Digital Commons Network^™

Resolutions, Radio, Razzle Dazzle, Resilience, And Rachamim: An American Initiative For The Jews During The Jewish Refugee Crisis And The Holocaust, Holly Ann Sproule

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since the 1960s, historians have focused on American inaction during the Holocaust, concluding that the War Refugee Board (WRB) was the definitive involvement of the United States in aiding the Jews in Nazi occupied Europe. Consequently, American aid efforts preceding the creation of the WRB remain unfamiliar and underexplored. By examining the Foreign Relations Diplomatic collections of the Office of the Historian, the databases of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and qualitative research, this dissertation argues that there was a dynamic American initiative in Jewish aid and rescue preceding the War Refugee Board. Through analysis of government and organizational …

“Forward Into Light”: The Shaping Of The Suffrage Ideology Of Alice Paul And The Practical Theological Application Of The Quaker Spices In The American Women’S Suffrage Movement, Alice L. Alvarado

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution gave women the right to vote after decades of dedication and agitation by women in their monumental fight to win the franchise. Alice Paul, a second-generation suffragist, dedicated her life to the cause and became the new face of the suffrage movement in Progressive America. A birthright Hicksite Quaker, Alice Paul’s ancestry can be traced back to the Quakers of England, and her extended family connected with early practitioners such as George Fox, along with a blood relation to William Penn. Paul’s Quaker ancestry, Quaker upbringing, Quaker guarded education, and …

Recurring Coups In The Sahel Region Likely To Strain U.S. Resources, Autumn Tewksbury, Anthony Zampino, Shay Dauphinais, Andrew Britland

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

This client report examines recurring military coups in the Sahel region of Africa and the probability of implications for U.S. interests. We incorporated analysis of terrorist organizations, adversarial involvement in the region, and projected socioeconomic factors in the next three to five years. Our analysis indicates these factors could pose a direct threat to U.S. national security interests. Current U.S. policy prohibits aid distribution to coup governments, increasing the likelihood that Sahelian countries will turn to U.S. adversaries for economic support. An additional aspect to consider is the Sahel’s natural resources and economic opportunities. Our project utilizes in-depth research, geospatial …

A Shattered World: Jews And Israel After October 7, Michael Berenbaum, Gilbert N. Kahn

The Jewish Role in American Life: An Annual Review

October 7, 2023, was a watershed event in contemporary Jewish history. What took place on that date challenged the two most basic assumptions of post-Holocaust Jewish life: that the future security of the Jewish people would be assured by an independent Jewish state backed by an army, and that the freedom for Jews in the Diaspora to live as Jews would be secured by democratic rights and liberties. The pogroms of October 7 and the worldwide explosion of antisemitism that followed—even preceding Israel taking military action against Hamas—challenged both assumptions. The Israel Defense Forces could not prevent a slaughter from …

Shattered Liberation: Sexualized Violence Against Holocaust Survivors, 1943–1946, Nina Paulovicova, Anna Cichopek-Gajraj, Joanna Beata Michlic

Purdue University Press Books

Shattered Liberation: Sexualized Violence Against Holocaust Survivors, 1943–1946 challenges the notion of joyous liberation of Holocaust survivors by the Red Army, which is often embedded in popular imagination and collective memory. This is one of the first volumes to shine light on the sexualized violence that some Holocaust survivors endured in the hands of the Soviet Army, partisans, rescuers, and army personnel in filtration camps during the liberation process. By focusing on testimonies and memoirs, this book discusses in detail a wide range of interactions, including sexual violence, rape, forced cohabitation, sex barter, aid, and romance. The book addresses methodological …

150 Years Of Purdue Engineering: Celebrating Our Consequential Impact On The World, Arvind Raman, Jim Small

Purdue University Press Books

Since its founding 150 years ago, Purdue University’s College of Engineering has profoundly shaped and improved the world, amassing breakthroughs spanning nearly all facets of society. Highlighting the indomitable spirit, ingenuity, and achievements of more than 100 Boilermaker alumni and faculty members, 150 Years of Purdue Engineering describes the program’s journey to become one of the most consequential engineering colleges in the United States. Richly illustrated with archival and contemporary images, this book includes stories that focus on Purdue innovators who have created everything from the barcode and the electronic TV receiver to the soft-serve ice cream machine and artificial …

