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Creative Engagement For Community Through The Life-Span, D. Nicole English, Pelgy Vaz

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Creative Engagement for Community Through the Life-Span

Creative Engagement includes crafts, cultural practices, expressive arts, and activities that bring people together. Having access to such activities enables people to develop healthy habits, social interactions, and build community that can sustain one throughout the lifespan. On-going research indicates that Creative Engagement Activities, and the Communities of Practice that build around them, benefit people throughout the life-span, but become particularly important to older adults, by building resilience and social connections, in the face of inevitable life losses.

https://youtu.be/r3JS5YP-MnM

Statement From The Indiana Academy Of The Social Sciences And Board Of Directors

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Volume 28, Issue 2 Full Contents

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Mission And Editorial Policy

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

The Unsovereign Citizen: The Reconfiguration Of Rights And Belonging In Fascist Italy, Roberta Pergher

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Modern political thought tends to associate citizenship with democracy, equality, and political participation. This article demonstrates that citizenship can be profoundly important also for authoritarian rule. In Fascist Italy, citizenship remained central to political life, not as a vehicle of democratic participation, to be sure, but as a category through which the regime redefined belonging, hierarchy, and sovereignty. Drawing on citizenship legislation, imperial ordinances, racial laws, police reports, and ministerial commentary between 1912 and 1943, this article shows how the dictatorship hollowed out liberal citizenship within the peninsula, stratified it across imperial territories, consolidated it across diasporic populations, and ultimately …

Editorial History

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

George C. Roberts Award Recipients

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Submission Guidelines

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Reviewers And Referees

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Why Publish With Mssj?

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

The Courts Closest To The People: The Battle Between Populism And Democracy In The U.S. District Courts, Shruti Rana

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

The U.S. district courts have emerged as a critical site of contested terrain amid the chaos and controversies consuming American law and politics since the start of the second Trump administration. This article examines these frontline courts through the theoretical lens of populism, arguing that they have become a critical institutional flashpoint in the populist assault on constitutional democracy in the United States. As the courts closest to the people, the district courts occupy a unique structural position: They are the fact-finding courts, the most geographically dispersed and professionally diverse tier of the federal judiciary, and often the first institutional …

Call For Papers: 97th Annual Conference Of The Indiana Academy Of The Social Sciences

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Author Biographical Notes

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Editor-In-Chief's Note, Surekha Rao

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Influence Of Moral Development, Religiosity, Achieved Belongingness, And Collective Narcissism On Conspiracy Theory Beliefs, Barbara Mahoney Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Belief in conspiracy theories has been linked to prejudice and societal instability, underscoring the importance of understanding the psychological factors that shape such beliefs. This quantitative correlational survey research examined the extent to which moral development, religiosity, achieved belongingness, collective narcissism, and political party affiliation predict conspiracy theory beliefs. Wood’s three-tier model of conspiracy theory beliefs provided the conceptual framework for the study. Using validated quantitative measures in an anonymous, demographically stratified sample (N = 279), a stepwise regression analysis assessed how individual and group-level factors contribute to conspiratorial thinking. Although political party affiliation was not an initial focus, preliminary …

Emotion Meta-Perceptions And Political Identity, Mattie Kujawski

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

The United States of America is in a time of political division. Research shows that political ideological alignment is related to emotional processing. Further understanding this relationship may be useful to bridging the political divide. This exploratory research study investigated the relationship between cognitive and affective meta-perceptions of five discrete emotions (joy, sadness, anger, fear, and disgust) and political ideological alignment. The study was guided by three exploratory research questions: Are meta-perceptions of emotion, assessed by affective and cognitive attitudes toward discrete emotions (joy, anger, fear, sadness, disgust), related to political identification and political ideology? Are affective and cognitive meta-perceptions …

Mapping The Landscape Of Occupational Health Psychology Research On Immigrant Workers: A Systematic Review, Himali Bhandari

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Research on immigrant populations covers a wide range of topics including immigrationpatterns, demographics, working conditions, and occupational health. Nevertheless, studies specifically on immigrant workers within occupational health psychology (OHP) are scattered. To address this inconsistency, this systematic review analyzed OHP research focusing on immigrant workers, highlighting key immigrant characteristics and the psychological theories and frameworks used to explain why and how immigrant workers face high occupational health and safety risks. Peer-reviewed empirical articles were retrieved from APA PsycINFO, APA PsycArticles, and Academic Search Complete using a predefined set of search terms. Qualitative analysis of the included studies (N = 44), …

