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Foreword From Editors - 18th Edition: Emerging Cross-Cultural Collaborations, Hands-On Learning And Participation, Yandi Andri Yatmo, Kristanti Dewi Paramita, Rini Suryantini

ASEAN Journal of Community Engagement

This edition of AJCE exemplifies how cross-cultural collaborations and hands-on learning and participation can foster a better and more meaningful process of community engagement. The cross-cultural collaborations enable the co-production of knowledge and creativity between stakeholders from different cultures, in addition to creating cultural competence where people from different realities treat and support others with sensitivity and respect. The hands-on learning process encourages a deeper engagement where stakeholders are more responsive to the reality of the situation they are in and therefore creates better agility for adaptations towards various issues or adoptions of new skills. By focusing on cross-cultural collaborations …

The “Four Concentric Circles Of Russian”: Toward A Model, Timothy G. Reagan

Russian Language Journal

Braj Kachru suggested that one way of understanding the role and use of English around the world was to distinguish among three concentric “circles”: the inner circle, the outer circle, and the expanding circle. In this article, I will use Kachru’s model as the foundation for the development a similar model for positioning the Russian language in the contemporary world. The historical differences in Anglo-American linguistic expansion and Russian linguistic expansion lead to somewhat different divisions among speakers of the respective languages. The model proposed here has four concentric circles: an inner circle (consisting of the Russian …

Dynamic And Stable Motivation Patterns In Intensive Second Language Learning: Insights From A Russian Summer Immersion Program, Dmitrii Pastushenkov

Russian Language Journal

Understanding what shapes student motivation is essential to improving second language (L2) programs. While motivation is among the widely studied individual differences (IDs) in second language acquisition (SLA), research has largely focused on commonly taught languages, limiting broader applicability. This mixed-methods study, grounded in Dynamic Systems Theory (DST), explores the motivational development of learners studying a less commonly taught language (LCTL), Russian, during an eight-week summer immersion program. Data were collected from 52 students across four instructional levels. Motivation was assessed through two brief online surveys, developed based on research by Gardner, Dörnyei, Lanvers, Thompson, and others, and administered during …

Why Russian? Language Choice And Enrollment In U.S. Universities, Emma Calderwood, Teresa R. Bell, Jennifer Bown, Grant H. Lundberg

Russian Language Journal

Russian language enrollments at U.S. universities have declined steadily since 2009 (MLA, 2023), yet little research has examined current student motivations for studying Russian, particularly after the 2022 escalation of the Russo–Ukrainian War. This study surveyed two groups: (a) students enrolled in any 101-level language course at University X and (b) students in Russian courses at six U.S. universities. Results show that motivations for studying Russian are primarily integrative—general interest in the language, desire to converse with Russian speakers, aspirations to travel to Russian-speaking countries, and previous Russian knowledge—rather than instrumental. Students who considered but did not choose Russian most …

Memo Metodológico: Elaboración De La Investigación Titulada “Ser Deseo. El Deseo Femenino Como Abyecto En El Filme Thelma.” [Reporte De Investigación], Ximena Diaz Santillán, Romano Ponce Díaz

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

Realizar una tesis de grado siempre constituye un reto, pero también una oportunidad para desarrollar las habilidades y métodos de investigación que serán la base de futuros trabajos. Pese a que, en apariencia, la elección de un filme como objeto de estudio en la licenciatura en Lengua y Literaturas Hispánicas puede resultar extraña, las herramientas adquiridas a lo largo de la formación permiten explorar diversos productos culturales como textos; es decir, se trata de entramados sígnicos que se interrelacionan para generar un sentido dirigido a un público. Si bien existen teorías como la estética de la recepción en la que …

Role-Playing Game Studies: A Transmedia Approach Por José Pablo Zagal, Y Sebastian Deterding, (Editores). (2018). [Reseña], Cristo Leon, Edgar Meritano

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

"Role-Playing Game Studies: A Transmedia Approach," editado por José P. Zagal y Sebastian Deterding (2018b), es una recopilación exhaustiva del estado actual de la investigación sobre los juegos de rol a través de diversas disciplinas, culturas y medios. El libro traza la historia de los juegos de rol desde sus precursores en los juegos de guerra (wargames) hasta los juegos de mesa (Tabletop), el juego de rol en vivo (live-action role-play), y los juegos de rol contemporáneos de computadora y en línea. Cada capítulo ofrece perspectivas y hallazgos de disciplinas clave como …

Umwelt, Sujetos Transindividuales E Intencionalidad Compartida: Cuerpo, Significación Y Socialidad En La Construcción Del Conocimiento, Juan C. González Vidal

