Digital Commons Network^™

Virtual Touch: Embodied Experiences Of (Dis)Embodied Intimacy In Mediatized Performance, Naomi Petrea Bennett

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation, I explore a phenomenon I call virtual touch, in which embodied sensations of touch are felt through non-tactile senses. In the digital age, online interactivity has expanded the ways in which individuals experience connection, intimacy, and touch. Digital media, which have traditionally been thought of as disembodied, nevertheless have the ability to elicit intense feelings of touch. Through analysis of digital and virtual installation art, I examine the ways that non-tactile touch remains rooted in the embodied experience. The works I include in this study create a feeling of virtual touch through a co-functioning of the …

Engagement And Computational Thinking Through Creative Coding, Dana Hoppe

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Rising enrollments in Computer Science pose an opportunity to engage students from diverse backgrounds and interests; and a challenge to deliver on positive learning outcomes. While student engagement is the driving factor for increased learning performance and retention, it has been declining to new lows for Computer Science students in recent years. In order to further explore the potential of contextualized computing as a tool for increasing engagement in computing and developing Computational Thinking aptitude in students, we have developed an introductory computing course contextualized with Art and Design with modules centered around guiding pedagogical principles and aimed at middle …

Reinventing Maternity In Chariton's Callirhoe, Christine Ellis

Foreign Languages & Literatures ETDs

This project analyzes Chariton’s construction of maternity in his Greek novel Callirhoe. I argue that Chariton heavily employs intertexts and allusions throughout his novel, especially with regard to his female protagonists. Through these allusions, Chariton is not only able to insert himself and his work within the literary canon, but he is also able to develop his genre by juxtaposing his heroine with those of the genres of tragedy and epic. Topics of analysis range from debates about killing one’s child to the importance of marital memory. By the end of his novel, Chariton is able both to establish …

Unity In Diversity: How Music Helped Shape The Spiritual Identities Of Black And White Seventh-Day Adventists, 1840–1944, David A. Williams

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Woman Seeking Mother: The Heroine’S Journey In Waslala By Gioconda Belli, Karisa Saori Shiraki

Theses and Dissertations

Motherhood and maternity are common themes in Nicaraguan author Gioconda Belli’s (1948–) writings, but in Waslala (2006) her exploration of the mother figure dives further into what a relationship with such a figure provides. Through a development narrative, parallel to that of female Bildungsroman and quest-romance, the protagonist, Melisandra, grows in maternal history and culture in her search for mother. This thesis uses the theories of Carol Christ, Dana Heller, Joseph Campbell and others to see Melisandra’s odyssey through the lens of a quest narrative. Along this journey, two maternal figures play an important role in preparing her for her …

Rewriting "Plumb Crazy Indian Women": Reframing Mental Illness As Cultural Power In Linda Hogan's Solar Storms, Hannah Dian Detavis

Theses and Dissertations

Since the earliest published American narratives, writers and subsequent Western clinicians alike have often mislabeled Indigenous behaviors, especially the behaviors of Indigenous women, as insanity. And yet, as Pemina Yellow Bird (Three Affiliated Tribes) explains, "Native peoples generally do not have a notion of "insane" or "mentally ill." (4). Instead, Indigenous peoples often discuss mental health in their communities through storytelling. As but one example of the ways that cultural narratives work to reclaim Indigenous understandings of mental health, this paper analyzes how the writings of Chickasaw author Linda Hogan challenge non-Indigenous understandings of mental health as a gendered phenomenon …

Role Of Information Literacy In Sexuality Education Among Secondary School Adolescents In Nsukka Local Government Area, Angela Ngozi Nwadike Ph.D, Bartholomew Chinweuba Nwefuru Ph.D

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study tries to understand the significant roles of information literacy in sexuality education among adolescents of secondary schools in Nsukka local government of Enugu State. The rationale was to find a lasting solution to premarital sexual activities/challenges among secondary school students in the study area. The study through scholarly reviews showed that allowing parents, guardians, teachers, and significant individuals in the lives of an adolescent will pave the way for the child to understand the good and bad effects of premarital sex and therefore, prompt positive decisions that would help children’s wards, themselves and the society at large. The …

