Digital Commons Network^™

Landscaping The Exotic And The Ancient Through Picturesque: Reconsidering The Impact Of David Roberts’S Egypt And Nubia, Sophie Cooke

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis considers David Roberts’s use of picturesque art for imperial Britain and analyzes the ways Egypt and Nubia played an influential role in the cultural transmission of ancient Egypt. By confronting both antiquity and modernity, his Egyptian landscapes are evidence of how Western picturesque artworks influence historical narratives.

Martha Mitchell: Loud Mouth Of The South, Emma Bernice Kolker

History Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this paper, I will argue how Martha‘s Arkansas identity presents itself as a double edge sword, with her personality attracting the attention of the public with the consent of powerful men in the Republican party, while at the same time her comments and actions were the very reason she was blamed and marginalized by the same men who allowed her to speak in the first place.

2026 Commencement Program, Columbia College Chicago

Commencement Programs

The commencement program of the 2026 Columbia College Chicago graduation ceremonies.

American Industry And Soviet Blood: U.S.-U.S.S.R. Collaborations During The Interwar And Wartime Years, Evan Banaszewski

History

This project will examine the connections between American corporations and the Soviet state from the late 1920’s through WWII. In particular, this project will focus on ventures undertaken by said corporations towards the modernization of Soviet industrial might, including, but not limited to, Ford-built automotive plants, Albert Kahn-designed factories, and General Electric-built hydroelectric grids. These ventures not only helped the Soviets transform a historically agricultural society into an industrial one but also enabled the rapid conversion of peacetime infrastructure into hubs of wartime production. The project then situates these private indirect contributions alongside the direct aid provided by the American …

The Geography Of Race: A Spatial Analysis Of Free People Of Color In The City Of Charleston (1790-1861), Alexandra Ullman

All Theses

In Charleston, South Carolina, for all but one year from 1790 to 1860, the enslaved and free Black population outnumbered that of the white. Through manumission, the process of an enslaved person gaining their freedom, the free Black population grew substantially and reached a peak in South Carolina during the nineteenth century. This large community of free people of color (FPOC), shifted the social climate by upsetting the balance of white power, thus increasing racial conflict, tension, and legislation that aimed to control the movement of FPOC.

Despite FPOC comprising a significant portion of the total population of Charleston, there …

Girlhood, Interrupted: An Intersectional Feminist History Of Decolonizing And Reclaiming Womanhood, Ayden Kelly

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In the past few decades, social and political discourse surrounding womanhood and who is considered a "real" woman has led to the execration of transgender women. This work will explore how recent discourse and rhetoric surrounding who is and who is not a “real woman” can be traced to nineteenth century notions of “true womanhood” that excluded women of color. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with westward expansion, settler colonialism, residential schools, slavery, and post-emancipation serving as backdrops, this work will also analyze how ideologies of womanhood have interrupted and suppressed women of color throughout Western American …

Planting The Seeds Of An “Educational Revolution”: The Origins Of Upward Bound, Jack H. Kirby

Department of History

Histories of American higher education tend to suggest that the relationship between the federal government and higher education reached its apex in the 1950s before beginning to decline in the 1960s. How, then, do we understand the creation of federal TRIO programs in the 1960s and their continued growth through the remainder of the twentieth century? TRIO programs are federally funded projects intended to expand college access for non-traditional students. Through the lens of access, this paper argues that the federal government was limited in its ability to influence higher education during the post-war period because of the highly decentralized …

Faith Under The Führer: Protestant Pastors In Nazi Germany, Katie Cassady

Senior Honors Theses

This research examines Protestant churches in Nazi Germany and their varied reactions to Hitler’s Third Reich, tracing the Nazi rise to power, the Kirchenkampf (Church Struggle), the Confessing Church’s resistance, and figures like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Niemoller, and Karl Barth. Hitler campaigned on a platform purporting to support religious freedom, but the state-sponsored persecution of Christian churches later revealed such promises as a facade. The Kirchenkampf exemplifies the reactions of Protestant German churches to Hitler’s rule: The German Christian Movement (GCM) endorsed Hitler’s radical racial theories, while the Confessing Church confronted the unbiblical rhetoric used by the GCM.

