Digital Commons Network^™

"I Know Who I Am": Draw-And-Tell Conversations With Gender-Creative Children, Eline Leemans Lenne

Dissertations and Theses

A growing number of children identify in various gender-creative ways, likely due to broader social awareness and affirmation of transgenderism. Gender-creative children face higher risks for adverse social, academic, mental health, and healthcare outcomes compared to non-transgender peers. Support from loved ones along with guidance from pediatric providers can mitigate poor outcomes and ensure that gender-creative children live healthy and happy lives. Young gender-creative children's perspectives about the aforementioned topics are markedly absent from the literature, which instead highlights adolescent and adult proxy perspectives.

In this participatory arts-based study anchored by a constructivist epistemology and informed by post-structuralist, queer, and …

“They Love Our Rhythm, But Not Our Blues:” An Examination Of The Relationship Between Hip Hop On Depression, Anxiety, And Self-Care Among African American And Hispanic/Latinx Emerging Adults, Richard W. Wiley Jr.

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Depression and anxiety are among the most common mental health problems for emerging adults of color in higher education. Specifically, African American/Black and Hispanic/Latinx emerging adults on college campuses have poorer mental health than their White counterparts. Considering the systemic oppression and cultural stressors that impact mental health among African American/Black and Hispanic/Latinx students, Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Emerging Adulthood Theory were theoretical frameworks for this study. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Hip Hop music and depression, anxiety, and intentional use as self-care among African American/Black and Hispanic/Latinx emerging adults who were college …

Heroes At The Clinic, Dalila Ulloa Perez

FUSION

This project explores different themes of heroism as seen through comparing my volunteer experience at the Veterinary Clinic at the Avenues in Marietta with major works of World Literature. It is shown how dedicated and selfless the staff are, as well as how strong and content the animals are. It puts an emphasis on how little acts of service can truly make a meaningful impact as it helps to create a broader understanding of heroism in our society.

For this assignment, students were asked to examine modern and ancient literary definitions of heroism by completing community service hours in person …

Reframing Information Seeking In The Age Of Generative Ai: A Critical And Humanistic Approach, Joseph Kevin Sebastian

Library Faculty Research

Information-seeking has long been the subject of theoretical modeling, often drawing from cognitive, behavioral, computational, and even evolutionary perspectives to explain how individuals navigate, filter, and utilize information. Several dominant frameworks—Carol Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process, Marcia Bates’ Berrypicking Model, Peter Pirolli & Stuart Card’s Information Foraging Theory, Kiyohiko Nakamura’s Information Criteria framework, and Ian Ruthven’s Information Shaping Theory —have provided structured ways of understanding how people interact with information environments. However, while these frameworks offer valuable insights, they often operate within mechanistic or efficiency-driven paradigms, which risk overlooking the complex, embodied, and socioculturally situated nature of human information behaviors. These …

Revolting Drag: Filth, Horror, And The Queer Art Of Monstrosity, Claire-Scott A. Lynch

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis examines how The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, a horror-themed reality drag competition series, uses monstrosity as a tool of queer resistance. In contrast to mainstream drag representations, which often promote assimilationist ideals, Dragula embraces filth, grotesqueries, and failure as strategies of disrupting normative structures. Grounded in queer theory and queer of color critique, this thesis uses thematic analysis to explore how Dragula mobilizes monstrosity to resist normative portrayals of queerness. Through close analysis of the show’s season finales, the study identifies three major themes: grotesque aesthetics, beyond the binary, and identity as resistance. These findings reveal how Dragula positions …

Full Issue, Kritika Kultura

Kritika Kultura

No abstract provided.

2025 April News Report, Morehead State University. Office Of Communications & Marketing.

Communications and Marketing Publications Archive

The April 2025 Morehead State University News Report.

