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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™

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Western Washington University

2018

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Articles 1 - 30 of 73

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Phylogenetics: A Catalyst For A Biophilic Revolution?, Holli N. Watne Oct 2018

Phylogenetics: A Catalyst For A Biophilic Revolution?, Holli N. Watne

Summit to Salish Sea: Inquiries and Essays

A biology framework in Environmental Education can inspire biophilia, the love for the complex array of lifeforms on this planet, in students. In this paper, a simple, multi-scaled phylogenetic tree is presented to express such a framework. When viewing life from a framework such as a phylogenetic tree, the human species is seen as just one part of something vastly complex. This view is contrasted to another framework, more anthropocentric in nature, that seems to be more typical in the developed world. Challenging students to view the role of humanity from a biocentric, rather than anthropocentric, framework can lead to …

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How To Make An Orchestra Alone: A Critical, Experiential Performance Of Ben’S Year In The Mountains, Ben Kusserow Oct 2018

How To Make An Orchestra Alone: A Critical, Experiential Performance Of Ben’S Year In The Mountains, Ben Kusserow

Summit to Salish Sea: Inquiries and Essays

This paper shares the hour-performance traveled from the boat house to the middle of the dam on Diablo Lake, WA. There were two distinct activities in each of the four sections. In each section, Ben shared a story from his year in the NCI Graduate Residency program. He then engaged the audience in some critical thought leading into an activity.

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Eating Is An Act Of Learning; Eating Is An Act Of Love, Annah Young Oct 2018

Eating Is An Act Of Learning; Eating Is An Act Of Love, Annah Young

Summit to Salish Sea: Inquiries and Essays

Environmental Education should exist to address injustices in our world, be they social or environmental since the two rarely exist isolated from each other. Environmental Education should exist to unite people, transcend social boundaries, and bring about solutions to shared socioecological challenges. One of the most pertinent socioecological challenges we face today revolves around our food system. We now have an opportunity to change our education system to reflect the current reality of our food system and reimagine a future where all communities have control over the cultivation, production, and distribution of the food on their plates all while treading …

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Education For Wholeness: La Womb De Mi Labor, Ginna Malley Campos Oct 2018

Education For Wholeness: La Womb De Mi Labor, Ginna Malley Campos

Summit to Salish Sea: Inquiries and Essays

Conventional education teaches and reinforces disconnection from ourselves and disengagement from the world. This presentation considers power, privilege, and the act of listening in educational settings and identity development and explores the importance of holistic education for transforming self and society. Through a personal journey that interweaves the complexities of colonial history, heritage and identity with spirit and healing; we invite all to engage inwardly with the suffering implicit in our existence in order to reconnect with the wholeness that enables our shared journey towards healing.

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Inextricably Season 1, Episode 1: “Now What”, Adam F. Bates Oct 2018

Inextricably Season 1, Episode 1: “Now What”, Adam F. Bates

Summit to Salish Sea: Inquiries and Essays

This is the transcript of a fictional weekly podcast called Inextricably, performed in front of a live audience at North Cascades Institute’s Environmental Learning Center in North Cascades National Park in March 2017. The author outlines and examines the personal themes and seasonal cycles throughout an entire graduate school residency, a Master’s of Education in Environmental Education offered in partnership with North Cascades Institute and Western Washington University. A search for the purpose in the way information and knowledge is transferred, a sense of disillusionment with traditional models of education, and the unexpected learning outcomes of this experience are the …

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Uniting Passions: The Transformation Of A Teacher, Emily Baronich Oct 2018

Uniting Passions: The Transformation Of A Teacher, Emily Baronich

Summit to Salish Sea: Inquiries and Essays

This presentation explores the formulation and evolution of an educator through the lens of mathematics, formal and informal settings. It leans on personal experiences, self- evaluation, and the process of developing a dream school that exemplifies environmental and mathematical learning.

