Digital Commons Network^™

Beyond The Legal Black Hole: Hyper-Legality, Deferral, And Detention In Northeast Syria, Grace T. Harmon

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the detention of suspected ISIS affiliates and their family members held in facilities administered by the Kurdish-led authorities in North-East Syria. Thousands of foreign nationals remain detained without trial, without repatriation, and in conditions widely criticized as inhumane. Existing scholarship and political discourse often describe these facilities as legal voids, limbo, or black holes where law has broken down or ceased to apply. This thesis challenges that characterization. Rather than existing outside the law, the facilities are governed through overlapping frameworks of international humanitarian law, international human rights law, counterterrorism security resolutions, and domestic laws. I argue …

How Can Egypt’S Technical And Vocational Education System Be Adapted To Improve The Employability Of Autistic Youth And Adults?, Miriam A. Menkarious

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis provides original qualitative evidence on autism, employability, and TVET in an LMIC context, focusing on Egypt’s ongoing TVET reforms. The research investigated barriers and facilitators to employment for autistic youth and adults in Egypt, with a particular focus on technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as a potential pathway into work, and explored stakeholder perspectives on the potential, barriers, and conditions for adapting the Egyptian TVET system to improve their employability. Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) framework, this qualitative study relied on 20 semi-structured in-depth interviews with autistic youth and adults, parents …

A Policy Analysis Of Accountability And Governance In Journalism By Artificial Intelligence (Ai) In Egypt, Amira Ahmed Salama

Theses and Dissertations

The growing use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and AI-assisted tools in journalism raises governance questions concerning accountability, human oversight, transparency, verification, editorial responsibility, and implementation. In Egypt, these issues arise within an emerging but fragmented governance environment that includes national AI guidance, media regulation, professional self-regulation, and developing newsroom practices. This study examines how these arrangements can be integrated into a coherent national sector-specific policy framework for GenAI and AI-assisted journalism.

The study adopts a qualitative methodology combining a descriptive qualitative document analysis with stakeholder semi-structured interviews. Four governance instruments were analyzed: the Council of Europe’s Guidelines on the …

Nourishing Births: A Program Evaluation Proposal For Community-Based Nutrition Education, Food Access, And Garden Engagement Among Black Birthing People, Naa Deedei-Vera Hammond

Master's Projects and Capstones

Black birthing people in the United States continue to experience unequal maternal health outcomes, shaped in part by racism and barriers to nutritious food, culturally relevant health education, and supportive community spaces. While prenatal nutrition education and food assistance programs can provide important resources, information alone cannot address the challenges many people face when trying to access healthy and affordable food during pregnancy. The Nourishing Births Initiative is a proposed community-based maternal health program designed to respond to these needs by bringing together prenatal nutrition education, help connecting to food resources, community gardening, and peer support for Black birthing people …

Correctional Officer Suicide: A Theory-Driven Investigation Of Acquired Capability And Suicide Behavior, Abigail R. Andersen

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A growing body of research suggests that correctional officers (COs) die by suicide at a significantly higher rate compared to the general population and some other public safety personnel. Despite what is known about this phenomenon, an understanding of the risk factors driving the high rate of suicide among this population remains unclear. Specifically, little attention has been paid to specific risk factors for suicide among this population and there is an overall absence of theory-driven research investigating CO suicide. The present study sought to address the gap in this area of research by investigating potential risk factors for suicide …

When The Bridge Is Not At Sea : Investigating Transfer Of Learning From Full-Mission Bridge Simulator To Navigation Training Onboard, Thammawan Phanphichit

World Maritime University Ph.D. Dissertations

This dissertation explores, through a mixed-methods approach, how fullmission bridge simulators support transfer of learning to navigation training onboard, and under what conditions transfer can be trusted. Qualitative and quantitative components were integrated across the four articles. The first study explores how key onboard training stakeholders perceive its challenges, limitations, and the possibility of reducing required sea-time. Findings show broad agreement that OBT remains important, though openness to simulator use was conditional on credible evidence that simulator-developed competence can transfer onboard. The second and third studies examine this through transfer of learning theory. A systematic review identifies elements influencing transfer …

