Digital Commons Network^™

Taylor Swift, Gender, And Feminism: What Do The Data Say?, Maxine Lewis

The Manuscript: Journal of Taylor Swift Studies

In the world of Swiftian scholarship, several scholars have credited Taylor Swift with feminist impact, while others have criticized both her type of feminism and claims to be a feminist. Many arguments rest on a narrow group of protest songs (“The Man”, “You Need To Calm Down”, and “Only The Young”) and a short period of Swift’s career in which she made many paratextual political gestures (2019-2020). However, claims about a songwriter’s feminism (or lack thereof) will be more accurate, robust, and nuanced if they draw on data from her whole career.

This article provides the first systematic survey of …

Latine Financial Wellness Content Creators: Rhetorical Strategies And Approaches, Ariana Bribiesca

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

The following paper explores Latine popular culture through the lens of Latine Instagram content creators who focus on financial literacy and wellness. First, “Viv” from Overcoming Generational Poverty provides a free budget template and money resources. She is the first in her family to build generational wealth while simultaneously supporting her family financially. Second, Giovanna González, a financial educator and award-winning author of Cultura & Cash: Lessons from the First Gen Mentor for Managing Finances & Cultural Expectations, explores the intersection of culture and finances. Finally, Hip Latina’s “Finances Section” explores content with financial resources as part of their larger …

Expanding The Pantheon Of “Place-Myth”: Media-Induced Travel In College Students Who Study Abroad, Isabella M. Shevetz

Honors College Theses

Media-induced tourism refers to any travel that is in some part motivated by the consumption of mass media related to that location. Media-induced tourism and mass-tourism have led to nation branding and destination marketing across the globe, two industry phenomena that have worked to skyrocket tourism in places where it was not previously a large driver of the local economy. The expansion of mass media availability and the birth of social media mean the media roles of producer and audience member have blurred. Ordinary people now have the influential power of large media corporations. In destination marketing, the user-generated content …

Improving Drought Science Communication And Accessibility, Lindsay Erin Johnson

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

Effective drought management depends not only on the accuracy of scientific data, but also on how that information is communicated and understood by diverse audiences. This dissertation examines drought communication through the lens of science communication, with a focus on improving readability, accessibility, understandability, and usability of drought information. Using a manuscript-style format, three studies investigate how drought information is written, delivered, and applied. Chapter 1 provides a brief overview and outline of this dissertation. Chapter 2 evaluates the readability of the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) national narratives over almost 8 years. Results show that these narratives are consistently written …

A Pentadic Rhetorical Analysis Of Malala Yousafzai’S Address To The United Nations’ Youth Assembly, Alexis Rehm

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

This paper is a rhetorical criticism of Malala Yousafzai’s 2013 address to the United Nations Youth Assembly using Kenneth Burke’s pentad. Malala Yousafzai’s address was delivered less than one year after surviving an assassination attempt by the Taliban. The address reframes access to education as a shared moral responsibility rather than a personal or political issue. By analyzing the scene, act, agent, agency, and purpose, this analysis shows how Malala constructs rhetorical authority through personal narrative, forgiveness, and moral appeal. Her speech positions education as a universal human right and challenges global audiences to move from sympathy to accountability.

Between The Middle Kingdom And The Middle Way: An Analysis Of State Power And Sacred Authority In The Sino-Tibet Conflict, Madison M. Berry, Aimee N. Ebeling, Jayden A. Hanson

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

This research paper addresses the growing concerns of the Sino-Tibetan conflict by analyzing the relationship between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) through an intercultural communication and negotiation lens. By analyzing historical relationships between the two parties and comparing them to similar contemporary situations, this paper examines the sinicization of the Tibetan people. By exploring the “Old Tibet” and “New Tibet” narratives, while acknowledging the centrality of the Dalai Lama to both parties, it also addresses territorial disagreements and the contrasting understandings of sovereignty and modernization, which fuel the conflict. Finally, a policy framework …

The Cowl - V. 89 N. 19 - April 23, 2026

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol. 89 No. 19 - April 23, 2026. 16 pages.

Leveraging Critical Social Media Literacy To Safeguard Youth Against Violent Radicalization And Extremism, Muhammad Akram, Adeela Arshad-Ayaz, Muhammad Ayaz Naseem

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Social media is inundated with radical and extreme propaganda. Such information is often left unfiltered due to platform algorithms that are economically driven and socially unethical in design. It puts social media users, mostly youth, in danger of becoming radicalized and vulnerable to supporting and engaging with extremist beliefs. When young people lack sufficient critical social media literacy (CSML), radical and extremist information impacts their perspectives, affecting behavior in the real world. A PRISMA-guided systematic review of the Web of Science core collections and the Scopus database was used to find peer-reviewed articles about how CSML skills can be used …

Teacher Reflections On Media And Information Literacy In Vietnamese K-12 Schools: Current Practices, Challenges, And Pathways For Improvement, Tinh T.T Le, Minh Tran, Anh Dương, Huong T. Pham, Vy Tran, Daniel Jackson

