Digital Commons Network^™

Emergence Of Norms In The Presence Of Social Network Structure In A Stochastic Evolutionary Game Theory Model, Parker Foresman

Dissertations and Theses

In their 2000 paper, The Emergence of Classes in a Multi-Agent Bargaining Model, Axtell, Epstein, and Young introduced an agent-based bargaining model to study how social norms can emerge and persist from the decentralized, asynchronous interactions of individual agents in the presence of noise, even when these agents have no predefined preferences or advantages. This thesis extends their model by incorporating structured interaction networks, allowing us to investigate how the topology of agent interactions influences long-run dynamics and norm formation. Using a custom simulation package built in the Julia programming language, we replicate the original results under a complete …

Can The Government Control Hurricanes? New Survey Results On Conspiracies And Science, Lawrence C. Hamilton

Carsey Publications

In this brief, author Lawrence Hamilton explores the results of a nationwide 2025 survey that asked over 1,000 people whether they agreed with conspiratorial claims such as government control of hurricanes, flat Earth, or faked Moon landings. Mixed in with the conspiracy questions were others asking about agreement with basic scientific facts such as Earth orbiting the Sun. Nine to 38 percent agreed with the conspiracies whereas 40 to 75 percent agreed with the science; many others were unsure.

Generation and political identity both correlate with conspiracism. Gen X, Millennial, and Gen Z respondents more often agreed with conspiratorial statements; …

The Confucian Path To Utopia : Liao Ping’S Theory Of Great Harmony, 1897–1918, Jiahui Dong

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

Seeing utopia as “the expression of the desire for a better way of being” and a term that encompasses both the meanings of “good place” and “no place,” this thesis examines the theoretical interaction between Western utopianism and the concept of great harmony, or Datong, which emerged from the study of ancient Chinese classics. It focuses on the late Qing to early Republican period through the case of Liao Ping (1852–1932), a new-text Confucian scholar from Sichuan province, China. As an eminent scholar, Liao was deeply exposed to and influenced by Western concepts and literature during the time of …

The Effects Of Hunger, Starvation, And Famine On Certain Eating Habits: A Cross-Cultural Study, Robert Dirks

Faculty Publications – Sociology and Anthropology

This paper examines the impact of starvation and famine on certain eating habits. These include commensal relations within households, dispositions towards eating with strangers and modes of appetite expression. It tests the proposition that much of the variation seen in these aspects of eating behavior worldwide can be explained by societal experiences with hunger. The study analyzes data from 124 societies and finds significant associations between episodes of food insufficiency and non-inclusive, uncongenial eating practices. This research contributes to the understanding of how food supply and nutritional circumstances shape cultural arrangements and offers insights into the broader implications of food …

Dreaming, Building, And Enduring Black Voices: Black Media In Omaha In The Post-Civil Rights Era, Elodie C. Galeazzi-Kelly

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation examines the purposes and roles of Black media in Omaha during the post–Civil Rights Era. It asks how African Americans and their allies in Omaha developed innovative media forms, institutions, and communication strategies to amplify Black voices, build community, and advocate for Black interests amid the rapidly shifting political and social landscape of the time. The study focuses first on three traditional forms of media (newspapers, radio, and television) and then broadens the definition of media to include key Black cultural institutions. These include a dramatic arts collective, a historical museum and archive, a memorial foundation, and an …

Resilience Of Interdependent Transportation And Healthcare Systems: A Simulation-Driven Framework Incorporating Social Equity And Facility Optimization, S. Yasaman Ahmadi

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The overarching goal of this dissertation is to develop an integrated, simulation-driven framework to assess and enhance the resilience of interdependent transportation and healthcare systems before, during, and after natural hazards. By examining how spatial disruptions, social vulnerability, operational constraints, and infrastructure interdependencies affect access to and functionality of hospitals, this research offers a multifaceted evaluation of system performance under stress. This dissertation examines the impact of natural hazards, particularly floods, on the interdependent transportation and healthcare systems. The proposed approach combines and advances GIS-based network analysis, graph-theoretical modeling, and discrete-event simulation to evaluate system performance under different scenarios. The …

