Digital Commons Network^™

Puerto Rico After Hurricane Maria: Responses To Trauma And Constructing A New Life In Central Florida, Angela Vergara

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

On September 20th, 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall on the island of Puerto Rico causing devastating results. An Island with a history of decades of economic recession, inadequate infrastructure, and a negative effect of a century of colonial rule by the United States, Hurricane Maria unquestionably intensified the catastrophic circumstances in Puerto Rico. (Cons 2017; Torres 2018; Gay et al 2019). The aftermath of Hurricane Maria left thousands homeless and without basic resources in the Island. The study examines the effects of disparate social factors on individual responses to trauma before, during, and after the disaster and illuminates the circumstances …

Identity Reconstruction Of Chinese Migrant Women In Ireland, Jun Ni

Books/Book chapters

This chapter presents an original qualitative study on the cross-cultural adaptation process and identity reconstruction of Chinese migrant women in Ireland. Based on an analysis of Chinese women’s cross-cultural adaptation experience, this study identifies facilitators of and barriers to the cross-cultural adaptation. It finds that the women who adopted an integrated strategy have developed an intercultural identity. On the one hand, they want to maintain their Chinese cultural identity and heritage; at the same time, they are committed to developing relationships with mainstream Irish society. Most Chinese women take pride in their Chinese culture and values. They aim to bring …

College Choice And African American Males: A Case Study Exploring The Intersection Of Family, School, And Society On The College Choice Decision-Making Process, W. Samino Scott Ii

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that influence the college choice decisions of African American male first-generation college students. This study employed a strength-based approach, instead of the more traditional narrative centered around values, cultural norms, and deficits. This research study utilized a single-case study design and a qualitative research methodology. The study examined the college choice influences experienced by five African American males attending a mid-sized college in the Midwest to develop a more nuanced understanding of the strengths they exhibited that allow them to successfully navigate impoverished conditions at home, in the neighborhood, and …

A New Paradigm For Improving Race Relations, Teresa Reed

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Ethnicity And Migration ─ The Concentration And Dispersion Of Foreign-Born Asians And Hispanics In The United States, Shuang Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Immigration from Asia and Latin America has rapidly changed the race and ethnic composition of the non-White population in the United States. This dissertation examines the question of race/ethnicity, nativity, and how acculturation and socioeconomic characteristics impact residential outcomes for Asian and Hispanic immigrants, a process often termed as residential assimilation. It also tests the effectiveness of spatial assimilation, segmented assimilation, and resurgent ethnicity theories for understanding residential segregation across metropolitan neighborhoods. Three sets of analyses are presented in this dissertation. The first set of analyses studies the nativity difference in residential segregation levels between Asians and Hispanics from non-Hispanic …

Queering The University: Implementing A Systematic & Organizational Approach To Equity, Brian Moore

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Too often higher education educators take a lackadaisical approach to solutions surrounding negative queer and trans student experiences; however, educators hold an obligation to foster student success, retention, catalyze identity development, and maximize the human potential of queer and trans students. This master’s thesis develops a systematic and organizational approach to achieving an equitable campus for queer and trans student experience through a critical action research proposal. Utilizing my perspective as queer and trans educator and/or student, I will primarily use the philosophical lens of Friere, hooks, Foucault, and queer theory to support my philosophy of education. Theoretical frameworks from …

Living Rivers, Cosmopolitan Activism, And Environmental Justice In The Bengal Delta, Daniel Adel

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This thesis explores the social movements and civil society activism to protect the rivers that flow through Bangladesh—the cradle and terminal delta floodplain of the transboundary Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna river systems—, as well as ways to build regional cooperation and watershed democracy in South Asia. The research drew on four overarching fields of study: environmental justice, southern environmentalism, ecological nationalism, and environmental governance. These four bodies of scholarship helped address the overarching question: how are civil society organizations analyzing and responding to the water diversions and degradation of Bangladesh’s transboundary rivers? Semi-structured interviews were conducted with civil society organizations …

The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary: An Exploration Of Changing The Discourse On Conservation, Arielle Ben-Hur

Pitzer Senior Theses

In 2015, the Northern Chumash Tribal Council submitted a National Marine Sanctuary Nomination to establish the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary– a means by which to ensure the protection of one of the most culturally and biologically diverse coastlines in the world. On October 5, 2015, John Armor of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) responded to the nomination, adding it to the inventory of areas NOAA may consider in the future for national marine sanctuary designation.

