Digital Commons Network^™

Review Of Comparing Cultures And Religions In A Postmodern World, Januarius J. Asongu

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Perceived Neighborhood Cohesion Buffers Covid-19 Impacts On Mental Health In A United States Sample, Jennifer W. Robinette, Georgiana Bostean, Laura M. Glynn, Jason A. Douglas, Brooke N. Jenkins, Tara L. Gruenewald, David A. Frederick

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective

This study examined whether perceived neighborhood cohesion (the extent to which neighbors trust and count on one another) buffers against the mental health effects of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

The XXX University National COVID-19 and Mental Health Study surveyed US adults (N = 3965; M age = 39 years), measuring depressive symptoms, staying home more during than before the 2020 pandemic, and perceived neighborhood cohesion.

Results

A series of linear regressions indicated that perceiving one's neighborhood as more cohesive was not only associated with fewer depressive symptoms, but also attenuated the relationship between spending more time at …

Associations Between Community Built Environments With Early Care And Education Classroom Physical Activity Practices And Barriers, Bethany D. Williams, Susan B. Sisson, Dipti Dev, Bryce Lowery, Diane Horm, Janis Campbell, Denise Finneran, Jennifer Graef-Downard, Linda Whaley

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

The influence of community-built environments on physical activity (PA) support in Early Childhood Education settings (ECEs) is unknown. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine associations between community PA environments and ECE classroom PA practices. We included licensed Oklahoma ECE directors serving 3-to-5-year-old children. Parks and playground locations were exported from Google Earth. NationalWalkability Index was derived from 2010 US Census data. ArcMap 10.6 was used to geocode ECE locations, which were within an Activity Desert if no parks/playgrounds were located within a 1-mile radius or if Walkability Index was 10.5 or below. Classroom PA practices were determined …

Central Plaza Recommendations, Jim Speer

2021 Spring Reports (Sullivan)

The City of Sullivan intends to leverage the new Central Plaza and Civic Center as key to the city. The Quality of Life plan indicates a desire to construct appealing aspects to Central Plaza. ENVI460 students were tasked with providing recommendations for a water feature and other sustainable features like a green roofing. This report reflects students’ recommendations for a sustainable water feature at Central Plaza.

Working Parents Post Pandemic: Reimagining Remote Work After Covid-19, Austin Brown

Population Health Research Brief Series

Working families faced significant challenges prior to COVID-19. The pandemic has prompted many Americans to more deeply examine the relationship between time, work, and health. This brief discusses considerations for working parents as the country emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic and workers face calls to return to the office. It argues that public health professionals should advocate for work-life balance and flexible work arrangements as key social determinants of health.

2021 Census Results | Local Population Counts And Redistricting Data, David J. Drozd

Presentations

No abstract provided.

Rurality And The Opioid Crisis In U.S. Counties : A Spatiotemporal Investigation, Feinuo Sun

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Previous studies on the opioid crisis in the United States at the subnational level rarely consider temporal and spatial dependency simultaneously. Under the theoretical framework of spatial inequality, this dissertation aims to understand how the uneven development of the opioid crisis across the rural-urban spectrum has been constructed and evolved from 2006 to 2018. Based on a new continuous measure of rurality, a spatiotemporal dataset is assembled based on the Multiple-Cause-of-Deaths File and other federal data sources, such as the U.S. Opioid Dispensing Map and the American Community Survey. The methods include geographical mapping, fixed effects modeling, and spatial panel …

The Economic And Fiscal Impacts Of Immigrant Populations On Nebraska And Omaha: Evidence From The 2015-2019 American Community Survey, Christopher S. Decker Ph.D.

Latino/Latin American Studies Reports

Few public policy topics generate as much impassioned debate as immigration. While arguments abound regarding the motivations for and efficacy of these policies, there are nonetheless many possible consequences of their implementation. This study focuses on only one specific question: What is the economic impact of immigrants on job creation and economic growth and development in Nebraska and the Omaha Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). To that end, using the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) data for the sample periods 2015 to 2019, this report quantitatively assesses this economic impact. While much of the focus in this study is …

Spatial Behavior Of Backcountry Anglers And Hikers In Rocky Mountain National Park, Robin Graham, Noah Creany, Christopher Monz

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

In Rocky Mountain National Park, managers are concerned about informal trails resulting from off-trail travel in popular backcountry areas. The distribution of informal trails near water bodies raised questions for park managers about the potential impacts of different visitor activities, specifically hiking and angling use. This report examined the spatial behavior of hikers and anglers using GPS tracking and explored hiker experience preferences in relation to their spatial behavior. Anglers on average traveled farther and spent more time during their trip than hikers. Across all study locations, there was no difference in the amount of off-trail travel between hikers and …

