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Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities

Expanding Art's Audience, Tony Connors Sep 2014

Expanding Art's Audience, Tony Connors

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

This paper investigates the need for contemporary art museums to expand their audience to fit their role as educational institutions. It is based on research that looks at ways museums have typically been operated in the past and then focuses on newer modes of operation, using the Brooklyn Museum as an example of a museum that educates and reaches a greater audience. Lastly, the paper looks at how particular artists have broken the mold of presenting art in order to interact with and relate to audiences in new ways. This research explains ways that art can be made accessible to …


Effects Of Popular Music On Memorization Tasks, Kristin Sandberg, Sarah Harmon Aug 2014

Effects Of Popular Music On Memorization Tasks, Kristin Sandberg, Sarah Harmon

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

This study investigated the effects that popular music has on memory performance. It was proposed that popular music would adversely affect both studying and memory recall. Forty introductory psychology students participated in the study. Subjects were given a list of fifty words to study in 6 ½ minutes, with music either being present or absent. This was termed the learning stage. In this study, four conditions were tested. In all 4 conditions, subjects were assigned to either a “music” pre-period or a “non-music” pre-period and a “music” post-period or a “non-music” post-period. After they had studied the words, subjects were …


Consolidating Democracy Or Stopping At Polyarchy? An Evaluation Of The Chamorro Administration In Nicaragua (1990-1997), Roland D. Mckay Aug 2014

Consolidating Democracy Or Stopping At Polyarchy? An Evaluation Of The Chamorro Administration In Nicaragua (1990-1997), Roland D. Mckay

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

The period from 1990 to 1997, the tenure of the Chamorro administration, presents a salient and unique case study in Latin American ‘democratic consolidation’, although as we shall see, this concept is problematic when applied to Nicaragua. It is difficult to evaluate objectively the performance of the decade‐long tenure of the FSLN, since the government had civil war thrust upon it even as Sandinista tanks rolled into Managua’s Plaza Central in 1979. The process of democratic consolidation in Nicaragua began long before the 1990 election, however. The purpose of this paper, then, is to evaluate the Chamorro administration in terms …


Poems, Amanda Nigon Aug 2014

Poems, Amanda Nigon

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Amanda Nigon’s two poems (see)Shell Cracked on Rocks by Gulls and Fistula were written as part of a creative writing group using the theme of Losing Innocence. LOSING INNOCENCE by Alison Broderson, Andrea Bruton, Eric Groonwald, Amy Herron, Eric Hoffeiser Josephine Jarvis, Joe Loweth, Amanda Nigon, Jenny Sodomka: This project was inspired by our group’s desire to heighten its social awareness as it explored the loss of innocence resulting from impoverishment. As creative writers we chose to explore this theme through poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction--our subjects ranging from working in a women’s shelter to college life. Because the process …


Performance Sculpture--An Exploratory Collaboration Between Sculpture And Dance, Cesia G. Kearns Aug 2014

Performance Sculpture--An Exploratory Collaboration Between Sculpture And Dance, Cesia G. Kearns

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Kinetic sculpture suggests new visual possibilities when combined with dance. Wishing to explore such avenues of interaction for sculpture, this artist sought to develop pieces that could be incorporated into choreography. An artist and a choreographer wove their concepts and styles together to create a performance art piece that rose from the reciprocal influences of interactive sculpture and dance. The creative process included development of concepts, visual imagery, and movement as the artist and choreographer shared ideas. The choreography of the original dance influenced the form, structure, and conceptual elements of the sculpture, which was developed in reaction to the …


William Blake: The Misunderstood Artist Of The 19th Century, Jeannie Campe Aug 2014

William Blake: The Misunderstood Artist Of The 19th Century, Jeannie Campe

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

The purpose of this project is to examine the artistic vision of William Blake as well as his impact on literature. William Blake was one of the most misunderstood artists of his time, which led to a life of isolation and poverty. Determined to follow his “Divine Image,” Blake remained unappreciated until his twilight years, although he was still virtually unknown except for a small group of followers. William Blake is important today because of his innovative work stemming from his frustration with standard poetic tradition and techniques. This project explores Blake’s collection of poems entitled Songs of Innocence and …


Disraeli, Gladstone, And The Reform Act Of 1867, Justin Vossen Aug 2014

Disraeli, Gladstone, And The Reform Act Of 1867, Justin Vossen

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

This research project investigated the rivalry between William Gladstone and Benjamin Disraeli, and how that rivalry resulted in the Reform Act of 1867. The competition between these two over expansion of the franchise led to a more radical reform than expected. Gladstone, a converted Liberal, encouraged moderate changes like a reduction in the householder qualification from ₤ten to ₤seven. Disraeli, a moderate Conservative, embraced more expansive reform for political advancement rather than as an extension of the suffrage. It was Disraeli’s hope that an enlarged electorate would vote Conservative as a reward for their new privilege. Although many historians give …