Volume 17, Christian O’Neill, Kyara Greene, Savva Sidorov, Laura Bisaillon, Luke Clemmer, Hannah Gordon, Kitt Benson, Taylor Blount, Rachel Danzitz, Nicholas Duellman, Chase Gionis, Hima Fernando, Seth Franzyshen, Onyx Gonzalez, Bryan Lin, Samantha Start, Ysabel Wells, Maggie Duncan

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction Dr. Amorette Barber, Director, Office of Student Research

From the Editor Dr. Hannah Dudley-Shotwell

Cover Artist’s Statement Maggie Duncan

On Mentoring Dr. Yulia Uryadova

Ukrainian Resistance in the Face of Russification: Nestor Makhno and Anarchism

by Christian O’Neill

Life Vest by Kyara Greene

Isolation and 16S rRNA Identification of Bacteria from Fire Department Connection Pipe by Savva Sidorov

The Effectiveness of Planned Exercise in Reducing ADHD Symptoms in Children by Laura Bisaillon & Luke Clemmer

Linguistic Analysis on Confidence and Communication Strategies with Disparities Between Sign Fluency and Hearing Impairment by Hannah Gordon

Freedmen in Indian Territory by Kitt …

Microcosms & Warscapes, Heather J. Lathers

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This poetry collection features sensory-centered writing and common objects, scenes, and interactions to authentically capture the multi-perspective and nuanced experiences of wartime. Detailed language is critical when poets become mouthpieces for those enduring war's pain. Focusing closely on items such as teacups, boots, bones, mud, rice, and rats creates a kind of intimacy not often found in war writing. Specific conflicts addressed include World War I, Vietnam, and The Cambodian Genocide. The poems here, in various forms and voices, aim to spotlight the lost, marginalized, abused, and forgotten-- the much-needed humanity war stories tend to neglect. Ultimately, these pieces seek …

The Fourth Skill Revisited: A New-Ish Approach To Latin Pedagogy, Tyler Perry

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This thesis examines a new way of teaching Latin that combines Gareth Morgan’s The Fourth Skill method with the traditional grammar-translation approach. Latin teaching has often moved between two extremes. Grammar-translation focuses heavily on analyzing grammar, while modern immersion-style approaches focus more on understanding the language through exposure. Each method has strengths but also clear limitations. Morgan’s The Fourth Skill (1968) tried to balance these approaches by focusing on reading real Latin texts, but it relied heavily on Morgan’s personal teaching and included little direct grammar instruction.

To address these problems, this study tested a revised version of the method …

Hitler's Foreign Legions: Non-German Recruitment And Formations In The Waffen Ss, Jacob O'Bannon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During the Nazi regime, the armed bodyguard of the National Socialist Party the, the SS grew rapidly and eventually recruited foreign manpower. This thesis analyzes the rapid expansion of the SS as an armed military force and traces their forays into non-German states to recruit as the demands of World War II increased. The SS fielded thirty-eight divisions by the end of the war with hundreds of thousands of members not being from Germany. This rapid expansion, undertaken with soldiers from a variety of backgrounds, created a series of fractures between the ideological tenets of the SS and their practices. …

Rewriting The Boer ‘Slim’: Alice Stopford Green’S Reports On St. Helena’S Prisoner Of War Camp And Her Impact On British Views Of Boer Prisoners, Natasja A. Swanson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Alice Stopford Green (1847 – 1929) was a prominent Irish historian and politician, known for her role as a political activist in the Irish Home Rule movement. Her lesser-known legacy is her investigative journalism on prisoner conditions in British prisoner of war camps during the Second Boer War (1899 – 1902). Her reports on Boer conditions in the Deadwood Prisoner of War Camp on the island of St. Helena reflected maltreatment and institutional abuse by the British Government. These discoveries supported the minority English opposition that thought that England was overstepping the rules of civilized warfare. Green was primarily concerned …

A Qualitative Study Of Journalism Course Syllabi In Relation To The First Amendment, Elizabeth L. Bunnell

Journalism Undergraduate Honors Theses

The goal of this research is to gain more insight into collegiate journalism course syllabi and the First Amendment. The First Amendment is a foundational aspect for a career in journalism, and one way to learn how college journalism students are interacting with the First Amendment is to conduct a qualitative analysis of the syllabi. A syllabus is the contract between professor and student for the course; therefore, it should contain the most important information relating to the course. 47 syllabi were collected from the School of Journalism and Strategic Media from the Spring 2025 semester. After reading through each …

The Case For Undergraduate Student Organizing, Nina Goldshmid

Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy

This paper is a reflection and timeline of my experience organizing a union and negotiating a contract as a student worker at Barnard College. I explored the power dynamics between student workers and college administrations, how to promote unity for progress, and why some undergraduate students are deciding to organize. I discussed the actions of the college that could stifle union organizing and negotiations, the obstacles involved in organizing, and the ways to build solidarity through awareness and coalition. I summarized the main takeaways from my experience and characterize the current student labor movement.

