Digital Commons Network^™

Behind The Timeline: The Gendered Dynamics Among Civilian Volunteer Search And Rescue Organizations, Kyle Breen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the aftermath of disaster, it is often neighbors and other civilians nearby who respond first. Civilian disaster response, then, is not new. However, a new phenomenon emerged following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and again after the 2016 Louisiana Floods and Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Civilians convoyed to New Orleans with their boats to rescue others after Katrina, and again in 2016 and 2017. The difference in these more recent events has been the official formation of these volunteers into organizations that conduct search and rescue (SAR) as well as other relief activities. These civilian volunteer SAR organizations have gained …

Exploring The Educational Impact Of Academic Field Trips Over Time, Tara Parrello, Colby L. Valentine

Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education

Experiential learning can be in the form of internships, field trips, service learning, and research projects. The practical nature of criminal justice is a logical fit for experience-based learning. Specifically, academic field trips may be viewed as examples of short-term experiential education. However, do experiential learning trips have an academic impact over time? Using survey data, the current study examines if students acquire and retain knowledge after a prison tour of Eastern State Penitentiary. Pre- and post-tour surveys of student learning outcomes showed a statistically significant gain between the pre- and post-tour survey results. A follow-up survey explored if students …

Mental Health Stigma, Myna H. Krueck

IPS/BAS 495 Undergraduate Capstone Projects

Mental health stigma refers to societal disapproval, or when society places shame on people who live with a mental illness or seek help for emotional distress, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or PTSD. I made a poll with students attending Boise State about stigma and mental illness and posted it on Instagram for those people to take it. I took the results that were found from that poll and created an awareness newsletter. I posted this newsletter to the same Instagram account where I made the poll for. The newsletter was able to spread awareness through social media, and …

Eating Through Trauma, Thea R. Jordan

IPS/BAS 495 Undergraduate Capstone Projects

Ever skipped a meal because you didn't feel hungry? This is likely because the body was not in a state of rest and digest. When our bodies are overloaded with cortisol (stress hormones), and adrenaline we are not able to effectively digest food, leaving us in a heightened state that is deeply disruptive to the nervous system.

Avoiding situations where you will be eating or skipping meals altogether is a simple protection mechanism that the body uses in the event it needs to fight or flight. When the body has been conditioned to be hypervigilant in the event of a …

Unlovable Labour: Rejecting The "Do What You Love" Ideology, Trey Dykeman

Richard T. Schellhase Essay Prize in Ethics

Miya Tokumitsu’s article ‘In the Name of Love’ is polemic against what she refers to as the DWYL (Do What You Love) movement that has been most recognisably popularised and transformed by Steve Jobs. She denounces this movement as an insidious ideology cleverly disguised as an uplifting lifestyle which has as its tenets labour, profit, and individualism; through her analysis of these tenets, she unveils them as alienation, erasure, and precarity, respectively. Her insights aid her in her aim to demonstrate that these ideological pillars do not support the wellbeing of the proletariat but rather reinforce the rugged structure of …

To Certify Or Not To Certify? A Proposed Graduate Course And Universal Certification For Forensic Expert Witnesses, Charolette Caron

Criminology Student Work

During a court proceeding, attorneys will oftentimes bring up evidence related to their case. Since attorneys are usually not an expert in the field of evidence that they are discussing, they will bring in an expert witness. Expert witnesses are asked “. . . to testify in court when complex or specialized knowledge, beyond that of the lay person, is needed to interpret the evidence” (Wilcox & NicDaeid, 2018, p. 100). Forensic expert witnesses and their testimony, especially, are becoming increasingly important regarding accuracy and delivery. It’s been found that juries tend to rely heavily on forensic evidence when reaching …

