Digital Commons Network^™

The Personal Is Professional: Feminist Pedagogy And Student Support Services, Angela L. Witte

Culminating Projects in Social Responsibility

No abstract provided.

Acts Of Belonging: Perceptions Of Citizenship Among Queer Turkish Women In Germany, Ilgin Yorukoglu

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis examines how people who have multiple identifications develop a sense of belonging. It focuses on those with politicized, romanticized, and stigmatized identifications which are assumed to be in conflict with one another. My particular case is that of "queer" women of Turkish descent in Germany with Berlin as my main study site.

These people embody what is considered to be an oxymoron: being queer yet also Turkish, being a lesbian yet having a Muslim background, being of immigrant origin yet also German. In short, they are between all worlds and thus, seemingly, do not belong anywhere. Their ambiguous …

The Faith Web: A Networking Of The Body Of Christ To Mitigate Relationship Voids And Strengthen The Faith Community, Scott M. Ness

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation introduces a new philosophy, The Faith Web, as a method to validate relationships and provide reciprocal social capital between people for the sake of building Christian community, support, and formation. Section 1 describes the ideals of Christian community and examines the ways these ideals are not realized. Special attention is paid to relationship voids caused by death, divorce, fatherlessness, and absenteeism of parents. Section 2 examines the communal life of ancient Israel and the present day community that occurs in Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) and Social Networking Sites (SNS). This juxtaposition draws upon the strength of both approaches …

Exploring Mental Dungeons And Slaying Psychic Dragons : An Exploratory Study, Michael S. Sargent

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study examined the experiences of participants with table-top roleplaying and with the gaming community. Specifically this study asked: In what ways do fantasy play and participation in the role-playing community benefit participants? This study aimed to address the lack of social work literature regarding the emotional and social benefits that roleplaying games provide consumers. Data were collected from interviews with six individuals who regularly engage in tabletop role-playing games. The study asked open ended questions regarding participants' experiences with the role-playing community, thematic and emotional content experienced within the fantasy setting, and benefits participants felt they'd gained from …

Many Roads To Social Satisfaction? Social Anxiety, Social Interaction Format, And Social Belonging, Mohamed Mi Ismail

Honors Theses

This study explored how different social interaction formats (face-to-face versus virtual) influence individuals’ belongingness need satisfaction and interaction enjoyment. Furthermore, it also explored how personality variables related to social anxiety (i.e., Interaction Anxiousness, Fear of Negative Evaluation) interact with social interaction format to influence belongingness needs satisfaction and enjoyment. Participants engaged in a conventional face-to-face interaction or a virtual interaction (via Instant Messenger) with a same-sex confederate on a between-subjects basis. Participants then indicated the extent to which the interaction satisfied fundamental social needs (e.g., self-esteem, belonging), their positive and negative mood, as well as how much they enjoyed the …

Acculturation As A Mediating Factor Between Ethnic And Self-Identities, Judith A. Hotvedt

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Is acculturation a mediating factor in self- and ethnic identity among ethnic minority emerging-adults? A conceptual model was tested examining links between self and ethnic identity and acculturation. An association was proposed between perceived social support, affirmation and belonging, and EOM self-identity statuses (diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, achievement) as mediated by VIA mainstream and heritage acculturation. A second association was proposed between out-group orientation, interpersonal variables, and ethnic identity as mediated by VIA mainstream and heritage acculturation. This study did not provide full support for acculturation as a mediating variable; rather, the ‘interpersonal variable’ was an intervening variable in the association …

The Effect Of Poverty On The Achievement Of Urban African American Male Students Successfully Completing High School, Amy L. Welch

Student Work

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of poverty on the achievement of African American male high school students attending the same large Midwest urban school district. Cumulative grade point average (GPA) at the tenth grade level were compared to the level of poverty provided through census data of African American male tenth grade high school students (N = 162) and compared again two years later using cumulative GPA of the same African American male students at graduation. Standardized achievement test scores, PLAN test taken in the fall of the tenth grade year and ACT test taken …

