Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Cross Cultural Competence As An Aspect Of Improving Diversity In Library Collections, Elizabeth Ramsey

Library Faculty Publications and Presentations

For more than one hundred years libraries in America have worked in one way or another to include services aimed at ethnic groups, at first mainly in the way of assisting the newly immigrated to become assimilated to mainstream American culture through help in learning English, with basic reading/writing skills, and assistance with social services and applications for citizenship (Rubin, 2004, p. 292). However, it wasn’t until the 1960’s that the importance of community representation in libraries and their staffs came to the forefront of discussions of library policies and practices. Finally, in 1970 the ALA’s Social Responsibilities Round Table …

Trapping The Tigers: Regulation Of Market Entry And The Rule Of Law In Se Asia, Michael Touchton

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Recent research identifies high barriers to registering a business as critical impediments to economic development around the world. Similarly, the lack of credible commitment to the rule of law – especially in the areas of property rights and contract enforcement – is also connected to economic underdevelopment. Scholarship treats these factors as rival explanations for underdevelopment. However, I argue the rule of law is the causal mechanism through which barriers to entry in the marketplace influence economic outcomes. Specifically, I present evidence perceptions of the rule of law in Southeast Asia decline as the legal restrictions on registering a business …

Urban Responses To Climate Change: Theories And Governance Practice In Cities Of The Global South, Dirk Heinrichs, Kerstin Krellenberg, Michail Fragkias

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cities around the world have recently started to become ‘proactive’ initiators of climate strategies containing both mitigation and adaptation elements. The experience of these first movers has been studied and documented both empirically and, to a lesser extent, theoretically, primarily for cities in the global North. This symposium addresses related knowledge gaps by exploring case studies of urban regions in the global South confronting their projected climate change challenges, showcasing the experiences of Delhi, Santiago de Chile and Bogotá. Its specific aim is to explore the urban social response to nature change, the adaptation challenges faced by cities across the …

Does Residence In An Ethnic Community Help Immigrants In A Recession?, Pengyu Zhu, Cathy Yang Liu, Gary Painter

Urban Studies and Community Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

Research on how the residential segregation of immigrant populations has impacted their labor market outcomes presents many challenges because of the fact that immigrants often choose to locate near co-ethnics to share resources and cultural amenities. Because not all immigrants choose to live in these ethnic communities, identification of a causal effect on living in an ethnic community is problematic. The estimation of the effect of living in these ethnic communities is also difficult because it is ambiguous whether such residence will help or harm the labor market outcomes of immigrants. This study implements a number of approaches to help …

The True Origin Of Society: The Founders On The Family, Scott Yenor

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the past century, no institution has come under more sustained assault than the family. Radical feminists disparaged the traditional family as a remnant of patriarchy and a threat to autonomy and romantic love, allowing contemporary liberals to redefine the ends of marriage in terms of self-fulfillment and personal growth. While the findings of social science and the teachings of religion lend support to the family, we turn to the American Founders for a stronger, principled defense of traditional marriage and the family. The Founders understood that the family, with the commitment of marriage needed to sustain it, is uniquely …

Personal Papers And Mplp: Strategies And Techniques, Cheryl Oestreicher

Library Faculty Publications and Presentations

In 2005, Mark A. Greene and Dennis Meissner published an article urging archivists to reassess processing strategies to focus less on detailed arrangement and description and more on minimal efforts to provide access to researchers. In 2008, the Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History in Atlanta, Georgia, was awarded a grant from the Council of Library and Information Resources to process the personal papers of Andrew J. Young. The grant stipulated the implementation of Greene and Meissner’s “more product, less process” (MPLP) techniques. This article describes the analysis and strategies behind the decisions made to utilize …

Cross-Cultural Competence For Librarians, Elizabeth Ramsey

Library Faculty Publications and Presentations

I've been interested in issues of diversity for a long time, and was first exposed to theories of cross cultural competence during graduate studies in linguistics. Later in research for my MLS, I explored aspects of cultural competence in relation to library services and the ongoing challenges of diversifying the library workforce. I'd like to talk with you today about why meeting that challenge is important and the alternatives available to improve our services to our diverse communities.

An Empirical Comparison Of Knowledge And Skill In The Context Of Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Kathryn Demps

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

We test whether traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) about how to make an item predicts a person’s skill at making it among the Tsimane’ (Bolivia). The rationale for this research is that the failure to distinguish between knowledge and skill might account for some of the conflicting results about the relationships between TEK, human health, and economic development.

