Digital Commons Network^™

A Community-Academic Partnered Approach To Designing A Virtual Village To Address The Needs Of Older Adults Living With Hiv, Annie L. Nguyen, Andrea N. Polonijo, Jerome T. Galea, Moka Yoo-Jeong, Jeff Taylor, Erik L. Ruiz, Karah Greene, Jasmine L. Lopez, Christopher Christensonf, Brandon Brown

Social Work Faculty Publications

Many older adults living with HIV face unique challenges, including comorbidities, loneliness, and isolation. This community-academic partnered study elicited viewpoints from older adults living with HIV about the characteristics of a digital environment (“Virtual Village”) to combat against loneliness and isolation. We utilized Choice-Based Conjoint Analyses to determine preferred attributes of a Virtual Village. We also conducted focus groups and interviews with older adults living with HIV and used an iterative, data-driven approach to systematically identify emergent themes. Participants (N = 82) were aged 50–82 years and racially/ethnically diverse. The majority were men (78%), gay (66%), and lived with …

Fandom “For You”: Understanding The Perceptions, Experiences, And Motivations Of Tiktok Creators In Anime Fandom, Noah Glose

West Chester University Master’s Theses

This study examines the perceptions, experiences, and motivations of TikTok content creators who actively create videos related to the topics and genre of anime. Specifically, this study aimed to examine the gratifications sought by TikTok’s anime creators, the platform-specific affordances offered to the anime creator, and the interplay between gratifications and affordances in affecting the themes of content produced by creators. A sample of 15 US participants who regularly create content in the anime fandom on TikTok were interviewed to better understand the central questions proposed. Inductive qualitative thematic analysis of data was performed, which implemented a multi-step coding process …

Exploring International Graduate Students’ Internship Experiences In The Usa: A Case Of Eastern Illinois University Students, Wale Ishola

Masters Theses

International graduate students in the United States begin their academic journey with the goal of professional growth, but they frequently struggle to secure internships due to bureaucratic barriers and competitive marketplaces. This study explores Eastern Illinois University's international graduate students' experiences through the perspective of sensemaking theory, with the goal of understanding how they make sense of the internship process. In-depth qualitative interviews with ten students revealed that students make sense of their internships in two ways: on one end, the struggles, and on the on the other end, how they are strengthening. Through sensemaking, students analyze and adapt to …

The Korean Hanok As A Model For Sustainable Architecture In South Korea, Jordan Oh

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis analyzes the traditional Korean hanok within the Western framework for sustainability across environmental, social, and economic dimensions. It then cross-references the findings of this analysis with existing theory on the cultural role of architecture to elucidate how the traditional Korean hanok can serve as a model for sustainable architecture in South Korea. Through a comprehensive analysis this thesis highlights the importance of architectural vernacular to define a sustainable building, and critiques contemporary Western ideas of sustainable architecture. Furthermore, this thesis synthesizes two current approaches to sustainable development in South Korea, the u-eco-city and the Green Standard for Energy …

การวิเคราะห์ลักษณะร่วมของชุมชน การสนับสนุนทางสังคม และการควบคุมทางสังคมในการป้องกันและแก้ไขปัญหายาเสพติด: กรณีศึกษาหมู่บ้านกองทุนแม่ของแผ่นดินในพื้นที่จังหวัดเชียงราย, นภัสณัชชนก หญิงประยูร

