Digital Commons Network^™

Call And Response : Experiments In Storytelling, Deanne Fernandes

Masters Theses

Being part of RISD's inaugural Masters of Illustration cohort has been an immense honor. This journey has been nothing short of transformative and healing, as it has allowed me to unearth layers of self-discovery through my creative practice.

In my thesis, I introduce a fresh research methodology rooted in the principles of call and response, with adaptability, creativity, and storytelling as its foundational pillars. Through the lenses of visual storytelling, experimental animation, graphic journalism, and fictional world-building, I demonstrate how these techniques can effectively bridge the gap between theory and practice. This dynamic approach fosters meaningful connections among diverse perspectives …

Three Essays On Communicative Planning: From The Perspective Of East Asians, Minji Cho

Dissertations and Theses

Communicative planning aims to strengthen the inclusiveness of planning by shifting the paradigm from the perception that the public is considered an object affected by the planning process to an active participant. In modern society, where people's values are more diverse, communicative planning can be an alternative way to reflect the opinions of people with diverse identities for decision-making. At the same time, however, it is criticized for its difficulty in universal application, particularly in non-Western countries. Scholars argue that since communicative planning theory is biased toward Anglo-Americans' context, it requires a specific contextual condition.

In this background, this dissertation …

Uprooted, Displaced, Resilient: Kosovar Women’S Narratives Of Organizing For Survival During The Kosovo War, Erjona Gashi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this dissertation is to foreground Kosovar women’s narratives and organizing properties during the Kosovo War. I examine the overlooked gendered roles and day-to-day lived experiences of Kosovar women, survivors of the Serb genocide, political violence, and oppression, and investigate their organizing properties during the Kosovo War (1998-1999). In acknowledging women’s plurality of experiences and perspectives, I challenge the currently pervasive and monolithic narrative of women as passive victims of war present in scholarship in organizational communication and instead make overt the narrative of women as critical organizational actors that sustain lives during and after the war. Using …

Beyond The Crown: A Qualitative Research Study On Pageant Women And The Looking-Glass Self, Laurel R. Stiekes

Masters Theses

Pageantry has existed in society for hundreds of years and is still prevalent within society today. Pageant contestants voluntarily compete in systems to hear what judges have to say about their intellect, talent, and poise. However, the opinions of the judges seem to not be the true influential voice in a pageant queen’s life. Previous research has reported that it is the people closest to us that have the most positive or devastating impact on the way we view ourselves. The question this study sought to answer was, “How have the opinions of others had an impact on the self-image …

Changing The Narrative: Developing Evidence-Based, Communication Strategies To Address Health Disparities Of Black Women In The United States, Emmerline Francesca Nelson-Rogers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Black women experience health issues at disparate rates when compared to their racial counterparts. Although these health disparities can be linked to health behaviors, they are deeply rooted in historic, racial systems that govern our lives today. More often than not, changes in health behaviors are at the forefront of addressing these health disparities rather than historical health trends of Black women in the U.S. This study aims to discuss why the change needed is a change in the narrative for why these health disparities exist and persist as well as a change in narrative about the role Black women …

Social Enterprises And Social Media: A Dialogic And Comparative Analysis, Kevin L. Rawls

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study is devoted to assessing the public relations activities of social enterprises on social media through a dialogic communication lens and comparing those activities with traditional businesses. Social enterprises are fundamentally devoted to leveraging market forces to help create sustainable social change, and as such are interested in not only financial returns but also specific social returns, and the public relations strategies of these organizations should be more aligned than traditional businesses with fully functioning society theory and dialogic communication principles. This study reveals areas of opportunity for both social enterprises and conventional companies to develop in the area …

Indigenous Land Back In Malaysia: Capturing Orang Asal Resistance Through #Kembalikantanahadat, Tarchithaa Chandra Sekharan

Senior Theses

The rise of a pan-indigenous network has been empowered by digital media in the 21st century. Universal concepts such as “landback” have traveled beyond the boundaries of language and borders. For indigenous peoples in Malaysia, the Orang Asal, online resistance is a reclamation of space long suppressed historically and physically. With actions like spreading local news on land rights court cases and development projects, indigenous reclamation from within the Orang Asal as well as indigenous allyship from citizens and diasporic Malaysians alike is possible. #KembalikanTanahAdat in Malay, #ReturnCustomaryLand is one of the many hashtags for a move towards increasing awareness …

Assembling A Queer Exhibition: A Phenomenological Case Study Of Exhibition Team Members And Their Interpretation Of Material In An Lgbtq+ Exhibit, Ethan Wojciechowski

