When Culture Becomes Law: Mayan Heritage And The New Constitutional Recognition Of Collective Rights In Mexico, José Israel Herrera, Victor Manuel Colli Ek

Journal of Maya Heritage

Abstract. The constitutional reform of September 30, 2024 to article 2 marks a substantive change in the recognition of indigenous peoples as subjects of public law, with their own patrimony, valid normative systems and express right to conserve, protect and develop their cultural, material and immaterial heritage. This article analyzes the legal implications of this reform in the context of the Maya people, especially with regard to collective intellectual property, the right to prior consultation and the constitutional recognition of bioculturality. A critical reading of the new normative framework is proposed, with emphasis on its transformative potential for the territorial …

Shining In Times Of Crisis: How Refugee Women Display Leadership And Transform Hardship, Laura Iorg

Capstone Collection

Abstract

There are currently approximately 122.6 million people displaced globally (UNHCR, 2024). This figure includes 43.7 million refugees (UNHCR, 2024). Nearly half of them are women. This qualitative study examined the following questions: How do women manifest leadership and agency in refugee situations? Subquestion: How do women contribute to peace, transformation, and healing through that leadership and agency? Five different individuals who had worked with women refugees for at least two years were recruited for the study. Two data collection instruments were employed: a preliminary survey and a structured interview. The study focused on the lived experiences of refugee women …

“There Is Just A Sense Of Joy In This Work”: Drivers Of Faculty Engagement With Community, David C. Ensminger, Mitchell A. Hendrickson, Jon J. Schmidt

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

American universities have been engaged with their communities as long as there have been universities in America. The nature, purpose, and motivation behind that engagement have evolved. This article explores the motivation behind faculty engagement with their communities. We wanted to better understand what compels faculty to participate in and work in the community despite the many and varied barriers that might stand in their way. We explored the why and how of participation with a significant emphasis on the why. This study builds on the work of Wade and Demb[i] and their Faculty Engagement Framework (FEM) described in …

Social Service Inclusion Of Immigrants Through The Lens Of Human Rights In Australia, Obed Adonteng-Kissi, Matthew Mabefam, Nnaemeka Meribe, Frank Darkwa Baffour, Elizabeth Archibong

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Motivation: A human-centred approach to social service design is necessary to encourage social service inclusion and to offer an avenue for social service action in Australia and globally. Purpose: The purpose of this article is to ascertain the extent to which social service providers design their services to include immigrants. Approach and methods: We draw on literature exploring social service inclusion and the perspectives of 27 social workers and immigrant service users. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight social workers and 19 immigrants who were purposefully selected from Brisbane, Townsville, Melbourne and Sydney. We applied the capability theoretical approach of …

Healthcare Advocacy & Legislation In The Philippines: Social Movement/Civil Society Alternatives To Privatization & Commodification, David Michael San Juan

Social Sciences and Development Review

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) financial situation is in dire straits, with an official claiming that its actuarial life would last until 2027 only. To achieve free universal healthcare, alternative financing options for the Philippines’ national health care system would have to be considered. This paper aims to analyze historical government health care reform policies vis-à-vis social movement/civil society alternatives – and the corresponding paradigm shifts that they present – which culminate in the recently filed House Bill 9515 (“An Act Providing for a Free, Comprehensive, and Progressive, National Public Health Care System”) authored by the Makabayan Coalition – …

Community Development Initiatives Implementation And Disaster Risk Management Practices In Calamba City Barangays, Jose Roderick S. Aguila

Social Sciences and Development Review

This study examined the relationship between community development frameworks and disaster risk management (DRM) practices using a quantitative descriptive correlational design. Data were gathered from 150 respondents, 40 barangay officials, and 110 community members from Barangays Palingon, Lingga, and Sampiruhan in Calamba City through a validated researcher-made survey (CVR = 1.00) utilizing a four-point Likert scale. Statistical analyses included a paired T-test (.05 significance level) and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation. Findings indicated that community development initiatives and DRM practices were generally "Fully Implemented" and "Fully Manifested," with Self-Understanding (3.49) and Preparedness (3.62) receiving the highest ratings, while Engage and Empower, Reflect …

