Digital Commons Network^™

Know Thyself: A History Of Ancient Neuroscience, Alex Delano

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Neuroscience is often described as one of the youngest bodies of science, but documented study of the brain begins as early as the Neolithic period. The ancient Mediterranean was a hub for science, mathematics, philosophy, and literature, all disciplines necessary for the study of the brain. Evidence of neurosurgical procedures like trepanation and craniotomy began in the Neolithic period and were practiced and improved upon throughout the ancient Mediterranean. The first detailed studies on brain anatomy were carried out in the 3^rd century BCE in Greece which created a necessary structure for future scientists to build on. While many …

Second Language Acquisition For Adults, Sara Santos Costa

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The process of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) has been explored by several scholars, who start with fundamental questions such as: “Does second language acquisition work in the same way as first language acquisition?” “What are the differences in the processes each individual experiences?” “Is it possible to become fluent in a second language at an older age?” This paper aims to show some key research conducted on this topic and provide a clear understanding of the processes that second language learners face.

This paper will delve into three main approaches to SLA: Behaviorist Theory, Universal Grammar (UG) and Interactionist Theory. …

Witch Aesthetics In Film Music & Sound, 1927-2024: A Queer Feminist Analysis, Lisa Pollock Mumme

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The witch persists across long spans of time and location. She is an unruly archetype, existing to trouble boundaries and power. However, the witch also emerges as a character with whom people identify, emphasizing her incredible flexibility as a signifier. I establish my intervention in the study of the witch as a cultural figure from the standpoint of sound and music studies. Based on my study of more than 140 films between 1927-2024, I argue that the witch is a profoundly musical and sonic creature, particularly as markers of her presence and power. I build on Carol Clover's work on …

Womanist Pedagogy And Teaching Preaching: Black Women Preachers As Sources For Pedagogical Reflection, Courtney Buggs

Sermon Studies

The preaching classroom is a place of exploration, interrogation, and reflection. For Black preaching women, it is also a place for deep introspection and wrestling with questions of self-identity, religious authority, and theological (un)certainty. In this essay I show how womanist pedagogy functions to intervene and disrupt harmful assumptions in the preaching classroom, such as who can preach, who should preach, and how preachers engage with Scripture. Using Black women preaching students as sources for reflection, I explore political clarity, risk taking, teaching with tenderness, active listening, and instructional agility, to aid womanist-informed pedagogues in attending to the range of …

The Political Economy Of Namibian Development, William A. Lindeke

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Un Treatment Of Multiple Oppressions: A Black Feminist Perspective, Stanlie James

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

South African Land Policy: The Legacy Of History And Current Options, Hans P. Binswanger, Klaus Deininger

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

State Capacity And Integrity At The Local Level: A Case Study Of Business And Trade Associations In Kano, Nigeria, John Lucas

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents And Front Matter, Bjur Staff

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Examining The Connections Between Gender, Identity, And Land In Leslie Marmon Silko’S Ceremony And Rudolfo Anaya’S Bless Me, Ultima, Denise Perez

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the representation of gender, identity, and land in the novels Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko and Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya. To understand the role of gender in the novels, women are analyzed as sources of salvation and refuge for men. The male protagonists seek a “cure” or an understanding of themselves, and they are only able to achieve this through the nurturing of the women in their lives. This thesis also examines how the male protagonists develop their masculinity through the formation of a bond with the Earth, their homeland, and nature. In Ceremony and …

Post-Truth Rhetoric And Its Correlation To Social Media In The 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, Emi Thomas

English (MA) Theses

In this study, I investigated the relationship between post-truth rhetoric and popular social media posts made by public figures during the 2024 United States presidential election. I focused on which topics and posts received the most or least engagement during the election, and theorized whether post-truth rhetoric impacted the popularity of the posts. In my results, I found that the effectiveness of post-truth rhetoric varied by the political topic it was addressing. The results of this study conclude that post-truth rhetoric is not always inherently unethical. Further, studying post-truth rhetoric for the purpose of understanding why it is used and …

