Digital Commons Network^™

The History Of Urban Life Textbook, Samuel Finesurrey

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Case Studies In The History Of U.S. Empire And Society, Samuel Finesurrey, Gary Greaves

Open Educational Resources

These case-studies in U.S. history attempt to break away from the white racial frame that too often is used to tell the story of America's past. These resources explore the United States from the vantage of the enslaved, exploited, persecuted, conquered and occupied who made possible the realization of others' wealth and dreams.

Volume 18 - Issue 1: La Créole - A Journal Of Creole History & Genealogy, Melissa Daggett, Alan Rosenberg, Pat Marant Schexnayder, Mark Charles Roudané, Nancia R. Sterling, Kalie Dutra, August J. Darbonne, Angela D. Aubry, Alex Da Paul Lee, Kimberly F. Monroe Ph.D, Gisele Perez, Katy Morlas Shannon, René Grandjean

La Créole - A Journal of Creole History & Genealogy

The Louisiana Creole Research Association, Inc., known as LA Creole, was founded on August 21, 2004 as a New Orleans-based, non-profit family research and educational organization. Its purpose is to assist Creoles of Color in researching their ancestry, to educate the general public about Creole history and culture, and to celebrate the contributions and legacy of a unique, sometimes forgotten people. La Créole, the Association’s journal is published annually.

The Key Revolutionary Element: The Development Of Russia’S Military And The Vitality Of The Russian Soldier To Revolution, Max C. Jones

Tenor of Our Times

This paper looks at the substantial role the Russian Military played in the events leading up to and during the February Revolution in 1917 in Russia. It looks at the military history of Russia prior to the February Revolution (from Peter the Great-Nicholas II) and how certain decisions and events in that timespan created a military that was completely unprepared for the total war of WWI. The paper takes closer looks at the Crimean War and the Russo-Japanese War/1905 Revolution, in which significant changes in the military occurred but, as is seen in the outcome of WWI, were not enough …

A Multiple Perspective Analysis On Urban Poverty In Developing Nations: A Case Study On Nigeria, Colonial Implications, And Modern-Day Outcomes, Julian Rivera-Williams

CMC Senior Theses

This paper will dissect urbanization and poverty in Nigeria as a case study of the challenges of underdevelopment and the lingering effects of colonialism in Africa. To draw a complete understanding of challenges faced by developing nations facing systemic underdevelopment, high poverty, and low productivity– nations like Nigeria, my research will uncover colonial impacts and post-colonial policies that initiated urban poverty and underdevelopment outcomes we see today. The purpose of my thesis is to encompass existing fragmented academia on the causes and consequences of underdevelopment and connect historical implications to current impacts of global development today including the influence of …

Invisible No More: Looking And Listening Locally To Build Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Resilience, Anjali Thakore

CMC Senior Theses

The ubiquity of sexual violence, with its devastating physical and psychological consequences, has rendered conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) one of the most effective and enduring “invisible crimes” of war. Despite receiving growing attention across academic, political, and activist circles, wartime sexual violence remains pervasive in contemporary conflict zones. Against the backdrop of these frequent and recurring violations, this thesis explores the dissonance between high-level rhetorical commitments to preventing and punishing CRSV and on-the-ground realities. What soon emerges is a troubling pattern in which gendered violence—and women’s lived experiences more generally—while increasingly visible in theory, remains marginalised in practice. By investigating …

Faltered States: The Rise, Fall, And Containment Of Psychedelic Science In The United States, Baxter Brew

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis traces the history of psychedelic science in the United States and its implications for policymaking. In the postwar period, psychedelic researchers were enabled by a unique convergence of optimism in medical science and structural flexibility. But their hope blinded them to the deeper tensions of their field. As institutions grew increasingly rigid and risk-averse, the space for psychedelics began to close. Some scientists responded by fortifying the walls around them, developing socially and professionally acceptable research methods. Others tried to escape these walls entirely. But neither approach could prevent psychedelics from being squeezed out of formal inquiry. Yet …

