Digital Commons Network^™

The Heritage Conversation Partners Project: Virtual Cultural Heritage Exchange In An Anthropology Course, Michael J. Kimball, Karin L. Bates, Miranda Bermudez, Liner Emilce Solarte Chourio, Amanda Consol

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

We describe the structure, benefits, and challenges associated with a virtual cultural heritage exchange (VCHE) between undergraduate students in an applied anthropology class and a group of English language learners (ELL). Using qualitative data collection and analysis methods, the project aimed to teach anthropological methods and perspectives to the students while investigating three research questions: Will a VCHE (1) build social bonds and bridges, (2) improve English language acquisition, and (3) raise “heritage consciousness” (awareness and appreciation of, along with an associated sense of agency toward, cultural heritage) among participants? Results support the research questions and show the effectiveness of …

Spiritual Practices In Survivor Care: A Qualitative Analysis Of Christian Faith-Based Shelters And Survivor Well-Being, Jeanne L. Allert

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Christian faith-based organizations constituted a significant proportion of shelter programs for survivors of sex trafficking in the United States, with an estimated 63% identifying as Christian-affiliated (Institute for Survivor Care, 2024). Despite their prevalence, such programs often elicited skepticism due to the rise of secularism (Pew Research, 2022) and concerns that spiritual programming might retraumatize survivors (Ahrens et al., 2010; Hodge, 2020). However, Ahrens et al. (2010) and Hodge (2020) also found that religious practices can be helpful. This qualitative study employed a trauma-informed, descriptive survey design to explore the experiences of 158 trafficking survivors, who had either resided in …

Religious Beliefs, Cooperation, And Evolutionary Mechanisms, Nicole Fellice Ko, Norman P. Li

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Religion is an organized system of spiritual beliefs, practices, and rituals that often involve a sense of the divine (Schilbrack, 2022). An evolutionary mechanism is an evolved set of traits that interpret environmental inputs and generate behavioral responses that enhance survival or reproductive success (Li et al., 2018). Cooperation refers to the act of individuals or groups working together to achieve a shared goal or mutual benefit (Alós-Ferrer & Garagnani, 2020).

Research Proposal: Complex Relationship Of Religious Community, Psychological Health, And Socioeconomic Status Of Spanish Speaking Residents Ages 18-50 In Lynchburg, Va, Faith Park

NEXUS: The Liberty Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies

Previous research has shown a clear quantitative correlation between socioeconomic status and religious gatherings as well as psychological health and religious gatherings. However, there have been few studies on the interconnectedness of mental health, socioeconomic stability, and religious identity and gathering. Research thus has not addressed the personal implications and the benefits of individual perspectives that can be offered through a qualitative methodology. Thus, this research proposes an ethnographic methodology which may provide insights that do not limit the subjectivity of mental health, religious experiences, and socioeconomic struggles.Through an integration of psychology, anthropology, and sociology, the proposed research hopes to …

علاقة أنماط التنشئة الإجتماعية في تشكيل ثقافة الخوف لدى الشباب الأردني, Tasneem Abdullah Mahmoud Alkhawaldeh, Mohammad Fayez Al-Tarawneh

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للبحوث في التعليم العالي

هدفت الدراسة التعرف إلى علاقة أنماط التنشئة الاجتماعية بتشكيل ثقافة الخوف لدى الشباب الأردني، اعتمدت الدراسة على المنهج الوصفي التحليلي، وتكون مجتمع الدراسة من (200) شباب من الشباب الأردنيين من الذكور والإناث في هيئة شباب كلنا الأردن، وتكونت عينة الدراسة من (26) شاباً وشابة ومنهم (13) ذكراً و (13) إناث، وتتراوح أعمارهم من (19-35) من الشباب المتواجدين في هيئة شباب كلنا الأردن، وتم التوصل إليهم من خلال العينة المتيسرة، وتم استخدام المقابلة كأداة لجمع البيانات حيث شملت أربعة محاور. وتوصلت الدراسة إلى أن الشباب الذي يمارس عليهم النمط التسلطي كانت نسبتهم (50%)، في حين أن الشباب الذي يمارس عليهم النمط …

