Digital Commons Network^™

Beauvoir, “French” Feminisms, And “Translation Work:” A Roundtable Conversation, Sandrine Sanos, Judith G. Coffin

Journal of Feminist Scholarship

This conversation featuring four scholars—Sandrine Sanos, Judith G. Coffin, Lorraine Delavaud, Marine Vaslin—took place on zoom on December 1, 2023. It was organized, transcribed, and edited by Sandrine Sanos who also wrote the introduction to contextualize the conversation. The roundtable reflects on the making of the translation of Judith Coffin’s book on Beauvoir; and how it became a collective object, and the challenges and productive limitations that it involved, showing how such a project helped forge and relied upon transnational, transdisciplinary, and transgenerational feminist solidarities. The ways Beauvoir became a transatlantic object sheds light on the ways that the book …

Crusading For Fun And Profit: An Examination Of Ludohistorical Mode In The Crusader Kings Community, Kirk M. Lundblade

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

How do participants in communities of play centered around digital games engage with history? The historiographic influences of ludic form have been closely scrutinized in recent years, but little attention has been paid to the digital cultures—to the communities of play— which center the discussion and play of these historical games. My study aimed to closely examine one such community centered around the grand strategy game Crusader Kings III, released by Paradox Interactive in 2020. I use discourse analysis together with grounded theory to examine the game Crusader Kings III alongside two primary sites found on reddit and Paradox …

Annual Report 2023-2024: Library Department, Darrell W. Krueger Library-Winona State University

Library Annual Reports

This is the 2023-2024 annual report for the Darrell W. Krueger Library at Winona State University Darrell W. Krueger Library. The Annual Report documents the work, services, and resources available and provided to Winona State University and the Winona community for the fiscal year of 2023-2024.

Analysis Of The Imperial And Racial Relationship In Santo Tomas Interment Camp And Manila, Wwii, Seongbin Hyun

Open Access Master's Theses

This thesis examines the experiences of American and European civilians in Manila, Philippines following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The introduction addresses the inconsistencies and contradictions between internee documents and official records. Additionally, it highlights the disparities between American colonial governance and racial perspectives in the pre-war Philippines and the conditions of internees in the Santo Tomas Internment Camp. By analyzing the circumstances and relationships of internees before February 1944, the thesis explores issues such as racial beliefs, colonial hierarchy, and American exceptionalism. The goal of this thesis is not to dispute the suffering of Allied citizens in the STIC …

Gvsu Press Releases, 2024, Grand Valley State University

University Press Releases, 1961-Present

A compilation of press releases for the year 2024 submitted by University Communications (formerly News & Information Services) to news agencies concerning the people, places, and events related to Grand Valley State University.

Cultural Sustainability, Uniqueness And The Power Of Productive Living Heritage In Cirebon, Indonesia, Eko Nursanty, Indah Susilowati

Journal of Urban Culture Research

Sustainability is intricately linked to culture, people and place. When exploring heritage cities, visitors encounter a range of possibilities, from preserving historical sites to embracing living heritage and transitioning into modern heritage cities. The value of a historic city extends beyond its history and authenticity; it relies on its ability to fulfill specific functions and cater to visitors' desires. This study focuses on the authenticity of Cirebon, Indonesia, particularly its old historic center comprising four palaces and the Trusmi cultural village. Cirebon, strategically located in West Java, serves as a vital link between Jakarta and Surabaya. In 2022, its population …

Chinese Traditional Paper-Folding Practices As A Social Aesthetic Of Baan Saan Community Art, Phuket Old Town : A Case Study, Nicha Tovankasame, Jakraphan Chaopreecha

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This research utilizes an anthropological lens to examine the understanding of social aesthetics within a local market community with an unique traditional heritage. The data for this research was collected during a series of workshops aimed at creating community art in the Baan Saan Community of Phuket, Thailand. The artists and community leaders at first proposed graffiti and wall paintings, which are often found in modern South-East Asian tourist hotspots. However, the community members chose instead to conduct a workshop on traditional methods of folding joss paper. The joss paper is contextualized in this merchant community where the aesthetic value …

Musical Instruments From Recycled Materials : A Case Study Of Uthen Pialor, Vich Boonrod, Chananya Piratanatsakul

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This research article focuses on two objectives: examining the design concepts and construction techniques of musical instruments made from recycled materials by Uthen Pialor and exploring the materials used and their associated benefits. The researcher utilized a case study research design, conducting qualitative research through semi-structured interviews. The interviews covered three key aspects: design concepts, construction techniques, materials used, and benefits derived from using recycled materials. Findings revealed innovative design concepts, prioritizing sturdy recycled materials and integrating natural elements. Uthen Pialor successfully created 15 instruments across four types using everyday materials. Benefits included addressing instrument scarcity, increasing waste material value, …

