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Guest Editors’ Introduction, Maurits Bastiaan Meerwijk, Nicolo Paolo P. Ludovice

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

This introduction examines the historical evolution of health messaging in the Philippines, tracing its roots from early twentieth-century colonial public health campaigns to contemporary pandemic responses. It argues that health messaging, initially termed “medical propaganda,” has consistently served as a tool for persuasion and governance, intertwining communication, politics, and medicine. The introduction highlights how visual technologies and simplified narratives have been used to normalize biomedical authority, often obscuring complex realities. It concludes by emphasizing the need for a broader epistemic repertoire to navigate health knowledge in an era of misinformation.

Russian Cyber Disinformation In Mexico And Spain, Isabella Lafranchise

Honors Theses

Disinformation campaigns are being spread throughout Mexico and Spain by Russia, and these campaigns are among the tools most used by a foreign country to manipulate societies, weaken democracies, and deepen divisions. This research seeks to answer the question: How does Russia use cyber tools to spread disinformation in Mexico and Spain? To address this question, the paper will examine government reports and academic research of recent Russian influence operations. Variables will include the types of cyber tools used, platforms used, the narratives/themes being promoted, audiences targeted, and the political or social outcomes observed. Data will be analyzed using a …

Determining The Efficacy Of A Digital Small-Group Formatted Spiritual Care Program In Increasing Ministry Volunteer Resiliency And Retention At Groundwire, Andrew J. Ondo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project examined the efficacy of biblically informed, trauma-aware, peer-to-peer spiritual care systems within the solely digital ministry context of Groundwire. The study addressed the growing need for effective pastoral care in digitally mediated environments, where formation and fragmentation occur simultaneously and traditional leadership structures are often absent. The purpose was to design, implement, and evaluate a protocol that could cultivate the core concepts of resilience, intentionality, and wisdom among participants, reinforcing both practical resilience and retention. An action-oriented, primarily qualitative methodology was utilized. The final sample population consisted of eleven Groundwire participants engaged in peer-to-peer care on Discord, with …

Faith Versus Safety: Exploring How Black Churches Navigate Through Intersections Of Faith, Culture, Safety, And Social Work When Dealing With Intimate Partner Violence (Ipv), Wanda Rw Mckinley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quality improvement study was to understand the cultural and structural barriers that hinder “Blessings and Grace Church,” a Black faith-based institution, from effectively addressing intimate partner violence (IPV). The study identified context-specific strategies to improve survivor support, enhance safety measures, and strengthen resource accessibility within the church. The goal was to inform culturally responsive and theologically sensitive improvements tailored to the needs of this specific faith-based community. The setting for the study was an urban Black church in southern Texas. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system theory was the theoretical framework guiding this study. According to this theory, a …

What Must I Do? Servant-Leadership And Choice, Jiying Song

International Journal of Servant-Leadership

Drawing on archival research at Yale Divinity Library, this article examines four original manuscripts by Robert K. Greenleaf that explore themes of identity, responsibility, and personal growth within servant-leadership. Greenleaf emphasizes the primacy of individual character over systems, the paradoxical nature of leadership, and the enduring significance of choice. His reflections on entheos—an inner sense of oneness and rightness—frame leadership as a moral and spiritual journey. By situating these insights within contemporary servant-leadership theory, the article highlights their relevance for business education and leadership practice, inviting readers to engage with Greenleaf’s central question: “What must I do?”

