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Tolkien’S Medievalism In Ruins: The Function Of Relics And Ruins In Middle-Earth (2025) Edited By Nick Katsiadas And Carl Sell, Deborah Sabo

Journal of Tolkien Research

Book review, by Deborah Sabo, of Tolkien’s Medievalism in Ruins: The Function of Relics and Ruins in Middle-earth (2025) edited by Nick Katsiadas and Carl Sell

Gaining From Captured Indian Traditional Knowledge Systems: Paths Taken And Way Forward, Ramasami T

International Journal of Traditional Knowledge

India’s scientific heritage is deeply reflected in Ayurveda, a tradition of integrative medicine documented for over two millennia. P.C. Ray, the father of modern chemistry in India, highlighted the depth of ancient chemical knowledge and early use of mercury compounds, while M.S. Valiathan later revived and analyzed the classical texts of Charaka, Sushruta, and Vagbhata to bridge Ayurveda with modern science. Building on this foundation, the Government of India launched initiatives linking Ayurveda with genomics, personalized medicine, and rasayana therapies, yielding promising insights such as the genetic basis of prakriti classifications and protective effects of Amalaki Rasayana. Efforts like the …

Psychosis Among Justice-Involved Youth, Muhubo Y. Alinur

Master of Arts in Human Services

Abstract

Justice-involved youth face considerable mental health challenges, yet psychotic symptoms are frequently overlooked or misclassified as behavioral problems. This capstone critically reviews peer-reviewed literature on the prevalence, risk factors, assessment strategies, clinical needs, and systemic responses related to psychosis in justice-involved adolescents. Literature was sourced from Concordia University, St. Paul Library, Google Scholar, and PubMed. Research indicates that these youth often experience complex, overlapping issues such as trauma, substance use, mood disorders, neurodevelopmental difficulties, and barriers to accessing appropriate mental health care. Unaddressed, these co-occurring needs can result in punitive or unsuitable responses from justice and related systems when …

‘Passing’ The Baton Of Trauma: Queer Failure Of The Women’S Sport Policy Working Group’S Anti-Trans ‘Position’, Meredith M. Bagley, Mary Anne Taylor, Sarah F. Price

Publications and Research

Engaging in critical rhetorical theory and methodology, we interrogate the contemporary landscape of anti-trans backlash in women’s sport. Specifically, we read the ‘TERF wars’ (Pearce et al.) across critiques of biofeminism (Pape) and whiteness (Fischer) while drawing upon critical social science research into trauma-bonding, bullying, and the structural impacts of gender verification policies. Our analysis focuses on the Women’s Sports Policy Working Group (WSPWG), offering a trauma-informed reading of the WSPWG’s ‘Position’ statement to illuminate how lesbian female athletes who were previously slandered for failing to meet femininity norms in sport are unable to overcome that trauma to recognize and …

Towards Designing And Performing Biological Sex: Explorations Of The Cyborg And The Inanimate, Beja Puskas

Theatre and Dance Honors Projects

While gender has been largely debunked as a form of performance, biological sex remains an irreducible point of departure. This essay challenges biological sex as a category through the Foucauldian lens of bio-power and technologies of the self. It merges findings from interviews surrounding intersectionally marginalized experiences with menstruation with trans and disability studies. Utilizing Mel Chen’s theory of animacies, and Margrit Shildrick’s human-technology amalgamation theory, this essay blurs the biological-artificial binary. While there are obstacles, limiting what is biologically possible for humans, the body can be significantly augmented through imagination, body modification, and the invention of newly gendered practices.

``I Don't.. I Don't Remember The Answer'': A Psycholinguistics Study Of Language Processing Impairment Caused By Traumatic Brain Injury In Film ``The Vow'' (2012), Fathiya Rosyada, Emy Sudarwati, Lee Huan Yik, Putrie Rahayuningtyas

Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya

There is substantial evidence of an association between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and language difficulties, particularly those related to cognitive impairment. Addressing an underexplored narrative perspective, this study examines the interaction between memory and language in the representation of cognitive-communication disorder (CCD) following TBI in the film The Vow (2012). Using a qualitative approach informed by Clinical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the study analyzes selected dialogues to identify post-traumatic cognitive-communication difficulties reflected in language comprehension and production. The findings reveal a dissociation between relatively preserved linguistic competence and impaired communicative performance. In language comprehension, this dissociation is reflected in pragmatic misinterpretation, …

Beyond Better Conditions: Seaweed Farming And The Number Of Sentient Animals In Aquaculture, Shrilaxmi Patil, Matthew Unerman, Wasseem Emam

