Sociology Commons^™

Pride Week Event Schedule, 2024, Office Of Diversity And Inclusion

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

2024 Pride Week Schedule running from March 25 to March 30, 2024.

Observance Of Religious Holidays: Ramadan, John C. Volin, Robert Q. Dana

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Observance of Religious Holidays/Events: The University of Maine recognizes that when students are observing significant religious holidays, some may be unable to attend classes or labs, study, take tests, or work on other assignments.

Franco Gathering, 2024 : Rassemblement, 2024, University Of Maine Franco-American Programs

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Every year, Franco American Programs organizes a “rassemblement” or gathering of Franco American artists, writers, and creatives. This annual event aims to create a culturally supportive space in which members of the Franco-American creative community can share their work.

Disclosing A Disability At Work: Respect, Discrimination, And The Ethics Of Informal Attitudes, Honors College, Department Of Philosophy

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Adam Cureton is an internationally recognized disability scholar and activist who specializes in ethics and the philosophy of disability. His books, which draw on his own experiences as a legally blind person, include Disability and Disadvantage, Disability in Practice, The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy and Disability, and the forthcoming Respecting Disability. He founded and served as president of the Society for Philosophy and Disability and helped to create the American Philosophical Association’s Committee on the Status of Disabled People. He is a Rhodes Scholar and currently serves as the Lindsay Young Professor of Philosophy at the University of Tennessee.

Spring 2024 Dei Training For Umaine Employees, Office For Diversity And Inclusion, Taylor Matthew Ashley

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Office for Diversity and Inclusion is excited to invite you to join us at our Spring 2024 training sessions! These trainings are intended for all UMaine Community Members, which includes: Students, Staff, and Faculty.

Home In The Dawnland: Sense Of Place And Eco-Cultural Relations In The Penobscot River Valley, Kate Kemper

Honors College

In a world where a deep disconnect between humans and nature is commonplace, this thesis is motivated by a personal interest in reconnecting with the more-than-human world. The purpose of this project is to explore my own sense of place and lived experience on the land we’ve called Maine and the Dawnland, and to strengthen my relationship to this land through a co-creative artistic practice. It draws on the historic context of the land, as it has been stewarded by Penobscot people, to investigate existing human-land relationships in the area, and attempts to honor Indigenous perspectives. The praxis for the …

Endangered Whales Still Get Tangled In Fishing Gear: Let’S Change The Way We Approach The Problem, Tora Johnson

Maine Policy Review

The Gulf of Maine lobster industry has been roiled by conflict over whale entanglement for decades. With fewer than 350 North Atlantic right whales remaining, federal regulators are again seeking to implement new measures to protect them from tangling in fishing gear, while the lobster industry faces myriad challenges. My 2005 book Entanglements examined the complex and fraught debate between whale advocates and fishermen. Each side believed the other was inherently evil, greedy, and unduly powerful. Of course, the truth lay somewhere between. Between them were the brave souls who went to sea to wrestle fishing gear off of entangled …

Understanding Occupational Injury And Substance Use Issues Among Workers In The Shellfish And Lobster Industries, Tora Johnson, Katherine Weatherford Darling, Debra Kantor, Joseph Spiller, Oliver G. Jones, Lois-Ann Kuntz, Tara Casimir, Amy Dowley, Greyson Kurtz, Lauren Sachs, Linda Silka, Bridie Mcgreavy

Maine Policy Review

In 2022, American lobster (Homarus americanus) and softshell clam (Mya arenaria) harvests contributed $283 million to Downeast Maine’s economy, employing thousands of harvesters. Harvesting is grueling work. Pain from work-related injuries precedes most opioid deaths, and workers in fisheries are disproportionately at risk. Harvesters are typically self-employed and often uninsured or underinsured, complicating access to care. Prior studies have focused on injury risk or drug use among harvesters without revealing how injury, pain and substance use intertwine with cultural, social and regulatory factors. This study examined the socio-ecologically embedded injury/ pain/ substance use process with surveys of harvesters (n=106) and …

Harnessing The Power Of Storytelling And Storylistening: Fostering Challenging Conversations In Coastal Communities, Holly E. Parker Phd