Turning Farm Waste Into Energy: Pragmatic Approaches For Cleaner Midwestern American Communities, Rebecca Gaisie

Selected or Submitted Student Research Papers/Projects

Mismanagement of farm waste in the Midwest of the United States has resulted in significant methane emissions, water contamination, and public health concerns. The present manure management rules are still inconsistent, underfunded, and insufficient to motivate individuals to behave in a way that benefits the environment, despite increasing concerns about the environment. This policy study investigates anaerobic digestion as a potential means to convert waste into energy that could support rural and environmental development. Some of the problems with the federal and state legislation examined in this study under an EPI framework are a lack of incentives, inadequate technical support, …

Fisheries Management Paper No.286: Western Australian Octopus Resource Harvest Strategy, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

Harvest strategies for Western Australia’s (WA) aquatic resources are formal documents developed to support decision-making processes that ensure the outcomes are consistent with the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD; Fletcher 2002a) and Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM; Fletcher et al. 2012). Harvest strategies are a key component of all contemporary fishery management systems and a requirement for certification under the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). The objectives of ESD are reflected in the objectives of the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (FRMA).

This Octopus Resource Harvest Strategy (Harvest Strategy) has been developed and revised in line with the Harvest Strategy …

Polarization And The Decline Of Economic Voting In American National Elections, Christopher Ellis, Joseph Daniel Ura

Working Papers

No abstract provided.

Spring 2025 Library Newsletter, Minnesota State University, Mankato. Library Services

Library Services Newsletters

Minnesota State University, Mankato Library Services newsletter (Volume 30, Issue 2) for Spring 2025.

Examining The Effect Of Climate Change Denialism In American Christianity On International Climate Policy, Hope Mcbride

Selected Honors Theses

While 53% of Americans say anthropogenic climate change is happening, only 32% of American evangelical Protestants share that belief (Alper). Key reasons for this gap include the values and political affiliations held by religious Americans. Historically, there have been dissenting opinions on the role of Christianity in global warming, but ultimately data have demonstrated that the opinions of American Christians can influence major global political decisions, such as President Trump’s executive order pulling the United States out of the keystone Paris Agreement.

The Familiar Stranger An Ethnographic Account Of Khamlia Berhane, Lidya, Lidya Berhane

Morocco: Human Rights, Social Justice, and Cultural Transformation

This ISP is an autoethnographic exploration of Khamlia, a small rural village settled in southeastern Morocco at the edge of the Sahara Desert. Conducted over two weeks, this study engages with themes of indigeneity and identity, Gnawa music and culture, and the complex dynamics of tourism, particularly heritage tourism, and its effects on a town like Khamlia. Particular attention is given to how Gnawa music is performed and utilized as a tool of cultural heritage. The autoethnography also delves into gender roles, family dynamics, and the environmental consequences of tourism on both Khamlia and the surrounding Sahara. Additionally, it reflects …

Strategies Of Animal Rescue Organizations In Agadir, Morocco: Addressing Cultural, Biological, And Government Challenges, Jacey Lynn Ramos

Morocco: Human Rights, Social Justice, and Cultural Transformation

Animal rescue organizations in Agadir, Morocco, play a critical role in confronting the intersecting challenges of stray animal overpopulation, zoonotic disease risks, and insufficient government support. This research examines how these organizations respond to cultural perspectives, public health concerns, and state-endorsed culling policies through a combination of field observation, social media analysis, and interviews. Focusing on two major NGOs (Non- Government Organizations) including Sunshine Animal Refuge Agadir (SARA) and Morocco Animal Aid (MAA), the study compares their outreach strategies, operational transparency, and organizational effectiveness. Findings reveal that while SARA offers a structured, humane model centered on TNVR (Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return) and community …

The Healing Power And Commodification Of Gnawa Music And Black Identity In Southern Morocco, Isabel Rodriguez

Morocco: Human Rights, Social Justice, and Cultural Transformation

This project explores the contemporary role of Gnawa music in Morocco through an ethnographic study in the village of Khamlia in the Southeast region of Morocco. Gnawa people are known for their spiritual traditions, specifically their musical rituals. The Gnawa have used music as a tool for healing, remembrance, and expression. This research investigates how Gnawa music is practiced today and how it functions as a form of commodification and racialized tourism. The study draws from both field observations and heavy literature analysis in various fields including research in colonial trauma, Black identity in Morocco, and clinical applications of music …

Setting The Scene: Young Tunisian Women, Hip-Hop Liberation Theologies, And The Issue Of Identities, Brandon Hicks

Tunisia and Italy: Politics and Religious Integration in the Mediterranean

This paper explores how hip hop culture functions as a liberating theological and political force for young Tunisian women navigating questions of identity, faith, and belonging. Situated at the intersection of post-revolutionary Tunisia, gender politics, and global hip hop culture, this study argues that hip hop offers a critical space where young women resist traditional religious structures and patriarchal norms while forging new modes of spiritual and political expression. Drawing on original interviews, survey data, and theological frameworks such as liberation theology, Marxist critique, and process thought, the paper presents hip hop as both an aesthetic and ethical practice that …

Volume 2 (April 2025), The Bear Counseling Collective

The Bear Counseling Collective

A journal of student counselors' reflections on culturally attentive mental health care and advocacy.

