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Explorations In The Domestic Space: How Hollywood Made A Home In Film Melodrama, Elana Katz Jun 2014

Explorations In The Domestic Space: How Hollywood Made A Home In Film Melodrama, Elana Katz

Honors Theses

This thesis utilizes the Hollywood domestic melodramas and sex comedies of the 1950s as a lens to discover the evolution of family and home from Eisenhower’s America to modern day. As a mode of expression with roots in nineteenth-century theater, melodrama serves as a primary genre for tracking historical and social shifts in twentieth-century American society. However, as the narrative form has evolved over time, what satisfies melodrama is difficult to define as its boundaries have been redrawn. Historians and film scholars examine melodrama through three overarching schools of thought: melodrama as a genre, a mode, or both. Film melodrama …


The Corporate Logo: An Exploration Of The Logo Through Infographics And Other Works, Caroline Aldrich Jun 2014

The Corporate Logo: An Exploration Of The Logo Through Infographics And Other Works, Caroline Aldrich

Honors Theses

Everywhere we go, we interact with logos in one way or another, whether it is the car we drive, the toothpaste we use, or even the water we buy, a logo is present throughout our every move. The logo can be defined as “a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition.” The logo has evolved over hundreds of years, and due to its continued presence in our lives, there are many facets of the logo that I chose to explore as the primary focus of my thesis. …


U.S. Immigration: The Origins And Evolution Of Contemporary Issues And The Architecture Of Future Reform, Andrew Beaule Jun 2014

U.S. Immigration: The Origins And Evolution Of Contemporary Issues And The Architecture Of Future Reform, Andrew Beaule

Honors Theses

In 1965, the United States Congress passed the Immigration and Nationality Act, attempting to remove racial, religious, and cultural discrimination from the immigration system. However, the infamous act and subsequent legislation have caused unintended consequences. Illegal immigration has skyrocketed despite a massive increase in border enforcement; and Central Americans, particularly Mexicans, have become the target of racial and cultural discrimination, much like the Southern European immigrants of the early 1900s. The current immigration system still relies on the framework passed nearly 50 years ago, proving to be insufficient for contemporary United States. This thesis investigates the historical patterns in immigration …


Una Perspectiva Multigeneracional En La Representación Teatral De La Familia Mexicana, Abigail Calish Jun 2013

Una Perspectiva Multigeneracional En La Representación Teatral De La Familia Mexicana, Abigail Calish

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the representation of the Mexican family in plays from the three major generations of playwrights in contemporary Mexican theater. These generations are the Generation of 1950, the New Dramaturgy, and the New Theater. The family is a central unit in society, and so it is a recurring theme in many plays. Playwrights use their daily lives as inspiration for their works, and family is a constant in daily life; no matter where one lives, the family is an unavoidable part of their life. All audiences can relate to problems and issues that families experience, and so playwrights …


The Impact Of Marriages And Extramarital Affairs On Political Careers: A Selection Of Roman Politicians And American Presidents, Shelby Cuomo Jun 2013

The Impact Of Marriages And Extramarital Affairs On Political Careers: A Selection Of Roman Politicians And American Presidents, Shelby Cuomo

Honors Theses

This thesis explores four historical figures who engaged in extramarital affairs while holding political office. These figures include Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Bill Clinton. I assess the varied public responses to these men’s affairs by researching their relationships with women – that is, their wives and mistresses. In Ancient Rome, one politician was exiled from society and eventually killed in battle for his extramarital romance, whereas the other was – and still is – praised as one of the most successful politicians while he was sleeping with the wives of his allies and friends. Both presidents, …


Capitalism In Ancient Rome And Ancient Greece: Risk And Unethical Business, Sam Goldman Jun 2013

Capitalism In Ancient Rome And Ancient Greece: Risk And Unethical Business, Sam Goldman

Honors Theses

This thesis compares the business practices of the upper classes of ancient Greece, and ancient Rome. Specifically, I dissect the business decisions that were made with an effort to increase social status. I will focus on the relationship between the social perception of material wealth and the risk or (unethical business practices) that ancient members of the upper classes faced when they attempted to increase their material wealth. In my first chapter I look at the issuance of maritime loans and the risk associated with this type of finance. I discuss the origin of the business, some of the factors …


The Roots Of The U.S.-Israel Relationship: How The Cold War Tensions Played A Role In U.S. Foreign Policy In The Middle East, Ariel Gomberg Jun 2013