Preserving Roots: Assessing The Assyrian Community In Iraq Through The Eyes Of Aid Workers, Tara E. Dawood

CMC Senior Theses

This study aims to assess the unique challenges and experiences of Assyrians from Iraq from the perspective of humanitarian aid workers. The research questions are as follows: what factors contribute to Christians choosing to leave Iraq, especially in the last 25 years?; what actions by the Iraqi government would deter them from leaving or support them in returning? This study is significant because it focuses attention on the excessive numbers of Assyrians leaving Iraq. Although they are a minority, their translocation produced a massive resettlement of migrants—more than any other group in Iraq. By analyzing the role of the Iraqi …

Exporting Culture, Building A Nation: South Korea’S Use Of Pop Culture As A Soft Power Tool, Nathaniel J. Kim

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the multiple governmental plans, policies, and actions by the South Korean government to support and globalize their pop culture products. After the crumbling of its economy and global image due to many external factors in the 1900s, South Korea found itself in poverty with very little global influence. To rebuild their nation, the government implemented many actions to help grow and strengthen their pop culture products to make them more desirable, domestically and internationally. This thesis analyzes three of the major pop culture exports for South Korea, television, movies, and music, and demonstrates how the government has …

The Inextricable Link Between Gendered Security And State Stability: Strategic Costs Of U.S. Humanitarian Retrenchment, Kirby Eh Kimball

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the strategic consequences of the 2025 U.S. foreign aid freeze on gendered security in conflict-affected states, focusing on Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine. It argues that gendered security—the protection, empowerment, and rights of women and girls—is not a peripheral humanitarian concern but a foundational determinant of state stability, development, and democratic resilience. Through a qualitative comparative case study methodology, the research synthesizes empirical literature, United Nations reports, human rights documentation, and cross-national statistical analyses to demonstrate how the collapse of gender-focused humanitarian programs following the aid freeze will critically exacerbate conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), weaken state institutions, and …

Understanding Bosnian Komšiluk: A Study Of Neighbourhood Dynamics And Violence, Sandra Grudić

Student Publications [Scholarly]

The 1990s war in Bosnia and Herzegovina was a top-down political project aimed at dividing the multiethnic state and it was characterized by neighbourhood violence. Following the war, scholars focused on understanding the meaning and significance of komšiluk (neighbourliness) in Bosnian culture, particularly in relation to how friendly neighbourly relations turned violent during the ethnic conflict. These scholarly debates have contributed to a better understanding of komšiluk, although it has typically been presented as a stable institution, often negotiated along an interethnic axis, and viewed as a concept that persisted unchanged over time, with near-universal characteristics throughout Bosnia. This paper …

Reconceptualizing Madness: Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Autobiography And The Cultural Landscape Of Insanity, Gender, And The Illness Experience, Claire Paley

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Healing Communities With Police Divestment: Seeking Abolition Through Transformative Reform And Community-Government Collaboration, Jessica E. Gillson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Concerns about the efficacy and sustainability of the U.S. carceral system have persisted throughout the country’s history, recently fueling renewed activism and bipartisan calls for reform. However, proposed solutions remain divisive. This thesis first defines the current status of our prison systems, then explores collaborative alternatives to incarceration and policing that support communities and break cycles of incarceration.

