Digital Commons Network^™

Communities, Place, And Conservation On Mount Kilimanjaro, Marie Bradshaw Durrant

Theses and Dissertations

The Chagga people have lived and worked on Mount Kilimanjaro for more than 250 years. Through traditions and social practices within their communities and families, strong bonds are established between the Chagga and their home on the mountain. Kilimanjaro National Park and Forest Reserve (KINAPA) was established in the 1970s to protect and conserve the mountain, based on a long history of colonialism and western ideals. As KINAPA has attempted to preserve the flora and fauna on the uppermost portion of Mount Kilimanjaro, they have alienated local residents from the land through a conservation approach that relies on "fences and …

Cyborg Bodies And Digitized Desires: Posthumanity And Phillip K. Dick, Jennifer Attaway

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[Editors' Introduction]

The interaction between human beings and intelligent machines has challenged the traditional understanding of what it means to be human. In his novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, phillip k. dick rethinks human identity through the positioning of human beings within a technologically mediated reality that displaces the biological body and the spontaneity of human sensation. Written in 1968, dick's novel anticipates the effect of a technologically mediated culture on the formation of a posthuman identity. dick's fictional juxtaposition of the human being and the organically anthropomorphic android complicates conventional implications of embodiment. Androids are physically …

Dead Astronauts, Cyborgs, And The Cape Canaveral Fiction Of J. G. Ballard: A Posthuman Analysis, Melanie Rosen Brown

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[Editors' Introduction]

In Dead Astronauts, Cyborgs, and the Cape Canaveral Fiction of J.G. Ballard: A Posthuman Analysis, Melanie Rosen Brown explores the ways in which the so-called Cape Canaveral short stories of J.G. Ballard anthologized in the collection Memories of the Space Age exemplify the promises of posthumanity as articulated by posthuman theorists such as Donna Haraway and N. Katherine Hayles. Although Ballard's fiction is viewed by many as a needlessly pessimistic and derogatory portrayal of NASA's space program, viewed through a posthuman lens, Ballard's fiction instead reveals him to be optimistic about the future of space exploration -- cautiously …

Occupational Self-Direction, Intellectual Functioning, And Self-Directed Orientation In Older Workers: Findings And Implications For Individuals And Societies, Gary Oates, Carmi Schooler, Mesfin Samuel Mulatu

Sociology Faculty Publications

Using data from 1994-95 third-wave interviews, this study tests whether Kohn and Schooler's findings ( based on 1964 and 1974 interviews) that self-directed occupational conditions increase intellectual functioning and self-directed orientations hold when the respondents are 20 years older. Results confirm that even late in life self-directedness of work continues to affect intellectual functioning and self-directedness of orientation. These psychological characteristics, in turn, affect social-structural position in ways that increase disparities between the advantaged and disadvantaged. From a historical and societal perspective, the findings suggest that the occupational self-directedness of a society's workers may affect its social norms, values, and …

Schizophrenics, Cyborgs And The Pitfalls Of Posthumanism, Angela Woods

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[Editors' Introduction]

In Schizophrenics, Cyborgs and the Pitfalls of Posthumanism, Angela Woods invites us to revisit two canonical analyses of the postmodern: Fredric Jameson's Postmodernism, or The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism and Donna Haraway's A Manifesto for Cyborgs: Science, Technology and Socialist Feminism in the 1980s. Jameson and Haraway introduced to contemporary cultural criticism two posthumanist icons: the schizophrenic, a pathologized victim of postmodernity, and the cyborg, a vision of strategic posthuman subjectivity. In her timely and critical analysis of these articles, Woods challenges the established notion of an oppositional relationship between the schizophrenic and the cyborg. She turns …

Toward A Posthuman Ethics, Dongshin Yi

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[Editor's Introduction]

Setting a posthuman ethics as a goal toward which the collaboration of posthumanism and ethics must move, Yi in his essay, Toward a Posthuman Ethics, points out that the collaboration is detained because current debates on the cyborg harbor on the question of representations and consider how political, social and cultural problems of the human are reconfigured, and possibly resolved, by the cyborg. Thus, the debates are bound to be retrospective in approach and circular in direction, as they fail to recognize new possibilities that the cyborg may present. Arguing that the failure indicates the cyborg is being …

The Smugglers' Landscape: Geography, Route Selection And The Global Heroin Trade, James Dallis Medler

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This study focuses on transnational smuggling, and puts forth an analytical framework from the smugglers' perspective with respect to route selection, focusing primarily on aspects of economic, political, and human geography. It is predicated on three interconnected decision-making domains that constitute the smuggler's operational landscape, namely access, risk and connectivity, which interact to drive the smugglers' perceptions of route attractiveness. The first two domains operate reciprocally, primarily at the national level of analysis, and together both shape and are shaped by the third at the transnational level to form a feedback loop. With respect to connectivity, the convention of the …