Methods

We test the association between a commonly-used measure of individual knowledge (cultural consensus analysis) about how to make an arrow or a bag and a measure of individual skill at making these items, using ordinary least-squares regression. The study consists of …

Making Time In Boise: Embracing The Befuddling City, Jaap Vos

Urban Studies and Community Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

Boise has a penchant for being listed. In 2011, CNN Money listed Boise as the third-best retirement city. Last year, Forbes ranked Boise as the second-best city in the United States in which to raise a family. In July, the San Francisco Chronicle published an article stating that Boise was the seventh safest city in the U.S. According to the city’s economic development team, since 2008, Boise has made it onto more than 50 top-10 lists. While some of these lists are just plain silly, others are an indication of the qualities that make Boise a remarkable city. And although …

Does Patronage Matter? Connecting Influences On Judicial Appointments With Judicial Decision Making, Lori Hausegger, Troy Riddell, Matthew Hennigar

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The federal government's power to appoint judges has come under increased scrutiny in recent years. While many suggest that partisan affiliation, gender and professional background may be influencing the Canadian appointment process, and some have called into question the fairness of such influences, little attention has been directed at determining whether these characteristics influence the outcome of cases. This paper studies decisions made by the Ontario Court of Appeal between 1990 and 2003 and uses a unique measure of partisan affiliation in an attempt to answer the question: do characteristics which play a role in the appointment process influence judicial …

Ebooks, Mobile Devices, And The Student Experience, Barbara Glackin, Roy Rodenhiser

Library Faculty Publications and Presentations

Boise State University has actively explored integration of mobile devices and eContent into the student educational experience. From fall 2010 through summer 2012, classes of social work and nursing students were provided devices (iPads or netbooks) and eResources supporting their curriculum and/or academic discipline. Each semester’s research project included rigorous assessment of student participants. This presentation will focus on research findings from pre- and post- student surveys and student focus groups. Students were asked to assess best uses of devices and eBooks as well as potential limitations.

Making Assessment Matter: Questions To Ask When Asking Questions, Ellie Dworak, Carolyn Adams

Library Faculty Publications and Presentations

Data isn’t useful in itself, but when a library assessment strategy drives, and is driven by, the library’s vision and mission, it’s elemental to affecting change. This session will talk about building a vital assessment strategy for an academic library. Topics will include types of assessment, prerequisites for success, building a culture of assessment, determining what to measure, what not to measure, and when to stop, choosing the right instrument, common problems, and using evidence for decision making. Attendees leave with a toolkit for building and implementing an assessment strategy that matters.

Putting Our Best Boots Forward: Us Military Deployments And Host-Country Crime, Michael A. Allen, Michael E. Flynn

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The deployment of military forces abroad has been a major component of the US’s grand strategy since the beginning of the Cold War. However, some scholars have argued that the presence of US military personnel abroad creates a series of negative externalities afflicting local communities. We put some of these claims to the test by looking at the effect of US military deployments on crime rates in the host-state. Using cross-national crime statistics from the United Nations and data on US troop deployments, we examine whether US military deployments are associated with higher levels of criminal activity across a large …

Predictors Of Cycling In College Students, Lynda B. Ransdell, Susan G. Mason, Thomas Wuerzer, Ka Man Leung

Urban Studies and Community Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objectives: To (1) assess cycling-related questions that have been added to the electronic version of the American College Health Association National College Health Assessment II (ACHA-NCHA), (2) examine cycling prevalence, and (3) identify predictors of cycling in college students. Participants: Predominately female (69%), undergraduate (89%), and white (85%) students (N = 949) from a large, urban, northwestern, bicycle-friendly university completed the electronic version of the ACHA-NCHA II. Methods: Thirty cycling-related questions were added to the ACHA-NCHA II and a subsample of questions was analyzed. Results: Cycling questions added to the ACHA-NCHA II scale were reliable …

Idaho State Budgeting: Finding The “New Normal”, Dick Kinney

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

In 2009 and 2010, when Idaho policymakers experienced major economic problems and scarcer revenues, they approved major spending reductions. More recently, as the state’s economy and revenues have been improving, policymakers have sought to establish the “new normal” for Idaho state budgeting. To discern what this new normal may entail, this paper examines the governor’s budget recommendations and the legislature’s appropriation actions for Fiscal Year 2013. It briefly describes Idaho’s people, politics, and budgeting process. After discussing developments in Idaho’s economy and General Fund revenues, it reports on the governor’s budget recommendations and the legislature’s actions. It then considers impacts …

Immigrant Brides In Taiwan: New Land, New Hope?, Yuwen Chen

Student Research Initiative

In the last two decades, transnational marriages have been growing in Taiwan, Republic of China (R.O.C). Increasing numbers of Taiwanese men have married bride immigrants from Southeast Asian countries (Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Cambodia) and Mainland China. These women usually are from low socio-economic class and have little formal education (Chen, Katsurada & Wu, 1998; Tsai, 2006; Tsai & Hsiao 2006). Their offspring are the so-called “New Taiwanese Children”(NTC). The academic performance of New Taiwanese Children has become a contested issue in Taiwanese society, because these children are viewed by some as not being able to contribute to …

