Digital Commons Network^™

Building Communities: Interpreting Oneota And Mississipppian Interaction Through Paleoethnobotanical Analysis At The Morton Village Site (11f2), West-Central Illinois, Kelsey Olivia Nordine

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Archaeological investigations of social interaction at the community level provide insight into the daily lives of past people and the social structures that guide these community-level interactions. This dissertation uses paleoethnobotanical analysis to examine the nature of social identity negotiation and community at the site-level scale, using data from excavations at the Morton Village site (11F2). Morton Village is a Bold Counselor Oneota and Mississippian settlement in the Central Illinois River Valley (CIRV), occupied contemporaneously by both groups in the 14th century and identified as a multiethnic or multicultural village through the presence of two distinct types of ceramic remains. …

The Two Types Of Society: Computationally Revealing Recurrent Social Formations And Their Evolutionary Trajectories, Lux Miranda, Jacob Freeman

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Comparative social science has a long history of attempts to classify societies and cultures in terms of shared characteristics. However, only recently has it become feasible to conduct quantitative analysis of large historical datasets to mathematically approach the study of social complexity and classify shared societal characteristics. Such methods have the potential to identify recurrent social formations in human societies and contribute to social evolutionary theory. However, in order to achieve this potential, repeated studies are needed to assess the robustness of results to changing methods and data sets. Using an improved derivative of the Seshat: Global History Databank, …

The Poetry Of History: Irish National Imagination Through Mythology And Materiality, Ryan Fay

English Honors Theses

The thesis culminates in the twentieth century and yet it begins with the Ulster Cycle, a period of Irish mythological history that occurred around the first century common era. Indeed, since the time frame was before the arrival of the Gaels, Normans, or Christianity, the extent of this mythology’s relevance today is whatever extent it is conceptualized as “Irish.” As such, the first chapter locks onto an aspect that could feasibly transcend time and resonate with modern Irish society: gender. Of course, the epistemological dynamics of gender^[1] in the first-century common era are vastly different than the twentieth century …

Syrian And Lebanese Identity In The American South, Caetlind Moudy

Honors Theses

For Americans of Arab descent, identity can present a number of difficulties to define within the existing ethnic and racial categories of the United States. While several scholars have looked at the ways that Muslims American of Arab descent navigate these categories, less attention has been paid to the complex self-identification Christian Arab Americans, many of whom come from Lebanese and Syrian backgrounds. It is the objective of this thesis to explore how Americans of Syrian and Lebanese descent understand their ethnic, racial, cultural, and national identities as well as how these identities both inform and are informed by religion. …

Cassidy, Frederic Gomes, 1907-2000 (Fa 1375), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1375. Revised questionnaire manual used by field collectors for the Dictionary of American Regional English. The manual was useful for students preparing questionnaires while studying folklore at Western Kentucky University.

Brothers As Men: Masculinity, Homosociality, And Violence Among Fraternity Men, Daniel Mccloskey

University Scholar Projects

A significant aspect of gender study, specifically when dealing with men, is the idea that there is no single masculinity and that there are many different constructions of masculinity. This project engages fraternity men about their constructions of masculinity and how these constructions affect behavior. In addition to these constructions of masculinity, this study is concerned with issues of homosociality and views of sexual violence. This project utilizes research techniques including semi-structured and structured interviews as well as free listing and pile sorting.

Placing Notes In The Virtual “Western Wall”: Online Memorial Culture In Chinese Social Media, Xiaoyu Zhang

Master's Projects and Capstones

Each society has a unique way of understanding death and coping with mourning. The increasing online mourners in China gradually generated a collective reference to the Weibo account that belongs to the dead, the “Western Wall.” This project searches for answers to two questions: 1) What characterizes Chinese online memorial practice? And how do these practices compare with those in the Western countries? 2) What aspects of Chinese culture and social conditions can explain Chinese online memorial practices? By combining corpus analysis with thematic analysis on 1,606 comments left on the last tweet of two accounts of deceased Weibo users, …

Born-Again On Sundays: Exploring Narratives Of Belief And Performances In A Belizean Methodist Church, Katharine Serio

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

If you are only at church services on Sunday and do not actively practice your religious faith every day, are you “born again” every day? Reverend Rebecca Lewis of Wesley Methodist Church in a small town in Belize preaches active participation in the church and encourages her congregation to attend all religious events, pray rigorously, and read the Bible actively, but how does the congregation listen to her and react to her sermons? “Born-Again on Sundays” is an ethnographic account that draws on anthropological theories of belief and vernacular religion, performance and narrative, and poverty and reflexivity to explore the …

Under The Radar: The Everyday Resistance Of Anarchist Punks In Bandung, Indonesia, Steve Moog