Where Did All The Democrats Go?, Reese Adkins

Political Science Theses and Capstones

Following the reelection of President Obama in 2012, many political scientists such as Ruy Teixeira and John B. Judis, believed that this signaled the beginning of many Democratic electoral victories to come. They published their argument in their book, The Emerging Democratic Majority, in which they explained the Democratic Party’s plan to gain a systemic advantage in presidential elections. This was to be achieved by winning elections through winning the vote of minority groups, white women, and young college-educated people. This has been far from the case. Donald Trump, with political experience, shocked the world after winning the 2016 election …

Changing The Channel: How Queer Representation In Mainstream Media Influences Social Perceptions In Young Adult Viewers, Lillian Joy Myers

Master's Theses

This thesis investigates the impact of queer representation in mainstream film and television on young adult viewers, with particular attention to how these media portrayals influence social perceptions and cultural understandings of queerness and LGBTQ+ identities. While queer visibility in mainstream media has increased over the past two decades, the quality and complexity of that representation remain generally inconsistent and infrequent. Drawing on sociological theories of representation and cultivation, along with GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation)’s Vito Russo Test as a guiding framework, this study explores both the quality and impacts of LGBTQ+ media visibility. The purpose of …

A Cultural Mapping Of Local Knowledge For Flood And Landslide Mitigation In The Sendi Community, Mojokerto, East Java, Ahmad Mujahid Arrozy Arz, Abyoso Romadhoni Wicaksono Arw, Kusuma Sabrina Wardhani Skw, Lora Septrianda Putri

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

This article investigated the irrigation sustainability and landslide prevention in the Sendi community, Mojokerto, East Java, by applying a cultural mapping approach to examine everyday practices through which local knowledge was enacted and produced, while linking the analysis to broader structural formations. The approach informed a participatory data collection process, that is also designed to protect the intangible cultural heritage of the community. The findings demonstrated how everyday practices function as an integral component of flood and landslide mitigation. This knowledge has been passed down through community archives since 1915 and included practices, such as planting local crops (bamboos and …

Central Halmahera In Power Relations, Development, And Environmental Crisis, Herman Usman

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

Abstract This paper analyzes the relationship between power relations, development, and environmental crisis in Central Halmahera, North Maluku, a region that has undergone socio-ecological changes due to the expansion of extractive industries, especially nickel mining. Such development is controlled by state actors and corporations, creating unequal power relations in which local communities are often marginalized. This development model based on natural resource extraction resulting in ecosystem degradation, water pollution, and the loss of living space for indigenous peoples and coastal communities. This paper uses the approaches of political ecology and the sociology of development, to examine how the state facilitates …

Islamism And Women’S Movements In Iran: Hijab As A Burden Of Representation, Samah Ahmed

International Studies (MA) Theses

Throughout history, Islamic discourse, political Islam, and the status of Muslim women have been subjects of study. Still, few research efforts have concentrated on the changes and dynamics between Islamic discourse and feminist resistance. Particularly in Iran, attention has primarily been given to the Islamism project, often treated as separate from social movements in post-Islamism. This thesis explores how social movements have used the symbolism of the veil in their resistance, focusing specifically on the women's social movement during the Islamic Revolution. Drawing on Assef Bayat's approach of Islamism and social movements and Gender and power dynamics theory, the main …

From Marriage To Migration: Analyzing Return Migration, Gender Inequalities And Household Resource Allocation Patterns, Saeed Ahmad

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In Kyrgyzstan, a country shaped by deep-rooted traditions and high rates of migration, women's lives are often influenced by powerful cultural expectations, economic pressures, and limited choices. My research explores how these forces intersect—particularly through the lens of bride kidnapping, migration, and how families use money and resources. Together, these issues reveal how gender inequality operates in everyday life, and how women navigate both constraint and resilience.