Focusing on partnerships among local governments, community organizations, justice-involved individuals, and law enforcement, this study examines holistic approaches to crime prevention, reentry, and reintegration. Using an interdisciplinary framework incorporating restorative justice, community resilience, and systems theory, it investigates how community-based strategies can …

Author Biographical Notes

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

A Crucible For Allotment And Assimilation: The Referendum For Ratification Of The Sioux Act Of 1889 On The Standing Rock Agency, Richard Keith Smith

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Determining post-Civil War national policy regarding American Indians was a tedious process. Many entities could describe themselves as stakeholders in the process, stakeholders who were beholding motivations which they would describe as significant. Those motivations would, to varying degrees, take the interest of Native Americans into consideration. It was in the liminal environment of volatile policy adjustments that American Indians were compelled to make decisions regarding their future. The Dakota (Sioux) represented a crucible for the recently approved General Allotment Act of 1887. The rise of progressive tribal leadership was a primary reason for the sudden passage of the Sioux …

He Lāhui Ano MaikaʻI Keia: Japanese Immigration And The Intersections Of Ethnicity And Sovereignty In Kalakaua's HawaiʻI, Neal Melela'i Cooper

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The late 19th century was a tumultuous period in Hawaiian history. Characterized by the interrelated questions of royal succession, political sovereignty, and labor immigration, the period of King Kalakaua's reign was the culmination of a building social crisis that had begun the moment American settler-colonials arrived on the shores of the archipelago. Throughout this time, King Kalakaua leveraged his acute political mind to build a coalition of nationalist Hawaiians in order to restore native traditions and seek out allies abroad in the hopes of resisting America's military and economic might. Using the labor supply as a wedge, Kalakaua was able …

The Black Panther Party: From Militancy To Social Activism, De'andre Brown Jr.

History and Political Science | Senior Theses

This research project examines the ways in which the Black Panther Party (BPP) was negatively portrayed by the media and targeted by the government from the moment of the organization's inception in 1966. The BPP’s shift in rhetoric style from militancy to social activism is emphasized by examining the organization’s “survival” programs, such as the Free Breakfast Programs, Free Health Clinics, and Education Programs, and their impact on black communities around the country. Past scholarly opinions about the BPP were driven by a fear from white America toward the organization’s aggressive style of protest and social activism. The government looked …

Art As An Urban Lifeline : Mental Well-Being In Times Of Crisis And Conflict, Bussakorn Binson

Journal of Urban Culture Research

No abstract provided.

Creative City Making As A Theoretical Research Practice By Using Soft Systems Methodology, Salfitrie Maryunani, Togar Simatupang, Isti Mirzanti

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This study proposes a novel conceptual framework for creative city development that integrates cultural and economic perspectives, moving beyond the traditional singular focus of existing literature. It identifies three core variables – culture, creativity, and the creative economy – within a balanced model. Using Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) as a structuring tool, the framework conceptualizes these interrelations within a complex urban system. Its originality is demonstrated through a design for application in Bandung, Indonesia, an underexplored context, providing a foundation for empirical validation. The paper concludes with actionable activities for implementation, offering a comprehensive tool for integrated diagnosis and planning …

Examining The Social And Cultural Implications Of Philippine Folk Dance To College Of Arts And Sciences (Cas) Students In One State University In The Philippines, John Michael D. Aquino

Journal of Urban Culture Research

The researcher aims to examine the social and cultural implications of Philippine Folk Dance to students in particular to their perceptions, attitudes, and how it affects the identity of the Filipinos. This study employed a phenomenological research design and purposive sampling in choosing the participant based on the given criteria. Semi-structured interviews was utilized and employed validated interview guide from the field expert and pilot testing. Thematic analysis was used in analyzing the data. The results revealed that the perception of the students profound admiration for the meaning, purpose, and beauty of traditional dances. Also emphasized are the value of …

Analytical Approach To Find Effective Factors On Users' Attachment To Public Spaces (Case Study : Khayyam Street, Qazvin), Maryam Chakhchian

Journal of Urban Culture Research

Different physical, social, activity and meaning aspects define public spaces as a social space. Several studies argue the relations between those main aspects and users’ attachment to such spaces. In this regard, this study tries to evaluate the significance of the relations between those four mentioned aspects in a selected public space based on the citizens' choice as a successful and desirable urban space. Data have been analyzed by SPSS software and the results indicate all of mentioned dimensions have a positive significance correlation users’ attachment to the place. Although, the result of path analysis shows activity aspect has an …

Journal Policies, Jucr Staff

Journal of Urban Culture Research

No abstract provided.