Bees And Feminism, Bruno Barbuto

Community Engagement Student Work

The topics of bees and feminism engage community members in thinking of how and what ecology and community look like. The project workshop will cater to the ways in which people think and speak about their very own thoughts. As well, this workshop seeks to focus on bees and feminism as a means to engage the community in cogenerated dialogue about bee- preservation and women’s issues. The desired outcomes produced from this topic delivers insight about community, sustainability, and the terms of participation for engagement purposes. This workshop is the reason bees and feminism are being talked about as a …

Exploring Masculinity And Self-Compassion, Sarelle Creesy

Community Engagement Student Work

This workshop taught self-compassion as a tool to mitigate effects of toxic masculinity on male youth. Males ages 16-26 were given a definition of toxic masculinity and reviewed how expectations of it are taught and reinforced through Harro’s Cycle of Socialization (2010). They then learned about Kristin Neff’s theory of self-compassion. Participants then reflected on one instance of toxic masculinity that they had faced before, either as a perpetrator or a victim of it, using one chosen element of self-compassion. One key finding included 100% of participants agreeing they could see themselves using self-compassion when facing pressures of masculinity. In …

The Long Term Effects Of Sexual Assault On People Of Color Through Cultural And Societal Factors, Tia Franklin-Garrett

Community Engagement Student Work

Sexual assault is still, to this day, a problem that many groups face, particularly People of Color (POC). Although there has been notable progress made in regard to laws, policies, and societal exceptions, there are barriers in achieving sexual assault reform. The progress that has been made up to date has benefited the majority, but the progress has inequitably addressed sexual assault for POC. The history of the United States’ treatment of People of Color has hindered effective reforms for POC survivors. Expectations of sexual assault survivors and outdated misinformation and stereotypes further damage any progress made in regard to …

Redefining “Comprehensive” Sexual Education: A Pedagogy Of Empowerment And Social Justice For K-12 Sex Education, Nina June Lee

Community Engagement Student Work

In the United States currently, there are significant gaps in sex education. Youth in the United States today are identifying more diversely in the past and many are not receiving the comprehensive sex education they deserve, creating negative sexual and social outcomes. Through examining the legacy of religiosity, white supremacy, power, and privilege in the United States, one can pinpoint how historical legacies still influence the sex education youth receive today. In conversations with research and theory, a solution to this issue may lie in creating applicable tools that allow educators to better accommodate the needs of youth they are …

Making Forests, Making Communities: An Ethnography Of Reforestation In Monteverde, Costa Rica, Megan Brown

Anthropology Theses and Dissertations

Reforestation is not just planting trees in the ground. More than net increase in forest cover, reforestation is a complex political endeavor undertaken by both humans and non-humans and a popular climate change mitigation tactic. However, little research has examined the dynamics between selection of specific reforestation strategies, health, and community resilience, particularly with attention to entanglements between the lives of both human and non-human forest dwellers. This ethnographic work, based on six months of in-person fieldwork and six months of digital ethnography, examines reforestation and forest relations in Costa Rica’s Monte Verde zone, a region which experienced widespread deforestation, …

The Social Science Of Institutional Transformation: Intersectional Change In The Academy, Shauna A. Morimoto

Sociology and Criminology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article examines intersectional praxis as an approach to institutional transformation, arguing that intersectionality is both a catalyst for and outcome of gender equity efforts in the social sciences and other academic STEM fields. As such, approaching gender equity intersectionally can be understood as a way that theory and practice are co-constitutive in social science and hence an important aspect of transforming academic institutions. Through a case study of the US National Science Foundation (NSF) ADVANCE program for gender equity in STEM, I look at the development of ADVANCE from an effort to support women in scientific fields to becoming …

Modernization, Inclusion, And Intersectionality: Affordable Housing Policy And Discriminatory Characteristics Of The Fair Housing Act Of 1968, Heath Pitt

Community Engagement Student Work

Housing discrimination and affordability are ongoing issues in the United States; especially for marginalized populations like cisgender women, low-income families and individuals, and the transgender community. These three groups lack adequate protection and acknowledgment under the 1968 Fair Housing Act (FHA). In order to provide them with sufficient protection, the FHA must improve its level of inclusion and be updated and modernized to adapt to today’s society. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of enhancing the FHA, while discovering discriminatory practices under the FHA and the causes and solutions of affordable housing issues. With the use …

