Digital Commons Network^™

The Online Cathedral: A Case Study Analysis Of Egalitarian Music Outreach At Liverpool Cathedral For Mental Health And Spiritual Wellbeing During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Simone Krüger Bridge

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

Liverpool Cathedral holds a special place in the story of English Cathedral music, notably because of the recent role played by choral music for outreach engagement and community participation. This article undertakes an in-depth case study investigation of Liverpool Cathedral’s music outreach portfolio, which moved online during the Covid-19 pandemic and was delivered variously via pre-recorded podcasts, zoom, and hybrid means, while examining its impact on mental health and spiritual wellbeing amidst the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The primary emphasis is placed on the participation in online music activities during the Covid-19 pandemic, highlighting the strategies employed for …

What Is A "Pure Life"?, Ailani Anglin

First-Gen Voices: Creative and Critical Narratives on the First-Generation College Experience

A personal reflection about encountering new experiences in Costa Rica. The comparision between living in Costa Rica and the U.S, how fortunate we are to have many opportunities in this country.

No. 11: Food Insecurity And South Sudanese Urban Refugees In Kenya, Cherie Enns, Samuel Owuor, Abbey Lin, Jacqueline Fanta, Cobby Achieng, William Kolong, Kristin Swardh

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the already precarious situation of urban South Sudanese refugees living in Nairobi and Nakuru, Kenya. The pandemic not only increased food insecurity but also disrupted livelihoods and exacerbated socio-economic vulnerabilities that were already significant. These refugees faced limited access to support mechanisms typically available in refugee camps, with inadequate government response and interruptions to remittance flows. Urban refugees were hit especially hard due to the absence of organized support frameworks, leaving them more exposed to the pandemic’s impacts.

This policy brief examines the critical challenges faced by urban South Sudanese refugees in terms of food security …

No. 10: Digital Technologies And Food Remitting By Zimbabwean Migrants In South Africa, Sean Sithole, Daniel Tevera, Mulugeta F. Dinbabo

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted traditional remittance channels, particularly for Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa who relied on informal networks to send food and other essential goods back home. The closure of borders, lockdowns, and mobility restrictions disrupted these informal networks, accelerating the adoption of digital platforms for food remittances. This policy brief explores the role of emerging digital technologies such as mobile money apps and food remittance platforms in facilitating cross-border food transfers between Zimbabwean migrants in Cape Town and their families in Zimbabwe during the early stages of the pandemic. The brief examines how platforms like Mukuru and …

No. 09: Connecting Migrant Remittances And Food Security In Jamaica, Elizabeth Thomas-Hope

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

Migrant remittances play a crucial role in supporting households in Kingston, Jamaica, particularly in mitigating the effects of poverty and food insecurity. However, while remittances improve household food security, their impact on reducing inequality and contributing to inclusive social development is more complex. Wealthier households are more likely to receive remittances, and the overall impact of remittances on broader economic growth and food security at the national level remains limited. This brief explores the relationship between remittances and food security in Jamaica within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on SDG 10. It …

No. 07: Pandemic Impacts On Migrant Food Security In Nanjing, China, Fei Xu, Taiyang Zhong, Jonathan Crush

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant disparities in food security, particularly among migrant populations in urban settings. Migrant workers, often occupying precarious, low-paying jobs, experienced disruptions to their food access due to job losses, mobility restrictions, and social exclusion during the pandemic. This policy brief highlights key findings from MiFOOD research conducted in Nanjing during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, which revealed heightened levels of food insecurity among migrant households. Migrants were less likely to access online food systems due to technological barriers and exclusion from government aid programs. This brief provides recommendations to enhance food security resilience, including …

No. 08: Addressing Food Insecurity Among Central American Migrants In Mexico, Tiana Bakić Hayden

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

Central American migrants living in Mexico City face unique challenges that contribute to heightened food insecurity, with issues stemming from incomplete documentation, social isolation, and precarious legal status. This brief examines these barriers and how they exacerbate food insecurity among migrant populations who reside in Mexico’s urban areas, particularly those from the Northern Triangle (Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador). Migrants face bureaucratic, social, and economic obstacles that limit their access to food, housing, and employment. The brief recommends policy changes aimed at improving documentation processes, enhancing social support networks, and addressing migrants’ specific food security needs.

