Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Women's Mobilization In Latin America: A Case Study Of Venezuela, Brianna Russell

Master's Theses

Abstract

I examine the following elements in regards to women’s mobilization in Latin America and Venezuela from the late 1950s to the present: (a) the influence of the state and economy on times when women mobilized (b) class division within the movement (c) women’s demands during different time periods (d) the ways in which women were successful in working towards gender equality. This thesis reviews the literature on women’s mobilization in Latin America during the second half of the twentieth century. I find that women mobilized across class lines with the masses to end dictatorships. Women demobilized during transitions to …

Between Facebook And Boas: Kichwa Indigenous Identity In Alto Napo And Challenges To Multiculturalism In Ecuador, Anna Maria Fernandez-Marti

Master's Theses

This qualitative study examines contemporary Kichwa indigenous identity formation in the Alto Napo region of Ecuador through Bourdieu’s concept of symbolic capital. Following an extended-case method, I analyze the articulation of indigenousness (as an idealized expression of tradition) vis-à-vis the power relationships of the actors involved in such process. A combination between participant observation, daily field notes and twelve tape-recorded interviews during a two-month research allowed me to deconstruct essentialist portrayals and stereotypes of Kichwa indigenous peoples in Alto Napo, and confirm that their identity is hybrid, multiple and shifting. A comparative analysis between urban and rural social dynamics in …

The Globalization Of Cosmetic Surgery: Examining Bric And Beyond, Lauren E. Riggs

Master's Theses

What is driving the globalization of cosmetic surgery? Using BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) countries as a model, this master's thesis systematically identifies and analyzes (1) the origins of cosmetic surgery in historical, regional, and country-specific terms, and (2) examples of how cosmetic surgery has become normalized. As a result, clear patterns emerge in regards to: embedded power structures related to racism and war; the results of Western interests rapidly opening countries’ markets to high media and corporate influence—especially in the wake of political oppression and austerity; the exacerbation of pre-existing class, color, race, and gender prejudice by hyper-consumerism; the …

Why Eu Work-Family Reconciliation Policies Fail In Italy: A Feminist Legal Analysis, Chrystal Orozco

Master's Theses

Following the establishment of the European Parental Leave Directive (96/34/EC), the female employment rate in Italy is still ranked the third lowest in the European Union (EU) and Italian women continue to do twice as much household work as Italian men. Parents, especially women, struggle to find a balance between professional work and their family lives in a society that encourages the traditional gendered roles of the housewife and the breadwinner. The following study is a theoretical analysis of the Parental Leave Directive and the potential domestic influences that may prevent Italy from progressing socially towards gender equality. This study …

Countering Youth Incarceration: Community Strategies In New Orleans And Cape Town, Ariel Marshall

Master's Theses

This research project looks at community-level remedial strategies addressing high youth incarceration and recidivism rates in the cities of Cape Town and New Orleans. Working within a theoretical framework of structural violence, I argue that the dominant discourse of Criminal Justice is based in punitive and retributive methodologies that have severe and long term implications for the psychological and social well being of detained youth, as well as the communities to which they return after imprisonment. My aim was to take a ‘bottom-up’ approach and examine the community-based projects in the two cities, which are developing counter-hegemonic knowledge and practices …

Re-Evaluating Peacebuilding In The Democratic Republic Of Congo: A Case Study In Dongo, Wilita Sanguma

Master's Theses

Re-evaluating Peacebuilding in the Democratic Republic of Congo: A case study in Dongo

The Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo) is a country rich with natural resources centered in the heart of Africa. Since the colonial era, the country has seen more bloodshed than peace and development. From 1996 to 2003, Congo experienced the worst conflict since World War II, with over six million people dead. Despite having the largest United Nations peacekeeping troops present; Congo continues to be plagued by violence. This research thesis argues that the international community failed to promote a lasting peace in Congo because the international …

Oil, Power, And Discourse: How Chevron Evaded Its Dues To The Indigenous Communities Of The Ecuadorian Amazon, Kine Norland

Master's Theses

Abstract

The principal objectives of this thesis were to shed lights on the backside of oil and to question the great power of big corporations. I researched why Chevron refused to acknowledge its legal obligation to remedy the complex problems it has caused in the Ecuadorian Rainforest. The catastrophes the indigenous communities have been facing are about to change as a result of grass root mobilization against Chevron. By the use of observations, discourse analysis of the media, and the use of theories from Michel Foucault, I was able to explain how Chevron has managed to escape from the terrible …

Egyptian Civil Society (Transnational Vs. Local): The Distinction Between Theory And Practice, Jeremiah Davis

Master's Theses

Abstract:

