Digital Commons Network^™

What Does It Mean To Be A Man? The Social Construction Of Manhood, Sam Sinykin

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

This Capstone project focuses upon the central theme of masculine expression in American society. It is a rhetorical analysis exploring the question of what it means to be a man in American society. The investigation provides evidence that dismantles the preconceived notions that masculinity can only be exhibited in conventional ways. Through the dissection of stereotypical masculine activities like playing football, joining the military, and pledging fraternities, and a study of the evolution of American film characters, the project suggests that the hegemonic masculine superiority complex is beginning to be challenged and reconfigured in present-day American society. The significance of …

Down-Under Dispatches: A Travel And Culture Website About Australia And New Zealand, Erica Petz

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

No abstract provided.

The Women's Advocacy: A Nonprofit By Women For Women, Samantha Aberizk

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The Women’s Advocacy (WA) is a hypothetical, not-for-profit organization that empowers women of adverse or catastrophic backgrounds. With the support of female volunteers, the organization strives to prevent and respond to the oppressive behaviors that hinder potential for a healthy and successful lifestyle. Through marketing strategy and community outreach, the WA is expanding its network of volunteers so that we may offer the best services possible and foster social justice and equality within our communities.

The Postmodern Indian: Representation And The Films Of Sherman Alexie, Tara P. Mccrink Burcham

Dissertations

For hundreds of years, Native Americans have been characters in American media. For most of those years, whites determined the way in which Native Americans were represented. First in print, radio, silent movies and later talkies and television, representations of Native Americans have included being uneducated sidekicks, savages, noble savages seeking to steal white women, drunken idiots, or hilarious jesters all for the entertainment of viewers. This troublesome history of negative depictions of Native Americans is the reason this research is directed at the films by Native American writer and filmmaker Sherman Alexie. This research is a qualitative analysis of …

Information Wars: A Look At The Role Of Social Media In The 2014 Ukrainian Revolution, Natalie Rudakevych

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Guided by American University Professor Rhonda Zaharna’s previous works on narrative battles, this thesis examines the Facebook pages of four major players in the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution to determine how social media is used to create narratives during times of conflict. The paper argues that modern day wars are partially fought in virtual spaces and social media platforms serve as important battlegrounds for "information wars" between opponents. Over 300 Facebook posts from between November 2013 and May 2014 were collected from the Facebook pages representing the Euromaidan protestors, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the European Union in Ukraine …

The Myth Of Southern Atonement: Constructed Forgiveness In Public Spaces, Elizabeth Ashley Clayborn

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis provides a rhetorical analysis of public space in Arkansas and examines the ways in which the myth of Southern Atonement is constructed within those spaces. Three formal elements characterize Southern Atonement: absolution from the past, distinctiveness in constructed authenticity, and hope for a post-racial future. The analysis develops over three case studies which I argue contribute to the construction, engagement, and actualization of this cultural myth. The first chapter looks at Fort Smith, Arkansas, and The Unexpected art project as a source of identity construction and place attachment. Then I examine The Billgrimage, or the monuments and museums …

A Meat Paradox: Media's Role In Mitigating The Omnivore's Dilemma, Karyn Camille Lewis

Master's Theses

The purpose of this research is to identify and understand media’s role in meat consumption and a disassociation of meat and its animal of origin. This study questions consumer behavior based on media portrayals of meat products as well as how consumers perceive these portrayals, meat consumption patterns based on media and family influence, and the types and levels of satisfaction (ex: self-esteem or masculinity) consumers receive from meat products.

A quantitative research approach was proposed for this study. The primary research method was a survey among students, faculty and staff at The University of Southern Mississippi. A total of …

The Role Of Language In The Media In Influencing Public Perceptions Of Refugees, Alison M. Pulliam

Senior Honors Theses

The refugee crisis has become a worldwide epidemic in recent years. As refugee entrance into host countries is debated, media outlets are covering the issue regularly. These media outlets use various types of language when portraying refugees. Many publications have been found to convey hostile and divisive themes as well as use specific linguistic tools, which contribute to negative portrayals of refugees. Media outlets have the potential to influence public perceptions of refugees because the general public in a host country receives its information primarily from the media. Overt and subtle language used to describe refugees has been previously found …

Eggplants And Peaches: Understanding Emoji Usage On Grindr, Emeka E. Moses

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on how gay men communicate on the Grindr dating app. Prior research has been conducted on how gay men construct their online identities, however, few studies explore how gay men experience interactions online, negotiate their relationships with other men online, and perceive other users. The researcher conducted in-depth interviews with 20 men who use the Grinder app, a location-based dating app used by men who have sex with men. Additional data were collected by observing user profiles on the app, which is free and public. This comprehensive, qualitative study of gay men who use Grindr provides insights …