Volume 40, Issue 1

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Cuando El Cáncer Se Volvió Colectivo: Testimonios De Una Syndemia Silenciada En Arica, Chile, Isabella Gomez

Chile: Public Health, Traditional Medicine, and Community Empowerment

This independent research study examines the prolonged and multifaceted environmental contamination in Arica, Chile, and its potential impact on public health. Although Arica has historically been a key port city, its industrial role has also made it a site of significant environmental injustice. This study poses the following research question: What are the sources and perceived impacts of environmental contamination in Arica, and how have local communities responded to institutional silence and the lack of accountability? Using a descriptive and qualitative methodology, fieldwork was conducted over several weeks in the city. In-depth interviews were carried out with residents, community leaders, …

Transmisión Vertical De La Enfermedad De Chagas En Inmigrantes Gestantes En Arica: Avances, Barreras Y Desafíos, Ava Van Gelder

Chile: Public Health, Traditional Medicine, and Community Empowerment

Chagas disease, one of the 13 recognized Neglected Tropical Diseases, is traditionally transmitted by the Triatominae insect. However, in Chile, vector-borne transmission has been interrupted and vertical transmission (from mother to child) has emerged as the primary concern. This study explores the impacts of vertical transmission on the immigrant population in Arica, Chile, a city located at the borders of Bolivia and Perú, where approximately 10% of the population consists of immigrants. Semi-structured interviews (n = 9) were conducted with health professionals in Arica, as well as researchers based the Atacama region. Epidemiological factors, diagnosis, treatment, barriers to health, emotional …

Delta-8 Tetrahydrocannabinol Policy And Related Health Impact Among College-Aged Individuals In South Carolina: A Scoping Review, Emily K. Luoma

Senior Theses

After the 2018 Farm Bill passed, loopholes were quickly found that led to the popularization of delta-8 THC, a derivative of delta-9 THC, more commonly known as marijuana. Use of this substance became particularly high in states that criminalized marijuana, such as South Carolina. This scoping review aimed to assess South Carolina’s current delta-8 policies in the context of health-related impacts among college-aged students. Comprehensively analyzing the results of relevant studies, it was determined that there are three commonly observed threats to public health that are direct outcomes of existing policies: 1) a lack of quality control standards; 2) misleading …

The Stigma Surrounding Sex And Sexuality In American Culture, Sophia L. Pollock

Senior Theses

An important question to examine is the origin and implications of the taboo against sex and sexuality. The stigma against these topics encourages negative public health implications like poor sex education, high rates of sexually transmitted infections, and teen pregnancy. History of sexual stigma was examined through physical media and digital articles from the Thomas Cooper Library databases. The background and global perspective of these stigmas are covered, examining how past and distant cultures deal with sex. How sex is portrayed in the media, why a healthy sex life is important, and the subject of sex education are also addressed. …

How Do Children Learn How To Learn? Promoting Early Development At Home Through Play: A Scoping Review, Annika J. Larson

Senior Theses

Early childhood is a critical time in human development, during which children are discovering and practicing countless skills, from basic motor and language skills to problem-solving, self-regulation, memory, and other foundational abilities like literacy and math skills. From infancy through childhood, play is thought to be the primary condition under which most early skills are developed and perfected. During this time, young children are especially vulnerable to adversity and negative environmental influences due to their brains’ high plasticity; adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impact an individual well beyond early childhood, specifically in early skills deficits. Play is known to be a …

From Trend To Trash: Unraveling The Waste Issue In Fast Fashion And Its Impact On Ghana, Rowan Kilbridge