Maine Policy Review

As sustainability practitioners we often spend our time in vibrant echo chambers. We’re invigorated by debates about how to support just and sustainable communities and environments. But what happens outside that echo chamber? What happens when we meet a neighbor, a colleague or a decisionmaker who doesn’t share our urgency for action? Do we go it alone as we seek to make change? Or do we need to build new, unexpected partnerships? In a time when technology and political and social divisiveness make it easy to dismiss the other, it is vital that we build pathways to understanding opposing points …

Maine Monsters: How Indigenous And Non-Indigenous People Perceive Environmental Monstrosity, Cheyenne Hebert

Honors College

Wilderness is a creation of the human mind. Wilderness reflects our desires, fears, and truest selves—therefore within it we often find monsters. The application of monstrosity to the natural world is an act of projection and an accumulation of the cultural and historical influences that shape the perceiver. It’s often a reflection of religion—e.g. European gods associated with agriculture, while their monsters and demons roam the woods—and varies across peoples. This thesis seeks to understand how people create and assign monstrosity from their own mind to the environment around them, and in turn how they perceive it. Specifically, it explores …

The Histories We Inherit: Concordia's Reckoning With The Pasts Of Its Founding Institutions, University Of Maine Canadian-American Center

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

A University of Maine alumnus, Professor Graham Carr is president and vice-chancellor of Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. A historian by training and a long-time leader in higher education in Canada, Carr returns to his alma mater to explore the role universities can and should play in addressing the legacy of colonialism and anti-Black racism on campuses and in greater society. He will explore two case studies from Concordia’s recent history: a formal apology it issued for the role systemic racism played in student protests and their aftermath in 1969 as well as its response to the role two religious …

2023 Robert Talbot Civil Rights Speaker Series, University Of Maine Alumni Association, Greater Bangor Area Branch Naacp

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Promotional email for "Maine's Path to Inclusion and Equity: Navigating the Challenges and Opportunities Ahead." The 2023 Robert Talbot Civil Rights Speaker is Rachel Talbot Ross, a highly respected, Maine-based Civil Rights advocate and leader. Talbot Ross is the first Black woman to serve in the Maine Legislature, and has been the Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives since December 2022, making her the highest ranking African-American politician in Maine history.

Indigenous Research Methodologies Conference, Wabanaki Center, Native American Programs

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Flyer promoting the October 24, 2024, Indigenous Research Methodologies Conference on the University of Maine campus. The conference features keynote speaker, Dr. Elizabeth Sumida Huaman, an indigenous scholar focusing on indigenous knowledge systems and place-based education, indigenous rights, and decolonial research design.

The Disposal Mode Of Maine’S Waste Governance, Travis Blackmer, Brieanne Berry, Michael Haedicke, Cindy Isenhour, Susanne Lee, Jean Macrae, Deborah Saber, Erin Victor

Maine Policy Review

Maine’s materials management system is stuck in a disposal mode of waste governance. Despite significant investments in programs and policies designed to reduce the amount of waste the state buries each year, recent shocks and uncertainties have resulted in increased waste generation and disposal. This paper analyzes specific ways through which materials management in Maine has become locked in to a disposal mode of waste governance. We build a framework to help understand various forms of lock-in and how they might be unlocked. This framework is applied to the extended producer responsibility packaging law that is presently under the rule-making …

A Social And Ecological Approach To Mosquito Species Distribution Across Land Use In Bangor, Maine, Megan L. Schierer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mosquitoes are ubiquitous pests and infectious disease vectors. However, not all mosquito species bite humans, or are competent pathogen vectors between bloodmeal hosts. Along with climatic variables like temperature and rainfall, mosquito species distribution is determined by aquatic habitat availability for juvenile mosquito development, and terrestrial habitat and host availability for adult mosquitoes. There is variation in the preferred aquatic habitat for gravid female oviposition and subsequent larval development. Some mosquito species’ oviposition and development are associated with ephemeral water sources (e.g., floodplains), others prefer more permanent water sources (e.g., bogs or vernal pools). Other mosquitoes have evolved to occupy …

Ums Name Usage Policy, Ums Associate Vice Chancellor For Student Success And Credential Attainment

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

On May 8, 2023, Vice Chancellor Rosa Redonnett announced the final revisions to the updated UMS Name Usage Policy and FAQs. The policy was revised to minimize barriers, which includes student entry of a preferred/chosen name being available as a simple self-service option in MaineStreet, and a one-time fee waiver the first time a new campus ID card is requested with a preferred/chosen name.