Developmental Consequences Of Benevolent Sexism: How Awareness Can Change Women’S Lives, Bianca F. Brenes Rojas

Student Works

Benevolent forms of sexism become increasingly evident as society evolves, making everyday sexism more challenging to recognize and confront (Feigt et al., 2022; Watson et al., 2018). When unaware, benevolent forms of sexism can adversely affect women’s self-esteem, create feelings of inferiority, and may potentially increase women’s psychological stressors (Becker & Swim, 2011; Becker & Wright, 2011; Moradi & Subich, 2004). According to the ambivalent sexism theory, benevolent forms of sexism, while expressed in a positive tone, can potentially affect women due to the underlying belief that women are inferior to men (Glick & Fiske, 1996). Some women perceive benevolent …

A Qualitative Case Study On Nature Relatedness In Advanced Alpinists And Members Of Subsistence Communities, Devon Martin

University Honors Theses

In light of the current possibility of climate disaster and ecological destruction, a branch of psychology has formed to investigate the human relationship with nature. Scaled surveys have been created to gauge nature relatedness with the hope that this construct might help predict environmental awareness and action towards environmental change. This undergraduate thesis aims to explore the concept of connection to nature through a detailed case study on two participants who are both advanced alpinists (high risk mountain recreationalists) and members of subsistence communities (procuring food directly from the environment). The participants were given scaled surveys of nature relatedness and …

The Call (And Aftermath) Of The Void: Understanding Suicide Loss And Bereavement Processes Amongst Student Populaces, Saraha K. Brawner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Each year, over 800,000 people die via lethal self-harm, leaving behind millions of survivors to navigate qualitatively unique manifestations of grief. Despite the profound psychosocial and psychopathological effects associated with suicide loss, research addressing these experiences remains extremely limited. This quantitative survey study examined the relationship between suicide loss and grief-related distress among students, focusing on sociodemographic, psychosocial, and psychopathological factors influencing bereavement over time. It also explored how the individual learned about the suicide and expanded upon 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-degree relationships. Forty-one participants recruited from universities and mental health organizations across the United States completed a loss summary/death …

Arts-Based Sustainability: From New York To Malawi, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Recognizing that libraries serve multiple constituencies and subject areas, this chapter documents and advocates for development of transdisciplinary arts-based research (ABR) and culture-related projects linked to environmental challenges. Libraries contribute collections and spaces, as well as the research of library and information scientists. Libraries are currently among invisible contributors to sustainability planning and services. The chapter will link this invisibility to the value of what visual arts refer to as negative space elements in subjects ranging from traditional ecological knowledge to environmental science. Library collections, projects, and research contribute to education for sustainable development (ESD) as required to achieve the …

Functional And Cultural Values Of Shame: A Motivator To Seek Help For Suicidal Ideation, Yu-Chin Lin

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Suicide is a global issue with rates continuing to rise despite decades of research and prevention efforts. The role of shame in the development of suicidal ideation, especially within non-Western contexts, remains underexplored. This mixed-methods study explored the relationships among shame, suicidal ideation, and help-seeking intentions in a Taiwanese sample, focusing on four culturally distinct Mandarin terms for shame—diu lian, can kui, xiu kui, and xiu chi. A total of 101 participants who has experiences of suicide-related thoughts or behaviors responded to an online survey. Quantitative analyses revealed that all shame terms were strongly correlated …

Ecological Grief Among Farmers And Pastoralists In Ethiopia And Kenya, Syed Shabab Wahid, Christine Musyimi, Benjamin Oestericher, Linda Khakali, Lauren Carruth, Emily Mendenhall, Edna Bosire

Brain and Mind Institute

Climate change is a major cause of mental distress worldwide. In many ways, climate change has become a chronic disaster, while in other ways each acute event can accumulate and present challenges within and between communities. A growing body of evidence indicates that a changing climate can precipitate a cluster of negative affective states scholars call “ecological grief.” Ecological grief reflects psychological responses to climate changes and destruction of nature, species, culturally significant or sacred spaces. Until now, ecological grief has been conceptualized as a psychological response connected primarily to the destruction of the natural environment, and has not fully …