The Roots Of The U.S.-Israel Relationship: How The Cold War Tensions Played A Role In U.S. Foreign Policy In The Middle East, Ariel Gomberg

Honors Theses

Today the relationship between the United States and Israel includes multiple bi‐lateral initiatives in the military, industrial, and private sectors. Israel is Americas most established ally in the Middle East and the two countries are known to possess a “special relationship” highly valued by the United States. Although diplomatic relations between the two countries drive both American and Israeli foreign policy in the Middle East today, following the establishment of the State of Israel the United States originally did not advance major aid and benefits to the new state. While current foreign policy focuses on preserving the strong relationship with …


Photographing Anthropologists Photographing Cultures, Nirmala Jayaraman Jun 2013

Photographing Anthropologists Photographing Cultures, Nirmala Jayaraman

Honors Theses

My thesis explores how anthropologists use photography as a research method in capturing cultural realities different from their own. This was a library-based research study where coding and semiotic analysis were used to investigate photographs from anthropologists and my term abroad experience of photographing another culture in Vietnam, fall 2011. This analysis specifically looks at the photographs of Branislaw Malinowski’s fieldwork in the Trobriand Islands during the early 1900’s, of Margaret Mead’s fieldwork in a Balinese village during the 1930’s and 1940’s, and of Philippe Bourgois’ fieldwork in a San Francisco inner-city homeless community during the 1990’s. Over time, the …


Emancipating Modern Slaves: The Challenges Of Combating The Sex Trade, Rachel Mann Jun 2013

Emancipating Modern Slaves: The Challenges Of Combating The Sex Trade, Rachel Mann

Honors Theses

The trafficking and enslavement of women and children for sexual exploitation affects millions of victims in every region of the world. Sex trafficking operates as a business, where women are treated as commodities within a global market for sex. Traffickers profit from a supply of vulnerable women, international demand for sex slavery, and a viable means of transporting victims. Globalization and the expansion of free market capitalism have increased these factors, leading to a dramatic increase in sex trafficking. Globalization has also brought new dimensions to the fight against sex trafficking. Increasingly, governments and multinational corporations are collaborating with newly …


Automobiles Autarky And Authority: The Effects Of Nazi Centralized Economic Planning 1932-1942, Andrew Stinchfield Jun 2013

Automobiles Autarky And Authority: The Effects Of Nazi Centralized Economic Planning 1932-1942, Andrew Stinchfield

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the benefits and drawbacks of Nazi centralized economic planning. From an entirely political and economical standpoint, Hitler and the National Socialists’ highly regulated and restrictive policies were initially beneficial for Germany because they created a centralized economic vision and improved national morale. The liberal ideology of the Weimar Republic resulted in major class divisions within the nation, where laissez-faire economics left middle-citizens marginalized and at the mercy of profit-seeking big businesses. The Wall Street Crash of 1929 exposed the weaknesses of liberalism and resulted in a massive rise in political resentment. The regime accumulated power because their …


México, Una Nación En Riesgo: La Descomposición De La Dinámica Familiar Patriarcal En Las Obras De Jesús González Dávila, Diana Fletcher Jun 2013

México, Una Nación En Riesgo: La Descomposición De La Dinámica Familiar Patriarcal En Las Obras De Jesús González Dávila, Diana Fletcher

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the decomposition of the patriarchal family model in three plays written by Mexican dramatist Jesús González Dávila. Focusing on Pastel de zarzamora, El jardín de las delicias and De la calle, the present study analyzes the roles of the adult and the youth characters. González Dávila portrays oppressive, authoritative fathers who are power hungry and need to have control over all family matters. These domineering fathers are the roots of all the problems exhibited by the youth protagonists in all three of these plays. The younger generation has been damaged by the harsh behavior of their parents, …


La Representación De La Familia En Épocas De Transformación: Un Análisis De La Carreta (1953) De René Marqués Y Noche Cubana (2009) De José Luis García Rodríguez, Alyssa Feldman Jun 2013

La Representación De La Familia En Épocas De Transformación: Un Análisis De La Carreta (1953) De René Marqués Y Noche Cubana (2009) De José Luis García Rodríguez, Alyssa Feldman

Honors Theses

This project investigates the dramatic works La carreta (1953) by René Marqués and Noche cubana (2009) by José Luis García Rodríguez to analyze the playwrights’ utilization of the family to represent the conditions of their respective nations. La carreta describes a Puerto Rican family during the island’s transition to a Commonwealth of the United States. Marqués uses the disintegration of the family to show his opposition to Puerto Rico’s colonial status and dependency on the United States. The struggles of the family in La carreta also express Marqués’ condemnation of Puerto Rico’s industrialization and abandonment of agrarian society. Noche cubana …