Mind The Hazard: Modeling And Interpreting Comfort With Personalized Sensing, Yufei Zhang, Matteo Favero, Patrick Chwalek, Sailin Zhong, Denis Lalanne, A. Joseph Paradiso, Clayton Miller, Andrew Sonta

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Recent advances in personalized sensing and comfort feedback have spurred the development of data-driven comfort models tailored to individual needs. However, because current models treat sequential comfort feedback independently, they are subject to unstable predictions and limited interpretability, hindering their deployment in building management. This study introduces a dynamic modeling framework that utilizes a Neural Ordinary Differential Equations-based Continuous-time Markov Chain to model the transitions in comfort states over time. Our modeling approach, developed through a field study utilizing smart glasses and mobile app feedback, tracks occupants' comfort transitions across daily activities and contexts. The results demonstrate that this model …

Towards Equitable Protection: The Legal And Societal Invisibility Of Unmarried Relationships And Dating Violence In India, Annet Shaju, Aditi Padiyar

Journal of International Women's Studies

In India, unmarried romantic relationships, and especially cohabitation, are cultural taboos for which women unequivocally bear the brunt of societal stigma and moral scrutiny. Although India’s Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (PWDV) explicitly includes women in unmarried relationships, deeply entrenched socio-cultural bias permeates institutional mechanisms, impeding support, legal assistance, and protection for unmarried women. The 2025 state mandate to register unmarried relationships involving cohabitation signals a shift towards increased moral policing and infringement of privacy and autonomy. Such repressive rules risk being counterproductive; there is a need for regulations that prioritize women’s empowerment and broader societal changes …

The Nevada Innovation Economy And Federal Funding, Len Jessup, Sean Curry

Policy Briefs and Reports

This policy brief examines the nascent Nevada innovation economy and the funding capacity of the federal government. The analysis highlights how federal innovation programs have stimulated research, commercialization, and long-term economic development in Nevada. Using a multi-level framework encompassing technological, industrial, and spatial innovation, this policy brief documents how federal research funding, augmented by state programs and university infrastructure, has contributed to the formation of new research capabilities, seeded industry clusters and startups, and expanded workforce capacity. The findings suggest that federal resources have been productively deployed to date, generating significant scientific, economic, and social returns, but that more must …

A Trauma-Informed And Collaborative Approach To Safe And Sustained Family Reunification, Alissa M. Cummins

Master of Arts in Human Services

Family reunification involves more than returning a child to the care of their biological family; it requires the sustained promotion of child safety, stability, and family well-being. This literature review examined how trauma-informed and collaborative approaches support safe, stable, and lasting reunification within the child welfare system. The review explored adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and developmental, psychological, family, and socioeconomic risk factors associated with child welfare involvement and permanency outcomes, as well as protective factors such as supportive relationships, caregiver well-being, resilience, and access to services and resources. Analysis of the literature identified three interconnected principles essential to successful reunification: …

State Of Illinois Model Programs Of Study Overview Guide, Education Systems Center

Reports, Analyses, and other Publications

This guide provides foundational information that underpins all of the State of Illinois Model Programs of Study Guides, including their purpose, intended audiences, key terminology, the development process for identifying high-priority occupations and credentials, cross-sector competencies, the work-based learning continuum, and how to implement the guides.

Innovative Development Of Synthetic Biology Industry From Perspective Of Deep Integration Of Four Chains, Qin Guo, Chao Zhang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Future industries represent the development direction of technological innovation and emerging industries, and are the main path to accelerate the formation of new quality productivity. As an important subsector of the future industry, synthetic biology industry is becoming a new track and new format for new quality productivity, and various regions are making cutting-edge directions such as synthetic biology industry a hot topic for future industrial layout. Based on the analysis of typical cities such as Shenzhen, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Changzhou, the current integration of the Four Chains in the synthetic biology industry is facing a four-dimensional dilemma …