The Impacts Of Covid-19 On Friendship Reciprocity In Adolescents, Tori Lucia

Honors College

The current study looks at how COVID-19 affected adolescents’ interpersonal relationships due to safety restrictions. Adolescent friendships are particularly important in adolescence (Yu and Deutsch, 2021; Adler & Adler, 1995; Parker et al, 2006). Emerging research suggests that interpersonal relationships were impacted during COVID-19 (Shoshani & Kor, 2022), but there is more to understand about precisely how adolescent friendships were impacted. Specifically, it is not known whether the onset of the pandemic impacted the number of reciprocated friendships, the stability of reciprocation in best friendships, and both positive and negative friendship quality in adolescents’ lives. The current study tests whether …

Office For Diversity And Inclusion Newsletters, Spring 2023, Anila Karunakar, Office Of Diversity And Inclusion

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

A compilation of Spring 2023 weekly, email newsletters from the Office for Diversity and Inclusion.

Evidence-Based Family Strengthening Training In Maine: A Resource Assessment And Proposal To Reduce Barriers And Increase Facilitators, Elaine Thomas

Honors College

The purpose of this research is to conduct a resource assessment of family strengthening training programs in the state of Maine. The primary focus of the resource assessment is to identify the agency and provider-level barriers and facilitators that impact their capacity to provide caregivers with awareness of and access to programs. Prior to presenting the resource assessment, this thesis reviews data about key child and family issues in Maine and examines how family strengthening training is applied as an evidence-based tool to prevent child maltreatment, foster healthy attachments within the family, and nurture positive caregiving skills. The methodologies used …

Incel Bonding: Masculinity And Storytelling In Online Misogynist Spaces, Gunnar Eastman

Honors College

The incel subculture, short for “involuntary celibate,” is one that exists mostly online, but boasts a relatively large number of dedicated members. The goal of this research is to determine how the incel subculture shares their ideology and develops a sense of group identity. The study reviewed 76 threads of posts across two incel forum websites, and was able to conduct three interviews of members from one of those sites. That content was analyzed iteratively for cohesive themes. Several themes emerged, chief among them was the activity of storytelling, which appeared to be done in three different major ways, with …

Community Science In Support Of Ecosystem-Based Management: A Case Study From The Damariscotta River Estuary, Maine, Usa, Sarah C. Risley, Kara E. Pellowe, Melissa L. Britsch, Meredith M. White, Heather M. Leslie

Maine Policy Review

Coastal marine ecosystems are dynamic social-ecological systems (SESs) that support diverse ecosystem services and human activities. The complexity of SESs means that ecosystem-based approaches are increasingly used to support coastal marine ecosystem stewardship. We report how a community science program in Maine, USA offers a model of organizational innovation to expand capacities for shellfish research and management. Since 2019, we have collaborated with local students, shellfish harvesters, and others in data collection, interpretation, and application, contributing to local shellfish management and ecosystem sustainability. We demonstrate how community-based social and ecological research can build adaptive capacities by centering local knowledge; generating …

Educating Dietetics Students About The Nutritional Concerns Of Older Adults, Lily Brickman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The percentage of individuals in the United States who fall within the 65 years and older cohort is anticipated to increase substantially over the next decade due to the large baby boomer generation aging into this category by 2030. Consequently, the healthcare demands of older adults are expected to increase, and medical and healthcare providers must be educated and prepared to meet the unique needs of this population. The purpose of this study is to help learn why interest in FSN 406 Nutritional Care of Older Adults has been so low since its inception in 2020, and whether other institutions …

S7e8: What Is The Legacy And Future Of The Climate Change Institute?, Ron Lisnet, Paul A. Mayewski, Daniel Sandweiss, Cynthia Isenhour

The Maine Question

The nation’s first multi- and inter-disciplinary research institute to study Earth’s recent and long-term climate variability was founded in 1972 at the University of Maine. That institute, now known as the Climate Change Institute, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, a milestone that honors the many groundbreaking discoveries its scientists have made in the field of climate science.