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Amidst a current resurgence of hypernationalism across the globe, resistance movements and counterhegemonic ideologies are becoming increasingly visible and more common elements of broader socio-political discourses. While high-profile protests have ignited public interest in resistance movements—turning relatively unknown groups such as Antifa and Black Bloc into household names—little attention has been paid to the behind-the-scenes networks undergirding many of these organizations. Translocal do-it-yourself (DIY) punk rock networks are spaces in which alternative and subversive ideologies are enacted through the everyday implementation of anarchist philosophies and DIY ethics. Here, ‘under the radar’ modes of resistance are found in the lived realities, …

Love In South Korea: Transformations Of Intimacy And Gender Relations In Korean Romantic Relationships, Alex Joseph Nelson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Romantic love holds a central place in South Korean imaginaries, animating television dramas and pop ballads, but has been largely overlooked in Korea's ethnographic record. Drawing on data collected through 18 months of ethnographic fieldwork, survey research, interviews, and analysis of folklore, the present study investigates how South Koreans conceptualize romantic love, how those conceptions have changed over time, and the ways they are transforming with the Korean field of gender relations.

This study documents love's entwinement with marriage in South Korea. Koreans are developing companionate ideals of marriage that shift the focus of kinship from the parent-child relationship to …

Masculinity, Migration, And Forced Conscription In The Syrian War, Kristin V. Monroe

Anthropology Faculty Publications

In this essay, I provide a different perspective on the Syrian conflict by examining how the war’s reach can also be located amid the losses, interruptions, and experiences of those Syrians who have until now largely escaped its incredible violence. By looking closely at how the war has altered the life trajectories of and produced distinct modes of vulnerability for military-age men, I develop an argument about how, although they avoid fighting by going to work in Qatar, the lives of a group of Syrian men remain defined by conscription. Through my investigation of how these men are located in …

Brothers As Men: Masculinity, Homosociality, And Violence Among Fraternity Men, Daniel Mccloskey

Honors Scholar Theses

A significant aspect of gender study, specifically when dealing with men, is the idea that there is no single masculinity and that there are many different constructions of masculinity. This project engages fraternity men about their constructions of masculinity and how these constructions affect behavior. In addition to these constructions of masculinity, this study is concerned with issues of homosociality and views of sexual violence. This project utilizes research techniques including semi-structured and structured interviews as well as free listing and pile sorting.

Acculturative Stress And Aspects Of Well-Being Among Chinese International Students In U.S. Higher Education, Liam G. Lane

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Chinese international students have been the largest demographic of international students in the U.S. for the past decade. In our increasingly globalized world, it is inevitable that more international students will immigrate to the U.S. for educational opportunities, among many others, and it is important to consider the challenges that these students may face, to ease their cultural transition. Already we have seen our world changed by the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic and it is inevitable that this will shape the experiences of all students, let alone international students, in the near future, and possibly the foreseeable future. While …

'Queertility', Daniel Thomas Bixby Sykes

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Daniel Sykes, an Anthropology student at Utah State University used his Honors Capstone opportunity to understand the evolution of reproduction over the course of two semesters. During Fall of 2019, he focused on overviewing what Biological Archaeologists, Biologists, and Chemists understand of the evolution of various forms of reproduction from the distant past. During the Spring, he focused on the cutting edge allopathic research in fertility treatments and some of the social implications. Sykes posits that human society has the opportunity to treat infertility in the queer (lgbtqia+) community, given these up-and-coming treatments, even those forms of infertility that arise …

Analysis Of The Evolution Of The Hominin Jaw & Dentition, Matthew Koelbel

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

The food an organism consumes impacts the evolution of its dentition and facial morphology. As the teeth of early hominins are often some of the only parts of the skeleton to be fossilized, their morphological changes throughout time are better documented and understood than many other body parts. A literature review of articles focusing on the evolution of the dentition and mandibular morphology of members of the tribe Homininae was conducted. We deduced the ways in which tool use and cooking directly affected the teeth of hominins from the late Pleistocene to Pliocene from this information. The tangible ways that …

An Instrumental Study Of Front Oral Monophthongs In Kensiu, Azizan Adilah

Student Works (2020-2029)

This paper acoustically examines the front oral vowels of Kensiu, a highly endangered Austroasiatic language spoken in Peninsular Malaysia. Although there have been initial studies on the phonology of Kensiu, (Bishop, 1996; Burenhult, 2001), these are mainly on the variety spoken in Thailand. This far, there is a lack of studies especially those based on the acoustic analysis. The changes in the sounds of Kensiu are likely to have taken place with increasing contact with the local Malay community in Kedah where the only Kensiu village is located. This paper aims to fill the gap by examining the acoustic properties …

An External Expression Of The Inner Spirit: Dance, Religion, And Taboos In Christianity, Erin E. Ingram