Historical Narratives Of The Eight Akan Clan Systems Using Museum Theater : The Case Of Prempeh Ii Jubilee Museum, Ghana, Emmanuel Jewel Peprah Mensah, Dickson Adom, Steve Kquofi

Journal of Urban Culture Research

There have been several calls from diverse stakeholders in the museum sector in Ghana for creative programs that enliven the cultural objects in a museum’s holding. This study aimed at exploring the use of museum theatre as an intervention to enhance the museum experience of visitors at the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum, a popular museum in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. We produced The Linguist Staff, an interactive drama to present the historical narratives of the eight Akan clan systems. The study was carried out using arts-based research under the qualitative approach with observer-as-participant and semi-structured interviews as data collection …

Exploring The Use Of Idealistic Concepts And Symbolic Interpretation To Enhance The Urban Context For People With Disabilities In An Installation Art Exhibition Of Urban Thisability, Torpong Limlunjakorn, Pornrak Chowvanayotin

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This article explores the design approach of the art installation titled "Urban ThisAbility" which received funding from Bangkok Design Week 2023 and created by artists Torpong Limlunjakorn, Pornrak Chowvanayotin and Arnun Chantan. This project aims to raise awareness about ideal urban environments that accommodate people with disabilities. The artworks are created within the constraints of the installation venue to effectively convey this message. It also explores the cognitive processes involved in creating spatial and symbolic interpretations using grid concepts, reflective elements, and luminous emitting, drawing from relevant literature. The art installation was crafted through a comprehensive process to foster contemporary …

Textile Art From Mixed-Media On The Struggles Of Kayayie In Ghana, Buami Edem Kwami, Rejoice Makafui Tsotorvor, Daniel Akuoko Akuoko Adjei, Robert Ahiabor, Ebenezer Kofi Howard

Journal of Urban Culture Research

Kayayie is the name of a leading portering activity by young Ghanian girls making a living assisting people in transporting their goods from crowded market spaces and bus stations. These girls are under stress and the challenges being on the street. This study employed mixed-media and textile art with a studio-based design approach to effectively carry out the project highlighting their plight. The motivation is to showcase their struggles with their loads in making a living. It was revealed that accommodations remained a major problem facing these female porters as they tend to sleep in front of kiosks, lorry stations …

Open Source Art Performance Phase 1 : Inclusive Design And Implementation Of An Open Source Online Art Archive In Thailand, Natthaphon Chaiworawat

Journal of Urban Culture Research

Open Source Art Performance (OSAP) was established in 2019 to bridge the gap between contemporary art and culture for the people of Thailand. The project aims to create an open-source online archive of art and cultural information that can be used for educational purposes. In the first phase, OSAP utilized documentary research, quantitative research, participatory action research, and archival digitization as the research methodologies to collaborate with four artists, two educational institutes, two art institutes, and two local communities to gather primary data from the artists' work, academic forums, and public events. The collected data was then transformed into an …

The Majruj Sound : Muslim Practitioners Of Musical Performances In Bangkok, Pornprapit Phoasavadi

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This research article deals with the Majruj performance of the Khon Lom Yen Club in Bangkok. The study took place in 2019-2020 investigating its background, transmission, Islamic views on performances, instruments, and musical contents. Research findings reveal that Majruj is a form of voice production based on traditional Islamic recitations accompanied by a variety of single-headed drums, while its lyrics adhered to Islamic teachings. The Khon Lom Yen Club was a gathering place of Islamic religious teachers who perform Majruj to propagate Islamic teachings to youths, support the learning of Al-Quran, and carry on the art of Majruj. The club …

Unearthing The Personal And Cultural Values Of Personalities In Photorealism Portraiture : The Iconography Of The Works Of Ghanaian Fine Artist, Samuel Otu, Dickson Adom, Samuel Otu, Babaaradio Kombui, Joe Adu-Agyem, Peggy Ama Fening

Journal of Urban Culture Research

The roots of portraiture are most likely to be traced to if not prehistoric times, at least ancient Egyptian civilization. Over time, various forms, styles and significance of this genre emerged progressively in line with the various artistic traditions in history. In these contemporary times, portraiture strives immensely on the advancement of technology thereby giving rise to photorealism not only in the West but also among African/Ghanaian fine artists. The Erwin Panofsky’s three-step approach to iconographic analysis was used to examine five meticulously pencil-rendered portraits by the Ghanaian photorealist Samuel Otu in the light of contemporary portraiture. The paper utilized …

Children’S Animation Films : The Cultural Advancement Perspective, Ranang Agung Sugihartono, Kasiyan -, Sigit Purnomo Adi

