Digital Commons Network^™

Dancing On My Own: Examining Character Development In Hbo’S Girls, Phoebe Portnoy

Honors College Theses

In recent years, the HBO series Girls has experienced a resurgence in viewership and public discourse. Situated within the landscape of postfeminist television, there have been many conversations about how the show represents the privileged, self-involved, and unmotivated behaviors of many millennials. However, there was a lack of research focused on the growth of the lead characters from the series’ beginning to its end. I conducted a textual analysis of Girls, examining the four main characters’ development in career, romance, and female friendship. I examined their goals, emotions, and actions in these categories throughout seven episodes across three seasons …

The Kinship Of Creatives, Saba Saif Ur Rehman

MFA in Illustration & Visual Culture

This research essay contends that artists and creative individuals must recognize their agency in shaping societal narratives, particularly during times of technological and political upheaval. The essay draws on the insights and contributions of visionaries like Walter Benjamin, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Tomm Moore to emphasize the power of imagination and creativity in addressing real-world issues. It argues that previous technological advances have often reinforced hierarchical and oppressive systems, benefitting a select few while neglecting the masses. As we enter the fourth Industrial Revolution, this essay calls the artists to reclaim their tools from being co-opted for exclusionary and …

Healthcare Leadership In Western Societies: Religion, Politics, And Rhetoric, Nelly D. Figueroa-Herrera

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

No abstract provided.

The Rhetoric Of Pope Francis: Leadership Profile, Elizabeth Kresse

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

No abstract provided.

Gender Inequality And Export Diversification In Afghanistan: A Critical Literature Review, Kolea Suehiro

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

No abstract provided.

How Does Language In Emails Impact How Recipients Respond?, Ellya Asatryan

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

No abstract provided.

The 'Other' In European Colonial Rhetoric: Race, Modernity, And The Legacy Of Imperialism", Mateo E. Roldan

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

No abstract provided.

Pepperdine Journal Of Communication Research Volume 15, Issues 1-3, Elizabeth Kresse

Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research

No abstract provided.

The Business Of Domesticity: Homemaker Influencer Content And The Depoliticization Of Women's Gender Roles, Kathryn Andronowitz

Undergraduate Fellows' Research

Social media platforms have seen a rise in content created by female influencers who display their domestic and family lives, from “homefluencers” and “mommy bloggers” to media sensationalized “tradwives.” Among these content creators, “homemaker” influencers curate and present their lifestyles in ways that reflect and question broader discourses on gender roles, women’s labor, and traditionalism. This study analyzes the content of ten self-identified “homemaker” influencers on Instagram to understand how they construct and maintain a self-brand amidst adjacent online communities like crunchy and far-right networks, and in a wider neoliberal, postfeminist cultural context. This paper explores how Instagram’s platform features …

"Social Media Is Imperfect, But It's The Best We Have": Understanding And Addressing Sexual Health Information Seeking Challenges Among Young Adults, Alexander N. Vera

MUSC Conference Presentations

Objective:

Young adults in South Carolina face increasing challenges when seeking accurate sexual health information due to limitations in traditional and authoritative sexual health education and healthcare access. This paper investigates the future of libraries and health science librarians by exploring how young adults use social media platforms to seek sexual health information. It identifies the primary barriers young adults face and investigates opportunities for developing innovative digital health literacy resources.

Methods:

This study employed a dual-method qualitative approach, utilizing 90-minute semi-structured interviews and digital walkthroughs with 20 young adults aged 18-25 from across South Carolina. The interviews explored participants' …

Perception Of Emotions In Autism With Controlled Elicitation, Austin Gillespie, Rachel Dewald

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Recognizing emotions play a crucial role in effective communication.(1)

Previous research has rated autistic expression as awkward.(2)

These studies captured unnaturally elicited emotions by having participants imitate emotions from scripted prompts and pictures

Researcher Risks: A Typology For Qualitative Risks To Researchers In Communication Studies, Rebecca M. Rice, Kristie Mcallum