Ensemble Music For Social And Emotional Development : A Case Study Of Primary School Children In A Suburban Malaysian Chinese Community, Florence Kuek, Siew May Cheng, Anna Phang, Wen Fen Beh

Journal of Urban Culture Research

Music forms part of the Malaysian national curriculum for primary education, but music education is often compromised by low community interest, resulting in children’s underexposure to musical training. This qualitative study examines the inclusivity, creativity, and sustainability of a community-initiated children’s choral-instrument ensemble established as an after-school, weekly activity in suburban Malaysia, where members were recruited from lower- to middle-income families, and had little means to pursue music otherwise. Data were collected from class observations, children’s “before-after” drawings, and semi-structured interviews with the stakeholders. The trustworthiness and validity were ensured through inter-rating, member checks, and data triangulation. The findings revealed …

The Walasuji Tradition : Forgotten Meanings And Values, Fajar Ciptandi, Ulfah Nafi’Ah, Akramullah -

Journal of Urban Culture Research

The Walasuji tradition is one of the cultural activities of the Bugis Makassar community, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. It can be found at wedding celebrations as a large gate made of bamboo called “Baruga” Walasuji. However, it is hard to find Baruga Walasuji at youth’s wedding nowadays. Whereas the tradition has unique meaning and values which are good to preserve. This study employed a data validation triangulation method involving interviews, literature review, and observations. Subsequently, the analysis was carried out using a qualitative approach known as the "Three Layers of Culture" method. The results of the study show how meaning and …

Musicking And Identities In And From Religious Places Of Thai Diasporas In Chicagoland, Matthew Werstler

Journal of Urban Culture Research

Thai Americans are constantly imagining, sustaining, and performing their Thai identity to varying degrees, and this can be seen in the Chicagoland area. Regardless of the differences in musical genre or form, Thai diaspora communities perform and negotiate identity within sacred spaces through musicking. The act of musicking is important for Thai Americans to share their life with one another. With the onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic, Thai musicking communities of religious spaces in the Chicagoland area turned to virtual and outdoor mediums to perform and create. While changes were needed so that musicking opportunities could continue during the pandemic, …

Maternal Materialities: Objects, Rituals And Material Evidence Of Medieval And Early Modern Childbirth Edited By Costanza Gislon Dopfel, Claire Kilgore

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Alumni Spotlight - Ryan Rummage, Jacob Anderson

Tenor of Our Times

No abstract provided.

Beyond The Battlefield: Wwii’S Influence On Disability Rights And Legislation, Rachel Limburg

Tenor of Our Times

The post-war disability rights movement's momentum was largely driven by the influx of disabled veterans and the sudden need for a larger post-war workforce. Recent scholarship suggests that the origins of the movement extend beyond the societal upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s, reaching back to the early 1940s and even the 1930s.; In Out of the Horrors of War: Disability Politics in World War II America, Audra Jennings argues that World War II was pivotal in transforming societal attitudes toward disability, with demand for wartime labor and the visibility of disabled veterans catalyzing these changes. Jennings highlights the significance …

State Gross Domestic Product And The Economic Legacy Of The Civil War In The American South, Jacob N. Anderson

Tenor of Our Times

Many southern states, excluding Texas and Florida, have reported significantly lower annual GDP than other American subregions since the Civil War and Reconstruction. Furthermore, some recent articles show a correlation between southern states with higher levels of poverty and those who fought on the side of the Confederacy. Several sources make a logical argument that the South is still in the process of equilibrating to the economic norm, and the continuation of certain economic principles has prolonged that process further. To examine a possible relationship between state wealth and the history of the Confederacy in the southern states, I test …

Women And Medieval Literary Culture: From The Early Middle Ages To The Fifteenth Century Edited By Corinne Saunders And Dianne Watt, Melissa Elmes

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.