A Cross-National Analysis Of The Impact Of Conscription On Crime Rates, Nicolette G. Rose

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Research has repeatedly shown that males in the age range of 16 to 24 years account for a disproportionately large volume of crime (Sampson and Laub 1993 ). The armed forces are major employers of young males in this crime-prone age range and could thus play an important role in crime prevention. The military provides many varied opportunities including a highly structured and regimented institution in which rigid behavioral norms and close monitoring are imposed. Some other incentives that service provides include educational opportunities through the" Advanced Individual Training", the GI Bill, in-service tuition assistance, and world-wide travel. All these …

Business Crime: The Perception And Experience Of Victimization And Corresponding Use Of Crime Prevention Measures, John A. Casten

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This study uses the concepts of routine activities theory and social disorganization theory to examine some of the factors that influence a business owner's use of crime prevention measures. I predicted that neighborhood conditions as well as personal experience with crime would influence a business owner's decision to use crime prevention measures. In addition, I controlled for sex, race, age, education level, and police presence.

The results of the study were fairly consistent with the hypothesis except for two of the variables. In this particular study, age was not a significant factor in predicting the use of crime prevention measures, …

Euthanasia: An Exploration Of Public Opinion, Debra M. Babylon

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The acceptance of euthanasia is examined using the 1972-2002 GSS cumulative dataset. The dataset contains a total of 43,698 respondents. The euthanasia question, "Should a terminally ill patient be allowed the right to die?" was asked beginning in 1977. The number of respondents answering the euthanasia question totals 22,039. The independent variables age, race, gender, political view, religious affiliation, and education were reviewed to assess their impact on support of euthanasia. Additionally, in order to test the "slippery slope" hypothesis, the abortion question, "Should abortion be allowed under any circumstance?" was added to the independent variable list. Cross tabulation was …

Science-Based Organic Farming: A Resource For Educators, Charles A. Francis, Mindi Schneider, Brad Kindler

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Organic farming is an important and growing part of the United States food system. The organic sector has grown by at least 20% per year for the past two decades, and currently shows no indication of slowing in this growth. There is increasing consumer concern about where and how food is produced, and people want to be assured access to safe and healthy food products. Interest and concern about food security, and discussion about the merits of a local food system as compared to the vulnerable globalized marketplace are also becoming increasingly important. In Nebraska we have only limited local …

Nebraska’S Water: Perceptions And Priorities, John C. Allen, Rebecca J. Vogt, Randolph L. Cantrell

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Water has always been an important resource to rural Nebraska. This resource has become more scarce during the last few years amid a continuing drought throughout many counties of the state. Do rural Nebraskans feel the drought is over in their area? What priority do they place on various uses of water? Do they feel the quality or quantity of their household water supply has changed during the past ten years? If so, what has affected it?

This report details 2,915 responses to the 2004 Nebraska Rural Poll, the ninth annual effort to understand rural Nebraskans’ perceptions. Respondents were asked …

The Social Construction Of Rape Research: Exploring Epistemologies And Evaluating Methods, Edith M. Fisher

Dissertations

The most widely known national study of rape found that one in four college-age women has been the victim of rape or attempted rape. Conservative writers have criticized that study for overestimating the possible prevalence of rape in the U.S. My research uses more sensitive instruments and administration techniques, seeking to estimate the prevalence of rape in the lives of women at a large midwestern public university. I address questions about the validity of previous rape research and compare methods of collecting sexual violence information by questionnaire (322 mailed surveys and 300 interviewer-administered surveys). Additional interviews with 62 of the …

An Interpretive Investigation Into Motivations For Outgroup Activism, Catherine Borshuk

The Qualitative Report

A qualitative study was conducted to explore the motivations of individuals, who advocate politically for members of social outgroups. Long interviews with social activists focused on self-ascribed motivations for activism, relationship with the outgroup, and the costs and benefits associated with being an outgroup activist. A thematic analysis revealed that feelings of social responsibility were shared by the activists, who were interviewed. Further, some activists attributed their behavior to their personal relationships, while others believed they had a psychological predisposition to engage in social justice. Experiences of personal marginality were also highlighted as a key contributor to social justice efforts. …

The Multiple Roles Of Low Income, Minority Women In The Family And Community: A Qualitative Investigation, Avery E. Goldstein, Wendy Reiboldt

The Qualitative Report

This longitudinal, ethnographic research study was incepted to investigate service use among families living in poor urban communities. Themes that emerged during data collection focus on the variety of roles played by women, in the home, and in the neighborhood. We identified numerous strengths exhibited by women, that is, roles that help families adapt and survive. Over a two-year period, we spent time with families, in their homes, and in their communities. Not only did the women fulfill multiple roles in the family, but they performed care taking functions within the community as well. A more complete understanding of family …

