Digital Commons Network^™

Iep Process As An Avenue Or Barrier To Inclusion For Autism Spectrum Students: The Importance Of Collaboration, Stephanie C. Holmes

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

Decades of research concerning the implementation of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) have shown that building and implementing an IEP for a student with additional needs can be adversarial between the child’s parents and the school system. In 1975, when Public Law 94-142 was passed, the idea behind the law was not only to provide a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) for children with needs and disabilities but also to give parents of these children a voice in the process of creating the child’s IEP. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) was not added to the list of needs to be served …

Ensuring Success And Retention: A Review Of Key Factors For Diverse Online Scholars, Leila Romeo, Cicely Ward, Jesiah Brock

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

The widespread adoption of online learning in higher education necessitates a critical understanding of factors that promote the retention and academic success of diverse student populations. This paper provides a synthesis of existing research investigating the numerous elements that influence the educational experiences of distinct student cohorts, with a particular focus on literature pertaining to non-traditional Latina students in postsecondary online learning environments. This review critically examines established scholarship to comprehend the array of challenges and prospects these students encounter, identifying critical determinants of their academic trajectories as established in prior studies. Key determinants frequently cited in the literature include …

Online Learning And Private Christian Hispanic Serving Institutions: A Narrative Review Of The Literature, Daniela A. Hernandez, Brandi R. Munoz, Stephanie Ferrell

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

This narrative literature review explores the intersection of Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), online education, and the role of private Christian universities in addressing educational disparities for Hispanic students. It synthesizes existing research on the challenges Hispanic students face in higher education, including financial barriers, limited digital access, underutilization of student support services, and institutional identity issues. Drawing on social capital theory and student engagement theory, this review highlights how HSIs, particularly private Christian institutions, can develop culturally responsive initiatives and leverage federal Title V funding to support Hispanic learners. The paper also examines emerging efforts such as the “Seal of …

‘You’ And ‘We’ In #Womanlifefreedom: A Corpus-Based Discourse Analysis Of Collective Identities And Speech Acts In The Twitter’S Discourse Of Iranian Protests, Kimiya Roohani

Peace and Conflict Studies

This paper applies corpus linguistic discourse analysis to approach the social media discourse of a recent political movement in Iran, known as #WomanLifeFreedom and Mahsa Amini. The movement included vast protests in different parts of Iran and went viral on an international scale. Protesters relied heavily on social media, particularly Twitter, to determine strategies and support each other during the expansive calls. To address the discourse shaped in that platform, a corpus was compiled from the Twitter posts, named Mahsa Amini Tweets Corpus (MATC). Using this data collection and analysis method, the endeavour was to obtain a balance between quantitative …

A Study Of The Management Of The Herders-Farmers Conflict-Induced Internal Displacement In Nigeria, Rita Iorbo, Dick Taverishima Andzenge

Peace and Conflict Studies

The management of the herdsmen-farmers conflict-induced internal displacement in Nigeria was characterised by remote factors that affected the protection and assistance of internally displaced persons (IDPs). This qualitative study was conducted on 12 participants comprising humanitarian workers, IDPs, and lawmakers who were conversant with the persistent herdsmen-farmers conflict-induced internal displacement. The study explored the inter-connected relationship among stakeholders within the humanitarian ecosystem. It found that though the herdsmen-farmers conflict led to mass displacement, remote factors such as unwillingness of government, data challenges, the undiplomatic approach of government in the management of the displacement failed to win support of other stakeholders …

Social Capital And Protests In The United States, Carolyn Chisadza, Matthew Clance, Rangan Gupta

Peace and Conflict Studies

In the last decade we have witnessed rising protests in the United States associated with issues that form part of society’s social fabric that can either facilitate or break down collective behaviour. Rising social inequalities can cause people to no longer share the same values and force individuals to work against each other. This breakdown in social capital can be a key driver for protests as the marginalised attempt to voice their grievances. Using social capital data from the Social Capital Project and protest data from the GDELT Project for U.S counties, we find that higher social capital is negatively …

