Digital Commons Network^™

“How Far Do These Roots Go Down”: An Exploration Of Latinx And Latina Fans On Representation In Disney's Encanto, Noemi Nunez

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

In this dissertation, I examine how Latinx and Latina audiences engaged with and interpreted Disney’s 2021 Encanto, an animated film celebrated for its representation of Colombian and broader Latinx culture. While scholarship on Latinx representation in media has expanded, less attention has been given to how Latinx audiences themselves respond to narratives that are meant to represent them, particularly within fan studies. Focusing on both a broader Latinx fan community and first-generation Latinas in the United States, this project explores how audiences negotiate representation and recognition using Encanto as a media text that centered a Latinx story. Drawing from …

Between Stigma And Strength: How Ghanaian Mothers Navigate Societal Judgement And Build Resilience While Raising Children With Disabilities., Vera Bonku Turkson

Theses and Dissertations

The study explores the lived experiences of mothers raising children with disabilities in Ghana, West Africa. The purpose of the study is to understand mothers’ everyday caregiving realities, their experiences with social stigma, and the ways they build resilience. A semi-structured interview was conducted where a total of eleven Ghanaian mothers/caregivers were interviewed through phone calls, WhatsApp calls, and Zoom. The data were then analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis guide, which resulted in the development of five themes. The findings reveal that mothers’ experiences are shaped by continuous caregiving demands, financial strain, and deeply embedded cultural beliefs …

Establishing Hierarchical Classification Responding: Directly Trained And Emergent Responses, George H. Noell, Kristin A. Gansle, Hannah M. Sliman, Danielle M. De Lucia

Psychology Faculty Publications

Hierarchical classification responding (HCR) describes a collection of responses that require discrimination of logical relationships between stimuli based on their position in a categorical hierarchy. This study established HCR for a new hierarchy in young children through discrete trial instruction. Participants selected pictures corresponding to different hierarchical levels of categorization. We tested for the emergence of naming that matched the level of hierarchy presented, transformation of function, and class inclusion responding for the trained and novel stimuli. Correct responding to the target hierarchy was established and resulted in the emergence of class naming and transformation of function without direct instruction. …

Provoking Generative Ai Futures: Merging Theory And Praxis, Regina M. Luttrell Ph.D., Nick Bowman

Media Studies - All Scholarship

An accessible exploration of the myriad applications and challenges of generative AI for media and communication students, scholars, and practitioners alike.

The latest emergence of increasingly low-cost and scalable AI technologies presents a point of both celebration and concern for the contemporary media and information ecosystem. To this end, this edited volume gathers media and communications scholars and practitioners to engage in discussions and exchange ideas about current trends and developments in the field. Questions this volume asks include: What are the essentials of generative AI from a media and communication perspective? How has generative AI influenced research and scholarship? …

Good News For The Poor And More: Reclaiming Martin Luther King, Jr.'S Radical Gospel Of Economic Justice In Pursuit Of The Beloved Community, Lester A. Mccorn

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation, Good News for the Poor and More: Reclaiming Martin Luther King Jr.’s Radical Gospel of Economic Justice in Pursuit of the Beloved Community, argues that Martin Luther King Jr.—one of the most transformational American leaders of the 20th century—should be best understood as a central figure within the Black Social Gospel tradition whose rhetoric constitutes a sustained socio-political and theological critique of economic injustice. Moving beyond interpretations that limit King to racial integration and civil rights, this study demonstrates that his preaching confronts the structural realities of poverty, racial capitalism, and militarism as interrelated forms of systemic …

Mapping Multiclass-Targeted Hate Speech In Online Discourse: An Open Dataset, Sanaa Kaddoura, Sumaia Al-Kohlani

All Works

Online social networks have become central spaces for public discourse, where hostile and discriminatory language toward social groups can cause psychological and social consequences for marginalized communities. Although multiple public hate speech datasets are available, many rely on binary categorization practices that obscure linguistic, cultural, and contextual variation across targeted groups. As a result, minority and less visible forms of hate speech remain insufficiently documented and analyzed. This discussion paper examines methodological limitations in existing hate speech annotation schemes and presents a re-annotation framework applied to the HatEval2019 dataset. The proposed framework introduces target-specific multiclass labels that distinguish subcategories of …

“America Is For Americans Only”: Journalistic Professionalism, Populism, And Latino Ethnic Media In The 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, Maria Villarroel

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how journalistic professionalism shaped news coverage of Latino-related issues during the 2024 U.S. presidential election across mainstream and Latino ethnic media outlets. In a polarized political environment, immigration and the “Latino vote” were not only central campaign issues but also sites of radicalized rhetoric that frequently targeted Latino communities and journalists. In this context, journalists were tasked with reporting on highly contentious, hostile narratives while adhering to professional norms. This study argues that these norms influenced how journalists selected, framed, and contextualized political rhetoric, and how media coverage further elevated immigration and Latino communities as key electoral …

