Digital Commons Network^™

Apostate Nuns In The Later Middle Ages, Morgan Mcminn

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Humanities In The Time Of Chatgpt And Other Forms Of Ai, Puspa Damai, Barbara Postema

Critical Humanities

Humanities in the time of ChatGPT and other forms of AI

The Show Soldiers: The Rifle Volunteers And The First World War, Kyle Lierman

History Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

The British Rifle Volunteer movement came about as a response to the perceived threat of invasion by France in 1859. One of the primary responsibilities of the Volunteers was to function as an auxiliary force for the defense of Britain. However, no invasion would come, and the Volunteers would see no combat outside a small deployment during the Second Boer War. The Volunteer Force eventually became a new organization named the Territorial Force in 1908 during the sweeping series of British Army reforms after 1900. Despite the limited military experience, the Volunteer movement would considerably influence the British military and …

Enemies Of All Mankind: Piracy In The British Atlantic World, 1680 To 1730, Nicholas Knuth

History Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

Pirates during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries experienced the height of Atlantic piracy. The Golden Age of Piracy caused major political problems for the British overseas colonies and constituted revisions in colonial governance. Piracy during this period began as buccaneers who worked for the state during wartime as privateers and rogues during peacetime. This group changed however, by the end of the seventeenth century had transitioned into pirates, attacking any and all shipping around the colonies regarless of origin. This group forced Parliaments’ hand to act against them and implement anti-piracy laws throughout the empire. However, the War …

Full Issue

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

No abstract provided.

Power For A Purpose, Robert L. Beisner

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

The dawn of modern American strategy appeared during the early cold war a half century ago. Strategy is the use of power for a purpose. Washington's purposes after 1945 were to establish and then maintain an international order in which American values and institutions could prosper. American policymakers thought the same policies established to do this would also benefit the world at large. Their conscious fashioning of strategy to achieve purpose was virtually unprecedented in American history. The results, almost all successes, included the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, the Truman Doctrine and Berlin Airlift, the Marshall Plan, the …

“The Road Less Travelled”: The Longevity Of Anti-Apartheid Activism In The Life Of Helen Joseph (1905-1992), Sadie Marchesseault

Honors Program Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

The History Of Systemic Racism In The Texas Rangers, John E. Jordan Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

White people dominated North American society from the first settlement of North America through the twentieth century and their own cultural norms dictated their actions, both good and bad. The Texas Rangers and other police officers in Texas played a major role in the discrimination of people of color, particularly the Hispanic population. Systemic racism is found in the militarizing of the police and how they interacted with people of color.

Clawhammer: Vincent A. Witcher And Guerrilla Warfare In Civil War Southern Appalachia, Melanie Greer Storie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Vincent A. Witcher, the subject of this dissertation, is largely unknown to Civil War historians. He is rarely mentioned, and when he is, it is primarily in connection with J.E.B. Stuart’s cavalry on the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Without the 1886 New York Times article and the resulting lawsuit, Witcher might have faded away as a historical footnote for his minor role at Gettysburg. However, this dissertation argues that his libel suit represents a microcosm of the complicated nature of guerrilla warfare during the Civil War. Through a lens of memory and regional history, the Witcher case …

The Influence Of High Renaissance Art On The Mannerist Movement: Examining Representative Works Of Rosso Fiorentino, Pontormo, And Bronzino, Jana Ondrechen Hallford

The Confluence

This paper explores the impact of the High Renaissance, led by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael, on the development of the Mannerist movement. Specifically, it examines the ways in which three prominent Mannerist artists, Pontormo, Rosso Fiorentino, and Bronzino, built upon the "ideal" art produced during the High Renaissance.

Through a comparative analysis of works by the "three greats" of the High Renaissance and those of the three Mannerist artists, this paper identifies similarities and differences in style, composition, and subject matter. It also considers broader cultural influences that contributed to the development of Mannerism.