Full Issue, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

The Birth Of A City: The Politics Leading To The Incorporation Of The City Of El Paso, Michael Britt

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

While the history of the Civil War and Reconstruction-era focuses on the eastern United States, those events rippled across the country and affected the development of places far from the national capital and sites of the major battles. Most histories of El Paso, Texas focus on the era after the arrival of the railroad and growth of Fort Bliss as a major military installation. The region that now encompasses El Paso County, Texas experienced European migration centuries before the United States developed, and its Spanish and, later, Mexican background would impact how the area integrated with the United States. Texas …

A Story Of Life Through Death: An Osteobiography Of Two Individuals From The Late Saxon Period, Isabella Ragazzi

Honors Theses

The Anglo-Saxons were the most influential inhabitants of the British Isles in the years AD 450-1066, reigning during a time marked by much warfare, pestilence, and famine. Their impact on British history is still seen through archival materials as well as the archeological and bioarchaeological records. A recent development in the field of bioarchaeology is the osteobiography, which places skeletal analysis in context of the overall culture to create the most complete interpretation of the individual and their life history. Involving both traditional bioarchaeological evaluation and isotopic analysis, this method was applied to two Anglo-Saxon skulls donated to the University …

Understanding Social And Cognitive Influences In Medical Students' Learning Processes For Step 1: An Interpretivist Case Study., Ashley Elaine Triplett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative interpretivist case study explores, at a singular institution, medical students’ perspectives on the social and cognitive factors influencing the learning process as students prepare for the Step 1 examination. While prior research regarding medical students Step 1 preparation have focused primarily on wellness, stress, and career outcomes, limited studies have examined medical students' lived experiences to navigate what occurs during the learning process while they prepare for this critical exam. Utilizing a qualitative case study approach, this dissertation draws on fourteen student interviews, seven that passed Step 1 on their first attempt, and seven that failed. Findings reveal …

Crux: Exploring Imperialism And Resistance Through Role-Playing Games, Devon Gronka

Institute for the Humanities Master's Papers, Projects, and Capstones

This is a game about power. The game is a Role-Playing Game, or RPG. As with nearly all RPGs, the game presents the players with choices about how their characters will interact with each other and with the world around them, and these interactions are woven together to more or less form a plot. However, oftentimes in life there are no good choices available, and there is no win state outside of what we might determine for ourselves.

The game is a social experiment. While playing a game, a player takes in information in a very different manner than when …

Navigating Safety: A Mixed-Methods Examination Of Supportive Workplace Practices In Maritime Contexts, Rebecca N. Pool

All Dissertations

Maritime Sailors operate in high-demand and high-risk environments that require sustained adherence to strict safety standards. Using the Conservation of Resources theory (COR), this dissertation examines how supportive workplace practices impact job stress and foster increased safety compliance among U.S. Navy personnel. Using a mixed-methods design, two studies were conducted with data from the Afloat Safety Climate Assessment Survey (ASCAS). Study 1 analyzed quantitative survey responses from active-duty Sailors (N = 15,517) nested in 1,033 departments nested within 122 ships to test a multilevel moderated mediation model linking social support, job stress, psychological safety, and safety compliance. Results indicated …

Does Social Media Undermine Trust? Institutional Trust In Civil Society And Governance Institutions, Christianna Sirindah Parr

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

What is the relationship between social media use and trust in civil society and governance institutions? In many parts of Asia, trust in government remains high despite limited political accountability and civil liberties. This study examines whether online political expression reshapes institutional trust in governance institutions and civil society organizations. The analysis considers the dual role of social media as a site for civic engagement and a channel for disaffection with formal authority. Using data from the Asian Barometer, the findings show that political expression on social media is associated with lower trust in governance institutions and higher trust in …

Environmental Beliefs Among Evangelical Leadership, Jeffrey Stark

Dissertations

There has been consensus among climate scientists for over a decade about the reality of human caused climate change. Even with this consensus, the public understanding of this issue remains divided based on factors generally unrelated to the science. Evangelical Protestants are one group which consistently polls as more skeptical of climate change. This is true not only when compared to the general population but also when compared to other religious demographics. Most large-scale surveys of evangelicals assume the demographic to be a monolith and do not attempt to break the demographic down further. In this mixed methods study, we …

Up From The Archive: On Stigma, Resilience And Chosen Families. Hassan Khalil Thinks With Bernard Gardiner 2018, Hassan Khalil