Popular Agitation And British Parliamentary Reform, 1866-1867, Michael D. Snell-Feikema Aug 2014

Popular Agitation And British Parliamentary Reform, 1866-1867, Michael D. Snell-Feikema

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

This paper demonstrated that the force of public opinion as expressed by pro-reform agitations played a critical role in the attainment of working-class voting rights with the Reform Act of 1867. This Reform Act, which passed after more than a year of political disputes and public demands, gave most of the urban English working class the right to vote. In 1866 a modest reform bill sponsored by William Gladstone’s Liberal government had been defeated by a combination of Conservative and conservative Liberal opposition. After months of popular demonstrations, Benjamin Disraeli’s new Conservative government introduced another reform bill that initially was …


The Effects Of Minimalism/Indeterminacy On The Merce Cunningham And John Cage Collaboration, Janelle M. Morrison Aug 2014

The Effects Of Minimalism/Indeterminacy On The Merce Cunningham And John Cage Collaboration, Janelle M. Morrison

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Minimalism is movement in both the visual and performing arts that strive to focus attention on the subject as an object, reducing its historical and expressive content to a bare minimum or art without meaning. John Cage’s music stems from the idea of minimalism and expands itself into what he calls “indeterminacy.” Indeterminacy means that chance operations will produce the score and performer’s choices. Through Cage’s study of Zen he learned about The Book of Change, I Ching. Using his charts, based on this book and the toss of three coins, Cage could layout the format of his compositions. Merce …


Wittgenstein, Kierkegaard And The Unspeakable, Joseph C. Mohrfeld Aug 2014

Wittgenstein, Kierkegaard And The Unspeakable, Joseph C. Mohrfeld

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Soren Kierkegaard and Ludwig Wittgenstein have long been thought of as philosophers with little, if anything in common. There are but a handful of contemporary philosophers who have provided links between works by Kierkegaard and works by Wittgenstein; however no one has, at least explicitly, provided the following link I intend to show in this paper. I will show Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling and Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico Philosophicus have a remarkably common theme. The theme is the ability of one to communicate, or understand the unspeakable, that which remains beyond the limits of language. Both have a unique approach to …


Gendered Construction Of The Female Identity, Julie L. Lemley Aug 2014

Gendered Construction Of The Female Identity, Julie L. Lemley

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Since Garfinkle’s ground-breaking work on labeling in the 1950’s, the link between identity formation, specifically as constructed by external social messages intentionally directed by authority, and resultant behaviors has been well established. This research has extended upon this assumption, applying critical media and rhetorical methods to advertising aimed at adolescents, a particularly vulnerable group at a point of transition and identity formation. The adolescent negotiation of the transition from childhood (child identity) to adulthood (adult identity), has always been a uniquely critical stage of development. Moreover, the research has indicated that adolescents are particularly susceptible to influence by those in …


Martin Luther Stands In History As A Leader Of The Protestant Reformation, Nickie Kranz Aug 2014

Martin Luther Stands In History As A Leader Of The Protestant Reformation, Nickie Kranz

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Martin Luther, often called the father of Protestantism, fundamentally changed the Christian world through his force of will and new ideas. He tried passionately to reform the Catholic Church. His desire was to return Christianity to its roots, putting more focus on the reading of scripture and less focus on Catholic dominance. His personal theology inclined him to write works including The Sermon on Good Works and the 95 Theses. Once these works were distributed, the Roman Emperor placed him under an imperial ban. Martin Luther escaped and hid in a castle to avoid imprisonment and/or death. During his hiding, …


Poems, Eric Hoffheiser Aug 2014

Poems, Eric Hoffheiser

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Eric Hoffheiser's two poems View from Ubehebe Peak and How to get Rid of Sorrow were written as part of a creative writing group using the theme of Moving On. For our group, Moving On represented the emotional weight in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Moving On implies change, and all good prose and verse possess change. As creative writers, we explored this theme through subjects ranging from the death of a loved one to loss of one’s faith. By focusing on our theme, we examined our own lives and improved our creative writing skills. We attained our goals through observation, …


8:01 Pm, Jake Hjelmtveit Aug 2014

8:01 Pm, Jake Hjelmtveit

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Jake Hjelmtveit's short story 8:01 PM was written as part of a creative writing group using the theme of Moving On. For our group, Moving On represented the emotional weight in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Moving On implies change, and all good prose and verse possess change. As creative writers, we explored this theme through subjects ranging from the death of a loved one to loss of one’s faith. By focusing on our theme, we examined our own lives and improved our creative writing skills. We attained our goals through observation, discussion, information gathering, writing, and revision of creative work. …