Use Of Generative Ai In Scholarly Research: Challenges And Opportunities, Marco Marabelli, Robert M. Davison, Giovanni Gatti, Ankita Srivastava, Monideepa Tarafdar

Computer Information Systems Faculty Publications

The focus of this panel report is to present evidence of a panel discussion that took place in October 2025 on the use of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) in academic research and publishing. The panel included publishers (Elsevier, Emerald, Gailot Press, MIT Press, Nature/Springer, Wiley) and editors in chief (representing the Information Systems Journal, Journal of the AIS, Journal of Data Science and ICES Journal of Marine Science). Key outcomes of the panel are the following: 1) publishers and editors have some disagreements regarding GAI use; 2) besides disagreements, all recognize that GAI is here to stay, therefore outstanding issues …

Heat Misers, Snow Misers, And Cognitive Misers: The 'Nukewarm' Perceptions Of Nuclear Power, Tyler Williams

Dissertations and Theses

Rising energy demand in the United States necessitates alternatives to fossil fuels, yet renewable energy sources alone are insufficient to meet this demand. Nuclear power presents a promising option but faces persistent public hesitancy. This study examines how heuristic-based biases relate to American's risk-benefit perceptions towards nuclear power. Guided by the heuristic-systematic model. Results indicate that competence and affect are related to risk-benefit perceptions, and naturalness shows no relationship with risk perceptions but does correlate with benefit perceptions. Implications highlight the importance of affect-driven communication strategies for nuclear communicators, while also underscoring the need for participatory approaches that foster trust …

Morals Without Movement: Veganism, Contentious Politics, And The Lifestyle Politics Constraint, Luke M. Carfaro

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines whether veganism constitutes a social movement through Social Movement Theory frameworks, emphasizing Sidney Tarrow's Power in Movement. Through analysis of veganism's empirical properties (collective challenge, common purpose, collective identity, and sustained interaction) and key procedural mechanisms (framing, mobilizing structures, and repertoires of contention), this thesis determines that veganism fails to meet the empirical criteria of a social movement and is more accurately classified as a lifestyle movement—a movement in which political participation is expressed through private consumption rather than sustained collective contention. Using the Make America Healthy Again movement as a counterexample, this thesis comparatively illustrates …

Front Matter, Kritika Kultura

Kritika Kultura

No abstract provided.

Butterflies & You: Considerations Of Human Relationships With The Natural World, M. E. Colby

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Science communication only accounts for approximately 2% of the entire scientific output of 2017-2022 (Parejo-Cuéllar et. al, 2024). It is an under-researched and under-valued field, especially in an age that has devalued science as a whole. The delicate art of explaining complicated ideas to people who are unfamiliar with scientific jargon is vital to humans’ understanding of the world. Butterflies & You is a documentary film exploring the relationship between humans and the many different butterfly species that call Illinois home. Video-based science communication is important to research and practice because of its impact on environmental advocacy and the growing …

For 600,000 New Yorkers, Toxins Are In Their Tap Water: A New York Focus Analysis Of State Inspection Data Shows Key Toxins Are In Public Water Systems From Long Island To The Adirondacks, Posing Risks For Cancers And Other Diseases. Millions Are Being Spent To Fix Problems, But Even Well-Planned Efforts Have Faced Delays. Poorer Towns Wonder If They Can Afford To Fix The Problem., Shuchi Shah, Hayden Betts, Aurora Martinez, Rebecca Mccray

Capstones

The story stems from an analysis of New York State data on drinking water contaminants. The state inspection data shows key toxins are in public water systems from Long Island to the Adirondacks, posing risks for cancers and other diseases. Millions are being spent to fix problems, but even well-planned efforts have faced delays. Poorer towns wonder if they can afford to fix the problem.

Chad Dobson Reflects On The Launch Of The World Bank Reform Campaign, Chad Dobson, Julie Radomski

Perspectives

Chad Dobson is the founder of the Bank Information Center (BIC) and led BIC from 1987 to 1997 and 2007 to 2016. He is widely accredited with developing the global campaign strategies for environmental and social reforms of multilateral development banks (MDB). In this interview, he recounts the early days of BIC and the development of the global campaign.