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

En este trabajo abordamos, desde el punto de vista semiótico, el vínculo indisoluble que existe entre el cuerpo humano, la significación y la socialidad. Partimos del postulado de que el cuerpo es, desde el nacimiento, una entidad sintiente; luego, una vez adquirida la capacidad de generar procesos semiósicos primarios, empieza a ordenar y a clasificar los estímulos exteriores, hecho en el que se asienta el fundamento de su orientación básica en el entorno. Conforme aumentan sus competencias semiósicas, se incrementan sus capacidades perceptivas y cognitivas que, al ser afirmadas, lo llevan a alcanzar finalmente los más altos grados de socialidad. …

From The Pages To The Gaming Table: Designing A Homebrew System To Adapt A Book Series Into A Ttrpg, Ricardo Victoria Uribe, Nazario Robles Bastida, Chris Birmingham

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

Adapting media properties, in particular fantasy, science fiction, and horror books, has been a staple of the development of tabletop role-playing games since their inception. Different properties, ranging from Lord of the Rings to Call of Cthulhu and everything in between has been undergoing this process. Developing an indie game based on indie and self-published books can be used as a promoting tool on overlapping audiences, which is the case for the selected book series for this design exercise. This paper has the aim of sharing these developing experiences during the early stages of creating a quick start guide supplement …

Editorial: Jugar, Narrar, Habitar Mundos: Cuerpos Y Ficciones En La Cultura Contemporánea, Romano Ponce Díaz

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

En este número del Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM (Vol. 4, núm. 2, Noviembre 2025- abril 2026) buscamos situarnos en ese cruce. En los artículos de investigación que aquí se exponen, se observa cómo los sistemas de juego, los universos narrativos, los performance, la mirada artística y las operaciones cognitivas intervienen en la configuración del concepto de sujeto, paisaje y comunidad. Estos artículos no son meras descripciones de objetos culturales; aquí se enuncian procedimientos metodológicos, contigencias operativas y aplicaciones eminentemente prácticas a campos de conocimientos transdisciplinarios.

Journal Of Roleplaying Studies And Steam (Jrpssteam) Vol. 4 [2025], Número 2 (Issue 2), Cristo Leon, Romano Ponce-Díaz Phd, Ivan Avila Gonzalez Phd, James Lipuma Dr., Bruce G. Bukiet, Ricardo Victoria-Uribe, Nazario Robles-Bastida, Chris Birmingham, Ximena Diaz Santillan, Edgar Francisco Vázquez Martínez He, Jorge Prieto Terrones, Juan Carlos C. González Vidal S, Edgar Meritano, Laura Magela Garcés Ramírez

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

En una sesión de juego por medio del registro lingüístico se organiza la escena, se orienta la manera de nombrar las tareas, se distribuyen los roles actanciales, se establecen la expectativas; por lo tanto, se establece una puesta en escena. De tal forma, las prácticas lúdicas y ficcionales se configuran a partir de nuestra mirada del mundo e irremediablemente también reconfiguran esa misma mirada. El ser y el estar en un espacio es la especificidad mediática fundamental de los juegos de rol; dicho de otra manera, en los sistemas de juego de rol dentro de sus universos narrativos, en su …

The Concept Of Event In Whitehead And Dewey And Its Place In Contemporary Debates In Continental Event Ontology, Scott C. Taylor

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

Empirical Naturalism In Law: Dewey, Rorty, And Holmes, Frederic Kellogg

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

Confidence In The Pompeian Fullo, Tori Nielsen

Studia Antiqua

Many scholars have discussed a curious graffito parodying the Aeneid found outside of a Pompeian fullonica, but few have taken into account its visual and written context. I synthesize previous scholarship and consider additional neighboring graffiti and visual elements in order to more thoroughly reconstruct the ideas conveyed about fullers in this space. The outer wall celebrates fullers in cultural, social, and fulling matters, thus bolstering their community’s confidence in them.

Nontoxic Paints Using Cornstarch As Binders, Maile Prater

Honors Projects

For this project, paints were created using different metal compounds which interacted with cornstarch and pectin to determine whether the metals would coordinate with these polysaccharides to create new types of watercolor paints. The paints that were created were ran through an RGB analysis to determine how much of each RGB color is present in a solution and then were ran through a rheometer to determine how the viscosity differed between each solution.

Mathematical Developments In American Spacecraft Technology, Tylah Grace Lynn, Lauren Reece Terry

Student Scholar Symposium

No abstract provided.