Living Heritage, Resilience And Ethically Informed Infrastructures In Malawi, Martha B. Lerski, Frank Puluputu Mwale

Publications and Research

Rooted in a rural community’s needs, this paper explores how historically, and ethically informed infrastructures can support community engagement towards identification, documentation, and dissemination of local, traditional, and indigenous knowledge relating to climate change. The paper examines climate adaptation and sustainability issues through the lenses of community organizing and Library & Information Science best practices. It draws on a growing body of literature identifying a role for expanded epistemological and subject discipline perspectives. While the impacts of climate on material culture are increasingly recognized, intangible, and biocultural heritage have not received as much attention. Living heritage traditions and knowledge systems …

Sustainable Advertising And Brand Engagement: The Role Of Consumer Minimalism And Scepticism, Hesham O. Dinana, Donato Masi, Reza Marvi, Farbod Fakhreddin

Faculty Journal Articles

Recognizing the significance of sustainable advertising practices and their influence on consumer behaviour, this study explores their capacity to not only enhance consumer engagement with the brand but also strengthen brand reputation. Additionally, it examines how these practices can promote more conscious consumption patterns, contributing to broader sustainability goals. In this line, we propose a theoretical conceptual model highlighting how customers perceive sustainability-related activities and how these perceptions can influence brand engagement, ultimately enhancing brand reputation and fostering mindful consumption. Furthermore, we also investigated the moderating roles of consumer minimalism, scepticism towards advertising, and brand value congruence in relation to …

Restoring Hope: The Health Support Team Efforts In Maui, Chanel Aguilar

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The 2023 Maui fires were one of the most fatal natural disasters the country has experienced in its history. Lāhainā and other surrounding areas were significantly impacted by the fires, resulting in millions of dollars in damage and causing significant harm to the people of Maui, both physically and emotionally. The current study evaluates the health support team (HST), a psychological disaster-recovery training curriculum, on three areas: its effectiveness in

increasing participants’ perceived competency and level of confidence, its association with post- traumatic growth, and participants’ feedback about the training. A mixed methods approach was

used to collect data, including …

Sustainable Tourism Behaviour Through Walking Tour: A Qualitative Study To Walking Tour Participants In Jakarta, Melisa Bunga Altamira, Khairunnisa Devani Aqtus Permana Putri

Journal of Indonesian Tourism and Policy Studies

As urban tourism continues to rise, walking tours have emerged as a low-impact, environmentally friendly, and culturally immersive form of tourism. This study explores the relationship between walking tours and the development of sustainable tourism behaviour among participants in Jakarta, Indonesia. Using a qualitative research approach, this study elaborates the motivations, perceptions, and behavioural changes of individuals who have participated in walking tours across Jakarta’s historical and cultural sites. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and participant observations, focusing on themes such as environmental awareness, appreciation of local culture, and reduced dependency on motorized transport. The findings suggest that walking …

Kidfluencers, Public Relations And Human Rights: An Exploration Of The Impact On The Human Rights Of Children As Social Media Influencers Within Public Relations And Promotional Practice, Catherine Archer, Kate Mirandilla Delmo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In this article we explore the human rights of children as important stakeholders in public relations (PR) practice by examining the phenomenon of social media influencer children, commonly termed kidfluencers. Children’s human rights in the digital realm have been a focus for the United Nations and those researching from media, communications and law disciplines, but have largely been ignored by PR scholarship. Given social media influencer relations is now an important part of PR practice, and a multibillion-dollar global industry, the need for more research on the genre from a PR perspective is apparent. Our research, using the UN (Human) …

Community Engagement In Digital Banking: Insights From Jakarta And Perth, Safaruddin Husada, Ulani Yunus, Latifa Ramonita, Mark Mcmahon