When A Pandemic Disrupts The Export Of People, Yasmin Y. Ortiga, Karen Anne S. Liao

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Yasmin Ortiga and Karen Anne S. Liao conducted research supported by the SSRC on the dramatic disruptions that Filipino labor migrants experienced as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the support (or lack thereof) of their plight by the Filipino state. Arguing that labor as well as commodity supply chains have been thrown in upheaval, the authors describe the limits of the Philippines’ labor export strategy. In particular, they focus on two sets of labor migrants—nurses unable to take jobs abroad, and repatriated cruise ship workers—for whom dignified work at home was unavailable. Ortiga and Liao conclude that treating …

A Portrait Of Latino Children: The Gap With Non-Latinos In Massachusetts, Phillip Granberry, Alejandro Alvarez, Vishakha Agarwal, Fabián Torres-Ardila, Gaston Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Gastón Institute Publications

Latino children are one of Massachusetts' fastest-growing segments of the population. However, evidence suggests that the social and economic context in which Latino children live does not adequately support their development and overall wellbeing. Nearly a third of Latino children in the United States live in very low-opportunity neighborhoods as defined by a scale of educational, health, environmental, and socioeconomic outcomes. Compared to non-Latino children, Latinos are more likely to grow up in households below the federal poverty threshold and less likely to have a mother with at least a Bachelor's degree. The research included in this report aims to …

Deaths Of Despair In The United States, Amin Etemadifar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Life expectancy is one of the most important indicators of public health and is an indication of overall health status in a population. Thanks to public health and medical advancements over recent decades, the life expectancy of all nations has significantly increased, and that is more true for developed nations like the United States. However, the most recent data shows the longevity of Americans has become stagnant since 2010. So the first question that comes to mind is why that is happening, and the main goal of this dissertation is to answer that question.

In order to address that question, …

Perceptions Of Future Community And Individual Well-Being In Rural Nebraska, Amanda L. Kowalewski

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Populations of rural areas continue to decline, yet some communities are more vibrant than ever. While past research has studied current satisfaction or well-being, few have examined future well-being. Using an ordinal logistic regression and combining primary and secondary data sources, this study investigates the predictors of rural Nebraskan’s sense of future well-being, both at the community and individual levels. The model indicates that resilience may be more important in well-being than social capital. Additionally, certain satisfaction indicators are more important than others. Factor analysis was employed to re-index variables, and findings were similar. Social capital, resilience, and quality of …

A Content Analysis Of Social Media Posts Among Recreational Cyclists: A Gender Perspective, Eunjung Kim, Kijung Choi, James Lappeman, Jari Salo

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Recreational cyclists are pertinent but rarely studied leisure and tourism segment. Recreational cycling has traditionally been considered as a ‘masculine stereotyped’ sport. The purpose of the research is to better understand a gendered consumer view of recreational cycling and to possibly promote recreational cycling to women and men in countries like South Africa with keen interests of recreational cycling in the form of sport tourism. This research employs a content analysis of social media posts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as a research method. Specifically, the gendered nature of recreational cycling is focused upon. In total, 2,504 posts from 1,598 …

Child Life Specialists' Knowledge And Perception Of White Privilege, Renee Elise Jamar Lee

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This study’s goal was to understand child life specialists’ knowledge and perception of White privilege. The purpose of this study was to examine child life specialists’ understanding of White privilege and to obtain their perspectives on the impact White privilege has on patient- and family-centered care within the hospital setting. Through qualitative interviews, participants defined “White privilege,” shared their perception of “White privilege” and the impact it has on patient- and family-centered care, as well their personal experience with diversity and inclusion training. Additionally, participants created their own personal lists of unearned advantages as an exercise of awareness and acknowledgement …

The Embeddedness Of Traditional Economy Transforming Towards An Alternative Economy: A Case Study Of Lumbung Pitih Nagari (Lpn) Limau Manis, West Sumatra, Indah Sari Rahmaini, Arie Sujito

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

This article seeks to observe the modernization of economic institutions that were originally working traditionally, into alternative economic institutions that continue to apply the value of locality. Previous studies on LPN Limau Manis only discussed its role in poverty alleviation and the management of its economic organization, but did not provide a comprehensive explanation of the transformation of LPN that combines traditional and modern concepts. This article argues that the institutional modernization of LPN Limau Manis that occurs remains attached to the customary values of the Nagari society. The qualitative method was used to collect data using a case study …