The ‘For Youth’ Page: Analyzing Tiktok Content Feeds For College-Aged Users, Hadiyah Mohamed

Honors College Theses

This study analyzes the content college-aged users encounter on TikTok’s “For You” page to understand the ways platform design and user-generated content shape prolonged engagement. Existing research frames doomscrolling largely as a compulsive behavior driven by algorithmic design, often overlooking the role of content itself and why it resonates with young adults. Through qualitative content analysis, 150 videos were collected across three TikTok accounts: scrolling from a personal account, a neutral new account, and a new account under the #CollegeTok tag. Videos were rigorously coded in a spreadsheet for narrative descriptions, topics, captions, hashtags, and tone to capture the themes …

Exploring John Maxwell’S 16 Undeniable Laws Of Communication As A Possible Framework For Public Speaking Success: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of The Top 20 Ted Talks And Their Alignment With The Principles, Kevin C. Mcintyre

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The qualitative content analysis aimed to discover whether Maxwell’s 16 undeniable laws of communication are applied to the top 20 TED Talks of all time based on view count catalogued on the TED website and inform a framework for public speaking success. Through the lens of Fisher’s narrative paradigm of coherence and fidelity, while situated in Craig’s rhetorical tradition, which builds on ethos, pathos, and logos, the study examined the gap in workplace competence moving beyond theory to practical guidance. Additionally, the study was guided by three research questions that were answered in the study. Through an immersive multimodal examination …

Exploring John Maxwell’S 16 Undeniable Laws Of Communication As A Possible Framework For Public Speaking Success: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of The Top 20 Ted Talks And Their Alignment With The Principles, Kevin C. Mcintyre

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The qualitative content analysis aimed to discover whether Maxwell’s 16 undeniable laws of communication are applied to the top 20 TED Talks of all time based on view count catalogued on the TED website and inform a framework for public speaking success. Through the lens of Fisher’s narrative paradigm of coherence and fidelity, while situated in Craig’s rhetorical tradition, which builds on ethos, pathos, and logos, the study examined the gap in workplace competence moving beyond theory to practical guidance. Additionally, the study was guided by three research questions that were answered in the study. Through an immersive multimodal examination …

Sticker Or No Sticker, That Is The Question: A Test Of Two Competing Hypotheses, Dongdong Yang, Yi Luo, Marylou Naumoff

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

Stickers, as an important nonverbal communication affordance on social media, have been understudied in Western contexts. This study employed an online survey (N = 300) to test two competing hypotheses—the social compensation and withdrawal hypotheses—to examine how personality traits influenced sticker use for emotional expression and self-presentation among U.S. college students. Results demonstrated that when communicating with a new friend on their mobile messenger, participants used stickers more frequently for self-presentation than emotional expression. Moreover, loneliness was positively related to neuroticism and negatively related to agreeableness and extraversion. Neuroticism was negatively related to sticker use for both emotional expression and …

Are We Leaving Donors Behind? An Evaluation Of Accessibility Of Higher Education Donor Webpages And Leadership Priorities, Lauren E. Baldwin

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the web accessibility and readability of U.S.-based nonprofit higher education institutions (HEIs) across the Foundation home, donation, and contact pages of selected websites. Utilizing a combination of manual verification and computer-automated analysis techniques, this study analyzes (n=101) institutional websites. Quantitative analysis reveals these webpages frequently contain WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility error types that are likely to affect the perceivability, operability, and understandability of the user’s experience, especially for individuals with disabilities or limited English proficiency. Further, these tests reveal significant differences by sector across multiple WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility error types, indicating that …

Tonight’S Top Story: Analyzing English And Spanish-Language National And Local Newscasts For Content Differences, Esteban N. Serrano

Honors Program Theses and Research Projects

Spanish-language media alongside its equivalent English-language counterpart, assumingly operate with reporting facts truthfully. However, no studies have compared the accuracy of equitable reporting between English and Spanish-language news, particularly television newscasts. Limited existing research claims that differences, such as the structure of news stories and their placement in a broadcast, may skew a narrative for those who prefer to absorb Spanish-language news in comparison to those who absorb English-language news. In this study, through use of mixed methods, U.S. market’s English and Spanish broadcast news-affiliated stations are examined to draw conclusions on whether or not there are differences in news …

Talinghaga At/Ng Pakikibaka: Pagsusuri Sa Mga Pahayag Ng All Up Academic Employees Union - Los Baños, 2019-2020, Cris Lanzaderas, Jennifer Cruz Delfin, Rowell Madula

Dalumat: Multikultural at Multidisiplinaryong E-Journal sa Araling Filipino

Mahalaga sa anomang organisasyong panlipunan ang mabisang pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga pinagsisilbihan nito. Sa kaso ng mga unyon, tungkulin nito ang regular na pakikipagkomunikasyon sa mga miyembro at hindi miyembro nito hinggil sa iba’t ibang usaping may kaugnayan sa sariling kagalingan at kagalingan ng mga kapwa manggagawa. Isa na sa mga paraang ito ang paglalabas ng mga pahayag o statement. Nagagamit din ang pahayag bilang isang kasangkapan sa paglalatag ng tindig at paniniwala ng mga kasapi nito sa isang partikular na isyu. Para sa papel na ito, sinuri ng mga mananaliksik ang dalawampu’t anim (26) na pahayag o statement ng All …