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: In the digital era, community engagement plays a pivotal role in driving market share expansion in the banking sector, yet the impact of such initiatives across diverse regulatory and cultural contexts remains underexplored. Purpose: This study examines the influence of community engagement on the digital bank market share in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Perth, Australia, while addressing disparities in digital access and customer experience. Methods: Employing a quantitative methodology, the study analyzed structured surveys from 300 respondents (150 each from Jakarta and Perth) to uncover relationships between community engagement and market expansion. Results: Findings reveal that robust community engagement significantly …

The Feminist Frontier: Reimagining And Reenergizing Pedagogy From Osclg 2024, Karla D. Scott, Lakresha Graham, Jennifer Jackson

Feminist Pedagogy

No abstract provided.

The Craft Of Tally: Tracing Marketability And Economic Sustainability Of Crafts, Mariam Mabrouk

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the marketability and economic sustainability of the Tally craft in Gezeirit

Shandaweel, Sohag, Egypt, with a focus on how the craft navigates the tension between cultural

preservation and economic adaptation. Tally, a traditional form of embroidery, has deep cultural

roots in Egypt but faces significant challenges due to global market dynamics, shifting consumer

preferences, and systemic institutional neglect. Through an ethnographic case study, this research

investigates how artisans, institutions, and market forces interact to shape the craft's future. The

study examines the role of cultural perceptions, innovation, and institutional support in fostering

or hindering Tally's economic viability. …

"You Need To Make The Decision You Can Live With": An Observational Study Of Anti-Abortion Centers In Tampa Bay, Anna Broich

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anti-Abortion Centers (AACs) pose a grave threat to the reproductive health outcomes of Americans. Disguising themselves as licensed health clinics, AACs target vulnerable communities to prevent or delay abortion care through the spread of medical misinformation, contributing to abortion stigmatization. Situated in a state with a near-total abortion ban, this secret-shopper study aimed to understand the ways in which AACs in Tampa, Florida communicate anti-abortion rhetoric to pregnant people seeking abortions. Under the guise of people who suspect they are pregnant searching for abortion care, the main researcher and her assistants conducted the first phase of the study through 25 …

Our Common Cause: Advocating For Human Labor For Outreach, Technical Expertise, And The Future Of Institutional Repositories, Grace R. Swinnerton, Dylan Mohr

Librarian Publications

Since 2021, SURFACE, Syracuse University’s institutional repository, has seen substantial growth in both content and commitment to long-term digital preservation. This progress is largely due to the Syracuse University Libraries’ investment in a dedicated three-person team focused on sustainability and development. As we face emerging technologies and AI, we question whether AI can replace human labor to reduce costs. Despite the financial appeal of cost-cutting, our presentation underscores the essential role of human labor. Through community-focused outreach and technical advancements like mass minting DOIs and restructuring our platform, we have demonstrated the irreplaceable value of human involvement. This presentation will …

Culture And Environment: The Calling Lakes Ecomuseum As A Community Sustainability Initiative, Kace N. Anders

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Located in Saskatchewan, Canada, the Calling Lakes Ecomuseum, CLEM, is a community-based organization focused on water management and sustainability. Ecomuseums are holistic organizations that occupy landscapes, are responsive to community needs, conserve in situ heritage, and incorporate sustainability along with community development. The ecomuseum movement came from a need for holistic heritage management that disengaged with conventional museology and created space for communities to engage with their heritage in ways that promote community identity. This thesis analyzes the Calling Lakes Ecomuseum and how it utilizes the ecomuseum concept alongside environmental sustainability. Both semi-structured interviews and place-based field observations were used …

Impact Of Trap-Neuter-Return Programs On Municipal Spending, Natalie Maria Hanna

Student Theses and Dissertations

Trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs are an effective way to reduce the number of free-roaming cats without relying on euthanasia by preventing further reproduction. Despite substantial research into the effectiveness of TNR, few studies explore the financial implications of implementing TNR at the municipal level. The purpose of this research was to identify if there is a relationship between the implementation of TNR and municipal spending on animal services by analyzing annual budgets and financial reports pre- and post- TNR implementation in a single municipality alongside shelter data in the same time period. Findings in this research suggest that implementing a TNR …

