Digital Commons Network^™

Open Classroom Climate And Democratic Education: Implications For Research And Practice. A Response To "Reassessing The Open Classroom Climate In Civic Education: Insights From 60 Studies", Luke J. Rapa

Democracy & Education

An open classroom climate has numerous benefits for school-aged youth, and it plays an important role in school-based democratic and civic education efforts. After highlighting the strengths of Knowles and Chamberlain's review, I add to their contribution by enumerating several implications for contemporary open classroom climate research and practice. I suggest researchers and practitioners: (a) embrace pluralism in open classroom climate pedagogy and instructional contexts; (b) explore mechanisms driving associations between open classroom climate and outcomes of interest; (c) incorporate developmental theory; and (d) better account for contextual-ecological and measurement considerations. I also reflect briefly on open classroom climate research …

“The Blue Party? No, Wait, Is There Really A Blue Party?” A Study Of Young Norwegian Children’S Perceptions Of Politics, Stine Johansen Utler

Democracy & Education

The study investigates Norwegian primary school children's immediate responses to “What do you think of when you hear the word ‘politics’?” It examines children’s perceptions of the concept of politics, their emphasis, and how they communicate their perceptions, providing information about children’s political socialization, knowledge, and understanding as well as early conceptual learning. The data come from group interviews with 36 children (20 second-graders and 16 fourth-graders). The study was not longitudinal but emphasized differences in the content of children’s perceptions. The analysis identifies four different categories of children`s perceptions. These vary according to their emphasis, their apparent associative political …

The Effect Of Weight Training With Blood Flow Restriction On Muscle Strength Development In Mma, Tomáš Kozák, Marek Kokinda, Pavel Ružbarský

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: This study aimed to elucidate the effect of weight training with blood flow restriction (BFR) on explosive power and isokinetic strength in combat athletes. Materials and methods: The sample included 12 male MMA fighters divided into a control (19.50±0.50 years) and an experimental (18.00±1.00 years) group. Participants trained twice weekly for 8 weeks, with BFR in the experimental group. Explosive power was assessed using following tests by Optogait: countermovement push-up, kneeling countermovement push-up and kneeling squat push-up for upper limbs and countermovement jump, countermovement jump with free arms and squat jump for lower limbs. Isokinetic strength was measured by …

Perceptions Of Legitimacy In Three Forms Of Probation Supervision For People With Serious Mental Illness, Sophia Sarantakos, Emily Claypool

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"In the context of criminal-legal community supervision, standard and specialized probation officers are often tasked with coordinating services for adults diagnosed with serious mental illness (SMI) on their caseloads. The coordination of services varies across different programs including traditional probation, specialty probation, and mental health court. Given the proliferation of programs focused on mental health in the criminal-legal system, the perspectives of front-line workers or street-level bureaucrats in criminal-legal agencies are a rich source of information about what is happening on the ground and could provide insights into the potential translational barriers of policy to practice. A deeper examination of …

From Acrimony To Forgiveness: How Adolescents Make Sense Of Childhood Maltreatment, Katherine Irwin

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"This paper examines 16 adolescents’ narratives about the abuse they experienced during childhood. To date, most research examining child abuse (CA) survivorship and recovery has been conducted with adults who look back on their early experiences. Consequently, this study fills gaps in our knowledge by offering a youth-centered view of survivors’ efforts to cope with CA. The data come from a 12-year qualitative study of a group counseling program for high school students in Hawaiʻi. The findings revealed that a minority (n = 2) of the teens had negative views of their lives and futures, while the majority (n = …

A Content Analysis Of The Sutherland Address, 2001-22: A Qualitative Exploration, Phillip Shon

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"Previous indicators of scholarly influence have been primarily quantitative, measuring a scholar’s influence through citation counts. This body of literature has overlooked the reflections of distinguished scholars, such as the recipients of the Sutherland Award, in the discipline as a form of scholarly influence. The current paper examines the Sutherland Address from 2001 to 2022. The key findings indicate that the majority of Sutherland Addresses reproduced existing sociological canons, while a minority of Sutherland Award winners explicitly rejected Sutherland’s sociological assumptions and their influence on criminology. Such findings suggest that Sutherland exerts a hidden influence on the recipients of the …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Gender Inequality In Southeast Missouri Law Enforcement Agencies, Madeline Marie Whistler, Christopher Bradley, H. Hamner Hill

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"Does gender inequality impact the careers of female law enforcement officers in the Southeast Missouri region? Using a qualitative single instrumental case study, seven cis-gendered female law enforcement officers who were employed at local law enforcement agencies within the Southeast Missouri region were interviewed to investigate the central research question. Four themes emerged from the data that illustrated their experiences: sexual exploitation and harassment, a lack of work-life balance, the presence of gender stereotypes, and patriarchal hierarchy and male dominance in the workplace. The findings suggest that the experiences of female law enforcement officers are heavily impacted by the behavior …

