Social Work Commons^™

4 Paws For Ability, Kathleen Schumacher

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

4 paws is a nonprofit organization that trains and places service dogs with children to increase the independence of the child and assist the families.

Why Does This Work Matter? Without volunteers, 4 Paws would be unable to operate as an organization. Kids like the boy to the left who at the age of three was diagnosed with autism and struggles with communication, anxiety, and wandering off would not be able to seek comfort in a service dog.

Islamophobia: An American Conundrum Spurred By Donald Trump’S Executive Order And Political Rhetoric, Mike Lawless

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

The negative rhetoric directed toward Muslims in the United States has largely been focused on Muslim refugees because it allows for a connotation that a radical group is entering the United States.

The Political Dynamic Of The Separation Of The Islamic Church And State, Maya Drayton, Rachel Burton, Caroline Donnelly, Brianna Wolfe, Erika Cambron

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

In this project, we researched the relationship between Islam and the state. We conducted our research by using the University of Dayton databases to find different journals and articles analyzing our topic. We found that the relationship is constantly evolving and depends on where you are located. We also found that Islam has not always been properly investigated and is not as widely understood as it could be.

Big Brothers-Big Sisters: Why Does This Work Matter?, Gianna Panozzo

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

This poster presents what the Big Brothers-Big Sisters nonprofit organization entails, such as what is their mission is, what types of programs they offer, and why BBBS is so important.

Effectiveness Of An Adaptive Magnitude Comparison Ebook At Home, Zachary Yurich, Mary Wagner Fuhs

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

Finding effective technology is important for children’s learning during the pandemic, as families may not have quick access to sufficient high-quality, classroom-like resources.

This project is part of a larger evaluation of the effectiveness of adaptive magnitude comparison eBooks for improving preschoolers’ math skills.

Conflicting Identities: The Lgbtq-Jewish Identity Conflict And How The Jewish Community Is Working To Fix It, Gavin Christy, Sam Crew, Molly Klimo, Peter Sparrow

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

This work studies the identities of Jewish people who are also a part of the LGBTQ community. It examines the conflict that many LGBTQ Jews feel between these two identities and how this conflict decreases these people's involvement in the Jewish community. Looking from the Jewish community side we examine how the Jewish community has responded to this problem and how they are working to better integrate their LGBTQ members into their community.

Feminism Within Buddhism, Dallas Johnson, Peder Harvey

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

No abstract provided.

Religious Views Of Black Lives Matter, Audrey Melton, Allison Zelinskas

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Of Classroom Variables And Academic Achievement Across The Preschool Year, Olivia Leblanc

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

Preschool education is designed to foster school readiness among three to five-year-old children before entering kindergarten. Past research suggests that elements of the classroom, such as quality of teacher-child interactions, can influence the development of academic and social skills during the preschool year. Utilizing data from a longitudinal correlational study, the current study investigates the relationship between classroom variables and academic achievement throughout the preschool year. The findings suggest that there is a significant relationship between classroom variables and student outcomes, which calls for further research investigating the importance of high-quality preschool programs for young children.

Research Questions:

1. What is …

Hindu Views On The Environment, Katie Bardine, Sean Sullivan, Jonathan Sulzer

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

Poster explores five views that influence Hindu views on sustainability and the environment, the first of which is that the ecological consciousness is the way of living in which it respects the environment and the ecological world. A Hindu’s ecological consciousness is well constructed, as a main aspect of the religion is care for the Earth and respect for creation.

Coronavirus' Effect On American Christianity, Daniel Hughes

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

The church has been losing members especially amongst its youth, but the Pew Research Center did a survey on practicing Christians and found that One-quarter of US adults overall (24%) say their faith has become stronger because of the coronavirus pandemic, while just 4% of people say their faith has become weaker. The majority has said their faith hasn’t changed much (67%) and 5% had no comment on the issue.

Religion And The Death Penalty In The United States, Isabel Neal

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

• Catholic Nations are the most likely to advocate for the abolishment the death penalty.
• Observed: Catholics Against Capital Punishment.
• Most religious groups prefer life in prison over the death penalty.
• More religions are now opposed to the death penalty than they were in the past.
• Church attendance may be a factor when it comes to support or opposition of the death penalty.
• Persons who view their deity as compassionate are more likely to be opposed to the death penalty.

Gender Roles In Buddhism, Simone Schuller, Deja Tart, Rebekah Beamer, Kathleen Sebastian

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

No abstract provided.

Springboro And West Carrollton School Districts, Alex Roberts

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

Poster describes my field experiences in the Dayton-area school districts of Springboro and West Carrollton. During my time at each school, I helped students with disabilities and observed a school resource officer and her duties.

Women And Islam: A Look Into Women’S Rights In Islamic Culture, Tristan West

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

No abstract provided.