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การศึกษานี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษาลักษณะร่วมของชุมชนกองทุนแม่ของแผ่นดินใน การป้องกันและแก้ไขปัญหายาเสพติด โดยศึกษาการสนับสนุนทางสังคม และแนวทางการควบคุม ทางสังคมของชุมชนที่ช่วยในการป้องกันและแก้ไขปัญหายาเสพติดในพื้นที่จังหวัดเชียงราย จำนวน 4 หมู่บ้าน การศึกษาวิจัยครั้งนี้ใช้วิธีการศึกษาวิจัยเชิงคุณภาพ (Qualitative Research) เก็บข้อมูลจากผู้ให้ข้อมูลสำคัญ รวม 16 คน ได้แก่ คณะกรรมการกองทุนแม่ของแผ่นดิน 3 คน และสมาชิกชุมชน 1 คน ต่อหมู่บ้าน โดยใช้การสัมภาษณ์เชิงลึก (In-depth Interview) และการสังเกต (Observation) สภาพแวดล้อม การใช้ชีวิต รวมถึงการทำกิจกรรมร่วมกันของคนในชุมชน จากนั้นจึงวิเคราะห์เนื้อหา (Content Analysis) ผลการศึกษาพบว่า ลักษณะร่วมของชุมชนที่ส่งผลดีต่อการป้องกันยาเสพติด ได้แก่ ความสามัคคี ความไว้วางใจในผู้นำ และการมีส่วนร่วมในกิจกรรมสาธารณะ ด้านการสนับสนุนทางสังคม ชุมชนใช้พลังของเครือญาติ ความใกล้ชิดระหว่างครอบครัว และกิจกรรมทางศาสนาในการดูแลกลุ่มเสี่ยง สำหรับการควบคุมทางสังคม ชุมชนใช้ความเชื่อผ่านพิธีปฏิญาณตนต่อศาลพ่อปู่ซึ่งเป็นสิ่งยึดเหนี่ยวจิตใจของสมาชิก เสมือนเป็นกลไกควบคุมพฤติกรรมอย่างไม่เป็นทางการ ร่วมกับการตั้งกติกาและความร่วมมือกับหน่วยงานรัฐ ผลการศึกษาชี้ให้เห็นว่าชุมชนสามารถสร้างระบบป้องกันยาเสพติดที่เข้มแข็งจากภายใน โดยอาศัยความร่วมมือของสมาชิกในชุมชนร่วมกับการใช้ความเชื่อในท้องถิ่นเป็นเครื่องมือควบคุมพฤติกรรมที่สอดคล้องกับบรรทัดฐานทางสังคม อีกทั้ง การส่งเสริมระบบฟื้นฟูและคืนคนดีสู่สังคม การบูรณาการพลังศรัทธาเข้ากับมาตรการทางสังคม และการเชื่อมโยงระหว่างชุมชนผ่านการเรียนรู้ร่วมกัน จะเป็นแนวทางสำคัญที่สามารถต่อยอด เพื่อสร้างภูมิคุ้มกันในการป้องกันและแก้ปัญหายาเสพติดได้

Partnership In Rural Development Between Cambodia And South Korea: A Case Study Of Prey Romeat Village In Cambodia, Chan Jun Park

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Cambodia’s macroeconomic growth since the 1990s has not been paralleled by proportional improvements in rural livelihoods, where the majority of the population continues to experience poverty and development stagnation. Compounding this challenge is the nation’s historical reliance on Official Development Assistance (ODA), which has fostered structural aid dependency and weakened local initiative. This thesis investigates the Saemaul Undong Model Village Project (SMU project), a rural development project implemented in partnership between Cambodia and South Korea through the Korea Saemaul Undong Center (KSUC), as a potential alternative to conventional donor-driven aid models. The research examines the case of Prey Romeat village …

Prophylactic Rights: Sex Work, Hiv/Aids, And Anti-Trafficking In India, Simanti Dasgupta

Books and Book Chapters by University of Dayton Faculty

Based on ethnographic work with Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee in Sonagachi, the iconic red-light district in Kolkata, Prophylactic Rights examines the emergence of labour rights at the intersection of HIV/AIDS and anti-trafficking. The primary disciplinary contribution of this book lies in bridging medical and legal anthropology through a corporeal understanding of sex work rights. It addresses the following questions: How does the labour rights narrative emerge through everyday negotiations with an epidemic and the law and what congeries of history, public health policies, legal regimes, and techniques of subjection and subversion impede and impel the labour movement? The book will …

Impacts Of Community Food Outreach Programs On Low-Income Families: St. Ursula’S Food Outreach Program In Pursglove Monongalia, West Virginia, United States As A Case Study, Oluwafunke Abeleje

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

Impacts Of Community Food Outreach Programs on Low-Income Families: St. Ursula’s Food Outreach Program in Pursglove Monongalia, West Virginia as A Case Study

Abeleje Oluwafunke Rebecca

According to previous research studies as stated by Fatka (2023), in 2014, 14% of households in the United States had levels of food insecurity. Also, as noted by Pitts, 2020, food insecurity rates rose across the board in the United States during the early COVID-19 epidemic and tripled among families with children. Compared to other industrialized countries, the United States had very high rates of food insecurity before the outbreak (Poblacion et al., …

Shifting Grounds: Movement And Continuity In Mustang, Nepal, Lauren Carter

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the socio-cultural and economic transformations in the Mustang region of Nepal. Drawing from fieldwork conducted over a month, this study examines how traditional economic activities, particularly yak herding, are being replaced by tourism and agriculture due to shifting socio-economic conditions and global influences. The concept of 'adaptive traditionality' is introduced to describe how the community in Mustang actively engages with both internal pressures and external changes to reshape their socio-cultural landscape. This adaptability is evident in the transition from nomadic pastoralism to more sedentary agricultural practices and tourism, which not only reflects a survival tactic but also …