A Plea For Open Access To Qualitative Criminology: With A Python Script For Anonymizing Data And Illustrative Analysis Of Error Rates, Scott Jaques, Andrew Wheeler

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"Qualitative researchers are expected, sometimes required, to publish their data open access (OA). This is for the sake of science, impact, and social justice. Yet, understandably, qualitative criminologists are worried about what this means for their workload and their ability to protect subjects’ confidentiality. To be solutions-oriented, we developed an open-source Python script for anonymizing qualitative data. It uses named-entity recognition and fuzzy-rule based merging to identify and replace personally identifiable information (PII) with unique pseudonyms. This tool doesn’t eliminate the need for manual work, but it reduces the cost and associated risk. In this article, we describe and explain …

Book Review: Chokepoints: American Power In The Age Of Economic Warfare, Jared Massie

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Edward Fishman

Reviewed by: Major Jared Massie

Economic tools are reshaping global power in ways military professionals cannot ignore. From sanctions to tech controls, modern statecraft is increasingly defined by financial and industrial leverage.

©2026 Jared Massie

Rethinking Interpreter Training: The Role Of Microlearning In Boosting Knowledge Retention, Hicham Boughaba

Al-Kīmiyā

This study examines the effectiveness of microlearning interventions in enhancing knowledge retention and interpreting performance among trainee interpreters. A quasi-experimental design was employed, with interpreting students divided into two groups: an experimental group receiving targeted microlearning modules on specialized terminology and a control group relying on general knowledge only. Their performance was evaluated according to four criteria: accuracy, clarity and fluency, terminology usage, and cultural and contextual understanding. Results indicate that participants who were exposed to microlearning modules achieved significantly higher scores across all evaluation criteria, with notable gains in accuracy and terminology usage. These findings suggest that microlearning constitutes …

Discursive Analysis Of Authoritarian Islamist Populism: The Case Of The Justice And Development Party (Morocco), Youssef Aboudi

Al-Kīmiyā

This article analyzes the linguistic modalities constitutive of political populism, with particular attention to its contemporary authoritarian-leaning manifestations. Conceived as a discursive construction or a style of communication (Taguieff, 1997), populist discourse is organized around a charismatic figure who claims a direct relationship with an idealized people, set in opposition to an elite deemed illegitimate and inherently malevolent (Breton, 2009). The study advances the hypothesis that the staging of charismatic power, grounded primarily in conspiratorial logics that generate an atmosphere of insecurity and fear (Wodak, 2015), contributes to reinforcing mechanisms of symbolic and political domination while inhibiting critical reflexivity (Weber, …

Queer, Hybrid Participatory Design: Relational Practices And Norms For Coalition Building With Rural, Lgbtq+ Communities, Luettamae Lawrence, Maureen Boyle, Chasity Mayo, Catherine A. Rushworth, Moira Anderson, Dorothy Wallis, Jayme Walters

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper examines the first year of collaboration between the Bear River Region LGBTQ+ Community Coalition and queer residents in rural northern Utah, United States, using a hybrid participatory design (PD) approach. Using Yep’s queer relationality theory, we examine how hybrid spaces were designed and iteratively adapted to support inclusion, care, and collective agency among LGBTQ+ community members. Drawing on Community Coalition Action Theory and queer PD, we analyze four cases from May 2024 to June 2025 including workshops and regular meetings to explore how relational practices evolved across different formats and phases of coalition development. In this paper, we …

Balancing Our Capacity To Serve: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Black Women Navigating Personal, Professional, And Community Leadership Roles, Shemeka K. Brathwaite

Student Theses

This phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of Black women community leaders as they navigate a balance between their professional, personal, and community leadership roles. The research design uses the theoretical frameworks of Black Feminist Intersectionality and Role Theory, specifically addressing the cultural burdens imposed by the Strong Black Woman archetype, which adds additional role strain. The study began with a questionnaire completed by 54 Black women community leaders, followed by 20 in-depth, semi-structured interviews selected from this pool. The study’s key findings are illustrated in a Black Women’s Sustainable Community Leadership Framework. Black women community leaders exude high self-efficacy, …

Understanding The Relationship Between Community Violence Exposure, Self-Compassion, And Ptsd In Chicago, Hadeel Hasan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

"Its A Complicated Web": An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Cameroonian And Nigerian Clergy Understanding Of Intimate Partner Violence, Pamela Shellley, Holly Nelson-Becker, Wendy Martin

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Clergy's understanding of intimate partner violence underpins the support they provide to Christian women affected. However, the understanding of intimate partner violence by Cameroonian and Nigerian clergy living in England is unknown. This article explores their understanding of intimate partner violence through remote semi-structured interviews. The results showed that clergy understood that the intersection of individual, Christian and cultural beliefs around marriage and acculturation factors causes intimate partner violence. They acknowledged a lack of adequate knowledge of intimate partner violence. Developing training programmes on intimate partner violence for clergy and their congregations will enhance awareness and support for affected women.