In my thesis, I explore how the nomination of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary acts as a platform from which Traditional …

Acoso Visual: Staring Back At The State And Gender Conformity, Juan Luna

Honors Theses

A semi-autoethnographic piece that uses a radical transfeminist lens to interrogate hegemonic systems of gender and race in the Dominican Republic through the violence that Trans and Gender Nonconforming people face. While focusing on trans violence, this thesis explicitly turns its gaze away from Trans/Gender Nonconforming people and interrogates the state, cisnormativity, and gender conformity. This thesis explores how acoso visual (visual accosting) is a historically informed process that works to border trans/gender nonconformity out of the idea of Dominicanidad. Ultimately, this text reminds Trans/Gender Nonconforming individuals that they are not the reason for the transphobia that they experience, and …

Experiences Of African American Teachers In Desegregated Pk–12 Schools: A Systematic Literature Review, Yonghee Suh, Brian J. Daugherity, Jihea Maddamsetti, Angela Branyon

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This literature review reports findings from 19 empirical studies on the experiences of African American teachers in PK–12 desegregated schools. The research questions were: What do we know about the experiences of African American teachers in desegregated PK–12 schools? What are the challenges African American teachers experience in desegregated PK–12 schools? In response to these questions, the article first discusses school desegregation after the Brown v. Board of Education decision and its impact on African American teachers as a historical backdrop. Findings from 19 studies were analyzed through grounded theory. Two core themes were identified from our findings: persistent structural …

Stickiness As Methodological Condition, Cala Coats

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

Stickiness is introduced as a cultural concept, affective condition, and performative practice. The author suggests a process of methodological conditioning rooted in responsiveness and attunement in response to shared vulnerability embedded in precarity. Drawing from Felix Guattari’s ethico-aesthetic paradigm, new materialisms, and affect theory, the author invites readers to engage with a narrative score as an aesthetic pedagogical exercise. The score and additional provocations act as creative material for connective and collective performances tracing and creating encounters across time and space.

A Hunger For Justice : Everyday Forms Of Latinx Resistance In New York State's Capital Region, Cassandra Andrusz- Ho Ching

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Low-income racialized communities have always disproportionately struggled with food system inequities. However, after the 2008 financial crisis, conditions have become more precarious, especially in Latinx communities. This context has resulted in intensified food system inequities, manifesting as food insecurity, high food pricing, inconsistent and partial food programming, diet related diseases, low wages, worker and environmental rights abuses. This dissertation examines how low-income Latinx communities, respond to these intensified inequities in the New York State Capital Region from 2008-2018. Through qualitative research, interviews and observations, I assess the nature and context of everyday practices that undermine or resist food system inequities, …

Effects Of The Black Lives Matter Movement On Media Portrayals Of Accused Criminals, Samantha Strine

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Media impacts our everyday lives and shapes how we understand the world around us. It assists in creating social hierarchies which impact how groups of people are represented and understood. These hierarchies have led to the generation of stereotypes and disparate reporting practices in media. However, social movements tend to be created to provide evidence against these stereotypes and the movements attempt to undo disparate treatment of marginalized groups. This study had three hypotheses: Hypothesis 1 stated that prior to the generation of the Black Lives Movement, media depictions of black and white accused criminals will differ. Hypothesis 2 stated …

Chapter 4: How To Conduct Effective Interviewer Training: A Meta-Analysis And Systematic Review Appendix 4, Jessica Daikeler, Michael Bosnjak

Interviewer Workshop, 2019: Interviewers and Their Effects from a Total Survey Error Perspective

Appendix 4A Appendix Table A4A.1: Overview of the literature on interviewer tasks addressed in interviewer training experiments

Appendix 4B The meta-analytical process

Appendix 4C Random effects model and meta regression summary statistics

Appendix 4D List of missing studies in the paper

References

Consumer Credit Card Debt And Immigrants: A Cross-Sectional Study Of U.K. Immigrants’ Financial Capability, Paul Wesley Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study is the ubiquitous nature and high level of consumer debt associated with certain demographics; however, research in the context of immigrants in the U.K. are limited. The problem is the lack of information about the association between credit card debt and immigrants, specifically on whether the income gap between U.K. immigrants and British citizens affects the level of consumer debt. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional correlational study is to examine whether there is an association between the income gap that exists between immigrants and British citizens and their respective levels of consumer debt, …