Honors Theses

Dance, religion, and the presence of taboos have each been recognized as what is known throughout the social sciences as “cultural universals.” For example, though not every individual dances, dance can be found in all societies (Brown, 2004). Furthermore, many cultures use dance as part of religious or ritual worship. The following thesis explores possible answers to these three intertwined questions: “Many cultures across the world have developed dances for the purpose of religious or spiritual rituals and celebrations. Does dance as a form of expression stem from a biological, spiritual, or cultural need? Why do cultures turn to dance …

Konstruksi Maskulinitas Dalam Penari Balian Bawo Dayak Deah, Tri Sulapmi Dolina Ikeh, Aquarini Priyatna, Muhammad Adji

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Balian Bawo dancer is an important figure in the traditional ceremony of the Dayak Deah tribe. A Balian Bawo is believed to be the link between humans and spirits. This dance should only be performed by a man. One representation of Dayak life is presented in the body of the dancer. This study has a qualitative design and examines the representation of masculinity that is manifested in the body of Balian Bawo dancers. Data collection was conducted by compiling photo and video documentation which was then analyzed using the theory of denotation semiotics and Roland Barthes connotations. The results of …

Pemberontakan Komunis Silungkang 1926–1927 Sebuah Gerakan Islam Revolusioner, Amri Marzali

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

This article discusses what was called by the Dutch Colonial Government as ‘The Communist Uprisings of 1926-1927’. Instead of ‘the communist uprisings’, the writer tends to call this people’s resistance as ‘the Revolutionary Islamic Movement’. The writer finds the facts in which the dominant organization involved in the uprising was Sarekat Islam, a spilt faction of Sarekat Islam. The correction is based on different documents and reports, namely the resources issued by the colonial government, books written by political researchers of the West and by a local historian such as Mestika Zed, books and articles written by the local Silungkang’s …

Penerjemahan Novel Dracula Karya Bram Stoker Dari Bahasa Inggris Ke Dalam Bahasa Indonesia: Kasus Pengalihan Skema Budaya Divergen, Doni Jaya

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Divergent cultural schema (DCS) is a collection of cultural knowledge required to interpret a text, which is assumed to be present in source readers (SR) but absent in target readers (TR). DCS typically takes the form of a highly concise source text without any sufficient information, so the translator applied various strategies. Bram Stoker’s Dracula, consisting of its English source text (ST) and Indonesian target text (TT), was chosen as data source due to its strong Victorian-European setting which contains many potential DCS. Data analysis generated several categories of results. The first is units of analysis (n = 758) which …

Penelusuran Jejak Islam Di Belitung, Wahyu Rizky Andhifani, Nor Huda Ali

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

One of the islands in Indonesia which has both tourist and mining interests is Belitung Island. Belitung Island is an island between Kalimantan Island and Bangka Island. The history of Belitung is said to have existed since the time of the Majapahit Kingdom, while in the Islamic Belitung era it had four kingdoms, namely: the Balok Kingdom (the oldest and largest), Belantu Kingdom, Badau Kingdom, and Buding Kingdom. This study aims to reveal the existence of Islam on Belitung Island, and this is because Belitung Island has many Islamic treasures, some of which have not been disclosed. This research uses …

Diplomasi Budaya Indonesia Dan Rusia Dalam Lirik Lagu Rayuan Pulau Kelapa Dan Versi Rusia Pesnja Ostrova Pal’M, Edelleit Rose Widyatmoko, Hendra Kaprisma

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

The focus of this study is the aspects of cultural diplomacy in Pesnja Ostrova Pal’m, Russian version of Rayuan Pulau Kelapa. This song was translated into Russian in 1957 by Vladimir Korchagin as an editor at the Central Studio of Documentary Film, with language formulation according to Russian perspective. As a major theory, this study uses Norman Fairclough’s three-dimension critical discourse analysis theory approach (1997, 2003, and 2013)—text analysis, discursive practice, and social practice. The result of the study shows that the language transfer between Rayuan Pulau Kelapa and Pesnja Ostrova Pal’m was a major contribution to cultural diplomacy between …

Kajian Sosio-Historis Tentang Pandangan Dunia Atoni Pah Meto Dalam Ritus Poitan Liana, Kristian E.Y.M Afi, Maglon F. Banamtuan

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

This article describes the world view of the people of South Central Timor Regency regarding Atoni Pah Meto in the Poitan Liana Rite. With qualitative descriptive methods, the paper formulated (1) Poitan Liana Rite means the kinship displayed in the role of Atoin Amaf in belief in Uis Neno, Uis Pah, and the ancestors through symbolic actions and speech; (2) Timorese view their life as an integral part of supernatural life, and the continuation of people’s lives in harmony between social order and cosmic order. Uis Neno, Uis Pah, and Ancestors are believed to be a supernatural power involved in …

The Emergence Of Anti-Hate Speech Activism In Japan: The Relevance Of Critical Race Theory’S Sociological Implications, Bachtiar Alam

