Digital Commons Network^™

Rhetorical Resonances: An Affective Logic Of Emergence In Space And Time, Craig R. Weathers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project explores the affective circulation of controversy in contemporary public discourse through a rhetorical ecological approach. It addresses the problem of how flattened conceptions of power and social movements cast in binary opposition prevent effective deliberation around public controversies. The research method involves analyzing three case studies through a new framework for rhetorical studies, called a logic of emergence, to consider the resonance and trajectories of actants (individuals, groups, and institutions) in conflict. The first case study examines the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville and the discursive equating of antifa and the Alt-Right. The second case analyzes the …

Same Story, Different Narratives: The Influence Of Refugee Concerned Organizations On Egyptian Media, Shaimaa Gheith

Theses and Dissertations

It has been documented in the literature that media usually portrays refugees negatively, which affects how the public reacts to them. Consequently, organizations catering to refugees, referred to in this thesis as Refugee Concerned Organizations (RCOs), try to influence the media aiming to influence the public. So, they produce prepacked information and employ different communication tools. Using the agenda building theory, this research investigated the influence of communication tools used by RCOs on Egyptian media focusing on Facebook and news websites. Qualitative content analysis was conducted for 615 Facebook posts and 111 News reports and supplemented by semi-structured interviews with …

Mediating Effect Of Mobile Banking Trust On Information And System Quality, Marko Van Deventer

Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets

In the context of mobile banking services, trust emerges as a pivotal factor influencing both the acceptance and utilisation of these services, significantly shaping customers' confidence in their usage. Existing literature proposes that trust operates as a mediator in the connection between customers' perceptions of the quality of information and the overall system in mobile banking.

This study aimed to investigate whether trust acts as a mediating variable in the relationship between information and system quality within the mobile banking experiences of Generation Y customers in the South African banking sector. Employing a descriptive research design, the study distributed self-administered …

Exploring Cultural, Health, And Technology Intersections: A Focus On Migrant Experiences, Merna Mina, Sahij Gill

Bridges: An Undergraduate Journal of Contemporary Connections

Despite the plethora of theories and frameworks addressing culture, health, and technology adoption, there remains a notable absence of a unifying theory that comprehensively encompasses all three aspects, particularly concerning newcomers. The Health Belief Model, for example, underscores individual perceptions and attitudes toward health yet fails to consider the intricate interplay between cultural factors and technology adoption among immigrant populations. The Healthy Immigrant Effect, which posits that immigrants often exhibit better health outcomes than native-born individuals, does not mention the role of technology on health outcomes. Acculturation theories, while shedding light on the adaptation process, often fall short of explaining …

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence (Eq) And Project Success Rate In Japan, Daiki Tsunoda

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

Despite abundant research on the relationship between emotional intelligence and project success in various industries and countries, few papers specifically focus on Japan. However, Japan’s highly hierarchical corporate structure, combined with its high-context culture, makes emotional intelligence an even more essential trait, implying a significant gap in the existing literature that could contribute to the success of Japanese project teams. This thesis intends to fill this gap by focusing on Japanese and non-Japanese professionals working in Japanese companies in Japan and determining whether there is a positive correlation between EQ levels of employees and project success rate. For this research, …

How Do They See Us?: Unhcr's Representations Of Syrian Refugees In “Every Second Counts” Campaign, Marah Khalid

Theses and Dissertations

Representation is not just an opinion; it is the recreation of realities, facts, and stories that encourage receivers, who are readers and viewers, to build perceptions of a certain topic, objects, events, and human beings. Studying the representation of refugees in the media, UN agencies, and International organizations' press releases, videos, and images has been the main focus for many scholars for decades. However, little is known about refugees' perspectives on visuals produced by UN agencies. This research tries to add to the few studies concerning the captured human object, refugees, perspective using Hall’s encoding/decoding model (Hall, 1997) to analyze …

Towards An Inclusive Media Policy Framework Targeting Adolescents In Egypt, Saja Elgredly

Theses and Dissertations

For years, adolescents have been lost between adulthood and childhood. This is even reflected in the policies that directly affect their lives and well-being. In Egypt, there has hardly been a clear political line on how the media should deal with adolescents. As this age group belongs to childhood, most of the laws and regulations are hardly dedicated to address them despite their different characteristics. Within the Egyptian context, there are children's laws concerned with basic children's rights and other laws that relate to the media. However, we notice a gap in adolescent-friendly laws, policies and regulations, especially in the …