Cleavages And Electoral Support To Islamist Party In Javan Urban Areas: The Case Of Prosperous Justice Party, Andi Rahman Alamsyah

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

Several studies have noted that electoral support for one of the Islamist parties in Indonesia, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), is mostly concentrated in urban areas. While I agree with this observation, I found that these studies did not pay adequate attention to the diversity of socio-political conditions in urban areas that contributed to the varying electoral support for PKS. One of these socio-political conditions is what Lipset and Rokkan (1967) conceptualized as cleavages (divisions of society). Based on the results of 2014 and 2019 local parliamentary elections in Javan urban areas, I argue that there are three cleavage patterns …

Tourism Gentrification In Bali, Indonesia: A Wake-Up Call For Overtourism, I Wayan Suyadnya

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

Many tourists destinations experience revitalisation through funding from foreign capital that is brought by gentrification. As a result, tourist areas transform into regions that are friendly toward tourists and investment. Various studies see gentrification as an expression of consumer demand, individual preferences over the law of supply and demand. However, this article argues that tourism gentrification shows a different dynamic, namely driving the significance of tourism growth that supports overtourism. This article focuses on the reason why Balinese do not feel that the phenomenon of gentrification and the development of protests are a part of the symptom of overtourism. Research …

Sentiment Analysis Of Digital Nomad In Indonesia: A Case Study In Bali, Dewi Puspita Rahayu, Ayu Kusumastuti, Wida Ayu Puspitosari

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

The digital nomad is a new type of worker who works from a location other than a “traditional office,” with the freedom to choose where and when to work as long as they have good internet access. The presence of digital nomads has an impact on the dynamics or social changes in society. The public’s reaction to the appearance of this digital traveler was mixed. Some people believe that these new ways of working will harm the work system, but many are gradually adopt it. Bali has become one of the strategic locations and is widely used as a destination …

Our Diversity Is Our Strength: Explaining Variation In Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Emphasis In Municipal Arts And Cultural Plans, Carolyn G. Loh, Amanda Ashley, Leslie Durham, Karen Bubb

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Research Publications

Problem, Research Strategy and Findings: Municipal arts and cultural plans direct significant amounts of public investment and set far-reaching policies, as arts and culture investment becomes an increasingly widespread economic development strategy. While these plans frequently advertise the city’s diversity, they often lack specific strategies for supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, the creation of these plans often does not involve urban planners, nor do the plans often connect to the city’s comprehensive plan or contain the types of fact bases and commitments to equity that comprehensive plans do. In this study of 64 US municipal arts and cultural …

Throwing Pebbles While Waiting: An Autoethnographic Exploration Of Mental Health And Colonialism, Kelly Limes Taylor, Rita Sørly, Bengt Karlsson

The Qualitative Report

In this article, three scholars jointly investigate questions of Western colonization and mental health. While their areas of interest and experience vary, the authors discuss oppression as a common thread connecting their ideas about mental health and its medicalization. In line with Toyosaki et al. (2009), the researchers did a community autoethnography, performing written dialogue as a dynamic research method. Using a sequential model, Kelly Limes Taylor wrote about her experience, passed it on to Rita Sørly and Bengt Karlsson. Karlsson added his story to the previous writing, and he passed it on to Sørly for further addition of stories. …

The Potential Of Ecofeminism To Develop ‘Deep’ Sustainability Competencies For Education For Sustainable Development, Susan V. Iverson

The Seneca Falls Dialogues Journal

Education for sustainable development (ESD) has gained much currency in the literature; yet, less attention has been given to understanding or defining learning outcomes, or rather, what competencies for sustainability should students develop and be able to demonstrate. In this position paper, I ask (and answer) the question, “What might be gained by bringing a feminist lens, and specifically an ecofeminist perspective, to ESD?” I argue that infusing ecofeminism into ESD can develop students’ sustainability competence beyond individual level change to thinking and acting systemically; it can develop the critical consciousness, activist skills, and deeper sustainability knowledge needed to foster …

Everyday Aesthetics, Space, And The Sensory: Fear Of Crime And Affect In Inner Sydney, Murray Lee, Jonathan Jackson, Justin R. Ellis

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

"In this paper we explore pre-conscious aesthetic and sensorial aspects of affect in fear of crime. Drawing on data from focus groups undertaken in inner Sydney, Australia, we link the sensory and aesthetic preconditions of fear of crime to its affective, behavioural and cognitive elements. We argue that fear is grounded in the structural, personal and inter-subjective components of individual’s lives and their interaction with physical and social environments, which then influence how individuals cognitively understand their own risks and react behaviourally to these emotional responses. By bringing alive the importance of environmental cues and the cultural and structural positions …

