Digital Commons Network^™

At Home Among Strangers, Aleksandra Gorbacheva

Theses and Dissertations

At Home Among Strangers is a character-driven documentary that explores the price of freedom for a gay person in a society that lacks freedom and civil rights. It follows an asylum seeker from Russia, Sasha Smirnov, during a crucial moment of his life: starting over in New York City at 40 as a journalist without English language skills. The film reflects on the choices one makes and the consequences of staying true to oneself.

The Ncaa's Rise To Absolute Power And Confronting Its Distortion Of Amateurism, Terek J. Kirsch

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

This paper examines the progression of the intercollegiate athletic space, from a small regatta in 1852 to the massive athletic environment we know now in contemporary society. It finds the National Collegiate Athletic Association snared in a trap of circular logic that has been closing in on it since its conception, as it has defined collegiate athletes as amateurs and then proceeded to argue for amateur status for those athletes because of the definition that it wrote. This paper concludes in its final two chapters, after analyzing the recent Supreme Court case NCAA v. Alston, and the Name, Image, and …

“For The Best Interest Of The Patient And Of Society;” Sterilization In Virginia’S Mental Institutions In The 20th Century, Grace M. Gordon

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

The science of eugenics, or classifying and grouping people into the categories of genetically “inferior” and “superior” for the purpose of better breeding, thrived during the first decades of the 20th century in Virginia. The first recorded instance of eugenic sterilization in a Virginia Mental Institution occurred in 1915 by Dr. Albert Priddy. In 1924, the combined efforts of Dr. Joseph DeJarnette and Dr. Albert Priddy resulted in the passage of a state-sanctioned eugenic sterilization law that was later deemed constitutional in 1927 by Buck v. Bell. The 1924 law gave Western State Hospital, Central State Hospital, Eastern State Hospital, …

U.S. Extremism And Media: How The New Age Of Politics Speaks To Media Usage, Josephine R. Haneklau

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

On January 6th, 2021, the nation watched from their television screens as a group of extremists stormed the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. An interesting emotion fell over the U.S. public – it was both shocking and not shocking at all. The attack on the Capitol was a by-product of years of internal division, catapulted by Trump’s presidency. Between racial divisions and the progression of Black Lives Matter, the advancement of COVID and its governmental policies, and Trump’s divisive nature of president at a peak, it seemed almost inevitable that an offense like this would occur.

As political conversations …

“Infantry Would Not Do:” Appalachia, The Environment, And The Evolution Of Mountain Warfare During The American Civil War, Lucas Michael Wilder

Theses and Dissertations

Union General Ambrose E. Burnside launched his invasion of East Tennessee in the summer of 1863. The corps he used consisted of half-infantry and half-mounted units to utilize their speed to overcome mountain obstacles. The successful campaign and the capture of the agriculturally rich region of East Tennessee and its vital East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad deprived the Confederacy of resources, ultimately contributing to Confederate defeat. The American Civil War saw commanders plunge into the mountains of Appalachia and encounter a terrain and a people with which many were unacquainted. This dissertation argues that their tactics and strategies for dealing …

Undergraduate Holocaust Education And Biomedical Ethics: What's The Connection?, Tatiana Thompson

Psychology Department Student Scholarship

This poster represents the research results of two studies used to examine Holocaust education in undergraduate colleges and universities.

"Yours For Freedom": The Life And Legacy Of Civil Rights Leader Victoria Gray Adams, Meridian Mcdaniel

Master's Theses

Understanding the life and legacy of Victoria Gray Adams (1926-2006) is key to appreciating the role of middle-aged African-American women activists in Mississippi during the Civil Rights Movement. She was born and raised in Palmers Crossing, a self-sustaining black community just south of Hattiesburg. Her upbringing fostered pride and a sense of independence in herself as a black person, which eventually influenced her efforts to inspire the local community’s involvement in the movement. Her participation and remarkable leadership in various Civil Rights groups helped solidify her role as a local, state, and national leader. The roles she held throughout her …

The Child Development Act Of 1971: The Closest America Has Ever Gotten To Universal Child Care, Rory Cochran