Journal of Urban Culture Research

The background of this research focuses on the phenomenon of the proliferation of foreign animated films that are easily accessible to children in the digital age, bringing opportunities and risks for children, the film industry, and local culture. It is important to understand how local animated films can adapt and compete with the dominance of foreign films, while supporting cultural promotion regulations. The purpose of this research is to examine the strategies of the local animation film industry in responding to these challenges and identify steps to improve the competitiveness of Indonesian animation films. The method used is descriptive qualitative …

The Dramaturgy Of Nostalgia And New Media In Sandiwara, West Sumatran Folk Theater, Dede Pramayoza, Fresti Yuliza

Journal of Urban Culture Research

This study describes the changes in the dramaturgy of sandiwara, a folk theater in West Sumatra. The research was carried out using a combined research method: literary studies and artistic methods, through a project of making play scripts and dramaturgical worksheets. Research data was collected through Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and individual interviews. The results of the qualitative analysis show that writing a play script can build a play’s creative ethos in sandiwara, bring up the quality, and originality of the ideas and themes. One of the drivers of creativity in sandiwara is nostalgia, the longing for the events of …

Case Study Of Essential Character Design Elements To Communicate The Identityof The Unesco Creative City Of Gastronomy – Phetchaburi, Thailand, Vorapoj Songcharoen, Chalermporn Siriwichai, Sonsawan Homwiseswongsa, Damian Fox, Sakda Songcharoen

Journal of Urban Culture Research

Character design plays a vital role in design, particularly, in the UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. This specialized design represents the values, culture, people, lifestyles, and products associated with the city. It is essential to consider how a global audience perceives the intended message. To explore this, a thorough analysis was conducted, evaluating the design of 24 characters from the Phetchaburi Mascot and Creative City Logo: International Design Competition 2021. The winning character was selected to promote Phetchaburi for the UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy campaign and various tourism initiatives. The primary aim of this research is to identify design …

Sedulur Sikep Fights For The Environment & Livelihood Through The Javanese Pop Song "Ibu Bumi", Enkin Asrawijaya, Sri Ningsih, Dedi Supriadi Adhuri, Tity Kusrina

Journal of Urban Culture Research

The issue of environmental preservation is an important topic in global issues. The role of all parties is needed to support environmental preservation because it has an impact on welfare. One of them is conducting a struggle through songs, which this effort is carried out by the indigenous community of Sedulur Sikep (Javanese sub-tribe) in Indonesia. An ethnographic method was utilized through a qualitative approach. We use the theory of symbolic resistance to discuss. The results showed that they made a song entitled "Ibu Bumi" as symbolic resistance by applying the cultural perspective of Sedulur Sikep to invite listeners to …

Skate City Whittier, California: The Product Of The Skateboarding Boom Of The 1970s- 1980s, Arabella Sui Cullen

Whittier City & College Historical Research

No abstract provided.

Extracting Meaning: Museums, Power, And Shaping The Story Of Coal, Danielle Marie Petrak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Organized into four case studies, this dissertation investigates how longstanding power relationships in the Central Appalachian coalfields have shaped the preservation and presentation of mining history at museums and historic sites. It contributes to scholarship in the fields of public history and Appalachian history by exploring how apolitical, noncritical, and biased narratives at mining history sites have obstructed the public’s acknowledgement of larger forces and systems that govern Appalachian society and often bring harm and misinformation to coalfield residents. To present more exhaustive, nuanced, and innovative interpretations of bituminous coal mining’s past and present, museums and historic sites must redirect …

The Battle Over Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion And Critical Race Theory In Florida: A Case Study On The Stop W.O.K.E. Act, Grace Anne Castelin

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Accelerating from 2022 and continuing through 2024, the state of Florida has experienced significant policy changes, particularly within the realm of higher education and affairs of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Many progressive officials, experts, and activists assert arguments that the state is on the verge of evolving into an authoritarian regime while many illiberal policies are being produced through the Florida legislature and current executive leadership—social and economic sectors are consequently threatened in order to maintain political oppression. The Stop W.O.K.E. Act has served as a catalyst for shifting the state's political stance on DEI, culminating in a chain …

Shades Of Justice: Exploring Colorism In The Hispanic Community And Its Legal Battle For Equity, Christel A. Infante

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis focuses on the racial disparity within the Hispanic and Latinx communities as injustices exist within the community and the workplace. Racial disparities in the United States have been a persistent and deeply rooted issue that has plagued the nation for centuries. Despite significant progress in civil rights and anti-discrimination legislation, disparities in areas such as education, employment, and criminal justice persist. Understanding the factors contributing to these disparities is essential for addressing systemic inequalities and fostering a more just society. The analysis of this thesis primarily focuses on the cases and ramifications of Hispanic persons within the workplace, …

“Fear Of A ‘Scientific-Technological Elite:’ Contemporary Concerns In Light Of Eisenhower’S Initial Conception –A Useful Heuristic Or Obfuscating Rhetorical Device?”, Michael Schaefer