Prostitution In Video Games: Stigma, Violence And Male Pleasure, Laura Aguilera-Ávila, Lara Escobar Hernández

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Prostitution has traditionally been framed in society as a space significantly determined by patriarchal hierarchies, in addition to being affected on many occasions by stigmatisation and violence. The representation of prostitution and of those who practice it in the media is a topic of special interest, since the discourses and messages disseminated by the media play a fundamental role in socialisation. Video games are not exempt from this debate: with millions of players worldwide and a special reach among young people, they are among the most influential media outlets today. This qualitative research analyses a series of titles, both AAA …

External Funding Bulletin July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025, Office Of Research And Creative Activity, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Sponsored Programs Bulletins

No abstract provided.

A Faith-Based Approach To Mental Health Challenges, Patrick Leblanc

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This project sheds light on mental health issues within the Black community and the need for faith communities to intentionally address mental health issues in communities of color. Black men are oppressed by an interplay of cultural, historical, societal, and economic factors that impact their well-being. Racial discrimination and oppression are non-medical drivers exacerbating mental health disorders among Black men. The influences of culture and faith fabricate barriers to help-seeking behavior, and mistaken perceptions of masculinity cause many men to suffer in silence. To begin erasing derogatory perceptions of mental health disorders, faith communities need to increase mental health …

The Spiritual Care Of Hospice Patients With Cognitive Deficits, Shane Sullivan

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT How can a hospice chaplain know whether their presence and ministry make a meaningful difference when visiting patients with dementia or other serious cognitive impairments? This project thesis seeks to answer that question conclusively. The theological foundation of this project centers on the doctrine of the imago Dei—the image of God—as it relates to individuals who are dying with cognitive deficits. Specifically, it explores how a person who is helpless and near death continues to reflect the image of God. The project intervention described here is the creation of a specialized training guide for hospice chaplains at Bridge Hospice …

Notes From The Editor, Rory J. Conces Prof.

International Dialogue

No abstract provided.

Works Of Love From Russia, Alisa Gorshenina

International Dialogue

This reflective artist’s statement by Alisa Gorshenina (Alice Hualice) intertwines autobiographical narrative with the creative context of four works produced during and after her politically forced displacement from Russia. Gorshenina recounts a lifelong pattern of resisting external pressures—from expectations to relocate for education and career advancement to demands that she flee Russia following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. She frames her continued desire to live in her hometown of Nizhny Tagil as an act of personal agency and a “new language of resistance,” grounded not in state loyalty but in an authentic, non-nationalistic love of place. Increasing censorship, denunciations, canceled …

Introduction And Letter To Firas And Ali, Joanna Zabielska

International Dialogue

In this deeply personal and politically charged epistolary essay, Joanna Zabielska reflects on the intersecting forms of erasure occurring within European cultural institutions and at the continent’s militarized borders. Framed as a letter to two men—Firas and Ali—whom the author met during the humanitarian crisis at the Polish-Belarusian border, the piece recounts their experiences of pushbacks, violence, detention, and survival, contextualizing their stories within a broader critique of European migration regimes. Zabielska juxtaposes this with her account of institutional censorship in Austria, where the names of the two men were removed from her VR installation Über das Neue at Belvedere …

African American Women And Blogs: The Allure Of Culture-Specific Beauty Blogs, Kalari Flotree

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The purpose of this qualitative, multi-case study was to explore the identity-related dress and appearance management implications of culture-specific beauty blog readership. The study was informed by three research questions: (a) Why and how do African American women seek out culture-specific beauty blogs? (b) What roles do African American women assume while engaging with culture-specific beauty blog communities? (c). How do African American women use culture-specific beauty blog content to inform identity-related processes of appearance management and dress?

The sample of this multiple-case study included nine participants, each representing a distinct case. Data were collected through individual, semi-structured, in-depth interviews, …

Brands & Virtual Personas: How Virtual Influencer Types Impact Brand Awareness, Carol Calderon Ambelis

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

As social media continues to shape how consumers interact with brands, virtual influencers (VIs) have emerged as a new type of digital celebrity. While previous research has explored how VIs contribute to brand image and awareness, there has been limited attention on how different types of VIs, both anime-like and human-like, affect consumer perceptions across different markets. This study examines how these two types of VIs impact relatability, aspiration, and brand awareness, with a focus on the differences between luxury and mass market. Using a within-subjects experimental design, this study recruited 574 participants with social media experience using MTurk. The …