The paper argues that …

The Spontaneous Wellsprings Of Music, Nicholas Mcnair

Turning Toward Being: The Journal of Ontological Inquiry in Education

Western Classical Music has traditionally been described in terms of fixed structures, carefully built up by the composer and presented to the performer in the form of a score. This has crystallised over the centuries into an ideological position which, in the last analysis, gives absolute authority to the composer over the performer, severely limiting the freedom of expression of the latter. In this article I seek to reverse this position by pointing to the essential spontaneity, represented by improvisation, that lies at the heart of all music-making, albeit fiercely opposed by the fundamentalism of an endless number of structural …

The Role Of Local Agency In Peacebuilding: The Case Of The Bawku Inter-Ethnic Peace Committee, Gamel M. A. Aganah Phd

Peace and Conflict Studies

This article explores the failure of top-level interventions in the resolution of local conflicts and the role of local agency in peacebuilding. The article relied primarily on qualitative techniques and instruments to collect data to examine why top-level interventions by successive governments have failed to resolve the Bawku chieftaincy conflict. The article finds that top-level interventions have failed to resolve the conflict because they are introduced with little to no participation by local communities. These interventions are, therefore, unable to garner grassroot support and commitment. In contrast, the BIEPC led peace process has been more successful in the management of …

Echoes Of The Spanish Civil War In Tolkien’S Legendarium, Alexander Retakh

Journal of Tolkien Research

The Spanish Civil War had a profound effect on the literature of the 1930s and 40s; however, it has been almost neglected in Tolkien studies. This article examines both Tolkien's potential views of the Civil War and their effect on his writings of the late 1930s such as the emerging story of Numenor. The dearth of primary sources can be rectified by studying the position on the War taken by other British Catholic intellectuals. Very likely Tolkien viewed the Civil War primarily as a religious conflict and was shaken by the highly publicized cases of anti-clerical violence. The combination of …

Hudson, Hannah Leigh, B. 2000 (Sc 3704), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3704. “Historical Overview of Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee,” a paper by WKU student Hannah Hudson.

Clausewitzian Theory Of War In The Age Of Cognitive Warfare, Amber Brittain-Hale, Amber Brittain-Hale

Education Division Scholarship

We can reconceptualise warfare by contrasting Clausewitz with the modern practice of cognitive warfare, as evidenced by Ukraine’s defence methodologies. The strategic orchestration of ‘infopolitik’ and the sophisticated use of social media can shape narratives and public perception. This article revisits Clausewitz’s tenet of war as a political instrument and juxtaposes it with contemporary conflict’s multidimensional tactics. By scrutinising Ukraine’s digital and psychological warfare tactics, one may question the applicability of Clausewitz’s framework, seeking to understand if these novel dimensions of warfare compel a redefinition or an expansion of his thesis to navigate the complexities of contemporary geopolitical confrontations.

Beyond The Bell: Rebuilding Care, Civic Learning And Creativity Within Youth Spaces, Michelle R. Haapala

Masters Projects

The purpose of this research is to investigate high school age students’ opportunities within formal classroom settings to engage in care, civic learning, and creativity within a suburban, publicly-funded charter school. This study used thematic analysis and coding methods to organize and find patterns in the qualitative data from surveys distributed to education professionals at Canton Preparatory High School in Canton, Michigan. The goal is to establish a foundation of the perception of care, civic learning, and creativity within school environments and classroom settings. Overall, education professionals rated these categories positively, but with a closer investigation, a disconnect is found. …

Full Issue

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Handheld Weapons In The Book Of Mormon

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

The first in a substantial series of studies on warfare in the Book of Mormon has been completed this month. This new Preliminary Report by Arabist William Hamblin, Ph.D. (Michigan), focuses on handheld weapons in the Book of Mormon, in pretechnical military practices of the Near East, and in Mesoamerican archaeology. Dr. Hamblin's work on this subject was funded by a research grant from F.A.R.M.S. He is currently working for the United States Department of Defense.

The B. H. Roberts Story

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

The Lord obviously did not intend the Book of Mormon to be an open-and-shut case intellectually, either pro or con. No miracle and no matter of faith is.

Full Issue

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Donors

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

In our fiscal year just ended, F.A.R.M.S. received voluntary donations from 1330 individuals. A special thanks goes to the following who gave between $500 and $5,000 this year. Your support makes the work of the Foundation possible!