WashU Libraries Publications

U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s January 17, 1961 farewell address to the nation is mostly widely known for the former president’s warning of “the unwarranted influence…[of] the military-industrial complex” (hereafter MIC). However, a “less-widely known, seldom quoted, and often poorly understood”– one could add academically under-analyzed - of Eisenhower’s critical phrases from the same speech is “the danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite (hereafter “STE”).”1 This phrase has regained salience in the United States over last few years among a sociopolitical community critical of government COVID-19 protocols, Big Tech censorship, and centralized, top-down, …

The Educational Development And Political Activism Of The Washington D.C. Black Elite 1877-1954, Chason Shackelford

Theses

This thesis seeks to explore how the Black elite impacted their spheres of influence in terms of education and civil rights activism. Were they trying to first and foremost retain their elite status in relation to the “black masses” or was their more nuance to their views? This work provides a detailed introduction to the Black elite and focuses on three representative historical figures, their families and inner circles: Blanche Kelso Bruce (1841- 1898), Daniel Alexander Payne Murray (1852- 1925), and Mary Church Terrell (1863- 1954). They were all born in different locations but exercised significant influence in Washington D.C. …

The Incoherence Of Orientalists, Sarah Zaid Alafifi

Theses and Dissertations

Orientalism, the Western practice of fetishizing cultures, extends beyond mere misrepresentation of the “other;” it epitomizes the underlying structures of colonialism and imperialism, infiltrating everyday life and eroding the moral fabric of Islamic society.

This thesis analyzes colonial control through the exercise of political power and the production of knowledge, investigating key events related to Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign and the narratives of resistance that emerged in opposition to it.

Through the lens of this 18th-century expedition, the study examines how Western knowledge systematically contributed to the dismantling of Islamic systems of knowledge. Select phrases from Colonial-era printed proclamations are extracted …

Media And Internet Censorship In India: A Study Of Its History And Political-Economy, Ramesh Subramanian

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

The Indian Constitution, which came into force on January 26, 1950, guarantees various fundamental rights, such as the freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion, rights to form association, as well as rights to privacy. Yet, since the adoption of the Constitution, the Indian citizen has been subject to varying degrees of media censorship and surveillance. This paper seeks to delve into the historical evolution of media and Internet censorship and surveillance in India. It shows how media censorship of varying types have existed since the British colonists introduced restrictive laws in order to expand and control the native …

Their Country: Black Women, Three Chords, And The Truth, Dmetri J. Smith

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Country music has long overlooked and at times outright erased the contributions of people of African descent. The past and present contributions of Black women are particularly ignored. Country music— a racially contested space centered in Nashville, Tennessee— is imbued with themes referencing the “good ole days” that were dangerous times for anyone who was not White, male, cisgender, and heterosexual. The genre has only become slightly more welcoming to those who are not part of the dominant class. And yet, there are Black women who feel called to use country music as their storytelling medium. My research shows …

Sense Make Before Book, Bradley Sinanan

Theses and Dissertations

“Sense Make Before Book” is an Indo-Caribbean turn of phrase which refers to common sense being more important than book smarts. My sister sent me a post the other day on Instagram of an Trinidadian woman using this phrase, saying it was one of Indo-Caribbean origin. I was interested and asked my mom about it. My mom says that when she was younger my grandpa said it often around their house in Princes Town, Trinidad and Tobago. This adage feels charged thinking about the history of indenture and its effects on the Indo-Caribbean diaspora.

The written word of archival history …

Serving With Pride: Analyzing Lgbtq+ Personnel Policy In The U.S. Military, Sonja Woolley

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the evolution of LGBTQ+ personnel policies in the U.S. military, analyzing how these changes reflect broader social transformations and the military’s role as both a mirror and catalyst in societal shifts. It traces the historical roots of discriminatory practices against queer and transgender servicemembers, identifying key periods of reform and resistance. Using institutional theory to dissect the mechanisms of policy adaptation, this paper focuses on coercive, mimetic, and normative isomorphism, which illustrate the complex interplay between external societal pressures, internal demands for legitimacy, and the professionalization of the military. Through detailed case studies, the thesis highlights how …

Mistress Gu The Tigress: Warrior Women & Knight-Errantry In Outlaws Of The Marsh, Ryan K. Christenson

BYU Asian Studies Student Journal

Outlaws of the Marsh, also commonly known as Water Margin, is one of the four most beloved classic novels of Chinese literature, most frequently attributed to the 14th-century writer Shi Nai’an. In this novel, one of the more relatively obscure characters among the 108 outlaws of Mount Liang is Gu Dasao “the Tigress,” a heroic woman who is normally characterized as a “woman general” (nüjiang) along with the other two prominent women in the novel, “Ten Feet of Steel” Hu Sanniang and Sun Erniang “the Witch.” This characterization has endured to this day, perhaps due to tradition or simply convenience. …