Their American Dream, Danne Davis

Department of Teaching and Learning Scholarship and Creative Works

Centuries before W.E.B. DuBois named the colorline—i.e., racism—as the problem of the 20th century, skin color stratification was a persistent phenomenon. In 1983 Black feminist, scholar, and Pulitzer Prize winning author Alice Walker termed “colorism” as “prejudicial or preferential treatment of same-race people based solely on their [skin] color”. Using the tools of genealogy, I conducted a critical family history of my parents, Lem and Mae’s, pursuit of their American Dream. Such exploration digs deep to decipher the nexuses of a family’s evolution. Dr. Maya Angelou routinely shared stories about her past to impart the importance of embracing one’s history. …

Forensic Linguistics: An Applied Theory, Adel Sakakini

BAU Journal - Society, Culture and Human Behavior

This article demonstrates how forensic linguistics is a necessary means to most of the pathological fields of life. The theme of this article revolves around forensic linguistics and its applicability in academic research. Forensic linguistics is the systematic study of language latitudes in particular contexts for forensic purposes. As a new academic discipline, it holds the role of developing methodical linguistic standards in order to enhance not only English language, but also universal language. It provides language with aspects that help in solving linguistic problems. It also introduces language as a collective medium for better communication. Being a subfield of …

Evaluation Of The Matadoc And Comparison Of Auditory Musical, Non-Musical, And Live Music Therapy Stimuli To Increase Awareness And Sense Of Self In Patients With Moderate And Severe Dementia: An Exploratory Case Study, Nicolas A. Espinoza

Theses and Dissertations

Background: The severe stage of dementia (SSD) can cause the loss of self-awareness, affecting the proper assessment, treatment, and care. The Music Therapy Assessment Tool for Awareness of Disorders of Consciousness (MATADOC) is a validated and reliable tool to measure awareness in DOC populations and it might be able to track awareness levels in people with SSD. Also, there is a need to identify effective treatments with people with SSD since pharmacological treatments have shown limited and even negative results. Both live music therapy and music listening of recorded songs have evidence of positive effects.

Purpose: The purpose of this …

The Roman Dogma Of Animal Breeding: “Bark”Aeological Findings Reveal The Effects Of Selective Pressures On Roman Dogs, Ariane Akhand

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Animals as a whole are often overlooked when studying ancient Rome, but there is one animal that even Roman authors of farming guides often dismissed as being insignificant; this animal being the dog. The Romans kept dogs for many purposes; such as for hunting game, protecting a flock of sheep, guarding the house, and providing companionship. The authors of Roman farming guides often provided guidelines as to which characteristics were ideal for each type of working dog, but are these ideal characteristics reflected in the reality of Roman dogs? I set out to conclude to what extent the Romans influenced …

Schnittke, Gubaidulina, And Pärt: Religion And Spirituality During The Late Thaw And Early Perestroika, Aleksandra Drozzina

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The dissertation explores the music of three major Soviet composers—Alfred Schnittke, Sofia Gubaidulina, and Arvo Pärt—against the backdrop of the ever-changing Soviet rule (after Stalin’s death in 1953). I reevaluate the composers’ religious and spiritual beliefs expressed in their works during the 1970s–1980s. Three works are presented as case studies and analyzed in-depth: Schnittke’s Concerto for Choir (1984–85), Gubaidulina’s Sieben Worte (1982), and Pärt’s Stabat Mater (1985). Although under Nikita Khrushchev’s rule (1953–64), governmental censorship began to slowly loosen, this particular group of composers continued to experience a considerable degree of oppression and censorship from the Soviet government until and …

Digital Exhibit Of Human Monstrosity, Eli Cohen

Digital Humanities Curricular Development

The final project for SPAN/LITRS 058 is a digital exhibit of human monstrosity. Each student will identify a topic or theme related to human monstrosity in any form and choose representative examples. This project will be presented using an online tool (Scalar) that enables the creation of multimedia exhibits. Students will search for and collect text, images, video and sound recordings of their topic/theme and examples and curate an online exhibit that explores some facet (historical, biological, psychological, social, etc.) of the limits between the human and the monstrous.