Ai-Driven Drug Innovation Research: Trends, Challenges, And Countermeasures, Tian Miao, Qi Zhou, Lianzheng Zhou, Weijun Xu, Siyuan Liu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is profoundly transforming the innovation paradigm, industrial ecosystem, and business model of drug research and development. In recent years, the global AI-driven pharmaceutical market has grown rapidly. Major economies, multinational pharmaceutical enterprises, and technology giants are accelerating their strategic deployment. AI pharmaceutical industry has entered a critical stage of transitioning from proof-of-concept to commercial-application. China attaches great importance to the integrated development of AI and the biopharmaceutical industry, but it still faces challenges, including data scarcity, talent shortages, algorithmic black-boxes, regulatory lag, and weak foundations. This study proposes measures from the aspects of data supply, talent cultivation, …

Artificial Intelligence For Scientific Research: Strategic Landscape And Development Recommendations, Jiaofeng Pan, Feng Zhang, Jing Wu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Artificial intelligence is currently driving the evolution of scientific research toward a “fifth paradigm” characterized by intelligence. Major global economies are elevating the integration of AI into scientific research (AI for Science, AI4S) to the level of national strategy, rapidly rolling out strategic plans and policy measures amidst intensifying global strategic competition in this field. Based on analyzing the typical paradigms and strategic value of AI4S, this study examines the global strategic landscape by focusing on major economies such as the United States, the European Union, and Japan; compares and analyzes their policy frameworks regarding organizational coordination, platform development, and …

Dual Helix Drive For High-Level Technological Self-Reliance And Self-Improvement: Systematic Interaction Between Strategic Scientists And The Chinese Spirit Of Scientists, Jianqiang Li, Side Hu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Achieving high-level technological self-reliance and self-improvement necessitates the cultivation of commensurate strategic soft power. This study aims to elucidate how strategic scientists and the Chinese spirit of scientists, through deep-seated “systematic interaction”, form a “dual helix engine” that propels the national innovation system toward an advanced stage. Drawing on complex adaptive systems theory, a three-layer dynamic interaction model is constructed comprising “value internalization–organizational empowerment – ecological co-evolution”. The findings indicate that strategic scientists serve as the personified carriers and strategic executors of the Chinese spirit of scientists. Through paradigm guidance, institutional creation, and cross-boundary catalysis, they translate spiritual values into …

Two Modes Of Sustainable Development Transition, Shuai Zhang, Dajian Zhu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Sustainable development has become a global consensus. Every country should carry out sustainable development transition. Due to large differences in development stages and the ecological impacts imposed on the Earth, developed countries and developing countries ought to adopt different modes of sustainable development transition. By using the Doughnut model as an analytical tool, which has made a significant impact at the forefront of sustainable development research, this paper thoroughly discusses the two modes of sustainable development transition. The Transition Mode of Developed Countries (Mode B) refers to transition from the outer circle to the middle circle of the Doughnut model. …

Resource Security Research In China In The New Era: Evolving Concepts, Paradigm Shifts, And Strategic Pathways, Dong Jiang, Jinwei Dong, Yanzhao Yang, Jingying Fu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Resource security serves as a critical foundation for safeguarding national security and underpinning high-quality socioeconomic development. Major geopolitical conflicts, such as the Russia–Ukraine conflict and the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, have intensified turbulence across global resource supply chains, positioning resource security as a central arena of strategic competition among nations. As a major consumer and trading power in global resource markets, China faces persistently high import dependence for critical mineral resources, and the pressure to ensure resource security amid the pursuit of high-quality development continues to mount. Against this backdrop, resource security is evolving from a narrow focus on supply …

Progress, Challenges, And Policy Recommendations For China’S Climate Investment And Financing Pilot Zones In Context Of Carbon Neutrality, Xianchun Tan, Zhaoyang Deng, Chenxu Wang, Zhe Peng

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

To implement the decisions and arrangements of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on addressing climate change and to channel more capital toward climate action, China launched its first batch of 23 climate investment and finance pilot areas in 2022. Through the end of 2025, this study tracks and assesses of pilot development, synthesizes innovative models, identifies major challenges, and proposes policy recommendations. The results show that the pilot areas have made solid progress, with more than 260 supporting policy documents issued and over 6 300 projects, representing total planned investment exceeding RMB …