(Re)Claiming Homeplace: Dance As Embodied Resistance & Healing For Health & Spatial Justice, Preeya G. Kannan

University Honors Theses

This thesis argues that dance functions as both an upstream public health intervention and a form of radical spatial resistance; creating healing, agency, and belonging among historically marginalized communities. Drawing on bell hooks' concept of homeplace, Jasbir Puar's assemblage theory, Nancy Krieger's eco-social theory, and Katherine McKittrick's Black geographies, I position the body as both an ecological and political landscape shaped by histories of colonialism, racial capitalism, displacement, and resilience.

Through this community-based participatory research study, Homeplace, I explore dance as a form of social prescription that centers liberation rather than pathology. Movement is often reduced in public health discourse …

Perceptions Of Teachers In Inuit Nunangat On The Benefits Of Life-Promotional Activities On Inuit Youth To Reduce Suicide In Nunavut, Aramide Owoaje

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Exploring Workplace Wellness Programs From A Correctional Officer’S Perspective, Lolita Jeaneen Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The Experiences Of College Students Facing Housing And Financial Insecurity, Nora Shaheen

University Honors Theses

Housing and financial insecurity among college students continues to be a growing crisis, yet their lived experiences are often overlooked. This thesis utilizes qualitative research to investigate the emotional, social, and academic experiences of students navigating housing and financial instability. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews with six current/former college students who have experience with housing and financial insecurities. During the analysis, recurring patterns were grouped into themes, including the triggers of instability (familial abandonment, rent increases, relationship dissolution, etc), social stigma and internalized shame, emotional and mental health costs, social isolation, survival strategies, food insecurity, work-school balance, disrupted …

الهجانة في الترجمة الفورية: مسيرة تكيّف, سليمى غريّب البستاني, لينا منعم

Al-Kīmiyā

Linguistic mediation is undergoing profound transformations due to rapid developments in artificial intelligence technologies and automated text processing. Innovations in the field, such as Neural Machine Translation (NMT), Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), and Computer-Assisted Translation and Computer-Assisted Interpreting (CAT-CAI), have induced new forms of interaction between translators, interpreters, and technological systems. By reviewing how simultaneous interpreting adapts to developments in the labor market and technological innovation through hybridization, this study aims to demonstrate that the integration of modern technology and artificial intelligence into the field is nothing but the emergence of a new form of hybridity, this time embodied in …

The Human Side Of Humanitarian Work: Well-Being And Performance Among Aid Workers In Egypt, Mai Osama Kenawy

Theses and Dissertations

Well-being and productivity are widely recognized as central to the work performance of humanitarian aid workers. Despite increasing attention to staff well-being, performance within the humanitarian sector in Egypt remains stagnant or, in some cases, declining. This study examines why expanded well-being initiatives have not yielded sustained performance improvements by examining how actors' external roles, organizational factors, and individual factors affect humanitarian workers’ well-being and work performance. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining ten in-depth interviews with humanitarian workers from international organizations, INGOs, and local NGOs, as well as a survey of eighty workers operating in the same context. The …

Women's Ratings Of Leadership Effectiveness Of Agentic Black Women Leaders, Patrice Y. Lattimore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

“Between Cultural Norms And Economic Survival: Navigating Egyptian Lower And Middle Income Women’S Challenges In The Informal Versus The Formal Work: “A Case Study From Cairo”, Rowan Mahmoud Abdelnazer

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the ongoing gender inequities experienced by low and middle-income women in Egypt’s formal and informal labor economy, specifically it is based in Cairo. Although there are many advances made globally on women's rights, yet women still face great challenges such as discrepancies in salary, fewer leadership roles and cultural expectations which put child-bearing duties before professional growth. On the one hand, flexible work for women in developing countries is through informal sector, which makes them vulnerable and serves as a source of their exploitation and insecurity (e.g., lack of social security; workplace hazards), on the other hand, …

Listener Factors In Integrating Syntax And Plausibility In Sentences Produced With Versus Without Stuttering, Gabriella L. Burgess Hayes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Development of communication-focused therapy for people who stutter requires better understanding of how stuttering impacts oral comprehension. One aim was to investigate how stuttering impacts listeners’ ability to integrate syntax and world knowledge (plausibility) in sentence processing. A second aim was to investigate how listener factors predict ability to integrate information in sentences with stuttering.