Religion War: Judaism's Impact On The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Marissa Mark, Richard Morisette, Jennifer Rosio, Jack Willerton

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict has been a major issue since 1948 when the Israelis and Palestinians engaged in a Civil War. One of the driving factors in the conflict is the religious affiliation from each side, with Jewish Israelis clashing with Muslim Palestinians. While religion has been a driving force for hostility, religion can also be seen as a beacon of hope and peace. In our research, we have found that religious affiliation from the Israeli side tends to result in more positive attitudes towards their Palestinian counterparts. In our research, we investigated three major fields: Anthropology, Psychology, and Sociology. By …

Economics And Development In Buddhism, Michaela Kendig, Elizabeth Kolb, Brett Heininger, Patrick Fath

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

Our research focused on the religious tradition, Buddhism and how the teachings and traditions of Buddhism affect work life, economics, and developmental aspects of society.

• How does Buddhism affect women’s careers?
• What developments both economic and other has Buddhism contributed?
• What’s going on in Bodh Gaya?

Misogyny, Islamophobia, And Muslim Supression Internal And Abroad, Seth Longstreth, Maria Zaki, David Quick, Lindsey Coulter, Sophia Locker

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

• Contrary to assumptions of suppression in Islam, female sexual discourse and agency expresses freedom within the faith.
• Homosexual Muslim men face identity suppression.
• While many think Islamophobia hinders Muslims, in many cases it is shown to motivate and propel them.
• While some believe that Muslims have the right to practice their faith they don’t see what they experience daily to make them feel suppressed.
• Islamophobia is the perpetuated form of racism against those who practice the Islamic faith and incorrectly associate them with extremism and violence.

Religion And Racism In The United States, Sebastian Rawl, Kingsford Adjei

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

Through the literary analysis of eight scholarly writings, we sought to answer our research questions and were able to form hypothesis based on the evidence provided by the authors. From there, we formulated ideas on what we think can and should change in the relationship between religion and race relations.

The Academic Achievement Of Dual Language Learning Preschoolers, Madisen Brewer

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

The proposed research is designed to address major deficits in the knowledge regarding the development of dual-language learners in the U.S. preschool setting, including the lack of information about the impact of free choice play with non-dual-language learning peers and the absence of descriptive data on the social interactions that occur during free play as such. The focus of the study is on the dual-language learners’ growth of executive functioning skills and English language development across the preschool year, in relations to their social interactions during free play with non-dual-language learning peers. The participants will be 50 dual-language learning children …

The Impact Of The Buddhist Exile From Tibet And How This Has Impacted Those Exiled And Now Living In Dharamsala., Angelic Edwards-Rojas, Gillian Miller, Andrew Schoen, Daria Harris

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

Psychologists Mercer, Ager and Ruwanpura worked alongside a care project to help the Tibetan refugee community heal with modern techniques while still incorporating their cultural and religious beliefs.

Anthropologist Michael Lampert he reveals that monks seek to imitate the liberal subjects, associated speech genres, and teaching principles of the Dalai Lama and western patrons even as they participate in the “histrionic anger” and punishment in monastic debate and discipline practices reestablished in exile (Makley.

Even though they had experienced trauma, and are still suffering, they do not exert their suffering onto their peers (Sarin).

Desiree Tims Congressional Campaign, Amira Fitzpatrick

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

The purpose of my internship was to gain advocacy experience in a political setting. I interacted with community members in Ohio’s 10th Congressional District including Montgomery, Greene, and Fayette counties.

Although the election did not provide us the results we had hoped to see, I took away some valuable experience in mobilizing the community to vote for issues that impact this district. Throughout this experience I learned more about civic engagement, public policy, and political activism. Additionally, I reflected the team’s norms of respect, transparency, trust, accountability, and ambition for progress.

Covid-19, Politics, And Science In Utah: Executive Summary Of Research Findings, Jessica Ulrich-Schad, Jennifer E. Givens

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Daily life in the United States and Utah has changed considerably since the global outbreak of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus. On March 6th, 2020, Gary R. Herbert, Governor of the State of Utah, declared a “State of Emergency” in response to pandemic. On March 27th the Governor then issued the “Stay Safe, Stay Home” Directive, which was much less strict than the shelter in place orders seen in other states as it simply urged residents to leave home infrequently, stay 6 feet away from others outside the home, and banned private gatherings larger than 20. At the end of April, …

An Examination Of Best Practices For Survey Research With Agricultural Producers, Edem Avemegah, Wei Gu, Abdelrahim Abulbasher, Kristen Koci, Ayorinde Ogunyiola, Joyce Edful, Shuang Li, Kylie Barington, Tong Wang, Deepthi Kolady, Lora Perkins, A. Joshua Leffler, Péter Kovács, Jason D. Clark, David E. Clay, Jessica Ulrich-Schad