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Holding The Center: Story And Community, Emma E. Ewert Oct 2018

Holding The Center: Story And Community, Emma E. Ewert

Summit to Salish Sea: Inquiries and Essays

Stories are fundamental to our experience of being human. They help us to make meaning from our lives, and to construct and understand our identities. Although we sometimes struggle to define story in words, we easily recognize when a story is present. This capstone does not present an ultimate definition of story, but rather a series of ideas and patterns that are most commonly found in story. In particular, it says that most stories contain protagonists who overcome a series of obstacles to achieve a final goal and find a meaning or moral behind a series of events. Through examining …

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The Making Of A Naturalist, Joseph Loviska Oct 2018

The Making Of A Naturalist, Joseph Loviska

Summit to Salish Sea: Inquiries and Essays

The purpose of this work is for you, the reader, to be sufficiently informed, entertained, and inspired that you find yourself reaching your own hands down into your soul, or your soil-filled gut, or the soles of your feet or your over-stuffed brain – wherever it is that you keep the meaning of your life — and press with your thumbs to make room for a new seed. Through story and poetry, I will use my own life as a site of inquiry to illuminate the educational structure and purpose of ideas around ecological identity. I see that dominant Western …

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Being, Fxminist, Aly Gourd Oct 2018

Being, Fxminist, Aly Gourd

Summit to Salish Sea: Inquiries and Essays

This presentation explores various expressions of voice, arguing the importance of defining and implementing a feminist [fxminist] perspective to inform a cultural shift in how we work to communicate truthfully, resist fear and violent oppressive systems, and find hope. A variation of the following was presented as a capstone presentation in March 2017 and has been reconstructed to reflect aspects of the speech and activities as well as an analytical orientation to the capstone.

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Querencia, Sasha Savoian Oct 2018

Querencia, Sasha Savoian

Summit to Salish Sea: Inquiries and Essays

Querencia, where I am are strong from. Querencia, translated literally from Spanish to mean “beloved place”. It informs identity, it gives us a place of belonging in the world, and it roots us to a particular memory experienced through landscape. It is as broad as it is narrow, but it inextricably links us to a literal or metaphorical landscape we call home. Querencia is a place where we know exactly who we are. It is often a physical location, a landscape, but it may also be a movement of music, a perfect wooden chair, a lyrical linking of words in …

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Faith And Environmentalism: A Personal Reflection, Jessica T. Davis Oct 2018

Faith And Environmentalism: A Personal Reflection, Jessica T. Davis

Summit to Salish Sea: Inquiries and Essays

This paper was presented as a culminating capstone project at North Cascades Institute as required by Western Washington University’s M.Ed. program in Environmental Education. Guided by seven themes, this paper seeks to demonstrate the connection between Faith and the environment. The seven connections explored include the following: prayer and meditation, peace, food consumption, seasons, material consumption, taking care, and fellowship. While environmentally responsible decisions may not necessarily be a top priority for all people of Faith, religious beliefs and Spirituality may influence some to develop a deeper connection to the environment. Although this paper is a personal reflection, focused on …

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Truth Grounding Education, Zachary Lundgren Oct 2018

Truth Grounding Education, Zachary Lundgren

Summit to Salish Sea: Inquiries and Essays

The following is a transcript of an oral presentation delivered at the Environmental Learning Center in Diablo, Washington in March of 2017. It explores wisdom shared by personal relations to the author that relate to education and education systems. It takes a critical stance on education systems and celebrates learning as a fundamental human act.

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Braiding Identities In Nature Through Preschool, Hannah E. Newell Oct 2018

Braiding Identities In Nature Through Preschool, Hannah E. Newell

Summit to Salish Sea: Inquiries and Essays

Preschool is an age when many things are yet to be discovered. This capstone presentation engages the public in what free play in nature is like. Often as adults, we lose our ability to think with our imagination first. Preschool aged children can lose this ability as well if they are not allowed the time to explore freely. More importantly, they can lose the opportunity to develop a sense of place making it less likely that they will feel connected to nature. It is also pertinent that children of this age are introduced to the many differences and similarities that …

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The Greater Unconformity, Emily Ford Oct 2018