Cultivating A New Transnational Elite: Parenting, Schooling, And Belonging In The Age Of Global It, Adrienne Lee Atterberry

Dissertations - ALL

Why do highly educated, affluent, and seemingly well-settled immigrants leave their country of migration and return to their country of origin? How do return migrants prepare their children to become the next generation of transnationally mobile professionals? As a result of their upbringing in two countries, how do transnationally mobile children and youth understand their ethnic identity and national belonging? I address these questions, and more, by analyzing 95 conversations with Indian and first-generation Indian American return migrants, their children, and Indian American alumni of local high schools who live in Bangalore, a city in South India known as 'Silicon …

A Crack In The Looking-Glass Self: Hearing And Socialization, Grace Keyes

The Qualitative Report

A significant problem of classic theories of socialization, such as Cooley’s looking-glass self, is that such theories fail to consider biological factors such as hearing in the process of socialization. To address this problem, I raised a two-pronged question: how does deafness affect social interactions upon which much of socialization is dependent and can the experiences of one person’s lifelong socialization help uncover limitations of a classic theory of socialization? The key study participant in this instrumental case study is an individual with moderately severe hearing loss and whose lifelong experiences were collected primarily through ethnographic field techniques. Findings from …

Conducting Field Work With Microfinance Programs’ Participants In A Non-Western Setting: A Reflexive Account, Mohammad Shahjahan Chowdhury

The Qualitative Report

While volumes of procedural guidelines are available on how to conduct fieldwork, in practice a researcher encounters various challenges and dilemmas in the field. This paper presents a holistic view of the puzzles this researcher encountered in gaining access, negotiating positionality, application of the pre-determined methodology, and ensuring ethics during his fieldwork with microfinance program participants in a non-Western setting. This paper contributes to the fieldwork literature by enhancing a researcher’s understanding of the unanticipated challenges.

Detecting Remnants Of The Past: Archaeo-Geophysical Prospection Of Fremont Sites In Southern Utah Valley, Jacob P. Jepsen

Theses and Dissertations

The variable contexts of Fremont habitation sites in Utah Valley often make identification of those sites very challenging for archaeologists. Pit houses and other structures throughout the valley are frequently in plowed fields or other disturbed contexts that obscure their more exact location and nature. The application of geophysical technologies at archaeological sites throughout the world, including in North America, has proven to be an effective means of subsurface archaeological survey. However, geophysical techniques have been underutilized in Fremont archaeology. This paper reports on the employment of two geophysical methods, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and fluxgate gradiometer surveys, at three known …

Community Stakeholders’ Perceptions Of Crime And Victimization: A Mixed-Methods Approach To Understanding Collective Efficacy And Social Cohesion In The Rural Heartland, Ashley Lockwood, April Terry Ph.D.

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Previous criminological literature has mostly neglected rural communities, often treating these places as smaller pieces of urban culture. Literature suggests rural communities operate differently than urban neighborhoods, with distinctive values, norms, and community cohesion. For example, concepts surrounding collective efficacy may work counterproductively in rural areas—further exploiting outed community members within “close-knit” environments. The current study sought to compare perceptions of collective efficacy and social cohesion, crime, and victimization between rural and urban counties across one Midwestern rural state. Using a mixed-methods approach, community stakeholders from a variety of professions were surveyed. Quantitative results suggest similar perceptions of collective efficacy …

Examining Civic Education Policy In The United States, Cassandra Peltola

Community Engagement Student Work

This paper seeks to explore issues of civic education in American schools and make recommendations based on best practices on civic education to encourage 21st century democratic skills, competencies, and behaviors. The authors explain how we know civic education is lacking due to our country’s civic anemic health and low democratic participation. The author shares what solutions lead to effective civic education as well as what barriers stand in the way. The author concludes by making policy recommendations with an emphasis on national standardization, assessment, resource support, and experiential community-based learning.

Nebraska Child Care Market Rate Survey Report 2021, Greg W. Welch, Elizabeth Svoboda, Alexandra Daro, Venessa Bryant, Caitlyn Glissmeyer

Buffet Early Childhood Institute Reports and Publications

Consistent with the 2019 MRS, the Institute conducted a survey of all licensed child care providers across the state to obtain private pay child care rates for children with or without medical and behavioral needs. Categories of focus for data collection and reporting included: 1. Geographic location: rural or urban 2. Type of care: Family Child Care Home I, Family Child Care Home II, Child Care Center, and School Age License 3. Age group of children: infant, toddler, pre-school, and school-age 4. Status of medical and behavioral needs 5. Accreditation 6. Extent to which child care providers participate in Child …