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The significance of this thesis is on how a bill, the Child Development Act (CDA), and other complementary policies created a phenomenon of biracial and bigendered cooperation among socioeconomic boundaries to push for a reprioritization of children’s rights in the welfare system of the United States. Although the CDA never passed the White House desk its influence was significant on how national social activism influenced the interpretation of universal child care. The thesis sheds a light on the influence of women in politics, welfare, civil rights, Chicano, and children rights and their cooperation and appeasement in pushing for a national …

God And Reason: An Intellectual Religious Journey Through The Mind Of Thomas Paine, Jason R. Patterson

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Thomas Paine was one of the most prolific writers in the Age of Revolutions. His writings can be analyzed from a political, philosophical, humanitarian, or religious point of view. However, it was Paine's use of religious rhetoric that ultimately led to the demise of his character and reputation as a popular actor in the American Revolution. Most historiography on Paine focuses in on one of the mentioned perspectives, leaving out a much larger narrative or arch of Paine's life. This thesis will cover a series of Paine's writings beginning with his first, The Case of the Officers of Excise (1772) …

Geoff Calvert, M.D. Interview For The Boonshoft School Of Medicine 50th Anniversary Oral History Project, Geoff Calvert, Kristen Dilger

Boonshoft 50th Anniversary Oral History Project

Kristen Dilger interviews Jeff Clavert, a graduate of the Boonshoft School of Medicine and the Associate Director for Clinical Quality for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the time of the interview. Part of the class of 1983, Calvert discusses his collegiate career, including why he chose Wright State University's new medical college and talks about what it was like attending the college. He talks about the challenges and processes of attending a new medical college, and how attending the Wright State University Boonshoft College of Medicine assisted him in his early career.

Gloria Washington Hendrix

African American Funeral Programs

No abstract provided.

Forgotten Immigrant Voices: West Indian Immigrant Experiences And Attitudes Towards Contemporary Immigration, Danielle Cross

Honors Scholar Theses

Scholarly work and media coverage both point to the negative effect that the rhetoric and policy of former US President Donald Trump had on the lived experience and wellbeing of immigrant groups explicitly targeted by it (i.e., the “Trump effect”). Typically, the focus has been on Muslim and Latino immigrants as well as those less-explicitly targeted but still affected by Trump-era policies, such as temporary workers. This thesis explores whether Black immigrants from the English-speaking Caribbean, a group notably missing from the literature of “Trump effects” on immigrant experiences, experienced similar attitudinal or practical effects as a result of contemporary …

Imperialism In The Caribbean: Us Policies Towards Cuba And Haiti From The 1950s To The 1970s, Glory Jones, Constance Chen, Sean Dempsey

Honors Thesis

Haiti and Cuba are two Caribbean islands which prove to be prominent particularly in revolutionary culture and discourse, despite the clear differences in present-day material conditions of the islands themselves. Alongside each of the islands’ need for regional partnerships and aid, their significance in revolutionary culture connected the two islands in a distinct way. This connection is one that was forged mostly in the time period from the 1950s to the1970s, when the Cuban Revolution began and gave way to many connections to the historic Haitian Revolution. Another major factor creating such solidarity during this time period, as well as …

Oxen: Status, Uses And Practices In The U.S.A., Encouraging A Historic Tradition To Thrive, Andrew B. Conroy

Faculty Publications

Oxen in the United States of America have played an important role throughout its history. Unlike other countries,oxen were never completely given up for horses, mules, or tractors. Instead, the culture of keeping oxen has been maintained by a small group of teamsters in the North- eastern states collectively called New England. Their continued presence has been largely due to agricultural fairs and exhibitions where they have been used in competition for the last 200 years. Ox teamsters were sur- veyed in 2021via social media using Qualtrics. The 423 ox teamsters responding owned 1791 oxen in 39 states, with the …

Critical Analysis Of Critical Thinking, Jim Potter

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This study provides an analysis of how the term “critical thinking” has been defined by authors of articles published in the Journal of Media Literacy Education. It provides answers to three questions: (1) How frequently is the term “critical thinking” mentioned by scholars who write about media literacy?; (2) In what ways do scholars convey the meaning of the term?; and (3) To what extent is the term presented with a consistent meaning? While the term “critical thinking” appeared in more than half of the articles examined, there was a great variety in the way authors presented their meanings …

