Digital Commons Network^™

The Negotiation Of Identities Through Humorous Discourse In Political Resistance: An Analysis Of Bassem Youssef's 'The B+ Show', Howaida Aref

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the strategic use of humorous discourse in negotiating identities and expressing political resistance during the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, focusing on Bassem Youssef's satirical YouTube show, "The B+ Show." Employing a mixed-method approach that combines Grice's maxims of cooperative communication and Fairclough's critical discourse analysis framework, the research investigates how humor functioned as a tool for challenging hegemonic narratives and power dynamics through constructing and deconstructing identities in a volatile sociopolitical context. The analysis reveals that Youssef skillfully exploited various discursive resources, particularly intertextuality and the flouting of conversational maxims, to generate implicatures that effectively debunked negative representations …

Midlife, Michael Sevcik

Poetry MFA Theses

Abstract

Midlife by Michael James Sevcik is a collection of poetry that explores issues of age, gender, sexuality, identity, desire, family, and loss within a predominantly domestic space while addressing broader social, cultural, and philosophical issues using a phenomenological poetics grounded in everyday experience. The collection is organized into three distinct yet interrelated “movements:” the first movement, “Anchored,” establishes an existential yearning amidst professional and amorous stasis and familial pressures. The second movement, “Liminal,” explores temporality and its relationship to place and memory. The third movement, “Renewal,” incorporates travel, family history, and art, transforming them into critical modes of aesthetic …

Corporeality In Choral Sound: Elements Of Consonant Diction Shaping Pre-Expressive Presence, Perceived Clarity, And Expression In English-Language Choral Music, Addison Walton

Dissertations, 2020-current

The genesis of this project stems from a lived experience performing with a professional choir, whose sung physical shaping of the English language—its crystalline clarity, profound expressivity, and the pre-expressive elements inherent in the delivery—was deeply and viscerally compelling. This overwhelming reaction was in response to their bodies; specifically, the sound their bodies produced that evoked a sense of corporeality, or tangible bodily presence. There was beauty to be found in the way their mouths physically formed the language, both within and removed from the semantic context.

This study sought to acknowledge those fleeting, pre-expressive moments in choral music and …

Guillaume Dustan's Ethico-Politics Of The Body, Noah Mertz

Foreign Languages & Literatures ETDs

In this MA Thesis, I lay out a synthetic overview of polemical French writer Guillaume Dustan's (1965-2005) political philosophy. He is criticized first as irresponsible and dangerous for his defense of barebacking (sex without condoms) in the midst of the AIDS epidemic, and then, after his death, as a neoliberal/anarcho-capitalist for his focus on individual liberty. My overview touches on Dustan's Freudian belief that repression is the root of all social ills, his functional ethics of self-responsibility, the revaluation of heteronormative Judeo-Christian morality towards 'virtusex,' and his social contract that minimizes repression. Dustan’s goal is for you to autonomously subjectify …

Lost In Translation: Navigating Cultural And Linguistic Barriers For Indian Learners In Tesol Classrooms, Shivam Jaynarayanbhai Gohel

Master's Projects and Capstones

ABSTRACT

This thesis examines the cultural, linguistic and emotional issues of the Indian multilingual students in the U.S. TESOL classroom and explains the value of decolonized and culturally responsive pedagogies to ameliorate foreign language anxiety and create equitable education. Based on the frameworks of Culturally Responsive/Sustaining Pedagogy and Affective Filter Theory, the study integrates existing and existing research to investigate the role of colonial heritage in influencing TESOL practice, the undermining effect of anxiety on academic achievement and the empowering effect of instructions that are inclusive and responsive. Chapter I presents the problem, including how multilingual and multicultural identities of …

Women Made By Oscar Wilde, Lia Fowler

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This analysis examines Lady Windermere’s Fan and An Ideal Husband, arguing that Oscar Wilde categorizes women within restrictive moral binaries of “good” and “bad.” Both plays depict women navigating social expectations, private honor, and the idea of a pure marriage; however, despite their central roles, female characters are not portrayed as empowered with appropriate agency. Wilde renders the women as contradictory, dangerous, shifty figures if they try to operate outside of marital bounds. While Wilde’s plays foreground women in prominent positions, they largely reinforce, rather than challenge, the gendered stereotypes of late Victorian society.

