Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Sistas On The Move: An Ethnographic Case Study Of Health And Friendship In Urban Space Among Black Women In New Orleans, Valerie A. Mcmillan

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Black women are disproportionately affected by adverse health conditions, such as obesity and heart disease. For example, more black women currently die from complications associated with diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure than any other ethnic group in the United States (Gourdine 2011). There are however, increasing numbers of everyday black women who defy these statistics and are positive role models for all women. One such group of women is the New Orleans chapter of Sistas On The Move (SOTM), an all-female running group that emphasizes the importance of black women’s health and builds community around physical activity. Through …

Art, Ideology, And Politics At El Achiotal: A Late Preclassic Frontier Site In Northwestern Petén, Guatemala, Mary Jane Acuña

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

This dissertation focuses on the study of a pyramidal mound housing multiple construction phases spanning the Late Preclassic Period: ca. 400 BCE - 250 CE) at the ancient Maya site of El Achiotal, in northwestern Guatemala. The foundation for my arguments relies principally on the documentation and analysis of archaeological materials and iconographic programs, primarily associated with two construction phases in the sequence, Structure 5C-01-sub 4 and -sub 2. The theoretical frame of reference I employ is that of early states, emphasizing archaeological variables used to study the processes and structure of complexity and the institutions forming the Late Preclassic …

Exploring The Movement Of People In Postclassic And Historic Period Lamanai Using Stable Isotopes, Alicia E. Donis

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The location of the Maya site of Lamanai on the New River Lagoon in northern Belize strategically situated it to participate in both coastal and inland trade routes and communication. This study of human burials at Lamanai examines the phosphate-oxygen isotope compositions of bone and enamel, which reflect drinking water and hence climatic zones, oxygen- and hydrogen-isotope compositions of modern local water, which provide a baseline for drinking water, and carbon- and nitrogen-isotope compositions of bone collagen, which reflect diet. The combination of isotopic, mortuary, osteological, and artifactual data is used to explore mobility at Lamanai during the Postclassic and …

Cultivating Change: Aspirations, Realities And Limits Of Community Gardens In Windsor, Ontario, Brian Edward Venne

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis, based on ethnographic research carried out in the summer and fall of 2012, focuses on three community gardens created post-2009 in the city of Windsor, Ontario, a time when the city faced serious economic and food security challenges. Specifically, this thesis investigates how the goals of community building, knowledge transmission, and food security are variously enacted at Windsor community gardens. Beyond illustrating the varied nature of community garden projects, the analysis presented draws attention to some of the factors that influence the success of individual gardens. The neoliberal context may frame garden projects but it does not fully …

A Study Of Faunal Consumption At The Gallinazo Group Site, Northern Coast Of Peru, Claire Venet-Rogers

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis is an investigation into consumption patterns at the Gallinazo Group archaeological site, from the Early Intermediate Period (200 B.C. to 800 A.D.), on the Peruvian north coast. Faunal samples were recovered from two different but contemporaneous contexts: a civic-ceremonial platform mound and an Architectural Compound in a residential sector. The main objectives were: 1) create a faunal database for the site; 2) assess the nature of faunal resources consumed in these two different contexts; and 3) contribute to the zooarchaeological literature on the use of consumption patterns to reconstruct aspects of ancient complex societies. For each specimen collected, …

A Comparison Of Mississippian Period Subadults From The Middle Cumberland And Eastern Regions Of Tennessee To Assess Health And Past Population Interactions, Rebecca Scopa Kelso

Doctoral Dissertations

Human subadult skeletal remains can provide a unique perspective into biosocial aspects of past populations. However, for a variety of reasons, they are often overlooked in the skeletal record. This is especially true for the Mississippian period (ca. 1000 years before present to ca. 400 years before present) populations that inhabited the Middle Cumberland region (MCR) and Eastern Tennessee Region (ETR). Most of the previous studies of these areas focused on adult skeletal remains, leaving out a large and extremely important population segment. To further expand current knowledge on the prehistory of the MCR and ETR, skeletal indicators of disease, …

A Flute Runs Through It, Sometimes… Understanding Folsom-Era Stone Tool Variation, Robert Detlef Lassen

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the “Folsom-Midland Problem,” in which two distinct varieties of stone projectile points occur together in many Folsom-age sites from the terminal Pleistocene in North America. In order to understand why these point types co-occur, a sample of measurements and photographs of 1,093 artifacts including points, preforms, and ultrathin bifaces has been amassed from 27 archaeological sites and three private collections across the Great Plains region of the United States. Analysis of the Folsom and Midland diagnostic artifacts from the Gault site in Central Texas provides the basis of subsequent analyses of the larger sample and indicates that …

The Revolution Before The Revolution? A Material Culture Approach To Consumerism At George Washington’S Mount Vernon, Va, Eleanor E. Breen

