Digital Commons Network^™

Decentralized And Divided: Philadelphia’S Public Assistance System And Community-Based Initiatives, Gianna Casey, Shari Orisich

Honors Theses

Public assistance programs and community-based initiatives have aided Philadelphian’s residents in a cohesive effort to fill the gaps of community-needs. While both are inherently different in their methodologies and executions, their structures are built upon a collective foundation of legislative principles and policy-based ordinances in Philadelphia. These concepts, first began with poor laws and religious organizations in the 19th century, have turned into a complex system that has fallen tremendously short of sufficiently addressing the specialized needs of Philadelphian families. The surrounding laws for public assistance program administration (e.g. TANF and WIC), are founded within the objectives of these poor …

Modern Agricultural Servitude: The Modern Farm Worker Experience In The Salinas Valley, Jesus E. Tavarez

Chicana and Chicano Studies ETDs

The prevailing narrative in Chicanx studies focuses on the historical labor activism of the United Farm Workers (UFW) in the 1960s and ‘70s. I am particularly interested in examining the contemporary campesino experience in the Salinas Valley by discussing the history behind Mexican cheap labor, low wages, exploitive work conditions with inadequate healthcare, agrochemical exposure, and historical consciousness of farm workers. I will argue that farm workers are in dire need of a migratory reform as an approach to improve the working conditions of farm workers throughout California. This research aims to shed light on how the multi-billion-dollar agribusiness industry …

The Devil In The Details: The Malleus Maleficarum And Its Relationship To Regional Witchcraft Beliefs In Metz And The Corresponding Trials, Morgan Gubser

University Honors Theses

This thesis will explore witch trials in Lorraine, France, in the mid- to late-1400s, with a strong focus on trials conducted in or in reference to the city of Metz. The sixteenth century saw the period of the "great witch trials", which is often studied by those publishing in Witchcraft Studies, but a renewed scholarly focus is now being placed on the time before these great trials. By understanding these smaller outbreaks of trials that occurred in Lorraine before the sixteenth century we might hope to understand why so many trials tore through the region a century later. This thesis …

Is Sexyy Red Minstrelsy, Or Are We Overreacting?, Malik Brizan-Reed

Capstones

This criticism piece explores the controversial female rapper Sexyy Red. It challenges negative perspectives about her persona, primarily based on respectability politics. It highlights Sexyy Red's ability to capitalize on a moment and business savviness. The article has themes of racial double standards and classism. Sexyy Red is more than the "ghetto Black girl," aesthetic. She's a mother and entrepreneur who is authentic to herself.

The Hoosier Slide: Promoting Engagement With Environment, Kayla Vasilko

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

With unsustainable production models and a plethora of other damaging activities, humans’ strain on the environment has made it impossible to assume that the planet’s ecosystem will sustain future generations (WWF, 2018); our response to this crisis will impact current and future generations and all other species on Earth (Global Stewards, 2022; United Nations Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2022). To make a difference, education about the problem needs to be furthered. I worked with the PNW Westville Warriors and the Michigan City Lubeznik Center for the Arts (a community center dedicated to offering programming that balances joy with critical thinking, with …

The Baron Of Mongolia, Jacob Burke

Bakerman Student Research Awards

No abstract provided.

Crises, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

The last two weeks have seen a number of crises in college sport and one massive money drop in baseball.

Task Force 57: The British Struggle Of Implementing A Pacific Fleet, J Robert John Streit

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

By the Fall of 1941, the British were struggling to fight the German and the Axis powers in the European theater. The Royal Navy was occupied in the home, Atlantic, and Mediterranean waters and did not have the available ships to send to the Pacific. In December of 1941, the Japanese had not only attacked the Americans at Pearl Harbor, but also attacked Singapore and other British possessions, to include a small naval task force sent by the British as a deterrent to the Japanese. From December 1941 on, the British struggled to have enough forces to fight against the …

James Weldon Johnson Biography, Eartha M.M. White

Eartha M. M. White Textual Material

Manuscript: Biography of James Weldon Johnson attributed to Eartha White's authorship. Undated.

James Weldon Johnson Biography, Eartha M.M. White

Eartha M. M. White Textual Material

Manuscript: Biography of James Weldon Johnson attributed to Eartha White's authorship. Undated.

Resistance/Rise: Iranian Student Activism In The Late 1970s Us, Will Teague

History Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the late 1970s Iranian student activists in the United States worked to educate the American public on the history of the US-Iranian relationship and the long-term consequences in Iran of the 1953 CIA-sponsored coup that placed Mohammad Reza Pahlavi on the Iranian throne. The students directly challenged local and state governments to respect freedoms of speech, press, and assembly, and pushed President Jimmy Carter to keep his promise of injecting human rights into American foreign policy. Iranians studying in the US were not monolithic in thought, but they shared the common goal of liberating Iran from Pahlavi’s despotic rule …

African Women Custodians: Teaching, Toponymy And Tacit Reverie In Heritage Education, Tokie Laotan-Brown