Does Size Matter? Scaling Of Co2 Emissions And U.S. Urban Areas, Michail Fragkias, José Lobo, Deborah Strumsky, Karen C. Seto

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Urban areas consume more than 66% of the world’s energy and generate more than 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions. With the world’s population expected to reach 10 billion by 2100, nearly 90% of whom will live in urban areas, a critical question for planetary sustainability is how the size of cities affects energy use and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. Are larger cities more energy and emissions efficient than smaller ones? Do larger cities exhibit gains from economies of scale with regard to emissions? Here we examine the relationship between city size and CO₂ emissions for U.S. …

Development Of A New Experiment Demonstrating Categorical Perception, Kelsey Montzka

Student Research Initiative

In this project, we have created an online portal containing a multi-faceted demonstration of categorical perception. We utilized the 2I2AFC (two-interval, two alternative forced choice) stimulus presentation method which should elicit more categorical results from students, helping to better demonstrate the phenomenon (Gerrits & Schouten, 2004), and provided different acoustic cues illustrating CP. In addition to illustrations of CP for F2 formant transition, the new online portal is used to illustrate voice onset timing (VOT; the cue that distinguishes between the sounds [b] and [p]), as well as how contextual factors and participants’ linguistic backgrounds affect CP. The contextual factors …

Using Balanced Learning Course Design To Reduce Resistance To Diversity Curricula, Misty L. Wall

Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Diversity content is often met with covert and overt resistance in the classroom. Utilisation of a balanced learning model may address classroom resistance. Balanced learning models require ‘backwards’ course planning, equal attention to course content and class process, and a strategic use of cyclical course design to include introduction of new materiel, experience, followed by personal reflection. Using a balanced learning model moves classroom instruction beyond active learning strategies in the classroom, but can present unique challenges for instructors. While not without challenges, utilising a balanced learning model proves useful during course design and delivery of a graduate course on …

Indian Gaming And Tribal Revenue Allocation Plans: Socio-Economic Determinants Of Policy Adoption, Thaddieus W. Conner, William A. Taggart

Public Policy and Administration Faculty Publications and Presentations

As the Indian gaming industry has experienced unprecedented growth over the past two decades, tribes have pursued different paths regarding the utilization of gaming revenues within parameters established by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Since 1993, more than 100 tribes have received approval through the Department of the Interior to distribute revenues directly to tribal members through per capita payments governed by a Tribal Revenue Allocation Plan (RAP). This paper improves our understanding of nations with payment plans by exploring whether socio-economic tribal features are associated with the successful adoption of a RAP. We find that tribes who gained approval …

Mismatch In Higher Education: Neoliberal Shortcomings In Intrinsic Value In The University, Jake A. Grahn

Student Research Initiative

This research focuses on uncovering how the neoliberal atmosphere in which we find ourselves has influenced and socialized students to view college as a transaction between a buyer and a seller. Neoliberalism promotes free trade, open markets, and consumerism. How does neoliberal ideology affect student choices (i.e. schools, classes, teachers, etc.) that support and undermine neoliberalism itself? How does the internalization of the student-as-customer model contradict or reinforce neoliberal higher education? Higher education has become a complex institution, and free-market trade may benefit or hinder students. Approximately 31 open-ended interviews were conducted with students at BSU, and I conducted a …

Notable And Notorious Idaho Women: An Annotated Bibliography, Amy Vecchione

Library Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the early days of Idaho’s penitentiary there was a common belief that women could not be held responsible for murder. Juries were comprised of only men at this time, and it was generally thought that women didn’t have the intellectual capability to be so plotting. Often women were not tried for first degree murder; they were characterized as crazy rather than manipulative. “Anecdotally, they [juries] didn’t have it in their hearts to hang a woman,” according to Amber Beierle, Site Manager of the Old Idaho Penitentiary. This is often reflected in the short amounts of time that they served …

Immigrant Brides In Taiwan: New Land, New Hope?, Yuwen Chen

Student Research Initiative

In the last two decades, transnational marriages have been growing in Taiwan, Republic of China (R.O.C). Increasing numbers of Taiwanese men have married bride immigrants from Southeast Asian countries (Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Cambodia) and Mainland China. These women usually are from low socio-economic class and have little formal education. (Chen, Katsurada & Wu, 1998; Tsai, 2006; Tsai & Hsiao 2006) Their offspring are the so-called “New Taiwanese Children”(NTC). The academic performance of New Taiwanese Children has become a contested issue in Taiwanese society, because these children are viewed by some as not being able to contribute to …

Using Ipads In The Reading Room, Jim Duran, Cheryl Oestreicher, Kent Randell, Julia Stringfellow

Library Faculty Publications and Presentations

In 2010, Boise State University began integrating mobile technology into teaching and learning environments on campus. Albertsons Library Special Collections and Archives (ALSCA) at the university soon followed; as an experiment in November 2012, we gave patrons access to four iPads in our reading room. We asked researchers to use them and share their experiences. Although the iPads were available for only six weeks, we quickly realized the benefits of making iPads a permanent addition to our reading room.