Pedagogy Of Post 9/11 United States: Muslim American Students' Experiences, Teachers' Pedagogies, And Textbooks' Analysis, Randa Nabil Elbih

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

The events and aftermath of 9/11 continue to cause life changes for many Americans, particularly Muslim American students who have experienced socio-cultural and pedagogic exclusion, harassment and discrimination due to ignorance and misunderstandings. Teachers must inform their students about 9/11 and the War on Terror to eliminate misunderstandings and intolerance towards a vulnerable population. In spite of its importance, many schools have not implemented the topic as part of their curricula. It is not even included as part of social studies state standards. Recent editions of US history textbooks include some information about 9/11 and the War on Terror that …

Investigation Of The Home, A Metaphor For Belonging, Jeremy Eldridge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The research done for this investigation deals with both the motivation of the artist, the personal history and the individual's artistic process. This process is examined through two bodies of art work dealing with the home as a metaphor. The shared themes of belonging, loss and longing are further reinforced by "visual cues" represented in the photographic works. For the Home Divided series, I approached the style of the photographs and the subject matter through indexical photographs of multi-unit homes and the visual representation of a distinct and bilateral division of the structure. The imagery presented in this series deals …

Reducing Narcissistic Defensiveness Through The Activation Of Belonging, Jennifer Lee Smith

Dissertations

People with high levels of narcissism possess extremely positive self-evaluations that may mask underlying feelings of inferiority and a need for love and acceptance. People with high levels of narcissism defend their inflated self-evaluations through chronic self-enhancement processes, which can have negative consequences for their relationship functioning. The current research examined the effects of acceptance affirmation on self-enhancement of people with high and low levels of narcissism. Study 1 found that affirming acceptance reduced self-enhancement on trait ratings for people with high (vs. low) narcissism when they had a low need to belong, but the acceptance manipulation increased defensive self-enhancement …

Efficacy Of A School-Wide Teambuilding Program For Increasing School Belonging Amongst Elementary Children, Michelle Street

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School belonging is a construct that describes student connections to school via a student's social and emotional attachments to others at school, commitment to adhering to school rules, involvement in school activities, and belief systems related to how much school is valued (Hirschi, 1969; Wehlage et al, 1989). Research has consistently found connections between higher levels of school belonging and more favorable life outcomes in regard to academics, behavior, attendance, school completion, and mental health. Research has also provided suggestions regarding components that should be present for programs to effectively enhance school belonging. Despite this, few research-based programs exist that …

Secure And Insecure High Self-Esteem And Social Identity Affirmation In Response To Belongingness Threats, Reyna Jacqueline Pena

Master's Theses

The objective of this study was to examine the relation between implicit and explicit self-esteem on social identity affirmation among Latinos in response to belonging threats from other ingroup members. We predicted a three-way interaction between implicit self-esteem, explicit self-esteem, and belonging threat condition predicting social identity affirmation (collective self-esteem), compensatory conviction and ingroup bias. We predicted that individuals with insecure self-esteem (high explicit, low implicit) would affirm their social identity more, offer greater conviction and express more ingroup bias in response to recalled threats as compared to a control condition of non-threatened participants. A total of n=174 Latinos participated …

Putting Place Back Into Displacement: Reevaluating Diaspora In The Contemporary Literature Of Migration, Christiane Brigitte Steckenbiller

Theses and Dissertations

In order to improve the engineering properties of soft soils, materials, such as cement and fiber, can be introduced to the soil mass. Currently, design criterion for a cement-soil mixture requires only the measurement of unconfined compressive strength. This simple measurement may not be adequate to describe the behavior that results from differing field loading conditions. A series of consolidation tests and unconfined compression tests were conducted with special attention being paid to the effects of curing time and vertical curing stress. It is shown that the introduction of cement into soft soils results in decreased compressibility and increased unconfined …

Community Music, Place And Belonging In The Bega Valley, Nsw, Australia, Andrea Gordon

