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Dancing Through Covid: An Ethnographic Exploration Of Exotic Dancers' Experiences During A Pandemic, Danyelle Sturdivant

Anthropology Undergraduate Senior Theses

The novel coronavirus pandemic, quarantine, and social distancing measures affected working conditions for a variety of workers. Exotic dancers were distinctly impacted due to the stigma of their work which, prior to the pandemic, often involved the sale of close-proximity lap dances. This paper explores exotic dancers’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide insight on the unique challenges they faced.

Data were gleaned using ethnographic methods with modifications informed by phenomenology. Existentially-engaged participant observation was performed in a small, Southern strip club, identified here as Flare. Two rounds of formal, recorded interviews were conducted with six exotic dancers, and …

Global Health At The Local Level: Innovative Approaches For Preventing Hiv/Aids Among Adolescent Girls In Botswana With Evidence From An Evaluation Study On Perceptions Of Cross Generational Sex And Edu-Tainment Strategies, Rebecca L. Upton

Sociology & Anthropology Faculty publications

In Botswana, cross-generational sex (CGS) accounts for a disparity in incidence and prevalence rates of HIV infection between young men and women in the country. Ministry of Health quantitative data and ethnographic research indicate that almost one third of college-aged girls in urban cities had high-risk sex with a partner over ten years older in the past year. Described as “Mma 14s” (in the past this was often translated as “mothers at age 14” or “women at 14”) these girls are caught between cultural imperatives that emphasize the “traditional” and global consumption and goals of being a “modern” person. Rates …

Owner Sex And Human–Canine Interactions At The Park, Shelly Volsche, Elizabeth Johnson, Bianca Reyes, Cecelia Rumsey, Kayla Murai, Deisy Landeros

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate if and what types of differences exist between men and women when interacting with their dogs in a “natural” setting. In the case of this study, we defined “natural” as visiting a public park with their dog. To do this, we completed a series of 10-minute focal follows (n = 177) on human–canine dyads at local leashed and off-leash dog parks from December 2018 to March 2019. Data collection included counting incidences of 14 specific interactions (i.e., “baby talks to dog” or “scolds/speaks harshly to dog”), observable demographics (sex of …

From Garlic To Acupuncture: Cultural Models Of Covid-19 In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Molly Eaton

Honors College Theses

Ever since I studied Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in Yunnan, China, I have been curious about it. The cultural and historical aspect of TCM combined with the medical perspective provides a unique concept that is vastly different from Western Medicine (WM). TCM has been practiced for thousands of years in China and surrounding areas. It has seen the rise and fall of kingdoms. It has fought against all types of injuries and illnesses. With the curiosity of TCM combined with the daunting COVID-19, I opted to research how people 3 practice TCM during COVID-19. This research project seeks to understand …

Nationalism In The Age Of Brexit: The Attitudes And Identities Of Young Voters, Emma Wolkenstein

Honors College Theses

The Brexit referendum marked the first time in the United Kingdom when political lines were drawn along distinct generational lines. In 2016, 73% of young people, aged 18-24, and less than 40% of older voters, aged 65 and over, voted to Remain. In comparison, over 60% of older voters and only 27% of young voters voted to Leave (Fig. 1). Voters aged 25 to 64 remained fairly split between two options, but the difference between older and younger generations is incredibly significant (Kelly 2016). Voter differences have historically been between socioeconomic classes; the urban and the rural, the wealthy and …

Vol. 43 No. 2 (2020): Pacific Studies Front Matter, The Jonathan Nāpela Center For Hawaiian And Pacific Islands Studies

Pacific Studies

Front Matter for the Vol. 43, No 2-Dec 2020 edition of the Pacific Studies Journal.