Support Beyond Services: Examining The Role Of Neighbor Relationships, Housing Staff, And Place In Mental Health Recovery, Kenna Estell Dickard

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation explores the role of non-clinical support for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). Through three interconnected manuscripts, this dissertation highlights the importance of housing staff support, places in the community, and neighbor relationships in fostering recovery for individuals with SMI. The first manuscript analyzes how housing staff support influences residents' well-being through an ecological lens. This study found that staff support is associated with reduced loneliness, higher residential satisfaction, and increased sense of community. This study also considers the role of self-determination as a moderator, demonstrating the importance of resident agency in maximizing well-being outcomes. The second manuscript …

Empowering Community Through Extension: Identifying Community Health And Wellness Strengths And Needs, Allyson A. Spears, Alexis Zickafoose, Emily Wintermute, Peng Lu, Matthew Baker, Scott Cummings

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Health and wellness are foundational to thriving communities, yet many Americans face barriers that impact their access to essential health education and services. This study used a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to assess the perceived strengths and needs of health and wellness resources of rural and urban Texas communities. Data were collected through a statewide survey (n = 9,418), targeting key aspects of health and wellness. The results identified critical strengths, including school lunch programs and grocery stores accepting electronic benefit transfers (EBT), while reducing obesity and addressing mental health emerged as top community needs in both urban and …

Podcast: One To Grow On – Why Black Studies Matter When Working And Living In Black Communities, Celia E. Ceballos

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This paper examines the transformative potential of Black Studies in enhancing community work within Black and Brown communities in New York City. The research is driven by the author's firsthand experiences and the realization of the importance of Black Studies, which was largely absent from earlier education. Through the interdisciplinary approach of the Graduate Center’s MALS program, the author has gained a deeper understanding of key topics such as the legacy of slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, the Harlem Renaissance, the Black Arts Movements, and the ongoing struggle for racial justice. This journey inspired the creation of a capstone project, …

Ending War, But Beginning Peace?, Alain Tschudin

New England Journal of Public Policy

The end of war, conventionally marked by the implementation of a ceasefire agreement, is popularly celebrated and politically lauded in the aftermath of extreme violence. However, the so- called “silencing of the guns” is regarded only as “negative peace” or first steps away from direct violence. What about beginning Peace? Johan Galtung, esteemed for his life work in peace studies, suggests that the situation after the cessation of hostilities might be worse than the status quo ante. With reference to contemporary violent conflict in the Middle East, focusing on hostilities between Israel and Palestine, I suggest that pursuing lasting “positive …

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

Dissertations

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

Infrastructural Splintering Along The Bri: Catholic Political Ecologies And The Fractious Futures Of Sri Lanka’S Littoral Spaces, Orlando Woods

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This article considers the ways in which the material infrastructures of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) intersect with other infrastructural formations, and how the resulting overlaps can trigger processes of what I call “infrastructural splintering”. These processes cause infrastructure to be experienced in differentiating ways, creating divisive politics where there might once have been unity. Embracing these politics as an analytical starting point undermines the techno-material stability of the BRI, and reveals its more-than-material affects. I illustrate these ideas by developing a case study of the effects of the China-backed Colombo Port City project on Catholic fishing communities that …

Becoming A Beloved Community: A Restorative Reckoning For A Radical Conversion To Transform Discourse In Higher Education, Latasha Tomay Varlack-Butler

Dissertations

This dissertation critically examines the misappropriation of Restorative Justice Discourse (RJD) within three predominantly white institutions (PWIs), analyzing 59 institutional documents through Critical Discourse Analysis, Relational Critical Discourse Analysis, and Rhetorical Criticism (Fairclough, 1995; Vaandering, 2021; van Dijk, 2008). Tribal Colleges and Universities and South African institutions have emerged as exemplars of authentic RJD, countering co-optation within PWIs. The findings demonstrate that RJD as applied in PWIs is framed in ways that attenuate its transformative potential, perpetuating color-evasiveness (Bonilla-Silva, 2017) and obscuring the intersectional experiences of Black, Indigenous, and disabled communities (Crenshaw, 1991; Million, 2009).