For The Love Of God, Marissa Hansen Aug 2014

For The Love Of God, Marissa Hansen

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Marissa Hansen's short story For the Love of God was written as part of a creative writing group using the theme of Moving On. For our group, Moving On represented the emotional weight in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Moving On implies change, and all good prose and verse possess change. As creative writers, we explored this theme through subjects ranging from the death of a loved one to loss of one’s faith. By focusing on our theme, we examined our own lives and improved our creative writing skills. We attained our goals through observation, discussion, information gathering, writing, and revision …


Applying Early Existential Critiques To Contemporary Themes In American Culture, Erik S. Berquist, Derek J. Skillings Aug 2014

Applying Early Existential Critiques To Contemporary Themes In American Culture, Erik S. Berquist, Derek J. Skillings

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Charles Taylor, Carl Elliot, Alexis De Tocqueville, and Lionel Trilling have presented and critically analyzed a number of ideals that animate currents in contemporary American Culture, which include authenticity, sincerity, pluralism, subjectivism, and self-actualization, but these ideals do not harmoniously coexist; rather, they inevitably conflict. These notions have been realized in a way that is unique in their current understandings. Though there is the appearance of some homogeneity amongst these themes, they inevitably clash and contain internal tensions. The philosophers Kierkegaard and Nietzsche respond to many of the ideas that underlie these modern notions. Though differing in degrees, these critiques …


The Division Of The Works Progression Administration (Wpa) And Their Various Influence On Various Art Forms, Kari Appel Aug 2014

The Division Of The Works Progression Administration (Wpa) And Their Various Influence On Various Art Forms, Kari Appel

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

This research covered the basic outline of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), as well as its origin and development. Specifically, the many areas of art were examined in greater detail. Major points discussed were architecture, visual art, writing, music, theatre productions, and a larger portion on dance. With these points, other aspects such as particular influences on these Arts areas were also described. Finally, the importance of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) on furthering the Arts was addressed.


Utopian Literature From The Sixteenth Century To Present Day, Lisa Sikkink Aug 2014

Utopian Literature From The Sixteenth Century To Present Day, Lisa Sikkink

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Sir Thomas More’s Utopia, Lois Lowry’s The Giver, Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Herland, Yevgeny Zamyatin’s We, and George Orwell’s 1984 are all works of utopian literature. Although they were written during different time periods, the issues they explore are remarkably similar. My research project explores such ideas as literature, sex and reproduction, society, and family life in these utopian works in order to demonstrate these affinities.


Poems, Nathan Klein Aug 2014

Poems, Nathan Klein

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Nathan Klein's poems were written as part of a creative writing group using the theme of Where we Live. For my part of the project I tied in the theme of Where We Live through a series of poems. The aspects of the theme that I based my poems on included interpretations on where we live mentally, spiritually, chronologically, geographically in the universe, and on earth. I used the theme to pinpoint just were it is that we all truly live; even in those areas were a pin has no place.


The Effect Of Single Women And The Early Modern Economy, Bridget Heussler Aug 2014

The Effect Of Single Women And The Early Modern Economy, Bridget Heussler

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Historians have shown that women are generally more accepted as workers within thriving economic environments. This is particularly true of eighteenth-century Europe, a time of economic transition, expansion and social flux. Historians have indicated a rise of never-married women in eighteenth-century towns and cities, but our knowledge of women's specific roles and contributions during this time of economic expansion remains slim. My research examined and compared tax records from the parish of St. Philibert in Dijon, France between 1730 and 1750. An examination of the tax records allows historians one indication of the overall economic contribution of individual householders within …


Small Town Changes, Excerpt, Marissa Hansen Aug 2014

Small Town Changes, Excerpt, Marissa Hansen

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Marissa Hansen's short story Small Town Changes, excerpt was written as part of a creative writing group using the theme of Where we Live. For our project, group members explored the theme Where We Live in its varied interpretations through fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. For my project, the theme Where We Live was addressed through creative nonfiction. I wanted to explore my own value as a writer, to myself and to my peers. The piece I wrote was influenced by my vision of personal events in my own life as well as the objective view of my narrator and her …


Intentionality In Kant And Wittgensetin, Ryan Feldbrugge Aug 2014

Intentionality In Kant And Wittgensetin, Ryan Feldbrugge

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

How is thought about and experience of a world possible? This has been the framing question of the present work and it is generally understood as the problem of intentionality. The more specific problem dealt with has been whether or not intentionality has an internal structure that can be made explicit through science, particularly cognitive science. In his Critique of Pure Reason, Immanuel Kant outlines an internal, mental structure that, when imposed on our sensory data, makes thought about and experience of a world possible, which can be viewed as highly anticipatory of modern cognitive science. On the other hand, …


The Place Of Power: The Christian Acquisition Of The Roman Basilica, Tysen Dauer Aug 2014