Community-Engaged Learning For Online Courses, Marsha W. Maxwell Phd, Katarina Friberg-Felsted Phd, Jacqueline L. Eaton Phd, Megan R. Medina, Denise Crismon

Transforming Communities

This article explores how to ensure the quality of community-engaged learning (CEL) course outcomes for online courses. We share insights and knowledge of three instructors who have successfully integrated CEL into their online courses. Based on these instructors' experiences, this article discusses four key topics related to online CEL courses: finding mutually beneficial partnerships, managing expectations, managing student-partner interactions, and following up with students. While we have found that the benefits of CEL outweigh the drawbacks, adding CEL to the dynamics of an online course can prove complicated for instructors, who must consider the time commitment, communication challenges, and course …

How Far-Right Populism Harms Ethnic Minorities’ Health: The Case Of The United States, Dina Rosenberg

Working Papers Series

Public health is a political issue, and the health of ethnic minorities is a key component of it. We argue that far-right populism, whether grassroots or elitist, harms the health of immigrants and minorities. Anti-minority attitudes and policies—such as health chauvinism promoted by far-right populists—along with hate rhetoric and ensuing personal and institutional discrimination create a climate of hostility that negatively affects health outcomes in underprivileged communities. We hypothesize that immigrants and ethnic minorities living in such a climate are more likely to experience health problems and underutilize healthcare. To test this, we leverage the significant variation between U.S. states …

Is Ride-Hailing A Potential Solution For Older Adults After Driving Cessation? The Role Of Objective And Perceived Accessibility, Minju Kim Song

Dissertations and Theses

Due to age-related physical and cognitive changes, older drivers have a greater risk of crashes and are restricted by age-dependent regulation. Nonetheless, many older adults in the United States maintain a car-dependent lifestyle and still prefer driving. When driving cessation or reduction becomes necessary, a primary concern is finding suitable alternative transportation modes. However, the availability of alternative transportation modes does not guarantee their actual use of these options.

As a relatively new transportation mode, ride-hailing services, such as Uber and Lyft, offer on-demand, door-to-door transportation and may be a feasible transportation solution for older adults who stop driving. While …

An Assessment Of Maine's Capacity To Support Transitions Of Care Through The Substance Use Disorder Continuum, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Sarah Mclaughlin Mph, Rachel M. Gallo Mph

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

This report evaluates Maine's capacity to support effective transitions of care across the substance use disorder (SUD) treatment continuum. Using data collected from a statewide survey of 65 SUD providers, conducted from February to April 2025, the study examines organizational practices, inter-provider communication, and coordination strategies related to transitions between levels of care: medically supervised withdrawal, inpatient, and outpatient treatment programs. Key findings reveal strong intra-organizational communication, widespread understanding of ASAM criteria, and a general commitment to patient-centered care. However, gaps persist in coordination between care levels, particularly in withdrawal management programs, which rarely conduct follow-ups or collaborate with outpatient …

Emulating Empire: Washington’S Preoccupation With British Counterinsurgency In Malaya And U.S. Commitment To Vietnam, Wen-Qing Ngoei

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This essay examines how Washington’s deep preoccupation with the British-Malayan counterinsurgency tactics–tactics that routed the guerilla fighters of the Malayan Communist Party–shaped US commitment to Vietnam. This US preoccupation, stoked by Britain’s (and Malaya’s) promotion of their counterinsurgency knowledge to US leaders, also influenced the lessons that US analysts and thinkers absorbed from the United States’ defeat in Indochina. Most studies of British-Malayan counterinsurgency and its connection to the Vietnam War fixate upon debating the relevance of the former to the latter and how this bears on US failures in Indochina. However, this essay focuses on the understudied fervor with …