The Greater Unconformity, Emily Ford

Summit to Salish Sea: Inquiries and Essays

In recent light of sexual harassment cases going unaddressed at Grand Canyon National Park and other public lands, there is a need to call out the persistent social, political, and economic structures that allow such acts to occur and go undocumented and unaddressed. A thorough explanation of geologic unconformities, especially the Great Unconformity in the Grand Canyon, is used as a seamless metaphor for a lack of space for women in the outdoors. This graduate capstone presentation includes an exploration of the gender binary, feminism, the geology of the Grand Canyon, the nature of unconformities, intersectionality, and ecofeminism. In conclusion, …

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Klipsun Magazine, 2018, Volume 49, Issue 01 - Fall, Samantha Frost Oct 2018

Klipsun Magazine, 2018, Volume 49, Issue 01 - Fall, Samantha Frost

Klipsun Magazine

Our roots define who we are. Of course, that definition is loose. Some think of it as our core values, our history or our home. Others interpret it as an unseen network that grounds us and helps us grow. Undeniably, roots shape the stories we must tell. I invite you to explore your definition of roots as you dig into the pages of this magazine. In this collection of stories, you’ll find a struggle for preservation, unlikely friendships, and reflections on our innermost convictions. Each story expresses the countless ways to define roots. We all face trials and tribulations, but …

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The Planet, 2018, Fall, Emily Stout, Huxley College Of The Environment, Western Washington University Oct 2018

The Planet, 2018, Fall, Emily Stout, Huxley College Of The Environment, Western Washington University

The Planet

No abstract provided.

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Regional Cross-Border Collaboration Between The U.S. & Canada, Border Policy Research Institute Oct 2018

Regional Cross-Border Collaboration Between The U.S. & Canada, Border Policy Research Institute

Border Policy Research Institute Publications

On October 24th, 2018, the BPRI hosted a one-day forum to assess the state of cross-border collaboration between British Columbia and Washington State. The forum brought together regional experts from government, academia, and private industry to discuss the successes, barriers, and opportunities for cross-border collaboration across three ‘sectors’: transportation/infrastructure, business/economics, and the environment (see sidebar). U.S. Congressman Rick Larsen provided opening remarks about the region and Canadian Coast Guard Regional Director Brian Wooton gave a keynote address on collaboration in the marine environment. This Border Policy Brief highlights some of the findings from the forum, which illustrate the need for …

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Changes In The Policing Of Civil Disorders Since The Kerner Report: The Police Response To Ferguson, August 2014, And Some Implications For The Twenty-First Century, Patrick F. Gillham, Gary T. Marx Sep 2018

Changes In The Policing Of Civil Disorders Since The Kerner Report: The Police Response To Ferguson, August 2014, And Some Implications For The Twenty-First Century, Patrick F. Gillham, Gary T. Marx

Sociology

The Kerner Commission identified factors contributing to police ineffectiveness during the 1960s civil disorders. Since release of the Kerner report, the frequency and intensity of civil disorders has declined and the policing of disorders has changed. Using the report recommendations as a framework, we analyze changes in police disorder management during the 2014 events in Ferguson as these involve operational planning and equipment. Data for the Ferguson case are constructed from media reports, police and activist accounts, after action reports, and field observations. We link changes seen in Ferguson to larger institutional changes in law enforcement over the last fifty …

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Using Machine Learning To Classify Extant Apes And Interpret The Dental Morphology Of The Chimpanzee-Human Last Common Ancestor, Tesla A. Monson, David W. Armitage, Leslea J. Hlusko Aug 2018

Using Machine Learning To Classify Extant Apes And Interpret The Dental Morphology Of The Chimpanzee-Human Last Common Ancestor, Tesla A. Monson, David W. Armitage, Leslea J. Hlusko

Anthropology Faculty and Staff Publications

Machine learning is a formidable tool for pattern recognition in large datasets. We developed and expanded on these methods, applying machine learning pattern recognition to a problem in paleoanthropology and evolution. For decades, paleontologists have used the chimpanzee as a model for the chimpanzee-human last common ancestor (LCA) because they are our closest living primate relative. Using a large sample of extant and extinct primates, we tested the hypothesis that machine learning methods can accurately classify extant apes based on dental data. We then used this classification tool to observe the affinities between extant apes and Miocene hominoids. We assessed …