Wagadu: A Journal of Transnational Women's & Gender Studies

This paper investigates the critical role of women in African cultures as guardians of cultural heritage. It explores their central function in transmitting traditional ecological knowledge and practices across generations through established pedagogical methods, toponymic knowledge systems (place-names within cultural landscapes), and the cultivation of tacit knowledge. The paper emphasizes the significance of women's contributions to environmental education, often overlooked or undervalued within Western scientific paradigms. This marginalization restricts access to resources and participation in decision-making processes. It argues for the integration of traditional knowledge systems, informed by women's expertise, into formal education and pedagogy. This inclusion serves to validate …

Challenging The Glass Ceiling: Gender And Identity In Kanan Devi’S My Homage To All (2013), Raju Rana, Lipika Kankaria, Sutanuka Banerjee

Wagadu: A Journal of Transnational Women's & Gender Studies

This paper deals with the Bengali stage and screen actor Kanan Devi’s autobiography titled Shobarey Aami Nomi (originally published in 1973) which was translated as My Homage to All (2013) and tries to analyse the concept of glass ceiling in terms of her myriad experiences over the course of her career. The paper situates the transitions taking place in the 1920s and 1930s in the cinematic space and the emergence of female actors in the public sphere. Against this background, the paper attempts to examine how Kanan Devi defied the prevalent patriarchal set up of the theatres and studios and …

Examining State Development In West Africa, Through Senegal And Nigeria, Kasandra L. Housley

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper studies the relationship between the state and armed conflict in West Africa with an emphasis placed on the value, influence, and role of social institutions on the long-term stability of the West African state. The countries of the Republic of Senegal and Nigeria represent the primary focus of the paper. Comparisons are made of the history of each country/state and experience with socio-political conflict in an effort to explain the penultimate place of social as opposed to legalistic or political influences responsible for the long term survival of the independent state in West Africa. The central question explored …

Full Issue

Studia Antiqua

No abstract provided.

Personal Legacies Of The American Empire: Witnessing The Rise Of A Western Power In The Philippines, Christian S. Condo Gilkes '25

Student Research

This historical study examines the Philippine-American War through the personal experiences of four individuals: David Fagen, a Black-American soldier who joined the Filipino resistance; Datu Ali, a Moro chieftain; George W. Suriley, an American soldier; and Apolinario Mabini, an advisor to Aguinaldo and a Filipino revolutionary. The paper explores the complex motivations, beliefs, and perspectives of individuals on both sides of the conflict, shedding light on the human cost of American imperialism and the diverse reactions to the United States' expansion into the Philippines. It further examines the racial and social dynamics within the U.S. military and the experiences of …

H. H. Holmes: Savage Monster Or Cruel Conman?, Max Ewoldt

Bakerman Student Research Awards

No abstract provided.

National Parks For Future Generations?: The Covid-19 Pandemic’S Impacts On National Parks And Tourism, Colin Cummings '25

Student Research

This paper explores the complex relationship between tourism and the environment in U.S. National Parks, with a focus on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It examines how increased visitation affects wildlife, the spread of invasive species, and the overall health of natural ecosystems. The author argues for a shift in public perception of national parks, emphasizing education, community engagement, and a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of nature to ensure the preservation of these areas for future generations. The paper also discusses the role of park rangers and historical interpretations of wildlife and the environment, as well as the …

Analyzing Social And Cultural Expectations For Women In The 20th Century Through The May Day Festival At Depauw University, Megan Mcclaren '25

Student Research

This paper analyzes the May Day festival at DePauw University as a lens through which to understand the social and cultural expectations for young women in the 20th century. By examining the festival's history, activities, and the roles of various student organizations, the study explores how broader historical events such as wars and economic changes, as well as societal ideals influenced the festival's evolution. The research is based on primary sources, including university archives and student-created pamphlets and photographs, in an effort to bring attention to a forgotten, yet important, part of DePauw University's history and the contributions of the …

Golden Baseball, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

We are now well into baseballs off season. Baseball fanatics are already into their annual countdown to the day pitchers and catchers report for spring training. As for me, I am beginning the countdown to one billion dollars, the figure that the Dodgers seem to be aspiring to, once again, as they seek to guarantee their right to another World Series win. There is little doubt they can find a way to spend that much and perhaps even more.

Outside The Dichotomy: Redefining Judith As A Prophet, Heidyn Von Bose

Studia Antiqua

The character of Judith has often been reduced to a dichotomy: is she a pro-feminist or an anti-feminist character? This traditional debate limits Judith and tries to squeeze her into ill-fitting literary boxes. The fol- lowing paper offers a more nuanced interpretation for the character and role of Judith within her story, particularly that Judith is a prophet. It first dem- onstrates that she meets the criteria of a prophet by synthesizing the works of Martti Nissinen, Esther Hamori, and Lester L. Grabbe. It then examines how her “irritations”—morally or culturally questionable actions—do not disqualify her from this role. The …

"All Power Over Ouranos And Gaia": The Maiestas Domini Supra Caelum Motif In Matthew 28:18 And The Junius Bassus Sarcophagus, Calan Christensen

Studia Antiqua

The maiestas domini supra caelum motif, as depicted in the central vignette of the upper register of the Junius Bassus sarcophagus, is widely understood as epitomizing a Christian ideal or an eschatological adventus as opposed to a representation of any “historical” biblical narra- tive. Nevertheless, this paper addresses the compelling iconographical al- lusion between the Bassus enthronement scene over Caelus and the final chapter of Matthew, specifically highlighting Jesus’s declaration of divine power “ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς.”