The Role Of Stigma In Help-Seeking Strategies Among African Migrants In Australia: A Qualitative Study, Agness Tembo, Kathomi Gatwiri, Obed Adonteng-Kissi, Nnaemeka Meribe, Lillian Mwanri, Frank Darkwa Baffour, Edith N. Botchway-Commey, David Chisanga, Ahmed A. Moustafa, Samara Kim, Uchechukwu Levi Osuagwu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

African migrants living in Western countries often report experiencing high levels of stress, trauma and mental health conditions due to migration-related challenges, including racial discrimination, social exclusion and economic hardships. This mixed-method study that sought to explore to This mixed-method study explored the help-seeking behaviours of Africans in Australia. The quantitative study engaged 167 participants, who completed an online survey, and the qualitative aspect involved an in-depth interview with 12 participants. This paper reports on the qualitative aspect of the study, which was seen as essential to gaining deep, rich insights into the everyday meaning-making processes of how African migrants …

A Postcolonial Re-Telling Of The Life And Times Of Dr. Bethenia Owens-Adair, Lucille Marie Walker

University Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to explore the story of Dr. Bethenia Owens-Adair, one of the first female doctors in the Pacific Northwest, who wrote the bill that would one day enact Oregon's long standing eugenic sterilization laws. Utilizing postcolonial framework primarily provided by psychiatrist and political writer Frantz Fanon, and supplemental literature from historian Ann Stoler, this paper will look into Dr. Adair's life story and her eugenic efforts in an attempt to understand the colonial roots of turn-of-the-century beliefs about bodies, behavior, and will ultimately aim to question how these beliefs may still reverberate through society today.

Sociology: Culture, Marcia Morrison

Open Educational Resources

This work examine culture. It begins by examining the foundations of culture to include norms, values, language, symbols and knowledge. In looking at each, it breaks down the implication of each to the development of ourselves as well as the person in the environment. It moves on to look at contexts of culture such as dominant cultures juxtapose to competing cultural systems, and how the various elements of culture can serve to either promote or minimize the various cultural constructs within society.

The Navel Of The Dream, Ella C. Baum

Masters Theses

The images in The Navel of the Dream evoke a state of groundlessness. In this body of work, photographs act as thresholds between what is seen and what is felt, between daydreams and nightmares, and memories and myths. The camera is used as a means to engage with feelings of loss, and reenact the mythos of childhood, as well as the deep waters of the subconscious.

Created in Southern Sweden between 2022 and 2025, these photographs investigate the fallow winter landscape, the liminal space of deep, dark Scandinavian nights and the transformative qualities of ice, snow and …

The Red Thread: Objects As Medium, Hsin-Ning Alin Yang

Masters Theses

There are moments when people hesitate to speak their emotions or needs
—whether it’s love that feels too shy to articulate, needs that risk sounding too forceful, or feelings too vague to verbalize. By shifting the priority of emotion and communication factor ahead of pure functionality, this thesis posits that objects can serve as an alternative medium of communication.

This thesis begins by examining the root causes of communication difficulties and the coping strategies people use, ultimately identifying five situations in which objects can effectively substitute for verbal interaction. Building on these categories, the thesis explores how an object’s features, …

The Power Of Storytelling: Creatively Facilitating Conceptual Change In The Classroom, Mackenzie S. Rose, Marcus Johnson

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Conceptual knowledge encompasses understanding the interrelationships among multiple pieces of information. Misconceptions of these interrelationships illustrate the need for effective educational strategies to facilitate conceptual change, with the goal of facilitating changes in learner understanding to appropriate, accurate, and complete concepts. Strategies, such as refutation texts, have proven effective in addressing science misconceptions, yet there is a prominent gap in research on conceptual change in nonscience subjects and the use of storytelling to facilitate such change. Storytelling, presented in a range of educational subjects, invites learners to engage in social discourses and problem-solving exercises. Prompted by classroom storytelling practices, creativity, …

Visitor Experience Model At The Marian Shrine Of La Vang, Younghee Lee, Hyo Dan Cho

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This research explores tourists’ experiences at La Vang in Vietnam. La Vang as a place of Catholic Marian apparition, is a sacred pilgrimage site that holds great religious significance for Catholics. This study employs both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to develop a model of the visitor’s experiences at La Vang. The initial qualitative study involved in-depth interviews and participant observation. Subsequently, the findings of the qualitative study were validated in the second quantitative study, which involved 75 surveys with residents of Macau who visited La Vang. This study proposes seven key scales measuring tourists’ experiential aspects at the sacred place. …