No. 06: Enhancing Rural-Urban Linkages Through Food Remittances, Elizabeth Opiyo Onyango, Jonathan Crush, Samuel Owuor

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

In many rapidly urbanizing African countries, food remittances from rural to urban areas play a vital role in maintaining rural-urban linkages. In Nairobi, Kenya, half of all households, regardless of migration status, receive food remittances from rural areas. Contrary to conventional beliefs, these food transfers are not solely linked to migration or poverty. Instead, they appear to be a long-standing, integral part of urban household resilience, especially for better-off households. As urbanization intensifies, policymakers should recognize the role of food remittances in ensuring food security for both migrants and non-migrant households. This brief explores key challenges such as economic inequality, …

Navigating Entry: The Role Of Exposure And Career Fit Negotiation In Women’S Pathways To Policing In The United States, Samantha S. Clinkinbeard, Rachael Rief, Trisha Rhodes, Lexi Goodijohn

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Women’s engagement in policing in the United States and other countries has not reached its potential. We interviewed 47 women in law enforcement to learn about their pathways into policing. Two primary themes emerged: career discovery through exposure and negotiating career fit. Exposure through interactions with role models, hands-on experiences, and media portrayals, provided a peek into policing. The assessment and negotiation of career “fit” in our study was an ongoing, dynamic process. As participants faced questions about their own characteristics, values, and belonging, exposure in the form of role models and experiences helped them navigate career fit concerns. Implications …

Birth Dearth And Local Population Decline, Brian J. Asquith, Evan Mast

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

Local population decline has spread rapidly since 1970, with half of counties losing population between 2010 and 2020. The workhorse economic models point to net out-migration, likely driven by changing local economies and amenities, as the cause of this trend. However, we show that the share of counties with high net out-migration has not increased. Instead, falling fertility has caused migration rates that used to generate growth to instead result in decline. When we simulate county populations from 1970 to the present holding fertility at its initial level, only 10 percent of counties decline during the 2010s.

The Past, Present, And Future Of Long-Run Local Population Decline, Brian J. Asquith, Evan Mast

Upjohn Institute Policy and Research Briefs

No abstract provided.

Gender And Sexuality Awareness In Medical Education And Practice: Mixed Methods Study, Rola Khamisy-Farah, Eden Biras, Rabie Shehadeh, Ruba Tuma, Hisham Atwan, Anna Siri, Manlio Converti, Francesco Chirico, Łukasz Szarpak, Carlo Biz, Raymond Farah, Nicola Bragazzi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: The integration of gender and sexuality awareness in health care is increasingly recognized as vital for patient outcomes. Despite this, there is a notable lack of comprehensive data on the current state of physicians' training and perceptions in these areas, leading to a gap in targeted educational interventions and optimal health care delivery.

OBJECTIVE: The study's aim was to explore the experiences and perceptions of attending and resident physicians regarding the inclusion of gender and sexuality content in medical school curricula and professional practice in Israel.

METHODS: This cross-sectional survey targeted a diverse group of physicians across various specializations …

No. 29: Translocal Households, Rural-Urban Links And Migrant Food Security In South Africa, Jonathan Crush, Godfrey Tawodzera, Maria Salamone

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

This paper revisits the issue of rural-urban links in post-apartheid South Africa, challenging the assumption that the end of apartheid would lead to rapid urbanization and the dissolution of circular migration. Despite the abolition of influx controls and the significant increase in the urban population from 33% in 1980 to 55% in 2011 among black South Africans, rural-urban ties and flows have proven resilient. The persistence of circular migration is evident in the continuous flow of people, goods, and remittances between urban and rural areas. This paper draws on a survey of over 800 Eastern Cape migrants in Cape Town, …

No. 28: Male Circular Migration, Rural-Urban And Gender Dynamics, And Food Security In India, Chetan Choithani

