Digital Commons Network^™

The Pen As Your Sword: Writing Through The Lens Of Depression, Chris Lownie

English

Tragedy is one of writing’s earliest genres, and yet, why do we involve ourselves in the subject and write our own grief for the rest of the world? This thesis explores the act of tackling the subjects of mental illness and bereavement through the use of memoir, and simultaneously to analyze the use of such subject matter in contemporary fiction. Through creating a memoir of my own charting my journey through mental illness, familial death, and suicide, and analyzing the memoirs and works of those who have been through comparable experience, this thesis illuminates how grief is depicted in the …

Cultivating Spaces For American Citizenship In Pauline Hopkins’S Contending Forces, Jonathan Puckett

Honors Theses

Rediscovered through archival recovery in the late 1970s, Pauline E. Hopkins (1859-1930) was an African American author, journalist, and activist at the beginning of the twentieth century. In Contending Forces: A Romance Illustrative of Negro Life North and South (1900), Hopkins’s African American characters craft spaces, both sacred and secular, where they can freely exercise their citizenship in the Jim Crow era. As Hopkins utilizes the sentimentalist genre to portray realistically life at the turn of the century, my thesis highlights the historical and literary significance of sacred spaces like Boston’s black Baptist churches. I also review two minor characters …

Tectonic, Rebecca E. Holifield

Honors Theses

Tectonic is a collection of original poems accompanied by a critical preface.

The Criterion Collection, Mackenna Finley

Honors Projects

The Criterion Collection is an examination of truth in fiction and poetry. The goal of this project is not to create truth that is absolute, but instead to allow for the experience of its subjectivity. The interplay between fiction and poetry, reader and author illuminates the subtle warping of truth through human experience.

Govoreeting With Lewdies: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of A Clockwork Orange And Its Translations Across Media And Language, Willie Wallace

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Much linguistic research has been done on the fictional argot of A Clockwork Orange, known as Nadsat, but few efforts have been made to expand beyond the classification and analysis of Nadsat. Using Critical Discourse Analysis, this paper looks at the overarching discourse of A Clockwork Orange and aims to answer three questions: What exigencies and discourses inform the creation of these works? What techniques and power structures are employed in the construction of these works? How do these works shape or attempt to shape the discourse? To answer these questions, I look at three instances of the discourse: …

Get Out And The Remediation Of Othello's Sunken Place: Beholding White Supremacy's Coagula, Vanessa I. Corredera

Faculty Publications

As a result of director and writer Jordan Peele's remediation of the horror genre to create a racially polemic film, breakout horror-thriller Get Out (2017) has achieved critical and commercial success while substantially affecting how Americans think about and approach race. As stories about a black man amidst an all-white community who ultimately strangles his white female lover, Get Out and Shakespeare's Othello share obvious narrative overlaps. Othello, however, maintains a more tenuous status regarding race and its function within the storyline than does Get Out. Othello remains a play mired in questions about how or even whether …

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 …

Brilliant Women: Prose And Poetry, Amelia Fisher

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This collection of creative writing explores themes and subjects relating to feminism, sexuality, performativity, societal woes, popular culture, and the different ways we communicate. The individual pieces often examine women’s empowerment and lack thereof. These stories, essays, and poems are introduced by a critical work situating the contents of the thesis within greater literary traditions, such as Viktor Shklovsky’s defamiliarization, which I claim can function on the structural level as well as the story level, and his theory of the Chronotope; time and place are significant threads I follow from one genre to the next to create a cohesive collection …

Presence / Absence, Porscha D. Banker

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Presence / Absence is a visual and conceptual l exploration of language and issues surrounding experiences of interpersonal relationships. In it I look at various approaches in which artists and writers have approached the subject of intimacy and coexistence as both a context and foundation for my own work addressing relationships. This body of work is specifically looks at experiences of the personally revolutionary presence of an other and the impact of their absence.

The Meaning Of Peace: William Faulkner, Modernism, And Perpetual Civil War, Jason Luke Folk

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Much of scholarship regarding the presence of war in literary modernism has foregrounded psychic trauma endured by veterans of World War I. The returning soldier is often figured as representative of the war’s infiltration of the homefront. The common argument claims that the erosion of the distinction between war and peace (as well as private and public) is a mirror image of the veteran’s wounded psyche. This thesis, however, argues that peace and war in the West have always been indistinct. The body politic is, in actuality, constituted by a perpetual civil war. Furthermore, the novels of William Faulkner, because …

Expanding The Reach And Impact Of Hope For All Nations Ministries International In Zimbabwe Through A Women's Mentoring Initiative, Nhira Constance Ngoni

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Female leaders serving in strategic mentoring roles are critical to the work of equipping women to serve in local churches and para-churches. As demonstrated through scripture in Titus 2:3–5, women in positions of influential leadership have vast opportunities to prepare younger generations of women through strategic mentoring efforts. This study analyzes the significance of the mentoring process utilized by Hope for All Nations Ministries International (HFANMI) to equip women in their efforts to impact the nation of Zimbabwe. The goal for this project was to develop women leaders who were able to walk in freedom, experience God, grow in their …

Characterizing Protagonists In Graphic Novels For Teens, Danielle Lahr

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study is to utilize qualitative content analysis to examine the main characters in teen graphic novels from 2018. This study is designed to analyze the main protagonist in graphic novels to find patterns to help secondary librarians and teachers choose graphic novels that will appeal to students in grades 9-12. Three questions this study asks are: 1)What traits make a compelling protagonist for high schoolers? 2)Are there any traits shared between protagonists in graphic novels? And 3)What roles do protagonists of graphic novels play in the storyline?