Ua12/2/2 Talisman: Illuminate, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Spring 2022 Talisman:

• Brant, Jess. Illumninate
• Johnson, Grant
• Shackelford, Ali & Raegan Steffey. The Land Before Western - Native Americans
• Quinn, Jack. Through the Light - Theatre & Dance
• Wilson, Gabby. Team Edward or Team Jacob? Is My Kind of Hymn
• Johnston, Rhiannon. Dusk to Dawn
• Plescia, Audrey. Molten Masterpiece - Art
• Richer, Cailyn. When They Shine - Light of Chance, Inc.
• Polston, Weather. The Mantis
• Spears, Kayla. Healing Within - Eating Disorders
• Dobelstein, Maya. Waste Not, Want Not - Environmentalists
• Crask, bethany. Egg Roll In a Bowl - Recipe
• Gore, Abbey. By Hand
• Story, Miriam. The People's Princess - …

The Correlation Between Vaccine Hesitancy And Privilege: Exploring The Degree To Which Education And Income Foster Resistance To Vaccination Efforts, Sophie Goldenberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Vaccine hesitancy is a public health issue of growing concern. Extensive pre-existing literature offers several explanations and conflicting viewpoints regarding reluctance toward vaccinations. However, minimal research has been done exploring the upstream social determinants driving vaccine hesitancy. Utilizing academic and gray literature and interviews with experts in the field, this study addresses this gap in knowledge with the research question: To what extent does privilege impact vaccine hesitancy and resistance? Vaccine hesitancy appears globally and is particularly concerning given the re-emergence of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). Additionally, due to inconsistent causes, vaccine hesitancy is difficult to combat. In referencing the history …

Evaluating The Validity Of Restrictions On Blood Donation Eligibility For Men Who Have Sex With Men (Msm) In The United States, France, And Switzerland, Swathi Gorantla

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

For the first time in a decade, the number of new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diagnoses is higher for heterosexual people compared to gay and bisexual men (Florêncio, 2022). Additionally, in the United States, the American Red Cross has declared a national blood crisis due to the nationwide shortage of donated blood. During this crisis, charged with the new information on HIV diagnosis rates, many advocates for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) community question why discriminatory policy surrounding gay and bisexual men donating still exist around the world. These policies are changing worldwide – several European countries have …

Perceptions Of The Efficacy And Trustworthiness Of Faith-Based Organizations And Secular Ngos In Mgwashi, Bumbuli District, Tanzania, Naomi Tomlin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study investigated perceptions of faith-based organizations (FBOs) compared to secular non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Mgwashi, Bumbuli District, Tanzania. Perceptions were sorted into two categories: efficacy of services and trustworthiness. This study also examined gender and religion to determine potential influences on perceptions of trustworthiness and efficacy.

This study conducted 72 interviews of Mgwashi residents (18 Muslim men, 18 Muslim women, 18 Christian men, and 18 Christian women). Participants were asked for their opinions on the trustworthiness and efficacy of secular NGOs and FBOs with which they had experience. Then, those who had experience with both types (n=41) were asked …

Worrying In Cato Manor: A Case Study Analysis On The Influence Of Context, Samantha Garbus

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Social Causation theory states that social and economic circumstances cause people to be at a higher risk of mental illness (Lund 2011, p.1). South Africa has high inequality, with racial disparities prevalent in multiple indicators of socioeconomic status. Moreover, mental health in South Africa has often not been prioritized. This project aimed to assess how context impacts relevant aspects of mental health, such as worrying and the mind/body stress-response in Cato Manor. An additional theme of community beliefs on stress emerged from the interviews which is also presented.