The Impact Of Local Tax Burdens On In-Migration In The Intermountain West, 2011-2020, Katharine Johanna Johnson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This study examines the role that local tax revenues and spending played in migration to cities in the Intermountain West from 2011 to 2020. Decades of research on migration to the region have examined migration responses to natural amenities and socioeconomic characteristics of cities, counties, and states in the region. However, despite prior findings’ indications that local fiscal factors play as important of a part in migration decisions as local amenities do, little research has examined the role that local taxes and spending, in addition to natural amenities, have had on migration decisions in the Intermountain West. Almost 90 percent …

The Impact Of Museum Curation On Community And Identity: Japanese Culture At The Japanese American National Museum And The Huntington Library's Japanese Gardens, Cate Hasler

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis explores Japanese culture and its representation in two museum sites, the Japanese American National Museum, and the Huntington Library's Japanese Gardens. It examines the history of the sites and the curation of exhibits to determine the impact on Japanese identity and community within the Los Angeles area. Through ethnographic interviews and research, this thesis concludes that museums can be locally embedded cultural processes, where the ideas of identity and community are contested, challenging the authoritative and top-down operations of a museum as a public institution.

Riverview Community Park Commoning Plan, Haley B. Keene

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Riverview Community Park began as an illegal DIY skatepark in the Maymont neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia. Now, although it is a city park, it is still entirely managed by volunteer community groups (skateboarders, the neighborhood Civic League, and a community garden) who view the park as a creative, experimental community-led spatial project. Due to a dearth of communication between the three groups, the park has suffered political strife between the groups and a chaotic physical atmosphere. This plan utilizes a commons governance framework and participatory, asset-based community design to usher in a new era of enhanced collaboration, common narratives, and …

Intergenerational Connections: Us College Students’ Attitudes And Expectations Toward Older Adults And Aging In An Online Critical Community Engagement Project, Sandra L. Faulkner, Madison Pollino, Jaclyn Shetterly, Wendy K. Watson

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

We present a critically focused, semester-long community engagement project entitled Intergenerational Connections as a form of critical interpersonal and family communication pedagogy (CIFCP). The project utilized Zoom to connect small groups of undergraduate students in the US enrolled in a course on relational communication with older adults in a long-term care facility to dialogue about close relationships. We were interested in how dialogue across generations maintained or altered students’ attitudes and expectations about communicating with older adults and analyzed student reflections before, during, and after the dialogues using a turning point analysis. The study was framed using Social Identity Theory …

Health-Based Urban Design And Planning Interventions; Maximizing Harmony, Vitality, And Wellness In Hopewell, Virginia, Suzanne K. Yeats

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Urban planners as practitioners work to create a more progressive future while simultaneously redressing the past. This tension is found in many cities, including the City of Hopewell, Virginia where city planners, managers, economic developers work passionately for positive change. In Hopewell, there has been almost no population growth since 1970 and existing health outcomes are alarming. In every determinant of health category (medical, psychological, or social), this city falls below the state and national average. This health-based urban design and planning intervention capstone challenges the status quo by flipping the paradigm and placing the health of all residents first …

Challenges Of Implementing Integrated Project Delivery In The Construction Industry In Egypt, Ayman Ahmed Ezzat Othman, Doaa Refahy, Ashraf Nessim

Architectural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Growing Up Sustainable? Politics Of Race And Youth In Urbanplan, Copenhagen, Max Ritts, Rebecca Rutt

Geography

This paper considers how racialized youth in Denmark negotiate sustainability amid contexts marked by intersecting forms of economic restructuring, progressive neoliberalism, white ethno-nationalism, and green urban planning. Urbanplan is a low-income, notoriously “troubled” Copenhagen neighborhood where we conducted fieldwork for 7 months (2019-2020) with fifteen male youth, aged 17-21. Using ethnography, policy reviews, and interviews with city social workers, we explore how intimate experiences of nature, group-identity, and place attachment here relate to and depart from the structural forces actively reshaping the neighborhood. Our analysis combines Cindi Katz's intersectional political economy approach with recent work on green gentrification, Critical Utopian …

Green Spaces And Socioeconomic Disparities In São Paulo City, Brazil: A Spatial Analysis Approach, Flavia Vieira Xavier