Animal Sentience

Oldfield & Bonano (2024) (O&B) document how far  fish welfare research lags behind welfare research in other animals. We share O&B’s feelings-based concept of welfare and agree that aquaculture seeded this field; but research volume has not scaled with animal numbers: Welfare attention per farmed fish or decapod remains negligible. Along the lines of preceding commentaries (Maia 2024, Mather 2024), we treat farmed aquatic animals as individuals rather than tonnage. We then raise a point so far absent from the commentary on O&B so far: reducing the number of sentient animals entering intensive systems. Coastal seaweed farming, which cultivates non-sentient …

Earthly Alienization And Galactic Othering: How Star Wars Holistically Reimagines American History And Constructs A Pipeline To Christian-Imperial Humanitarianism, Taylor Valci

Effervescence: Yale Divinity School's Student Journal of Religion

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, the future of religion looks remarkably familiar. This essay argues that Star Wars offers a holistic reimagining of American racial formation in a speculative interstellar setting, translating historical practices of othering and alienization into the galaxy’s social and religious order. Across the Skywalker Saga (1977–2019), the Jedi Order functions as a galactic priesthood whose moral universalism authorizes intervention, governance, and salvation across the cosmos. Drawing on American religious history, critical race theory, migration studies, humanitarianism, and imperial studies, I show how alien species, racialized language, colorblind representation, and sacred bloodlines …

Report Card On The Status Of Women 2025-2026, Leah Ward

Women's Center Reports, Commentaries and Other Resources

In this eighth iteration of the Report Card on the Status of Women, the University of Dayton’s Women’s Center maintains our Report Card annually, continuing to be aimed at increasing institutional diversity and promoting equity for underrepresented staff and faculty. In doing so, the report identifies areas where progress is being made and areas where more work is needed. The Report Card is also a space to share progress on gender equity initiatives led by the Women's Center and other units across campus.

Data presented in this Report Card was provided by the Office for Decision Support and represents data …

An Analysis Of Artificial Intelligence Systems On The Teaching Of Music Improvisation, Composition, And Instrumental Pedagogy, Carter K. Murphey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Artificial intelligence (AI) has experienced a significant boom in the first half of the 2020s and has significant implications for the fields of music composition, music production, and music education. AI Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT are frequently used sources for students on a wide range of academic subjects, and can provide in-depth, well-informed and eloquently written explanations in a matter of seconds. Music generative AI programs such as Suno and UDIO can almost instantaneously compose and produce musical recordings from word-generated prompts from users. Noise cancelling AI software such as Moises can create isolated instrumental tracks from …

“It’S Not Just A Story”: A Phenomenological Study Of Evangelical Christian Women Who Have Disclosed Childhood Sexual Abuse To An Evangelical Pastor, Erin M. Collins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe Evangelical Christian women's experiences disclosing childhood sexual abuse to their pastor in the southeastern region of the United States. Childhood sexual abuse has been a globally studied public health and human rights concern. Over the past few decades, the knowledge of childhood sexual abuse has accumulated in a substantial amount of empirical research, through state and federal legislations, as well as with media coverage. This research has shed light on the gaps in the study regarding disclosure of childhood sexual abuse to an evangelical pastor. Most available research discussed the physiological …

The Recurring Motif Of The Sexualization Of Women Within The Biblical Narratives And The Accompanied Theme Of The Providence Of God, Joseph S. Bernath

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research project seeks to inform others on how selected women of the Bible, those of the Old and New Testament, may have made wrong choices regarding sexualization, whether it be prostitution, infertility, or adultery, that the plan of God did not deter from their lives—within the Old Testament God used a multitude of family dysfunctions to carry out His plan to bring about the Messiah, Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, it was to further the Kingdom of God.

In the gospels, Jesus had a heart for women who had been involved in sexual situations of some kind, and …

Bridging The Gap: Enhancing Sixth Grade Beginning Band Rhythm Pedagogy Through Second-Language Education Strategies, Eliú Nolberto Santos

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation investigated the implementation of second-language education strategies by middle school band directors, drawing on the theories of Jean Piaget, Noam Chomsky, Benjamin Bloom, Howard Gardner, and Lev Vygotsky, among others. This study sought to examine participating band directors' perceptions regarding the implementation of second-language education practices for beginning band students. In parallel, this dissertation sought to quantify the competition results of the surveyed middle school band directors, particularly in sight-reading competitions. The study employed a robust mixed-methods design, commencing with a qualitative survey of middle-school band directors to gather data on the implementation of various second-language acquisition strategies, …