For this project, I used a Mixed Methods-Case Study research design. I …

The North ‘Helicoptering’ Into The South: A Meta-Analysis Of Parachute Science In Ecological Field Studies, Alexandros Economou-Garcia

Student Publications

Science is increasingly collaborative, but scientists from the Global North (GN) often fail to collaborate with local scientists or to build local scientific capacity when conducting research in the Global South (GS). This practice is known as “parachute science” or “helicopter science”. In addition to ethical concerns, this practice is problematic in the field of ecology because it may reduce the likelihood that the research will inform local resource management and science policy. I hypothesized that, because research has become increasingly collaborative, there would be a decline in parachute science over time. In addition, I hypothesized that papers that included …

Occurrence And Ecosystem Effects Of Hiking Off-Trail In Michaux State Forest, Diana Biesecker, Quinn Doherty, Kevin S. Ganjon

Student Publications

American public lands provide significant outdoor recreational opportunities that enhance an individual's physical and mental well-being. Hiking is an example of a highly accessible and affordable recreational activity that is popular and easy for people to engage in no matter how experienced they are. While hiking has improved the well-being of many individuals, its impacts on local ecosystems are often disregarded. For our research, we focused on the impacts that hikers deviating off-trail may have on a local ecosystem in Michaux State Forest in Southern Pennsylvania. Through partnering with the foresters at Michaux State Forest and using AllTrails data, we …

The Religious Lexicon Embedded In Public American Curricula, Daniel R. Jones

Student Publications

What is the relationship between one's own religious beliefs and their everyday colloquial diction choices? Moreover, why is the subfield that encompasses the intersection of sociolinguistics, education, and religious studies one that has gained little scholarly interest in recent years, where one could argue the importance of religious belief, and other socio-political beliefs in education have come center stage in the heart of American political debate? This article will tackle this broad range of topics through a case study focusing on my primary research question: How does a teacher’s own religious identity affect the religious language utilized in their classroom …

Pro-Understanding: Understanding The Pro-Choice Catholic, Natalie Eilerman

Honors Theses

Abortion is a widely debated and polarizing topic in the United States. While many Catholic leaders and members tend to hold beliefs against abortion, some Catholics are pro-choice. This study explores the perspectives and experiences of this often-under-recognized group. Mixed methods research was conducted to analyze 1) how perspectives towards abortion are changing among Catholics in the United States (using data from the General Social Survey from 1977-2018), and 2) the experiences of college students at a private, predominately white, Catholic university in the Midwest who identify as pro-choice and Catholic. Quantitative analysis shows that Catholics’ attitudes towards abortion are …

Two Mothers, One Grandmother: Intergenerational Ambivalence In Heterosexual Mother‑Lbq Daughter Relationships, Emily Kazyak, Rosalind D. Kichler, Jess Morrow, Eliza Thor

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Using the theoretical framing of structural ambivalence, which points to how competing cultural norms can cause conflict in family relationships, this paper asks: how does the transition to parenthood affect the intergenerational family relationship between LBQ adult women and their heterosexual mothers? Analyzing qualitative data from interviews with three adult child-parent dyads, we discuss how two cultural norms manifest in these relationships: pronatalism, or the privileging of procreation and heteronormativity, or the privileging of heterosexuality. In some ways, the intergenerational family relationship is strengthened as both LGB daughters and their heterosexual mothers express that the grandchild resulted in their becoming …

Dismantling Binary Assumptions In Sex Estimation: Uplifting Trans And Gender Diverse Identities In Forensic Anthropology, Audrey Holbeck

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Forensic anthropology is a study within the field of physical anthropology that seeks to apply osteological expertise to legal and criminal situations. One of a forensic anthropologists’ most important jobs is to build a biological profile, consisting of age, biological sex, stature, and ancestry, in correspondence to an unidentified decedent. As we enter the third decade of the 21st century, instances of violence against trans and gender non-conforming individuals are unfortunately prominent, however, there has also been more awareness shed on trans activism. Trans individuals are at a higher risk of being victims of violent crime, and thus, forensic anthropologists …

Examining 24-Hour Activity And Sleep Behaviors And Related Determinants In Latino Adolescents And Young Adults With Obesity, Erica G Soltero, Neeku Navabi, Kiley B Vander Wyst, Edith Hernandez, Felipe G Castro, Stephanie L Ayers, Jenny Mendez, Gabriel Q Shaibi

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background.