The strength and dominance of political society, rather than the weaknesses of civil society, is arguably one of the primary reasons for massive civil uprising in Egypt led by independent, unaffiliated members of society. In many cases it appears that civil society was behind the Egyptian Revolution, although is this the case? Did the Revolution happen in spite of civil society? Just as the state can be a roadblock to development and democratization, civil society may also be detrimental to society’s growth. In this thesis, the development and civil society community is analyzed to discover the functions of CSOs …

The Flow Of Water, Power, And Ideas: Water Commodification In Cape Town, South Africa And The Stratified Experiences Of Time And Space Compression, Jenna Washburn

Master's Theses

I use the neoliberalization of the water sector in Cape Town, South Africa in order to test my theory of unequal development. I assert that the neoliberal economic practices of water commodification, business-friendly tariff policies, and prepaid management devices keep people along the periphery from accessing water, power, and ideas – thus causing a stratification of time and space compression between the core and the periphery.

By painting a theoretical picture of world cities, I wish to complicate the dominant views of time/space compression and suggest that, much like development and arguably because of it, time and space compression actually …

Exclusion And Xenophobia: Norwegian Society's Influences On Anders Behring Breivik's Counter-Jihadism, Anna Katariina Oraviita Eriksen

Master's Theses

On July 22^nd 2011 Norway was shocked by the first terrorist attacks on Norwegian soil since the German occupation during World War II. As Norway is internationally renowned as a peaceful and idyllic society the terrorist attacks, questions of why the attacks took place in Norway arose. My thesis examines which societal factors in Norway have contributed to Anders Behring Breivik's terrorist attacks in Oslo and on Utøya, July 22^nd 2011. To do so, I have employed qualitative content analysis of newspaper articles which has allowed me to extract themes relevant to determine which factors in the Norwegian …

Challenging Space Through Activism: Scaling Local And Global Issues At The 2012 London Olympic Games, Bridget Botelho

Master's Theses

This qualitative study focuses on issues of space created by the Olympic Games in London and the ways in which activists demonstrated against these issues by using space to their advantage. The Olympic Games is a phenomenon that scales local, national and international space in various ways, through its effects on global culture, identity, and economic processes. The games have a history of protest and activism, but the issues created by the games and struggles against them are not often discussed. My study aims to analyze the spatial effects of the Olympics on a local and global level through the …

Identifying Barriers To Adherence For Hiv+ Patients Placed On Renal Dosing, Richard S. Colon Jr

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

"We've Got Something More To Prove Here": Racial-Ethnic And Social Class Identities And The Challenges Facing Latina/O College Students, Gretchen Marin

Master's Theses

Latinas/os are one of the fastest growing minority groups in the United States. In fact, the United States Census Bureau projects that by the year 2050, the numbers of Hispanics will more than double, increasing from the current figure of 50.5 million to 102.6 million. Despite such rapid population growth, the numbers of Latinas/os with at least a Bachelor’s degree remain low. In this study, I explore the intersection of racial-ethnic and social class identities in relation to academic identities. Specifically, I examine the challenges facing Latina/o college students of various socioeconomic backgrounds as they negotiate a predominantly White, middle-class …

Globalization, Labor Market Transformation, And Union Decline In U.S. Metropolitan Areas, Todd Vachon

Master's Theses

In this study, I analyze the determinants of total, private, and public sector union density among 191 U.S. metropolitan statistical areas in the year 2000. In particular, I examine the effects of five measures of globalization (global capital, foreign direct investment, exports, foreign-born citizens, and foreign-born non-citizens) and four measures of labor market transformation (deindustrialization, corporate restructuring, bureaucratic burden, and casualization) on metropolitan union density while controlling for labor market structure, the business cycle, and the political climate. My analysis demonstrates that: 1) globalization and labor market transformation have moderately negative, but cross-cutting effects on union density; 2) globalization has …

Investigating The Instructor's Role In New Student Sense Of Classroom Community, Alix E. Davidson

Master's Theses

The purpose of the study is to determine whether an instructor’s intentional effort to build community in his/her classroom results in a higher sense of classroom community among students. This study also examined what types of community building activities were conducted by each instructor and measured the students’ responses to each different activity. This was intended to establish a preliminary set of best practices for creating classroom community. A two-part questionnaire, including an adapted version of the Classroom Community Scale, was administered to instructors (n=5) and students (n=113) enrolled in two or four unit courses at California Polytechnic State University. …

Nonprofit Continuum: Brazilian-Centered Organizations In The Bay Area Of San Francisco, Caroline Rehill