Unheard Dissonance: An Examination Of Disability Representation In Horn Repertoire, Macy N. James

Music Undergraduate Honors Theses

In recent years, diversity has come to the forefront of many discussions within western art music. Several organizations have been founded to promote the inclusion and representation of musicians of various genders, races, backgrounds, and ethnic roups, but disability is often left out of these conversations. Due to the barriers continually faced by composers and musicians with disabilities, their voices are seldom heard within horn repertoire. However, several works for horn exist which represent disability programmatically, both by disabled and non-disabled composers. In this presentation, I will examine the musical representations of disability in these works as it relates to …

The Prescribing Of Gender, A Scope On The Societal Ideologies Showcased Within Le Roman De Silence, Derrian Fernandez

Master's Theses

Culture is constantly evolving, its ideologies cementing themselves within our minds, shaping how we as a society guide ourselves through living in such. Social class, religion, gender, all are forms of identity that have a place, and a certain understanding and standing within our culture and society. Through this understanding of ourselves, we are defined, creating multiple forms of distinct expression to help differentiate our place further. A pope is expected to wear a certain attire just as a bride is expected to. The same ideology trickles down, creating demarcations of attire that subsequently ingrain themselves into our culture and …

Feral And Free: The Queering Of Motherhood In Rachel Yoder’S Nightbitch, Cassandra Haskell

Master's Theses

This thesis explores motherhood from a perspective that seeks to inform and challenge the patriarchal definitions of motherhood in order to simultaneously confront its restrictions and create new meanings from its institutionalized definition. The main text that this thesis analyzes is the 2021 novel Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder, as well as the 2024 film of the same name, critiquing how it successfully queers motherhood by questioning, challenging, and defying the impractical expectations placed upon mothers by society. Some secondary scholars whose works that I utilize to support my argument are authors such as Audre Lorde, Jessica Calarco, Adrienne Rich and …

The Struggles For Equality And Democracy In Modern China: Which Was More Influential?, Angelina K. Lambros

Publications and Research

This paper analyzes the struggles for democracy and equality in modern China, from the fall of the Qing Dynasty to the Tiananmen Square movement. It considers which struggle was more influential, evaluating the recurring theme of a fight for democracy in China since the New Culture Movement, and a quest for social and economic equality that Mao and the Chinese Communist Party committed themselves to. Ultimately, the paper concludes that the struggle for democratic norms and institutions was always present among the Chinese people, but it did not succeed in pushing the government or the Party to adopt political reforms. …

Understanding The Lived Experiences And Sense Of Belonging Of Bipoc Lgbtqia+ College Students At Urban Institutions Of Higher Education, Kayla M. Bassknight

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study explores the lived experiences and sense of belonging of college students who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA+) at urban higher education institutions. Using Meyer’s minority stress model, Crenshaw’s intersectionality theory, and Strayhorn’s belonging framework, the study investigates how students’ intersecting identities shape their college experiences. Through an instrumental case study design, the research focuses on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by BIPOC LGBTQIA+ students, particularly the role of co-curricular engagement and institutional agents in fostering belonging. Eleven individual interviews and two focus …

La Barrera Lingüística Del Sistema De Salud Para Los Hispanohablantes En Eeuu, Emma Rose

CURCI Student Research

Español

El sistema de salud es lo suficiente difícil para los pacientes que hablan el idioma. Con el seguro médico, los valores conflictivos de los pacientes y los médicos, la pérdida de control, estar en el hospital es un desafío. Ahora imagine que si no pueda entender el idioma del hospital. Para la gente que no entiende inglés hay dos barreras lingüísticas: el idioma y lenguaje médico. La barrera del idioma causa mucho daño, a corto como a largo plazo, a estos pacientes que no pueden entender. Hispanos que no hablan inglés reciben menos calidad de cuidado.