The Impact Of Choral Participation On The Mental Health Of Adolescents, Sheila L. Ramsey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Adolescent anxiety and depression continue to present significant challenges for schools, prompting increased interest in educational experiences that may support students’ psychological well-being. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine the relationship between participation in school-based choral ensembles and the mental health of adolescents. Grounded in Social Identity Theory, the study compared depression and anxiety symptoms between choir participants and nonparticipants and examined whether the length of choir participation was associated with these outcomes. Participants included 26 students enrolled in Grades 9-12 at a public high school in Mississippi. Data were collected using the Patient Health Questionnaire …

Appropriate Modified Instruction Benefits Autistic Spectrum Disorder Students In Instrumental Music Education: A Instrumental Case Study, Ian Lee Mitchell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There are still limited studies in music education with published documentation for autism, despite growth over the last ten years in educational research on autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Teachers have received limited preparation and training for students with special needs, including those with autism. Many teachers ask which specific teaching strategies produce positive learning outcomes in instrumental music that align with the curriculum's educational goals, standards, and objectives for students with ASD. The qualitative instrumental case study documents educational outcomes resulting from intervention strategies for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in music classrooms through video modeling and computer-assisted learning. …

Building Sustainable Ministry Through Leadership Development: Evaluating A Biblically Grounded Leadership Model, Christopher David Brisco

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many churches face declining participation, leadership fatigue, and inadequate succession planning, often due to a lack of intentional, structured leadership development systems. Although research indicates that mentoring, leadership training, and supervised ministry experiences strengthen leadership capacity and organizational sustainability, many congregations struggle to implement leadership development models that effectively integrate biblical principles with strategic organizational practices. This researcher examined the implementation and effectiveness of a biblically grounded leadership development model within The Church of the Redeemed of the Lord in Baltimore, Maryland, a multigenerational church with diverse ministry departments that provided an appropriate context for evaluating intentional strategic leadership development. …

Grace, Reciprocity Norms, Adverse Life Events, Religious Struggle, Salience Of Religion, Relationship To God As Modifiers, Calvin Jay Slot

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether adverse life events, reciprocity norms, relationship to God, salience of religion, religious struggle and/or grace moderate the frequency of church attendance-physical health relationship or if the psychospiritual variables interact with adverse life events (ALE). 1,000 participants were recruited through Prolific to produce a sample representative of the United States population. An additional 20 participants were recruited through pastors of three churches in Illinois. Multiple linear regression revealed relationship to God, religious struggle, reciprocity norms, and ALE were moderators. Additionally, religious struggle and negative reciprocity norms interacted with adverse life events, …

Forbear That Wicked Cant: Malthusian ‘Zero Sum’ Theory, Eugenics, And World Population Control, Aidan Grogan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation traces the history of an idea: the “zero-sum” theory of human nature and humanity’s relationship with the natural world that lies at the core of the Malthusian worldview. Grounded in the belief that life is a ruthless struggle over scarce resources and that human beings are destined to reproduce beyond the earth’s “carrying capacity,” Malthusianism provided the key intellectual foundations for Darwin’s theory of evolution, which later informed the rise of eugenics. Although eugenics lost much of its scientific legitimacy and moral authority after the Holocaust and the Nuremberg Trials, many American eugenicists and eugenics organizations remained committed …

Trauma-Informed Coaching: An Application Of Catholic Social Teaching To Formation And Healing Through Sport, Kristin K. Sheehan, Peter Piscitello, Elaine Cassidy

Journal of Catholic Education

Mission-driven athletic programs aim to form the whole athlete—physically, emotionally, socially, morally, and spiritually. A critical component of this mission is equipping coaches to serve as ministers of the Church while embracing trauma-informed practices. This paper introduces the rationale, process, and techniques for trauma-informed coaching as a research-based approach to supporting athlete mental health. Grounded in Catholic Social Teaching, this framework emphasizes community, participation, and the dignity of the human person, particularly care for the vulnerable. Drawing on neuroscientific and psychological research on trauma alongside Church documents and papal pronouncements, the paper demonstrates how trauma-informed coaching fosters healing and resilience …

Wille Zum Wald: Nietzsche’S Discovery Of Forest Bathing, Gary Shapiro

Philosophy Faculty Publications

In the fourth part of our “The Forest as a Living Foundation” series, the distinguished American Nietzsche scholar Gary Shapiro investigates new angles on Nietzsche’s bonds to the woods: the philosopher’s personal enthusiasm for what is increasingly called “forest bathing,” the science behind how this practice benefits body, mind, and spirit, and the sheer pleasure of breathing fresh air, in woodland and wherever else we can find it. Shapiro’s essay showcases why this particular Lebensraum matters, not just for our individual well-being, but for the health of the entire planet.