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Urban green spaces are an invaluable asset for the benefits they provide to human well-being and environmental sustainability. São Paulo, one of the largest cities in the world, well-known for its demographic complexity, prosperous economy, and cultural diversity, presents great disparities in the distribution and quality of green spaces. Besides that, different socioeconomic groups have different access to these spaces. The significant challenge to achieving equitable urban development invites us to investigate these spaces further, associated with socioeconomic parameters, to understand which groups benefit most from urban green spaces and to advance in the environmental justice discussion. This dissertation contains …

Social Protection System: A Case Study Of Migration And Families Left Behind In Ban Sandin, Lao Pdr, Kritsada Theerakosonphong

Asian Review

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Declaration on Strengthening Social Protection, serves as a policy framework guiding the international agenda of ASEAN member countries. This emphasis on social protection within the regional bloc is aligned with the United Nation's global agenda, particularly, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This presentation analyzes the social protection system in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), exploring traditional and innovative coping mechanisms and how they reflect community social dynamics. Drawing on case studies of families left behind and insights from fifteen additional informants in Ban Sandin, Lao PDR, this article synthesizes scholarly literature to …

Chieftaincy In A Lappa: Portraiture Leadership Of Black Women, Lynne E, Washington

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The dissertation examined African American women with chieftaincy titles in Yoruba culture and how they exercised their leadership in both Yorubaland and America. It explored their leadership, authority, and training. The presence of African American women with chieftaincy titles is increasing in the American landscape. The methodology was qualitative using narrative inquiry and portraiture from Sarah Lawrence-Lightfoot and Jessica Hoffman Davis (1997) with five African American women. My research included observations in Nigerian, pre-Osun festival, the Osun festival, and post-Osun festival. Observations also included three women Nigerian Chiefs. The research questions answered their qualifications to lead, their sense of knowing …

Women's Role In Sustainable Development Project In Rural Indonesia: A Case Study Of Access Project, United Nations Development Programme, Elizabeth Gabriela

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This research focuses on the role of women participants in sustainable development projects in rural Indonesia, analyzing intricacies through Ecofeminism and intersectionality. More specifically, it examines the ACCESS Project implemented by UNDP in four provinces, aiming to address women’s engagement in the energy sector. ACCESS is a case study exploring empowerment within an institutionally gendered landscape—bounded by state quotas—for employment. Employing qualitative methods such as document analysis and semi-structured interviews with eight participants, the study draws from Ecofeminism and intersectionality to understand its central arguments. The findings depict progress toward gender inclusion in technical management for leadership roles, allowing women …

Ideals Of Benevolence, Acts Of Dysconsciousness: White Women's Pursuit Of Diversity In Nonprofits, Tessa A. Fulmer

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Recent political movements such as the Black Lives Matter and #MeToo movements have brought renewed attention to the social roles of White women and their unique position of intersectional privilege and oppression. White women experience the benefits of whiteness while simultaneously experiencing the gendered oppression of womanhood. However, there is a lack of research exploring how White women conceptualize and respond to their own positionality as both White individuals and as women. This study utilizes constructivist grounded theory to examine how White women navigate their social location within the context of working in the nonprofit sector, a space wherein White …

What Do We Mean By Territoire?, Ceri Almrott

Other resources

This diagram explores the concept of territoire, illustrating its multidimensional nature as a dynamic socio-spatial system. It captures the interplay of human interaction, social structures, environmental factors, and cultural connections. The framework demonstrates how communities adapt to and shape their environments, integrating local knowledge, sustainable practices, and resource management. It highlights governance systems, traditions, and collective identity as essential for resilience and sustainability. The diagram also reflects on intangible elements like sense of place, identity, and heritage, which deepen emotional and cultural connections to the territoire. Together, these layers form a holistic approach to understanding sustainable community development.