Doctoral Dissertations

Before the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) profoundly impacted the lives of colonial Americans, another revolution of sorts was taking place. This one occurred in the realm of the daily lives of all colonial Americans – free and enslaved, poor and wealthy. What made the 40-year period before the American Revolution unique was that access to consumer goods appears to have opened up for larger segments of the colonial population through a more sophisticated and far-reaching system of distribution for imported items. But just how equal was this access? What can be learned about colonial culture and the maintenance of power …

Nanta Hosh Chahta Immi? (What Are Choctaw Lifeways?): Cultural Preservation In The Casino Era, Sean Everette Gantt

Anthropology ETDs

This dissertation investigates the long-term impacts of tribal economic development programs on the cultural preservation efforts of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI). Since the 1970s the Mississippi Choctaw have initiated many different economic enterprises ranging from manufacturing plants to resort development, owning and operating a diversified portfolio of manufacturing, service, retail, and tourism enterprises. This history of engaging with western business models offers a unique perspective for analyzing the long-term effects of these practices on a tribal community. My work with the MBCI engages a long debate over the use of capitalist business models in tribal economic development …

Sowing Seeds For The Future To Honor Tigua History And Tradition: Diabetes Prevention And Management At Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo, Sean Bruna

Anthropology ETDs

This dissertation examines type 2 diabetes management and prevention at Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, a federally recognized American Indian tribe in El Paso, Texas. Type 2 diabetes is a serious and growing concern at the Pueblo, and while the incidence is not as high as it is in other tribes in the United States, it is still much higher than the national average. Despite excellent biomedical research that shows how individuals can prevent diabetes, and countless translated diabetes prevention programs targeted to individuals and families to prevent the disease, the incidence of diabetes continues to rise. This dissertation argues that …

Storied Lives In A Living Tradition: Women Rabbis And Jewish Community In 21st Century New Mexico, Miria Kano

Anthropology ETDs

Between 2001 and 2012, I collaborated with Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, Rabbi Malka Drucker, Rabbi Shefa Gold, Rabbi Min Kantrowitz, and Rabbi Deborah Brin to investigate the challenges and opportunities afforded by womens recent attainment of rabbinic ordination. As members of the first and second generations of women rabbis, they offer unique perspectives on the recent histories of both American and Jewish cultures. This dissertation is a narrative exploration of how these rabbis came of age, cultivated self-understanding, chose careers as spiritual leaders, crafted public identities, and formed communities in 20th/21st Century American Jewish societies. This research focuses on the role …

Tsehootsooidi Baa Hane: Emergent Oral Histories From A Navajo Community Based Oral History Project In Ft. Defiance, Az, Gwendolyn Saul

Anthropology ETDs

This dissertation research is based on a community oral history project about Tse\u0301hootsooi\u0301 or Fort Defiance, Arizona, a predominantly Navajo community. Colonial historical narratives of Fort Defiance selectively focus on the non-Navajo institutions that developed within the community: hospital, boarding school, and trading posts; in response, local residents oral histories challenge settler colonial narratives and speak to the events and places that make this community significant to Navajo history. Through the theoretical lens of decolonization and critical indigenous theory, my research addresses Navajo historical representation, the production of settler colonial narratives and community residents' efforts to assert sovereignty through Navajo …

Informal And Alternative Economies On The Periphery Of New Orleans During The Early-Nineteenth Century: An Archaeological Inquiry Of 16or180, Austen E. Dooley

Senior Honors Theses

In summer of 2012 archaeological excavations were conducted at the Iberville Housing Projects in New Orleans, Louisiana. The excavations were conducted in order to gather archaeological data pertaining to the site’s history as part of New Orleans’ notorious vice district, Storyville. During excavation a cache of 765 turquoise glass seed beads was uncovered along the east wall of Test Unit #1. The cache, found at a depth of around 83 cm below the ground surface, suggests, in conjunction with other artifacts found at this level, that the beads were deposited at the site between 1810 and 1830. This cache of …

Do No Harm: Prescription Drug Abuse And The Paraprofessionalism Of Pharmacists, Kathrine Barnes

Theses and Dissertations

History reveals long, intertwining chronologies between licit and illicit drugs, and social change. Currently, rates of prescription drug abuse are increasing and medical professionals at every step must mediate the flow of pharmaceuticals. The effect of the epidemic on emerging social change relative to pharmacy remains unexplored. While pharmacists are trusted and have shown to be effective in smoking cessation, little research has explored the impact of prescription drug abuse on their work. Pharmacists have little official authority and autonomy on the job, relegating them to the level of paraprofessionals, but pharmacists find novel ways of gaining agency in their …

Oral History And Archaeology Of The Keith's Siding Site Location, Amanda Kay Flannery