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

The uncertain future of country towns in Australia has triggered wide-ranging discussions of their social, environmental and economic sustainability. Another, ‘fourth pillar’ of sustainability is cultural sustainability: encompassing questions of amenity, mobility, identity and belonging. These important aspects of rural living can have significant impacts on retaining populations and providing quality of life, yet cultural aspects of sustainability remain under-examined in research on rural areas. This thesis discusses the contributions that music makes to cultural sustainability in one Australian rural setting in transition – the Bega Valley, a rural area on the Far South Coast of NSW. Previous examinations of …

Do I Belong? Factors Contributing To The Development Of Social Belonging Of Children Who Are Homeless In Southeastern United States Shelters: A Multi-Case Study, Corilyn Mae Ott

All ETDs from UAB

This qualitative multiple case study explored the factors that contribute to the development of social belonging in the classroom for children who are homeless age's five to seven. Previous empirical research has shown the importance of children who are homeless developing belonging in the classroom and other research has shown the negative effects when belonging does not develop. However, little research has focused on what contributes or impedes children's ability to develop belonging in the classroom while they are homeless. My study filled a gap in the literature by identifying these contributing factors. This study was conducted in two family …

Shifting Notions Of Citizenship In The Netherlands: Exploring Cultural Citizenship And The Politics Of Belonging Through Neighbourhood Spaces In Rotterdam, Jennifer Long

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Notions of citizenship in the Netherlands are increasingly shifting away from liberal models of civic citizenship that, in theory, promote diversity, pluralism and, multicultural understandings of citizenship and are moving, instead, towards a mono-cultural and assimilationist understanding of national identity and belonging. This trend, known in the literature as the ‘culturalization of citizenship’ constitutes the primary topic of this project.

In this dissertation, I argue that official and populist discourses concerning non-western Muslim immigrants in Dutch society today work to inscribe difference onto “foreign” (“allochthonous”) residents of the Netherlands while upholding an idealized notion of “Dutch identity”. My research revealed …

Extra-Curricular Activity Participation And Psychological School Engagement In Ethnically Diverse Middle School Students, Andrew Intagliata

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Students of diverse populations have the highest risk of becoming disengaged from school and dropping out. This study investigated the relationship between extra-curricular activity participation and psychological school engagement among a group of fifty-three diverse middle school students. The sample studied mostly lived in the United States their entire lives, participated in extra-curricular activities, and reported being affectively “engaged” in school. Among the students studied, no correlation between participation in extra-curricular activities was observed. Students of all ethnicities reported similar levels of psychological school engagement. However, a difference was found in Hispanic/Latino students, in that those who had spent less …

Attitude Alignment Among Couples In The Face Of Belonging Threat, Chelsea Reid

Theses and Dissertations

The present research sought to expand upon previous research demonstrating that individuals shift their attitudes to match the attitudes of their romantic partner. This research examined whether attitude alignment is influenced, in part, by belonging threats. Participants reported their attitudes about social issues and were randomly assigned to receive a belonging threat (or acceptance) in the form of feedback about their future relationships prior to discussing issues about which they disagreed with their partner. Partners discussed issues that were central to self - peripheral to partner and peripheral to self - central to partner. Attitude alignment was measured following discussion …

People In Between: The Value Of Life Stories In Exploring The Needs Of Colombian Asylum Seekers, Poonam R. Valliappan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The long, protracted civil war, spanning nearly fifty years, in the South American nation of Colombia has displaced almost four million civilians in as much time. Tens of thousands of refugees were resettled in Ecuador, Panama, Venezuela and other neighboring countries. Some, still threatened in their country of first asylum, and resettled to the United States (US) with their families, must learn to navigate the often complex systems of life and living in America. Resettlement programs that focus primarily on immediate needs such as employment and accommodations are aware of the growing need for more long&ndashterm assistance. However, while there …

A Mixed Methods Inquiry Into The Relationship Between Belongingness And Achievement Of Middle School Transfer Students, Tamala Renee Maddox