Sipping Coffee With A Serial Killer: On Conducting Life History Interviews With A Criminal Genius, J.C. Olsen

The Qualitative Report

As part of my Ph.D. research on criminal genius, I conducted 44 semi-structured interviews. One of the 44 subjects, in particular, stood out. This noteworthy individual claimed that he had killed 15 people. His story was particularly interesting because unlike most social research involving serial killers he claimed that he had never been arrested or convicted for his homicides. Compelled by his account, I met with this subject on five additional occasions, and gradually compiled his criminal life history. Ethical and legal considerations limited inquiry into several dimensions of this subjects life history, but over time, an interesting and richly …

Roadside Memorial Practices: An Examination Of Landscapes Of Commemoration In Warren County, Kentucky, Michael Briggs

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Roadside memorials commemorating the death of automobile crash victims are scattered throughout the Kentucky landscape. This persistent cultural practice contains symbolic elements oftentimes indicative of religious connotations. Because there is a constitutional separation of church and government in the United States, these memorials can prelude controversy if located on state-maintained rights-of-way. This study examines Warren County, Kentucky, and analyzes the spatial distribution of these memorials on the landscape and the cultural implications to society because of their ties to death and dying. Scientific research in various fields of psychology, sociology, folk studies, geoscience, and religious studies was analyzed, including religious …

Gastrabulary: A Future Terminology Of Eating, Ken Albala, Lisa Cooperman

College of the Pacific Faculty Articles

No abstract provided.

The Skull Valley Goshute And Nuclear Waste: Rhetorical Analysis Of Claims-Making Of Opponents And Proponents, Jesse T. Weiss

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

One of the greatest challenges to modem society is the management and disposal of hazardous by-products that have accompanied the industrial advances of the twentieth century. One of the most difficult by-products to deal with has been radioactive waste. Previous research has shown that due to the real and perceived risks associated with this type of waste, the burden of storing said waste has fallen on minority communities, including Native American groups. This research examines the proposed temporary nuclear waste storage facility to be located on the Skull Valley Indian Reservation in Utah. Using an ethnographic case study approach, this …

The Ability To Taste 6-N-Propylthiouracil (Prop) And Its Relation To A Parent's Emotional Investment In The Infant, Deann Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Research on parenting is increasingly being studied from a biological perspective. An understanding of the biological mechanisms leading to individual differences in maternal behaviors can help direct research toward more focused intervention resulting in closer mother-infant attachment relationships, and therefore, positive child outcomes. This research was a preliminary study that tested mothers' ability to taste a harmless chemical, 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP), in relation to their responses to a questionnaire about the emotional investment they experience towards their infant. Although research attempting to relate these two variables together has not been carried out before, individual studies show potential links between these two. …

The Relationship Between Religious Programs And Peer Relationships Of Adults With Mental Retardation, Cecilia D. Beasley

Theses & Honors Papers

This research was intended to look at the relationship between attendance at religious programs on the peer relationships and spirituality of adults with mental retardation. The literature reviews the benefits of spirituality for all individuals, the characteristics of individuals with mental retardation, and the influences of peer relationships. Fifty-nine surveys about the individual's spiritual development, happiness, peer relationships and criminality as well as the importance of religious functions were completed by adults with and without mental retardation. The results indicate that attendance at religious activities does in fact impact spirituality and peer relationships of individuals with mental retardation. They also …

The Effect Of Female Server's Attractiveness On Restaurant Tipping, Anne M. Wisneski

Honors Theses

This paper presents the results of a field experiment designed to test the hypothesis that restaurant patrons (particularly men) would leave larger tips for an attractive versus unattractive female server. The author manipulated server attractiveness by varying her appearance before shirts as a food server at a popular restaurant. Contrary to the hypothesis, patrons (both men and women) left comparable sized tips in the attractive and unattractive server conditions. Explanations for this null effect are discussed in the contest of research on the effect of server attractiveness on tipping and perceived tipping norms.

