Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Segmenting The Thin Blue Line: An Ethnographic Content Analysis Of Myth And Ritual In Contemporary U.S. Police Film, Alexandra Szmutko

Doctoral Dissertations

The continued ills of mass incarceration, combined with the more recent rash of police-caused killings of people of color, make it clear that the U.S. criminal justice system is experiencing a period of profound crisis related to policing. This dissertation aims to interrogate the cultural ideologies supporting the existing policing enterprise in the U.S. To do this, the study first examines the foundational myths that shape prevailing cultural perceptions of the police and their social role. Ethnographic content analysis methodology is then utilized to identify both the presence and the subversion of these myths and their attendant rituals in a …

Greenwashing “Brown Gold”: A Critical Analysis Of Anaerobic Digesters And California’S Neoliberal Environmental Programs In Wisconsin’S Dairyland, Sarah Emily D'Onofrio

Doctoral Dissertations

Large dairy farms, also known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), have turned to anaerobic digesters as the industry is increasingly pressured to find ways to lower their greenhouse gas emissions. Digesters are machines that turn animal waste from CAFOs into electricity and fuel which are then sold as “credits” in California’s market based climate change mitigation programs such as cap and trade and the low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) program. However, this dissertation not only challenges the assertion that digesters are “green,” but also that these programs are doing what they claim to do in a deregulated and re-regulated …

Ruinous Natures: The Approach Of Social Timespace, Thomas Frederick Bechtold

Doctoral Dissertations

This Dissertation advances across three areas: first, a theory of social timespace that borrows from critical social theories, post-ontological systems theory, and literary critique; second, it proposes a revisioning of sociological ‘methods’ by an historical reproachment: how sociology is a method among others for the study of society and culture, what are called variously the social sciences, and how sociology also has a method of its own developed in the work of the first sociological institutions in the United States, Germany, and France, that is parallel to linguistic structuralism in the same historical period and has mostly been advanced outside …

Brand Perception And Demand: The Streaming Service Industry Explained, Leanna Harmon

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

"If I Go, I'Ll Probably End Up Dropping Out Too": College Enrollment Choices In A Free College Context, Gresham D. Collom, Ashton R. Cooper, Patrick Biddix, Alexis Hartley

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Publications and Other Works

Objective: In this qualitative study, we explored why students in a free community college environment in Tennessee chose not to enroll in college or dropped out of college shortly after enrolling. Methods: We conducted 27 in-depth interviews with individuals who were eligible for the Tennessee Promise. Perna’s (2006) conceptual model for college access and choice guided our analysis. We analyzed data using a three-tier approach, which included open/emergent coding, followed by a priori/theoretical analysis. Results: We identified 15 emergent themes common among interview participants, which we then categorized into the four constructs of Perna’s model. Conclusions: …

Turning Insight Into Action: A Case Study Assessing The Use Of Consumer Behavior Data In Minor League Baseball Marketing And Communication Strategies, Jessica R. Braunstein-Minkove, Ari Kim

Journal of Applied Sport Management

As the usage of data-driven decision-making (DDDM) has increased in sport business operations, organizations must refine the ways in which they both obtain and use data to understand and, ideally, meet the needs of their consumers. A qualitative analysis, including eight in-depth interviews with a Minor League Baseball’s (MiLB) front office staff, was conducted. This was done in order to better understand the organization’s decision-making process and how they use various types of data, including the results of quantitative results from an academic study, when determining how best to reach their consumers. After a thematic analysis, three primary and six …

Perceived Service Quality And Overall Satisfaction: From A Segmentation Perspective Unique To Golf Spectators, Tomo Tokuyama, Chris Greenwell, Junko Deguchi, Masashi Shinjo

Journal of Applied Sport Management

The purpose of the current study is to examine differences in the relationships between specific aspects of the service encounter and customer satisfaction attributable to consumers’ viewing situation and frequency of attendance. Questionnaires were distributed to spectators attending a major women’s golf tournament in Japan, and study participants were asked to rate various service elements and their level of attendance satisfaction. Respondents were grouped by viewing situations (one location, following a specific pairing, or moving the course randomly) and past attendance frequency (new spectators, light spectators, or frequent spectators). Shuttle bus service predicted satisfaction regardless of segment. Merchandise predicted satisfaction …

Brand Extension Evaluation In Esports: A Case Study Of The Nba And Nba2k League, Glynn M. Mcgehee, Beth A. Cianfrone, Jackson Sears