Log Cabins, Hard Ciders, And The Misunderstood Campaign Of 1840: Looking At How The Whigs Really Created The First Modern Presidential Campaign Through Effective Storytelling, Eric V. Schesventer

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The Whig party crafted the first ever modern campaign seen in American History during the campaign and subsequent presidential election of 1840. They did this not merely through the use of flashy campaign slogans and festive events as previous historians have discussed. The Whigs created the first ever modern campaign by telling both realistic and symbolic stories through the use of media narratives and physical objects crafted for the campaign. By doing this, this helped mold then candidate and future President William Henry Harrison into a candidate for all Americans, even if he was not in practice.

Diplomacy Derailed: Discrimination’S Detour On Route 40, Gage A. Kivlen

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The 1961 Route 40 campaign in Maryland became a critical battleground where three competing approaches to addressing racial segregation revealed deep contradictions in Cold War America. Route 40, a major highway between Washington D.C. and New York, became an international embarrassment when African diplomats from newly independent nations were repeatedly refused service at restaurants and hotels. This crisis prompted responses from three distinct actors: the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), which employed grassroots organizing and direct action; the State Department's Special Protocol Service Section (SPSS), which pursued top-down diplomatic solutions; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which conducted extensive …

Becoming Steve Bright, Robert L. Tsai

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Subculture And Identity As An Escape From The Societal Norms Of Power Imbalance And Authoritative Abuse, Sarah Goldberg

Master's Theses

By definition, a “bolthole” is an animal’s escape or burrow; or, a person’s escape or place of refuge. It also connotes construction, building, even sculpture - relating proletarian materials to themes of working-class labor and the need for escape. Through sculpture, installation, drawing, and oil painting, Bolthole as a body of work examines power imbalance as a societal norm, and identity and subculture as a rejection of the influence of capitalist institutions. Animal symbolism is used in combination with figurative work and portraiture, directly comparing power imbalances between humans to those in nature; such as predator and prey, parent and …

Guest Editors’ Introduction, Maurits Bastiaan Meerwijk, Nicolo Paolo P. Ludovice

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

This introduction examines the historical evolution of health messaging in the Philippines, tracing its roots from early twentieth-century colonial public health campaigns to contemporary pandemic responses. It argues that health messaging, initially termed “medical propaganda,” has consistently served as a tool for persuasion and governance, intertwining communication, politics, and medicine. The introduction highlights how visual technologies and simplified narratives have been used to normalize biomedical authority, often obscuring complex realities. It concludes by emphasizing the need for a broader epistemic repertoire to navigate health knowledge in an era of misinformation.

Denise Oliver-Vélez - Part 2, Mark Naison, Steven Payne

Oral Histories

Denise Oliver-Vélez not only has one of the most remarkable lives to be recorded for both the BHS and Bronx African-American History Project archives, she also possesses a beautiful spirit, simplicity, and generosity in her personality. It would be expected for a person of such prowess to sound the part and be hard to comprehend in all her sophistication. Despite deserving this podium, Oliver-Vélez’s life is a testament to the power that lies in understanding others, rather than acting above them. In finishing an exceptional interview, she makes sure to leave a piece of advice to future communities and those …

The Consequences Of Fear: How Media Literacy Teachers Adapt To Teaching In An Autocratic Regime, Sait Tuzel

Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints

While media literacy education experienced significant growth in Turkey during the early part of the decade, since the attempted coup on July 15, 2016, Turkish educators have struggled with uncertainty and social mistrust generated by the disappearance of independent journalism and the arrests of many thousands of educators, judges, and researchers. This longitudinal study of media literacy teachers in Turkey examines the professional challenges that media literacy teachers experienced between 2015 and 2020 as they adapted to increased fear and the risks associated with teaching about media. Unable to use media materials beyond the state-sanctioned textbook, teachers now evaluate the …

Heroes By The Score, Owen J. Eastman

Honors Projects

Historians have increasingly examined how media other than yellow journalism helped manufacture consent for American imperialism during the Spanish-American War, yet commercial sheet music—despite its ubiquity at the time—remains overlooked. This study addresses that gap by analyzing fifty pieces of sheet music published around the period, employing a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative, qualitative, and comparative media analysis. The corpus reveals four dominant themes: memorializing the sinking of the Maine; Cuban “liberation” rhetoric that often referenced American ownership or influence over the island; military hero worship that personalized and justified expansion; and messages of national unity that permitted overseas territorial …

Ada News - 12/8/2025, 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.