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Klipsun Magazine, 2018, Volume 48, Issue 04 - Summer, Alyssa Evans Jul 2018

Klipsun Magazine, 2018, Volume 48, Issue 04 - Summer, Alyssa Evans

Klipsun Magazine

Change is inevitable. Through actions ranging from small to large, change comes upon each of our lives every day. But while change is inevitable, positive change is not. This magazine is dedicated to the changemakers, those who take the time and effort to make positive changes in the lives of others. A changemaker comes in a variety of forms. A childhood that inspired a lifetime of kindness. A high school student who has dedicated their time to activism. A tribe who advocates for safer living conditions of orca whales. All are changemakers. I encourage you to challenge yourself to recognize …

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Becoming Indigenous: A Story Of The Moklen People, Olivia Zimmerman Jun 2018

Becoming Indigenous: A Story Of The Moklen People, Olivia Zimmerman

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

The context and ways in which the Moklen people of Southwest Thailand are accessing their indigenous identify.

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Clearcut Persuasion? Audience Cognition Of Mediated Environmental Advertising Through The Lens Of The Elaboration Likelihood Model, Derek Moscato May 2018

Clearcut Persuasion? Audience Cognition Of Mediated Environmental Advertising Through The Lens Of The Elaboration Likelihood Model, Derek Moscato

Journalism Faculty Publications

Through the theoretical lens of Petty and Cacioppo’s Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and using the case of Oregon Wild and its campaign against clear-cut logging on public lands, this study explores the impact of media coverage of contentious activist advertising on audiences. A survey with experimental conditions measures attitudes of audiences exposed to this interplay of advocacy communication. The study assesses partiality toward the sponsor organization, a willingness by the target audience to act on its behalf, and an understanding of the central environmental issue. Differences between gender in reception of the campaign and coverage also are examined. By examining …

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Gender Discrepancy In Asexual Identity:The Effect Of Hegemonic Gender Norms On Asexual Identification, Tori Bianchi May 2018

Gender Discrepancy In Asexual Identity:The Effect Of Hegemonic Gender Norms On Asexual Identification, Tori Bianchi

Scholars Week

How do gender roles and expectations affect individuals identifying as asexual? Why do more women and genderqueer people identify as asexual? What about masculine stereotypes dissuades individuals from identifying as asexual? In this study I investigate how the cultural and societal expectations of different genders, both assigned and actualized, affect the perception and performance of an individual’s sexual identity. In particular I examine ideals of prescribed and hegemonic masculinity and femininity and how those ideals are upheld or broken by an asexual identity, and how those holding diverse gender identities feel their gender identity interacts with their asexual orientation.

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Advocating For Gender Equality In A "Conservative Christian" Nation: An Exploration Of The Bahama's 2016 Referendum, Melinda Andrews May 2018

Advocating For Gender Equality In A "Conservative Christian" Nation: An Exploration Of The Bahama's 2016 Referendum, Melinda Andrews

Scholars Week

Gender expectation plays a significant role in a variety of human interactions, but this is perhaps seen best in the interactions between men and women. This study seeks to understand the way that the effect of gender expectation plays out in the youth of The Bahamas, particularly in the way these expectations affect teenagers understanding of their roles within a sexual or romantic relationship. One way this study seeks to explore this topic is through the examination of the broader religious and cultural history of The Bahamas providing context for its current understanding of gender roles.