The Self-Aware Room: A Framework For Operational Self-Awareness In Evolvable Blended Environments, David B. Smith

Publications and Research

The Self-Aware Room (SAR) is a room-scale research environment developed within the larger Balanced Blended Space and Blended Reality Performance System research trajectory. Rather than treating the room as a conventional “smart” environment composed of fixed automation technologies, SAR approaches it as an evolvable blended environment made from physical, virtual, conceptual, sensory, computational, and performative relationships. Its defining feature is not any particular sensor, model, or output device, but the set of transformations through which physical activity becomes structured observation, bounded representation, interpreted state, governed decision, and mediated response.

This paper develops the conceptual and methodological foundations of SAR as …

Ruins And Remedies: Hospital Site Archaeology In Medieval Southeast Asia, Karen Hill

Classical Mediterranean and Middle East Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

Motherhood And The Illusion Of Delayed Gratification In Gerotti Kyomuhendo’S Waiting And Secrets No More, Mopelola R. Olayiwola

Wagadu: A Journal of Transnational Women's & Gender Studies

The birth of a girl child in most African societies automatically signals the arrival of another procreator. Her role is assigned long before birth: she is to be a woman, a wife, and a mother whose nurturance continues until death. Motherhood demands nurturing children alongside the husband, and most myths tie a woman’s relevance to this single role. To ensure undivided attention to this occupation, societies empower the virtue of patience. As a result, many African narratives corroborate the ideology of delayed gratification, encouraging women to give excessively toward a distant future when children may return the favour. Little attention …

Encounters Xxii: Look Up, Susan Johnson

The Sucarnochee Review

No abstract provided.

Beautiful Hand, Allison Whittenberg

The Sucarnochee Review

No abstract provided.

African American Fathers’ Experiences Of Emotional Distress Within The Context Of Black Masculinity After Their Children’S Autism Diagnosis, John Notice

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although parental experiences following a child's autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis have been examined, mothers’ experiences have garnered the most exploration, with comparatively less attention given to fathers’ experiences. There was a gap in knowledge, in particular, on how African American (AA) fathers experience their children's ASD diagnoses while navigating emotional distress within the context of Black masculinity. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore how AA fathers experienced their children's ASD diagnoses while navigating emotional distress within the context of Black masculinity. Crenshaw's intersectionality theory served as the conceptual framework. Data were collected by conducting semistructured …

The Existential Ambiguity Of Authentic Love In Alice Diop's Saint Omer, Kelli Fuery

CCI Articles and Research

Using Simone de Beauvoir's and Frantz Fanon's existentialist phenomenology, this article examines an existentialist ethics of recognition as an act of authentic love in Alice Diop's Saint Omer (2022). Loosely based on a true story, Saint Omer tells a story of filicide: Laurence Coly leaves her baby on a beach to die and we follow the subsequent courtroom drama as it unfolds. The film also follows Rama, a literature professor intending to write up the case as a contemporary version of the Medea myth. I suggest Saint Omer presents an ethics of recognition in its avoidance of the superficial question …

Artificial Intelligence And The Rediscovery Of The Human: An Islamic Reflection On Magnifica Humanitas, Mazhar Ali Bari, Biliana Popova

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Patterns Of Age At First Birth And Child Spacing Behaviour Among Women In Ilorin Metropolis, Nigeria, Ismaila O. Orire

The Journal of Social Encounters

Age at first birth influences the length of a woman's reproductive years and affects fertility behavior including choices of child spacing which have profound influence on future population structure and dynamics. This study examines women’s demographic and social characteristics; identified their ages at first birth and relationship with status of marriage; their child spacing behavior; contraceptive usage; and duration of breastfeeding after child birth. Primary source of data was questionnaire administered to women of reproductive age representing three age cohorts whose ages range between 35-44, 25-34 and 15-24 years respectively. Systematic random sampling technique was adopted to ensure representativeness and …

Pax Christi International’S Representation Within International Governmental Organisations, Fr. Paul Lansu, Giulia Bordin

The Journal of Social Encounters

Pax Christi International (PCI) has used its consultative status at the United Nations since 1979 to connect grassroots peacebuilding with international policymaking. Initially focused on disarmament and human rights, PCI contributed to key international treaties and advocated against human rights violations worldwide. Over time, its advocacy expanded to include active nonviolence, ecological justice, sustainable development, and the accompaniment of local peacebuilders. By strengthening collaboration across its global network and enabling partners from conflict-affected regions to engage directly with international institutions, PCI continues to promote human dignity, international law, and a just and lasting peace through inclusive multilateral advocacy.