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Acclimation Does Not Mean Equality: Muted Group Identity Management Of Women In The United States Navy, Richard Russell Langbein

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This thesis focuses on identity management amongst women, as part of a muted-group, within the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. This study considers cultural and social conditions encountered prior to their entry into the program to assist in evaluating communication and identity management methods to regain voice. The research is grounded in muted-group theory and seeks to build on existing research that follows the repeal of the Combat Exclusion Law. Existing research following the repeal centers on women in direct combatant roles. This study examines women in a high-paced academic and technical field. Ten women volunteered to participate to include narrative …

Urban Herders: An Archaeological And Isotopic Investigation Into The Roles Of Mobility And Subsistence Specialization In An Iron Age Urban Center In Mali, Abigail Chipps Stone

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the relationship between mobility and urbanism in an Iron Age West African city. Isotopic and archaeological evidence reveal complex relationships among mobility, sedentism, and the livestock economy of Jenné-jeno, one of the earliest and best known urban systems in sub-Saharan Africa (occupied ca. 250 BC to AD 1400). Drawing on excavations at the ancient city of Jenné-jeno and those conducted at two neighboring sites (Tato à Sanouna and Thièl), and on serial, intra-tooth isotopic analysis (87Sr/86Sr, 13C, 18O) of cattle, sheep, and goat teeth, this analysis shows that multiple populations involved in animal husbandry, from seasonally mobile …

A New Presidential Genre: Analyzing The United Nations Addresses From Truman To Obama, Kory Hoyt

Honors Program Theses and Projects

This article explores American presidential rhetoric at the opening general assembly of the United Nations. An exploratory study was conducted by examining addresses made by all United States Presidents that spoke at the United Nations General Assembly (1946-2014). It is argued that this semi-annual speech, which has been made almost every year since the presidency of Harry Truman, can be considered a distinct presidential genre. Using a genre (generic) criticism as a framework it was found that these characteristics are consistent across the speeches of all of the Presidents. These are characteristics are: (1) international meditation on values, (2) assessing …

Human-Animal Communication In Captive Species: Dogs, Horses, And Whales, Mackenzie K. Kelley

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

My hopes for this project are to collect and analyze the current research in the field of animal communication. In the first part, my goal is to define animal communication, specifically within human contexts. I will look at how the history of humans and certain species have intertwined to result in their modern day relationships. I will also explain why we should care about animal communication. In the second part, I will look at three specific species I have chosen to study: dogs, horses, and cetaceans. I will provide a brief history of our roles as humans in the evolution …

Indigenous Land Rights Of The Khoi In South Africa, Chelsea Wilkins

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Upon discussions in classes at James Madison University, I became aware of the Khoi people. I became interested in their way of life, as well as the implications of globalization and industrialization worldwide. After researching the topic, I decided I wanted to not only write my thesis on this topic, but I wanted to travel to South Africa to learn more. I wanted to know how a refreshment station at the Cape for the Dutch East India Company transformed into a fight for land that ultimately led to the extreme disenfranchisement of the Khoi people and their way of life. …

Conservatives And The End Of The Draft, Shad Ashcroft

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

While conservatives of all stripes generally supported the Vietnam War, particularly at its onset, I will show that the debate to end conscription reveals a rift between traditional conservatives who supported the draft and libertarian conservatives who opposed it (while generally supporting the war). Furthermore, though they shared the goal of ending the draft, libertarian conservatives and New Left protesters agreed on little else. The protesters' primary goal was to prevent future wars like Vietnam. Conservatives, on the other hand, embraced the all-volunteer army in part to maintain executive branch independence in foreign affiars.

Getting On The Agenda: The Influence Of Local Civil Society Organizations During Pre-Negotiation, David R. Andersen-Rodgers

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

This article examines the types of strategies that different local civil society organizations use to get their issues addressed during a peace negotiation. Previous research has shown that the inclusion of civil society groups in a negotiation improves the likelihood for a durable peace. This paper argues that during conflict civil society organizations make a number of strategic choices that then affect their ability to get their societal interests placed on the agenda. These strategies are partially dictated by when and why the civil society group organized, the levels and types of advocacy that they choose to engage in during …

Analyzing Reproductive Policy: Patriarchal Legitimization And Women In Latin America, Shannon C. Magni

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper examines the way in which gendered violence is carried out as a way for the formal state and the Catholic Church to negotiate power. While examples of a much larger trend, three Latin American countries are discussed in detail. The first case occurred in Nicaragua, where a 9-year-old victim of rape was denied an abortion by both the state and the Church. The second case examined is the use of rape as a torture tactic by the military junta in Argentina during the Dirty War from 1976 to 1983. The final case examined is that of the forced …