Emotionally Stimulated Activism On Tiktok: The Impact Of Exposure To Audiovisual Moral Violation On Collective Action In The “Woman, Life, Freedom” Movement, Laila Abbas

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis unravels new, decentralized mechanisms for mobilization that challenge the traditional understanding of the ‘group-based psychology of collective action.’ By focusing on the Iranian “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, the study proposes a model that integrates traditional motives for collective action, emotions of different valence, and TikTok audiovisual moral violation stimuli. The proposed model allows for a more complex empirical understanding of the phenomenological experience needed for participation in digital environments. Theoretical assumptions in the current work were guided by the Social Identity Model of Collective Action (SIMCA), the Encapsulated Model of Social Identity for Collective Action (EMSICA), and the …

Inciting Peace From The Inside Out, Stephen G. Adubato, Ebere Bosco Amakwe, Katherine Hinic, Sarita Maldjian, Forrest Pritchett, Jon Radwan, Nicholas Sooy, Chad Thralls

Conferences

Violence and war can be incited, and so can peace. This volume shares select addresses and responses from Seton Hall University’s 2/7/23 conference “Inciting Peace From The Inside Out.” A multi-disciplinary range of scholars each addresses how reconciliation processes grow from spiritual dynamics. Multiple religious traditions teach contemplative praxes that prioritize and nurture personal reflection oriented toward peace. Social conflicts divide, so engaging them with a partisan orientation only serves to escalate harmful rifts. In contrast, bringing personal awareness and sensitivity, spiritual balance, and holistic integral perspective to conflict can transcend divisions and work toward unity. This volume is supported …

Trends And Shifts: Migration, Reverse Missions, And African Catholic Priests In Iowa City, Usa, Kefas Lamak

Journal of Global Catholicism

This study uses ethnographic research to examine the work and self-conception of African-trained priests in a city in the American state of Iowa. This phenomenon is part of a broader trend and shift as African-trained priests take up positions as pastors and missionaries throughout Europe and America. The article argues that the movement of African priests to the West in recent years should be understood as “reverse mission” because of its similarities to Western missionary activity in third world countries in earlier historical periods. This study mainly focuses on Iowa City, where the researcher interviewed five African priests serving in …

Did I Do That?: Lived Experience And Media Representation Of The Awkward Black Girl, Kendra Williams

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For my thesis project I will introduce the Awkward Black Girl as a new race gender script. Though there are minor nuances of the Awkward Black Girl within television, Issa Rae’s performance of the Awkward Black Girl in Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl and the HBO hit series Insecure remains prevalent to contemporary media representations. Though there is limited scholarship within the field of Communication available about the Awkward Black Girl, most of the scholarship consists of analysis and discourse centering Rae’s portrayal in her web series and television show. I explore Quinta Brunson’s portrayal of the Awkward Black Girl …

Phillis Wheatley Peters’S British Publicity Campaign, Susan Carlile

ABO: Interactive Journal for Women in the Arts, 1640–1830

Scholarship has tended to place its focus on Phillis Wheatley Peters’ unsuccessful efforts in America, followed by an account of one British figure, the Countess of Huntingdon, who patronized the publication of Poems on Various Subjects in London in 1773. However, the chronology of the British campaign, the modes of print publication, and the locations in which Phillis Wheatley Peters’ words were published deserve closer attention. This essay highlights previously unknown or unremarked upon British publications outside London, the Drewry Derby Mercury, the Ipswich Journal, the Hibernian, and John Gillies’s Memoirs of the Life of the Reverend George Whitefield, …

Social Media And The Technological Infrastructure Of Polarization In The United States: How Do We Move Forward?, Phoebe Cordova

Dissertations and Theses

The United States is currently experiencing extremely high levels of polarization that is unique to other times in history. One way to account for this historical difference is the fact that polarization is playing out under the novel conditions generated by technology and, specifically, social media. Thus far, work in the area of social media and polarization has primarily focused on proving a causal relationship between the two with contributions across disciplines remaining disparate without an integrative framework of understanding. Strikingly, there are few contributions from the field of conflict resolution, indicative of the more sweeping need for the field …