English

This presentation …

Newgarth Revisited: Using Fuller’S Framework To Examine Two Modern Theories Of Statutory Interpretation, Gwyneth Millican

Honors College Theses

Published in 1949, Lon L. Fuller’s The Case of the Speluncean Explorers is widely renowned as a “classic in jurisprudence” for its artful presentation of different legal philosophies, such as natural law and positivist law.¹ In this paper, I revisit Professor Fuller’s Newgarth in order to examine a similar relationship between two popular theories of constitutional and statutory interpretation: originalism and pragmatism.² Drawing from Professor Fuller’s framework, I use fictional opinions to highlight the ways in which originalism and pragmatism can both be used to fall on either side of the opinion. I also place these opinions within …

Mandatory Bliss, Jocelyn Reid

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mandatory Bliss is an exhibition of sculptural objects that discuss value, feminism, material hierarchy, and societal expectation. Using mundane structures and objects, this installation aims to frustrate and dissect the significance of the tangible items that we interact with every day.

Mindful Symbiotic Ecosystems. Designing For Women In Remote Workspaces, Andrea Guevara Araujo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Women represent 61% of designers in the workforce but hold only 29% of leadership roles. This disparity highlights a critical need for an ecosystem that removes barriers and cultivates mentorship, community, and leadership among women (Bolt, 2020). Even though women have proven their ability to succeed in male-dominated corporate cultures, the real question is not about capability but sustainability. Driven by overwork, competition, and burnout, the workplace does not just push women out; it leads to long-term instability for the entire organization (Krivkovich et al., 2024). In the workplace, a culture of masculinity reinforces harmful, outdated mindsets and glorifies aggressive, …

Designing For Autonomy: Enhancing The Autonomy Of Young Women With Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (Pots) Through Interactive Narrative, Jessica Gobble

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is an autonomic nervous system disorder with multisystem impacts. Classified as a chronic illness and oftentimes triggered by viral infections, incidents of POTS have become increasingly common following the outbreak of COVID-19. Primarily affecting young women ages 18 to 30, POTS disrupts an individual's health during their transition to adulthood. This issue is further complicated by medical gender bias, latent care, and misdiagnosis, which leave this demographic vulnerable within traditional healthcare systems (Shaw et al., 2019). As traditional healthcare systems primarily address acute rather than chronic conditions, interactions with these systems are intermittent. Consequently, individuals …

Public Comment: Using Critique-Like Mediating Artifacts To Democratize Discourse At City Council Meetings, Piper Schuerman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Are local governments designed for equitable citizen participation? While civic engagement aims to empower citizens and support representative governance, barriers to participation can hinder those outcomes. City council meetings, key venues for public input, pose specific challenges such as long durations, dense content, and intimidating formalities. These issues disproportionately affect Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012), who frequently report feeling underinformed or having limited time to engage. This thesis explores how city council meetings might use multimodal mediating artifacts, inspired by design critique practices, to make public discourse more accessible for Gen Z adults.

Grounded in activity theory and …

Frontier Healthscapes: Competing Narratives Of Disease, Environment, And Wellbeing In Early Minnesota, Aidan Reynolds

Geography Honors Projects

Across settler societies, health narratives were shaped by evolving tensions between lay and expert knowledge, frameworks of disease causation, and perceptions of the environment as both a source of health and a threat. In the decades following Euro-American settlement (1860-1900), Minnesota became a focal point for these debates, with its landscape fostering complex and competing narratives on health, wellbeing, and disease. This paper explores how public health discourse developed in Minnesota through the perspectives of institutions, the public, and economic interests. Combining environmental history with critical discourse analysis of archival materials, this study examines shifts within the Minnesota State Board …

Differentiated Instruction For Students With Special Needs: “How Can We Better Equip Students, School Systems, And Society For Differentiated Instruction For Students With Special Needs In Career And Technical Educational Environments?”, Mikala A. Highsmith

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Career and Technical Education (CTE) plays a vital role in preparing students for the demands of the modern workforce by providing essential knowledge, technical skills, and industry-recognized certifications. As the number of students with disabilities, including neurodivergent learners, continues to rise, CTE programs face increasing pressure to adopt innovative, inclusive educational practices. Integrating creative teaching strategies and leveraging technology are now critical tools in addressing diverse learning needs that promote effective classroom management and enhance student engagement. Moreover, CTE programs emphasize the development of professional competencies, workforce protocols, and transferable skills that strengthen students’ employability across industries. This paper examines …