Book Review: Bodies In Flux: Scientific Methods For Negotiating Medical Uncertainty, Ella Browning

English and Cultural Studies Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Evolution Science And Imago Dei: A Richer And More Robust Treatment Of Theological Anthropology, Gansa Tchétongbé Cathérin Paterne

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

In my thesis, Evolution Science and the Imago Dei: A Richer and more Robust Treatment of Theological Anthropology, the first chapter demonstrates, from the historical analysis of the content attributed to the concept imago Dei over the centuries, that different ages in the Church have interpreted the content of that expression in different ways. From this historical analysis that the imago Dei assumes different meanings at different points in history, I justify my expectation that the term is open to ever new meanings.

With the second chapter, by exploring the evolutionary contribution to the emergence of modern human, I …

The Bare Bones Of Paleontology, Thomas Keely

Transformations: Research Papers

When discussing an occupation such as paleontology, we imagine professional people with PhDs and a knack for getting a little dirty in the pursuit of discovery. Never do we imagine cutthroat tactics and destruction for the sake of discovery. The professionalism of paleontology has gone through both of these stages from its humble beginnings as early as the sixth century B.C.E. to the modern day. “The Bare Bones of Paleontology” examines how paleontology became a professional career with distinguished scientists rather than scientists who only wanted glory. This paper examines this change in professionalism with the backdrop of “The Bone …

The National Socialists And How They Ostracized An Entire Population, Kathryn Weber

Geifman Prize in Holocaust Studies

In this paper, I analyze how the National Socialists ostracized the Jews before the start of World War II. I also discuss the importance of teaching students about this topic in US schools in a way that promotes historical inquiry, historical empathy, and critical thinking skills. There is an attached lesson plan that I did with 6th-grade students to provide an example of one way to teach students about the Holocaust. Here is my thesis for the paper:

"By examining laws passed by the Reichstag, the organization of the ghettos and the camps, the German education system, correspondence between …

Sex In The Sanctuary: Art, Faith And Female Sexual Addiction, Katrina Everett

Community Engagement Student Work

Little research has been done on female sexual addiction and even less research exists regarding the intersectional complexities of female sexual addiction for women of faith. Female sexuality has been largely invisible in religious communities and in society. This project endeavored to explore if art could be an appropriate tool to increase the visibility of the experiences of women of faith dealing with sexual addiction. An interdisciplinary mixed medium workshop was curated that encompassed an interactive art exhibition, poetry readings, monologue and open discussion. The goal of the workshop was increase the visibility of the experiences of women of faith …

Somos Y Estamos, Primavera/Spring 2020, Western Michigan University

Somos y Estamos

For Friends of the Department of Spanish at Western Michigan University. In both Spanish and English.

Ua12/2/2 Talisman: Zeitgeist, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

2020 Talisman yearbook:

• Mohr, Olivia. Zeitgeist
• Disrupted – Photo Essay, COVID-19
• Brandt, Jess. Cut Short – Edward Games, Grace Jones, Jarred Corona, Joshua Crask
• Zambrano, Max. Point of No Return? – Stuart Foster, Climate Change
• Francis, Kristina. Weapons Women Carry
• Steele, Emma. Now & Again – Talisman
• Gordon, Zora. Not Just Numbers – Sam Aldrich, Social Media
• Christensen, Nicole. The K-Pop Phenomenon – Music
• Hornsby, Morgan. Everything Starts with Mama – Warren County Regional Jail
• McCormick, Dillon. Evolving Sport – Esports, Video Games
• Sheffield, Catherine. Perfect Match – Travis Hudson, Volleyball
• Dozer, Claire. Follow the Signs – Deafness, American Sign …

Girl Pee: An AutohistoriaI, Taylor Sherritt

Master of Humanities Capstone Projects

Influenced by queer theory, comic studies, and Gloria Anzaldua’s theorization of Nepantla, this project attempts to interrogate causation as an underlying principle of queer narrative and further explore how the need to justify transgender (trans*) existence works to preserve pathological ideologies around the trans* body. Specifically, I acknowledge and resist the common use of tropes such as “Born in the wrong body” and “I’ve always felt like the opposite sex”, as they are reproduced in and through trans* narratives as methods of justification for trans* existence. I argue that these tropes are etiological and grounded in biological determinism, as they …

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 61 Number 2, Spring 2020 [Print Issue V.61:1], Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

14 - THE UPSTART How Michael Mondavi ’66 helped get Napa on the wine map. By Ron Hansen.