Black Stereotypes In Basketball Films, Carsen Jackson Williams

Theses and Dissertations

This study conducts a frequency analysis on the Black stereotypes portrayed in popular basketball films through the lens of media framing. Academic literature has made a frequent topic of racial bias and its role in professional sports, particularly through sports media. However, there is a gap in the literature when looking specifically at basketball films as a whole and the prevalence therein of racial stereotypes, specifically Black stereotypes. Using framing theory as the backbone of the study, a frequency analysis was completed of main characters in the ten most popular basketball films to identify what Black Stereotypes arise. Most common …

Pepperdine Journal Of Communication Research 2024, Morgan Purdy

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

No abstract provided.

Revolutionize Your Child's Future With The Ultimate Smart Education System, Sam Smith

Student Works

In the journey of life, education is the compass that guides our children toward a brighter future. Yet, in today's fast-paced digital world, the traditional compass is evolving into a sophisticated GPS. Enter the Smart Education System—a revolutionary beacon that harnesses the power of technology to illuminate personalized, engaging, and effective learning pathways. This guide delves into how the ultimate Smart Education System can transform your child's future, paving the way to endless possibilities.

Cultivating Agriculture - Cultivando Agricultura: Content Creator, Sophia L. Garcia

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

Agriculture is rooted in culture, yet we rarely discuss the people who drive the industry today. Many voices have yet to share their stories of influencing or making a difference in the agriculture industry. As a result, the idea of a podcast arose as a free, convenient, and accessible way for everyone to hear and communicate stories. During the project, my co-host, Daniela Ramos, and I will work together to address this issue. To diversify and separate the workload, we will each host three episodes individually. As part of my role, I will also be responsible for marketing, including creating …

How Political Parties Can Appeal To Voters, Brenden David Jacoby

Communication Studies

Young voters are not voting. According to the United States Census Bureau, young voters, aged 18-29, have not turned out to vote in Presidential Elections at a rate higher than 50% since 1968. Millions of ballots – with the potential to swing elections, policies, and political momentum – are left blank. It is in the interest of both parties to identify why young voters are not going to the polls. In order to understand what makes political messaging persuasive to younger voters, this study presented participants with actual campaign speeches made by Democrats and Republican candidates for office. The author …

Shadows Of Virtue: ‘The Abolition Of Man’ In Modern Context, Luke Thomas Soule

Communication Studies

C.S. Lewis's The Abolition of Man stands as a remarkable examination of the mid-19th century shift towards moral subjectivism. With a detailed study of this text, this essay will utilize ideological and Postmodern criticism to reveal how Lewis builds his defense of objective morality, or what he calls the "Tao," against the educational spread of relativism. The heart of the analysis is the examination of Lewis's use of ideographs. Terms such as "the Tao," "Men without Chests," and "the Abolition of Man'' not only criticize the philosophical trends of the time but also tap into a deep cultural current of …

Combining Cloud Architecting With Education, Sharon P. Pagidipati

Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies

I pursued the AWS Solutions Architect Professional Certification while applying my knowledge to build and revise technical solutions for an educational company known as EDFX.

The Efficacy Of Using Machine Learning Techniques For Identifying And Classifying “Fake News”, Muhammad Islam

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In today's digital world, detecting fake news has emerged as a critical challenge, one that has significant effects on democracy and public discourse at large both regionally and globally. This research studies how diversity of news sources in training datasets affects how well machine learning models can classify fake vs true news. I used the Linear Support Vector Classification (LinearSVC) to create and compare two classification models: one was trained on a dataset that only had real news from a singular source, Reuters (Dataset 1), and the other was trained on a dataset that contained real news from Reuters, The …

A Word From The Writing Team (June 2024), Pam Walter, Mfa

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

This issue includes:

• Publication Spotlight
• Sign up for the 16th Annual Jefferson Faculty Days: June 5 & 6
• Don’t Forget Summer Writing Time!
• Jefferson Held a Symposium on AI And Research Integrity – And Recorded It
• Jefferson's AI Library Guide is Available on the Library Website
• The OPWPC Canvas Page Offers Helpful Tools
• Scott Memorial Library Archive Renovations are Done—Come See!