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Professional sport leagues have created esport leagues and teams, which serve as brand extensions (e.g., NBA and NBA 2K League). These brand extensions can benefit the professional sports team brand by reaching various audiences in a different product category. The purpose of this study was to examine a traditional sport entity’s (NBA franchise) esport brand extension (NBA 2K League team). In partnership with an NBA team and the affiliated NBA 2K esports team, a survey of 195 individuals assessed the brand extension on several variables, including extension awareness, perceived quality, image fit, categorical fit, innovativeness, and authenticity of the extension. …

Purpose Advertising And The Credibility Gap, Tyler Milfeld, Eric Haley

Purpose Project

One approach to purpose advertising is brand activism—taking a stand on a sociopolitical issue. This research compares divergent perspectives on whether and how brand activism influences brand attitudes and purchase intentions. Results from three studies, in which real-world brands and messages were used, identify a credibility gap between brands with a reputation for activism (established activist brands) and those without a reputation (emergent activist brands). Findings also reveal how personal issue knowledge moderates the credibility gap. Among other contributions, this research creates a new brand typology in the brand activism arena and empirically demonstrates a more favorable effect for established …

Assessing Nuclear Security Risks In Pakistan, Sitara Noor

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Pakistan’s nuclear program and perceived nuclear security concerns have attracted global attention. The varying concerns range from the potential theft of nuclear weapons or materials to the unauthorized use of a nuclear device to terrorist groups taking control of the Pakistani government. The enduring debate, however, has oscillated between these doomsday scenarios and some optimistic considerations, where various quarters have shared their satisfaction over Pakistan’s nuclear security regime and its ability to deal with the emerging challenges. To address the evolving nature of these threats, Pakistan is constantly improving its nuclear security infrastructure. It has established a comprehensive legislative and …

The Perils Of Non-State Actors In Pakistan: Assessing The Risks Of Nuclear Safety And Security, Iftikhar Ali, Muhammad Sadiq

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Pakistan is facing security problems on multiple fronts, including economic default, social fragmentation, poor civil–military relations, political polarization, and environmental degradation. However, the biggest security threat comes from non-state actors (NSAs) and terrorism. Using empirical evidence, this research paper evaluates the risk of nuclear terrorism by NSAs in Pakistan. It adopts an interpretive approach to examine international concerns regarding nuclear security in Pakistan. The study focuses on the potential for technology and weapon-usable materials to fall into the hands of violent NSAs. It concludes that, despite ongoing security challenges, Pakistan has taken steps to strengthen its legislative and institutional measures …

Indoctrination Into Hate: The Development Of Racial Neuroses Resulting From Racist Socialization Under White Supremacy, Aliya Kathryn Benabderrazak

Haslam Scholars Projects

Racial-ethnic socialization is critical to our unique and individual conceptualization of reality. This socialization occurs explicitly and implicitly across the lifespan and has significant implications for one’s behavior, social relationships, and ideological beliefs. Two of the most notable and impactful spheres in which racial-ethnic socialization occurs are within the family unit and schooling contexts. The treatment and teachings within these two spaces shape our social and psychological development. The first part of my project considers the neurosis of Whiteness as a psychological consequence of racist socialization within school settings and primarily White communities—as a macro example of the family unit—to …

Book Review: Under The Weather: Reimagining Mobility In The Climate Crisis., Raymond Murphy

Critical Disaster Studies

Under the Weather: Reimagining Mobility in the Climate Crisis is an insightful, important book that reports on a fine-grained investigation Sodero made of the consequences and response to the disasters resulting from Hurricane Juan in Nova Scotia in 2003 and Hurricane Igor in Newfoundland in 2010, with comparisons to Hurricane Sandy in New York, Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, the 1998 ice storm in northeastern North America and the Icelandic ash cloud. One original feature is the focus on mobility, how indispensable it is in modern societies, how it is disrupted by extreme weather, and …

Multidimensional Investigation Of Tennessee’S Urban Forest, Jillian L. Gorrell

Doctoral Dissertations

Preserving existing trees in urban areas and properly cultivating urban forest conservation and management opportunities is valuable to the ever-growing urban environment and necessary for creating optimal experiences and educational tools to meet the needs of increasing urban populations. This dissertation contains studies investigating several facets of the urban forest, including environmental effects of deforestation and urbanization, tree equity, and urban forest facility management and accessibility. Community education and outreach at arboreta about the importance of the tree canopy can help promote environmental stewardship. A digital questionnaire was electronically distributed to representatives of arboreta certified through the Tennessee Division of …

Counselor Educators’ Engagement In Mental Health Services In Higher Education Institutions, Kristen Anne Carlosh

Doctoral Dissertations

In campuses across the U.S., and especially in the wake of the global pandemic, concern for student mental health is increasing. Descriptions of disparity between service provision and demand are making national headlines, as reports of student depression, anxiety, substance use, and suicidality rise. Additionally, several marginalized groups, among them: racial, ethnic, and cultural minorities, continue to have mental health needs that go unaddressed and unmet. As the future workforce of the world, students’ mental health support remains a crucial priority. This is not to discount the wealth of campus resources that exist, but merely to advocate for the need …