Student Theses 2015-Present

Fast fashion, with its rapid production cycles and low-cost clothing, is significantly worsening the global waste crisis by driving overconsumption and excessive garment disposal. This thesis examines how fast fashion's business model contributes to the escalating problems of textile waste, microplastics, and chemical pollution, with a specific focus on Ghana. Chapter 1 provides a comprehensive overview of the industry's impact on Ghana’s ecosystem services, supported by both quantitative and qualitative data. Chapter 2 offers a historical analysis of fast fashion, highlighting the evolution of consumer culture and the increasing emphasis on overconsumption driven by marketing strategies and the constant demand …

Who’S More Likely To Do Science Philanthropy? Research On The Factors Influencing Chinese Private Entrepreneurs’ Willingness To Do Science Philanthropy, Tsz Ho Tony Lau

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

China’s investment in scientific research funds feature relatively small amount and unitary structure of source. In recent years, the Chinese government has constantly issued policies to encourage social capital to participate in scientific research, especially fundamental research, by charitable donations or the like, but no significant results have been achieved. China's private entrepreneurs are the main force behind charitable giving. Therefore, it is imperative to engage these private entrepreneurs.

This thesis works on the characteristics of private entrepreneurs who are more likely to donate to scientific research. It can be divided into two parts/studies of research: 1) the impact of …

Building Resilient Vaccine Cold Chains In Sub-Saharan Africa, Maya Tilley

Switzerland: Global Health and Development Policy

The world has made great strides in public health in the past century, with the introduction of vaccines revolutionizing preventative care. Continued research and development has allowed for increased vaccine roll-out, but with a growing number of people to vaccinate, immunization supply chains have struggled to keep up. The cold chain–the systems of refrigeration that keep vaccines cool–is a key facet of the global immunization supply chain. Most vaccines require storage between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius, throughout their whole journey from manufacture to the last-mile. Insufficient cold chain management and technology has led to considerable vaccine wastage, while many …

April 2025 Library & Learning Newsletter, Minnesota State University, Mankato. Library & Learning Dean’S Office Communications Team

Library & Learning Newsletters

PDF version of the April 2025 (Volume 3, Issue 6) Library & Learning Newsletter.

Marine Animalia Diversity And Coral Reef Condition At Big Creek Beach And Boca Del Drago, Bocas Del Toro, Panamá: A Decade Of Change, Lucy Cornett

Panama: Tropical Ecology, Marine Ecosystems, and Biodiversity Conservation

As the oceans’ largest biological structure, coral reefs provide vital ecosystem services, including coastline production, food production, tourism, and preservation of biodiversity. The calm waters provided by the Bocas del Toro archipelago protection from the Caribbeans Sea promotes many coral reefs because of the calmer waters caused by protection from the Caribbean Sea. While many reefs are present, increases in tourism and other anthropogenic threats make monitoring the health of these coral reefs and the diversity of marine organisms of the utmost importance. This study examines the percent substrate cover and the diversity and density marine organisms of two coral …

Impacts Of The 2024 Coral Bleaching Event On Reef Fish Biodiversity, Misali Island, Zanzibar, Louisa Blakely

Tanzania-Zanzibar: Coastal Ecology and Natural Resource Management

Coral reefs are critical ecosystems that support roughly a quarter of all marine life, yet they are increasingly under threat from climate change. In spring 2024, Misali Island—a well-conserved reef site off the coast of Pemba, Tanzania—experienced one of the most severe coral bleaching events since the global mass bleaching of 1998. This study investigates how the most recent bleaching event has affected fish biodiversity around Misali. Survey data collected through underwater transects revealed that, despite the bleaching, overall biodiversity remains high. This points to a degree of ecological resilience in the reef system. However, a low presence of corallivorous …

The Mikvah And The Menstrual Other: Shame, Spirituality, Sexuality, And Contradiction In Jewish Ritual And Modern Art, Molly Greenwold

Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender

The Amsterdam Jewish Museum’s exhibit “Sex: Jewish Positions” creates a crucial space for modern art to reflect, comment, and expand on ancient Jewish rituals. One such ritual is the ideologically fraught space of the mikvah: a Jewish bath house for spiritual cleansing. This ritual deals with the abject Menstrual Other who is both unclean and infectious, but also spiritually elevated. The Menstrual Other is cleansed by the mikvah and then brought back into society via prescribed but pleasurable sex. Using three pieces of contemporary art on display at the Amsterdam Jewish Museum, Five Plus Seven by Hagit Molgan, Kit for …