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

To improve the economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture, information is needed on how to target research, teaching, and outreach programs. However, conducting survey research in general, and with agricultural producers specifically, is increasingly challenging given issues such as declining response rates and limited resources. While studies examining the best practices for promoting higher response rates exist, few focus explicitly on agricultural producers. In three separate surveys conducted with agricultural producers in South Dakota in 2018 and 2019, we included experiments testing how token pre-incentives, a research partnership, and response mode options impacted response rates. We also examined how sample …

Prostitution During The Pandemic: Findings Show Need For Nordic Model, Debra K. Boyer

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

The impact of COVID-19 on sexually exploited individuals provides an opportunity to advance the Nordic Model approach and create lasting change. Although subject to gender-based violence and denied safety net services, commercially sexually exploited women are seldom seen as a “vulnerable” group in the pandemic. Interviews from social service agencies in Seattle, Washington show women are experiencing more physical and sexual violence from sex buyers and women who have exited prostitution are finding their stability and security in jeopardy. Advocates can make the case to address disparities with safety net guarantees and structural change with the adoption of the Nordic …

Promote Healing And Restore Lives: Clinicians’ Reflections On Their Experiences In Working With Survivors Of Trafficking, Brittany Burch

McNair Scholars Research

Humans are shaped by their personal beliefs, values, and individual philosophies of life. Personal ideologies of humanitarian aid can root a deep desire to provide help and assistance to the vulnerable within our community. This desire often manifests itself specifically in clinicians seeking to provide healing, hope, and restoration in the lives of women and men. (Thullesen, 2019). Human trafficking is a prominent human rights and social justice issue that is embedded within our society. This study focused on clinicians’ experiences and perspectives in working with victims of human trafficking.

The data was collected through interviews of clinicians working directly …

Contested Dam Development In Iran: A Case Study Of The Exercise Of State Power Over Local People, Elham Hoominfar, Claudia Radel

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Student Research

In this article, we address the interaction of the Iranian State, an agent of power, with affected village residents, as four dam projects are planned and implemented. Dams, recently positioned as a green energy source, are a central component to Iran’s national development strategies; yet historically their construction has been a source of significant conflict and resistance around the world. We focus on ten villages facing displacement or partial loss of lands at the time of the research, and we answer the question: During dam building and resettlement processes, how have residents experienced their role in decision making and the …

A Landscape Perspective On Climate-Driven Risks To Food Security: Exploring The Relationship Between Climate And Social Transformation In The Prehispanic U.S. Southwest, Colleen Strawhacker, Grant Snitker, Matthew A. Peeples, Ann P. Kinzig, Keith W. Kintigh, Kyle Bocinsky, Brad Butterfield, Jacob Freeman, Sarah Oas, Margaret C. Nelson, Jonathan A. Sandor, Katherine A. Spielmann

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Spatially and temporally unpredictable rainfall patterns presented food production challenges to small-scale agricultural communities, requiring multiple risk-mitigating strategies to increase food security. Although site-based investigations of the relationship between climate and agricultural production offer insights into how individual communities may have created long-term adaptations to manage risk, the inherent spatial variability of climate-driven risk makes a landscape-scale perspective valuable. In this article, we model risk by evaluating how the spatial structure of ancient climate conditions may have affected the reliability of three major strategies used to reduce risk: drawing upon social networks in time of need, hunting and gathering of …

The Plurality Of Farmers’ Views On Soil Management Calls For A Policy Mix, Michael Braito, Heidi Leonhardt, Marianne Penker, Elisabeth Schauppenlehner-Kloyber, Georg Thaler, Courtney G. Flint

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

While soil degradation is continuing to threaten the global agricultural production system, a common understanding of how to encourage sustainable soil management is missing. With this study, we aim to provide new insights on targeted policies that address the heterogeneity of farmers. We scrutinized the plurality of views on soil management among arable farmers in the Austrian (and European) policy context. To do so, we applied Q methodology, a method that identifies different perspectives on a topic present in a population and analyzes this subjectivity statistically. We interviewed 34 arable land farmers who varied in their farming backgrounds. The results …

La Mera Verdad: Exploring Immigrant Latino Fatherhood, Jessica Martinez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to gain a better understanding of the current experiences of immigrant Latino fathers and their families in Southern California, and to examine the barriers and facilitators that impacted their paternal involvement. The literature suggests that father-absence diminishes the ability of a child to thrive in life and yet immigrant Latino fathers are more at risk of all the factors that lead to father-absence, such as poverty and other added stressors. Likewise, these fathers have been noted to experience a lack of fathering in their childhood, which speaks on generational trauma creating the father wound …