Irish Travellers And The Transformative Nature Of Media Representation, Aisling Kearns Jun 2013

Irish Travellers And The Transformative Nature Of Media Representation, Aisling Kearns

Honors Theses

The Travellers, a nomadic group of people indigenous to Ireland, have long been marginalized in Irish society as a result of discrimination. The Travellers themselves have had a history of working to keep themselves separate from the settled Irish, essentially maintaining their own ethnic identity. Traveller culture has undergone a number of changes since the 1960s, a period of increasing urbanization and economic transformation in Ireland. With the changes in both Traveller culture and Irish society as a whole, there has been a corresponding shift to a more positive relationship between the media (newspapers, documentaries, and commercial films and television) …


Worth More Than Her Womb A Cross-Country Analysis Of Reproductive Rights, Brianne Fennessy Jun 2012

Worth More Than Her Womb A Cross-Country Analysis Of Reproductive Rights, Brianne Fennessy

Honors Theses

A woman’s empowerment derives from education, economic independence and political and social autonomy. Reproductive health is an extremely relevant and important concept for many reasons. Reproductive rights include basic elements; the ability to reproduce and to regulate fertility; proper prenatal care and safe childbirth; and ultimately optimal maternal and infant health outcomes. Gender inequality has become manifested in societies throughout the world as result of the lack of control over a woman’s respective fertility. While a woman’s unique biological ability to reproduce should be privileged and respected, it instead entails both additional responsibilities and even negative consequences for her progression …


The Death Penalty In A Changing Socialist State: Reflections Of 'Modernity' From The Mao Era To Contemporary China, Elizabeth Lehmann Jun 2012

The Death Penalty In A Changing Socialist State: Reflections Of 'Modernity' From The Mao Era To Contemporary China, Elizabeth Lehmann

Honors Theses

In the past century, China has abandoned its feudal system, created a republic, ended the republic for a communist socialist society, closed its markets and then opened them; now, China is an established world power, has a strong economic base, and is often perceived as having an iron fist regarding domestic crime and punishment. Modern day China’s criminal law, in the context of capital punishment, has undergone many drastic transformations in the past sixty years. The death penalty has been so differently implemented in modern China that within a span of twenty years, the usage of the death penalty and …


Lacrosse: A Rich History Hindered By Racist Attitudes In The United States, Matthew Livingston Jun 2012

Lacrosse: A Rich History Hindered By Racist Attitudes In The United States, Matthew Livingston

Honors Theses

This thesis examines how Lacrosse’s history and popularity has demonstrated a direct correlation with the ethnicity of the people who compose the majority constituency of the game. While Lacrosse began as a sport played almost exclusively by Native Americans, it now is mostly associated with middle to upper class white Americans. Furthermore, Lacrosse was not played by many people until the past twenty years when participates have consisted of mostly white Americans. This study relies on a multitude of sources ranging from scholarly books, to an interview with a National Lacrosse Hall of Fame Inductee, to articles located on in …


Diagnosing The Roots Of Chinas Growth Miracle: An Examination Of Strategies That Have Most Influenced Chinas Economic Development In The Twenty-First Century, Katharine Manko Jun 2012

Diagnosing The Roots Of Chinas Growth Miracle: An Examination Of Strategies That Have Most Influenced Chinas Economic Development In The Twenty-First Century, Katharine Manko

Honors Theses

There are significantly different views regarding what strategies underlie China’s economic growth and development in the past decade. An examination of these varied opinions will indicate the complexity of determining which strategies have been most conducive to China’s economic expansion. This paper will use data from several developing and developed countries along with an analysis of a number of strategies that economists and scholars have listed as aiding the economic growth process. The analysis of the scatter pot data will then be applied to China as a case study to determine which factors and strategies have been most conducive to …


The Politics Of Sex: Analyzing The Relationship Between The State And Gender Identity And Desire, Rachel Mayer Jun 2012

The Politics Of Sex: Analyzing The Relationship Between The State And Gender Identity And Desire, Rachel Mayer