Seven Themes About Substance Use Among Asian Americans, Carolyn Wong, Sun S. Kim Phd, Aprn-Bc

Institute for Asian American Studies Publications

This research brief summarizes the findings from a study on improving services for Asian Americans at risk for substance use problems that was conducted by the Institute for Asian American Studies in collaboration with the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The full report, Exploring Substance Use Among Asian Americans: Seven Themes from Interviews with Service Providers and Community Residents by Drs. Carolyn Wong and Sun S. Kim is available here: https://scholarworks.umb.edu/iaas_pubs/51/

From Slaveship To Championship: Pan-Africanism, The Black Atlantic, And Reframing The Rumble In The Jungle., Garret S. Mccorkle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The “Rumble in the Jungle” is often remembered as Muhammad Ali’s triumphant return to boxing glory, yet its deeper historical and cultural context remains understudied. This thesis reframes the 1974 heavyweight championship in Zaire as a global spectacle shaped by Pan-Africanism and Paul Gilroy’s theory of the Black Atlantic. More than a fight, it was a performance of Black identity, unity, and cultural return. However, this work argues that these themes—though deeply meaningful to many—were also strategically deployed by figures like Don King and Mobutu Sese Seko for promotional and financial gain. Through an analysis of marketing materials, fighter personas, …

Black Childhood In Focus: Counter-Histories Of Black Urban Childhood In Preserve The Baltimore Uprising, A 21st Century Digital Participatory Archive., Ameena Basheera X Ruffin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the (mis)representation of Black urban childhood in the United States and proposes a framework for Black children’s inclusion in historical narratives. Black children have been excluded from constructs of childhood innocence, justifying violence against Black children and perpetuating anti-Black social hierarchies. This study builds on the work of Saidiya Hartman, advocating for a critical approach to studying, archiving, and understanding Black childhood through the lenses of region, race, age, and gender. Using the participatory digital archive Preserve the Baltimore Uprising as a case study, the research explores Black children’s presence and contributions during the 2015 Baltimore Uprising. …

A Black Sherlock Holmes: An Exploration Of Nonconforming Characterization., Faith Janaye Artis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the wake of diversity initiatives in the greater American theatre landscape, we are now including more Black actors than ever. Whether that be through the inclusion of diverse playwrights or implementing new casting protocols, we now have Black people in the room. However, when portraying the Black “version” of a character (i.e. Black Annie, Black Ariel, Black Juliet) a question still plagues the Black Actor’s mind: how am I meant to fit here? I evaluate my process of portraying Sherlock Holmes as my thesis role. By challenging the implied white perspective in this “universal” story (despite its feminist retelling), …

Demon In The Dark: A Collection Of Short Stories., Giovanna Claudia Burkett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This creative thesis is a collection of short stories revolving around themes of grief, isolation, and survivor’s guilt. Each story is standalone even though they share overlapping motifs, as well as having a few references within the same universe. These protagonists often appear to be unreliable narrators, though the amount of reliability they depict should be determined by the reader. The protagonists encounter situations that cause them to question their own sanity and make them relive their greatest fears and confront traumatic memories, which may serve as a connection to the supernatural elements within the stories. Settings within each story …

A Sacrifice On The Altar Of Unity: The Loss Of Black Identity In The Unification Of Kynett And Lagrange First Umc., Rebecca Sue Wishnevski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the 1996 merger of Kynett United Methodist Church, a historically Black church, and LaGrange First United Methodist Church, a traditionally White church in LaGrange, Kentucky. The study provides insight into nonurban Black churches, showing that while they may have smaller congregations in smaller towns, the Black church remains central to Black life and connection like its urban contemporaries. Methods for collecting primary source material relied heavily on oral histories performed by the researcher with Black and White individuals attending said churches and their experiences during the merger. The study reveals that although unification promised a modern building …