Looking At Labels, Examining Values: Knowledge, Narrative, And Multilingualism In American Art Museums, Mary Mitchell

Masters Theses

Object labels are key components of the knowledge production networks in American museums. But despite their sustained use in the Western museum field since the late nineteenth century, museum labels are not frequently regarded as valuable sources in scholarship on museum history and practices. In this thesis, I reposition labels in art museums as objects of value that should be studied for their important role in producing and disseminating knowledge. What can we learn about art museums by looking closely at their labels—specifically about those institutions’ values? How do labels reveal the hierarchies of value that art museums construct between …

The Interplay Of Morphology, Syntax, And Semantics In Kuria Verb Extensions Within The Mara Region, Mary Charwi

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Verb extension morphological affixes that significantly alter verb meaning are a defining characteristic of Bantu languages. This paper investigates the morphosyntactic behaviour, semantic implications, and functional roles of extensions within Kuria, a Bantu language of Tanzania. The study adopts Hyman’s morphocentric approach, specifically the CARP template (Causative-Applicative-Reciprocal-Passive), as its foundational framework to test whether Kuria adheres to this pan-Bantu default ordering. The data were collected in Tarime District (2014-2015) using a mixed methods approach, comprising questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and video stimuli with 13 rural and urban speakers, and text analysis (the Kuria Bible). Through rigorous morphosyntactic parsing, the analysis reveals …

The Syntax And Semantics Of Reciprocal Constructions In Chibarwe: A Lexical Mapping Account, Tendai Chirimaunga

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Bantu languages have a robust structure, which is usually stated to be agglutinative, accommodates affixations of a wide range of morphemes both as prefixes (to the left of the root), as well suffixes (to the right of the root) before placing the terminal vowel. In their verbal morphology, the reciprocal is one of the many derivational affixes that have, however, not gained similar prominence as the study of the applicative and the causative construction. The thrust of this study is to investigate the syntax and semantics of reciprocal constructions in ChiBarwe, a marginalised cross-border language spoken in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. …

A World Between Worlds: The Hidden Disconnect Of Chinese Autistic Individuals, Joy Lu

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This paper examines the complex challenges faced by Chinese autistic individuals navigating both Western autism communities and broader Chinese cultural contexts. Drawing on personal experience, community observation, and cultural analysis, it explores how language barriers, cultural stigma, and differing values create a unique form of disconnection for the Chinese autistic community. This paper argues that current neurodiversity discourse is dominated by Western frameworks that often fail to account for this disconnect, resulting in the exclusion of entire groups. By centring Chinese perspectives, it calls for a more culturally responsive approach to autism advocacy: one that bridges linguistic, cultural, and historical …

Quien Soy Sin Mi Idioma Nativo?: The Loss Of The Spanish Language And Its Effects On Identity, Wilzaid L. Santiago-Maldonado

Honors Program Theses and Research Projects

Language is a mechanism of cultural preservation. The history of language has two parts: 1. the technical aspects and 2. how it is diffused and/or becomes extinct. According to the U.S. Census Data, the Hispanic population has grown immensely over the past several decades, particularly from 1980-2020. Even so, there has been significant loss of the Spanish language. The researcher examined this phenomenon in two phases. First, 14 peer-reviewed articles published between 2008-2024 were assessed to determine emerging themes. Results showed that articles cited “the lack of knowledge/use” of Spanish and the “language/cultural dominance.” Second, the researcher conducted four focus …

Language Of The Law: Understanding The Impact Of Code-Switching Within Legal Fields Through Legal Blog Analyses, Kira A. Johnson

Honors Program Theses and Research Projects

Code-Switching is a linguistic phenomenon that can occur between different languages, cultures, or dialects. This study focuses on code-switching within the legal field, specifically through an analysis of legal blog websites. Through searching the terms, “code-switching” and “foreign language”, this study will compare legal blog websites in their coverage of the phenomenon. The various websites’ definitions of code-switching, how the topic is written with context, and what implications are suggested in the writing will be considered when crafting a comparative analysis. Individuals who communicate using different languages or dialects depending on situations and interactions are important to understand within the …