CCI have scientists first mapped the difference between climate during the Ice Age and today in the 1970s; discovered the importance of marine-based ice sheets in the 1980s; connected acid rain to human causes in the mid-1980s; uncovered the concept of …

Office For Diversity And Inclusion Newsletters, Fall 2022, Anila Karunakar, Office Of Diversity And Inclusion

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

A compilation of Fall 2022 weekly, email newsletters from the Office for Diversity and Inclusion.

S7e3: What’S It Like To Be An Archaeologist?, Ron Lisnet, Daniel Sandweiss

The Maine Question

Daniel Sandweiss’s archaelogy career doesn’t mirror depictions of those in movies like “Indiana Jones,” but for him, it’s been equally as exciting. Over the years, Sandweiss, a University of Maine professor in the Anthropology Department and Climate Change Institute, has uncovered extensive evidence into how ancient civilization dealt with natural disasters, such as climate change, and how they adapted to living in a desert environment next to a rich fishery. His passion, coupled with a commitment to student success, inspired many who took his classes to advance their studies and pursue careers in archaeology.

In this week’s episode of “The …

Socio-Economic Resilience Of Natural Resource Dependent Communities, Gabrielle Sherman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Resilience is described as the ability of a system to absorb shocks and stressors while retaining functionality. Within the context of communities, shocks may consist of disruptive events such as recession, natural disaster, local losses of industry, and social unrest. Resilience therefore is the ability of a community to continuously support human well-being in the aftermath of such an event. Although it is observable that certain communities perform this function better than others following a shock, no exact measurement of resilience exists. Instead, its presence is implied through the measurement of proxies known to contribute to socio-economic condition as well …

Assessment Of Historical Climate Variability In Maine With Implications For Future Agricultural Productivity And Adaptation, Carly Frank

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Climate change is a wicked problem with global impacts, one of which being the sustainability of the existing global food system. As temperatures and variability in precipitation are projected to increase, the challenges to agriculture are expected to intensify. This thesis examines the Maine historical climate record over the growing season, in combination with future projections, to assess how conditions have changed and will change with agricultural implications. In this analysis, relevant climatic variables are analyzed, and agriculture-significant measures are derived for Maine’s three climate divisions using four decades of daily and monthly gridded datasets. In addition, this thesis explores …

Research Skills Combining Microbes And Social Equity (Avs 590-0980), Sue Ishaq, School Of Food And Agriculture

General University of Maine Publications

To understand a microbiome, you must learn about the bustling community of microorganisms and the complex ecosystems they live in, because one cannot exist without the other. So, too, does microbiome research rely on understanding the lives and ecology of humans, because there is no aspect of human life which does not involve microbes in some way. To become better microbiome researchers, we must understand social and environmental contexts which affect humans and, in many cases, prevent them from making choices which result in beneficial microbial exposures. This symposium will focus on developing research skills to create transformative research, including …

Miss Usa Meets Feminism: A Qualitative Study Exploring Contestants' Thoughts On Feminism, Julia Van Steenberghe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore pageant contestants’ thoughts on feminism. A total of 12 of the 51 state titleholders who had competed in the 2020 Miss USA Competition were interviewed. They were recruited through letters sent to individual State Pageant Directors of Miss USA. The objective of the study was to gain an understanding of how women who compete in beauty pageants view their participation in light of feminism. The focus of the interviews centered on their motivations for participating, pageantry support for feminist ideals, their own self-identification as a feminist, and any criticism they may …

Outdoor Pursuits And Outdoor Learning At Rural Maine Schools: A Positive Outlier Approach, Lauren E. Jacobs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the barriers and facilitators to outdoor learning and outdoor pursuits (OPs) in some of the most rural isolated K-12 schools in Maine. The purpose was to understand why some of these schools incorporate a lot of OPs and outdoor learning into their curriculum while other schools do not. Outdoor pursuits and outdoor learning in school settings are worthy of study because they provide students with opportunities to increase physical activity, benefit from time in nature, and make important connections to local culture (Lim et al., 2017; Schafft, 2016; Trembley et al., 2015).

This study employed a comparative …