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Latinos (Research Report #115), Amanda D. Cawley, Mark J. Schafer, Troy Blanchard

LSU AgCenter Research Reports

This first review in this series focused on various racial and ethnic groups in the Gulf of Mexico region explores the experiences of Latinos -- a group that has gained significant local and national attention over the past 20 years as the number of Latinos residing in the area, and in the nation, has drastically increased.

Race, Memory, And Historical Responsibility: What Do Southerners Do With A Difficult Past?, Larry J. Griffin, Peggy G. Hargis

Catalyst: A Social Justice Forum

Newly emerging, transitional societies –– that is, societies that traded dictatorial or authoritarian rule for some form of open or liberal polity –– face at least three interdependent problems of what is called in legal scholarship and social science “transitional justice”: the first is how (if at all) to hold the old regime’s autocratic, often violence-laden leadership responsible for its wrongdoings while in power; the second is what (if anything) to do with thousands upon thousands of ordinary folk whose participation in, or compliance with, the old regime helped legitimate and thus perpetuate the wrongdoing; and the third task how …

Captivity, Adoption, Marriage And Identity: Native American Children In Mormon Homes, 1847-1900., Michael Kay Bennion

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Indigenes of North America's Great Basin developed a way of life based on the available resources the Basin provided. Their culture and customs provided a stable means of understanding and interacting with nature and men. Their myths elaborated on expectations, hopes, and fears, in real and metaphorical ways, as evidenced by stories of the trickster Coyote. As Great Basin bands contacted Europeans, they adjusted their resource gathering based on new technologies, such as horses and guns, as well as their myths to cope with change. This process entailed some adjustment in their perceptions of the world around them and …

Blurring Boundaries: Mexican-American Border Patrol Agents Performing Border Guard Roles And Experiencing Emotional Labor, Aaron Hockman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

As of 2008 the Border Patrol (BP) consisted of an unprecedented Hispanic majority due to heavy recruiting efforts among bilingual Mexican-American populations. Within the Mexico-U.S. border region where opportunities are otherwise limited a career with the BP provides the prospect of upward class mobility. This thesis explores the subjective experiences of seven Mexican-American BP agents from the El Paso Sector, ethnographically examining how they manage emotions to perform border guard roles. I argue that participants' subjective experiences offer insight into the larger structural forces that constrain role performance, the meaning of American identity, and the boundaries that prejudice division over …

Label Use And Mixed Race Asian Americans: Discourses, Performances, And Boundaries, Ellen Macdonald

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A person's identity is not fixed or stable, rather it changes over time and even from moment to moment (Nagel 1994). Throughout an individual's life he or she constantly cites discourses that relate specific appearances, actions, and behaviors to certain labeled social categories and those discourses make an individual intelligible as an acknowledged type of person (Butler 1990). The self, or identity, that someone presents at any point in time is comprised of the different types of information, both verbal and nonverbal, that the person provides to his audience (Goffman 1959). Labels are one verbal source of information that can …

To Make A Better World Tomorrow: St. Clair Drake And The Quakers Of Pendle Hill, Andrew Rosa

History Faculty Publications

This article is part of a larger project by the author to record St. Clair Drake’s contribution to the black radical tradition. Here he examines Drake’s involvement with the Quakers in the early years of the Depression. Drawing on writings in African American and Popular Front periodicals of the time, it considers how a Quaker community shaped Drake’s identity as an intellectual activist and how his encounter suggests the ways in which black intellectuals engaged with non-violence as a philosophy and strategy for social change before he civil rights movement. Drake’s participation in non-violent campaigns for workers’ rights, world peace …

Vol. 35 No. 1/2 (2012): Pacific Studies Front Matter, The Jonathan Nāpela Center For Hawaiian And Pacific Islands Studies Brigham Young University–HawaiʻI

Pacific Studies

Front Matter for the Vol. 35, No 1/2-April-August, 2012 edition of the Pacific Studies Journal.

Fourth Annual Meeting Of The Native American And Indigenous Studies Association (Conference Program), Institute For New England Native American Studies, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Institute for New England Native American Studies Publications

The Native American and Indigenous Studies Association (NAISA) is the premier organization for scholars in Native and Indigenous Studies, representing numerous indigenous peoples and their non-indigenous allies. The Institute for New England Native American Studies (INENAS) played a key role in planning 2012 conference, with Director Cedric Woods serving as co-chair of Executive Host Committee.