Grounded in decolonial praxis (Smith, …

Sacred Seeds: The Transmission Of Knowledge Seen Through Aztec Religionand Agriculture, Ian S. Hohsfield

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The integration of religion and agriculture was a cornerstone of Aztec civilization, deeply influencing societal practices and knowledge systems. Scholars have long recognized the importance of religious rituals in ensuring agricultural success; however, the specific methods by which agricultural knowledge was transmitted within religious contexts—and how these methods may have contributed to knowledge gaps—remain underexplored. This thesis investigates the relationship between Aztec religious practices and the transmission of agricultural knowledge, focusing on how the methods of knowledge transmission influenced agricultural expertise and led to potential gaps. It does so by analyzing primary sources such as the Florentine Codex and the …

Utility Of Community Partnership And Sustainable Street Outreach, Daniel Lee, Hannah Klinghoffer, Mallika Kodavatiganti, Luke Benedict, Kelsey Van Housen, Ashley Wetzel, Lele Yang, Alisha Agarwal, Shane Nieves, Charlotte Harris, Jessica Lely, Vinh Dang, Ivel Morales, Md

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

• 14,088 individuals experience homelessness (IEH) across the state of Pennsylvania, with over 50% concentrated in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia¹
• In late 2021, only 4 medical school programs existed that conducted street outreach to support individuals experiencing homelessness in Pennsylvania before the pandemic.² None existed at the undergraduate level.
• Street outreach has been linked to increased motivation of IEH to seek services by removing stigma via positive, nonjudgmental relationships.^3,4

Poverty Elimination Action Plan, University Of Nebraska At Omaha, City Of Omaha

Reports

This document fulfills the legislative requirements of LB 840, the Poverty Elimination Action Plan, aimed at reporting on Omaha efforts to eliminate poverty and developing a comprehensive strategy to eliminate poverty in Omaha, NE. It reviews research and policy interventions addressing poverty, incorporates community-driven and secondary data for a needs assessment, and offers actionable recommendations for poverty alleviation. The report also provides guidance on implementation, sustainability, and progress tracking. A brief conclusion at the end of this report is followed by appendices detailing supplementary data and analysis.

Collaborating For Change Based On Evidence: How To Employ Community-Engaged Assessment & Solution-Building, Jayme Walters, Teresa Larsen, Luettamae Lawrence, Dorothy Wallis

Utah Conference on Community Engagement

Communities across Utah are facing many significant challenges that adversely affect the well-being of their residents. Economic disparities, including lack of affordable housing and food insecurity, are impacting every aspect of life. Mental and physical health issues are also on the rise, especially among vulnerable populations (e.g., LGBTQ, BIPOC, rural). Environmental problems, such as poor air quality and limited water supply, stand to cause unprecedented harm to the state. As leaders, government agencies, nonprofits, and residents take on these issues, among others, community-engaged methods that promote generating context-specific evidence and developing sustainable solutions are critical for improving resident well-being.

This …

Strengthening Community Health Through Dementia Listening Sessions, Raven Albertson

Utah Conference on Community Engagement

"This session explores innovative strategies for strengthening community health through dementia listening sessions and engagement, equipping community partners with the knowledge to make informed decisions regarding dementia care and support. Participants will gain insights into effective partnership-building, impactful dementia education delivery, and strategies for fostering meaningful community involvement through community listening sessions and collaboration. Through a live listening session workshop, attendees will participate in interactive discussions, inform efforts in Utah communities, and acquire practical tools to drive sustainable, community-led improvements in dementia care and support."