Women In Samurai Households From The Late Muromachi To Edo Periods Of Japan: An Examination Of Social Structure, Politics, And Economics, Brandy Sweigart

Research Awards

Japan and the samurai culture has fascinated many Western countries for generations, especially in modern media like video games and movies. However, the portrayal of the samurai household in these media are inaccurate to actual historical events—with this being especially true for women. Older historical research perpetuates these inaccuracies and stereotypes as well, painting women in a passive light. Samurai women in the Muromachi through Edo periods of Japan were not passive, however, directly influencing the social structures, politics, and economic structures of those medieval periods. Women in the conflict-ridden times of the Sengoku Period took it a step further—with …

Cheryl Simmons Oliver, Mark Naison, Steven Payne

Oral Histories

Simmons-Oliver’s education reflected those same values. Attending Catholic institutions—St. Anthony of Padua School, Cathedral High School, and Marymount Manhattan College—she encountered racial and ethnic diversity that deepened her awareness of inequality and strengthened her commitment to inclusion and justice. Her studies continued beyond college: she earned a Master of Science, a Juris Doctor, and an M.B.A. from various institutions throughout her career, a rare feat for any woman of her generation, and especially for a Black woman in mid-century Americas. For Simmons-Oliver, education was more than achievement; it was a means of self-definition and a way to honor her family’s …

Myths And Memories: The New South & Lost Cause In Georgia, Stephen Bliss Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The defeat of the Confederacy led way to the development of two related but distinctly separate ideological movements, the New South and the Lost Cause. However, in the course of Civil War historiography, the two have been conflated with one another, with the Lost Cause winning out as the solely accredited ideological product of the vanquished Confederacy. The modern Neo-Reconstruction school of thought discredits the New South as a distinct sociopolitical movement, and frequently associates its cultural products to the Lost Cause. This dissertation examines the cultural and political evolution of each movement, with a focus upon their primary cultural …

There Is No Finish Line: The Intersection Of Sport And Race In St. Louis During The Civil Rights Era, Brandon Winfred Black

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project focuses on the intersection of sport and race in St. Louis during the 1950s and 1960s, revealing how Black athletes became both symbols of progress and targets of resistance, illustrating the broader Civil Rights Movement’s parallel fight for visibility and systemic change. St. Louis was a city of contrasts. Its location and culture made it a focal point for the racial struggles that defined the Civil Rights Movement, often symbolizing both the persistence of inequality and the potential for change. Black athletes not only challenged racial barriers on the field but also catalyzed social change off it, revealing …

“River Of Death”: Industrial Pollution And The North Texas Trinity River Inthe Progressive Era, Meghan Scott-Chaber

Journal of Texas History

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Editorial Team

Journal of Texas History

No abstract provided.

Rock, Rock, ‘Til You Drop: How Acid Rock Amplified The Counterculture Rebellion Of The 60s And 70s, Evan Bauer

Honors Projects

Acid rock’s rise to the top was aided by unprecedented times in American history. A collision of forces such as anti-war sentiment, youth rebellion, and the emergence of lysergic diethylamide exploded into a generation changing era of peace, love, violence, and above all else, music. Through the early years of acid rock's dominance, the outspoken virtues of the artists were held dear to their fans and listeners across the country, who never had to question its authenticity. Acid rock’s popularity was unlike anything the American people had ever seen, with major weekend long events which captivated the media and the …

Opening The Door Of The Celluloid Closet, Melissa Hernandez

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

While watching the documentary, The Celluloid Closet, I was instantly intrigued by how queer people and cinema mixed. Going as far back to the black and white, silent films era, queer people have been used as comedic relief, but not in an appealing way. Constantly being the butt of the joke, disregard for queer people became so normalized that certain tropes started popping up in cinema. One trope that we can still see be used frequently in today’s films is the “bury your gays” trope (also known as the “dead lesbians syndrome”) where queer characters in cinema are not …