Swords Into Stethoscopes: How The U.S. Military Could Conduct Medical Diplomacy, Oliver Kendall

Political Science Honors Projects

Since the early 1960’s, Cuba and China have won international appreciation by sending doctors abroad to help where they are needed. While there was surprise in some quarters when U.S. military personnel were deployed to combat Ebola in the last months of 2014, the Department of Defense actually has a long history of medical activity. In its current form, DoD medical outreach cannot likely garner soft power in the way that the Chinese and Cuban programs can, but with a few modifications, the U.S. military could be a serious conductor of medical diplomacy that would save countless lives and benefit …

“Cahokia And The Trans-Appalachian West In The American Revolution”, Andrew Cooperman

The Confluence (2009-2020)

The Battle of Fort San Carlos in 1780 was of great importance in the Revolutionary War. Andrew Cooperman argues that a force of Americans and Illinois French Creoles foiled British plans to sweep through the Mississippi Valley

The Implications Of Self-Driving Cars On Insurance, Amanda Lobello

Honors Projects in Mathematics

Self-driving cars, also known as autonomous vehicles, are being researched and tested by automakers, technology industry leaders, and other institutions. Lawmakers and politicians are discussing the legislation that will affect the fate of such technology. Primary benefits include safety, mobility, free time, less traffic, and green effects. However, there are also obstacles to the implementation of self-driving vehicles including consumer acceptance, legal liability, and cost. With the potential shift in responsibility from driver to automaker, rating factors for insurance may change, weighing more heavily on the model of the car as a factor. The fate of auto insurance is in …

Trauma Of The Heart: Augmenting The Family Paradigm To Stem The Spread Of Hiv/Aids And To Facilitate Healing And Recovery In The Wake Of Hiv/Aids, Gibson Danjuma

CTS Faculty Publications and Creative Activity

This article briefly reflects on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the African American community. The article suggests an alternative paradigm that views the high-risk behaviors that contribute to the spread of the virus as a reaction to ‘trauma of the heart’ as opposed to viewing the epidemic solely in terms of a lack of HIV and sexually transmitted disease awareness. It further suggests a pastoral intervention of expanding the paradigm of family beyond the classical nuclear construct to family as a system of individuals committed to embracing and ‘adopting’ individuals who have experienced trauma of the heart. This augmented understanding of …

Contentious Spaces : A Comparative Analysis Of Latin American Resistance Campaigns, 1956-2006., Sean Lee Welch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Why do resistance campaigns have different outcomes? Specifically, why do some resistance campaigns succeed, while others fail or fall somewhere between success and failure? Examining Latin American resistance campaigns between 1956 and 2006 through a theoretical lens of spatial agency, the varying outcomes of resistance campaigns (success, partial success, and failure) could be explained schematically by the same conditions. Generally, successful campaigns had the same conditions present, which include: facing an authoritarian regime; the ability of the campaign to build cross-class alliances that included urban elements; military shifts through defection, desertion, or open rebellion; the United States’ withdrawal of support …

Operation Mapping: Cartography, Intelligence, And The 3rd Battle Of Gaza, 1917, Joel Radunzel

Theses - ALL

World War I sparked numerous innovations in military cartography. In the Palestine theater as elsewhere, the British and Dominion forces leveraged new technologies, including aerial photography and wireless intercepts, to supplement their use of intelligence to map enemy troop positions. The creation and distribution of these position maps by the 7th Field Survey Company for the 3rd Battle of Gaza in late 1917 represented an innovative process of intelligence gathering, map production, and knowledge distribution. This thesis not only examines the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) along with its subordinate intelligence assets and cartographic organizations as a comprehensive mapping system, but …

Exploring The Evolutionary Origins Of Obesity Through The Endocrine-Physical Activity-Bone Axis, Maria G. Lapera

Department of Anthropology: Theses and Student Research

As the global obesity epidemic spreads, scientists struggle to understand the biological, cultural, and evolutionary bases for modern fatness. Understanding the contributions of the interaction between physical activity and the endocrine system to regulating metabolism could potentially help people who are overweight or obese in losing weight and illustrate one of the evolutionary pathways that encourages modern obesity. This study used an innovative approach that integrated a lifestyle physical activity and diet questionnaire coupled with endocrine analysis (leptin, osteocalcin) and anthropometric measures in order to create baseline measurements of fit individuals. The mean osteocalcin level was 4201.46 pg/mL and the …