Vol. 43 No. 2 (2020): Pacific Studies Full Issue, The Jonathan Nāpela Center For Hawaiian And Pacific Islands Studies

Pacific Studies

Pacific Studies is published two times a year by The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies, Brigham Young University Hawai‘i #1979, 55–220 Kulanui Street, Lāʻie, Hawai‘i 96762, but responsibility for opinions expressed in the articles rests with the authors alone. Subscription rate is US$40.00 yearly, payable to The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies. The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies (formerly The Pacific Institute) is an organization funded by Brigham Young University Hawai‘i. The Center assists the University in meeting its cultural and educational goals by undertaking a program of teaching, research, and …

A Tale Of Two Sandals: Analysis Of Two Sandals From The Gordon Keller Collection, Emily Morris-Larsen

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This paper presents a comparative analysis of sandals from the Utah State University Museum of Anthropology Gordon Keller collection. The sandals were recovered by Dr. Gordon Keller during fieldwork in southeastern Utah. Through a discussion and analysis of sandal styles and their temporal reaches, how these sandals relate to known specimens and greater Desert West sandal trends is uncovered. One sandal is a plaited vegetable fiber sandal, believed to be yucca. Pending radiocarbon analysis, stylistically the sandal appears to date to approximately 1200 AD. The second is a pair of unusual leather hide sandals, constructed in a shape more common …

100 Maasai Women’S Perspectives On The Impact Of Female Genital Cutting On Social And Economic Wellbeing, Rebecca Vandekemp-Mclellan

Bridges: An Undergraduate Journal of Contemporary Connections

Interviews with 100 Maasai women in Narok District, Kenya, explored FGC, early marriage, and financial autonomy, among other topics. Respondents drew a telling picture of the significant social value that FGC holds for the Maasai communities in this study, namely, that FGC is an initiation ceremony that turns children into adults, and is an eligibility requirement for marriage and childbearing. Not only does circumcision create multiple opportunities for increased social status, but it also represents increases in economic security through its power to bring about marriage and reproduction. The overall perspectives of the women on the FGC procedure itself showed …

Operating At The Edge Of Il/Legality: Systemic Corruption In Mexican Health Care, Rosalynn A. Vega, A. Paulo Maya

Anthropology Faculty Publications

Through a series of ethnographic vignettes, this article examines how providers contribute to corruption in Mexican health care, how providers are themselves subjected to logics of corruption, and the relationship between patients’ and providers’ vulnerability within contexts of resource scarcity. Doctors, faced with insecure salaries due to nonpayment of wages by the government, collude with hospital staff to sell state drugs on the black market. Meanwhile, vulnerable patients are used as teaching opportunities for private school students—with horrifying, and fatal, effects. Palancas (“favors” granted by colleagues and higher-ups to individuals with less authority) and exclusive treatment of recomendados (patients given …

Budaya Penjara, Subkultur Terorisme Dan Radikalisasi: Perspektif Kriminologi Budaya, Laode Arham

Journal of Terrorism Studies

This paper aims to explain how the radicalization of prisoners in correctional institutions (Lapas) occurs through the perspective of Cultural Criminology. Radicalization takes place through a lifestyle and subculture of terrorist prisoners which is supported by the culture and the actual prison system which is the result of the interaction and agreement of the actors. All of the cultural aspects that shape radicalization are part of a unique prison culture, as the subculture of terrorism. By using qualitative methods, research data were collected through observation, interviews and the author's experience in interacting with various actors in several prisons. This paper …

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.

Mission Of Mary Cooperative: Community Engagement Project, Rachel Veneman

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

Mission of Mary Cooperative consists of 6 urban farming plots in the Dayton area. It runs a community supported agriculture program that provides access to fresh produce to people living in the food desert of Dayton. The organization focuses on fostering experiential learning, engaging the community in processes of agriculture and food production, and installing gardens in backyards to allow people to grow their own food.

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.

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 …

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 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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Judaism And Pacifism, Grace Rolfes

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

The research explores and uncovers the truths concerning Judaism and its impacts toward peacemaking. It correspondingly exposes the Jewish relationship towards the choice of nonviolence and the commitment to the common good.

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 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 …

Feminism Within Buddhism, Dallas Johnson, Peder Harvey

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

No abstract provided.