Master's Theses

Brazil has always been a country of immigration. Since the mid 1980s, Brazil has also become a country of emigration. Brazilians have migrated to the United States in large numbers throughout the past decades. In the host country, Brazilians experience the same issues inherent in any immigrant community, such as immigration status, education, health, and socio-economic issues. To address these issues and ease immigrants’ stay in the host country, nonprofit organizations and community groups are created. This thesis project examines, identifies, categorizes, and contextualizes the Brazilian-centered nonprofit organizations in the Bay Area of San Francisco. Contrary to existing research on …

East Of The Tracks: Grassroots Environmentalism In South Mississippi, Heather Kay Sanchez

Master's Theses

Environmental justice literature challenges the disparity and oppression regarding the quality of life associated with residential environments among communities of color. Recent disasters, such as hurricane Katrina, the Tennessee coal sludge disaster (December 2008), and the BP Oil Spill (2010) have garnered visibility for environmental issues, particularly in the south. Nevertheless, the topic has largely been ignored in Mississippi among academia, many advocacy groups, and at the state level despite the emergence of several community based grassroots environmental groups throughout Mississippi in recent years. From Columbia, to Crystal Springs, to Hattiesburg, a coalition of environmental groups is forming with Hattiesburg …

Agency, Structures And Peru: Action And In-Action During 1980-2000, Kimberly A. Protzel

Master's Theses

The Shining Path along with Alberto Fujimori's presidency in Peru (encompassing the years 1980-2000) created a terrifying chaos that was wound up in both state and insurgent terrorism, corruption, and massacres. While this chaos is inextricably linked to Peru's history, I fear is being all too quickly forgotten. My main motivation behind this research has been to take a step towards increasing awareness of these events and the many reasons behind them: the agenic nature of some versus the lack of it in others, structures developed by colonialism, and most terrifyingly of all - willful ignorance. By understanding these reasons, …

Family In Context: (Re)Entry Narratives Of Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, Jennifer Elena Cossyleon

Master's Theses

The current study is informed by narrative accounts of 39 released prisoners, who provide day-to-day understandings of how they have experienced and continue to experience community reintegration. This study digs deeper into the intricacies of returning to free society, one that often disenfranchises and labels ex-offenders, and attempts to reveal how released prisoners themselves see family as pertinent in their reentry experiences. Respondents' stories are telling of the resources they draw upon, and in particular how their families are involved in that process. Findings suggest that families at times provide material and emotional support, but may also facilitate drug use …

The Hybrid Laboratory: Informal Spaces For Public-Science Interaction, Whitney Ann Ferrin-Rodriguez

Master's Theses

While growing trends in participatory science and public outreach have made science more accessible to publics, science communities and publics have long interpreted science and laboratories as private domains, perpetuating the idea that science is reserved for "experts" and locations for science are deemed "private." Many studies that examine public-science interaction, however, seldom consider the role of space and place. I argue that material spaces shape public-science interactions. My analysis takes place at an institutionalized informal education platform: a hybrid laboratory: a space used by "expert" astronomers to create new visual knowledge and "lay" publics to actively participate in astronomy. …

From Individual Conscience To Parish Culture: A Study Of Two Catholic Parishes In The Archdiocese Of Chicago, Lucas S. Sharma

Master's Theses

The Roman Catholic Church is unique in having a unified set of institutional teachings across one billion people in the world including sixty million American Catholics. However, previous quantitative and qualitative studies in sociology suggest that Catholics are not unified in their beliefs but are actually quite diverse. Additionally, Baggett (2009) suggests that Catholics form distinct parish cultures on the local level, and that these parishes are the location that a majority of Catholics experience their faith. What is not know, however, is how Catholic parishes form cultures, especially around political issues. This study aims to understand exactly this by …

Self-Control As A Determining Factor In Aftercare Compliance And Recidivism Of Sheridan Correctional Center Releasees, Jana R. Krepel

Master's Theses

This study looked to Self–Control Theory to explore relationships between self–control and aftercare completion and recidivism in a cohort of Sheridan Correctional Center releases (N=604). The data set was obtained by Dr. David Olson (Olson & Rozhon, 2011) of Loyola University Chicago. Utilizing an existing inmate evaluation tool, the Client Evaluation of Self and Treatment, a new index of self–control was created, and the scales of this index became the predictor variables. After logistic regression, it was determined that none of the self–control scales were significant predictors of either aftercare compliance or recidivism. In fact, when all variables were considered, …

Treatment Compliance And Recidivism: Following Up On The 2000 Illinois Juvenile Probation Outcome Study, Connor Concannon

Master's Theses

This study examines the relationship between demographics, treatment completion, and recidivism in a cohort of Illinois juveniles discharged from probation. The current study expands on prior research through the examination of recidivism both while on supervision as well as ten years after discharge. Results indicate that while treatment completion is predictive of on-probation arrests, other factors appear to be stronger predictors of post-probation recidivism.