Methods: 224 adults heard 24 experimental sentences interspersed with 24 fillers. Experimental sentences included six plausible double-object dative (DO) constructions, six plausible prepositional dative (PD) constructions, six implausible DO constructions, and six implausible PD constructions. Implausible constructions served as analogues of communication breakdowns. Half …

Understanding The Impact Of Minority Stress On Mental Health Among Racially And Ethnically Diverse Adults: Insights From A Daily Diary Study, Ruba S. Rum

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Minority stressors are theorized to contribute to mental health disparities for racial and ethnic minority individuals. While prior research links distal (i.e., external) and proximal (i.e., internal) minority stressors to adverse psychological outcomes for racial and ethnic minority groups, most studies have relied on cross-sectional designs that limit understanding of the immediate and short-term effects of minority stressors and potential protective factors in daily life. To address this gap, the present study examined the within-person daily associations between distal (interpersonal and vicarious discrimination, microaggressions) and proximal (internalized stigma, anticipation of rejection, identity management) minority stressors and psychological outcomes. Racial and …

Work Precarity, Mental Health, And Performance Among Humanitarian Aid Workers In Egypt Post-2025 U.S. Funding Reduction, Mariam Allam

Theses and Dissertations

The humanitarian sector is increasingly characterized by precarious employment conditions and work precarity, including short-term contracts, unclear renewal terms, inadequate compensation, heavy workloads, and job insecurity, exacerbated by volatile donor funding. The 2025 U.S. funding cuts have intensified these vulnerabilities, particularly in countries like Egypt, with massive humanitarian operations because of being a significant destination for asylum applications and one of the largest refugee host countries. Despite the prevalence of precarious work in the humanitarian sector, limited research examines its effects on workers' mental health and work performance, especially during funding crises. This qualitative study explores the perceived effect of …

How Disability Inclusion Shapes Student Experiences In Egyptian Public Universities, Ramez Maher

Theses and Dissertations

The inclusion of students with disabilities in higher education is a critical aspect of equity, social justice, and human rights, particularly in Egypt, where systemic barriers continue to hinder access to education for this demographic. Despite the enrollment of approximately 19.4 million students in 2018, only 38,135 students with disabilities were admitted, highlighting the significant challenges they face in accessing higher education.   Through a qualitative approach employing reflexive thematic analysis, this study explores the interplay of institutional policies, cultural attitudes, and accessibility challenges that affect the educational experiences of students with disabilities in Egyptian public universities. The analysis of 21 …

The Kashmir Conflict After The Abrogation Of Articles 370 And 35a Of The Indian Constitution: Geopolitical Dynamics And Human Security Implications, Rizwan Ali

Dissertations and Theses

The abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution on August 5, 2019, revoked the special autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) under the Indian administration. It further bifurcated it into two Union Territories under central Indian control. The move came amid a severe security lockdown and communication blackout that lasted for months. It was followed by instrumental legal, social, and economic developments that directly affected the area’s disputed status and the human rights of its residents. This research examines the geopolitical and human security implications of the abrogation and subsequent developments through a qualitative, analytical design, integrating Edward …

The Unspoken And The Unseen: An Analysis Of Victim Gender And Linguistic Framing Of Sexual Assault In Judicial Discourse, Sarnika Ali

Quantitative Social Science Undergraduate Senior Theses

Sexual assault is a profound legal and social crisis. However, it is also fundamentally a linguistic one. The words used, or conspicuously not used, to describe victims, perpetrators, and their actions are not neutral arbiters of fact. They are powerful mechanisms that shape perceptions of harm, attributions of blame, and assignments of credibility. The central battleground for survivors is credibility, and while a “credibility discount” is often applied to female victims, the male victim is rendered nearly invisible. This research is therefore guided by one central, overarching question: how does a sexual assault victim’s gender influence the judicial language used, …

Strategic Anti-Transgender Policy Diffusion: Interest Groups, Courts, And The Two-Track Politics Of Gender Regulation, Henry Danford

University Honors Theses

This thesis analyzes the strategic diffusion of anti-transgender policy in the United States following the passage of Idaho House Bills 500 and 509 in 2020. It argues that conservative lawmakers and advocacy organizations employed a coordinated "two-track" policy strategy in which transgender sports bans served as highly visible and politically popular mode legislation while identity-document restrictions advanced more quietly through courts and administrative policy. Drawing on policy diffusion theory, the Advocacy Coalition framework, and minority stress theory, the study combines qualitative policy analysis with quantitative analysis of Household Pulse Survey mental health data and Media Cloud new coverage data from …