Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Not A Hearing Loss, A Deaf Gain: Power, Self-Naming, And The Deaf Community, David J. Thomas

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Self-naming has long stood as the primary assertion of power for disenfranchised communities in the western world. While person first language (e.g. person who is deaf) has been the preferred language of disability and disability services for the last 20 years, members of the Deaf community have asserted their cultural capital, and indeed, their Deafhood, or defining the experience of being ‘deaf in the world’, through the power of self-naming. This research examines attitudes toward language, self-naming, and disability in the Deaf community and seeks to move toward a more attentive, sensitive, and responsive language policy in the academy.

Historically, …

Experiences Of Resident Assistants With Potentially Suicidal Students: Identification, Referral, And Expectations, Katherine M. Bender

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Resident Assistants (RAs), living on campus and tasked with advising students while keeping them safe, are in a position to identify and refer students who may be at risk for suicide or other mental health issues. This study examined RA ability to identify students at risk for suicide, RA comfort in working with students at risk for suicide, RA actions taken when working with students who may be at risk for suicide, and RA expectations for shared information about students the RAs have referred for counseling because they may be at risk for suicide. The study found that RAs report …

How Counselors Are Trained To Work With Bisexual Clients In Cacrep-Accredited Programs, Laurie Anne Bonjo

Theses and Dissertations in Early Childhood Education

In spite of recent progress toward addressing the need for cultural competence with lesbian and gay-identified clients, bisexual-identified clients continue to be marginalized in the principles, theories, and methods of studying sexuality as well as in the training provided by counselor educators. A descriptive content analysis was conducted to determine what is currently taught about bisexuality and bisexual-identified clients in CACREP-accredited counseling programs. Instructors teaching multicultural counseling in CACREP-accredited programs were asked to provide syllabi, as well as information on textbooks and supplemental materials. Combining constructionism with queer theory and elements of post-positivism, I explore the magnitude to which bisexuality …

Sweeping The Floors Of Privilege: The Lived Experiences Of University Janitors, Jennifer Laverne Turner

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The university is a privileged social space in that it functions as a pathway to social mobility for students, faculty, and administrators. University janitors, however, have very little chance for advancement or mobility. This places janitors in a somewhat paradoxical position, as they work to maintain an institution that contributes to prosperity for some and perhaps inequality for others. This study explores how the university as a unique social location and social institution shapes the experiences and perceptions of university janitors and their work. The researcher found that janitors are clearly at the bottom of the university hierarchy in terms …