Honors Theses

The disenfranchised experiences of women are central to feminist understandings of identity. Crucial to this understanding is the question of what is the cause of female oppression and how to remedy the situation. This introduces the concept of state power and its relationship to women. The state, as the seat of legal and political power, has the ability to serve as both protector and oppressor. The thesis is devoted to exploring feminist perspectives and critiques on state power such as arguments for state intervention in the protection of women through concrete action such as gender-specific laws. Opposing this view is …


Slavery In The Constitution: The Ironic Shifts In Tension Over Three Pivotal Clauses, Joseph Privitera Jun 2012

Slavery In The Constitution: The Ironic Shifts In Tension Over Three Pivotal Clauses, Joseph Privitera

Honors Theses

As scholarship has attempted to demonstrate in recent times, early United States history has unfortunately been stained with slavery. The founding document of the nation, the Constitution, is no exception. The three provisions which affected the institution most directly are the three-fifths, slave trade, and fugitive slave clauses. Of these sections, the latter proved to be by far the most controversial in the long-run. Although the other two received lengthy debates and caused great concern in 1787 during the General Convention and over the next few years as the states discussed ratification, they caused limited levels of strain on the …


Laura Bush And Hillary Clinton: Helpmates To Resident Or Role Models For Nations Women?, Majorie Brooke Donnelly Jun 2012

Laura Bush And Hillary Clinton: Helpmates To Resident Or Role Models For Nations Women?, Majorie Brooke Donnelly

Honors Theses

In spite of the fact that First Ladies are usually depicted as just helpmates to their husbands, they can in fact be very powerful figures, even if only as symbols. Indeed, First Ladies are free to mold, shape and define their role how they choose. Throughout history, we have seen First Ladies act in a variety of ways: some use the platform as a way to promote non-partisan issues; others focus on being symbols for the perfect American mother and wife; and there are few activist First Ladies who get involved in partisan politics. But although free to shape their …


The Fragmentation Of Collective Action In Contemporary China: Micro-Regions And Occupation, Jessica Sherrod Jun 2012

The Fragmentation Of Collective Action In Contemporary China: Micro-Regions And Occupation, Jessica Sherrod

Honors Theses

Since the creation of labor markets in China, there has been a rapid increase in collective contentious action, such as striking and protesting, and this has attracted the attention of many scholars. Because the country contains such a myriad of diverse regions, scholars have commonly analyzed Chinese collective action through a “regional” lens. While that approach has been useful, this paper goes further by disaggregating Chinese collective action along two dimensions: by micro-region and by occupational sector. More specifically, this research disaggregates large macro-regions to show diversity at the city-level within regions. It also considers differences in collective action across …


From Roosters To Talking Fish: A Comparative Study Of Hispaniolas Societal Evolution Through Folktales And Myths, Sara Block Jun 2012

From Roosters To Talking Fish: A Comparative Study Of Hispaniolas Societal Evolution Through Folktales And Myths, Sara Block

Honors Theses

The island of Hispaniola is home to two sovereign nations with a bloody and complex history: Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Their disparate experiences with European powers and colonization and their different roads to independence fundamentally shaped their cultures and current political status. The evolution of culture and the intrusions of external influences and powers are visible in the popular myths and folktales of the two countries. After a close analysis of the respective folktales through a historical lens, the thematic and structural composition of the stories suggest that Haitian and Dominican cultures are similar, but still characterized by small …


The Battle Of Algiers And The Dictatorship Of Truth: How Crillo Pontecorvo Used Film As An Illusion To The Reality Of A Dying Colonialism, Caitlin Gardner Jun 2012

The Battle Of Algiers And The Dictatorship Of Truth: How Crillo Pontecorvo Used Film As An Illusion To The Reality Of A Dying Colonialism, Caitlin Gardner

Honors Theses

The Battle of Algiers from a historical perspective does provide the view with a lot of attention to detail but it is a very simplistic in representing the national liberation struggle within Algeria and among the major groups, such as the FLN and MNA. Also missing is the French perspective be it in leadership circles or the intellectual circles that showed sympathy to the Algerian cause. The pied-noirs, although present in the film, are not provided any real depth or nuance aside from being portrayed also as victims within the cycle of violence in the colonial struggles. Yet while terrorism …


A New Crisis Of The Republic: The Erosion Of The Democratic Ideal, Michael G. Lewis Jun 2012

A New Crisis Of The Republic: The Erosion Of The Democratic Ideal, Michael G. Lewis