Using Dabke To Embody Sumud: A Literature Review Of Indigenous Palestinian Dance In Relation To Ongoing Trauma, Reema Rustom

Expressive Therapies Theses

This literature review explores the psychological and psychosomatic impacts of political violence on Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation. Drawing from historical, academic, and ethnographic sources, the thesis examines how risk factors such as displacement, home destruction or demolition, and chronic exposure to military aggression contribute to trauma. Utilizing expressive arts therapy as a lens for understanding how arts-based processes support working through trauma, the review identifies existing Palestinian cultural practices that allow for the reclamation of the self, the collective, and the land. This review also highlights protective factors that support the well-being and resilience of Palestinians, such as …

"La Vida Es Un Carnaval": An Exploration Of Cuban Identity And Nostalgia Through Dance/Movement Therapy - A Community Engagement Project, Maria Fernanda Mendez Mendoza

Expressive Therapies Theses

“La Vida Es Un Carnaval” is a community engagement project and thesis that explores how identity and nostalgic resilience show up through dance/movement therapy with Cuban immigrants living in the United States, specifically Massachusetts. This project brought together six Cuban-born participants, ages 26 to 67, each with their own unique migration stories; from the Rafter Balsero Crisis of 1994, to the “Wet-Foot/Dry-Foot” policy, and family reunification. Through a mix of in-person and online sessions, participants explored their experiences using intermodal activities including dance/movement therapy techniques, conversation, journaling, artwork, and music. Themes of cultural pride, “Cubanía” – Cuban-ness, culture shock, and …

Optimizing Accessibility Training By Prioritizing Cognitive Needs Of Students With Disabilities, Lio Jones, Kari Goin, Megan Mcfarland

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Despite the significant enrollment of students with disabilities in higher education, research and practice rarely center the voices and leadership of these students, particularly in accessibility training efforts. This paper addresses this gap by presenting an autoethnographic study of a digital accessibility training initiative co-led by a student with multiple disabilities. Using a process that combines participatory research and first-person narrative, this study outlines the development and implementation of faculty training on accessibility that centers the experiences of a student with cognitive disabilities. We propose a new framework for understanding "dynamic disability," a concept that recognizes the complex and evolving …

Reason And All My Senses: Surveying The Post Enlightenment Frame Of Reason Through Contemporary Philosophy, Cognitive Psychology, And Cognitive Linguistics, Joshua T. Lowe Rev. Dr.

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

This dissertation argues that Christian theology and practice are aided and enriched by a more complete understanding of reason by surveying recent studies and views in theology, philosophy, cognitive psychology, and cognitive linguistics. Since the Enlightenment, Christian theology has assumed widely the Enlightenment model of human reason as ideally acontextual, that is, free from constraints of contexts, and therefore universal, that is, applicable in all contexts. Recent developments from a variety of perspectives challenge this model of rationality. Some challenge the acontextualism of the Enlightenment understanding by showing how it arose from and depends on a context, and that context …

Preparing Counselors For Practice With Immigrant Clients In Court Proceedings: Framing Required Knowledge, Attitudes, And Skills Within The Msjcc, Kalina M. Brabeck, Prachi Kene, James Geckler, Deborah S. Gonzalez Esq.

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The Multicultural Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC; Ratts et al., 2016) provide a framework for defining the attitudes and beliefs, knowledge, skills, and action that counselors must develop to effectively work with clients across identities and social and cultural contexts. In this paper, we apply the MSJCC to counselors’ practice with immigrant clients within a specific context: immigration court proceedings. Evidence suggests that counselors may be hesitant to practice within forensic settings in general, and that training and education enhances their self-efficacy, effectiveness, and willingness to practice within these settings. Drawing on the MSJCC, we contribute to counselors’ knowledge end …

The Experience Of Spirituality And Self-Image In Sexually Abused Women, Nereyda Sullins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