Culturally Responsive Intimate Partner Violence (Ipv) Service Needs Among African Immigrant Women: Examining The Impact Of Cultural Norms And Psychosocial Barriers On Safety Perceptions And Help-Seeking Behaviors, Titilayo Ogunbambi

Dissertations

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) remains a pervasive public health and social justice issue globally, with African immigrant women in the United States facing compounded challenges as they navigate cultural, structural, and systemic barriers, including migration-related vulnerabilities and attachment to cultural values that shape their decisions and experiences. Although formal IPV services exist, they often fail to address the lived realities and culturally specific needs of this population, leading to underutilization and barriers in seeking help. This qualitative study examines how cultural norms, psychosocial barriers, and systemic inequities influence safety perceptions and help-seeking behaviors among African immigrant women survivors of IPV. …

Conducting Background Checks In The Corporate Security Environment, Alan Saquella

Publications

In the current threat landscape, the background check has become a critical frontline defense in protecting corporate assets, brand integrity and personnel safety. But as any security leader will tell you, the traditional background check — focused on criminal history, employment verification and references — has limitations, especially in today’s regulatory environment.

Federal and state restrictions continue to erode the depth and scope of what can be legally reviewed, and meanwhile, insider threats and deceptive candidates are becoming more sophisticated. In this context, it's no longer about whether to conduct background checks — it's about how to conduct them effectively, …

Introduction, John, Lord Alderdice

New England Journal of Public Policy

Introduction for Volume 37, Issue 1 of the New England Journal of Public Policy.

Solving Global Problems Requires Global Cohesion, Harvey Whitehouse, John, Lord Alderdice, Carlos Alvarado Quesada, Peter Gluckman, Hakima El Haité, Lukas Reinhardt

New England Journal of Public Policy

A growing body of evidence from evolutionary anthropology and social psychology suggests that group cohesion can be scaled up beyond the level of nations and even regional blocs and transnational religions to encompass humanity at large. This article brings together insights from globally renowned political leaders, activists, and academics by arguing that this scaling up is not only possible but necessary to address the most pressing collective action problems facing our planet today. Drawing on evidence from experiments, longitudinal studies, and multi-country surveys, along with extensive practical experience—from serving as a head of state to playing leading roles in climate …

Global Constructions Of Gender, Sexuality, And Migration: An Analysis Of Five Immigrant Memoirs, Grace Halvorson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This capstone analyzes five memoirs by LGBTQ+ migrants—Jose Antonio Vargas, Edafe Okporo, Staceyann Chin, Danny Ramadan, and Samra Habib—to explore how governments weaponize gender and sexual orientation to construct national identity and exert control over both citizens and migrants. Their diverse migration experiences highlight how “gender border control” operates across families, communities, and national government systems, reinforcing heteronormative structures that regulate queer identities. My analysis of their memoirs reveals how both formal tools, such as immigration policies, and informal tools, such as social exclusion, make individuals outside heteronormative identity categories susceptible to state and societal violence. These personal narratives shed …

Your Past Is My Present: Does Evoking Historical Analogies Change Public Opinion Regarding Foreign Policy?, Anil Menon, Yehonathan Abramson, Dean C. Dulay, Pauline Jones

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Historical analogies are often employed as tools of public persuasion on security and foreign policies. While existing research points to the potential power of historical analogies on domestic audiences, it has not examined the effect of historical analogies on foreign publics. Using speeches by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after Russia’s February 2022 invasion, we investigate whether evoking salient events from the audience country’s past effectively increases popular support for aiding Ukraine. We conducted survey experiments simultaneously in four countries where Zelensky delivered speeches rich in historical analogies – United Kingdom (WWII), United States (Pearl Harbor and 9/11), Germany and Israel …

Front Matter And Table Of Contents

New England Journal of Public Policy

Front matter and table of contents for Volume 37, Issue 1 of the New England Journal of Public Policy.