Nation-Building On Pillars Of Fascism: How Italian Fascist Ideals Have Remained Alive In Eritrean Identity Through The Asmaran Urban Landscape, Caspian Green

Young Historians Conference

Roughly a third of Eritrea’s time as an Italian colony was spent under fascist rule, during which the Italian colonists dramatically changed the Asmaran urban environment, as well as its relationship with the rest of the Eritrean colony, to reflect fascist principles. After the fall of the Italian colonial empire, Eritrean political leaders sought to use the physical landscape to justify their claims to sovereignty, reapplying those pre-existing fascist principles to Eritrean nationalism. By examining Italian-Asmaran buildings, roads, and legal structures in their contexts, common threads between past fascist beliefs and the modern Eritrean military state emerge, offering a better …

Little Africa In Global China: Transnational Nigerians In Guangzhou And The Making Of Xiaobei, Tess L. Nestel

Young Historians Conference

This paper will examine the history and development of transnationalism fostered by Nigerians in Guangzhou, China, after the late 1990s. Spurred in part by the Asian Financial Crisis, Nigerian men flocked to Guangzhou’s thriving import-export economy. They established the ethnic enclave of Xiaobei, where many lived and engaged in the informal wholesale economy. Nigerians existed between the cultural boundaries of Xiaobei and Lagos, where they constantly returned. Both the export economy in Guangzhou and the resale economy in Lagos’ street markets were deeply influenced by one another through entrepreneurial migrants. This paper will provide a general overview of the many …

The Prominent Voice Of Cold War Era Radio: The 1968 Soviet Union Invasion Of Czechoslovakia, Zuzana E. Langer

Young Historians Conference

This paper explores the influence of radio and free press during the Prague Spring and subsequent Soviet Union invasion of Czechoslovakia during the Cold War. After the Prague Spring, a brief period of growing freedom stemming from Alexander Dubček’s transition out of strict socialist censorship, the Soviet Union orchestrated a military invasion of the socialist satellite state. During this invasion, radio transmitters in Prague informed listeners that the invasion was against the Czechoslovak’s government’s will and instructed Czech and Slovak citizens to remain calm and protest nonviolently. By analyzing the emergence of the free press from the Prague Spring and …

Artificial Light: A Conduit Of Human Productivity Through The Ages, Elias M. Henkle

Young Historians Conference

This paper takes a sharp look at three innovations in artificial light, examining their impact on human productivity through history, and on our global society today. It posits that light technology has played a pivotal role in human productivity. From conversation around campfires, to handheld lighting technologies (such as candles, oil lamps, and other such crude— yet compact— lighting devices), to fiber-optic cables that carry information across oceans through the power of light— humanity’s productivity has been massively impacted by innovations in light technology.

Rhetoric, Shakespeare, And Tony Soprano: The Influence Of Suetonius's The Life Of Julius Caesar In Personalizing The Leader, Eben N. Cole

Young Historians Conference

History has presented a group of leaders who have been frequently studied and written about; Julius Caesar is among these leaders. The common historical narrative which examines his life has brought particular attention to not only Julius Caesar's leadership, but also Caesar as an individual. During the 2nd century CE, in Ancient Rome, the writer Suetonius published his 12 Caesars, a collection of biographies that included Suetonius's biography of Julius Caesar. Throughout the 12 Caesars, Suetonius would depict his subjects in a manner that was less factual than other biographies which preceded his, yet the 12 Caesars became more influential …

A Battle Of Will And Wisdom: Polar Opposites In The Polar Extremes Of The Viking World, Lily C. Manne

Young Historians Conference

This paper explores the connection between the polar climate of Viking-age Scandinavia and the success of the Vikings through examining the dual nature of their culture brought about by their environment. The Scandinavian peninsula is known for its harsh, variable climate full of cold winters and unpredictable harvests that turned into long summers and melting fjords. Outside of shaping survival strategies and material culture, this polar environment seeped into the fundamental cultural values the Vikings exhibited, creating the foundation for a society that understood the value of destruction and violence as well as creation and craftsmanship. Using Norse mythology as …

Demonizing Sexuality: Dangerous Women In Folklore, Lily E. Nelson

Young Historians Conference

Cross-culturally, women in folklore have been portrayed as dangerous due to their sexuality and influence over men. Clear patterns throughout history emerge through analysis of the following occurrences, which show a link between how sexualized a female figure is and the threat she is considered to pose. The she-demon Lilith in Jewish and Mesopotamian mythology as well as folklore relating to the Scriptures, mermaids in Europe, and fox spirits in East Asia all demonstrate this phenomenon, since they are all overly sexualized and represent broader social norms towards women. These beings all exhibit similarities in being able to exert control …