A Promised Land In The Diaspora: Christian Religion, Social Memory, And Identity Among Banabans In Fiji, Wolfgang Kempf

Pacific Studies

This article explores the evolving concept of diaspora, highlighting its departure from its original religious connotations to a broader framework encompassing migration, transnationalism, and identity. While religion has often been overlooked in contemporary diaspora studies, the article argues that Christian institutions play a pivotal role in shaping identity and social organization among Pacific Islanders living abroad. Focusing on diasporic Banabans in Fiji, the study examines how Christian discourses and biblical narratives—particularly the Exodus motif—have been appropriated to articulate a collective history of displacement and survival. The article situates Pacific migration within a historical and colonial context, demonstrating how religion functions …

Issues Of Concern To Rotumans Abroad: A View From The Rotuma Website, Alan Howard, Jan Rensel

Pacific Studies

This article examines the Rotuman diaspora and its impact on cultural identity, focusing on expatriates’ perceptions of Rotuma as an ancestral home. Despite Rotuma's political affiliation with Fiji for over a century, its people maintain distinct linguistic and cultural ties to Polynesian islands like Tonga, Samoa, and Futuna. Today, most Rotumans live abroad, primarily in Fiji and across various global locations. Drawing on decades of research and online postings from the Rotuma Website, the authors explore how expatriates engage with their heritage, sustain community connections, and navigate identity in the diaspora. Through interviews and long-term fieldwork, the study highlights the …

Vol. 35 No. 1/2 (2012): Pacific Studies Full Issue, The Jonathan Nāpela Center For Hawaiian And Pacific Islands Studies Brigham Young University–HawaiʻI

Pacific Studies

Pacific Studies is published two times a year by The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies, Brigham Young University Hawai‘i #1979, 55–220 Kulanui Street, Lāʻie, Hawai‘i 96762, but responsibility for opinions expressed in the articles rests with the authors alone. Subscription rate is US$26.00 yearly, payable to The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies. The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies (formerly The Pacific Institute) is an organization funded by Brigham Young University Hawai‘i. The Center assists the University in meeting its cultural and educational goals by undertaking a program of teaching, research, and …

Carolinians In Saipan: Shared Sensations And Subtle Voices, Susanne Kuehling

Pacific Studies

This article examines the Carolinian diaspora in Saipan, emphasizing the role of sensory experiences and "invisible belongings" in preserving cultural identity. Despite colonial disempowerment, Carolinians have maintained a sense of unity and resisted assimilation through shared memories, kinship practices, and symbolic traditions. The study explores how spatial organization, gender roles, and everyday interactions—particularly within female spaces—support cultural continuity in displacement. By analyzing the significance of flower garlands and household routines, the article highlights how migrants sustain a familiar sense of place across generations. Ultimately, it contributes to discussions on diasporic identity, mobility, and the enduring influence of sensory memory in …

Teaching Culture With A Modern Valuable: Lessons About Money For And From Tongan Youth In New Zealand, Ping-Ann Addo

Pacific Studies

This article explores how diaspora, monetary wealth, and kinship intersect in transnational Tongan families, framing diaspora as both a cultural phenomenon and a means of engaging with modernity. While remittances are often emphasized, the study examines nonremittance money practices among Tongans in New Zealand, showing how shifting uses of money redefine kinship and obligation. Traditional forms of wealth, like koloa and ngāue, remain significant, but money now plays a vital role in expressing family values and sustaining social bonds. The article highlights tensions between tradition and modernity, obligation and autonomy, and material and relational value, offering insights into how …

Kapingamarangi People In The United States, Michael D. Lieber, Willys Peters, Rosita Peters, Mike Borong

Pacific Studies

This article explores the Kapingamarangi diaspora, focusing on the formation and transformation of their communities outside their ancestral homeland. Since their initial migration to Pohnpei in 1919, Kapinga people have established enclaves across Micronesia and the United States, driven by educational opportunities and labor recruitment. The study examines how Kapinga migrants sustain cultural identity through face-to-face interactions and digital communication, redefining the concept of community in a transnational context. By analyzing their lived experiences—including challenges related to healthcare, employment, and social integration—the article highlights the interplay between traditional Kapinga cultural models and adaptation in the diaspora. Ultimately, this work contributes …

Pohnpeians In Hawai‘I: Refashioning Identity In Diaspora, Suzanne Falgout

Pacific Studies

This article explores the enduring significance of voyaging in Micronesian life, tracing its evolution from ancient exploration to modern migration. Historically, Oceanic peoples navigated vast distances, guided by sophisticated techniques such as etak, and maintained strong kinship and trade connections. Pohnpeians, once skilled voyagers, transitioned to a land-centered lifestyle due to their island’s abundant resources, yet travel remained a culturally marked practice associated with prestige and danger. In recent centuries, migration patterns have shifted, driven by colonial influences and economic necessity. Pohnpeian migrants in Hawai‘i navigate identity transformation while preserving traditional values, adapting through social networks and cultural practices. This …

Discourses On Chuukese Customary Adoption, Migration, And The Laws Of State(S), Manuel Rauchholz