Migration and Food Security (MiFOOD) Network

This paper examines the ways in which male circular migration as a household livelihood strategy affects food access among rural households in India. Circular male labor migration is the dominant form of labor mobility in many parts of India. This migration pattern creates important rural-urban linkages through income transfers and alters the gender power relations within the migrant-sending households. Drawing on empirical research in Siwan district in the eastern state of Bihar, this paper analyzes the influence of these dynamics of migration on household food security, with the larger objective of bridging the divide that currently exists between migration and …

2024 New Hampshire Civic Health Report, Quixada Moore-Vissing, Carrie Portrie, Harshita Sarup, Michele Holt-Shannon

Carsey Publications

Since the 2020 New Hampshire Civic Health Index was published, there have been significant changes to the country that may have impacted civic health in New Hampshire. We have experienced the Covid-19 pandemic, a rise in social justice efforts, the 2020 presidential election, and the January 6th attack on the United States Capitol. This report focuses on the civic health of New Hampshire from 2019 through 2024 using a specific set of indicators. The intent behind this report is that the data at the state level can be used to help both the state overall and local communities strengthen civic …

From Sample To Population Generalization In Qualitative Research, Florentina Scârneci-Domnișoru

The Qualitative Report

The split of methodology into qualitative and quantitative had all sorts of negative consequences, including the neglecting of some important scientific goals, such as generalizing research results in qualitative studies. Even if they don’t talk about generalizations, many qualitative researchers illegitimately extend their research results to populations much wider than those investigated. The article shows that the generalization of research results (from sample to population) is possible in qualitative research but that it can only be achieved through a sampling procedure that complies with specific rules. The article describes this procedure of internal generalization of results through a logical or …

Tqr16: What It Is And What It Can Be, James A. Bernauer

The Qualitative Report

This article was written in response to the Call for the TQR16 Conference in 2025. I was compelled to write this article because of the poignancy of the theme. The questions posed were first whether we care whether our work makes an impact outside of academia and second whether this work would have a greater impact if we involved participants as true co-researchers from the very beginning of our inquiries. I explored these two questions by sharing my thoughts about the citations, the qualitative/quantitative divide, our natural need to discover, barriers to achieving the satisfactory answers to the two questions, …

Digital Twinning For Resilient Global Supply Chains: Three Case Studies, Gawon Yun, Douglas N. Hales, Leo Hong

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

Global supply chains have vulnerabilities, and these escalate in crisis times like pandemics or wars. Digital twinning of supply chains can provide early alerts and timely interventions. We examined three companies in different industries using Digital Twin (DT) technology to improve their supply chain performance. We found that while DT successfully enhanced performance indicators, the dollar and time costs were significant, creating barriers to wider DT adoption. We conclude by outlining the positives and negatives of implementing Digital Twins in global supply chains.

Why Wasn’T Participation In Government Enough?: A Historical Policy Analysis Of Pig And The Seal Of Civic Readiness, Karen M. Poland, Ed. D., Elizabeth A. Falzone, Ph.D., Dana F. Serure Edd.

Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education

New York State has long been a leader in educational reform, including initiating efforts to enhance civic education. For example, in 1985, concerns regarding the civic and economic literacy of the state's youth prompted the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to mandate a fourth credit in social studies education. This fourth credit required students in their senior year to take two new half-credit courses, Participation in Government (PIG) and Economics. When President Obama signed into law the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in 2015, its emphasis on college, career, and civic readiness provided an additional incentive for NYSED to …

The 21st Century Coach: A Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Resource For Youth Lacrosse Coaches, Maria D'Ugo, Jillian Lowey, Sean Mapoles, Brian Gearity

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

This document provides educational information, resources, and support to coaches and administrators with the goal of empowering and encouraging diversity, equity, and inclusion in daily sporting practices. This document may aid in efforts to increase inclusion and participation in youth sport, specifically lacrosse. Furthermore, it may help to increase coaches’ and administrators’ cultural awareness and competencies.