All ETDs from UAB

A MIXED METHODS INQUIRY INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BELONGINGNESS AND ACHIEVEMENT OF MIDDLE SCHOOL TRANSFER STUDENTS TAMALA R. MADDOX EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ABSTRACT Student achievement is closely monitored and is believed to reflect how well a school is serving its student population therefore; it is incumbent upon schools to investigate a means of improving student achievement. As the number of students transferring to suburban school settings continues to increase, it has become increasingly important to determine how to assist these students in successfully transitioning into their new school environment. This study explored how sense of belonging affects achievement motiva-tion and academic …

“They Got A Spot For Us In This School”: Sense Of Community Among Students Of Color With Disabilities In Urban Schools, Ronald D. Crouch

College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Theses and Dissertations

School inclusion is the process of educating students with disabilities in general education settings with appropriate support. It is also an attempt to develop schools into supportive learning communities where all students feel they belong. The nationalization of school inclusion (i.e. IDEA) represents a sweeping, second-order change altering how students are taught, how teachers are trained, and the policies and priorities of schools. Prior research indicates that while students and teachers approve of inclusion, both groups face a variety of obstacles when it is put into practice. Additionally, research suggests that the transitions that often take place as a part …

Factors Related To Student Persistence In A New Residential Stem High School: The Case Of The Tennessee Governor’S Academy For Mathematics And Science, Amy Cinci Sullins

Doctoral Dissertations

Public and private sectors are grappling with decreasing numbers of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals as the need for them rises. State-supported STEM residential high schools may be the premier conduit to educate and socialize students in order to prepare for STEM college majors and careers. Gaining understanding of how these schools can nurture students academically and affectively so that they successfully matriculate to university STEM settings is valuable; however, minimal research exists related to the affective domain in relationship to retention at state-supported STEM residential schools. This exploratory, mixed methods case study describes factors that contribute to …

Adjunct Faculty Organizational Sense Of Belonging And Affective Organizational Commitment, Constance L. Merriman

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

In recent years all public higher education institutions have increased their reliance on adjunct faculty. Adjuncts provide expertise in key areas, are available at times that meet the needs of the changing student demographic, and cover an increasing number of introductory courses. It has been suggested that adjunct faculty may be more weakly linked to their students, colleagues, and institution. This may, in turn, be detrimental to the organizational health of the institution. Prior research has indicated that adjunct faculty have different motivations and expectations from teaching that impact the connections they form in the higher education workplace. This study …

Cairn Stones: A Mosaic Memoir And Manual, Bethany Mason Taylor

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

These twenty essays are scraps and fractals of larger stories, windows on coming to understand the world and my place in it. Taken as a whole, the collection tells the story of a formation of open-eyed hope. Roughly, they run from 2001 to 2010, covering the same years as the terrorist attacks of 2001, the War on Terror’s beginnings and toll, Hurricane Katrina, and growing awareness of globalization and climate change. These are big topics, and the only way I can make sense of them, and my coming of age within and around them, is to tell the stories of …

Social Ape, Morgan Dione Harris

LSU Master's Theses

“Social Ape” is an investigation and rationalization of America’s obsession with consumption. As a designer, this battle between consumption and individualistic expression has been intriguing. It is a platform for questioning how the public processes information supplied by marketing and advertising, resulting visually in interpretations of this information. It seems fascinating that even though consumers are constantly bombarded by persuasive propaganda, they feel in control of their purchasing decisions. To this end, I am using fashion as a tool for investigation. Fashion is a powerful commodity, representing identity and status, and thus fueling consumption and expression.

Belonging In Parent-School Partnerships: Perspectives Of Parents Of Middle School Students With Autism, Michael Wayne Riley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study is to contribute to understandings of parent-school relationships involving parents of students with autism by exploring notions of belonging with a small group of parents. The purpose of the study is to describe the experiences of middle school parents of children with autism. From these descriptions, I examined how parents of students with autism might contribute to understandings of belonging in school-family partnerships and enable schools and families to collaborate more effectively. This study addresses an apparent gap in understandings of belonging of parents of children with autism in their relationships with their child's school. …