Pacific Studies

This article concerns Chuukese adoption, child exchange, and fosterage practices and how they are continued or discontinued when Chuukese migrate to Guam, Hawai‘i, or the continental United States.1 By focusing on one cultural practice and the system of values attached to it, I hope to pinpoint some of the major changes that take place when key identity- shaping factors diversify and are no longer shared by an ethnic group, let alone families within that ethnic group. We will see how, for Chuukese today, “cultural citizenship” is a “dual process of self-making and being made within the webs of power linked …

Return Migration To American Samoa, Fepulea‘I Micah Van Der Ryn

Pacific Studies

This article examines the rising phenomenon of return migration to American Samoa, driven by economic, social, and familial factors. With a growing percentage of residents consisting of "returnees" from the U.S.-based Samoan diaspora, this migration reflects deep connections to land, kinship, and cultural identity. Using case studies and interviews, the study analyzes how returnees reintegrate into traditional Samoan structures, navigating values such as tautua (service), alofa (compassion), and fa‘aāloalo (respect). Differences in governance between American Samoa and independent Samoa shape migration patterns, influencing land tenure and chiefly authority. Socioeconomic and environmental factors also impact migration decisions, revealing a complex interplay …

Pacific Islands Diaspora Studies, Michael A. Rynkiewich

Pacific Studies

This article highlights the underrepresentation of Pacific Islands in diaspora studies, arguing that their migration history is deeply significant and worthy of greater academic attention. While diaspora research has expanded in recent decades, traditional frameworks such as diffusion and acculturation struggle to capture contemporary mobility patterns shaped by new technologies and global networks. The study explores how migration has evolved from ancient voyaging traditions to modern transnational connectivity, emphasizing hybridity and sustained cultural ties rather than assimilation. By examining shifting theoretical perspectives, the article calls for an updated approach to diaspora studies that better reflects Pacific Islanders' ongoing exchanges between …

You’Ll Always Be Family: Formulating Marshallese Identities In Kona, Hawai‘I, Laurence Marshall Carucci

Pacific Studies

This article examines the challenges faced by Enewetak Marshall Islanders living on the Big Island of Hawai‘i, highlighting their struggle for acceptance in a community where they often feel unwelcome. Despite U.S. President Ronald Reagan's 1985 remarks about their inclusion as "family," Marshall Islanders have encountered ethnic stereotyping and social exclusion. The study traces their displacement history, from World War II upheaval to nuclear testing, and their eventual return to a diminished homeland. Faced with limited resources and deteriorating health, many relocated to Hawai‘i, forming a growing community. The article explores how their identities have evolved in response to negative …

Spirituality As A Viable Resource In Responding To Racial Microaggressions: An Exploratory Study Of Black Males Who Attended A Community College, Lloyd Sheldon Johnson

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Upon entering college, Black males must negotiate a system that assumes they are in need of academic remediation and are lacking in higher-order critical thinking skills (Washington, 1996; Brown II, 2002; Harper, 2012). The low enrollment levels of Black males in college and their disenchantment with their college experiences has increased the likelihood that they will not be in classrooms with a diverse student population and a climate where they could feel comfortable (NSSE, 2008; Harper, 2006A; Harper, 2012). Black males who have enrolled in college must shoulder the stresses that accompany perceptions and stereotypes on campus about who they …

Fatty Acid Composition In The Mature Milk Of Bolivian Forager-Horticulturalists: Controlled Comparisons With A Us Sample, Melanie A. Martin, William D. Lassek, Steven J. C. Gaulin, Rhobert W. Evans, Sheela S. Geraghty, Barbara S. Davidson, Ardythe L. Morrow, Hillard Kaplan, Michael Gurven

ESI Publications

Breast milk fatty acid (FA) composition varies greatly among individual women, including in percentages of the long-chain polyunsaturated FAs (LCPUFA) 20:4n-6 (arachidonic acid, AA) and 22:6n-3 (docosahexaenoic acid, DHA), which are important for infant neurological development. It has been suggested that owing to wide variation in milk LCPUFA and low DHA in Western diets, standards of milk FA composition should be derived from populations consuming traditional diets. We collected breast milk samples from Tsimane women at varying lactational stages (6–82 weeks). The Tsimane are an indigenous, natural fertility, subsistence-level population living in Amazonia Bolivia. Tsimane samples were matched by lactational …

Casa Samba: Identity, Authenticity, And Tourism In New Orleans, Lauren Lastrapes

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Casa Samba is a cultural organization and samba school that has been operating in New Orleans’ performance scene since 1986. The group has been run by an American couple, Curtis and Carol Pierre, since its inception. Their son, Bomani Pierre, has been raised in the Afro-Brazilian drumming and dance practices that Casa Samba teaches and performs. Life histories of the group’s founding family are the basis of this qualitative case study. Using the details of individual lives and the context that these details provide, this dissertation seeks answers to two key questions: How and why does an American couple …