This dissertation includes three connected studies. The first examines how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted international labor migration, especially for Kyrgyz migrants working in Russia. Many returnees lost their jobs and faced hostility or …

Wild Water: Hydrosocial Dislocation, Dispossession, And The Symbolic Geographies Of The American West, Leonard Alexander Henderson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This dissertation investigates how the confluence of community change and water politics in the American West shapes a discussion about a Wild and Scenic designation for the Crystal River on Colorado’s Western Slope. Ideas about the “Wild West,” influence how many people think about wilderness and small mountain towns, driving growing populations, housing prices, and, as a result, social inequality in many of these areas. At the same time, many people on Colorado’s Western Slope feel that region’s water is taken away by both the state’s more populous Front Range or more politically and economically powerful states like California. Climate …

Rhetorics Of Encounter: Toward A Biocentric Theory Of Discourse, Matthew D. Whitaker

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Encounters with more-than-human identities are transformative moments that stand to affect dispositional and bodily change in individuals. From close brushes with wild animals in National Parks to everyday interactions with local ecologies, encounters invite us to feel and think differently about the nature of our realities. In Rhetorics of Encounter: Toward a Biocentric Theory of Discourse, I draw from interdisciplinary perspectives to disrupt the idea of rhetoric as a representational medium, arguing that rhetoric occurs not just through textual exchanges of words and symbols, but through embodied moments of contact with other responsive beings. Invoking George Kennedy’s theory …

Reproductive Redlining: Unraveling Historical Disparities And Facility Placement In Distance To Licensed Childcare Facilities, Reproductive Health Clinics, & Crisis Pregnancy Centers For Women In The Southern Region Of The United States, Mackenzie A. Kibler

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation investigates how historical and structural inequalities shape contemporary access to reproductive health services, licensed childcare facilities, and crisis pregnancy centers across Mississippi, Virginia, and Maryland. Using feminist geography, reproductive justice theory, and historical trauma theory, this research develops the concept of reproductive redlining to explore how race, policy, and space intersect to produce health disparities. By combining GIS mapping with multivariate statistical analysis and redlining data from the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC), the study evaluates spatial distributions and demographic correlates of facility access before and after the Dobbs decision. Findings reveal enduring spatial inequities that disproportionately impact …

“We Are Trans, But We’Re Not Transitional”: Exploring Safety, Place, And Space In The Lives Of Transgender Individuals In Southeastern Virginia, Susana Avalos

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

In general, little research exists on trans people’s spatial experiences despite space being highly relevant to their experiences of violence and perceptions of safety. To date, two criminological studies have examined LGBTQ people’s fear of crime in relation to public or private places and spaces. This is in stark contrast to the sizable place and space literature on cisgender men and women. These topics from the perspectives of trans people are underexplored primarily because most criminological research has historically upheld binarized understandings of gender. Safety should not be privileged or limited to certain groups, individuals, or spaces. Instead, safety should …

Women’S Empowerment And Household Decision-Making: The Role Of Socioeconomic Status In Indonesia, Irvel Christa Fabian, Rafa Fayza Afrizal

Jurnal Ekonomi Kependudukan dan Keluarga

Understanding how women's economic, educational, and social positions influence their roles and choices within households is crucial for promoting gender equality and sustainable development. Despite significant advancements in women's rights and gender equality globally, women in Indonesia continue to face substantial barriers in achieving true empowerment. These barriers are particularly evident in domestic settings, where traditional gender roles often persist, limiting women's influence in household decisions. This research aims to investigate the relationship between women's socioeconomic status and their empowerment in domestic decision-making, examining how various factors such as income, education, and employment status contribute to or hinder their ability …

Determinan Kesejahteraan Anak Usia Dini Dalam Keluarga Dengan Kepala Rumah Tangga Perempuan Di Indonesia, Axellina M. Setyanti, Wildan Syafitri

Jurnal Ekonomi Kependudukan dan Keluarga

This study analyzes the determinants of early childhood well-being in female-headed households in Indonesia using data from the 2022 National Socioeconomic Survey (SUSENAS), covering 85,074 households with children aged 0–5 years. Using binary logistic regression, the analysis focuses on four key indicators: complete immunization, food adequacy, access to improved sanitation, and access to safe drinking water. The results show that children in female-headed households are significantly less likely to receive adequate and diverse food as well as complete immunization, compared to those in male-headed households. However, these households are more likely to provide access to improved sanitation and safe drinking …

Homelessness Increases In The Mountain West, 2015-2024, Krish Sharma, Sydney Mitchell, Mohit Pande, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Demography

This fact sheet presents data on homelessness increases in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah from 2015 to 2024. The data are derived from “Male homelessness in the United States,” a report by the American Institute for Boys and Men (AIBM). The original report includes data on the overall increase in homelessness in the United States from 2015 to 2024, as well as data on the increase in homelessness by gender.