Globalization: A Blessing Or A Curse For Women In Developing Countries, Magaly Denisse Carrillo Terriquez

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Countries have been able to exchange goods and services as well as intellectual property. However, they have not addressed how these changes affect those that are considered a vulnerable population, women. The feminization of poverty is a real problem in our globalized society, where women form 70% of the world’s poor. This paper investigates globalization’s impact on women empowerment by focusing on maternal mortality and female primary education in eighty-seven developing countries. The literature suggests that an increase of globalization leads to a decrease in maternal death and to an increase in female primary education. The pooled data set was …

The Impact Of Healing Arts On Students At The University Of Nebraska At Omaha, Wala Albahrani

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

A recently emerging way to decrease stress of individuals is by practicing therapeutic art. The aim of this form of therapy is to provide a sense of expression and relief to individuals who suffer from constant anxiety and stress. Therapeutic art can be performed by a therapy session where an individual express themselves using art to communicate their thoughts and emotions. Since this form of therapy does not require artistic sense or skills, many individuals can benefit from it. Moreover, another form of this therapy is surrounding stressed individuals with calming art, such as photography, music, sculpture, and painting, etc. …

A Library Without Books: The Importance Of Language Representation In Public Libraries, Caelyn Armshaw

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The focus of this project is to assess the degree of access to Spanish-language books in the Omaha Public Library system. After constructing a map of all Omaha Public Libraries using Global Information System (GIS) and analyzing the population around those areas, I cross-referenced individual library catalogs to compare raw numbers of English-language books to non-English and specifically Spanish-language books. The ultimate finding of this project is that even though approximately 10% of Omaha citizens included in the census speak Spanish as their primary language, Spanish-language books make up only 2% of the total books across all Omaha Public Libraries. …

Whence Comes The Lady Percussionist? The Changing Role Of Females In Professional Percussion Positions In The United States, 2011-2020, Cassidy Cheyenne Calloway

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Women percussionists have historically been the minority in professional percussion roles. After a discussion of women’s roles as drummers in ancient history, this document reviews the role of women percussionists in the rapidly evolving field of percussion. The purpose of this study was to see if there has been an increase in female percussionists in professional positions since Meghan Aube’s 2011 study, Women in Percussion: The Emergence of Women as Professional Percussionists in the United States, 1930-Present. Because female percussionists have been subject to gender stereotyping of instruments and gender discrimination, this study also aimed to discover if any progress …

Colonialism And Globalism In Two Contemporary Southern Appalachian Novels - Serena (2008) By Ron Rash, And Flight Behavior (2012) By Barbara Kingsolver, Jasmyn Herrell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this essay, I investigate how the historic and current economic structures operating in Appalachia from the 1920s to the 2010s are represented in two contemporary Southern Appalachian novels – Serena (2008) by Ron Rash and Flight Behavior (2012) by Barbara Kingsolver. Through the lens of postcolonial theory, I show how Serena represents Appalachia as functioning under the colonial model outlined by Robert Blauner and Helen Mathews Lewis in 1978. Then, still under the theory of postcolonialism, I explore how Kingsolver’s work depicts regional identity in response to a post-colonial environment and the ever-expanding global economy.

An Assessment Of The Use Of Photogrammetry In Cranial Metric And Non-Metric Studies, Amy Hair

Master's Theses

Methods in biological anthropology have made tremendous leaps in recent years and with the increasing rise in technology there is no reason to suspect that this trend will be decreasing. Particularly methods in 3D digitization have not only increased but have also become more accessible in bioarchaeology. One method, photogrammetry, offers bioarcheologists a unique opportunity to easily collect and process cranial metric and non-metric data that can be used to quantify biological relatedness. While these advances are expected to continue, it is ignorant to assume that they represent a fail proof solution. A critical examination is necessary to quantify the …

Managing The Wear Of Heavy Construction Equipment Steel Track Undercarriage By Soil Sand Content, Frederick Ashburn Rich

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Heavy construction equipment owners and managers have few predictive tools that can estimate wear rate of undercarriage track propulsion systems working in various soil types and changing operational conditions. Managing the timely maintenance of these track systems is critical for they represent over half of the non-fuel operating cost of the equipment fleet. Understanding the major influencing factors that impact undercarriage system wear rate can help determine the most economical time to stop a machine for track maintenance thus positively impacting the equipment’s return on investment (ROI). This research analyzed the population of track type dozers in the eastern half …