From The Womb To The Tomb: The Role Of Transfers In Shaping The Evolved Human Life History, Michael Gurven, Jonathan Stieglitz, Paul L. Hooper, Cristina Gomes, Hillard Kaplan

ESI Publications

Humans are the longest living and slowest growing of all primates. Although most primates are social, humans are highly cooperative and social in ways that likely co-evolved with the slow human life history. In this paper we highlight the role of resource transfers and non-material assistance within and across generations in shaping low human mortality rates. The use of complex cooperative strategies to minimize risk is a necessary precursor for selecting further reductions in mortality rate in late adulthood. In conjunction with changes in the age-profile of production, the impacts of resource transfers and other forms of cooperation on reducing …

New Life: Negotiating Indigenous Women's Identity In The Context Of Globalization, Angela K. Miller

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Two years ago, I began researching where I wanted to study abroad. I desired a country that spoke Spanish, which I had studied since the age of six, and that would be relevant to my life in the United States. For these reasons, I chose Mexico, a place that, because of it' s geographical proximity and economy, has strong relations with my own nation. As a student of International Studies and Anthropology, I also sought a program that would allow me to interact with locals outside of a classroom setting. I decided on SIT World Learning and its program "Sustainable …

Civil War And Globalization: The Effect Of Colonialism On Political Globalization, Luke O. Feltz

Celebration

The purpose of this paper to determine why civil war onset reduces political globalization in former British colonies. Through linear regression and logistic regression analyses, I test the affect of civil war onset and the presence of civil war on political globalization, controlling for former British colonies, French colonies, and other factors. More important, however, is the history behind British colonialism. Through setting up a unique institutional system and maintaining ties to its former colonies, the British have created an atmosphere conducive to international political engagement after the onset of civil war. This study shows that while civil war onset …

Christian Progress And American Myth: A Deep Cultural Analysis Of Spatiality And Exceptionalism In Struggles Over American Indian Lands, Bradley J. Klein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although typically characterized in politico-economic, social, and environmental terms, land struggles involving American Indian communities can be more accurately and valuably characterized as deep culture conflicts over the problem of space. As scholars like Vine Deloria Jr. and Tink Tinker contend, a significant distinction can be noted between the traditional American Indian and White Western approaches to this problem regarding how human communities should relate to particular spatial locations. In short, while Indian peoples tend to situate their identities relative to clearly defined places or lands, individuals of European descent are inclined to subordinate spatial relations to temporal concerns. Considering …

The Truth Between The Teeth: An Analysis Of Interproximal Tooth Wear At The Ables Creek Cemetery, Amy Reynolds Warren

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Current archaeological knowledge suggests that, by the Late Mississippian period, inhabitants of the southeastern United States had adopted maize agriculture and that maize was a key component of the normal diet. However, in some regions where wild food resources were easily attainable, there is evidence that the transition to agriculture was delayed or did not occur at all. This thesis examines Late Mississippian skeletal collections from two sites in eastern Arkansas, Ables Creek and Upper Nodena. Analysis of differences in interproximal tooth wear facet size and caries rates between the two populations reveals that the diets at these roughly contemporary …

The Sacred Role Of Animal Beings In Iroquois Lore, Melissa J. Martinelli

English Theses

The act of storytelling provides a connection between the spiritual and physical spheres, and the Haudenosaunee people (more commonly recognized as Iroquois) utilize the oral narrative to convey the most sacred truths of their culture. In focusing primarily upon animals and animal beings, one can recognize the deep reverence traditional tribal members feel toward animals as certain legends seek to unite individuals with the spirits, personalities, and bodies of such creatures in narrative form. Too often animals are overlooked as “lesser” beings, yet in legends of the Iroquois they possess potent orenda (great power) that can help one achieve success …

August 28, 1963: Building Community Through Collective Discourse, Jennifer Nestelberger

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The August 28, 1963 March on Washington is often remembered primarily for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, which serves as the pinnacle of civil rights movement oratory. This thesis, in contrast, examines speeches of the leaders of the "Big Six" organizations that preceded King's well-known words in order to shed light on the complexities of the movement and the outcomes that can result from meaningful dissent. Occurring at a time of division, the March emerged as a symbol of hope for change in the nation. The addresses of the day reflected this hope and helped build …

Valley Of Fire Petroglyphs: A New Perspective On An Old Idea, Eric John Pacl

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research paper proposes to enhance the approach used in the interpretative methods of petroglyphs, in particular those located in the Valley of Fire State Park in Southern Nevada. Along with the actual content, the contextual element of elevation, in relation to ground level, will be used in an analysis of the petroglyphs located in the park. Intermittently throughout the park petroglyphs are visible at various elevations, from current ground level to the top of the rock formations several hundred feet vertically. It is this contextual element of elevation that will be key in the attempt to begin interpreting both …