Cultural Interaction And Biological Distance Among Postclassic Mexican Populations, Corey Steven Ragsdale

Anthropology ETDs

Human population structure is influenced by cultural and biological interactions. Little is known regarding to what extent cultural interactions effect biological processes such as migration and genetic exchange among prehistoric populations. In this study, I draw upon archaeological and ethnohistoric research to investigate the interaction of biology and culture among Postclassic period (AD 900-1519) Mexican populations. The central question for this project is: how did processes of economic exchange and political expansion affect genetic exchange among Postclassic period Mexican populations? To address this question, various biological distance analyses derived from dental morphological traits were employed to investigate inter- and intra-regional …

Diplomatic Normalization Between The Us And Cuba In Light Of Recent Changes In Us Foreign Policy More Generally, Ethan Zawatsky, Ashley Gemma

Senior Honors Projects

We analyze normalization of diplomatic relations between the US and Cuba. We first examine the causes of previous normalizations with Vietnam and China. From these cases, we identify factors that are key to the normalization process. These include political turnover, economic interests, other special interest groups, public sentiment, and what we refer to as the Lawnmower Effect. This effect is observed when one or both nations attempt to reopen diplomatic ties only to continually fail to establish relations due to the endurance of underlying political issues. We use the Multiple Streams Framework (a policy formulation theory) in order to evaluate …

Nietzsche And The Politics Of Suffering, Candice Barbara Maneri

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Friedrich Nietzsche’s critique of the West is just as poignant now as it was at the time of his writing. Arguably, his commentary on nihilism, decadence and the last men are of special interest, because of the ways in which we currently see his predictions as they function in the modem world. Nietzsche challenges us throughout his work to respond to the claim of the madman in “The Parable of the Madman” - what have we done to make ourselves worthy of the death of God? For Nietzsche, the idiosyncratic niceties of modem society are just residuum of the herd …

The End Of The Means: Using The Arab Spring Revolutions As A Case Study For Machiavelli’S The Prince, Conor Sullivan

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

This study sets out to examine if Machiavellian, realpolitik, style repression of unrest by autocratic regimes is still a viable tactic. To accomplish this, the Arab Spring revolutions in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, and Syria will be used as a case study. As the revolts were for similar economic and political reasons in a similar population, they present excellent case studies. The Prince itself will be used to develop a “Machiavellian regime,” encompassing a summary of Machiavelli’s prescriptions for rulers. This is done to avoid propagating clichéd or incorrect generalizations of Machiavelli’s work. The result of the study was not …

Let Him Be An Honor To The Country: Veteran Violence And Public Opinion After The Civil War, Laura Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the causes, perception, and treatment of violence and crime committed by veterans after America's Civil War. After an examination of the research problems plaguing the study of violence and crime among veterans, this study uses newspaper articles, tracts and sermons, the published journals and letters of Union and Confederate soldiers, and other contemporary sources to evaluate the presence and perception of violence and the hardships associated with the homecoming of veterans. Alcohol and drug addiction that began during the war followed veterans home. Discipline in the army was inconsistent, and violence abounded in camp as well as …

Effects Of Gamification On Speed And Accuracy On An Interdependent Paper Sorting Task, Davis Tinkle

HIM 1990-2015

This study examined the effects of gamification, i.e. (what makes games challenging, engaging and fun), and its effects on speed and accuracy on an interdependent paper sorting task. Undergraduate students (N=42) at the University of Central Florida participated by working interdependently in groups to sort numbered pieces of paper into piles before and after either playing video games or doing back-to-back drawing(basic team building exercises). It was hypothesized that participants who played video games would sort pieces of paper into the piles faster and more accurate than those who did back-to-back team exercises. Results showed that playing video games was …

Female Integration In Terrorist Groups, Ayana Lilllian Gray

Political Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

his thesis examines levels of female integration in nine terrorist groups.

The End Of The World (Eotw) Scientist And The Framing Of Science In Science Fiction Films From 1950 To 2010, Jennifer Naoko Lui

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The current study looks at scientists in End of the World (EOTW) films spanning from 1950 to 2010 through stereotypes and gender roles. Eighteen films, 12 representing EOTW films and 6 that are considered “regular” science fiction films, were analyzed in terms of Goffman’s (1976) 6 aspects, first introduced in Gender Advertisements, as well as aspects of visual and textual frame analysis. The analysis of these films provided a way to look at the portrayal of scientists in EOTW films and add to the limited body of literature on this particular sub-genre of film.