18 - OF WOMEN AND MEN Emeritus professors dish on their research into wine and women. By Tracy Seipel.

22 - A SIGN OF LIGHT A Jesuit priest finds meaning on death row. By George Williams, S.J.

26 - FIRE AND WINE As the climate changes, what’s next for wine remains murky. By Tracy Seipel.

The Evolution Of Eugenics: The Birth Of A Movement, Caroline Tvardy

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

This paper addresses the topic of the intellectual and academic foundations of the eugenics movement in England and the United States. It addresses how this basis formed in the highest levels of the academy and then permeated the rest of society in turn. Through this lens, it explores the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century British and American spheres of scientific and pseudoscientific thought, and how many of these unsavory ideas began in the academy and percolated into the masses. This paper argues the work of prominent biologists, mathematicians, and genetic researchers of the time created and pushed the narrative of racial and …

Ua3/10 President's Message - Spring Semester, Wku President's Office - Caboni

WKU Administration Documents

President's Message emails sent by Timothy Caboni to faculty & staff during spring semester, 2020.

• Announcing WKU Restart Committees & Commencement Update
• Big Red is in the Final Four! Vote Now!
• Big Red Restart Draft
• Big Red Restart Panel
• Big Red Restart Plan Answers
• COVID-19 & Holiday Schedule
• COVID-19 Testing
• COVID-19 Update
• COVID-19 Update – March 13^th
• COVID-19 Update 4.6.20
• COVID-19 Update: 3/17/20
• End of Semester
• Executive Order to Close Non-Life-Sustaining Businesses to In-Person Traffic
• Healthy On the Hill
• New Vice President for Enrollment & Student Experience – Ethan Logan

"O Lost Moon Sisters" : Feminist Revisions In Diane Di Prima's Loba, Chelsea Megan Mathes

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In her master work, Loba, Diane di Prima revises a variety of traditionally malecentered narratives from a feminist viewpoint in the long tradition of feminist revision that is a cornerstone of Second Wave Feminism. This thesis examines five of the revisions of Christian, Jewish, and Greek stories present in Loba: The Virgin Mary, Eve, Lilith, Helen of Troy, and Persephone. Di Prima revises these stories to include the full— physical, spiritual, and emotional—experience of the woman, often from her own point of view, to give the woman agency over her own story and subvert the woman-as-object tradition present in male-authored …

Holistic Interreligious Dialogue In Mindanao, Philippines: Sowing The Seeds Of Lasting Peace In The Mountains Of Iligan, Adam Bago, Mike Banõs

Spiritan Horizons

No abstract provided.

Cosmological Models And The Christian Faith In John Milton's Paradise Lost, Jacob R. Taylor

Tenor of Our Times

In this work the author argues that John Milton justifies the intelligibility and priority of Christian faith against modern revolutions of science in his epic poem Paradise Lost. Milton argues against scientists who choose to believe modern astronomy over cosmology. He argues that Christian faithfulness stands firm despite the crumbling of its medieval cosmological basis. This endurance of the faith is the primary scientific theme of the epic English poem.

T&C Magazine Issue 21 - Spring 2020, T&C Media

T&C Magazine

Articles Include: Sincerely, the seniors// Student sound: music to our ears// Not all athletes are human// Ending the stigma// Cards with cool internships// Stereotypes, shattered// Debate debrief// Beyond the diagnosis// Behind closed doors// Remembering 'Big Nige'

“‘Faith’ Is A Fine Invention”: Emily Dickinson’S Critique Of Empiricism, Harrison Dietzman

Faculty Publications - Department of English

In opposition to those who might read Emily Dickinson’s opus as emblematic of nineteenth-century empiricism, or at least the work of a poet enthralled with and enchanted by modern science, a close examination of Dickinson’s poems demonstrates her attention to the constructedness of empirical science. The roots of Dickinson’s examination of empiricism lies in her exploration of selfhood and the relationship between experience and knowledge. As such, Dickinson’s critique of empiricism is contained within a critique of secularizing visions of human autonomy. In a few isolated poems Dickinson explicitly addresses empiricism, but on the whole she prefers to approach empiricism …

The Narrative Of Courtship: Literary And Biological Constructions And Their Impact On Women, Drew Harris 20

Honor Scholar Theses

No abstract provided.