Office Staff News

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

In July, Janet Twigg moved to Ohio. We will miss her loyal and valuable service as our Office Manager.

Gadianton Robbers As Guerrilla Warriors

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Guerrilla warfare has become depressingly familiar to us from places like China, Nicaragua, Angola, Cuba, Korea, the Spanish Sahara, Vietnam, and Afghanistan. Although guerrilla tactics have received much attention and achieved notable success in the so-called "Cold War," they are not really new. On the contrary, they can be identified in ancient times-and the Book of Mormon provides a particularly clear example of them.

Temple Bibliography

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Temple worship and service were common elements in ancient Near Eastern societies. Connected with the temple system were various ritual practices. Present-day scholars find fascination and mystery while studying these sanctuaries and their environs, and seem never to exhaust the possibilities in writing about new discoveries.

Armor In The Book Of Mormon

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

The types of armor used in various civilizations are determined by a combination of technology, natural resources, economy, military practices, and artistic conventions. Although there are few detailed descriptions of armor in the Book of Mormon, the basic pattern can be outlined and is quite unlike the armor of Western Europe.

Covenants And Religious Validity

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

The text of Richard L. Anderson's 1988 first annual Book of Mormon Lecture is now available. Entitled "Religious Validity: The Sacramental Covenants in 3 Nephi," this paper demonstrates the covenantal nature of the teachings of Christ in the New and Old Testaments, a crucial feature of doctrine that was lost in the Apostasy.

Inoculant To Influence: Cultivating Critical Citizenship By Foregrounding Ontology Through Kenneth Burke And Walter Fisher’S Rhetorical Frameworks, Mark Griffin

English Department Theses

Scholars interested in exploring the potency of the writing modality of critical pedagogy for molding students into proactive citizens will find the integration of Kenneth Burke’s Dramatism and Walter Fisher’s Narrative Paradigm instrumental, offering tools essential for cultivating a rhetorical awareness adept at navigating narratives in the 21st century. Synthesizing Burke’s rhetorical dialectic between the nature of reality and our understanding of it with Fisher’s concept that the human condition is a narrative condition yields insights into the critical writing process. This integration fosters a rhetorical awareness, serving as an inoculant to influence, countering the prevailing persuasive elements within today’s …

Effectiveness Of Training Jacksonville Church Of God Seventh Day To Minister Biblical Truth To Seventh-Day Adventists, Dirk E. Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study addresses Jacksonville Church of God Seventh Day’s lack of understanding of how to communicate biblical truths effectively to local Seventh Day Adventists. The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent a training program could improve the confidence of church members to share biblical truths with Seventh-day Adventists. The method of study involved training eleven members of the church. These members were from different races, ages, and genders. The training program consisted of seven one-hour training sessions. The data collection methods included interviews and surveys. The results of this study indicate that a training program can …

A Cosmic Conflict In Covenantal Literature, Lisa Marie Martinez-Leeper

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines the cosmic conflict that God declared in Genesis 3:15 in the Garden of Eden, and that will not come to fruition until the final judgment articulated in Revelation 20. This raging spiritual warfare can be seen through the lens of the covenants God made with Israel and the administration of God’s purposes through His people. Through God’s sovereign hand over Israel, His providence and grace can be seen throughout the whole of Holy Scriptures. The unfolding spiritual conflict to prevent the “seed of the woman” can be clandestinely observed in the outworking of God’s relationship with His …

Boundless Community: A Virtual Platform Designed For Collaborative Development Of Emotional Well-Being, Sai On Ng

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research aims to apply the US Army concept of spiritual readiness to help Christians manage emotional stress in a civilian context through an online community. This project invites disconnected Christians to join an online community where they can address negative emotions by developing self-awareness of their maladaptive thinking and embody the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love. This approach assists individuals in building emotional resilience, a concept emphasized in the military. This project addresses five negative emotions (anger, shame, sadness, fear, and loneliness) by replacing them with positive emotions taught in the Bible. The project consists of eight …