What Future For Peace In A World Characterized By Uncertainty And Fear?, Cedric De Coning, John, Lord Alderdice

New England Journal of Public Policy

After World War II the leading victorious powers put in place a series of structures that became known as the ‘rules-based international order.’ Its purpose was to prevent another global conflict, and for Western countries the method was the promotion of liberal democracy. During succeeding decades, the commitment to building and securing a more peaceful world order saw the establishment of political, security, and economic institutions and civil society organizations that worked to implement it. However, the last decade has seen the increasing fragmentation and dissolution of this rules-based order and those who worked to develop it are having increasing …

Editor's Note, Padraig O'Malley

New England Journal of Public Policy

This issue of the New England Journal of Public Policy, again with Lord John Alderdice as guest editor, examined how wars end. The articles complement those in the previous issue on the Changing Character of War and Peacemaking.

Ending Wars In Times Of Uncertainty: Moral Leadership, Memory, And The Cost Of Peace, Eva Grosman

New England Journal of Public Policy

In our era of ‘liquid modernity,’ ending wars requires more than ceasing hostilities—it demands ethical frameworks that address the deeper wounds of conflict. This article examines how peace processes frequently abandon those who sacrificed most, creating narratives of betrayal that undermine future stability. Using Poland’s post–World War II experience as a case study, it demonstrates how prioritizing geopolitical expediency over justice creates lasting damage to international order. Drawing on Zygmunt Bauman’s concept of liquid times, Anne Applebaum’s work on memory and abandonment, and Jonathan Sacks’s vision of moral leadership, the article argues that sustainable peace requires attention to dignity, inclusion, …

Examining Shifts In Group-Based Motivations For Civil Conflicts In Libya, Michael D. Buhrmester, William B. Swann Jr., Brian Mcquinn, Alexis Everington, Layal Hafid, Harvey Whitehouse

New England Journal of Public Policy

This study examines shifting group alignments in Libya from 2011 to 2019, exploring their impact on continued conflict. Following up on our original research into group bonding among insurgents during the 2011 revolution, we conducted two surveys in Benghazi: first in 2015, during the aftermath of Operation Dignity, and again in 2019, as General Khalifa Haftar’s forces waged war against Tripoli. Our results show that the previously very strong group bonds with 2011 revolutionary fighters had dissipated by 2015, replaced by allegiance to Haftar’s militias. By 2019, this alignment extended to Haftar himself, reinforcing an “us versus them” mentality that …

How Gaza Sees The 2023-2025 War And The Future Of The Israel-Palestine Conflict, Scott Atran, Laura Rodriguez-Gómez, Kamil Yilmaz, Ángel Gómez

New England Journal of Public Policy

In political science and international relations, as in foreign policy and military circles, a debate is ongoing between “realists” and “moralists” regarding the importance of material factors (territory, economy, security, etc.) versus value-laden factors (justice, ideals, identity, etc.) in motivating, sustaining, and ending wars. An early 2025 representative survey of Gaza’s population considers both sets of factors in how Gazans perceive the present and future states of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Comparisons with our previous studies in the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe aim to extend this survey’s relevance beyond the current Israel-Palestine theater. The survey suggests that after waging …

Understanding The Underlying Motivations Of The Russia-Ukraine War, John Bell

New England Journal of Public Policy

Conflict resolution often focuses on material interests or trust building rather than the core psychological needs of the sides. Mapping the key emotional red lines of parties and addressing them creatively may offer new opportunities for peace. This article examines such an approach for the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with reflection on the Middle East where such a mapping of needs has begun. This approach leads to the concept of mutual needs satisfaction, where all sides’ critical red lines are addressed, if imperfectly. This is discussed regarding Russia, Ukraine, and the West today. As former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat demonstrated by going …

Political And Psychological Effects Of Political Public Art In Conflict Zones, Leora Sotto, Caryl Sibbett