The Revolutionaries Of Mt. Tabor: Religion, Radicalism, And Propaganda Of The Taborites In Hussite Bohemia, India L. Black-Mitchell

Young Historians Conference

This paper explores the formation of the radical Hussite group, the Taborites, in fifteenth century Bohemia, and their eventual decline and absorption into other religious groups. Tabor was founded in the rural countryside of Bohemia, populated by an impoverished working class, Under the leadership of Jan Zizka, and the influence of Jan Hus and Bishop Nicholas Biskupec of Pelhrimov, Tabor was able to establish itself as a highly successful military and religious force despite the opposition of the powerful Catholic Church. Tabor promoted literacy in the Bible to its working class members, including women, which set them apart from their …

36th Annual Young Historians Conference Program, Portland State University History Department, Portland State University Challenge Program

Young Historians Conference

This is the 2026 Young Historians Conference schedule and abstracts.

Bill Brand Interview By Alex Morris, April 6, 2026, Bill Brand, Alexander Morris

HIST 4798/5798: Recording Memory: Methods and Uses of Oral History

In this 2026 interview, Bill Brand, a former corporate executive and, since 2023, a trustee on the Ohio University Foundation Board, discusses his lifelong connections to Ohio University (OU) and Athens, Ohio. An OU alum, Brand earned a Bachelor of Science from the Scripps College of Communication in 1987. He discusses what about OU—from when he first visited in the early 80s up until now—has continued to entice him into involvement with the university. In particular, he touches on the strong sense of community within both the university and Athens as a whole, which he asserts serves as a safe …

Catur Piwulang: The Concept Of Great Leaders In Javanese Paradigm, Nuri Puji Hastuti

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Leaders can be a key factor in determining whether a nation experiences a flourishing or declining period. However, numerous phenomena indicate that Indonesia is losing its great leaders. Based on this problem, this research aims to explain and describe the forms, meanings, and functions of catur piwulang as the concept of great leaders in the Javanese paradigm. A descriptive qualitative method has been used. The syntax consists of data collection, reduction, display data, and conclusion. Data validity was checked through the triangulation of theories, resources, and techniques. The forms of catur piwulang are 1) wewehono teken, teken wong kalunyon, …

Timbangan Buku: Mendekolonisasi Komunikasi Politik Di Afrika - Menyusun Ulang Ontologi, Murliana Murliana

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

No abstract provided.

Makna ‘Indah’ Lukisan ‘Kebakaran Hutan’ Raden Saleh Sebagai Perlawanan Konsep Pemikiran ‘Mooie Indiëm', Dionisius Krisnambudi, Sri Kusumo Habsari, Eva Farhah

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

The concept of "beautiful Indies" (mooie Indië) is understood as a project of visual discourse transformation in the Dutch East Indies. This study highlights Raden Saleh's painting "Forest Fire", which represents a romantic manifestation while simultaneously challenging colonial narratives about nature and society in the Indies. The aim of the research is to reveal the trans-cultural visual strategies employed by Raden Saleh in constructing a counter-discourse to colonial representation. The study adopts a qualitative-interpretative approach using heuristic methods, source criticism, and montage analysis, contextualized within Pierre Bourdieu's theoretical framework. Montage analysis is applied by juxtaposing and reassembling visual, …

(Review Of) Monica Ciobanu And Mihaela Șerban, Eds. Between The Memory And Post-Memory Of Communism In Romania: Fluid Memories, Stefan Cristian Ionescu

History Faculty Articles and Research

A review of Monica Ciobanu and Mihaela Șerban's Between the Memory and Post-Memory of Communism in Romania: Fluid Memories.

Wrestling With The Cold War, Robert M. Barnum

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines how professional wrestling functioned as a cultural arena through which Americans interpreted, dramatized, and emotionally processed the Cold War from the 1950s to the early 1990s. By analyzing wrestling storylines, character archetypes, promotional narratives, and fan responses, the study demonstrates that wrestling not only reflected prevailing geopolitical tensions but also actively shaped public perceptions of the ideological conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. Throughout the Cold War, promotions deployed foreign “heel” characters—initially German and Japanese, later Soviet and Iranian—to embody national anxieties and reinforce patriotic sentiment. Soviet characters, including Nikolai Volkoff, Ivan Koloff, and …