Exploring Spiritual Intelligence And Career Success Among People Of Color Working In Nonprofit Educational Institutions, Janelle C. Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Performance management frameworks in public educational institutions have not dealt with some of the challenges in creating an environment that reflects organizational commitment, sustainability, productivity, and retention among academic staff. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of people of color regarding the challenges they face involving the use of spiritual intelligence in the workplace. Garner’s multiple intelligence theory served as the foundation for this study. The key research question focused on the perceptions of people of color working in nonprofit educational institutions regarding the role that spiritual intelligence played in their workplaces and career successes. …

Being The Adult You Needed As A Kid: Why The Aitsl Standards Are Not The Best Fit For Drama Teachers, Christina Gray, Kirsten Lambert

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2019 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. The Australian Professional Standards for teachers attempts to regulate the profession and improve teacher quality. Yet the standardisation of teachers’ work has attracted criticism from researchers who assert that a “one size fits all” model for judging teacher quality fails to recognise the affective, enactive and relational aspects of teaching. Given the interactive and interpersonal nature of teaching drama, this concern has salience. Our research into the experiences of early-career drama teachers reveals the positive influence these teachers have on their students and in their …

Australian Muslim Citizens: Questions Of Inclusion And Exclusion, 2006 –2020, Nahid A. Kabir

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Muslims have a long history in Australia. In 2016, Muslims formed 2.6 per cent of the total Australian population. In this article, I will discuss Australian Muslims’ citizenship in two time periods, 2006–2018 and 2020. In the first period, I will examine Australian Muslims’ identity and sense of belonging, and whether their race or culture have any impact on their Australian citizenship. I will also discuss the political rhetoric concerning Australian Muslims. In the second period, 2020, I will examine Australian Muslims’ placement as returned travellers during the COVID-19 period. I conclude that, from 2006 to 2018, Islamophobia was rampant …

Children’S Development And Crisis: Comparing Developmental Best Practices Against Aid Program Curricula, Martha Baker

CMC Senior Theses

Using the monitoring, evaluation and learning for adaptive management model (MEL4AM), this paper examines how international organizations translate productive criteria for early childhood development (ECD) into emergency response programming for children. Early childhood is a crucial developmental time in individual’s lives and adverse experiences undermine, among other things, language development, self-regulatory capabilities, and child-caregiver interactions. International aid organizations are operationalizing the research on ECD best practices into site-level programming. This thesis examines whether the developmental needs of these children in crisis are being met through these efforts and offers two in-depth case studies: Sesame Workshop’s intervention for Syrian refugee children …

Nearly Halfway There: The Future Of Hong Kong, China, And One Country Two Systems, Lery Hiciano

CMC Senior Theses

The 2019 Hong Kong Protests mark a critical juncture in the history of Hong Kong. Although they started due to an extradition bill, the demonstrations are deeply rooted in larger concerns regarding Hong Kong’s place within China and its future. The global responses to the protest, from Beijing to London, reveal a complex web of relationships and interests. As the Chinese Communist Party continues to expand its global footprint, the bridge between domestic and international concerns will widen. Ultimately, that makes the Hong Kong situation a balancing act, one that observers can use as a litmus test for the Chinese …

Disparities Within School Discipline: An Examination Of Race, English Language Learner Status, & Suspension, Serena Boyce

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

There is much discussion in the United States about how in-school and out of school suspension negatively impacts students who are subjected to this form of exclusionary discipline. There is concern about whether there are disparities in school suspension rates between students from different subgroups and their peers. Research in this area has shown that racial/ethnic minority students, as well as students with the factors of having a low socio-economic status and being male, make some schools more likely to use school discipline than others. A question to be answered in the area of school discipline is related to if …

Urban Renewal Or Urban Legend? Re-Historicizing Human-River Relationships Disrupted By Displacement Before And Now In Los Angeles, Jamie Sophia Helberg

Pitzer Senior Theses

This thesis speaks to how historical and on-going colonization of the river has consistently traumatized the relationship disadvantaged communities have had with the Los Angeles River. By historicizing those relationships, I argue that current use of human-centered market-based strategies to revitalize the river only furthers serial displacement of disadvantaged communities and will not adequately achieve sustainability. Using Frogtown as a case study, I also explore methods of resiliency to “green gentrification," an agent of neocolonialism along the river. In studying the placemaking practices implemented in Frogtown, I problematize notions of gentrification as “natural” and "necessary" for river revitalization. Elements of …

The Development Of A Couple Observational Coding System For Computer-Mediated Communication, Martha S. Rackets