The Consequences Of Fear: How Media Literacy Teachers Adapt To Teaching In An Autocratic Regime, Sait Tuzel

Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints

While media literacy education experienced significant growth in Turkey during the early part of the decade, since the attempted coup on July 15, 2016, Turkish educators have struggled with uncertainty and social mistrust generated by the disappearance of independent journalism and the arrests of many thousands of educators, judges, and researchers. This longitudinal study of media literacy teachers in Turkey examines the professional challenges that media literacy teachers experienced between 2015 and 2020 as they adapted to increased fear and the risks associated with teaching about media. Unable to use media materials beyond the state-sanctioned textbook, teachers now evaluate the …

Kaleidoscope, Katherine Kennedy

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Awkward, sullen, and superior, Avery has never been good with people, and that’s fine by him. Painting is the only thing he has ever liked; the only thing he’s ever been good at. Starting college is his chance to give himself completely to his passion and see what he’s capable of when he’s not wasting time pretending to be interested in other people.

That’s why being seated next to Daisy in Studio Art is a catastrophe.

Daisy is everything Avery finds annoying; she’s overly friendly, chatty, and emotional. But over the course of the semester, Avery finds himself drawn in …

Philosophy Of Culinary Arts: Reading Truth Through Language And Taste, Devi Dwi Purwanto, Aji Prasetya Wibawa, Syaad Patmanthara

Bulletin of Culinary Art and Hospitality

The development of Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology has transformed the way we analyze and understand culinary arts through a digital approach. NLP enables the transformation of empirical and sensory culinary knowledge into structured data that can be analyzed computationally. This technology opens up opportunities to explore the relationships between ingredients, techniques, and flavors in culinary arts, as well as to represent culinary reality in a more organized form. This study aims to identify how NLP can represent the relationships between ingredients, techniques, and flavors in culinary arts and their impact on the structure of culinary knowledge from an epistemological, …

Arabic Around Us: Exploring Everyday Life Group Project, Bret Windhauser

Open Educational Resources

Students will work in small groups to create a comprehensive and engaging project that explores a particular aspect of everyday life in an Arabic-speaking country. This could include food, traditions, daily routines, or an introduction to the language itself. By the end of the assignment, students will demonstrate their understanding of Arabic vocabulary, grammar, and culture through a creative project.

Propuesta Curricular Para La Asistencia Médica Bilingüe Orientada A La Concordancia De Lenguas Y La Interpretación Médica En Español, David Sanchez-Jimenez, Noemi Rodriguez, Justin Harnandan, Margarita Perez, Melissa Garcia

Publications and Research

Resumen: El presente trabajo describe el proceso para establecer una especialización secundaria bilingüe centrada en la comunicación y la interpretación médica en una universidad de Estados Unidos designada como Institución al Servicio de los Hispanos. Este nuevo título universitario brindará a los estudiantes bilingües de español e inglés especializados en el área de la salud la oportunidad de mejorar sus destrezas comunicativas para convertirse en competentes profesionales de la salud concordantes de lengua.

Abstract:This paper details the process to establish a new bilingual academic minor in health communication and medical interpretation at a United States university designated as a Hispanic-Serving …

Archival Notations Of The Norwegian Charter Material, Juliane Tiemann

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies

This paper explores archival notations, primarily from the early modern and modern periods, found on the dorse of Norwegian charters dating from the 13th to the 17th century. By examining the notation practices of two prominent Norwegian archivists and collectors, the study further highlights individual efforts in documenting and preserving these materials across various collections. The archival efforts are contextualized historically, noting a transition to systematic archival management. The findings reveal the significance of this largely unexplored component of Norwegian charters as additional historical sources, emphasizing the role of dorsal annotations in provenance research. The textual and visual analysis of …