Comm-Entary, Spring 2018 - Full Issue

Comm-entary

In this issue:

Art Therapy and Virtues Between the Young and Old by Ellen Gibbs

Representation in Media – The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly by Hiwalani Kapanui

EDM: Spirituality in Sound by Abigail Lehner

Local Reactions, Revolutionary Implications: The Stamp Act Rebellion in Portsmouth, New Hampshire as a Precursor to American Independenceby Charlotte Harris

“Playing” to God: An Analysis of Video Games through the Lens of Religion by Jason Paul

Protest Policing and the Privatization of Surveillance by Jenna Ward

The Importance of Overall Structure in Conducting a Medical Encounterby Lindsey Hall

A Tropic Understanding of …

Talking Stories: An Analysis Of Haolewood's Attempts To Tell Hawai'i'S Stories Through Movie Trailers, Pono R. Suganuma

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This study investigated how Native Hawaiians and Hawai'i are represented by the media, specifically in movies and their accompanying trailers. Thirty movie trailers from movies released between 1939 and 2016 were analyzed. These movies represented the various movie genres of romantic comedy, thriller, war, animation, drama, historical, and more. The aim of the study was to compile evidence of various themes such as stereotyping, white-washing and language pronunciation within movie trailers in order to validate or extend conceptually the theoretical framework or theory about the lack of accurate representation of Native Hawaiians. This is a feasibility study that could help …

Public Perception & The Planet: Correlation Between College Students’ Media Exposure To Contradictory News And Their Perceptions Of Climate Change, Kasey Andrade

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Public perception of global warming can be defined by a combination of factors, including certainty that most scientists think global warming is happening, certainty about the human causes of global warming, certainty about the occurrence of global warming, and concern about global warming impact (Feldman, Maibach, Roser-Renouf, & Leiserowitz, 2012). The media plays a critical role in communicating scientific findings to the public and can create an informational bias by providing coverage on viewpoints that do not align with the scientific consensus on climate change. The purpose of this project was to examine if there is a correlation between college …

Clinton Versus Trump: A Content Analysis Of Framing And Gender Stereotypes In Newspaper Coverage Of The 2016 Presidential General Election, Kimberely A. Blackburn

Student Theses and Dissertations

This paper explores how gender stereotyping occurs in major U.S. elections by identifying the commonly used adjectives and descriptors used to describe Hillary Clinton versus Donald Trump in their respective campaigns for the 2016 presidential election. Numerous scholars have studied how gender stereotyping affects women. Previous literature suggests male candidates receive the vast majority of press coverage, but women are typically described in more stereotypically "female" terms in regard to their character and personality, while male candidates are often described in male terms. Previous research also shows the distinction between "harder" political issues which are considered more male and the …

Spartan Daily, April 26, 2018, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2018

Volume 150, Issue 37

Spartan Daily, April 25, 2018, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2018

Volume 150, Issue 36

Prospectus, April 25, 2018, Greg Gancarz, Kaiden Pope, David Saveanu, Evyjo M. Compton

Prospectus 2018

LIBRARY HOSTS POETRY READING OUTSIDE LIBRARY FOR FIRST TIME; Meet the Staff: Kaiden Pope; Giertz Gallery holds student juried exhibition; Champaign celebrates 20th annual Ebertfest; Summer fun awaits in Illinois

The Antelope, University Of Nebraska At Kearney

The Antelope

No abstract provided.

Vlogging In Korea: From Film Student To Youtuber, Kalyn Edwards

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Video blogging, or vlogging, has become its own genre on YouTube in almost a “reality show” type atmosphere. This project aims to examine that world of video blogging from a personal level, not only as a film student, but also from the perspective of an aspiring businesswoman. The goals of this project are to take on the role of a vlogger, along with all its struggles, while exposing myself to a new culture in hopes of appealing to a certain demographic. It appears as though we have gone from a world relying on telegrams and postcards to becoming a society …

Diffusion Of Innovations And Public Communication Campaigns: An Examination Of The 4r Nutrient Stewardship Program, Henry Seeger

Theses and Dissertations

This project is an examination of how strategies for innovation in fertilizer application are communicated to agricultural communities. Specifically, this project examines the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Program‒a public communication campaign seeking to encourage the use of specific strategies, tools, and best practices in fertilizer application. The campaign is advanced by the Fertilizer Institute, an industry trade association, and targets local agricultural communities within the United States. To understand how this campaign functions to encourage adoption of innovative fertilizer application behaviors, this project draws on the principles of diffusion of innovations theory as well as established concepts within public relations, including …