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

Many romantic couples integrate text and computer-mediated communication (CMC) into their relationship dynamics, both for general relationship maintenance and for complex dynamics such as problem solving and conflict. Romantic couple dynamics are interactional, dynamic, and sequenced in nature, and a common method for studying interactions of this nature is observational analyses. However, no behavioral or observational coding systems exist that are able to capture text-based transactional couple communication. The main purpose of this dissertation was to develop an observational coding system that can be used to assess sequenced computer- mediated, text-based communication that takes place between romantic partners. This process …

The Biological Manifestation Of Health, Culture, And Disease In Turn Of The Twentieth Century San Francisco, Trisha Walker

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Between 1880 and 1920, a period known as the Great Migration, the city of San Francisco became one of the most diverse areas in the United States due to the steady arrival of immigrants. These groups of immigrants primarily consisted of individuals from China, Japan, Ireland, Italy, Eastern Europe, and Mexico. However, each of these groups faced various forms of xenophobia from American-born citizens when they tried to either earn a living or assimilate into American society. These immigrant groups were frequently impeded by who was, and who was not, considered to be “white” in the eyes of the dominant …

Livestock-Wildlife Dynamics And Subsequent Human Responses In Marginalized Communities Within Mexico’S Nationally Protected Areas, Deanna Seil

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Entering the planet’s sixth mass-extinction, monitoring biodiversity and the factors which affect it is of the utmost importance. This study on the interaction of humans and their livestock with wildlife, and the impact of this interaction on wildlife conservation, took place in Santiago Coatepec, located within the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve in Mexico. Wildlife interactions with livestock may depend upon species, season, ecological characteristics of the area, and livestock management practices. Using camera traps, field data, and interview data, I quantified livestock impact on wildlife behavior and community beliefs. Over two years, camera traps at 18 stations recorded 709 wildlife videos …

American Identities And The Consumption Of Japanese Homoerotica, Caitlin Joyce

Capstone Showcase

My thesis is a cross-cultural comparison of the consumption habits of Japanese and American yaoi or boy’s love (BL) fans, with a particular focus on how the motivations for consuming this type of media may differ between each group. Within my literature review, I start with the history of Japanese homoerotica, from Heian era writings and shunga artwork, to how this has evolved into the modern BL industry in Japan. Additionally, I examine where BL media fits into the landscape of both Japanese and global LGBT+ identity politics. Using identity construction and queer feminist theory, I explore how this type …

We Live In A Society: Violence And Radicalization In The Internet Manosphere, Emily Price

Capstone Showcase

In a world of incels, pick-up artists, and other Men’s Rights Activists, friction between the so-called Manosphere and contemporary feminist thought has led to documented violence with regards to American mass shootings. Starting with the violent outbursts of disaffected young men, I will work backwards to the point of contact between the man and the Manosphere. This piece seeks not to draw a connection between radical MRAs and violence – the mass shooters draw that connection themselves in their manifestos by outlining their dissatisfaction with society as it is, and particularly with what they perceive as a politically correct and …

Martuwarra Country: A Historical Perspective (1838-Present), Martuwarra Riveroflife, Magalie Mcduffie, Anne Poelina

Nulungu Reports

No abstract provided.

“We’Re Here, We’Re Queer, We Will Not Live In Fear!”: A Content Analysis Exploring Gender Disparity In The Public Reappropriation Of Lgbtq+ Slurs, Nicolas Hall

Capstone Showcase

As minorities, members of the LGBTQ+ community have faced many hardships throughout history, such as the use of language as a weapon against them. However, this research explores the public display of linguistic reappropriation of LGBTQ+ derogatory language and terms within the community. Throughout history, the use of slurs (e.g. faggot and dyke) and their social definitions have shifted from having no connection to the community to directly affected these individuals. These terms have been used to demonize members of the LGBTQ+ community for decades. Despite this reality, there are some scholars who suggest that these terms are being reappropriated, …

Food For Thought: Food Insecurity And Academic Performance, Justen Rosenberg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Objective: In 2018, 11.1% of American households were food insecure at least once. Annual reports on food insecurity conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture study the prevalence of household food insecurity; however, they fail to conceptualize the consequences that are associated with being food insecure. The objective of this study is to analyze the impacts of food insecurity on academic performance of children currently enrolled in an Orange County, Florida, K-12 public school. Methods: One focus group and 10 one-on-one interviews were conducted with parents who have at least one child currently enrolled in a K-12 public school …