Fierce Leadership-Perspectives Of Black Women Educational Leaders: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Janice Taylor, Dianne Reed

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

The authors of this transcendental phenomenological study aimed to describe the lived experiences of Black women based on their perceptions, values, and beliefs about the complexities of leadership and the kind of leadership required to succeed in their respective roles, as educational leaders. This study was framed by the adaptive leadership theory. Adaptive leadership recognizes the need for leaders to stay flexible and resilient in fast-paced environments (Nelson & Squires, 2017). The three Black women leaders in this study were fierce adaptive leaders. The information acquired from this study is significant and highlights how Black women educational leaders developed the …

The Evolution Of Self-Awareness In Conscious Organisms, Robert A. Dielenberg

Journal of Conscious Evolution

Self-awareness in conscious organisms remains an enduring puzzle for philosophers and neuroscientists. This paper proposes a tripartite evolutionary model tracing its emergence through three sequential types: the sensory self (primitive egocentric, valence-tagged awareness of sensory states), the bodily self (external objectification of the body as a distinct entity, evidenced by mirror self-recognition in select species), and the cognitive self (internal objectification of the mind enabling recursive self-transformation). Adopting a monist framework, the model treats consciousness as the biological substrate of delayed neural apperception (the “Delayed Present”), within which selves emerge as increasingly sophisticated models. It distinguishes non-human metacognition—implicit, online regulation—from …

Dating Among University Undergraduates Living With Disability In South-Western Nigeria, Usman A. Ojedokun, Bukunmi I. Oluborode, Lateef J. Adeyemo

The Journal of Social Encounters

In many university campuses in Nigeria, undergraduates living with disability are visible and functionally involved in academic, political, social, and religious activities. However, the social life of these students is hardly the focus of scholarly research. Therefore, this study explored dating behaviours among undergraduates of selected public universities in south-western Nigeria living with disability. The social disability model was employed as the conceptual framework. Data were elicited through in-depth interview and focus group discussion methods.  Findings showed that the choice of partners among undergraduates living with disability was guided by trust, communication, emotional safety, shared values, and acceptance of disability …

Embodied Transcendence: Psychedelics And The Evolution Of Moral Abstraction, Emanuel Jas

Journal of Conscious Evolution

This paper explores the role of psychedelics in the context of evolutionary brain development and the conceptual capacity for moral realism. Drawing on theories from evolutionary anthropology, neuroscience, and moral philosophy, the first part provides a brief overview of human evolution and brain expansion. From here, recent empirical data from the neurosciences is assessed on the effect psychedelics have on the brain, along with speculations on the role of psychedelics in our hominoid evolutionary history—specifically, the capacity for phenomenologically rich, conscious, subjective experiences that are incredibly vivid and real. This imaginative capacity for transcendence and disembodiment could enable the realization …

The Collective Impact Of Physical Activity, Somatic Therapy, And Nature-Based Spirituality (Pastans) On Individuals Recovering From Substance Use Disorders (Suds), Sara R. Maddox

University Honors Theses

This correlation research study explores the collective impact of physical activities, somatic therapies, and nature-based spirituality (referred to as PASTANS, a term created by the researcher) on individuals recovering from substance use disorders (SUDs). The study aimed to evaluate how these practices enhanced emotional regulation and fostered community development, thereby supporting sustained recovery and overall well-being. PASTANS interconnected to alleviate cravings and rewire brain reward pathways, promoting cultural connections through activities that resonated with pre-colonial traditions and were accessible to atheists and agnostics.

Participants engaged in movement and somatic practices in natural settings, including yoga and hiking. Somatic therapies are …

Examining The Relationship Between Burnout And Emotional Intelligence In Ministry Leaders Of Start-Up Churches, Jacquelyn Steidel-Santiago

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to utilize Emotional Intelligence (EI) and burnout models to examine the relationship between perceived EI and firsthand experiences of burnout in ministry leaders of start-up churches to establish a unique connection and offer valuable insights for participants and other ministry leaders facing similar circumstances. Personal characteristics were divided into demographic information about the participants (i.e., age, race, years in ministry, congregation size, etc.) and information about the participants’ experience with specific features of burnout. The demographic information was used to identify possible factors related to various levels of EI, with the expectation …

Cultural Influences On Mental Health Help-Seeking: A Comparative Study Of Haiti And The United States, Luther-King Jean-Baptiste

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mental health stigma and help-seeking behaviors vary across cultural contexts and are shaped by shared beliefs, values, and social expectations. This qualitative study examined how cultural meaning systems influenced mental health help-seeking behaviors in Haiti and the United States. Using surveys and semi-structured interviews, data were collected from 30 participants (15 from each country) who reported a history of psychological distress or mental health challenges. Findings indicated that help-seeking behaviors were not determined solely by symptom severity but were embedded within cultural, relational, spiritual, and structural frameworks. In Haiti, help-seeking was largely collective and shaped by family validation, community norms, …

Numerals And Other Means Of Expressing Plurality In Language And Thought: A Developmental Perspective Across Cultures., Giovanni Giuseppe G.G. Nicosia Prof.