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper reflects upon Bernard Gardiner's qualitative study of the lived experiences of older gay people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) in regional Queensland. The study explores how advancements in the biomedical field have extended the life expectancy of PLHIV, allowing this group to navigate through persistent challenges both psychosocial and structural. Central to Gardiner's study is the exploration of stigma, trauma and financial challenges. The core strength of the study is its participant-led narrative which offered valuable insight into complex lived experiences of ageing PLHIV. Gardiner's findings remain relevant in the contemporary and current context, highlighting the need …

The Matter Of Production And Forms Of Sharing: Transformations Of Food Economies In Lowland South America, Clarice Cohn, Diego Madi Dias, Adriana Athila

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

This special issue of Tipití presents a critical examination of ‘food economies’ and their transformations within Indigenous communities in Lowland South America. Stemming from seminal ideas in its Anthropology that directly or indirectly discuss ‘food’ (and much of what goes along with it), this edited volume focuses on the materiality of relations as a strategic lens for understanding contemporary Indigenous lives and their transformations, according to how they are perceived by Indigenous peoples themselves and others such as health care professionals and the state. The articles explore how Indigenous foodways—from acquisition to consumption, including sharing and distribution—reveal key aspects …

Impact Of Pakistan-Nigeria Defense Cooperation On The Nigerian Armed Forces, Adekunle James Okhogbe

Journal of Terrorism Studies

The study examined the impact of Pakistan-Nigeria Defense Cooperation on the Nigerian Armed Forces. The study utilized a descriptive survey and documentary research design to provide a comprehensive analysis of the cooperation’s dimensions. The target population comprised serving personnel across the Nigerian Armed Forces, including the Army, Navy, and Air Force, estimated at approximately 20,000 members nationwide. Using the Taro Yamane sample size determination technique, a sample size of 400 respondents was drawn from this population. Primary and secondary data collection methods were applied. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analysis were employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed …

The Dynamics Of Terrorism And Counter-Terrorism: The South Africa Experience, Oluranti Samson Afowowe

Journal of Terrorism Studies

Defining Terrorism within the context of South African government promulgated Terrorism Act of 1967 as’ action(s) that endanger the maintenance of law and order’, innocuously suggest that the phenomenon of terrorism in South African political space is not a recent development. This study examines the historical, socio-economic and demographic dis-equilibrium as indicative factors of terrorism within the context of South Africa. Theoretical postulations on the phenomenon of terrorism within the context of South Africa state experience also engaged the attention of this study. Attempts are made to identify the nexus between social relationships and the nature, essence and political dimensions …

Understanding The Complexity Of Child Soldier Recruitment Problems In Sudan, Maskur Riyadi

Journal of Terrorism Studies

This study examines human rights violations in the recruitment of child soldiers in Darfur, Sudan, where more than 300,000 boys and girls under the age of eighteen were recruited by government armed forces, militias, or non-state armed groups. Using a qualitative literature study, this study aims to examine the factors behind the recruitment of child soldiers and examine the phenomenon using international humanitarian law. This study concludes that the recruitment of child soldiers is caused by competition for limited natural resources, easy access to weapons, and unequal levels of education and economy. The violations found based on humanitarian law are; …

Evaluating The Effects Of The Counterinsurgency On Boko Haram In Nigeria, Godwin Ejuvwedia Sadjere, Ekene Jude Onyiriuka, Justice Chinedu Mbam, Eloghosa Anderson Ikponmwonba, Ngozi Palmer Onyiriuka, Samuel Adedeji Afolabi

Journal of Terrorism Studies

Boko Haram insurgency debuted in Nigeria in 2009 and has been on for more than eleven years and has become intractable even after the government instituted a counterinsurgency in 2013. This paper analysed the effect of the counterinsurgency on Boko Haram and the insurgency in Nigeria in general based on attacks by the insurgents.