Boise City-Nampa Msa Employment And Industry Analysis, Susan Mason, John Van Dyke, Pengyu Zhu, Debbie Kaylor, Phil Gardner

Urban Studies and Community Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

This report is the first component of a four-part study on skills alignment of Boise State University graduates and Boise City-Nampa Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) employers. This report frames the local economic and social environment through a demographic and socio-economic comparative analysis of the Boise City -Nampa MSA and 20 peer MSAs across the western United States. An employment analysis of the Boise City-Nampa MSA at the industry sector and industry sub-sector is also provided, identifying how the industry composition has changed following the Great Recession, which industries show area competitiveness through resilience to employment loss, if not growth, as …

Multidisciplinary Research: Implications For Agricultural And Applied Economists, Siân Mooney, Douglas Young, Kelly Cobourn, Samia Islam

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

We detail the rewards and barriers to participating in multidisciplinary research (MDR) using a 2011 survey of applied economists at U.S. universities. We compare these findings with an earlier 1993 survey to assess if rewards and barriers have changed over time. Different administrative levels of U.S. universities are sending contradictory signals regarding rewards from MDR. External funding agencies convey positive signals. Although the scope and breadth of questions addressed by applied economists are changing over time, institutional incentives and reward structures are not keeping pace with these changes. Progress toward adapting to new professional demands has been slow.

Idaho Land Use/Regulation & Off Road Highway Vehicle Use, Johnny Whittemore, Raul Ramirez, Kellen Hill, David Welsh, Jeff Dee

College of Business and Economics Poster Presentations

In the last twenty-five years, Idaho has noticed a dramatic increase in the usage of motorized vehicles in Idaho’s backcountry. This land has mass appeal for its remote wilderness qualities that include hiking, fishing, hunting, and other recreational activities. To accommodate the increased amount of off-road vehicles, Idaho’s government agencies have found it difficult to designate cohesive usages of the land. With the expansion of ATV use in Idaho backcountry, ecological damages have progressively gotten worse. In order to address these damages, in 2005 travel management plans were implemented for future ATV usage. Because these restrictions were put in place, …

Inconvenient Truth About Boise Public Transportation, Benjamin Case, Kellen Hill, Lexy Leahy, Morgan Porter, Jesse Sonoda

College of Business and Economics Poster Presentations

The Boise-Nampa metropolitan area is growing rapidly, and its transportation system must expand to account for this growth. However, in order for a public transportation system to be effective, citizens must have both the ability and the incentive to make use of it. Our research will focus on the demand for public transit in the Boise-Nampa metropolitan area. First, we will determine current ridership on the existing public transit system, frequency of use, reasons for using mass transit over other alternative modes of transportation, and what attributes of the system make it an attractive option. Next, we will determine what …

Trail Mapping From Space: New Recreation Mapping At Bogus Basin Ski Area, Jenna Duffin, Cherilyn Blender, Dondi Black, Chrissy Weiser, Remington Buyer, Rick Raymondi, Bruce Slice, Alisha Pena, Jim Edgemon, Brian Himes, Steve Rogers, Patrick Watsons, Dave Wofford

College of Arts and Sciences Poster Presentations

Research Question: Can a comprehensive, accurate, and detailed map of recreational trails be produced without stepping foot in the field? Remote sensing is "reconnaissance at a distance" (Colwell, 1966). Mapping is a three step process: 1.) basemap assembly, 2.) cartographic interpretation, 3.) review & correction. While a simple concept, remote sensing has traditionally been the left to the experts due to the high skill set and specialized computing equipment required to complete even the most rudimentary data preparation and processing tasks. Today, Google Earth, the National Agricultural Imagery Program (1m NAIP), global 30m digital elevation data (DEM), desktop ArcGIS, and …

Report On The Media’S Affect In Relation To The Creation Of Optimism Or Pessimism About The United States, Spencer Brown

College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs Poster Presentations

In recent years, the United States news media has grown more partisan and thus more biased. This has led some people not to trust the United States news media. Others have embraced the new partisan United States news media. However, by embracing a United States news media that is more partisan and in a way commercial has this led the American public to be exposed to more negative stories about the United States and thus to become more pessimistic about the United States? The United States media’s impact as a source of information has an important affect on how United …