions have developed as well. Slavery is one of the most apparent examples of this; an analysis of how it functioned is highly revealing of the historical past. Without it, the development of Latin America would have been far less productive. It was an economic gold mine that was integrated into society and that was why …

The Enemy Within: Homosexuality In The Third Reich, 1933-1945, Eliot H. Boden

Constructing the Past

From 1933 to 1945, the Nazi regime in Germany ruthlessly targeted homosexuals, particularly men, as enemies of the state. While Nazi doctrine officially repudiated same-sex romance, actual policy toward homosexuals in the Third Reich was by no means consistent. This paper examines the components of Nazi racial doctrines and the subtle ways in which the hyper-masculine ethos of the regime in fact encouraged male bonding and homosexual behavior. The differing views of prominent Nazi leaders on the issue of homosexuality are also discussed. The paper concludes by comparing the punishment of homosexual behavior among German soldiers in the Schutzstaffel (SS), …

Subordinate Woman Or Favored Leader: Portrayals Of Mary Magdalene In Christian Canonical & Non-Canonical Gospels, William S. Miller

Constructing the Past

By comparing these Christian texts, both canonical and non-canonical, I will examine similarities and differences between the texts with regard to Mary Magdalene and interpret her textual representations. While comparing these criteria, I will simultaneously show that the two general representations symbolize a disagreement between two major sects in early Christianity on the roles of women in religion.

Progressive Values In The Women's Ku Klux Klan, Jackie Hill

Constructing the Past

Few scholars come across original documents or declarations of the Women’s Ku Klux Klan. In fact, most Americans are unaware that during the revival of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920’s, women were not only active participants but also created their own branch of the Invisible Empire. The evidence we do have of the Women’s Klan reveals that the organization and the Klan itself had similar aims, but the women’s branch grew to encompass a wider variety of values and beliefs. For a more thorough understanding of the Women’s Klan one needs to examine the historical backdrop of the …

What Rock Reveals, W. Michael Weis

Illinois Wesleyan University Magazine, 2002-2017

To understand the 1960s, students can learn much by listening to the music that defined the era.

"Through Their Eyes": Buffalo Bill's Wild West As A Drawing Table For American Identity, Kathyrn White

Constructing the Past

This article discusses the Wild West shows and their role as educational, entertainment, and also American rituals. It also describes the contradictory elements in these shows, particularly the portrayal of the Native Americans.

The Struggle For The Union: The Constitutional Union Party In The Election Of 1860, Lauren Jensen

Constructing the Past

One of the most important and influential periods in our nation's history, the outbreak of the Civil War occurred as a result of the pivotal presidential election of 1860. The Constitutional Union Party, less well known than the others, attempted to provide a national united force at a time of crisis; their goal was to support the Constitution and not divisive political policies. Despite their efforts in Northern and Southern states, their candidates did not capture any of the major offices and the Constitutional Union Party disbanded shortly after.

The True Executor Of The Execution Of Mary, Queen Of Scots, Melissa Koeppen

Constructing the Past

This paper examines the culpability of Elizabeth and her Councillors in the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, the woman who threatened to take Elizabeth's throne and life away from her.

George And Maria: A Reinterpretation Of King George Iv And The Queen Caroline Affair, Erie Roberts

Constructing the Past

This paper re-examines the portrayal of George IV of England in contemporary sources and modern scholarship by looking at his relationship with his secret first wife, Maria Fitzherbert, and her adopted daughter, Minney. It argues for a reinterpretation of the one-sided portrayal of George as a licentious, selfish person.

Books Make The World Go 'Round: The Illegal Book Trade That Started The French Revolution, Natalie Burda

Constructing the Past

This article discusses a book written by Robert Darnton on the subject of illegal books in the time of the French Revolution. It also discusses the illegal book trade itself, and perhaps that some of the criticism of Darnton may be because his book shakes the preconceived notions about how the French Revolution started.

Conservative Christianity, The Military, And American War Culture, Anna Deters

Constructing the Past

This article describes the fundamentalist Christian movement in America and how it is closely linked to a strong support of military action and power.

Benjamin Franklin And Transgenderal Pseudonymity, Jared C. Calaway

Constructing the Past

This article discusses letters written by Benjamin Franklin that were done under various female pseudonyms. These female identities were used to critique the gender stereotypes of the time and to show that women were more virtuous than men.

Shaping The American Woman: Feminism And Advertising In The 1950s, Christina Catalano

Constructing the Past

This article is a critique of the feminist assertion that 1950s advertising was degrading to women. It shows that in several advertisments from the time period, women were portrayed as being competent and successful, both in working in the home and outside of it as well.

Trembling For The Nation: Illinois Women And The Election Of 1860, Erika Rozinek

Constructing the Past

This article discusses the ways in which women in the mid-19th century, despite not being able to vote, were still able to participate in and influence politics. It specifically focuses on the Lincoln-Douglas race of 1860 and on the efforts of women on both sides in Illinois.

Truth Of The Trains, Kate Miles

Constructing the Past

This article discusses the "orphan trains" movement of the late 19th century and also discusses whether or not a more personal or objective approach to studying history is more accurate.

Judith Sargent Murray: The "So-Called" Feminist, Sara Scobell

Constructing the Past

This article discusses the writings of Judith Murray, and critiques the notion that she was an early feminist and supporter of women's right to move outside of the domestic sphere.