Numeracy

Several ancient languages use linguistic structures to differentiate between singular, dual, and plural forms that are used when one, two, or many objects are referenced. (Some languages go further, adding a trial form to differentiate two from three.) In many modern languages, numerals are used to convey precise number. After reviewing a range of ways languages express number (including the interesting case of Pirahã which does not express precise number), the paper concludes with a proposed developmental path for the expression of quantity in languages.

Preparando Para Su Edad Y Su Futuro: Latina Mothers’ Perspectives Of Navigating Postsecondary Transition For Autistic Youth, Kristina Rios Dr., Katherine R. Brendli Brown, Genna Kieper, Cynthia Velasquez, Amber Brown Ruiz

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Families play a critical role in the education and service provision of Autistic students. However, much of the existing research on family involvement and expectations has centered on families of younger Autistic children and has disproportionately reflected the experiences of White families, even though Latinx families may include individuals of any racial background. Furthermore, while there is growing transition literature focused on families of color, Latinx families—particularly those with Spanish-speaking caregivers—remain underrepresented in studies examining the postsecondary transition. There is a critical need for research that captures Latinx caregivers’ perspectives on navigating the transition process and identifies how educators can …

The Relative Importance Of Cultural Competence And Compassion Fatigue In Predicting Nurse Prescribing Self-Efficacy, Debarah Lane Jowett-Gordon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As a result of the growing diversity among citizens requiring medical care, there has been a substantial increase in immigrants globally and in the United States. In the U.S. healthcare system, nurse practitioners (NPs) have been facing increased cultural challenges. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the relative importance of cultural competence and compassion fatigue in predicting nursing prescribing self-efficacy. Cultural competence served as the theoretical framework, as it focuses on how NPs can effectively communicate with patients from diverse backgrounds by understanding and respecting cultural differences, thereby building trust, improving patient outcomes, and providing quality healthcare. …

From Retaliation To Restoration: Evaluating Norwegian Prison Rehabilitation Models For United States Integration, Lucas I. Abbott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study evaluates the viability of implementing Norwegian rehabilitative frameworks within the American prison system by gathering the perspectives of formerly incarcerated men in the United States. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, the research sought to understand how American offenders perceive Norwegian normalization techniques, such as single-occupancy rooms, humane architectural environments, respectful inmate-officer relationships, and their potential to promote rehabilitation and reduce recidivism. Fifteen participants who had served a minimum of three weeks in correctional institutions completed open-ended questionnaires analyzed through conceptual content analysis. Findings revealed strong support for individualized rooms, normalized environments, and increased positive human interaction as transformative …

Emotional Valence In Sustainable Fashion Advertising And The Cognitive And Affective Drivers Of Consumer Response As Determinants Of Digital Engagement Behavior, Cassidy Jane Cisz

Theses and Dissertations

The dominance of the linear value chain and its perpetuation of overconsumption create persistent barriers to sustainable fashion brands in their effort to articulate a value proposition that justifies the price premium associated with ethical and sustainable production. To address this challenge and remain competitive within a marketplace dominated by low-cost fast fashion, these brands must differentiate through appeals that clearly reflect their values, mission, and climate commitments. While advertisements for sustainable goods use a broad set of persuasive strategies, this study evaluates two dominant emotional appeals, Positive Environmental Appeals (PEA) and Negative Environmental Appeals (NEA), both of which are …

Conch Gone? Examining Cultural Preservation Through Bahamian Menu Analysis, Adiah J. Saunders

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Social identity theory and acculturation theory expose how cultural practices, such as cuisine, can adapt due to external pressures. In The Bahamas, external pressure from the tourism industry shapes many aspects of public life, by analyzing menus we can see how cultural identity resists or succumbs to change. This study examined how Bahamian cuisine is represented on restaurant menus in Nassau, New Providence amid a dominating tourism industry. Using a stratified random sample of 30 restaurants, 1,155 menu items were coded for cultural origin, cultural language use, promotional features, as well as pricing. The results show that international dishes appear …