Toward 2035: 20 Fundamental Scientific Problems In Artificial Intelligence, Working Group For Artificial Intelligence Advancement Chinese Academy Of Sciences

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The development of the artificial intelligence （AI） discipline is effectively expanding the capability boundaries of AI. To explore the foundational theories and underlying core technologies for next-generation of general AI, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has formulated 20 fundamental scientific problems in AI. Centered on “disciplinary reconstruction of AI foundational theories (Y+AI)” and “AI-enabled applications of complex systems across multiple domains (AI+X)”, these problems are characterized by multiple complexities including openness, high dimensionality, high dynamism, large scale, and cross-scale properties.

Constructing The Cyber Workforce Gap: Measurement And Its Consequences, Ryan Straight

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Cyber workforce-gap figures steer federal strategy, industry advocacy, and the growth of educational programs. Rather than estimating the U.S. gap, this review examines how the estimates are made: through job-posting analytics, survey-based estimation, and federal accounting, each of which must assume its way from instrument to labor market. A census of this journal's complete run illustrates what those figures underwrite in one venue: of 176 items published across eleven years, 51 invoke a labor-market workforce claim, 46 treat it as settled fact, and only one, an editorial, interrogates it. Meanwhile, the producers and auditors of those figures have diverged. Between …

Transitory Ownership: A Spatial Analysis Of The Financialization Of The Housing Market In Cincinnati, Oh, Chad Kinsella, Colleen Mctague, Rafael Ranieri

The Journal of Economics and Politics

The mortgage bubble that burst in 2007 created an economic environment where many housing properties were transferred from individual households to investors hoping for quick profits with minimal investment. These properties were traded among investors, businesses, and lenders; they acquired a market identity as financial assets; and many of these properties were acquired by “out-of-area” interests. This study examines properties purchased by out-of-area interests that were sold in 2009 within the City of Cincinnati in an attempt to identify the spatial implications of the financialization of this housing stock. The analysis finds that many of these properties were sold multiple …

A Tale Of Two Administrations: A Comparison Between The George W. Bush And The Barack H. Obama Administrations On Border Security, Marcos L. Misis

The Journal of Economics and Politics

Border security remains a prominent political issue in 2018. During the 2016 presidential campaign, candidates from the Republican and Democratic parties referred to the effectiveness, or lack thereof, of policies about border security that were implemented by the Bush and Obama Administrations. This article analyzes the policies implemented by both administrations and compares them in order to assess the validity of claims about these policies made by presidential candidates from both parties during the 2016 campaign. In addition, this article quantitatively analyzes data from immigration and border enforcement policies for both the Bush and Obama administrations and offers possible policy …

Research On The Early Warning Model Of Online Public Opinion Risk Based On Cross-Social-Media Platforms, Tiejun Cheng, Tong Wang, Jianxiang Wei, Lanping Feng

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance] Under the influence of cross-social media interactions, online public opinion can ferment simultaneously across different media platforms, deeply interact, and resonate multiple times, which is more likely to trigger a chain reaction of risks or even new types of risks. Therefore, it is significant to analyze the interactive influence of risks based on cross-social media public opinion data to promote the management of online public opinion towards preemptive prevention and early warning. [Method/process] Firstly, based on the analysis of the risk characteristics of cross-social media public opinion, a risk early warning indicator system for cross-social media online public opinion …

Research On Interdisciplinary Scientific Research Behavior Of Nobel Prize Laureates In The Field Of Natural Sciences, Gao Zhi, Gang Sun

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance] This study explores the evolutionary patterns of interdisciplinary research behavior among Nobel Prize laureates in natural sciences over their careers and its impact on academic performance, aiming to provide theoretical foundations and policy implications for the cultivation of high-level scientific talents and the management of interdisciplinary research. [Method/process] The study focuses on Nobel Prize laureates in natural sciences who began publishing papers since 1960. Using panel data models, it analyzes the authorship patterns, volume, interdisciplinarity, and academic impact of interdisciplinary publications from a career perspective. [Result/conclusion] The interdisciplinary behavior of Nobel Prize laureates in natural sciences exhibits significant stage-based …