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 79, No. 49, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Hopkins, Shawntaye. Legislators Review Session in Bowling Green
• Hopkins, Shawntaye. Colleges Brace for Tuition Hikes
• Sanchez, Lauren. Big Top on the Hill – Circus
• Wilberding, Beth. Man Charged with Stealing Textbooks, Fleeing Police – Robert Schraeder
• Reed, Lindsey. E-mail Sent Accidentally – Bomb Threats
• Wilberding, Beth. Baby Found Near Campus – Grayci Barrows
• Reed, Lindsey. Staff Council Accepting Nominations
• Concealing Donor Names Prevents Accountability
• Reuter, Michael. Editorial Cartoon re: Anonymous Donors
• Holm, Hollan. Truth Telling Not Always a Good Idea
• Hall, Michael. Pool Tables Are a Ripoff
• Reed, Lindsey. …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol 78, No. 48 [Vol. 79], Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Hopkins, Shawntaye. Stephen Soules Pleads Guilty to Katie Autry’s Murder
• Clark, Ashlee. Grading System Approved – Plus/Minus
• Hurley, John. Western Hosting First Track Meet in 22 Years
• Hardin, Adriane. Legislators Seek to Keep University Donors’ Names Secret
• Hopkins, Shawntaye. Senate Republicans Pass Budget
• Class Style, Not Opinion, Decides Teacher Quality – Faculty Evaluations
• Reuter, Michael. Editorial Cartoon re: Faculty Evaluations
• Ketterman, Shaun. Bennie Beach Touched Many
• McMichael, Andrew. Student Government Association Should Do Own Faculty Evaluations
• Farner, Keith. Journalists Everywhere Should Be Concerned with the Impact of Convergence
• Hardin, …

Towards A Complex, Active, Human-Centered Subject Grounded In The Sociopolitical: A Symbiosis Of Edmund Husserl And Michael Foucalt, Kathryn E. Wehr '04

Honors Projects

This thesis responds to the questions "With the empirical, 'found' world prevalent as the paradigm for all valid knowledge, what happened to the relevance of the human in knowledge? Is there an alternative that does not divorce the knower from the knowing?" The ideas of Edmund Husserl (1859-1938) and Michel Foucault (1926-1984), two thinkers traditionally viewed as rivals in continental philosophy and social theory, animate these questions. Both philosophers critique the taken-for-granted aspects of the world: Husserl through the constituting subject and Foucault through the socially, linguistically, and historically constituted subject. Rather than an either-or that oversimplifies the subject, a …

Middle School Service-Learning Instructional Framework, Maryland State Department Of Education

Curriculum

Students have enormous energy, enthusiasm, and intelligence that they will devote to our commlll1ities when they are asked and given the opportunity. Schools are now doing the asking and they are creating opportunities, both in courses and as part of their extracurricular activities. Students have weather stripped and rehabilitated houses and tended animals at the zoo. They have planted marsh grass to save the Chesapeake Bay and tested streams for pollutants. They have created plays about drug and alcohol abuse and put on fashion shows for senior citizens. These are not simply nice things to do. They contribute to an …

Ua1b2/1/7 Oral History, Lydia Kullman, Gary Ransdell

WKU Administration Documents

Interview conducted by Lydia Kullman with Gary Ransdell. This oral history interview was created for Andrew McMichael's History and the Internet Class, 2004.

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 78, No. 47 [Vol. 79], Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Clark, Ashlee. Students Want to See Faculty Evaluations
• Hopkins, Shawntaye. Academic & Athletic Performance Complex Gets Closer
• Clark, Ashlee. Nick Todd Elected Student Government Association President
• Lively, Jay. BeauSoleil Delivers Cajun Sizzle
• Farner, Keith. Cave Team Leaves for China
• Sanchez, Lauren. Minority Students Voice Concerns
• Roberts, Amy. Save Your Whining for What’s Really Important
• Reuter, Michael. Editorial Cartoon re: Spring Break
• Randolph, Patty. Thank You, Lindsay Sainlar
• Strow, Brian. Plus/Minus Beneficial
• Ross, Lisa. The First Amendment Gives Rights to All Voices, Not Just the Agreeable Ones
• Toone, Stephanie. Father …

From Animal Abuse To Interhuman Violence? A Critical Review Of The Progression Thesis, Piers Beirne

Department of Criminology

This paper reviews evidence of a progression from animal abuse to interhuman violence. It finds that the ''progression thesis" is supported not by a coherent research program but by disparate studies often lacking methodological and conceptual clarity. Set in the context of a debate about the theoretical adequacy of concepts like "animal abuse" and ''animal cruelty," it suggests that the link between animal abuse and interhuman violence should be sought not only in the personal biographies of those individuals who abuse animals but also in those institutionalized social practices where animal abuse is routine, widespread, and socially acceptable.

Strategic Information Systems Planning In U.S. County Governments: Will The Real Sisp Model Please Stand Up?, Lyn M. Holley, Donna Dufner, B. J. Reed

Gerontology Faculty Publications

This paper is the second in a series of studies examining strategic information systems planning (SISP) in U.S. governments based on information technology performance data and ratings generated for the Government Performance Project (2000 re states and 2001 re counties). The first study examined SISP at the state level (PPMR, June 2002). This study investigates SISP in county government using data from the 40 largest U.S. counties in terms of revenue within regions. Findings suggest that structural features of county government inhibit translation to counties of successful business models for strategic use of information systems, and they support the conclusion …