Breaking The Odds: A Gendered Analysis Of Women And Gambling Behaviors, Rowland Edet

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Gambling is increasingly recognized as a complex public health issue with wide-ranging implications for individuals, families, and communities. While traditionally male-dominated, recent shifts reveal a growing participation among women, facilitated by gender-specific gambling products, targeted marketing, and evolving societal norms. This paper critically examines the prevalence, motivations, and harms associated with gambling among women, drawing on theoretical perspectives such as social capital theory, cultural geography, and gender role theory. By synthesizing existing literature, this review highlights distinct gendered patterns in gambling behaviors, including the use of gambling as a coping mechanism for stress, isolation, and caregiving burdens, and the role …

False Starts & Finish Lines: Youth Sports, Coaching, & The Crisis Of The American Dream, John S. Lammert Jr

Master's Theses

False Starts & Finish Lines: Youth Sports, Coaching, & the Crisis of the American Dream examines how the American youth sports system reflects, reproduces, and at times resists the evolving contradictions of the American Dream. Drawing on a comparative analysis of institutional documents from public high schools, travel clubs, and recreational leagues, this thesis interrogates how youth sports have shifted from inclusive spaces of play and character-building to stratified marketplaces governed by the Athletic Industrial Complex (AIC). It argues that rising costs, performance pressures, and privatized structures have transformed access to sport—and, by extension, to the Dream itself—into a function …

Digital Technology Usage In Tajikistan, Siyovush Bobokhonov Dr., Pedro Quelhas Brito Dr., Umesh Ramchandra Raut Dr., Prafulla Arjun Pawar Dr.

The Qualitative Report

The rapid development of digital technologies is significantly changing how people live, and these changes have a particular impact on the younger generation in Tajikistan. Our study therefore aims to analyze the factors influencing young Tajiks' opinions as users of digital technology and to examine digital technology usage in Tajikistan. We conducted a qualitative analysis of the opinions of young Tajik individuals aged 18 to 30 and found that they generally consider digital technology to be an integral part of their daily lives. Data collection was carried out through focus group discussions (FGDs) and the data analysis was performed using …

Laying The Groundwork For Liberatory Expressive Arts Research: A Queer Review, Robyn E. Ginsberg

Expressive Therapies Theses

The goal of this thesis was to reveal the interconnectedness of disparate discourse across diverse disciplines and locate it within one queer domain. The intersection of (expressive) art and (community/participatory) action is a space within which queer collaboration can take place. It is a space that can accommodate and energize non-normative idea generation and exchange which can mobilize queer resistance to create societal change (Fernández & Fine, 2024; Rutten, 2016). By engaging with interdisciplinary literature and situating conceptual frameworks in dialogue this review provides a foundation for liberatory expressive arts research (LExAR) and practice. Key themes include: centering queer and …

Strategic Development Plan – San Pedro Dr. Main Street Corridor, Adrian N. Carver

Student Publications

The San Pedro MainStreet Strategic Development Plan is a place-based, community-driven roadmap for revitalizing the San Pedro Drive corridor in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The corridor sits at the intersection of historical significance and present-day opportunity—bridging the old and new alignments of Route 66 while serving a diverse, working-class population. Drawing from urban planning theory, spatial analysis, and community input, this plan identifies challenges and assets related to land use, infrastructure, business development, housing, and cultural identity. Special attention is given to past and ongoing patterns of racialized disinvestment and displacement, with strategies proposed to ensure equitable reinvestment and climate resilience. …

Introduction To Sociology: Race And Ethnicity, Dr. Marcia Morrison Ph.D.