Few studies have examined 24-hour activity and sleep behaviors and their contribution to type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Latino adolescents and young adults with obesity.

Aim.

This study included quantitative data on T2D risk and 24-hour activity and sleep behaviors and qualitative data on individual, social, and environmental behavioral determinants.

Method.

A 7 day, 24-hour, wrist-worn accelerometer protocol assessed moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviors (SB), sleep, and sleep regularity, in adolescents (N = 38; 12–16 years) and young adults (N = 22; 18–22 years). T2D-related outcomes included adiposity (BMI, BF%, waist circumference), fasting, and 2-hour glucose. …

Microplastics, The Environment, And Reproductive Health: How Is The Accumulation Of Microplastics In Our Environment And Bodies Impacting Reproductive Health?, Katherine Hayward

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As global trends in both production and consumption of plastics continue to evolve, the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of microplastic particles in our everyday lives follow suit. This increasingly relevant problem has only recently been explored in the context of global health, and more specifically, reproductive health. Along with this steady increase in plastics and our exposure to them, researchers have separately observed adverse patterns in reproductive health. The chemicals involved throughout the microplastic life cycle may be playing a key role in these simultaneous patterns. With the aid of previous studies and publications on microplastics, exposure pathways, endocrine disruptors, and …

The Current Status Of Women In Morocco And How It Can Be Improved, Amanda Maia

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

My paper will explore the conditions of gender minorities in Morocco through representation, NGOs, social structures, and resources therein to support the progress of acquiring more rights for these demographics. With an emphasis on the status of women in Morocco. My main questions as it stands are: What are the living conditions for women in Morocco and how can they be improved? What progress has been and still can be made to improve the quality of life and foster joy for these demographics in Morocco? Since the 1990s, there has been significant progress in Morocco to improve Family Law and …

Colonic Epithelial Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (Ace2) Expression In Blacks And Whites: Potential Implications For Pathogenesis Covid-19 Racial Disparities, Mart De La Cruz, David P Nunes, Vaishali Bhardwaj, Deepika Subramanyan, Caroline Zaworski, Priya Roy, Hemant K Roy

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Covid-19 toll is disproportionate in Blacks although the mechanisms remain incompletely understood. From a biological perspective, several host proteins have received most attention as logical susceptibility targets. Specifically, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) serves as the epithelial cell receptor and acts in concert with transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). Intriguingly, ACE2 can also suppress the inflammatory response and therefore may impact the severity of Covid-19 infections (from the exuberant immune response a.k.a. "cytokine storm"). We, therefore, assessed expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in Blacks versus Whites.

METHODS: Archived mucosal biopsies from colonoscopic biopsies of visually normal rectal mucosa without concurrent …

The Influence Of Integrated Behavioral Health Primary Care Setting On The Utilization Of Mental Health Services And Depression Treatment Response Among Men, Tendai Masiriri

Dissertations

The 2010-2013 National Health Interview Survey showed that nearly 9% of men had daily feelings of anxiety or depression, yet less than 41% sought help for their symptoms (Blumberg et al., 2016). Men are more reluctant than women to seek help (Angst et al., 2002; Brownhill et al., 2005). The failure to seek help among men is associated with multiple factors related to stigma and gender, yet male suicide rates are approximately 3-5 times higher than their female counterparts. However, they have a higher likelihood of seeking help from a medical provider rather than a mental health provider. If men …

"You're Already Black...": Racially-Informed Care And Intersections Of Gender For Lgbtq African American Children And Youth In Birmingham, Alabama, Stacie Hatfield

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.