Historical data on attacks by Boko Haram and other criminal groups were collected using web scraping by Python and subjected to statistical analysis to build a relationship between the insurgency and the counterinsurgency. Eleven years data from 2012 were collected but six years data from 2017 …

Kalayaan (Freedom), Hanapbuhay (Livelihood), And Pagsisibat (Persisting): A Conceptual Unpacking Of Freelance Work In The Philippines, Theresa Anne Nadine L. Rellamas, Danika M. Geronimo, Hazel A. Lao

Social Transformations Journal of the Global South

This article is a conceptual but empirically grounded exploration of how Filipino freelance creatives construct and navigate freelance work. Using the sibat (spear) as a metaphor for movement and survival, the paper unpacks freelance work as hanapbuhay (livelihood) pursued in the quest for kalayaan (freedom). Building from emic narratives of sixteen (16) freelance creatives, the paper develops a conceptual model of freedom through three movements: Kalayaang Magsibat (freedom to enter), Kalayaan sa Pagsisibat (freedom to persist), and Kalayaang Sumibat (freedom to exit). These narratives of freelance work reveal a continual negotiation of autonomy under precarious conditions. Anchored and interpreted through …

Review Article: Monetary Power And National Security. A 10th Anniversary Review Of Paul R. Viotti’S The Dollar And National Security: The Monetary Component Of Hard Power (Stanford, Ca: Stanford University Press, 2014), Ricardo Crespo

Space and Defense

In this ten-year retrospective, Ricardo A. Crespo reassesses Paul R. Viotti’s The Dollar and National Security (2014) as a foundational text bridging the fields of monetary policy and national security. Viotti’s central thesis—that military power ultimately depends on a stable and privileged monetary foundation—has only grown more relevant amid today’s weaponization of finance and the geopolitics of sanctions. Crespo highlights Viotti’s argument that sustaining the U.S. dollar’s global dominance requires cooperative security and international consensus, noting how historical parallels—from the sterling gold standard to Bretton Woods—illustrate the fragility of monetary hegemony under fiscal mismanagement or political fragmentation. The review situates …

Plan To Fail By Failing To Plan: Deterring Prc Nuclear Force Expansion, Mark Tang, Grace Buettner

Space and Defense

This article argues that the United States must adapt its nuclear deterrence strategy to counter the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) accelerating nuclear force expansion. As Beijing seeks to achieve nuclear parity with Washington—projecting up to 1,500 warheads by 2035—the authors contend that U.S. strategy must evolve from Cold War-era models to meet the Indo-Pacific’s unique strategic challenges. They propose the establishment of a Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) A-10 Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration Division, modeled after its European counterpart, to enhance regional nuclear planning, integration, and allied assurance. The paper emphasizes the concept of escalation domination, arguing …

In Defense Of Space Offense, Alexander R. Kleitz

Space and Defense

This article argues that in the unique physical and operational environment of outer space, offensive operations hold intrinsic advantages over defensive ones. Drawing upon classical military theorists such as Clausewitz and Corbett, the author contends that the traditional dominance of the defensive form of war—rooted in terrestrial conditions—does not extend to celestial conflict. The transparency and remoteness of the space domain neutralize key defensive benefits, such as proximity to supply bases, concealment, and fortified positions, while also diminishing the factors that typically cause terrestrial offensives to culminate. Consequently, space conflict favors the side that seizes and maintains the initiative through …

Costly Signals In Space: Increasing Credibility Via Strategic Disclosure, Wendy N. Whitman Cobb

Space and Defense

As space becomes an increasingly vital domain for national security, debates persist about how much secrecy should surround U.S. military space programs. This article argues that the strategic declassification and disclosure of selected space capabilities can strengthen U.S. deterrence by enhancing the credibility of deterrent threats. Drawing from theories of costly signaling and audience costs, the paper introduces strategic disclosure as a novel form of costly signal. Such disclosure imposes bureaucratic and operational costs while exposing capabilities to potential adversary countermeasures—thereby demonstrating resolve and seriousness of intent. In tandem, greater public transparency about space programs cultivates informed domestic audiences capable …