Exploring New Literacies: A Case Study On Technology And Teacher Development In Cuban Primary Schools, Kate Maloney Williams

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Cuba has successfully eradicated traditional illiteracy – with over 99% of its population considered to be literate. However, as other societies have digitized and moved towards a globalized marketplace, U.S. sanctions have severely limited the import of new technologies into the country and classroom. In response, this case study sought to investigate the learning environments of Cuban primary schools to determine the breadth of a divide and the suitability for applying recommended frameworks to teaching. Observations of primary school classrooms and facilities provided insight, bolstered by semi-structured group interviews and surveys with teachers, teaching students, and education professors. Findings revealed …

Ada News - 05/09/2022, American Dental Association, Publishing Division

ADA News

Established in 1970 as the official newspaper of the American Dental Association, the ADA News serves practicing dentists and others allied to the dental profession in the U.S. and internationally. It is the No. 1 source of news and information about the many benefits and services the ADA delivers to members daily as well as timely information on scientific, social, political and economic developments affecting dentistry and health care.

Transparency In Architecture: Reflecting The Practice Of Democracy In City Halls, Ana Mendoza

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

The last election cycles of 2016 and 2020 became a tumultuous time for many Americans. More than ever, Democracy has been tested through recent events and has had many doubting the integrity of our governmental structures and the strength of our civic buildings. The events of January 6th unfolded before all of America’s eyes as we witnessed the breaching of the United States Capitol, which was supposed to be the most secure and honored building in Washington. America’s cultural diversity brings different opportunities within distinct contexts. So how do we reflect our ideals and necessities into the city halls that …

Russia's Agenda For Ukraine: An Examination Of Putin's Media Propaganda Narratives, Gillian Grace Littleton

Honors Theses

This thesis explores Russian discourse about Ukraine as reflected in Russian popular media since 2014’s Euromaidan Revolution. The thesis provides an overview of Russia’s historic denial of Ukrainian statehood and it argues: Russian historians and politicians have seen Ukraine as a “little-brother” nation to Russia, with a shared Slavic heritage, and that any attempts by Ukrainians to separate themselves from Russia are Western influence movements. The thesis examines three types of mass media in order to demonstrate the interaction between history, politics and popular culture. Chapter 1 explores the public speeches of key Russian political figures including Vladimir Putin himself, …

Patriotism For All Causes: How American Veterans Of The Philippine-American War Were Used To Influence Imperial Policies In The Early Twentieth Century, Russell T. Heibel

Honors Capstones

Following the end of the Spanish-American War the United States gained several overseas territories which enabled them to extend their influence overseas. However, before taking on more direct imperialist actions, the United States would quickly be drawn into it a colonial conflict with its new holdings in the Philippines. While the conflict itself is not widely recognized by the contemporary American public it left several impressions upon the United States during the course of the conflict. One of the overlooked influences that would arise after the conflict would come from the veterans who served during the war. Veterans of the …

Id126 Oral History, Uniting Cultures

Uniting Cultures: Who We Are, How We Got Here: Collecting Stories Oral History Collection

Woman born in Mexico. Immigrated to and lived in Iowa for many years with her children before moving to St. James. Had some negative and racist experiences in Iowa but really appreciates the welcoming community she experienced in St. James. She has worked hard to provide for her children and to build a better life for them.

An Analysis Of The Tanzanian Public Response To Tanzanian Leadership During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Savannah Pipkin

Honors Theses

This thesis discusses the similarities and differences in Tanzanian COVID-19 policies implemented by the late President John Pombe Magufuli and his successor, President Samia Suluhu Hassan. It also analyzes the responses of Tanzanian citizens to these different policies as expressed in the media. The conclusions that were made in this thesis are based on qualitative analysis of articles published in Tanzanian-based newspapers during specific time periods surrounding significant policy changes during each presidency. The situation of COVID-19 policies in Tanzania is unique due to the differences in the COVID-19 policies implemented in comparison to those implemented by other countries and …

Preservation And Public History In Mound Bayou, Mississippi, Walker Bray

Honors Theses

This paper is an exploration of the history of Mound Bayou, Mississippi, an all Black community in the Mississippi Delta formed by freedmen in the wake of Reconstruction. This paper also discusses the ways in which Mound Bayou citizens are working to preserve their history and make it known to a wider audience. In particular, this work discusses the recently opened Mound Bayou Museum of African American Culture and History and related efforts to restore and preserve historic structures in Mound Bayou. In addition, this work also seeks to explore ways in which the University of Mississippi can effectively supplement …

Spring Commencement Program, May 7, 2022, Coastal Carolina University

Commencement Programs

Program of Commencement Exercises at Coastal Carolina University.

