Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Bettina Von Arnim And Civil Action: How To Defy Oppression By Championing Others, Tesla L. Gontjes

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Children, cooking and church: Like most of the European world before 1900, these were “the three Cs” designated by society for women in Germany. However, some women broke through these expectations and pursued a fourth “C”: Civil action. Such a woman was Bettina von Arnim (1785-1859). A writer, activist, feminist, and intellectual, von Arnim was politically active during a time when women were delegated to domestic duties and expected to be completely subservient to their husbands. She lived during a tumultuous era of French, Prussian, and Austrian occupation of Germany during the early 19th century. Instead of being a mild-mannered …

Wak'as, Mallkis, And The Inca Afterlife: The Hydrological Connection Between The Incan Empirical And Nonempirical Worlds, Marius C. Vold

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

The ruling elite amongst the indigenous groups of the Andes region, often referred to as the Incas, were, before European contact, a non-literal society. Therefore, our understanding of their religious beliefs pertaining to the relationship between life and death, and the intricate relationship between this belief system and the environment surrounding the Inca is heavily influenced by post-European contact, often clouded by European propaganda and a lack of cultural relativism. This project aims at exploring the relationship between the hydrological cycle and the Incan empirical and nonempirical worlds by comparing and synthesizing post-European contact written records, ethnohistorical records, archeological evidence, …

Forced Migration: A Syrian Exodus To Germany, Taylor Witt

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

The Syrian Civil War has killed over 500,000 people and displaced over 12 million since it began in 2011. The conflict has resulted in forced migration on a massive scale. Syrian people have been displaced within Syria, to the surrounding Arab states and to Europe. This has led to an immigration crisis in some parts of the European Union. Germany has become a primary destination for these refugees, but nationalist, xenophobic forces have started pushing back against what is perceived to be an invasion of foreigners into their land and their borders. This project examines the sentiments of German citizens …

Somebody Has To Pay Rent: The Critical Autoethnography Of A Low Income Student, Shelbi M. Schadendorf

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Conducted through the qualitative research method of autoethnography, and presented through the lens of critical analysis, this study explores the oppressive experience as a low income student in an institute of higher education. Written as an attempt to make the struggle as a low income students more visible, the focus of this study is both an exploration into the commodification of higher education and the culture surrounding how we treat, or don’t acknowledge, low income students.

Through the presentation of the author’s experience as an autoethnography, the insight gained from first hand experience can be shared through an accessible, but …

Moderate Resistance In "A Call For Unity": A Historical Perspective On Martin Luther King Jr.’S Prison Epistle, Noah D. Moore

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

In April of 1963, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a defense of non-violent direct action that students across the country read today. His "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" stands as the pinnacle of civil rights literature, but most people do not realize that it was more than a rhetorical device used to support his cause. Dr. King's letter was in fact a response to different letter, published in the Birmingham News by eight prominent, white clergymen on April 13, 1963. Their letter, "A Call for Unity," urged blacks to end the civil rights demonstrations in Birmingham. They …

Underlying Morality In Schneewittchen: A Fairy Tale For Adults, Maria Ardanova

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Abstract: Schneewittchen (Snow White) is a well-known 19^th century fairy tale by the Grimm Brothers. What is not known to everyone is that Schneewittchen and many of other Grimms’ fairy tales that were first published in 1812 were not intended for children. This fairy tale is about a young girl named Schneewittchen whose vain stepmother tries to kill her because she is more beautiful than her. On three different occasions an attempt on Schneewittchen’s life is made until she finally succumbs to a poisoned apple. Only upon arrival of a prince, the girl is resurrected back to life. To …

Satirical Imagery Of The Ramesside Period: A Socio-Historical Narrative, Keely A. Wardyn

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

During a short period in New Kingdom Egypt (c. 1550-1070 BCE) artwork of an interesting nature was created in a small workers’ village called Deir el-Medina. These artworks often feature animals with human characteristics: mice dress as noblewomen, foxes play lutes, cats are geese herdsmen, and lions play board games. Satirical drawings, as they are referred to, were created by the craftsmen who decorated the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. These drawings poke fun at the rigid and formal decoration of imperial spaces. However, these artworks were more than comic relief for the artists; they also reflect the …