The Place Of Power: The Christian Acquisition Of The Roman Basilica, Tysen Dauer

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Architecture provides a cultural window into peoples’ thoughts, actions, and beliefs. This is especially true of religious architecture. The modern phenomenon of the “megachurch” has resulted from a period of transition for Christians which is strikingly similar to the situation which faced Christians in the 4th century A.D. How the early Christians dealt with their building needs and how modern Christians are dealing with theirs provides an insight into how both the practice of Christianity and the culture in which it is practiced has changed. Research showed that the situations in which these structures were built had much in common: …


Things To Ponder, Mandi Bingham Aug 2014

Things To Ponder, Mandi Bingham

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Mandi Bingham's short story Things to Ponder was written as part of a creative writing group using the theme of Where we Live. For our project, group members explored the theme Where We Live in its varied interpretations through fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. For my project, the theme Where We Live was addressed through creative nonfiction. I wanted to explore my own value as a writer, to myself and to my peers. The piece I wrote was influenced by my vision of personal events in my own life as well as the objective view of my narrator and her interpretation …


Dreaming In Steps, Kelly Biers Aug 2014

Dreaming In Steps, Kelly Biers

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Kelly Biers' short story Dreaming in Steps was written as part of a creative writing group using the theme of Where we Live. For our project, group members explored the theme Where We Live in its varied interpretations through fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. For my project, the theme Where We Live was addressed through creative nonfiction. I wanted to explore my own value as a writer, to myself and to my peers. The piece I wrote was influenced by my vision of personal events in my own life as well as the objective view of my narrator and her interpretation …


Nineteenth Century Views On Theater And Drama In English, Rebecca Unetic Aug 2014

Nineteenth Century Views On Theater And Drama In English, Rebecca Unetic

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

With the passing of the Licensing Act of 1737 and until its repeal in 1969 the Lord Chamberlain’s office has been legally able to censor any drama to be performed at established theatres in England. However, the 1737 Act left inconsistencies in the definition of censorship and the role of censor. People who were involved in theatre believed the Lord Chamberlain’s office gained too much power from the Act. In the nineteenth century, actors, playwrights and members of Parliament agitated for the reform of the 1737 Licensing Act, which led to the establishment of three special parliamentary committees in 1822-1823, …


The Decision To Run: The Stories Of Women In The Minnesota Legislature, Danielle M. Thomsen Aug 2014

The Decision To Run: The Stories Of Women In The Minnesota Legislature, Danielle M. Thomsen

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

The underrepresented status of women in legislative positions is an entrenched flaw in the American political system. Although past research has investigated the obvious gender gap, the spotlight has recently shifted toward the preliminary factors affecting a candidate's political ambition. It has been noted that women have little aspiration to run for office, and are unlikely to even consider themselves as viable candidates. Encouragement offered by political parties and external supporters such as family, friends, coworkers, and community organizations plays a vital role in creating a female candidate. This paper evaluates the impact of outside forces on the female candidate …


Christian Feminism: Female Pastors And Feminism, Amanda A. Slowinski Aug 2014

Christian Feminism: Female Pastors And Feminism, Amanda A. Slowinski

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Christian feminism is a belief system, ideology, and an identity of feminism that combines Christian beliefs with feminist theory. Using the methodology of oral history, I interviewed two female pastors in southern Minnesota. I wanted to know how they dealt with issues such as women’s place in the church, abortion, sexist behavior, sexuality, gender roles, the gender of god, and inclusive language while being a pastor. I also investigated why the two women I spoke with either chose to identify themselves as a Feminist or not. I analyzed the interviews using theoretical perspectives from Christian feminist, feminist, and religious texts …


This Modern Life, Nathan Klein Aug 2014

This Modern Life, Nathan Klein

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

For our project, group members explored the theme This Modern Life in its varied interpretations through fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. For my project, the theme This Modern Life was addressed through poetry. The piece I wrote was influenced by my own personal reflections in relation to what this current life has imprinted into me. As a theme, This Modern Life implies little, it left me open to consider contrasting and comparing with other ages, or simply to describe things as they currently are. Since I do not have first hand experience of what I would consider a past "age", I …


Reflections On Canvas: Caravaggio And The Development Of Optical Stype, Eleanor Rae Harper Aug 2014

Reflections On Canvas: Caravaggio And The Development Of Optical Stype, Eleanor Rae Harper

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

At the height of his career, Baroque painter Michaelangelo de Mersi Caravaggio was revered for his ability to foster a heightened sense of realism never before seen upon the canvas. However as recent scholarship and a renewed interest in the history of artistic methodology reveal, the artist may have utilized optical devices such as a single lens to project reflections of his subjects upon the canvas. Due to the limitations of such devices, spatial discontinuity and unnatural proportion are just two of the discrepancies which have affected the realism and overall unity of his artwork. Caravaggio worked with naturalism in …