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Recently, exhibitions highlighting LGBTQ+ history, art, and culture are becoming increasingly popular. Consequently, museum workers are routinely engaged with material directly attributed to the LGBTQ+ community. This study utilizes a two-pronged qualitative approach of a phenomenological case study to examine how members of exhibition teams interpret queer materials within the exhibit and in the context of their own expressed identities. Data collection involved surveys and interviews, and employed a textual analysis of the survey responses and interview transcripts to identify key themes in the dataset. Consequently, the findings revealed that exhibition team members focused on Intersectionality, Activism, and Geography when …

Chronic Inequities: Environmental & Structural Racism During Covid-19 And Hurricane Laura Disaster Recovery, Tomeka M. Robinson, Sabrina Singh

Critical Disaster Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the realities of systemic health inequities within the United States. While the virus has severely impacted the entire country, people of color bear the brunt of this pandemic, from surges of COVID-19 cases in their communities to spikes in unemployment rates. Simultaneously, citizens are dealing with the impacts of natural disasters such as hurricanes along the Gulf Coast. The common denominator concerning these two stressors is that they can be exacerbated by institutional racism. This can be seen in the case of a small city in Southwest Louisiana, namely, Lake Charles, which has become a …

Book Review: The Shaming State: How The U.S. Treats Citizens In Need, Steve Matthewman

Critical Disaster Studies

Salman’s book centers two different constituencies, in two different locations, in the 2010s, who have been impacted by two different disasters. The first group are Iraqi refugees who have been resettled in Wayne County, Michigan. Trying to start again over half a world away, they are trapped in the transit lounge of life, never able to move on, never able to properly belong. They found a state in recession, the automobile industry collapsing, the city of Detroit bankrupt. Their particular county had higher unemployment than the state’s average and a poor median income as well. Economically speaking, ‘Michigan fared worse …

Building A Cinematic World For Queer: Ways Of Winking Back At Barbie (2023), Diana Durk

Theses - ALL

This essay examines Reddit commentary of the new Barbie film that gave a space for some audience members to connect themselves to the film through queering its plot and characters. Through Reddit commentary, users explored the character design and how characters perform identity within this film and how it relates to their own experiences of gender and identity. This essay excavates how gender identity is communicated within popular culture and the need to queer a film to create one’s own representation. Through the importance of understanding the harm of a binary lens and how the binary gaze creates a stereotypical …

Look: An Examination Of The Clothing And Clothing Assemblages Of The Washington D.C. Punk Scene, Cedric Ansah

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Punk clothing has iterated and innovated on aspects of its own history as a subculture, it has been representative of yet another chapter in the long history of subculture and counterculture, and it has been indicative of the values of whatever geographical area or scene spawned it. Broadly, history has favored the representation of some geographical punk spaces over others. While Britain, New York, the Midwest-U.S., and California have all been observed and championed by punk scholarship as being unique chapters in punk history, other geographical spots, such as the nation’s capital, Washington D.C., have gone underrepresented by comparison in …

Envisioning Our Ecological Futures. Diffracting Creative Expressions., Mariam Ismail

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This thesis delves into the realm of eco-art, examining its multifaceted role in informing, educating, and mobilizing audiences towards sustainable environmental practices. Through an interdisciplinary lens that intertwines environmentalism, critical explorations of the anthropocene, ecofeminism, Indigenous knowledge, and social justice, this research investigates various themes, approaches, and methodologies employed by eco-artists. Utilizing a diffractive methodology, I acknowledge and respect these concepts’ contextual and theoretical differences while exploring their relationality to one another and to the artworks. By recognizing these entangled relationships, the diffractive framework creates and re-creates ‘research assemblages’ that shift away from conventional anthropocentric or representational methods of interpretation, …

Talking About Weight: Weight Stigma And Information Seeking, Alexandra N. Henrici, Lillian H. Mantel

Student Research Symposium

Guided by the Risk Information Seeking and Processing (RISP) model, this study explores the relationship between fear of discussing weight-related topics, or weight-related communication apprehension and weight bias internalization and tests the inconsistent RISP relationship between risk perception and information insufficiency. It investigates differences in weight-related communication apprehension in those who previously sought weight-related information from interpersonal or mediated sources. Using a survey of 64 undergraduate communication students, the study found that high levels of weight bias internalization correlated with high levels of weight-related communication apprehension. The study did not find a significant difference in weight-related communication apprehension based on …

Decolonizing 20th Century Consumerism: Analyzing The Role Of Advertising In Amauta, Sam Roberts

Honors Program Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

The Mexican Immigrant Experience In Northwest Iowa: A Qualitative Pilot Study, Gabriela J. Luevano

Honors Thesis

This study focuses on acknowledging and amplifying the voices and experiences of the Mexican immigrant community in Northwest Iowa. To that end, the primary question this study answered was: “What is the experience of Mexican immigrants in Northwest Iowa?” Furthermore, this study focused on community, how Mexican immigrants understand it, when they do and do not experience it, and how they seek to create it. This study aimed to shed light on the unique experiences of this population and provide insights into better ways to support their well-being and integration among local communities.