New England Journal of Public Policy

This article will explore the topic of conflict-related visual-political media displayed in public in Israel and Northern Ireland, such as posters, banners, and murals. We will discuss examples of such political public art, looking at graphic characteristics as well as several multi-faceted topics that tend to appear: first, the topic of victim / victimizer, art expressing feelings of aggression, blaming, injustice, or pain; second, cross-cultural similarities and differences in the art expression; third, art promoting peace. We will reflect on these from a psychotherapy perspective, noting themes of trauma and dis/empowerment. We will discuss visual art and war, their interaction, …

Land Access As Liberation: A Qualitative Study On Faith, Food, And Farming Of Urban And Rural Black Land Stewards In The United States, Dominique Edwards

Dissertations

Since 1920, Black farmers in the United States have held less than 2% of the nation's farmland, a direct result of race-based discriminatory policies embedded within federal, state, local, and county-level institutions (Daniel, 2013). Structural barriers—ranging from exclusionary lending practices by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the systematic dispossession of land through legal loopholes, heirs’ property laws, and violent racial terror—have contributed to this staggering decline in Black land ownership (Gilbert et al., 2002). The erosion of Black agrarian landholdings intensified in the latter half of the 20th century, as government programs, civil rights legislation, and technological advancements, …

Play The Players For Winning Peace: Complexity Analytics With The Uk-Ireland Good Friday Agreement As A Case Study, Bilal M. Ayyub

New England Journal of Public Policy

This article presents an innovative framework for analyzing and resolving intractable conflicts through the lens of complexity analytics. By conceptualizing conflicts as complex adaptive systems with fractal properties, we introduce a multifaceted methodology that integrates game theory, network analysis, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence (AI) to comprehend and influence conflict dynamics across multiple scales. The approach emphasizes ‘playing the players’ rather than focusing solely on the immediate conflict situation, drawing insights from poker strategy and AI-driven decision-making processes. This strategy involves understanding the psychological profiles, risk attitudes, and decision-making patterns of key actors, allowing for more nuanced and effective interventions. …

Gerald Templer's Leadership In The Malayan Emergency (1948-1960): Its Enduring Relevance, Kumar Ramakrishna

New England Journal of Public Policy

This article explores the leadership contributions of General Sir Gerald Templer, who was both High Commissioner and Director of Operations, during the counterinsurgency campaign waged by the British colonial authorities in Malaya against the Malayan Communist Party, between 1948 and 1960. This campaign has become known as the Malayan Emergency. The article explores how Templer’s leadership—marked by a combination of high intellect, sound practical nous, and the ability to galvanize governmental action and ultimately inspire the population to eventual victory—was instrumental in transforming the nature of the problematic initial British response to the Communist insurgency. The article suggests that Templer’s …

Black Incarcerated Veterans And Va Service Access, Kimona S. Spencer

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study investigates racial disparities in access to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) services among incarcerated Veterans, with a specific focus on Black incarcerated Veterans. Drawing from critical race theory and the minority stress model, the study explores how race, discharge status, military experiences, and mental health conditions intersect to affect potential eligibility for and receipt of VA healthcare and benefits. Utilizing a secondary analysis of data from the Survey of Prison Inmates (SPI), the research employs quantitative methods to examine whether disparities exist in discharge characterizations, potential eligibility for VA care, and service utilization by race. Findings highlight …

Tradwives: The Housewifization Of The Girl Boss, Gagan Kaur

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis examines the reemergence of a particular performance of domesticity in the post-pandemic era, focusing on the rise of the "tradwife" (traditional wife) movement alongside the normalization and spread of Alt-Right ideology through popular social media platforms. It argues that the tradwife is not a return to tradition, but a commodified performance of domesticity built on the erasure of social reproductive labor. Tracing the lineage of the “housewife” from the enclosure of the commons to imperial domesticity and from the “girl boss” to tradwife influencer culture, this project situates the tradwife within a longer history of "housewifization"—wherein women's labor …