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Coverage Of The #Metoo & Time’S Up Movement: Examining Who Is Quoted And What Terminology Is Used In Msnbc, Fox News And The Bbc’S Coverage Of The #Metoo And Time’S Up Movements, Stella Harvey May 2018

Coverage Of The #Metoo & Time’S Up Movement: Examining Who Is Quoted And What Terminology Is Used In Msnbc, Fox News And The Bbc’S Coverage Of The #Metoo And Time’S Up Movements, Stella Harvey

Scholars Week

The widespread conversation on sexual assault and harassment that has been growing since October 2017 has impacted many industries, including journalism. Movements such as #MeToo and Time’s Up aim to raise awareness about the prevalence of these issues and stop the cycle of abuse. Within these movements, many celebrities have spoken publicly about their experiences, resulting in extensive media coverage on an issue that has historically been swept under the rug. The terminology that is used when it comes to issues of sex crimes and allegations is incredibly important because there is a great amount of nuance between terms. It …

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Student Perceptions Of A White University Mascot, Ellen Carroll May 2018

Student Perceptions Of A White University Mascot, Ellen Carroll

Scholars Week

In November 2015, Western Washington University cancelled classes when a debate over changing the school’s mascot—an identifiably White Viking—resulted in hate speech and threats toward students of color. While some students held that the mascot could be offensive to non-White students who are unrepresented by the symbol of a White male, others felt the debate to be trivial. This event raises the question of how the university’s White mascot impacts its students. Scholars have recently begun to study views regarding Native American mascots, however there is an empirical gap concerning how mascots of other identifiable racial/ethnic groups are perceived. This …

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The Little Klansman: A Symbol Of American Infantilism Amidst Racial Tensions, Lucia Gruber May 2018

The Little Klansman: A Symbol Of American Infantilism Amidst Racial Tensions, Lucia Gruber

Scholars Week

During December of 1865, a string of violence was unleashed as the United States witnessed the birth of its most infamous hate group, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). In the decades following its conception, the influence of the KKK has waxed and waned, but membership has always been a family affair. A photograph that exemplifies this phenomenon is one of a young boy identified as Josh, which was captured at a KKK rally in Gainesville, Georgia over Labor Day weekend in 1992. I argue that the photograph of The Little Klansman serves as an example of metonymy because it represents …

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#Me Too: An Analysis On Whose Sexual Assault Stories The New York Times Publishes, Alyssa Evans May 2018

#Me Too: An Analysis On Whose Sexual Assault Stories The New York Times Publishes, Alyssa Evans

Scholars Week

Source representation in media impacts the public’s perception of social issues and groups represented. This study examines the extent to which coverage by The New York Times of the #MeToo movement includes a diverse background of victims of sexual assault and harassment. An extension of research is added to scholarly discourse on framing of sexual assault victims and the inclusivity of the Times’ reporting on sexual assault. Human sources most often sourced in #MeToo-related stories analyzed were white female victims who held jobs in the entertainment industry or politics. The second most often represented source was found to be white …

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Diversity Climate Assessment Of The Communication Studies Department, Annapurna Beavon May 2018

Diversity Climate Assessment Of The Communication Studies Department, Annapurna Beavon

Scholars Week

This study is a mixed-method assessment combining survey questionnaire and qualitative interviews in assessing and understanding student experiences in the communication studies department at Western Washington University. The purpose of the study is twofold: (a) to examine students’ perception of the diversity climate in communication classes and the department in general; and (b) to understand communication patterns that silence marginalized voices in the classroom. Aside from studies published in educational journals, Halualani (2010) is the first published study in the communication discipline that investigates diversity climate assessment at a multiracial university on the U.S. West Coast. Therefore, the findings of …

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Understanding What Influences Transfer Between Scientific Disciplines, Shaye Fowler May 2018

Understanding What Influences Transfer Between Scientific Disciplines, Shaye Fowler

Scholars Week

Transfer, the ability to apply a learned concept to a new context, is an assumed outcome of most undergraduate curricula. This is particularly true in the case of energy as a concept applied across science disciplines. Chemistry courses, for example, expect students to understand and apply energy-related arguments when learning about atomic structure and bonding, presumably relying on energy-related ideas learned first in physics. However, students are often introduced to energy ideas with discipline-specific vocabulary and problem-solving tasks, obscuring the fact that energy ideas translate across the disciplines. Consequently, students may develop compartmentalized, surface-level understandings. We are investigating student transfer …

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