Open Educational Resources

Abstract: This paper critically examines the phrase "one nation, indivisible" from the Pledge of Allegiance in light of the complex realities of race, ethnicity, and immigration in the United States. While the pledge asserts a unified national identity, this ideal is frequently undermined by systemic social, economic, and political divisions. Drawing from multicultural and sociopolitical frameworks, the paper explores how the lived experiences of marginalized groups—particularly racial and ethnic minorities and immigrant communities—reveal a fragmented national reality. The analysis engages with the implications of the 1965 Immigration Act, which, despite dismantling explicitly racist immigration quotas, restructured racial inequalities through new …

Impact Of Race On Admission, Clinical Outcomes, And Disposition In Cholangiocarcinoma: Insights From The National Inpatient Database, Tijin A. Mathew, Teresa M. Varghese, Nithya Krishnakumaran, George M. Varghese, Khwaja S. Haq, Akshita Khosla, Rojymon Jacob, Gina Vaccaro

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Cholangiocarcinoma, malignancies arising from the intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts, has increased in incidence in the United States over the past few decades. The reported incidence of cholangiocarcinomas is high, particularly in specific racial groups such as Asian and Pacific Islander patients. Race also significantly impacts disparities in healthcare utilization and clinical outcomes. Our study focused on the impact of race on admission, clinical outcomes, and disposition of cholangiocarcinoma. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of cholangiocarcinoma-related hospital admissions, using the National Inpatient Sample for the year 2022. Patients were stratified according to race into the following groups: White, …

Voices Of Black Leadership: Town-Gown Relationships And The Black Community, Dave A. Louis, Kenzalia Bryant-Scott, Teranda J. Donatto

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This study explores the perspectives of 27 Black community leaders from Black communities in the United States about town-gown relationships in their communities. Utilizing the responses of the participants, a basic thematic analysis was conducted, and participants’ findings discussed. Emergent themes included issues of mistrust, division, desire for community improvement, and the positive relationships with Black colleges and universities. The researchers offer suggestions to university administrators, community engagement coordinators, and institutions about their approach to create meaningful and collaborative partnerships with Black communities.

Community Members’ Perspectives On A Community-Engaged Process For Supporting Vibrant Greenspaces In Detroit, Alysha D. Matthews, Guilherme Hebling Costa, Karl Erickson, Karin A. Pfeiffer, Amber L. Pearson, Benjamin V. Dougherty

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Greenspaces provide several well-being (Dinnie et al., 2013) and psychosocial benefits (Addy et al., 2004). Community-engaged research affords community partners a voice in the project (Cushman et al., 2004). This study assessed Detroit community members’ perceived benefits of and suggestions for engaging with the community to support greenspaces. Through qualitative analysis, a three-step process for community-engaged planning was revealed. Findings highlight strategies that involve community members in this process to enhance community engagement and well-being.

Music, Poetry And Identity In Badakshan, Tajikistan: Singing And Sounding Community, Chorshanbe Goibnazarov

Music & Performance in Muslim Contexts

An illuminating account of Ismaili music, spiritual poetry and social change in Badakhshan.

In the riverine valleys of the Pamir Mountains of Tajik Badakhshan, a thriving millennium-old community of Nizari Ismaili Muslims created a unique spiritual culture in which the performance of music and poetry plays a central role. This book focuses on the central musical and poetic tradition of the Pamiri Ismailis, qasīda-khonī (also known as maddo), tracing its origins, evolution, delocalisation and relocation.

This book introduces readers to leading performers of qasīda-khonī and to the Ismaili gnosis that inspires its music and poetry.

• Based on six …

Descending Asymmetry In Proximate, Mobile And Digital Care: Chinese Older People Grandparenting Across Distance Within China And Overseas, Catriona Stevens, Rachel Murphy, Yu Huang, Loretta Baldassar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article juxtaposes cases of grandparents who provide care for their grandchildren in two broad types of migrant families: (1) families where some members have migrated from the Chinese countryside to larger cities and (2) families where some members have migrated from China to Australia. By examining the proximate, mobile and digital forms of their grandparenting care labour, this article demonstrates the surprising durability and stability of care repertoires across distance and class. Despite the great differences of their migration geographies and family resources, these families nonetheless all demonstrate remarkably similar repertoires of caregiving articulated with reference to similar cultural …