An Analysis Of The Public Participation Processes Employed For An Urban Greenway Project, Maeve O'Connell

Articles

The purpose of this study is to examine the public participation mechanisms employed for a proposed new infrastructure project. Public participation is a core characteristic of a contemporary democratic society as policy makers are increasingly encouraged to engage with citizens for learning and legitimacy. Participation is a loose concept with many forms and interpretations. This study explores the key characteristics of public participation formats, challenges to and the criteria for success. This analysis is then applied to the proposed local infrastructure consultation process. An additional survey is designed and its role in the public participation process is assessed. The processes …

E Hui Me Ke Kaiāulu: To Connect With The Community, Heather Kayleen Bartlett

Dissertations and Theses

Urban planning literature contains a wealth of knowledge on community engagement as a crucial component of the planning process, yet there remains a notable gap in our understanding of best practices when it comes to sustaining community involvement for ongoing plan implementation. The County of Hawai'i, has charted a unique course through the establishment of Action Committees which serve as an intermediary to uplift grassroots implementation efforts while remaining closely entwined with County resources and processes. This interplay provides a unique case study that results in somewhat of an "identity crisis": Action Committees do not have the autonomy of external …

Relational Empowerment Among Public Safety Outreach Workers And Violence Interventionists In U.S. Cities: A Qualitative Inquiry, Christopher M. Thompson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The nation-wide uprisings for racial justice in the Summer of 2020 brought into mainstream awareness the calls to shift resources away from police departments and channel funds to mental health, education, and other social services. However, in the wake of recent post-pandemic surges in community violence, police budgets increased, while public opinion for grassroots, radical initiatives like “defund the police” that many activists, organizers, and abolitionists pushed into public consciousness has faltered. Studies have shown that the implementation of community-led public safety programs significantly reduce incidents of street violence in U.S. cities. Thus, research that informs community-driven violence intervention and …

Let The Music Play:Using Community Engagement To Develop A New Sustainable Audience, Leslie D. Wilcher

Nonprofit and NGO Studies Student Projects

Abstract

The Symphony is a dying breed of live music. The lack of classical music education and interest has left barriers to the symphony. Around the country, nonprofit symphonies are adapting to build a sustainable audience. So, how do we stop the closures of the orchestras? How does the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra engage the community through programming and events to accommodate a new sustainable audience for the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra (KSO)? My research will show that new audience members are waiting to be introduced to the symphony.

This research shows that community engagement is the key to bringing a sustainable …

The Benefits And Challenges To Cycle-Based Adoption Of The International Code Council’S Model Building And Energy Conservation Codes, Hailey M. Mattingly

Commonwealth Policy Papers

This green paper, written in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and applicable to any jurisdictions in the U.S. and abroad, provides policy guidance to state and local authorities that wish to bring their building and energy conservation codes to more current technological and methodological standards. Specifically, this green paper presents the case for cycle-based adoption of model building and energy conservation codes published every three years by the International Code Council (ICC). In doing so, the paper also discusses the numerous benefits and challenges to implementing such a policy.

Assessing The Sustainable Development Dimensions Of Environmental Public Policies For Protected Natural Areas In Mexico: A 1970-2018 Perspective, Cielo María Ávila López, José Israel Herrera

Journal of Maya Heritage

Abstract: This abstract discusses the challenges and issues related to the implementation of Environmental Public Policies (EPP) for Protected Natural Areas (PNA) in Mexico from 1970 to 2018. EPPs aim to achieve sustainable development by balancing economic, environmental, and social dimensions while reconciling conservation and the use of natural resources with restrictions on their use and economic compensation to communities. However, the results of this study reveal that the establishment of PNA has been unilateral and without consensus, leading to limitations on communities' use of the environment without granting them economic compensation or productive alternatives. This has resulted in conflicts …

Navigating Professional Paradigms: Transactional Sex, Behavior Change, And Structural Responses In Uganda, Shelley K. White, Hugo A. Kamya

Journal of Social Work in the Global Community

Professional paradigms within social work and related social service fields have been critiqued for being behaviorally focused, thereby obscuring and perhaps excusing structural determinants of health and well-being. Recent initiatives in international social work have aimed to align theory, practice, education, and research with sustainable development, reflecting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to address structural determinants. Our qualitative research examined responses to transactional sex among Ugandan youth through in-depth interviews with 23 professionals working in social services with youth who were vulnerable to HIV. Through thematic content analysis, using deductive and inductive analysis, we examined the demographics …

Addressing Challenges Faced By Public Organizations: The Central Role Of Agility At The Federal Level During The Covid-19 Crisis, Shuktika Chatterjee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation investigates the role of organizational agility in public organizations (such as the United States Federal Agencies) and demonstrates how agility works in public institutions. This study explores how organizational agility within public institutions can lead to successes and prevent failures stemming from underutilized agility, identifies the societal demographics impacted by these outcomes, and offers recommendations for effectively implementing agility to enhance efficiency and societal progress. Agility in sum, is adaptability and proactiveness. If developed and practiced by public organizations, this process can avert prominent institutional failings that impede the dispersal of services and resources that would promote social …