Communication Studies Faculty Research

Discussions of risk in qualitative research tend to focus on risks to research participants. However, qualitative researchers also face risks—or uncertainties with potential for harm—because they serve as the research instrument. Communication researchers are uniquely suited to problematize the meaning of risk and extend theory about what risk is by noting that risk is subjective and communicatively constructed, both in qualitative methods and in research contexts. We create a typology of five risk contexts that pose a danger to researchers: crisis, disruptive, vulnerable, emotionally risky, and ethically fraught contexts. For each context, we define the risk, propose representative examples, and …

Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover: Generational Diversity At Centracare, Theresa Reichert, Lora Gullette, Britney Winkelman

Nursing Posters

The American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) identifies key elements of a health work environment. Key elements to build belonging within a health work environment (HWE) include:

• Recognizing the value each person brings to the team
• Open, respectful, and effective communication
• Helping teams identify missing "F"s by valuing multiple perspectives
• Avoiding communication breakdowns
• Building departmental cultures where it is safe for employees to speak up with safety concerns
• Advancing collaboration and mutual respect, even during conflict.
• Strengthening employee fulfillment, retention and morale

At CentraCare, many different generations work together to care for patients and one another. Understanding generational strengths …

Hey Barbie! There's A Lot Of Kens On My Screen: A Qualitative Analysis Of Female Gender Inequality In Media Representation And How Society’S Responses To It Have Evolved, Ania Delaney Boutin

Honors College Theses

Since Dr. Jean Kilbourne called attention to the dehumanization of women in magazine ads in her series of lectures-turned-documentaries “Killing Us Softly” vol. 1-4, the treatment of women in media has received attention from researchers and documentarians alike. Kilbourne asked audiences to take the impact of negative depictions of women seriously, encouraging women into careers where they could shape the next generation’s media. Subsequent documentaries assessed Kilbourne’s research and expanded it to include political consequences, minority voices, and various systemic issues.

Using a summative content analysis approach, this research examines the content of six documentaries, spanning 1979 to 2018, to …

Newsletter, Wku Staff Senate

Staff Council

Newsletter created by WKU Staff Council to report on work accomplished.

Motivating Community Attendance: The Role Of Self-Determination Theory And Message Framing, With Moderating Effects Of Organizational Credibility And Community Attachment, April Batson-Bright

Communication (PhD) Dissertations

A two-part, mixed methods study explored the impacts of motivational messages on a parents’ intention for their family to attend a hypothetical community Snow Day event hosted by the local County parks and recreation division. Grounded in self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000), message frame theory (Rothman & Salovey, 1997), community attachment theory (Kasarda & Janowitz, 1974), and organizational credibility the study examined these factors and their impacts on behavioral intention. In Study One, two focus groups assessed parents’ perceptions of credibility of a local government agency hosting the event, as well as perceptions of the flyer advertising the event. …

The Digital Incorporated Worker Narrative: A Mixed Methods Study Of Digital Capital, Work Selection, And Outcomes In The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Tracie King

Dissertations

Digital technology permeates society and industry, making digital-ready workers necessary for firms of all sizes as a firm seeks competitiveness in the market (Bergson-Shilcock et al., 2023; de Ruyter et al., 2018; Gorski et al., 2022; Karaboğa, 2023; Kim et al., 2017; Qureshi Zia, 2019). Firms seeking digital-ready workers face a complex digital divide that creates a worker shortage (Bergson-Shilcock et al., 2023; Karaboğa, 2023; Qureshi Zia, 2019). This study aims to describe workers' work selection, work experience, and outcomes in a complex digital society.

Most digital divide research focuses on the individuals excluded from owning, accessing, and having skills …

Public Comment: Using Critique-Like Mediating Artifacts To Democratize Discourse At City Council Meetings, Piper Schuerman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Are local governments designed for equitable citizen participation? While civic engagement aims to empower citizens and support representative governance, barriers to participation can hinder those outcomes. City council meetings, key venues for public input, pose specific challenges such as long durations, dense content, and intimidating formalities. These issues disproportionately affect Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012), who frequently report feeling underinformed or having limited time to engage. This thesis explores how city council meetings might use multimodal mediating artifacts, inspired by design critique practices, to make public discourse more accessible for Gen Z adults.