Living In The Liminal: Representation Of Transgender And Nonbinary Identity In 'Steven Universe', Mads Bradley

Media and Communication Studies Honors Papers

An analysis of the children’s animated series Steven Universe, this research takes a semiotic approach to explore anti-essentialist messages of gender identity. Atypical within the mainstream media, the cartoon expresses dynamic messages about gender by representing nonbinary characters and gender fluid themes. By contextualizing the American history of cartoon production, queer representation, and audience reception, this analysis provides insight into the importance of inclusive depictions of transgender identity in children’s media. Through close textual analysis and focus group findings with straight cisgender and queer informants, the research examines how the show portrays liminal identities. By combining textual analysis and …

Chimes: April 20, 2018, Calvin College

Chimes

McKibben speaks on climate change at FFW by Yolanda Chow

Revised vision statement reflects community feedback by Josh Parks

Gender-neutral bathroom plan implemented by Samantha Ballast

Students host Calvin's first dance marathon by Dana Drosdick

BANFF Mountains Film Festival climbs into the CFAC by Blake Staat

Raw emotions by Calvin Yurko

Co-founder of AJS presents on efforts to end police corruption in Honduras by Ben Demaso

We should value Calvin's diverse student leadership by Dana Drosdick

Let's talk about the F-word: fundamentalism by Connor Veenstra

Prospectus, April 18, 2018, Parkland College, Evyjo M. Compton, Greg Gancarz, Emma Gray, Kaiden Pope, David Saveanu

Prospectus 2018

Parkland to hold living tree ceremony; Parkland literary and visual arts magazine seeks artists; Planetarium presents new plate tectonics hypothesis; Illinois should protect pets from extreme weather;

The Antelope, University Of Nebraska At Kearney

The Antelope

No abstract provided.

Spartan Daily, April 18, 2018, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2018

Volume 150, Issue 33

Social Media: On Tech-Caves, Virtual Panopticism, And The Science Fiction-Like State In Which We Unwittingly Find Ourselves, Michael Major

Theses

Making use of three historic philosophical thought experiments, this paper blends psychological perspectives with philosophical reasoning to show how social media is corrupting our perception of reality, the result of which is ultimately detrimental to society as a whole. This is accomplished by first using Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” to analyze and discuss the ways in which social media is limiting humanity’s access to real knowledge. Next, Michel Foucault’s analysis of punishment in its social context, Discipline and Punish, is used to discuss the ways in which social media is adversely affecting our behavior. Finally, Robert Nozick’s “Experience …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 93, No. 38, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

• Henderson, Andrew. Timothy Caboni Announces $16 Million in Cuts
• Ziege, Nicole. Dissolved – University College
• Deletter, Emily. First of Three Candidates for Provost Visit WKU - Jeffery Osgood
• Eiler, Olivia. Woman Reports Burglary, Assault in Bowling Green
• Editorial Cartoon re: Kern Alexander & College Heights Herald
• Save Student Newsrooms – Editorial Independence
• Dimeo, Chris. San Juan Smokehouse: A Plate Where Two Worlds Meet
• Leonard, Nicole. The Rise of Identity Politics in Society
• Eaton, Tyler. WKU Athletes Make Up 5 Percent of C-USA Honor Roll
• Stahl, …

Spartan Daily, April 17, 2018, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2018

Volume 150, Issue 32

The Prospector, April 17, 2018, Utep Student Publications

The Prospector

Headline: The Earth Day Issue: One Project at a Time

The Reification Of Hegemonic Masculinity Via Heteronormativity, Sexual Objectification, And Masculine Performances In Tau Kappa Epsilon Recruitment Videos, Viki Tomanov

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

Fraternity members constitute a large percentage of men who hold highly influential jobs in politics, large corporations, and the like. Since fraternities are limited to men-only, it is important to examine how masculinity is both rhetorically constructed and subsequently performed. Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE), the fraternity with the largest amount of chapters nationwide, is the focus of my analysis. Its popularity among college campuses signifies that its recruitment is successful and that, regardless of initiation into the fraternity, many men (and women) view TKE as an example of masculinity. In my analysis, I examine TKE recruitment videos from various universities …

The Guardian, Week Of April 16, 2018, Wright State University Student Body

The Guardian Student Newspaper

News articles from The Guardian for the week of April 16, 2018. The Guardian is the official student-run newspaper for Wright State University. It has been published regularly since March of 1965.