Previous research identified that scientists were …

Chipped Stone Analysis Of The Yamashita Sites In Moapa Valley, Nevada: A Technological Organization Approach, Tatianna Menocal

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Archaeological research on the lowland branch of the Virgin Branch Puebloan (VBP) has been conducted steadily throughout the 20th century. Much of this research occurred in the early half of the century with initial research conducted by Mark R. Harrington and later archaeology designed as salvage work due to public works projects, including the construction of Hoover Dam and the development of Lake Mead (Ahlstrom and Roberts 2012). The initial archaeology in the area was focused on classifying and characterizing the Puebloan occupation in the region, as the discovery of habitation sites in the area represented the farthest western extension …

Operation Judicial Review: A Comparative Analysis Of The Role Of The Judiciary In Domestic And Foreign Detention And Material Support Cases During The War On Terror, Tyler Mitchell

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The Bush and Obama administrations have pursued a military campaign during the War on Terror in which “the world is a battlefield.” The globalized nature of contemporary warfare has tested the limits of constitutional protections for individuals under the control of the United States government. My distinction thesis focuses on the extension of constitutional rights and, in turn, the maintenance of the separation of powers during the War on Terror. I provide a comparative analysis of the role of the judiciary to reconcile constitutional First Amendment free speech & association and habeus corpus rights with federal executive & legislative counterterrorism …

Toward A Buddhist Theory Of Structural Peace: Lessons From Myanmar In Transition, Tatsushi Arai

Peace and Conflict Studies

This essay analyzes the result of in-depth interviews that the author conducted with Burmese Buddhist leaders, with a view toward building Buddhist theories of social conflict, reconciliation, and structural peace. Findings include their shared understanding of the deeply spiritual, inner-directed nature of conflict and reconciliation, and their highly divergent, contested understandings of the structural roots of human suffering in today’s globalized and interconnected world. To meet these structural challenges, this essay introduces the concept of structural awareness, which it defines as educated, enlightened consciousness to appreciate and act responsibly on the complex chains of causal relations in which well-intended action …

The Paleoepidemiology Of Malaria In The Ancient Near East, Nicole Elizabeth Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The end of the Late Bronze Age in the Near East (1300 - 1200 BCE) saw the widespread collapse of several large cultural centers, the reasons for which are a subject of continued debate. Evidence from events leading up to this cultural collapse suggest epidemic disease may have factored into the eventual downfall of these early civilizations. Recent DNA analysis from Egyptian mummies who lived during the period leading up to the Late Bronze Age collapse identified malaria in several elite individuals, suggesting the widespread prevalence of this infectious disease in Egypt. However, the exact prevalence, antiquity, and dynamics of …

Administrative Relationships, Agency Theory, And The Summer Work Travel Program: 2012-2013, Mark Reardon

All Dissertations

This study discusses the ability of the Summer Work Travel Program (SWTP) to meet the objectives outlined in its authorizing legislation, the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961. These goals include educational exchange between participants and the U.S. community, cultural exchange between participants and the U.S. community, and the promotion of peace exemplified by SWTP operators and the U.S. community. The study adopts agency and transaction cost theory to guide its discussion of the administrative relationship between the U.S. State Department and those designated as Summer Work Travel Sponsors. This study's findings include instances of informational and preference …

Approaching Communication With Marx: On The Symbolic Reproduction Of Social Relations, Shannon K. Jacobs

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This critical examination approaches communication with Marx to uncover the implications of the symbolic reproduction of social relations. The social reproduction of the past is characterized through an onset of parallel themes that run with depictions of the experience of people. Marxist inspired critical research illustrates the perpetuation of the internalization and normalization of ideological principles of the social sphere. Significance emerges from the dialectical questioning of the values and principles of the social. Overall, this collective reflection demonstrates the importance of the critical aspect in the current discussion of the dynamics of the social sphere.

The Bioarchaeology Of Social Order: Cooperation And Conflict Among The Mimbres (Ad 550-1300), Kathryn Mary Baustian

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Interpersonal conflict, social control, and culturally sanctioned violence are all potential modes of effecting change amongst most human groups. This research investigates the complex relationship between interpersonal violence, human skeletal biology, and social identity among prehistoric agricultural communities in the American Southwest. Using bioarchaeology as a research framework, the data presented in this study reveal patterns that can be used to better understand how violence is utilized or avoided in any time period. Bioarchaeology is well suited to investigate violence because it integrates the most direct evidence of conflict (traumatic skeletal injury) with detailed archaeological reconstructions of past human experiences. …