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

As concern over hate speech grows into a global issue (Haraszti 2012), a recurring question confronting every democratic society is how it should restrict discriminatory speech without infringing upon the universally accepted principle of free speech. Japan’s recent experience in coping with growing hate speech presents a valuable case study. The country had staunchly protected the free speech principle enshrined in the post-World War II constitution and consistently been disinclined to pass any law that regulates hate speech. This, however, has changed dramatically in the last few years. The incidence of hate speech targeting ethnic Koreans exploded around 2012, which …

Birth Across Borders: Migueleña Maternal Experience In Palm Beach County, Florida, Inbal Mazar

Maya America: Journal of Essays, Commentary, and Analysis

Dangers for pregnant Maya women in San Miguel Acatán, a highland hamlet in Huehuetenango, Guatemala are exceptionally high. Those who migrate to Palm Beach County, Florida also face significant risks during pregnancy. However, conceptualizing migrants as vulnerable and non-agentive dismisses the opportunity to explore other dimensions of migrant women experiences. Interviews with Migueleña mothers and midwives and health professionals and advocates in both regions revealed resilience strategies Migueleña migrants create and employ as they navigate linguistically and culturally foreign medical systems. The support they provide each other results in more positive maternal experiences under arduous circumstances. Over time, Migueleñas are …

Maya-Americanos En Casa: Los Efectos De La Migración De Guatemala A Los Eeuu En La Región Kaqchikel, Joyce Bennett, Ambrocia Cuma

Maya America: Journal of Essays, Commentary, and Analysis

Este artículo se trata de que significa ser Maya durante y después de migración a los EEUU desde el área Kaqchikel de Guatemala. Utilizando entrevistas con emigrantes retornados, historias de vida, e otras evidencias etnográficas, señalamos como la vida americana se integra en comunidades Kaqchikeles mayas tras procesos transnacionales. Sugerimos que los resultados de una vida maya-américa se integran en las comunidades de origen en formas que no son tan obvias pero que sí tienen impacto en la vida maya en los pueblos de origen. Por ejemplo, consideramos las relaciones de género dentro de casas en cual alguien se ha …

Western Kentucky University Archives Of Folklore And Folklife Manual (Fa 1373), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1373. Manual titled “Folk Speech Section of WKUAFF,” created to provide organization and conventions for the collection of student folk projects created by folk studies students for the WKU Archives of Folklore and Folklife or the Folklife Archives. The manual includes survey sheets with responses from a brief questionnaire about vocabulary, dialect, and linguistics across Kentucky. This collection also includes questionnaires from other student projects used to gather vocabulary about a particular subject, i.e. mules, quilting, folk songs, remedies, etc.

Tracing The Cultural Influence And Linguistic Journey Of 4 Mind-Related Science Fiction Words, Hannah Rose Langsdorf

Honors College Theses

Many commonly used words in the English language originated in science fiction or else have been popularized by use in science fiction works. This paper examines the historical, linguistic, and cultural voyage of four words: empath, hive mind, hypnopaedia, and mindlink. These four words are all related to the mind and parapsychology. Magazines, books, and materials from Google books are examined to trace the journey of these words through science fiction and out into the “real world”, if they make it there. Google Ngram is the central tool in this research. The paper examines Ngram graphs and attempts to explain …

Neshnabé Futurisms: Indigenous Science And Eco-Politics In The Great Lakes, Blaire Kristine Topash-Caldwell

Anthropology ETDs

In the wake of global climate change anthropological work in Indigenous contexts has focused on crisis intervention. Well-intentioned scholarship has emphasized how climate change disproportionately affects Indigenous communities but in the process has also erased Native voice and agency—deleting them from the future all together. In this dissertation I argue that ecological revitalization projects by tribes, Women’s Water Walks from the ceremonial Midéwiwin Lodge, and Indigenous science fiction media together constitute “Neshnabé futurisms” that challenge or disrupt these dominant narratives. Neshnabé futurisms guide Native American ecologists, theorists, and activists in the Great Lakes region in mitigating and surviving ecological destruction …

Baton Rouge Slam!: An Obituary For Summer 2016: A Critical Performance Ethnography Of Eclectic Truth Poetry Slam, Joshua Hamzehee

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This critical performance ethnography presents the theory, methodology, and practice surrounding the fieldwork, scripting, and performance of Baton Rouge SLAM!: An Obituary for Summer 2016. As participant-observer, director, and co-performer, I unpack social drama, performance ethnography, and slam culture by employing a lens rooted in critical race theory. Local poets permitted me to de- and re-contextualize their interviews into ensemble scenes and theatricalize their slam poems about the recent summer’s charged events. One year later, this involved and embodied process of ethnographic bricolage became the ensemble cast performance of Baton Rouge SLAM!: An Obituary for Summer 2016. Community members and …