Through an examination of the relevant contemporaneous theological and ritual literature produced during the period of Matthew’s authorship and the crafting of …

Constitutional Absolutism? Feudal Kingship In Late Restoration Royalism, 1679-1688, Jacob Rundle

Honors Program Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

A Legacy Of Discord: Controversial Meanings In American Mudéjar Style (20th–21st Centuries), Francisco Mamani Fuentes

Artl@s Bulletin

This paper offers an American perspective on the term Mudéjar, examining debates in the study of American colonial art and architecture from the 20th century to the present day. It delves into the debates surrounding its stylistic classification and the resulting ambiguities associated with linking all geometric forms to Islamic aesthetics. The paper concludes that the current application of the term in architectural studies has overlooked criticisms from visual culture studies, which tend to ignore the constructive and design-specific aspects where Mudéjar might hold greater stylistic legitimacy.

Este artículo presenta una perspectiva americana sobre el término Mudéjar, examinando …

Alina Le Oral History Interview Nov 2024, Angelita Ybarra

Oral Histories HIST 300, Fall 2024

Oral History interview with Alina Le about her experience in joining the Peace Corps, traveling to Vietnam, cultural differences, and her new found role as an English teacher.

Italians, Finns, Methodists, And The Klan: A Look Into The Complex Identities And Relationships That Were Prominent In The Upper Peninsula During The 1920s, Piper R. Kraft

HS 390 Primary Research Papers

This essay focuses on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the 1920s and the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan. Using interviews from the Italian Oral History Collection, this essay explores the relationship between Italians, Finns, and the KKK. Rather than focusing on labor relations, this essay explores how these groups saw exogamy, the value placed on maintaining one’s religious connection and perceived racial identity. This research touches on the intersectionality of racialized ethnicity, religion, and class, concluding that the predominantly Methodist KKK would be more open to relationships, both personal and professional, with Finnish immigrants, even though they do …

Case Study On Seney National Wildlife Refuge: How The Upper Peninsula Led Wildlife Conservation In The Beginning Of The Twentieth Century, Holly A. Galligan

HS 390 Primary Research Papers

The research presented in this paper will weave together the story of how the Upper Peninsula became a crucial hub for wildlife conservation in the first half of the twentieth century. Seeking to answer the question of how and why this occurred, as well as why it is distinct from the social movement of the 1960s, the research is based on public awareness, photographic research developments, and the concept of the national system for conservation. Hunting played the main role in the motivations for this movement therefore, it is also heavily discussed throughout. The previous research on this subject emerged …

God's Laborers: Missionary Work And Imperialism In The Congo From 1878-1908, Ana Peterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In 1878, Henry Craven opened the first Protestant mission in the Congo. The Livingstone Inland Mission created multiple stations along the Congo River to reach the interior. It stayed active for six years before transferring its stations to Swedish and American missions. Five years after its closure, a sister mission, the Congo Balolo Mission, resumed efforts to teach the people living in the interior. This thesis explores the evolving reaction of the missionaries to state violence. It argues that these missionaries initially supported imperial violence that enforced laws that aligned with their beliefs, such as removing the slave trade. Once …

Joseph Moxon: Fueled By Science, Extinguished By Class. How A Forgotten Middle-Classed Early Modern English Puritan Printer Mathematician And Globe-Maker Helped Forge The Scientific Revolution And Democratize Knowledge Among The Trades, Kenneth L. Macro Jr.

Master's Theses

Joseph Moxon, raised within the trades, elevated into the middle-class, was an inducted Fellow of the Royal Society, Hydrographer to the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, Printer, Author, Translator, Maker of Globes and of Spheres, Maker of Maps and of Mathematical Instruments, Engraver, and Entrepreneur. Moxon was the quintessential Renaissance Man. A tradesman living in a time of great scientific intrigue and discovery, Moxon, acknowledged by few mid-seventeenth century historians, rightfully contributed his scientific discoveries—in the forms of tutorials and manuals written for the common man—as a testimony to all printers who have helped in the progression of the Scientific Revolution. …

Communication In War: How Harper's Weekly Reported On Andersonville From 1864 To 1865, Pamela Budinger

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The unifying theme of this thesis is human communication in war, specifically the American Civil War. History can be seen as studies of past communications and the actions that preceded and followed such communications. Scholars of the Civil War era are limited with regard to their source material compared to scholars that might be studying the twentieth century, or today. Today’s historians can tap a plethora of media that hold traces of human communication: videotape, television, tape recordings, letters, and other forms of written communication. Not all of these are available to scholars studying the Civil War. This thesis adopts …