Under Pressure: The Nonpartisan League In South Central Minnesota, Jonathan Soucek

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

The Nonpartisan League attempted to enter Minnesota politics in 1918, with Charles Lindbergh, Sr. as the League-endorsed candidate for governor in the Republican primaries. As the League moved into Minnesota in 1917, it hoped to achieve the same success it had in North Dakota. Unfortunately, the United States entered World War I in April of 1917 as the Nonpartisan League began to organize in Minnesota. The League opposed America’s entry into the war, but supported the war effort when the United States declared war on Germany. League opponents and much of the general public, however, labeled the Nonpartisan League a …

The Black Press In Minnesota During World War I, Alejandra Galvan

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

April 2017 marks the 100^th anniversary of the United States entering World War I. Many enjoy learning about the battles, the military, and the Homefront. But there is a need for more scholarship to understand the role African Americans played in the war. From my research, many African Americans disagreed with US involvement. Why would a country agree to fight for democracy overseas when its citizens need freedom at home? Racism in the United States concerned African Americans deeply. At the same time, however, African Americans viewed World War I as a way to demonstrate their patriotism. Black citizens …

“Reality” Tv: Portrayals Of Labor And Birth In A Mainstream Reality Series One Born Every Minute, Nicole Soley, Lauren Sobotta, Kyrsten Harper, Rebecca Rand

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Today, the birthing process is predominantly medicalized in the United States. Compounding this phenomenon is the media, which has a strong influence on people’s perceptions, attitudes, and behavior, and can serve to reinforce cultural norms—specifically, mainstream media disproportionately promotes medicalized birth. The media often portrays labor and birth as a dangerous affair, and as a result, may contribute to the culture of fear around labor and birth. In this feminist, qualitative media analysis, we examined women’s experiences giving birth on a popular reality television series called One Born Every Minute. We analyzed how women’s births are portrayed in four …

Bedecke Deinen Himmel, Zeus! Goethe And The Quest For Individual Sovereignty, Anthony D. Magestro

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

This project examines Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Die Leiden des jungen Werther (The Sorrows of Young Werther, 1774) and his early poetry and their influence on the German literary movement of Sturm und Drang (Storm and Stress, 1770-1785). As a reaction to the rise of rationalism, Goethe’s texts embody the value of raw, subjective emotion versus logical, objective understanding of the preceding Enlightenment period. Through his literature, Goethe challenges the status quo of absolute rule of church and state as well as humanity’s relationship with God: are we bound to the laws of the Almighty’s design or are …

Leopoldo Lugones And Jorge Luis Borges On Science: The Garden Of Forking Opinions, John G. Zehnder

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

This paper attempts to show how the fantastic authors Leopoldo Lugones and Jorge Luis Borges expressed different viewpoints about science and technology through their short stories. These Argentine authors are among Latin America’s most famous authors in the genre of the fantastic. However, these two literary luminaries diverged greatly with regard to their opinion about the role of science in society. While Lugones considered scientific progress to a grave threat to the moral fabric and well-being of society, Borges believed that scientific theories underpin and intersect with a variety of different experiences and thus can serve as tools to explore …

What Is Real: The Subjectivity Of Reality In E.T.A. Hoffmann's "Der Sandmann", Danielle Geistfeld

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

This paper focuses on the short story Der Sandmann by E.T.A. Hoffmann. Originally published in 1817, Der Sandmann tells the story of Nathaniel and his struggle to distinguish what is real and what is fantasy, his descent into madness and his ultimate, yet ambiguous, vindication in the end. E.T.A. Hoffmann was a prolific writer of the German Romantic period (1795-1848), authoring works such as The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, the literary original of the well-known ballet by Tchaikovsky. Poe, Dickens, Kafka, Dostoevsky and Alfred Hitchcock all name Hoffmann as a major influence - he is widely regarded as …

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.