The Effects Of Music Participation On Sense Of Belonging Among Elementary Students With Traumatic Experiences, Jamie Lynn Mckoy Hill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The unexpressed perspectives of children have long been dismissed in elementary music education. Daily agendas, curriculum, and administrative expectations direct the day-to-day functions of the classroom and negate the instructor’s assessment of students’ needs. As a result, students who have experienced trauma (various forms) will feel disconnected from the classroom and have a low level of engagement. Music educators must adapt their planning and execution and infuse empathy and flexibility in their teaching to allow all children room to grieve previous traumatic experiences. This historical research investigates the student perspectives on what music participation means effects on elementary students’ sense …

Comparing Modern Band And Traditional Band Methods: A Mixed-Quantitative Study Of Note-Reading And Improvisation Competencies Among Secondary Music Students, Dennis John Manson Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Music directors should determine how pedagogical trends to support student-centered engagements utilizing modern methods and popular music in public schools compare to traditional practices in secondary bands. Current research suggests students should engage in culturally relevant repertoire and quality ensemble experiences. Existing studies, however, should measure the efficacy of alternative music programs concerning music literacy, self-expression, and how they compare to traditional band methods. Investigating both methods is necessary to discover common techniques and how differences in pedagogical standards may influence one another. Guided by experimental research, the following mixed quantitative study features a quasi-experimental and a correlational design to …

The Divided Self: Gothic Duality In Literature, Sarah Anna Meeks

Masters Theses

Gothic literature of the nineteenth century is haunting due to its frequent use of ghosts and monsters. However, the true terror lies in a deeper horror, one that is more intimate and destabilizing– a fright that leaps out of the text, looking into the heart of the reader: the fractured mind of the self torn between reality and repression, haunted by its own, newly manifested internal disunity rather than external monsters. The characters of Gothic fiction are typically caught in a psychological turmoil. They battle with split morals between duty and desire, morality and madness, and science and spirituality. Specifically, …

Edenic Themes Of Creation And Exile In The Book Of Jonah And Their Impact On Evangelical Exegesis, Christopher R. Walker

Masters Theses

This thesis examines how the Book of Jonah uses imagery drawn from the Garden of Eden and how these themes shape the way evangelicals read the book. Rather than treating Jonah as a simple moral tale, the study argues that the narrative is intentionally crafted to further highlight Jonah’s disobedience and the book's theological claims, using Edenic imagery. Chapter One considers the question of “Why did Jonah run to Tarshish”? After considering the intertextual links, it appears that Jonah ran specifically to Tarshish for its Eden-like possibilities. Chapter Two focuses on the non-human agents in the book. The wind, ship, …

From Protest To Harmony: The Global Language Of Change, Valerie Brooke Missick

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative historical study investigates how music functions as a unifying force within global social and political movements, transcending cultural, linguistic, and national boundaries to foster collective identity and sustain long-term activism. Drawing on Social Identity Theory, Cultural Diffusion Theory, and Framing Theory, the research analyzes archival documents, historical records, media sources, and case studies from movements such as the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, the Anti-Vietnam War Movement, anti-apartheid struggles, Black Lives Matter, the Arab Spring, and contemporary climate justice activism. Findings reveal that music operates as both an emotional catalyst and a strategic communication tool, shaping narratives, strengthening solidarity, …

The Servant’S Ear: Study Of The Servant In Whom Yhwh Is Well Pleased: An Expositional Connection Of Exodus 21:5-6 And Deuteronomy 15:16-17 To The Servants Of Revelation, Warren Eugene Hoskins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation undertakes an extensive investigation into the theological, historical, and literary development of the biblical servant motif. This study examines the evolution of the concept of servitude, beginning with its origins in Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) laws and culture.