The Perspective Of Formerly Incarcerated African American Men During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Iyesha Shauntae' Franklin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The confluence of two devastating circumstances—the COVID-19 pandemic and the crowded, insalubrious living conditions in American jails as a result of mass incarceration, brought about an epidemic of an unprecedented magnitude. The large jail population, highly susceptible to infections due to overcrowded conditions, experienced exponential spread of the virus. While earlier research examined unhealthy situations related to the prison environment and their effects on inmates, the focus of such studies was not typically major crises or disease outbreaks in prisons. This qualitative phenomenological study used 10 participants located in the southeastern United States as a case study to better understand …

Contextualized Transitional Justice Policy Development In Uganda: Differentiating Between Normativity Types In Evidence-Based Problem Analysis, Saghar Shahidi Birjandian

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

This article discusses the fundamental impact of normativity on producing evidence-based guidance for context-sensitive transitional justice policy. It draws on lessons learned from Uganda’s complex transitional justice context and extensive fieldwork to demonstrate the necessity and the means to differentiate between belief-based normativity and evidence-based normativity in conducting problem analysis as a crucial site that determines the integrity of evidence-based guidance. It also establishes that evidence-based normativity guiding problem analysis must include empirical evidence of societal dynamics and views of affected communities or there is a significantly higher risk of belief-based normativity decontextualizing strategy development. Findings establish significant substantive differences …

Characteristics Of Growing Churches. Quantitative Analysis., Ago Lilleorg, Rein Murakas

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Abstract

This article presents a study of church growth using statistical analysis methods that identify the attitudes of members of a growing church with an analysis of them to understand the church growth process. The study of growing churches was conducted in nine protestant churches in Estonia with 350 participants. The article reveals four attitudinal characteristics that accurately describe growing churches: (a) the role of the church clergy in organizing the life and activities of the churches; (b) an open, encouraging, and positive atmosphere in the churches; (c) an active orientation towards serving the community; (d) a longing for God's …

Ua19/16/2 Basketball Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Press releases and game statistics for WKU men's basketball team from August to December 2024.

The Association Between Adjustment Disorder Symptomatology And Impulsivity, Jayden M. Burrell, Hope E. Dobbs, Tamanna K. Patel, Lawson D. Whaley

Expo Student Presentations

2024 Fall Expo Online Poster Presentation

• Service-Learning

Reforming Community Structures: The Public Library's Impact On The Midwestern Author, Mary Sabo

English: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Public libraries, though increasingly overlooked, are pivotal spaces for Midwestern communities. Public libraries are fundamental institutions for those in their community and have consistently remained this way, due to the safety they provide as constant outlets for public life. Established in the late 1800s, the emerging public library system developed itself with the foundational goal of reforming society and addressing issues of “public vice” such as “drinking, gambling, and prostitution” (Goldstein 214). The following research discusses public libraries and librarians' continuous support for the moral health of society and how the public library has influenced Midwestern literary careers, specifically that …

Optimizing Local Access To Information On Saving The Planet!, Sami Garcia

Environmental Engagement in the Community (ENVR 319): Student Projects

Environmental Engagement in the Community projects, fall 2024

A poster titled Optimizing Local Access to Information on Saving the Planet! for client Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department.

Battery Recycling In Nebraska, Kathryn Singh, Keegan Dunn, Emily Klinger

Environmental Engagement in the Community (ENVR 319): Student Projects

Environmental Engagement in the Community projects, fall 2024

A poster titled Battery Recycling in Nebraska for clients Douglas County Environmental Services and Recycling Council.

Local Energy For Local Water: Urban-Rural Collaboration, Meg Brady, Clementine Ewomsan

Environmental Engagement in the Community (ENVR 319): Student Projects

Environmental Engagement in the Community projects, fall 2024

A poster titled Local Energy for Local Water: Urban-Rural Collaboration for client James Persson.

The Psychological Impacts Of Algorithmic And Ai-Driven Social Media On Teenagers: A Call To Action, Sunil Arora, Sahil Arora, John Hastings

Research & Publications

This study investigates the meta-issues surrounding social media, which, while theoretically designed to enhance social interactions and improve our social lives by facilitating the sharing of personal experiences and life events, often results in adverse psychological impacts. Our investigation reveals a paradoxical outcome: rather than fostering closer relationships and improving social lives, the algorithms and structures that underlie social media platforms inadvertently contribute to a profound psychological impact on individuals, influencing them in unforeseen ways. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced among teenagers, who are disproportionately affected by curated online personas, peer pressure to present a perfect digital image, and the …