I explored the role of spirituality and self-image in the healing processes of adult women who have experienced sexual abuse. Using trauma theory as a guiding framework, I sought to understand how survivors engage with spirituality to reconstruct their identities and navigate their recovery. I aimed to contribute to the growing body of literature on trauma recovery by offering insights into the ways survivors integrate spiritual practices and self-perceptions to foster resilience. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to capture the lived experiences of 12 women who had experienced sexual abuse and engaged with spirituality as a coping mechanism. Thematic …

The Kinship Of Creatives, Saba Saif Ur Rehman

MFA in Illustration & Visual Culture

This research essay contends that artists and creative individuals must recognize their agency in shaping societal narratives, particularly during times of technological and political upheaval. The essay draws on the insights and contributions of visionaries like Walter Benjamin, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Tomm Moore to emphasize the power of imagination and creativity in addressing real-world issues. It argues that previous technological advances have often reinforced hierarchical and oppressive systems, benefitting a select few while neglecting the masses. As we enter the fourth Industrial Revolution, this essay calls the artists to reclaim their tools from being co-opted for exclusionary and …

The Role Of The Jester: The Subversive Power Of Humor And Performance In Challenging Misogyny, Sarah E. Price

Expressive Therapies Theses

Humor has long occupied a complicated place in systems of power, sometimes reinforcing oppressive norms and other times offering a way to push back against them. This thesis explores how the archetype of the jester can be used in drama therapy to help individuals reclaim agency within misogynistic structures. Drawing from role theory, feminist performance studies, and Theatre of the Oppressed, the project examines how jestering, through satire, parody, and play, can act as a vehicle for resistance, healing, and empowerment. A review of existing literature shows that while humor has historically been used to uphold patriarchal norms, it has …

More Than Dress-Up: A Literature Review Of The Function Of Costume In Drama Therapy, Bretny M. Seamon

Expressive Therapies Theses

This literature review examined the role of costume as a therapeutic tool in drama therapy; an area that, despite its potential, remains underexplored. The studies located focused on how costume may facilitate identity exploration and emotional expression. The paper synthesized existing literature on drama therapy's core processes, particularly embodiment and dramatic projection, while expanding the definition of costume to include masks and puppets. The literature illuminated the psychological and cultural significance of dress and identity, with studies that investigated how costume influenced both self-perception and external perception. The literature addressed the evolution of costume use in virtual therapy settings, illustrating …

The Mighty C: A Fractal Model For Modern Creativity, Joe Todaro

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

The persistent ambiguity surrounding the definition of creativity has hindered its advancement across academic, educational, and professional settings. In response, this paper proposes an updated framework—The Mighty C—which defines creativity as the intrinsic human activity of generating meaningful, novel, and useful outcomes through deliberate process. This model addresses critical gaps in conventional definitions, particularly the frequent omission of meaningfulness, intentionality, and the uniquely human nature of creativity. It further emphasizes the recursive nature of these aspects across different levels of creative activity, represented through the structure of fractals. Drawing from scholarly models such as Rhodes’ 4Ps and Kaufman and Beghetto’s …

Effects Of Food Insufficiency And Family Structure On Parental Aggravation And Child Outcomes, Angel Juarez

University Honors Program Senior Projects

Food insufficiency is a detrimental crisis that impacts families facing financial hardships across the United States (Nam et al., 2015). Research finds that economic difficulties and child maladaptive development are positively associated because parental stress is exacerbated by financial hardships affecting parental sensitivity to their children (Hill et al., 2013; Simons et al., 2016). The current study uses the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI) data from the 2021-2022 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH). It builds on these findings, investigating the relationship between food insufficiency and parental aggravation on child behavioral outcomes across different family structures in the …

Cognitive Advantages Of Dual Language: Bilingualism And Its Relationship With Working Memory And Controlled Attention, Ellison Alexander

Honors College Theses

This study investigates language familiarity and executive function within individuals who are fluent in or actively learning a second language, demonstrating whether bilingualism influences working memory performance and controlled attention. The study population consisted of undergraduate students attending Murray State University. Three groups were evaluated: students with a low-experience level in a second language (100 level classes), a high-experience group (200 level classes and beyond), and a separate control group of monolingual students without college-level language experience. All groups completed assessments of working memory performance and controlled attention by engaging in the Symmetry Span task and the Simon task. In …