Theses and Dissertations

At the beginning of the 20th century railroad logging camp settlements dotted the landscape in Northern Wisconsin in order to supply growing city populations and immigrants moving west with building materials. Many temporary towns were created in order to house the workers and their families and provide basic amenities needed to survive in an isolated environment. These communities typically lasted until the extraction of the hardwood was complete and then communities would abandon their makeshift dwellings and move on to the next stand of trees. Very few of the lumber siding settlements have been documented within the archaeological record. Great …

Central Florida Food Culture: The Changing Landscape, Kristin Sweeney

Master of Liberal Studies Theses

The food culture of Central Florida is undergoing a dramatic shift as people begin to reform their diet and embrace a more traditional food culture, emphasizing seasonal, local, and organic ingredients along with the cooking and processing of more of their food at home. This paper examines the efforts of groups and individuals in Central Florida as they work to spread the movement even further among members of the community and provides a framework through which the different educational opportunities and target audiences are classified. For this movement to reach sustainability with a larger audience in the Central Florida area, …

In Search Of A Single Voice: The Politics Of Form, Use And Belief In The Kernewek Language, Jesse Owen Harasta

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation is based upon fieldwork performed between 2007 and 2011 in Cornwall, a region of Southwestern Britain notable for its ambiguous ethnic identity - caught between England and the Celtic nations - and its unique, revived Celtic language, Kernewek. During the course of the research, work focused upon the role of the language revival movement as a tool for ethnic identification: hardening boundaries, shoring up faltering communities and nationalist purification. However, the language movement is divided into three primary factions, which take differing approaches to the language, and to their corresponding language ideology based upon their relationship to Cornish …

The Imperative Of Conserving California's Foothill Oak Woodlands, Lauren Phillips

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

An Early Christian Reliquary In The Shape Of A Sarcophagus In The University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Art Collection, Anne O'Connor

Theses and Dissertations

This paper seeks to introduce a relatively unknown example of a small fifth or sixth century AD reliquary object in the shape of a sarcophagus now in the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Art Collection. Its material - mostly likely Prokonnesian marble - a highly prized stone in the Roman Empire - speaks to strength, permanence, endurance, and the concept of romanitas. The form, as derived from Roman burial practice, provides apotropaic powers for the viewer and for the holy person whose remains were contained within. Its design also facilitates the offering of votives and veneration, as well as requests for intercessions …

A Brief Exploration Of The Development Of The Japanese Writing System, Brianna Jilson

Anthropology

This paper is an introductory look at the development at of the Japanese writing system. I will explore the development of kanji, katakana and hiragana from their first introduction to Japan until modern times. My primary focus is on the mixed use of katakana, hiragana, and Chinese characters. I will also explore how the specific symbols used in the two kana syllabaries were developed. My goal is to provide a brief, general overview of the writing system’s development as a basis for further study.

Survey Of Comparative Human And Non-Human Osteology: Common Florida Species, Jennifer Dewey

HIM 1990-2015

Forensic anthropologists are tasked with the responsibility of identifying human remains in a forensic context. This includes differentiating between human and non-human osteological remains, and further determining a species-specific identification when presented with nonhuman material. Previous research has provided manuals that are typically limited to one class of animal and includes either photographs or descriptions of cranial or post-cranial skeletal elements. Further, the available resources generally cover a limited number of species from Florida#s diverse habitat. Therefore, the intent of this thesis was to compile a comprehensive comparative osteological guide of local Florida species that addressed both cranial and postcranial …

A Preliminary Study For Estimating Postmortem Interval Of Fabric Degradation In Central Florida, Lorraine L. Humbert

HIM 1990-2015

Forensic anthropologists rely on forensic evidence to estimate the postmortem interval of a decedent. This may include the study of the degree of deterioration of the human body, the life stage of insects, and the degradation of associated material evidence. Material evidence comes in many forms, and certain taphonomic processes will affect the material and must be considered when making inferences about a PMI. These include variables such as the characteristics of the soil, microorganisms, and the presence of a decaying organic material. Previous research has undertaken studies in how fabric degrades over time; however, there is no standard methodology …

Vessel Form And Function In The Ceramic Assemblages From Bilbao And Santa Lucia Cotzumalhuapa, Guatemala, Amy Kaczmarek

Theses and Dissertations

My investigation of two ceramic assemblages from Santa Lucia Cotzumalhuapa in the Guatemala piedmont zone builds on previous ceramic studies; however, my research focuses on vessel form and decoration as possible indicators related to human activity and site development in the region. I compared data from the Pacific Coast Archaeological Project Relational Database (2002), which include type names, vessel forms, dimensions, and contextual information, with Parsons' findings from the Milwaukee Public Museum Bilbao Project (1967). My quantitative analysis focused on functional vessel attributes related to ceramic types, forms, and decorations from the Santa Lucia Cotzumalhuapa ceramic assemblages to examine the …