Bridge The Gap: Using Advocacy To Bridge The Gender Wage Gap In Sports - A Comparative Analysis Of Venus Williams And The Us Women’S National Team, William E. Mitchell

Student Theses and Dissertations

For decades sports and activism have been synonymous. Many remember Jesse Owens and Tommie Smith’s Olympic protests, Mohammed Ali’s anti-war protest and Collin Kaepernick kneeling to bring attention to racial injustices. More recently many joined in celebration and applauded when the US Women’s National Team secured equal pay. However, many women in sports remain invisible. Activism is a viable form of seeking change, but can the route taken by Venus Williams work in team sports? This project will seek to examine if activism is a viable change agent in sports especially in closing the gender pay gap. While several female …

The Guardian The Month Of June 2024, Wright State Student Body

The Guardian Student Newspaper

News articles from The Guardian for the Month of June 2024. The Guardian is the official student-run newspaper for Wright State University. It has been published regularly since March of 1965.

Echo Chambers And The Rise Of The Alt-Right, Ian Robert Mcdonald

Masters Theses

The uses of social media have expanded with the growing number of platforms and niches that these platforms seek to fulfill. One of the more common uses of many current social media platforms is to engage with politics. Social media platforms have become a political tool to some, with an enormous amount of news and information being shared throughout social media platforms. The increasing use of social media has coincided with an increase in political polarization, with some raising concerns over the ability for certain groups to operate in ideological isolation, referred to as echo chambers, and the role they …

Plagiarism, Richard Alweis, Nagesh Jadhav

Rochester Regional Health authored publications and proceedings

Learning objectives:

• Plagiarism overview
• A special case: large language models (LLM) and academic writing

Framing Teacher Migration: An Analysis Of Jamaican Media Coverage From 2016–2023, Denise Wiley

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The emigration of teachers from Jamaica has attracted significant media coverage highlighting an increase in resignations and vacancies in many classrooms. This paper analyzes media framing on the topic, and how such framing might preclude the exploration of policy alternatives to address the issue. Methods A qualitative content analysis was conducted on articles published between August 1, 2016, and September 30, 2023. Relevant articles were retrieved from the Gleaner digital archive. Using a survey instrument of 13 questions, a total of 78 articles were analyzed for coding. Results Four frames emerged from the analysis: crisis – urgent attention is required …

Framing The Fight: Revolutionary Feelings In Virtual Communities, James Reilly

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study considers how social media impacts emotional processing, and ultimately social movement development. Through a multidisciplinary lens, I explore how social media fits within larger media ecologies, particularly during times of social upheaval and collective action. Grounded in an examination of organizational efforts in advance of the 2011 Egyptian revolution, I look at how communication patterns create common emotional cues that help form the movement. Considering framing, emotional habitus, and subjective agency within digital spaces, I demonstrate how social media has emerged as an articulating space for social movements to develop and plan before drawing wider, offline populations to …

Legislating The Taboo: Taboo Subcultures, Political Communication, And Public Policy, Rebecca S. Krisel

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation, titled "Legislating the Taboo: From Subculture to Public Policy," comprises three articles that collectively delve into the intersection of taboo subcultures, political communication, and public policy. While the fields of sociology and anthropology more thoroughly explore the concepts of "taboo" and "subcultures," political science has not given them due attention. This research seeks to bridge this gap by examining how taboo subcultures evolve into political constituencies with policy demands and how these demands are communicated through various mediums, including mainstream and social media.

The first article, "Virtual Dance Communities and The Right to the Internet," investigates how the …

Reimagining Student–Faculty Relationships: Strengthening Social Justice Efforts Through Dialogue, Emi Kanamoto, Maya J. Craig, Mackenzie E. Gerringer, Josephine Lewis, Anna Lynch, Alexander Michaels, Hannah M. Smith, Suann Yang, Jasmine Yeoh, Meridith Marko Harrigan

Communications and Language Studies Faculty Journal Articles

Community efforts in diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging benefit from dialogue between faculty and students for long-term efficacy. Drawing from a dialogue-based approach to organizational communication, this practice brief aims to promote student–faculty collaborative action to improve campus diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging efforts. To this end, this article presents (a) dialogic departmental committees comprised of students and faculty members in two academic disciplines, (b) the endeavors informed by research on community change, and (c) lessons learned from our initiatives for future efforts.