The analyses also provide a baseline to examine the impact of the conditions of probation prior to the implementation of substantive reforms to probation practices in Illinois in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Thus, the …

Gender Inequality And Countries' Responsiveness To Enforcing Human Trafficking Laws: A Cross National Study, Christina Rose Fiorito

Master's Theses

In recent years, government agencies, advocacy groups, and academics have made attempts to address and understand the problem of human trafficking through raising awareness, conducting research and implementing prevention and intervention programs. This study tested whether gender inequality measures, which capture aspects of a country's social and political operations, are related to less governmental efforts to enforce laws against human trafficking, after controlling for other possible explanations for lax enforcement such as poverty, government corruption, political instability and increase of general violence, educational achievement, net migration, and the percent of the country's population living in urban areas.

The data were …

Quiero Ser Alguien En La Vida: Hispanic Women And The Role Of Culture In Educational Attainment, Lupita Maria Pivaral

Master's Theses

There are very few studies that investigate the low educational attainment rates of Latinos, and even fewer that consider the role culture may have on educational attainment. In particular, Latinas have been neglected in academic studies regarding their academic pursuits and performance. This study aims to fill this void in the academic literature. It is based on interviews with 13 Hispanic women who were enrolled in a Chicago area adult high school. The women shared their personal narratives, describing in detail various life events and sharing their thoughts of how these may have lead them to make decisions that ultimately …

When Theory Meets Practice: Challenging Racial Inequality In A Post-Civil Rights Era, Victoria Brockett

Master's Theses

Knowledge about racial inequality is important because it can inform racially just practices. To this end, multiple scholars have shown how racial inequality operates and how it can be challenged in various facets of social life. However, what does challenging racism look like when theory meets practice? Building on racial formation theory, this thesis examines a racial justice organization's (RJO) training and consulting services through the lens of a political project that is rearticulating the meaning of race and thus, the role of race in the social structure. Evidenced by observations and interviews with RJO staff and their clients, this …

The Social Worlds Of Tattooing: Divergent Sources Of Expertise, Lorrie Kathleen Riley

Master's Theses

Since its commercialization and rise to popularity in mainstream culture, tattooing has increasingly become a profession that effectively blends medical regulation and artistic expertise. Although a non-traditional profession sociologically, tattooing is in the process of an occupational shift, moving from the realm of deviant, working-class art to a commercialized industry of consumers' artistic identity expression. While in the process of this shift, tattooing currently borders several social worlds, each of which are vying for control over its practice. Specifically, the social worlds of art, medicine, and legislation are currently colliding in the struggle to define and control of the practice …

Neither Butch Nor Barbie: Negotiating Gender In Women's Roller Derby, Kaley Marissa Mullin

Master's Theses

Using ethnographic methods, I began this project with the goal of understanding the full experience of what it means to be a derby girl. This included examining how the sport dictates performances of gender and how derby girls perform gender on and off the rink. Additionally, I paid special attention to how the women negotiate femininity and beauty. I found that roller derby girls maneuver through the world of gender dichotomies skillfully by means of their actions and words in the derby space. Unlike at the inception of derby, current derby girls engage less consciously with the feminist movement. Instead …

Midwife Or Med-Wife: Examining Emotion Work With Midwifery Students In Clinical Training, Jessica Anna Cebulak

Master's Theses

Midwives follow a holistic philosophy of care that goes beyond just medical intervention, providing support to both mother and family through the various stages of pregnancy and child birth. Yet, there is a lack of research in the US that examines how midwives invest emotion in their work, and the challenges they face when doing so. Drawing on the concept of Arlie Hochschild's (1979) emotion work as a lens for this study, I examine how midwifery students experience and manage emotion when delivering care to patients during clinical training in a large, urban hospital. Using eight qualitative, in-depth interviews with …

The Role Of Language In Shaping The International Cultural Tourism Experience Of Student-Travelers, Avina Ramnani

Master's Theses

This qualitative, exploratory study sought insight into how language affects the cultural tourism experience in the international tourism context. Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews of 13 student-travelers, who traveled with the San Jose State University's study-abroad programs. The analysis of the data was carried out within a socio-linguistic context using grounded theory methods. Findings indicated that travel motivations and the perception of significance of the language spoken at a destination were intimately connected. Further, the desire on the part of the student-travelers to experience the local culture affected the desire for interaction with the host population, which was in …