It is anchored in the tradition of ear-piercing for the willing servant, as outlined in Exodus 21:5-6 and Deuteronomy 15:16-17. This research unpacks how ideas about servitude changed in the Old Testament law and how this relates to the end times and the early church, as described in Revelation. This study also compares Old Testament servant laws with those of …

Pronunciación, Repetición E Identificación De Los Sonidos Del Español Por Aprendices Qataríes De E/Le En Su Primer Semestre, Ramsés Ortín, Javier Sánchez-Mesas

Writing and Language Studies Faculty Publications

Este estudio explora las dificultades en pronunciación y percepción de sonidos del español por un grupo de estudiantes qataríes en su primer semestre. Las participantes completaron tres actividades (lectura, repetición de palabras, identificación de palabras) que requieren diferentes tipos de conocimiento (producción de sonidos con y sin presencia de ortografíae identificación de sonidos) al inicio y final de su primer curso. Los resultados revelan que esta población presenta dificultades con los contrastes de vocales medias y altas, la nasal palatal, las consonantes oclusivas bilabiales y las vibrantes. Estas dificultades no aparecen de igual manera en actividades con y sin presencia …

Place: Dwelling Within The Built And Natural Environments, Christine Gratia

Publications and Research

This study argues that “place” is not simply physical, it is actualized by the relationship between human beings and the environments they inhabit. This research will spotlight various philosophical theories that pertain to where humans do human activities, the ever evolving containers of socialization and how the external environment informs self-concept. This research narrows in on Edward Relph’s phenomenology of “place” and Martin Heidegger's concept of dwelling. Both concepts are defined as foundational structures of human existence which create an interdependent relationship between humans and the places we inhabit. From that relationship stems a responsibility of caretaking. Through a conceptual …

The Role Of Digital Media In The Promotion Of Cultural Heritage And Art, Arben Arifi

International Journal of Business and Technology

The goal of this paper is to provide an overview of how digital media are creating new conceptual and operational landscapes. On one hand, digital media are altering expectations regarding digital tools for both individuals and institutions. On the other hand, they are giving artists new opportunities to explore and innovate in their creative expressions. The question arises: Is culture merely our past, our roots, ancient artifacts, or historical art? Culture encompasses all the elements that shape our identity and influence how we behave and interact in various aspects of our lives both personal and public. It includes practices we …

The Artistic And Informative Functions Of Facial Painting And Colors In Bridal Attire Across Various Ethnographic Regions, Nexhat Cocaj

International Journal of Business and Technology

The artistic values of figures and colors used in the facial painting of brides and in various parts of women's attire, on one hand, and the informative function of those figures used in facial painting, such as the sun, amulet, and serpent figures, and later their use in certain parts of the clothing, demonstrate the profound understanding of nature by the Albanian people. It shows how deeply they contemplated the future and how they depicted the life they wished for a marital couple through these figures and colors. The figures that were initially used in facial painting, following the onset …

Director-Dramaturg And Director-Actor Relationship In Theatre, Fiona Gllavica

International Journal of Business and Technology

The research object in this paper is the symbiotic relationship between the stage director and the playwright, as well as the stage director and the actor in the theater. The genesis of theater, has its roots in religion and ritual. Since the Antiquity, the actresses through their stage appearances, has introduced the world of gods and people, shoëing different dilemmas, but not offering solutions for them. Debates on society, presented through theatrical works, in front of the public, in different periods of time, are still debatable. Theatrical art, stage art, uses the ëord and body language to convey the message …

Sa Madaling Sabi: Rebyu Ukol Sa Plain Language, Ariel U. Bosque

Dalumat: Multikultural at Multidisiplinaryong E-Journal sa Araling Filipino

Layunin ng rebyu ng literaturang maisakasaysayan ang plain language (PL), matalakay ang mga global na praktika nito, at masarbey ang ambag ng mga Pilipinong iskolar sa larangan. Makikita sa dulo ng rebyu ang sintesis ng mga natuklasan at direksiyon para sa kalagayan ng PL. Mauugat ang kasaysayan ng PL mula sa mga pagsisikap na gawing malinaw ang teknikal na pagsulat noong ika-16 siglo hanggang sa patuloy na pagsigla nito sa iba’t ibang panig ng daigdig. Kabilang naman sa mga prominenteng praktika ng plain language sa ibang bansa ang: Klarspråk (Sweden), Le Langage Clair (France), Lenguaje Claro (Spain), Leichte Sprache at …