Grounded in activity theory and …

Differentiated Instruction For Students With Special Needs: “How Can We Better Equip Students, School Systems, And Society For Differentiated Instruction For Students With Special Needs In Career And Technical Educational Environments?”, Mikala A. Highsmith

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Career and Technical Education (CTE) plays a vital role in preparing students for the demands of the modern workforce by providing essential knowledge, technical skills, and industry-recognized certifications. As the number of students with disabilities, including neurodivergent learners, continues to rise, CTE programs face increasing pressure to adopt innovative, inclusive educational practices. Integrating creative teaching strategies and leveraging technology are now critical tools in addressing diverse learning needs that promote effective classroom management and enhance student engagement. Moreover, CTE programs emphasize the development of professional competencies, workforce protocols, and transferable skills that strengthen students’ employability across industries. This paper examines …

Design And Implementation Of A Notification System For The Purpose Of Improving Communication Between Nurses And Patients, Aindrila Bhattacharya

2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Communication is an important part of how nurses administer treatment to their patients. Without proper communication, it is difficult for the nurses to connect with their patients and vice versa. This paper will be going into some previous literature about communication between patients and nurses in general, communication with respect to pediatric patients and how notification systems have been implemented in the past. It will then discuss the methodology and implementation of a notification system for a medical app. The medical app is meant to facilitate communication from the side of the patient to the nurse, while the notification system …

When 'Weird' Means 'Dangerous': Viruses And Firewalls In Affective Polarization, Nathan J. Locke

All Theses

As traditional sources of epistemic authority face declining trust, alternative narratives have gained prominence - often leveraging the emotional and cultural resonance of seemingly simple terms. In the 2024 election cycle, the term “weird” emerged as a potent meme in American political discourse. Using a memetic perspective that incorporates elements of framing theory and Social Judgment Theory, this thesis investigates the use and reaction to “weird” and its role in shaping perception of Donald Trump, his political allies, his followers, and his opposition during and immediately after the 2024 Presidential election. The memetic perspective, which views ideas as units of …

Crisis Calling: Fan Relationships With Athletes, Alexis T. Merriman

All Theses

This study identifies the importance and complexities of parasocial relationships, as well as looks at the effects these relationships have on NFL sport consumers in our society. Sport fandom, specifically high-level fandom attachments such as parasocial relationships (PSR), have called for a need to examine what occurs for both athletes and fans when a parasocial relationship is jeopardized in times of inevitable athlete or league crisis. This study applies Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) and Turning Point Approach to examine these complex parasocial relationships. Due to gaps in literature looking at parasocial breakup (PSB) and relationship turbulence through public relations …

Bans Against Book Bans: State Legislation Fighting Against Censorship, Marissa Muraoka

Book Publishing Final Research Papers

This research evaluates three of the eight states that passed legislation in 2023 and 2024 to limit the ability to ban books in their states. Using three states as case studies and analyzing the bill documents and news articles covering the legislation, I evaluated the conversations occurring in our local governments about book banning in the US. While many of these bills argue that book bans should not exist solely based on “partisan or doctrinal beliefs,” the issue is intrinsically tied to those beliefs. Democrats struggle to protect diverse voices of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities; Republicans fight to remove sexually …

An Exploration In Using Aesthetic Creative Modalities In Professional Supervision, Linda Young

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project examines the integration of aesthetic and creative modalities into professional supervision, traditionally dominated by conversation-based methods. Drawing on over thirty years of experience in education, ministry, and supervision, it addresses the need for more creative, diverse, expressive, and reflective tools to be used in professional supervision practice. The study proposes a theoretically and theologically grounded curriculum to equip supervisors in postgraduate training with creative approaches that enrich learning, insight, and practice within the evolving landscape of professional supervision in Australia.