Space & Defense Volume 16 Issue 2 Fall 2025 (Whole Issue), Editors Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Ancient Astronaut Theory And Christian Belief Among Evangelical Millennials: A Quantitative Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study, Richard Barry Bazzell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, exploratory, non-experimental, cross-sectional study was to explore the possible influence of the Ancient Astronaut Theory upon Evangelical Christian millennials in the aspects of their biblical worldview, belief in the triune God, and Christian praxis. The researcher structured the study upon four pillars: (a) Evangelical millennials, (b) Evangelical theology, (c) Lev Vygotsky’s social constructivism, and (d) Eric Von Däniken’s Ancient Astronaut Theory. The study population was Evangelical millennials in the state of Texas. The study’s instrumentation was a researcher-designed 5-point Likert scale survey titled Ancient Astronaut Theory–Evangelical Christian Millennials (AAT–ECM). Because the respondents were fewer in …

The Current State Of Islamic Extremism, Barkot G. Biniyam

Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy

Transnational Islamic Jihadists, particularly ISIS and Al-Qaida, have increased propaganda and recruitment efforts in an attempt to mobilize affiliates to increase attacks on overseas and domestic U.S. targets. There will likely be a steady increase in attacks on U.S. personnel and entities. Salafi Jihadist organizations, particularly ISIS and Al-Qaida, have increased mobilization and recruitment efforts since the fall of the ISIS caliphate in 2019. These terrorist groups have an expressed intent to conduct attacks on U.S. soil and overseas interests. Terrorist groups have exploited ongoing conflicts and power shifts in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa to remobilize a …

Chinese Communist Party Infiltration Of U.S. Pacific Islands: Protecting American National Security Through Defending Strategic Pacific Assets, Contessa Amedore

Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy

Many Americans picture the U.S.’s Western most border to be the coast of California. However, when threats have historically formed in the Pacific, U.S. Pacific Island territories have served as the nation’s first line of defense. Today, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have slowly but ambitiously deployed new age or ‘unrestricted’ warfare tactics against the United States and allies in their long awaited plan to assume global hegemony. Their illegal infiltration and psychological operations have gone past Taipei and reached American soil in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. This paper examines how the (CCP) uses unrestricted warfare …

Securitizing Kinmen: China’S Gray Zone Strategy And The Evolution Of The Kinmen Model, Ian Murphy

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

This paper examines the evolving dynamics of cross-strait relations through the lens of securitization theory, focusing on China’s strategic deployment of what it calls the Kinmen Model and its implications for regional security. While existing discourse predominantly concentrates on a potential full-scale invasion of Taiwan, this study shifts attention to the strategic significance of the outlying islands and the nuanced employment of securitization to exert indirect control. Utilizing Vuori’s (2008) framework for analyzing securitization in non-democratic contexts, this research conducts a discourse analysis of nineteen Chinese language media sources to dissect the speech acts employed by Chinese media and their …

Curriculum Insertion Proposal For The Academic-Military Education: The Rising Of Unmanned Aerial Systems (Uas/Drones) In Modern Combat, Tiago Marques Dos Santos Filho

Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies

The use of drones in the latest generation of combat has revolutionized military operations, offering new tactical and strategic-operational capabilities. Based on the author's practical experience and reference literature, using UAS in urban combat, peacekeeping missions, and jungle operations has proven to be extremely effective, providing significant advantages in terms of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and air support. Equipped with high-resolution cameras and advanced sensors, drones allow the collection of real-time critical information, assisting quick and accurate decision-making. This background raises the question of whether it is relevant to formally address this topic in academic-military undergraduation. The main hypothesis, that the …