Orthodoxy, Culture And Language: Alaska In Russia’S Religious Diplomacy Of The 21st Century, Oleksandr Lukyanenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article is devoted to the analysis of the religious factor of the Russian foreign diplomacy in the light of Vladimir Putin’s high-profile visit to Alaska n August 15, 2025. The paper studies a special place of Alaska in the historical imagination of Russian political and church discourse. The status of this particular territory in Russian state worldview – the former “Russian America” – is indicative: it refers to the idea of an unfinished imperial legacy. The research doesn’t touch a main event that included a meeting with US President Donald Trump but an off-schedule meeting with Archbishop Alexei (Trader) …

Evaluating The Impact Of Policy In Theatre: The Influence Of Public & Political Policy On The Theatrical World, John Q. Rhodes

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In the second half of the twentieth century, there is distinct evidence to exhibit a direct correlation between daily occurrences and in matters of public policy. This paper serves to analyze the impact of U.S. public policy on theatrical practices. To provide a detailed and targeted analysis of the exponential impact public policy had upon the theatrical industry, this examination will look at theatre beginning in 1961 and will extend towards the current administration of President Donald Trump and is organized in ten-year segments. Each decade will be generalized for its direct or indirect changes that occurred within the period …

Evaluating The Impact Of Policy In Theatre: The Influence Of Public & Political Policy On The Theatrical World, John Q. Rhodes

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In the second half of the twentieth century, there is distinct evidence to exhibit a direct correlation between daily occurrences and matters of public policy. This paper serves to analyze the impact of U.S. public policy on theatrical practices. To provide a detailed and targeted analysis of the exponential impact public policy had upon the theatrical industry, this examination will look at theatre beginning in 1961 and will extend towards the current administration of President Donald Trump and is organized in ten-year segments. Each decade will be generalized for its direct or indirect changes that occurred within the period and …

Writing The Script: Shaping Korean National Identity, Media Imperialism And The Revolution Of K-Dramas, Isai J. Martinez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This thesis explores the role of South Korean television dramas (K-dramas) as cultural artifacts that the Korean creators have created and become agents, which in turn has constructed and projected globally the modern South Korean national identity. Positioned at the crossroads of cultural imperialism, nationalism, resistance and appropriation, K-dramas have become extremely critical to reshaping South Korea’s place in the global media landscape. Through the lens of the Hallyu (The Korean Wave), this study analyzes how K-drama’s navigate an ambiguous cultural space which simultaneously resists Western media dominance while appropriating global forms including platform-based distribution, tailoring original content to …

Rise Above!! Second-Wave Post Punk/ Hardcore In Orange County, 1977-1983, Jessie Zepeda

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Post-punk and Hardcore played a pivotal role in creating a youth identity in Orange County that created a stark contrast to the more recognized Republican image of O.C. during the late 1970s and early 1980s. While historians view this era of California for its Republican ties with former presidents such as Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon, we overlook the much more underground, yet important, identity created by many of the adolescents and young adults during this time. Though it is essential to recognize these Republican ties as they play a key role in understanding political dynamics and cultural studies that …

Towards Inclusive Digital Futures Of Cultural Heritage: Insights From A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Unesco Dialogues, Shiqing Huang, Keng Siau, Xiaoting Chen

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Digital technologies are shaping many aspects of cultural heritage, but very little research has examined the implications of digital transformation. Drawing on concepts from Fairclough’s three-dimensional critical discourse analysis, this research examines the discourse using seven online dialogues (available on the UNESCO website) between 18 professionals who have different backgrounds and cultures to identify social practices related to the digital transformation of cultural heritage. We identify four digital transformation discourse types in professional dialogues: documentation, management, interpretation, and interaction. We also identify seven main groups: memory institutions including libraries, archives, and museums (LAMs), governments, international organizations, art and creative supporters, …

Itadakimasu: Recipes From Japanese American Internment Camps, Alexander K. Nishida

Graphic Communication

This project presents a historical narrative told through the format of a cookbook, exploring the relationship between food, memory, and resilience during the Japanese American Internment of World War II. Using primary resources such as news publications from within the camps (Topaz Times,1943), historical interviews (Herzig, 1994), and secondary resources from an archival podcast (Campu, 2021) to highlight how food served as both a means of survival and an expression of identity under confinement.

The cookbook will combine recipes inspired by documented internment-era meals with stories and reflections gathered from interviews, archival materials, and community voices. Each section will contextualize …