Through thematic analysis, this study found that …

Imaginative Acts, Environmental Futurity: Re-Envisioning The Heroic White Male Savior In Snowpiercer, Michelle Yates

Green Humanities: A Journal of Ecological Thought in Literature, Philosophy & the Arts

In contrast to many Hollywood climate fiction films, Snowpiercer (2013) offers a more complex representation of the white male savior. In contrast to films like WALL-E (2008) and Interstellar (2014) that recuperate and invest in white masculine privilege, Snowpiercer highlights the more destructive aspects of a patriarchal capitalist system that privileges hegemonic white masculinity. While the ending of Snowpiercer may seem bleak, it also points to the possibility of a new system, an environmental futurity that centers indigenous knowledge and the experiences of women and people of color. Though Snowpiercer is not formally an American film, its casting of recognizable …

Diverse Voices, Sticky Maps And Wicked Patterns. Using Creative Methods To Explore Environmental Justice, Clare Saunders, Daksha Patel

Green Humanities: A Journal of Ecological Thought in Literature, Philosophy & the Arts

Environmental justice is multi-faceted. It is distributional, procedural and context inter-dependent. Achieving environmental justice therefore requires transdisciplinary thinking and collaborative practice with participants holding a variety of experiences and knowledges. This paper explores the different meanings of environmental justice in theory, and through artistic practices. It introduces and evaluates a series of creative workshops designed to enhance understanding of environmental justice. The workshops consisted of 1) image-informed co-created cross-national Zoom conversations; 2) using colours and shapes to tease out meanings of environmental justice; and 3) mapping local environmental injustices while centring more-than-humans. It proposes that these creative methods are useful …

Powering Justice: Sketches For A New Ethos In Energy Policy, Erin Rizzato Devlin

Green Humanities: A Journal of Ecological Thought in Literature, Philosophy & the Arts

Energy politics lie at the heart of human activity. In a time of ecological and energy crisis, it is fundamental to realise that our reality systems are always open to change and that, in order to respond to the challenges of a changing energy landscape, we must explore the full possibilities of technology in a radical way. This research aims to consider the ethical implications of energy and technology, presenting an urgent case for cosmotechnical pluralism, that is the diversification of world-views, knowledges, technologies in the pursuit of energy justice in global politics. To reconstruct the world and its politics …

Notes On Contributors

Green Humanities: A Journal of Ecological Thought in Literature, Philosophy & the Arts

No abstract provided.

Putting Forward Sustainability As A Model For Journalism Education And Training, Nancy Booker, Bruce Mutsvairo, Dinesh Baliah, Theodora Dame Adjin-Tettey, Lars Tallert, Jean Mujati

Graduate School of Media and Communications

African journalism practice presents unique opportunities and challenges that require journalists to be equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge, and values to engage in sustainable journalism. Training institutions play a critical role in ensuring that journalists are not only professionally-ready to execute their mandate but also that they can safeguard and promote ethical values in their everyday work. Some of these values include “truth telling, independence, objectivity, fairness, inclusivity and social justice” (Gade, Nduka, and Dastger 2017, 10). Africa, like other regions of the Global South, has several journalism training institutions that provide an opportunity to challenge “hegemonic epistemologies and …

Decolonizing Neo-Liberalism, Empowering The Local: A Global South Reading Of Noir In The 2000s., Jean-Hugues Bita’A Menye

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research aims at providing a Global South reading of noir in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It relies on the premise that noir, a sub-genre of crime fiction born in France during World War II, offered new avenues of literary creation and political criticism. Based on a selection of authors from the U.S., Mexico, Algeria, and Cameroon, the dissertation explores how authors from underrepresented or formerly-colonized communities discuss the impact of neoliberal thinking in their communities. With an emphasis on race and gender dynamics, nation building and terrorism, police corruption and brutality, or the growth of organized, each …

A Compilation, Analysis, And Categorization Of 403 Atmospheric And Climate Science Misconceptions, Haeli Leighty