An Anthropological Investigation Of The Dynamic Human-Vervet Monkey (Chlorocebus Aethiops Sabaeus) Interface In St. Kitts, West Indies, Kerry M. Dore

Theses and Dissertations

Over 350 years ago, the ecology of St. Kitts was dramatically altered by the advent of sugar cane production and the introduction of a highly adaptable, invasive animal species: the vervet monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus). This project employed both primatological and ethnoprimatological techniques to assess conflict between vervet monkeys and Kittitian farmers. Methodological tools from primatology allowed for the creation of a predictive model of monkey crop-raiding behavior. The model was highly informative about monkeys' current raiding patterns; however, viewing Kittitian farmers and vervet monkeys as interconnected through an ethnoprimatological perspective revealed the significance of history with regard to this …

Historic Museum Collections As Primary Sources: Thomas Wilson's Robenhausen Material At The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum Of Natural History, Kathryn G. Maxwell

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the role of early museum curators and their collecting practices in the construction and transmission of archaeological knowledge. During the late 19th century, artifacts from Swiss lake-dwelling sites, including Robenhausen, a Neolithic and early Bronze Age site located on Lake Pfäffikon in Switzerland, were sold and traded in a "lake-dwelling diaspora" to many collectors and museums in the US and UK (Arnold 2013:877). A collection of Robenhausen material acquired by the Smithsonian Institution's (SI) United States National Museum (USNM) in 1904 is used as a proxy for the collecting practices of the time and serves as a …

Northern Flint, Southern Roots: A Diachronic Analysis Of Paleoethnobotanical Remains And Maize Race At The Aztalan Site (47-Je-0001), Jennifer L. Picard

Theses and Dissertations

Located in Southeast Wisconsin on the west bank of the Crawfish River, the Aztalan site was first settled by horticultural Late Woodland peoples. By the mid-eleventh century A.D., Middle Mississippian migrants arrived from the south. The site was eventually transformed into a fortified village with three platform mounds. During the later component, Middle Mississippian and Late Woodland peoples appear to have coexisted. This thesis consists of a diachronic comparison of floral subsistence remains and maize race at the site. The results of the analysis indicate that while the Late Woodland inhabitants grew maize, food production involving maize and native cultigens …

The Search For Interpretation Sovereignty: Accommodating Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) Voice In Protected Area Interpretation, Rachel E. Lahoff

Anthropology Theses

Within the Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) ancestral territory, an area that spans four states including Nevada, Utah, California and Arizona, there are abundant protected areas that are managed by both federal and state agencies. These agencies utilize interpretation as a means to educate the public about natural and cultural resources on the landscape, in situ. In this paper, I argue that protected area interpretation in the Nuwuvi ancestral territory follows a hegemonic model, in that it reflects cultural hegemony that places western science discourses over other discourses, including Nuwuvi ways of knowing. As a result, natural science themes dominate interpretation over …

Izapa Group B: Excavations, Burials, And Offerings, Rosemary Lieske

Theses and Dissertations

Izapa, a Late Preclassic regional center located in southern Mexico, was heavily excavated by the New World Archaeological Foundation from 1961-1965. However, much remains unclear regarding the details of those excavations, specifically in regards to Group B. In this thesis I hope to present important details derived from those excavations in a way that is meaningful and useful. The purpose of this thesis project is to: (1) reconstruct the excavation history of Izapa Group B, (2) to provide a reconstruction of Group B's architectural history as revealed through the excavations, and (3) to identify and present descriptions of the contents …

Pedagogical Development Of Zen Buddhism And Taoism For Taos Ed. Ventures, Kelsey Tyler

Social Sciences

Taos Ed. Ventures is an outdoor guiding company that will be offering backpacking trips in Taos, New Mexico to high school and college students, with ages ranging from 16 – 29, starting the summer of 2015. Along with backpacking skills, the philosophies of Zen Buddhism and Taoism will be taught while on the trail. To teach these philosophies, a pedagogy was created, combining aspects of Sentipensante and Contemplative pedagogies that seeks to teach the daily applications of Zen Buddhism and Taoism through experiential and innovative learning methods, such as journaling, meditation, and mindfulness practices. The benefits of these alternative learning …

Fire On The Prisoners: An Autoethnographic Study Of Ethics In Historical Storytelling, A. Trae Mcmaken

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During field experience as a storyteller constructing a performance based on the Battle of Kings Mountain on behalf of the Overmountain Victory Trail Association and the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, I encountered ethical and philosophical dilemmas. This challenge centered on ethical and spiritual convictions that put me in potential conflict with the task of creating a performance about war. This experience forms the basis of an autoethnographic approach to the art form, revealing the critical role played by personal ethics and a functioning engagement with historiography and narrative theory in producing effective performance stories. Historical performance storytelling has little …