Commodification And Objectification Of The Black Male Athlete In The Nfl, Jalen A. Terrell

All Theses

The black male body has often been viewed as a commodity in Western culture since the commodification of the black male body in the historical slave auction. Albeit slave owning ended in 1863 with the Emancipation Proclamation, it was not until 1946 that the National Football League (NFL) became integrated, and the commodification of black bodies became prevalent once again. As such, this study looks to understand how the X population from the data set for this study demonstrates the commodification of the black male body, the general discourse around the black and white male athletes, and explores the language …

Pengaruh Literasi Digital Dan Persepsi Risiko Orang Tua Terhadap Praktik Sharenting Di Media Sosial, Rusyda Hijriyati Hasanah, Elva Rahmah

Jurnal Ilmu Informasi, Perpustakaan, dan Kearsipan

Sharenting is a term that refers to the behavior of parents who routinely share their children's activities in visual form (photos or videos) through various social media platforms. This study aims to explore the influence of parents' digital literacy skills and risk perception on sharenting activities on social media. This study adopted a quantitative method using survey technique as the data collection instrument. By applying the snowball sampling method, 70 participants were involved in filling out the questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted by utilizing IBM SPSS Statistic software version 26.. The results of this study yielded several important findings: (1) …

Athlete Soreness Self-Reporting For Increased Sports Recovery, Marissa Bennett

All Theses

With 70-80% of athletes choosing to withhold soreness/injury-related information from sports staff (Jessiman-Perreault et al., 2016; Whatman et al., 2018), the need for more research in this sector of sports communication is apparent. This study aimed to take a step in closing that research gap by identifying barriers to soreness reporting and taking measures to try and work around those barriers in partnership with a Division I, southeastern, public university football team over the course of the 2024 season. The 2024 season’s data was then compared to data collected in the 2021-2023 seasons. Exploratory research into a Division I, southeastern, …

Acceptability And Competency Of Motivational Interviewing (Mi) Training And Mi Spirited Communication In An Undergraduate And Graduate Nursing Program, Grace Koons

Honors Theses

Problem- There is a move towards patient-centered care in nursing and Motivational Interviewing (MI) has been one approach to accomplish positive communication. While the use of MI has been increasing in healthcare settings, undergraduate and graduate nursing programs have been slow to incorporate it into their curricula.

Aims- This study aimed to determine the acceptability and MI competency for the use of MI Spirited Communication (MISC) among undergraduate and graduate nursing students at a university in the Southeast region of the U.S. Methods- The design of this pilot study was a descriptive, quasi-experiment with no control group. The …

Online Racial Discrimination, Depression, Anxiety, And Sleep Disturbances Among Ethnoracially Minoritized Young Adults: The Buffering Role Of Family Support, Aamnah M. Ullah

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

There has been a surge in young adult exposure to online racial discrimination (ORD), which is associated with impaired sleep, greater anxiety, and depression. Evidence suggests that ethnoracially minoritized college students are at increased risk for exposure to ORD. Additionally, sleep disturbances (SD) may impact the link between ORD, depression, and anxiety. Thus, this study aims to explore whether increased SDs mediate the relationship between ORD, anxiety, and depression among ethnoracially minoritized college students. This study also aims to examine whether family support (FS) moderates the indirect effect of ORD on anxiety and depression. Participants were 495 (78.6% female, mean …

Mental Health Advocates, Lawmakers Discuss Involuntary Commitment Expansion, Joshua T. Stone

Communication

New York has made it easier to involuntarily hospitalize people with severe mental illness as part of the state budget signed at the Capitol in early May by Gov. Kathy Hochul. State law previously allowed people with severe mental illness to be involuntarily hospitalized if two physicians determined they pose a threat to themselves or others. The updated law sets a standard to include people who are deemed unwilling or unable to support their basic needs, including food, shelter and medical care, due to their mental illness. However, opponents of the updated law say it could be misused to involuntarily …