To What Extent Do Urban Planning Practices Impact Climate Change In Latin America?, Oliver Orellana, Mitchell Roberts

Student Scholar Symposium

Understanding best practices with regards to urban planning and development is crucial to the success of any city. Given the historical, geographic, and economic state of Latin American countries, the role of these practices in innovation is exceedingly vital. By analyzing sustainability strategies employed in cities to mitigate the effects of climate change, this research will identify which practices are the most sustainable in the long run. Because Latin American countries face their own unique challenges in areas like democratic transition, physical landscape, or economic well-being, gaining understanding as to which practices would most benefit the region is pivotal to …

Wild Robots: Humans, Wilderness, And Technology In Becky Chambers’ Monk And Robot Series, Melissa Moore

Honors Theses

As technology advances and the environment deteriorates, the way people view the relationships between technology, wilderness, and humans becomes essential for society to move forward. To investigate perceptions about technology’s place in an environmentally conscious society, this project examines manifestations of wilderness/wildness and technology in Becky Chambers’ Monk and Robot series through the lens of ecocriticism. Using Timothy Morton's concept of the ecological thought as a framework for analysis, the circumstances present in the novel suggest that the triangle separating humans, wilderness, and technology has actually collapsed, replaced by an enmeshment of technology, wilderness, and humanity.

Divinely Woven, Lily Robinette

Student Scholar Symposium

The relationship between science and faith has often been viewed as contradictory, with individuals typically aligning with one perspective or the other. However, a deeper examination reveals that these two ideologies are not independent but are interconnected parts of the greater tapestry of life. This paper takes the audience on a journey through the thought process of a chemistry student of the spiritual and physical being affirming of each other rather than competing ideas. It delves into the concept of complex interactions of atoms and the purposeful design of life that suggest that the universe is not a product of …

Post-Tonal Pedagogy In The Music Of György Ligeti, Easton Ball

Student Scholar Symposium

Post-tonal piano literature remains unpopular with many modern performers due to a perceived lack of technical approachability. As a result, a wealth of post-tonal keyboard music passes into obscurity, never reaching modern audiences. Despite the preconception that post-tonal music lacks formal and harmonic structure, one can assign order to elements within these compositions both for purposes of improving pedagogy and engendering familiarity with the literature. My research aims to demonstrate one process of elucidating the relative accessibility of post-tonal literature for keyboard by means of an analysis of a selection of György Ligeti’s Études pour piano. Because this material often …

Nature Naturing In And As Place, Edward S. Casey

Duquesne Studies in Phenomenology

In this brief article, I single out two distinctly different kinds of natural place, attempting to show how these not merely contrast with each other but display larger patterns or tendencies that are also found in many other sorts of place. This is to take one integral step to a larger ecology of places provided by the natural world and from which human and nonhuman beings draw life and motion that sustain and support many ways of existing on earth. Without such places, we—and every other form of life—would perish or would not even exist to begin with. It is …

Byzantine Theories Of Scale And Arab-Byzantine Chant Practices: A Comparative Analysis Proposing A New Resolution To The Theoretical System Of Chrysanthos Of Madytos, Rosy Azar

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

In 2015, Amine Beyhom published a book on Byzantine chant, in which he summarised all the existing theories, paying particular attention to the problematic reform of the Byzantine chant theory in 1881, and guiding the reader through the steps that led to that reform. Driven by the first ever comparison between Byzantine and Arabic modes that he had found in Mīkhāʾīl Mashāqa’s epistle, Beyhom first studied Chrysanthos of Madytos’ insight. He documented this research in detail and followed it with a practical comparison to demonstrate if theory is indeed applied or it acts only as prescriptive guide. He recorded and …

That’S Not Art! Artificial Intelligence And Its Role In The Arts, Molly Katherine Horn

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been deeply integrated into our modern lives; from social media algorithms, to email summaries, to software that will write your essays, and even tools to photoshop relatives out of family photos. AI software is trained on countless data points. Famous artwork, philosophical texts, TikTok trends, movies, wars, and star-crossed stories. It is steadily becoming a collection of human history; learning and growing alongside us. Art, too, is a reflection of society; it informs us of our history, our cultures, our desires and dreams. Thus, it is only fitting that AI has become a tool to create …

Faith’S Midwest Modern Forms: Midcentury Catholic Churches In St. Louis By Murphy And Mackey, Architects, Mary Reid Brunstrom

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

This project originated in my research on three modernist churches commissioned by the Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis from 1948-54 which was then under the progressive leadership of Archbishop (later Cardinal) Joseph E. Ritter. What factors accounted for these unprecedented forms for sacred architecture? The architectural partnership of Murphy and Mackey designed the churches in accordance with the new liturgical reform protocols that were embedded in the designs of the German architect, Rudolf Schwarz and his colleagues and disseminated through Catholic pastors of German origin in the St. Louis parishes. Other strands of modernism were also implicated in Murphy and …