Overcoming Barriers To Housing And Community Engagement In The Bronx, Pamela Ransom Dr., Aboubkar Keita

eJournal of Public Affairs

Understanding the complex factors affecting engagement related to available community resources related to housing access and supports in urban areas where housing is scarce, is crucial because of the varied hazards contributing to current high levels of housing demand and stress impacting large numbers. This project explored perceptions, barriers, and opportunities to foster community engagement around housing supports, with a special focus on issues in the Bronx in New York City. By prioritizing attention to a holistic, collaborative approach to needs assessment and implementation of a pilot project for change using the Constructive Action educational methodology, the article presents a …

Creating Student-Generated Infographics To Foster Civic Engagement Research In A First-Year Seminar, Carlton A. Usher

eJournal of Public Affairs

Infographics, visual tools like charts or diagrams, simplify complex data into accessible formats. This study explores how student-generated infographics foster civic engagement in a first-year seminar. Survey data from first-year students (N=29) revealed 85% rated the project highly valuable, and 87% reported improved retention of societal issues. While research was the least favored aspect, students praised the project’s creativity and peer-sharing potential, with 40% emphasizing its value for visual learning. Most expressed confidence in sharing their work publicly. These findings support the use of infographics as a pedagogical tool for enhancing civic engagement among first-year students navigating academic transitions. Future …

Decoding Officer Wellness: A Qualitative Descriptive Study Of The Decision-Making Processes In Law Enforcement Administrations And Government Partnerships, Erik Lee Peffer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe how law enforcement administrators in Orange County, California, in collaboration with the governments they serve, make decisions regarding the development, implementation, and evaluation of officer wellness programs. Lewin's Change Theory guided the study and framed the movement from unfreezing to changing to refreezing. Ten administrators participated in semi-structured interviews. Each administrator had at least five years of experience and held decision-making authority over officer wellness initiatives. The data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. Screening and demographic questionnaires, field notes, and member checking were also used to support …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Law Enforcement Supervisors’ Perspectives On Agency Efforts To Identify And Prevent Extremism Among Active-Duty Officers, Enoch D. Irvine

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The presence of political extremism among active-duty law enforcement represents a very real threat to the safety of citizens and the integrity of the policing profession. The purpose of this study was to have law enforcement supervisors describe what their agencies are doing to identify and prevent political extremism among active-duty officers in Utah. Law enforcement supervisors from three specifically chosen case-study agencies were invited to participate via a combination of semi-structured in-person interviews and an online survey. The findings of this study demonstrate the challenges law enforcement supervisors face in addressing extremism among officers while thoroughly highlighting the lack …

Muscle Shoals: A Plan For The Use Of The United States Properties On The Tennessee Power By Private Industry For Of "The Manufacture Of Fertilizers And Other Useful Products", Muscle Shoals Commission, United States Government Printing Office Washington: 1931

Documents

A plan created by the Muscle Shoals commission for instituting a series of fertilizer production operations in the Tennessee Valley area. In addition to written analysis, the document contains multiple images, illustrations, charts, graphs, and maps of the area to illustrate the reasoning of the plan.

Although the plan was never fully brought to fruition, it represents a crucial piece of agricultural and infrastructural history in the Shoals, Alabama alongside existent history on the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and the development of the nitrate plants.

Indigenous Religion And Community Order: Crime Prevention Strategies Among Worshippers Of Igbe Orhe In Nigeria, Onoseme Fortune Afatakpa Dr

African Journal of Criminology and Justice Studies

This ethnographic study examines crime prevention strategies within Igbe Orhe, an indigenous African religious tradition practiced in Delta State, Nigeria. While existing security studies primarily emphasize formal and direct approaches to crime prevention, this research foregrounds the less explored structural mechanisms embedded in cultural spirituality. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with purposively selected participants, including the Uku Supreme (global leader), High Priests (Uku), High Priestess (Omote Uku), Chief Priests (Inori), Chief Priestesses (Ini Igbe), and Votary Singers (Akpine). Two focus group discussions were also conducted with female and youth members of selected …