The New Media Frontier: How Social Media Affects Partisan Attachments, Candidate Evaluations, And Political Emotions, Justin Allen Rose

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation seeks to further our understanding of individual social media use on polarization, evaluation of political candidates, and political emotions. Three separate articles are utilized to illuminate the effects of individual social media use. The first article pushes forward a theory which argues that social media is uniquely positioned to affect partisan feelings due to its propensity to lead individuals into echo chambers—online places that reinforce their existing opinions and attitudes. The second argues that social media plays into the hyper-partisan nature of the American political landscape, and by way, putting forward an atmosphere which will lead individuals to …

Assessing The Landscape Of Relationship Help And A Pilot Adaptation Of Relationship Checkups For Christian Churches, Adam W. York

Doctoral Dissertations

The health and stability of adult romantic relationships and the health of a society are deeply intertwined. This two-part dissertation aims to highlight the potential to bridge the gap between effective interventions and couples who need them most. The first section reviews the literature concerning relationship health, relationship help-seeking, and relationship assistance. A few important findings are revealed. Effective relationship help exists. People often do not seek help for their relationship. When people do seek help for their relationship, the methods they seek have varying degrees of effectiveness. People prominently seek religiously mediated help for their relationship. These findings led …

The Role Of Multiple Object Views In Early Word Learning: A Dynamic Process, Abigail Julian Dimercurio

Doctoral Dissertations

Word learning is a complex process that involves multiple interacting components. One of these components is the motor system. During the first few years of development, the onset of motor skills predicts the development of language skills such that earlier onsets of crawling and walking relate to greater vocabulary sizes. It is thought that this relationship occurs due to a developmental cascade where gaining locomotive skills allows for greater environmental exploration, thus, more opportunities to learn new words. One area of interest in this cascade is object manipulation. Moving objects in a way that creates multiple views is related to …

“Not What I Expected”: A Narrative Inquiry On The Leadership Experiences Of Women Campus Recreation Directors In The Power Five Conferences, Emily J. Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations

While there is an increase of women working in campus recreation, there remains an underrepresentation of women in leadership roles within campus recreation and related industries. Not only can it be challenging for women to navigate male-dominated fields to achieve their desired position, but women experience difficulties once they finally obtain leadership roles. This study built upon the limited research conducted about the experiences of women leaders within campus recreation. The purpose of the study was to gain further understanding of the experiences of women who are directors of campus recreation. Specifically examining their career development, resilience, and health in …

"I March To The Beat Of My Own Drum": A Critical Discourse Analysis On Mediated Construction Of Aaron Rodgers' Covid-19 Vaccination Disclosure, Patrick Crowe

Doctoral Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought suffering throughout society and disruption throughout the sports world. In the U.S., there have been politically polarized debates about the best course of action for handling the pandemic, including vaccinations and the appropriateness of other restrictive measures. Amidst the 2021 National Football League (NFL) season, in which the league imposed differing levels of restrictions based on a player’s vaccination status, former MVP and Super Bowl champion Aaron Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19. After his positive test, Rodgers, who had previously claimed he was “immunized” from COVID-19, revealed that his immunization protocol consisted of “alternate” drugs …

An Exploratory Study Of The Career Mobility Patterns Of African American Women Working In Public Parks And Recreation Agencies, Chermaine Cole

Doctoral Dissertations

African American (AA) women are among the most underrepresented and under-researched groups in the parks and recreation profession. The purpose of this study is to explore the career mobility patterns of AA women currently working in public parks and recreation agencies. To achieve this purpose, the study examines the career mobility patterns of 169 AA women over a five-year period. The study also examines their ascent into executive leadership positions in their profession. The following research questions guided the study: (1) What job positions and classifications are held by a sample of AA women currently working in public parks and …

Visual Working Memory Encoding And Action: An Investigation Using Fnirs And Mouse-Tracking, Kaleb Thomas Kinder

Doctoral Dissertations

Visual working memory (VWM) guides the motor system by temporarily keeping relevant information in mind. As an interface between perception and action, VWM plays a critical role in supporting goal-directed behavior. Research on the relationship between VWM and action has primarily focused on the effect of VWM on motor output. Traditional approaches index outcome responses, such as accuracy, but this practice provides limited information on underlying VWM processes. Conversely, the influence of action on VWM processes has received less attention and its neural correlates are not well understood. In this thesis, I examined VWM-action links using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) …

Saudi Women's Abuse And Help-Seeking Experiences: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis, Shahad Ahmed Subiani