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Media and Information Literacy (MIL) education is widely recognized as essential, yet its adoption in Vietnamese K-12 schools is still at the early stages. This study examines the current state of MIL education in Vietnam from the perspective of teachers. Drawing on insights from a trial online MIL teacher training program, which includes teachers’ learning journals, lesson plans, and an open survey using SWOT forms, we explore the approaches they use, the challenges they face, and the opportunities in promoting MIL education in their school setting. Additionally, the findings highlight specific professional development needs to enhance teachers’ MIL instruction quality. …

The Creative Participation Pedagogical Approach To Media Literacy Education, Amanda Levido

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Approaches to media literacy education have developed over time in response to cultural understandings and the development of new media digital technologies. One approach that extends on current Media Arts approaches to media literacy is the Creative Participation approach. Underpinning this approach is an emphasis on how young people work together to make meaning through the process of production. The Creative Participation approach draws on the theory of Communities of Practice (Wenger, 1998) and the concept of participatory culture (Jenkins, 2006) to support the assertion that young people, through shared practices, the generation of meaning through media artworks, and through …

Productive Disruptions: An Equityoriented Framework For Civic Media Literacy In The Digital Era, Carlos Jimenez, Lynn Schofield Clark, Johnny Ramirez

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This article introduces Productive Disruptions as a framework for civic media literacy that centers equity and social justice. Past scholarship has emphasized understanding media content and gaining competence in media production. To center equity as a structural concern beyond individual behaviors, we argue for media literacy interventions that support disrupting racism in content, production, and digital media distribution systems themselves. Drawing on an ethnographic case study with young people experiencing marginalization, we examine how youth productively disrupted instances of systemic racism via TikTok and Instagram. We identify three distinct modes of intervention: creating counter-narratives that disrupt racist discourses, subverting adult-led …

Building Resilience: The Influence Of The Format On The Effectiveness Of News Literacy Messages, Patrick F. A. Van Erkel, Peter Van Aelst, David N. Hopmann, Claes H. De Vreese, Joren Van Nieuwenborgh

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Although academic interest in news literacy messages (NLM) has grown, many questions about them remain unresolved. First, it remains unclear how the format of the NLM influences its effectiveness. Second, we still know little about their long-term effectiveness. To answer these questions, this study conducted a two-wave experiment in Belgium. We compared NLMs in the format of a text, an infographic, and video. We also manipulated elements in the false news article that participants had to evaluate. Our findings show that NLMs are effective and that the effects remain over a middle-long period of two weeks. Second, we find that …

Crafting The Narrative: A Look At Long-Form Storytelling Through The Art Of Quilling, Jaycee R. Lundell

Student Works

This thesis explores the journeys of four contemporary quilling artists and their works. It dives into the creative process of conducting the interviews, capturing the footage, and making the documentary. The documentary also explores the history of quilling including its resurgence in the 1980s and the complicated process of navigating the declining numbers of the International Quilling Guild while the craft spreads across the internet, potentially losing its rich history and standards of excellence. Since quilling is a lesser known art, this thesis is also an attempt to spread the knowledge of the craft since there are very few scholarly …

The Evolution And Impact Of Fashion Marketing In The Age Of Social Media, Lillie L. Warrington

Honors Theses

This research paper aims to analyze the effect of social media on consumer behavior in fashion marketing by investigating how fashion brands have adapted their strategies to leverage social media platforms effectively and exploring the role of social media influencers in shaping brand perception and consumer loyalty. By addressing these objectives, this research seeks to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on digital marketing in the fashion industry, offering valuable insights.

The study will be conducted through a comprehensive review of existing research and primary research, including a survey of 143 participants, to better understand how social media affects …

Do We Even Know What ‘Even’ Does? A Ca Investigation, Emily Johnson

Comm-entary

Emily is a Senior communication major with a Business Administration minor. She is originally from Merrimack, NH, and is planning on working in PR or something similar when she graduates in May.

What does “even” do in conversation? This study shows that when used mid-turn, “even” functions as a systematic device for intensifying stance. Analyzing naturally occurring interactions, I demonstrate how speakers use “even” to upgrade assessments, noticings, and complaints, making them more extreme or noteworthy. Recipients consistently orient to this intensification through agreement, accounts, or escalation. Even when the upgrade is left incomplete, others step in to realize it, …

Language Deprivation In Deaf Children, Kaleb Holske

Comm-entary

Kaleb is an American Sign Language English Interpreter with a double major in Linguistics, from Chester, NH. He’s also a professional balloon twister!

This piece examines how language deprivation affects deaf children when they don’t necessarily receive early access to natural language, especially during the most critical developmental years. It further explains how the medical model of deafness, reliance on cochlear implants or hearing aids, schooling, and limited sign language access can negatively impact the emotional, social, and academic growth of these children. This piece argues that early access to sign language and deaf centered support is essential for preventing …

How The Word ‘Fucking’ Constructs Emotional Stance In Conversation, Madeline Riechers

Comm-entary

Madeline Riechers is a Communication major at UNH set to graduate in 2026. She is originally from Dalton, Massachusetts, and plans to continue her education in Language and Social Interaction after graduating from UNH. She is a part of UNH GIVE, and is an editor at the Comm-entary!