The Effects Of Bioinspired Infill Designs And Density On The Compressive Strength Of Parts Produced By Additive Manufacturing Via Fused Deposition Modeling, Joseph D. Long

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current state of additive manufacturing (AM) is still primarily used for prototyping and modeling. However, with the increase in available materials and more advanced machines, AM is beginning to become a production process in which ready-to-ship products are being manufactured. This makes it all the more important to effectively and efficiently use the material in AM machines. One of the ways that material usage can be improved upon is more efficiently structuring the infill material that is used. This dissertation reports on the testing and statistical analysis of the compressive modulus of elasticity, the compressive proportional limit, and the …

Original Monotheism: A Signal Of Transcendence Challenging Naturalism And New Ageism, Daniel Roger Cote

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Where once in America, belief in Christian theism was shared by a large majority of the population, over the last 70 years belief in Christian theism has significantly eroded. From 1948 to 2018, the percent of Americans identifying as Catholic or Christians dropped from 91 percent to 67 percent, with virtually all the drop coming from protestant denominations. Naturalism and new ageism increasingly provide alternative means for understanding existential reality without the moral imperatives and the belief in the divine associated with Christian theism. The ironic aspect of the shifting of worldviews underway in western culture is that it continues …

Color Psychology Education In Western Culture, Jenna Leigh C. Ashbaugh

Senior Honors Theses

Color has always been communicative in nature. The human brain perceives meaning through color constantly, interpreting different hues based on implications assigned to them from various sources. Though these color-meaning associations can be used purposefully to generate specific reactions or change undesirable connotations with certain objects or situations, improving the mental and emotional health of subjects, the use of color therapy and color theory education are not widespread in modern Western culture. Including a study of color theory in mainstream curriculum could benefit the mental health of individuals due to the therapeutic, communicative, and psychological benefits of color.

Queering The Curriculum: Establishing Equity For Lgbtqia Students And Educators In Michigan, Miranda Findlay

All NMU Master's Theses

This project examines the state of Michigan’s efforts in creating an equitable learning and working environment for LGBTQIA K-12 students and educators, explicitly focusing on 11^th and 12^th grade English Language Arts (ELA) standards. In the first chapter, I evaluate the relationship between queer theory and pedagogy and illuminate the need to implement queer pedagogy in teaching K-12 ELA classes. The following chapter reviews the progressive state of California for its promotion of culturally responsive pedagogy and its inclusion of LGBTQIA topics in its K-12 curriculum. The third chapter analyzes Michigan legislature and policies to highlight gaps that …

The Catastrophic Open Wound: The Application Of Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In Linda Hogan’S Solar Storms And Eden Robinson’S Monkey Beach, Kawther I. Abbas

All NMU Master's Theses

This thesis argues that Judith Herman's theory of Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can provide a lot of insight in analyzing the trauma of several characters in Linda Hogan’s Solar Storms and Eden Robinson’s Monkey Beach. The analysis first employs the two authors’ Native American ideas of trauma and then adds Herman’s theory of CPTSD to help bridge the gap between the Native American and Western cultures and to create more understanding without undermining cultural differences.

I chose Herman’s theory for my analysis because it has many commonalities with the Native American trauma theories such as belief in the fact …

Team Leadership : Core Competencies In Children's Ministries, Jessica E. Fleck

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Theology Of Romance For Married Couples, Cameron J. Scalera

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Unity Of The Spirit's Creative Work : Creation And Soteriology In The Scholastic Pneumatology Of William Burt Pope, Laura Garverick

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Never Again Is Now: A Study Into Intergenerational Trauma, Madeline Boettcher

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Our history is filled with atrocities which have shaped the current structures of injustice we face today. The Japanese Internment, the Holocaust and the Indian Boarding Schools are just some examples which have poisoned communities with trauma. Since these past injustices have been presented through a patriotic lens the full scope of accountability has not been addressed. This lack of accountability has perpetuated structures of oppression and lead to scenarios in which marginalized communities could continue to be mistreated. History is repeating itself at the United States and Mexican boarder, as families and children are torn apart and put in …

Barren: A Case Study Using Art In Religious Instruction To Foster Empathy By Providing Deeper Insight And Encouraging Contemporary Dialogue, Esther Hi'ilani Candari

Masters Theses

This thesis draws upon a review of current literature related to the empathy-building potential of fine art and experiences of infertile women, especially those within Judeo-Christian communities, to build a case study for utilizing fine art to create stronger more empathetic communities. For this case study, the researcher utilized an online survey of infertile Judeo-Christian women to further clarify the specific needs of this minority group. Then she drew upon a broad array of current and historical literature and artwork to discern what cultural and theological trends may have framed infertility as a stigma. Using this information she then produced …

The Pain In Beauty, Kededra C. Brown

Honors Theses

Conducting research in a creative field is different from that of an academic field such as a biological science or history. Instead of constructing a thesis topic and question, then conducting research to answer said question, one has to come up with a concept and then expound upon that basic idea. This is done through the use of information on the subject and the setting of the given idea. This thesis is a production book for a screenplay titled The Pain in Beauty (2020). A production book is a series of documents that contain all the details of the pre-production …