Honors Theses

The United States has long been considered one of the most successful examples of democracy, with success measured in the quality of representation, the duration of our polity, and the ease for political regime change. However, it is necessary to question whether our democratic ideals are still prevalent in today’s society. The unfortunate response is that they are not. The revolutionary notions that marked the founding of the American republic have been misplaced. Our government seems to have experienced a devaluation of its founding principles, where now, our government participates in actions that do not represent the vital tenants of …


The Factors That Contribute To The Rise Of Conservative Political Movements Throughout American History, Kelsey Macelroy Jun 2012

The Factors That Contribute To The Rise Of Conservative Political Movements Throughout American History, Kelsey Macelroy

Honors Theses

There have been numerous political movements based on conservative ideology throughout the course of American history. However, the question still remains as to why these conservative movements occur and what plays a role their uprising. My thesis hypothesized that there are three factors that contribute to the surfacing of conservative political movement in American history‐ a deviation from republican principles such as constitutionalism and virtue, a perceived threat to individual liberties by infringement through policies involving taxation and economic regulation and the aggrandizement of power by the federal government beyond inherent constitutional limits. These three factors were examined through the …


Apre La Guerre: Les Immigres Algeriens En France, Alexander Porter Jun 2012

Apre La Guerre: Les Immigres Algeriens En France, Alexander Porter

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the treatment of Algerian immigrants in France after the Algerian war through various lenses. First, it examines how the bitter Algerian war against the French colonizing power influenced French citizens and politicians at home against Algerian immigrants. It then moves on to discuss the demographics of Algerian immigrants living in France, and the shift it underwent in the years following the war. It then discusses the poor treatment Algerian immigrants underwent politically, economically, and culturally while living in France. Finally, this thesis examines the current state of Algerian immigrants in France.


Time To Cry Over Spilled Milk: An Investigation Into China's Food Safety System, Rachel Baker Jun 2012

Time To Cry Over Spilled Milk: An Investigation Into China's Food Safety System, Rachel Baker

Honors Theses

China is plagued with food safety scandals ranging from contamination of dairy, to exploding watermelons in the countryside. This thesis explores the four main reasons that China has many food safety regulatory issues: the wide dispersion of farms in China, the fragmentation of the food safety regulatory system, weakness of local implementation, and the poor structure of commerce. Using the case studies of the dairy and pork industries this thesis examines these four proposed flaws and proposed solutions for improving food safety in China. Governmental flaws and mistakes are mostly responsible for these problems, but the current structure of government …


Cultural Influences Impact Social Networking On Chinese Students Studying In The United States, Alethea Schepperly Jun 2012

Cultural Influences Impact Social Networking On Chinese Students Studying In The United States, Alethea Schepperly

Honors Theses

China continues to impose limitations upon their citizen’s access to the World Wide Web, and censors their ability to readily communicate on an international basis. Further, these countries impose restrictions on the information that can be posted and shared online, including social network sites and companies such as RenRen in China, which operate under restrictions and monitoring imposed by the Government. Social networking has become an important method for communication and information sharing, because it enables information to easily be shared and made available to millions of online users.


Reflections On The Atomic Bomb’S Effect On America Since Its Dropping On Hiroshima And Nagasaki, Matt Grogan Jun 2012

Reflections On The Atomic Bomb’S Effect On America Since Its Dropping On Hiroshima And Nagasaki, Matt Grogan

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the issues and controversies that the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki caused in the United States. Four chapters all deal with different periods in the history of these controversies. The first chapter deals with the actual decision to drop the bomb and the American public’s initial reactions, while the second chapter deals with subsequent reactions as the topic got more controversial. One of these topics include Henry Stimson’s article entitled “The Decision to Use the Bomb,” which attempted to justify the use of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The third looks at the beginnings of …


Leadership Is Passion: Understanding The Changing Experiences Of Women Student Leaders At A Co-Educational Liberal Arts Institution, Aleena Paul Jun 2012

Leadership Is Passion: Understanding The Changing Experiences Of Women Student Leaders At A Co-Educational Liberal Arts Institution, Aleena Paul

Honors Theses

The traditional definition of leadership emphasizes the actions of individual leaders with culturally-ascribed masculine personality traits and behaviors who control all aspects of an organization. A new post-industrial paradigm, in contrast, defines leadership as interpersonal relationships. This evolving paradigm, with its emphasis on culturally-attributed feminine traits such as collaboration and participation, has allowed for a broader conceptualization of leadership that brings forth discussions on women leaders and their experiences. According to current research, while there is increasing involvement and empowerment of women leaders, their experiences continue to be hindered by gender stereotypes. This study attempts to explore the experiences of …