This piece uses conversation analysis concepts to examine what the word ‘fucking’ does in everyday conversation and how it conveys the emotions and stance of the participants. It examines 4 real-life cases of ‘fucking’ being used, demonstrating how it changes the meaning of the utterance and therefore the course of the conversation.

Clustering Of Internet Behaviors And Associated Mental Health Outcomes Among U.S. Adolescents, Aakansha Singh, Timothy Grigsby, Miguel Fudolig, Ying Guo, Clariana Ramos De Oliveira

School of Medicine Research Poster Showcase

Poster: Clustering of Internet behaviors and associated mental health outcomes among U.S. adolescents

The Current - Volume 36 Issue 9, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

The Cowl - V. 89 N. 18 - April 16, 2026

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol. 89 No. 18 - April 16, 2026. 20 pages.

Engaging The World’S Cultures By Exploring Travel Possibilities: Overcoming Ethnocentrism To Demonstrate Cultural Awareness, Ashley D. Garcia, Daniel L. Foster

Feminist Pedagogy

This series of intercultural communication assignments was designed to assist students with the challenging transition from an ethnocentric (inflexible) mindset to an ethnorelative (flexible) one. At the beginning of the semester, students select a country and a corresponding international news source (online) to read throughout the semester. They complete several Engaging the World’s Cultures (EWC) assignments during the semester to accomplish two goals: to dive deep into the culture and to strengthen the uptake of an ethnorelative mindset when learning about a different culture. The information gathered through the EWC assignments is then compiled in a Travel Brochure at the …

Coverage, Traits, And Geographic Distribution Of Online Surgeon Reviews: Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Analysis, Michael Geng, Carlos Riveros, Yash B. Shah, Sanjana Ranganathan, Kai Fok, Renil Sinu Titus, Vatsala Mundra, Eusebio Luna Velasquez, Dharam Kaushik, Allan S. Detsky, Angela Jerath, Benjamin N. Breyer, Yusuke Tsugawa, Christopher J. D. Wallis, Raj Satkunasivam

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

BACKGROUND: The use of online physician rating platforms has significantly increased and has been shown to influence physician selection. There are limited data on the use of these platforms for rating surgeons.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we sought to assess the geographic distribution of and patterns in rating scores of surgeons in the United States. Additionally, we examined rating volumes across different surgical specialties and the association between peer-nominated and patient-initiated ratings on online rating platforms in the United States.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study by identifying 201,154 surgeons in the United States via the National Plan and Provider …

Yellowjackets And White Hoods?!: The Mistreatment Of Bipoc Characters, Suki Shepherd

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

In 2021, a psychological horror television series inspired by Lord of the Flies, reimagined as a high school girls' soccer team, was released. The highly skilled team from Wiskayok High School is on the way to the national championship game when their plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness. With both a teenage timeline and an adult timeline, the show switches between the girls' desperate survival and descent to madness in the woods and modern times, where the truth of how they made it out starts to be revealed.

Creative Engagement For Community Through The Life-Span, D. Nicole English, Pelgy Vaz

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Creative Engagement for Community Through the Life-Span

Creative Engagement includes crafts, cultural practices, expressive arts, and activities that bring people together. Having access to such activities enables people to develop healthy habits, social interactions, and build community that can sustain one throughout the lifespan. On-going research indicates that Creative Engagement Activities, and the Communities of Practice that build around them, benefit people throughout the life-span, but become particularly important to older adults, by building resilience and social connections, in the face of inevitable life losses.

https://youtu.be/r3JS5YP-MnM

Digital Touchpoints: Investigating Contact Page Accessibility And Visual Authenticity Within Medical Tourism Health Websites, Alicia Mason, Elizabeth Spencer, Kristen Livingston, Treyton Meyers, Sakshi Bhati, Himika Akram

Faculty Submissions

This study examines two critical digital touchpoints on medical tourism provider (MTP) websites: (1) the accessibility of contact pages which often function as entry points for inquiries, scheduling, and pre-travel coordination, and (2) the authenticity of visual imagery used to shape expectations about care environments, personnel, and technological capacity. A sample of 105 MTPs across all six World Health Organization regions were analyzed using quantitative web accessibility testing and qualitative visual analysis. Results indicate pervasive accessibility errors on contact-page touchpoints and extensive reliance on inauthentic imagery to depict patients, providers, and medical technologies. Together, these practices may distort user expectations …

The Grammy Awards 2026, Who Will Take Home The Prize?, Isabella Pizzerrato, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 4

Not For Radio: Maria Zardoya’S Debut Solo Album, Isabella Pizzerrato, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 4

Detained; More Than A Book, More Than An Event, A Life Story, Isabella Pizzerrato, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 4

Modern Day Museum Heist; The 2025 Lourve Museum Robbery, Isabella Pizzerrato, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 4

A Tale As Old As Time: The Issue With Superhero Comic Books, Malcolm Summers, The Rattler

The Rattler

Vol. 144 Iss. 4