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) has listed the inaccessibility of research related to misconceptions in atmospheric and climate science as a Geoscience Education Research Grand Challenge (Cervato et al. 2018). This project was a direct response to this call for research and consisted of three distinct steps: 1) data gathering, which included reviewing the literature for relevant misconception data, 2) a qualitative analysis, which included compiling, organizing, and categorizing the data collected, and 3) a quantitative analysis, which included determining the prevalence of each misconception across topic categories, demographic categories, and over time. A total of 403 misconceptions …

What To Expect When Preparing To Transition For Working Abroad: Exploring Work-Focused Intercultural Transition Training, Hannah Johnson

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Despite living in a highly globalized world with increased travels, interactions, and migrations across both physical and mental cultural lines, many individuals are still often unprepared to interact with those who are different successfully (Kupka et al., 2008). With all these increases in travel, interaction, and migrations across cultural lines, it is essential to understand the adjustment process and the potential challenges or barriers that individuals may face when transitioning to a new culture. This project systematically examines literature on intercultural transitions to improve training for individuals traveling to another culture for work. The literature examined includes pre-departure training and …

Chimes: April 22, 2024, Calvin University

Chimes

Boer resignation fallout leaves students looking for answers by Savannah Shustack

Biology department oversees controlled burns on campus by Maya Oeverman

Pandemic continues to affect student performance by Nolan Cowan

Stepping into new roles: Tyler VerMerris and Ethan VanOrman on becoming leaders by Ashley Hamons

Bruce Dice Mineralogical Museum celebrates expanded meteorite exhibit by Liana Hirner

Michael VanWoerkom: Calvin grad, founder and CEO of aerospace company by Jacob Westra

Track and Field head coach prioritizes community building by Savannah Shustack

Return of spring arts festival increases student morale by Ethan Meyers

A Most Despicable Hoax: Women, Crime, And Newspapers In Depression-Era St. Louis, Nancy Stiles

Theses

This paper delves into the captivating saga of Nellie Muench, a St. Louis housewife whose life intersected with the burgeoning celebrity culture, evolving media landscape, and shifting gender dynamics of the early 20th century. Muench's involvement as a co-conspirator in the 1931 kidnapping for ransom of a wealthy doctor propelled her into the spotlight, where she navigated media manipulation to attempt to craft her own narrative. Secretly obtaining a baby and passing it off as her own child to gain jury sympathy and blackmail a rich paramour took interest in her case to sensational tabloid (and legal) heights. Drawing from …

Persuasion Strategies Employed On Instagram By Latter-Day Saint Religious Social Media Influencers, Ashton Everett Hatch

Theses and Dissertations

A content analysis of Latter-day Saint Instagram influencers is relevant to understanding what persuasive elements religious social media influencers include in their content. Observing instances that influencers persuade, establish credibility, develop trust, forge logical arguments, and engage the emotions of followers allow influencers to understand what constitutes engaging content. This study found that Latter-day Saint Instagram influencers posted emotive content that encouraged followers to continue to engage with their content, and/or endorsed another account or organizational influencer. This combination of pathos persuasion and endorsement authenticity shows that followers seek to participate in religion online as part of their regular worship.

Over-The-Top (Ott) Networks' Influence On Shared Cultural Memory, Michael Jelani Akil Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The digital landscape underwent a profound transformation in the Over-The-Top (OTT) network era, significantly altering media consumption. This study delved into the intricate and multifaceted impact of OTT networks on society, communication theory, and socio-cultural traditions, specifically emphasizing their influence on shared cultural memory. The research was rooted in a robust methodology that combined a Qualtrics online survey disseminated across various social media platforms and in-depth interviews with 25 carefully selected participants. This rigorous approach aimed to shed light on the profound influence of OTT networks on shared cultural memory while investigating how these platforms shaped perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, and …

“Everything Is Not What It Seems”: Discovering Public Relations In Business Sectors In Vietnam, Ba-Anh-Tu Truong

LSU Master's Theses

Vietnam is a shining star in emerging markets, with an annual economic growth rate of 6-7%. Its abundant labor supply, stable political climate, and geographic proximity to major global supply chains make it an ideal candidate for manufacturer planning in advanced economies such as the United States, Europe, Australia, Japan, China, and Korea. Investing in public relations and communication management, especially understanding the Vietnamese market, effectively prepares multinational corporations for future business expansion. This mission is difficult for academia and industrial professionals since Vietnam is a “silent country” in public relations research. To fill the gap, this thesis employs the …

Lindenwood Magazine, Spring 2024, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Magazine (2017- )

Lindenwood University news magazine.