A Cleave Within The Piney Woods: Nacogdoches, Stephen F. Austin State University And How Racial Integration Divided The Town And Gown, Caitlin Hornback

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stephen F. Austin State University was once the pride and joy of the city of Nacogdoches, Texas. When the Texas State Legislature began to look for a location for their new state normal school, the people of the East Texas town fought to have it built there and the Stephen F. Austin Teacher’s College opened its doors in September 1923 to a proud community. Through the trials and tribulations of early twentieth century events, the school managed to stay afloat and grow in numbers. Dr. Ralph W. Steen became the president of the college in 1958 and he oversaw a …

Expecting Blows: Sylvia Wynter, Sociogeny, And Exceeding Marxist Social Form, Sara-Maria Sorentino

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

This article examines the relationship between Sylvia Wynter’s sociogenic principle and the question of “social form” in the critique of political economy. Despite their diverging emphases (the symbolic over the material, the slave over the laborer, sociogeny over social form), both Wynter and Marx pursue theoretical modes of inquiry that account for how empty reality principles reside over the reproduction of historical content and consciousness. In turning to the disavowed terms that heterodox Marxism, from value-form to world-systems theory, seeks to resuscitate, Wynter retains elements of Marxism’s interest in social forms reimagines the terms through which Marx’s critique can be …

Losing Lincoln: Black Educators, Historical Memory, And The Desegregation Of Lincoln High School In Gainesville, Florida, Kathryn Palmer

Florida Historical Quarterly

In 1979 Nat Tillman, a Lincoln High School (LHS) alumnus and one of the Gainesville Sun's first African-American columnists, penned an article advocating for the preservation of Lincoln's history as a "pioneer of black education in Florida." Tillman interviewed Eric Roberts, a member of Lincoln's first graduating class of 1925 about why Lincoln's history as a historically black high school "deserved to be preserved." Like many of Florida's black high schools closed during school integration efforts of the late 1960s and early 70s, Lincoln's roots stretch back to Reconstruction. However, as Florida's second accredited black high school, Roberts praised the …

To Conquer The Coast: Pensacola, The Gulf Of Mexico, And The Construction Of American Imperialism, 1820-1848, Maria Angela Diaz

Florida Historical Quarterly

Americans' dreams of empire appeared to become reality when the United States gained control over Florida in 1821. Yet although the U.S. controlled a significant portion of the Gulf Coast, the nation remained one among many foreign powers vying for dominance in the region, a fact that raised concerns about future expansion in the minds of many. As of 1821 the U.S. shared the coastline with a newly independent Mexico. At the same time, France, Britain, and Spain remained active in both the Gulf and the Caribbean.1 The combination of new republics and old colonial powers shaped the nature of …

Florida History In Publications, 2015, Florida Historical Society

Florida Historical Quarterly

No abstract provided.

The Hammer, The Sickle, And The Phosphate Rock: The 1974 Political Controversy Over Florida Phosphate Shipments To The Soviet Union, Brad Massey

Florida Historical Quarterly

The price of Florida phosphate rock skyrocketed in the 1970s. Corporate profits soared as well, peaking in 1980-1981 as phosphate-based fertilizers were applied to more and more farms throughout the world. During this boom decade, Florida phosphate companies acquired new lands for strip-mining operations, invested billions in new industrial infrastructure and employee payrolls, and created thousands of jobs. Over 90% of the phosphate rock extracted from the Florida earth was used for fertilizer production, which industry proponents argued was a noble global industrial cause. Florida mining boosters testified that phosphate fertilizers increased farm yields, staving off starvation and food scarcity …