Drones And The Changing Character Of War, Erik A. Davis

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Cheap drones have transformed the character of war by creating a “mass effect” that challenges traditional principles of force concentration. Unlike commentary focused on offense-defense debates or ethics, this article explains how Jevons’s Paradox, the Red Queen Effect, and models like Lanchester’s Laws and Hughes’s Salvo Equations underpin this shift. Drawing on lessons from Ukraine, historical theory, and production trends, it explains why the production of cheap “precision mass” is expected to accelerate. For military and policy practitioners, the analysis offers urgent guidance for adapting tactics, procurement, and doctrine to a battlefield dominated by ubiquitous, low-cost drones—before adversaries exploit this …

Music And Sustainable Development Goals: Telling The Story, Mark Reimer

Journal of Global Awareness

Now, 10 years after the United Nations adopted its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, the music profession continues to work toward being a responsible partner in the health and preservation of the planet and its inhabitants. By transcending social barriers, music promotes cultural awareness and mutual understanding, encourages creativity, and enhances emotional well-being, outcomes vital to the global goals of health, freedom, peace, education, equality, prosperity, and environmental sustainability. The article includes various examples of how music performers, educators, composers, and scholars are creating or adopting new practices that are mindful of reducing the carbon footprint, yet financially feasible in their …

The Turning Of The Years, Katie L. Smith Lopez

Masters Theses

This thesis explores the exquisite interplay of moments that matter in brief human interactions. The Critical Paper focuses on the contrasting literary theories of Reader-Response Criticism and Psychoanalytic Criticism, which illustrate the varying ways readers engage with written works. The Artist Statement provides insight into the origin story of the writer and the variety of influences that led to the lyrical field of writing. The Creative Manuscript features a substantial portion of the writer’s memoir. Titled “The Turning of the Years,” this memoir-style work is anchored by significant life events that occurred near the writer’s impactful birthdays. An undercurrent of …

Aeolian Tones: A Book Of Minor Poetry About Isolation And The Space Between Disconnection And Connection, Thaddeus Tague

Masters Theses

This is the artistic statement for Aeolian Tones, the poetry chapbook that will serve as my thesis. In this accompanying paper, I explore the vision, process, and inspiration behind the various themes in the chapbook, as well as the overall goal. I hope to provide personal context for the writing's purpose, as well as offer reflections and interpretive guidelines for how the poetry can and should be understood. In this work, I aim to provide a space for readers seeking reflections on loneliness, healing, profound pain, and disconnection.

Next, the literature review will examine ten modern works of minor non-epic …

Anvilstorm: The Dweller's Crown, Todd Gaige

Masters Theses

The thesis explores a personal vision for the original manuscript of The Dweller’s Crown, and the impact of setting in literature and world-building. The thesis also shares a variety of characters and how they represent themes of belonging, acceptance, unity, faith, and friendship. From the very beginning, the strong bonds between Araad, Thomble, Atlee, Sylvan, and Mereth distinguish the world of Thir Thodim apart. This thesis and the following chapters focus on the characters' deep desire to protect their beloved world. It is through their faith in one another and shared goals of survival and preservation that they set out …

Gospel-Centric Liturgy For Contemporary Worship: A Biblical Basis For Locally Crafted Worship Songs, Adriane M. Blanco

Masters Theses

Despite a cultural shift toward creating original worship music in churches today, there remains a need for new songs that reinforce biblical theology and foster spiritual formation through an intentional gospel-centric liturgy contextualized for the local congregation. Such a gospel liturgy consists of a cycle of songs that, with each weekly gathering of the church body, reiterates the revelation of God's presence, humanity’s sinful nature, Christ’s work of salvation, and the believer’s response in worship. At the same time, it is essential to emphasize spiritual songs that express the heartfelt emotions of the worshiper, maintaining a balance in properly worshiping …

Hollywood, Ai, And The Moral Universe: An Analysis Of The Terminator And Battlestar Galactica, Lara Sumera Samms

Masters Theses

This thesis defends the argument that depictions of artificial intelligence in Hollywood film and television point to a moral universe. Films The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), as well as the television series Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009) are analyzed to find clues of moral facts. This research paper submits that these stories add weight to the moral argument and provide evidence that humans implicitly recognize a moral universe. Such acknowledgment of moral structures cannot be adequately explained within a secular framework such as utilitarianism or evolutionary ethics. However, the Christian worldview frames reality around the existence of God, …