Doctoral Dissertations

In 2013 the Saudi government established the Protection from Abuse Act, which made domestic violence (DV) a crime, as well as outlined the responsibilities of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in providing reporting mechanisms. These and more societal shifts, along with the creation of the governmental family protection units (FPUs), set the stage for greater recognition of DV and more women seeking help. Though public opinion is slowly changing, DV in Saudi Arabia is still largely perceived as a private family matter (Alhabib et al., 2010). Guided by the help-seeking and change model (Liang et al., 2005), …

The Pink Tax: A Comparative Case Study Between Tennessee And Washington State, Megha Chitturi

Baker Scholar Projects

The imposition of an additional luxury tax on menstrual health products, otherwise referred to as the “Pink Tax” or the “Tampon Tax”, is present in some states while absent in others. The decision to repeal such a tax is one that has proven to be critical, as it removes the connotation that such products are of “luxury” and make them more accessible to menstruators throughout the state. As of 2023, twenty-three states have eliminated the tax. The state of Washington falls under that parameter while Tennessee does not. The purpose of this undergraduate honors thesis is to explore the potential …

Competing For Innovation: A Case Study Of Knoxville And Similar Metropolitan Areas, Lucille G. Marret

Baker Scholar Projects

Knoxville competes with other mid-sized metropolitan areas for economic development and business attraction at the national level. Cities such as Greenville, SC, Huntsville, AL, and Ann Arbor, MI have similar resources and attributes to Knoxville, yet they are consistently surpassing Knoxville in business attraction and expansion. It is necessary for policy makers to understand what factors are contributing to underperformance in order to better support Knoxville’s efforts to create an innovation fund. Comparing available assets and access to funding for each MSA reveals that Knoxville has the necessary resources through the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to …

Centrality And Compliance: Unitary Vs. Federalist Political Systems In The Implementation Of The Kyoto Protocol In Argentina And Uruguay, Aidan Homan

Baker Scholar Projects

When Uruguay and Argentina first gained their respective independence in the early 1800s, they appeared to be following the same path of development As countries that came from the same Spanish colonization, share almost identical agricultural economies, and retain a close relationship, it is logical that they would follow similar trajectories. This assumption proves to be inaccurate in more ways than one, but most prominently within the environmental sphere. One way to analyze this difference in policy implementation lies in compliance with international environmental treaties which contain specific goals and limits for all parties involved. The Kyoto Protocol presents a …

Does Electoral Proximity Influence Commitment To International Human Rights Law?, Nolan Ragland

Baker Scholar Projects

The core international human rights treaties from the United Nations have been signed and ratified by varying groups of states, and much of previous research has been dominated by a desire to explain ratification of international human rights law (IHRL) through the democratic lock-in effect and states’ economic and political ties to one another. In this paper, I seek to understand when states are ratifying IHRL, testing whether the presence of elections influences commitment to three of the nine core international human rights treaties: the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of …

Serving American Veterans: A Review And Analysis Of Gaps In Service In The Needs Of Veterans, Mary Elisabeth Germann

Baker Scholar Projects

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is the agency of the federal government that is responsible for providing benefits, health care, and cemetery services to US military Veterans and their families. About a quarter of the nation’s population, approximately 70 million people, are potentially eligible for VA benefits and services because they are veterans, family members, or survivors of veterans. Due to this expansive demand, the United States has developed the most comprehensive system of Veterans assistance programs in the World. But many argue that the US VA still falls short of expectations and fails to fulfill the needs …

The Development Of Health System Resiliency: How Kenya's Experience With Malaria Impacted Its Reaction To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Zoe A. Ward

Baker Scholar Projects

Public health scholars have recently focused on health system resiliency to explain how previous experiences dealing with public health crises impact the healthcare sector, public behavior, and policy response to novel crises. However, it is unclear how resiliency develops. This study contributes by testing whether a health system’s experience with a health emergency and significant interventions impacts the response to a novel crisis. This research asks, “How has Kenya’s experience with malaria impacted its response to COVID-19?” Using the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS), I develop a malaria adherence score to measure county-level compliance …

Ballad Health: Understanding Appalachia’S Regional Healthcare Monopoly, Meredith A. Bailey

Baker Scholar Projects

The Ballad Health merger of 2018, which combined the now 21 hospitals in the region under one organization, has impacted the healthcare landscape in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Historically, Appalachia has had to persevere through primary physician shortages, a lack of specialty care, geographic obstacles to accessing healthcare, challenges related to substance abuse, and much more. Since the merger of Mountain States Health Alliance and Wellmont Health System, little research has been done to assess the perceived impact the aggregation of providers has had on the population it serves. This study utilizes an online survey to better understand the …