Digital Commons Network^™

"We Blink With One Eye Open. They Sleep With One Eye Close": A Qualitative Analysis Of Conflict And Resolution From The Perspective Of Correctional Staff, Staci M. Richardson

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Arts by Staci M. Richardson on November 17, 2025.

Life After Prison: Exploring Gendered Differences In The Impact Of Social Support On The Ease Of Reintegration For Previously Incarcerated Men And Women, Joy Ferdinand

Theses and Dissertations

Successful reintegration into society remains a significant challenge for formerly incarcerated individuals, particularly in securing stable housing and employment. This study examines the gendered impact of social support on reintegration outcomes, specifically assessing how peer instrumental support, familial instrumental support, and familial emotional support influence housing stability and employment within three months of release. Using data from the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI), this study employs logistic regression models to explore whether gender moderates the relationship between social support and reentry success. Findings indicate that peer instrumental support significantly affects housing stability, but its impact varies by gender. …

Grief Disrupted: A Phenomenological Study Of How African Americans Experienced Grief Without Traditional Rituals During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jacqueline Williamson-Webb

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In recent times, the dominant psychological understanding of grief is as an emotion (Gravesen & Birkelund, 2021; Meiselman, 2021). However, grief is also socially constructed, meaning that the emotions and behaviors labeled as grief have their beginning in the social space. Grief, then, is a performative act shaped by cultural traditions and public rituals (Murrell et al., 2023). Consequently, the purpose of this interpretative phenomenological study is to understand the lived grief experiences of African Americans (AAs) living in New Jersey who experienced a personal loss through the death of another person during the COVID-19 pandemic. Erving Goffman’s dramaturgy guides …

Retrospective Adult Bullying Role Trend Analysis With Correlational Investigation Between The Victim Role And Stigma-Based Demographic Information, Shilowe A. Ensminger

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A longstanding social construct that has negatively impacted large numbers of individuals throughout generations is bullying. Despite anti-bullying programs and policies, current literature indicates that bullying is an ongoing concern throughout schools and in the workplace. The consequences of bullying have been shown to impact the mental and physical health of those involved with potentially severe outcomes. Current literature focuses on analysis of childhood bullying experiences, leaving a gap in the research investigating adult reflective bullying trends. The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental survey, and causal-comparative study was to address this gap by recruiting adult participants for a reflective analysis …

[Project Insight] Spatio-Temporal Analysis Of Domestic Violence In Puerto Rico, Phyllis Muniu

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Why The Irish Don’T Eat Offal, Niall Toner

European Journal of Food Drink and Society

In the past fifty years or so, the diverse and colourful displays of animal offal and organ meats that used to be seen in butchers’ shop windows in Ireland, as well as in the UK and America, have all but disappeared. In Ireland, which has seen a gastronomic renaissance in more recent times, these traditional foodstuffs appear to have been slow to return to our plates. But have offal and organ meats a place in the future of the cuisine, and can the increased consumption of offal and organ meats, produced locally, contribute towards a more sustainable food production system, …

“Add What You Think Proper”: Exploring The Culinary Narrative Of Newbridge House Through The Cobbe Recipe Book (1806–1838) And Archive, Cathal Dowd Smith

European Journal of Food Drink and Society

Newbridge House, in north County Dublin, was built in 1747 by Archbishop of Dublin, Charles Cobbe to designs by prominent architect James Gibbs. Having arrived in Ireland in 1717, acquiring land and ecclesiastical promotion, Cobbe settled in north Dublin and built a house in the Palladian vision for his family. In 1755 his heir and sole surviving son Thomas married Lady Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Beresford, daughter of the 1st earl of Tyrone. Together Thomas and Lady Betty assembled an art collection at Newbridge, extending the house for that purpose. Included in that extension were more bedrooms, but, importantly here, increased servants’ …

Examining Gender And Ethnic Disparities In Scientific Authorship To Promote A Culture Of Equity, Diversity And Inclusion At A University School Of Public Health, Paula Christen, Julia Michalow, Tristan Naidoo, Hillary Topazian, Sabine An Elsland, Abeer Arif, Marc Baguelin, Gemma Clunie, Sarah Essilfie-Quaye, Chinedu Momoh

Brain and Mind Institute

In public health research, diverse perspectives are vital to identify biases that homogenous teams might miss. Since publication metrics influence career progression, we investigated publication rate disparities within a School of Public Health. We analysed 18 322 peer-reviewed publications by 513 affiliated researchers between 2014 and 2023 using multivariable regression models and network analysis to assess the impact of gender, ethnicity, job level and centrality in the School’s research network on publication rates. We found a persistent gender gap in publication rates across job levels and ethnicities, with men publishing more than women (incidence rate ratio 1.30, 95% confidence interval …

A Cross-National Study Of Female Fertility Intention And Family Welfare Policies In China And South Korea, Jingshuang Gao

SOC 605 Comparative Social Policy Research Project - Student Works

Against the backdrop of chronically low fertility rates in China and South Korea, this study investigates the relationship between female fertility intentions and family welfare policies in these two East Asian societies. It aims to identify the multidimensional challenges women face, analyze the disjuncture between existing fertility support policies and women's fundamental needs, and propose pathways for policy optimization. Employing a mixed-methods approach including online observation, critical discourse analysis of policy texts, and small-scale semi-structured interviews, the research reveals that women's fertility intentions are constrained by physiological risks, economic pressures, the cultural expectations of "motherhood," and conflicts with personal development. …

Living Longer, Working Longer, Michele Dinman, Cal J. Halvorsen

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

According to the Pew Research Center, nearly one-in-five Americans ages 65 and older (19%) were employed in 2023, a rate nearly twice that from 35 years ago. They’re also working more hours, on average, than in the recent past. In fact, more than three-in-five older workers (62%) work full time, an increase from the 47% working full time in 1987. Older workers today are also more educated and are more likely to be receiving employer-sponsored benefits, such as retirement savings plans and health insurance, than in earlier decades. While only 4% of the entire labor force was made up of …

Rewilding The Built Environment: Navigating Economic, Political, And Social Barriers To Urban Ecological Restoration, Carly E. Smith

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Urban rewilding offers a nature-based approach to restoring ecological processes in cities while advancing climate resilience, biodiversity, and public well-being. Unlike conventional green infrastructure, rewilding allows ecosystems to develop with minimal intervention, emphasizing succession, complexity, and long-term adaptability. This paper examines the political, economic, and social factors that frame how rewilding is understood and implemented in urban planning. Governmental frameworks often prioritize order, predictability, and short-term results, making it difficult to accommodate the uncertainty and ecological complexity that rewilding requires. Economic models struggle to capture its long-term value, frequently overlooking ecosystem services or reconciling competing land uses. Social perceptions of …

Community Factors And County-Level Cancer Screening, Prevalence, And Mortality, Alexandra R. Drake, Eric W. Christensen, Augusto C. Ochoa, William Small, Jinel Scott, Elizabeth Y. Rula

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

IMPORTANCE Cancer screening, prevalence, and mortality vary across US counties; the broad set of community factors associated with these differences are not well understood. OBJECTIVE To assess the relative importance of diverse community measures for explaining county-level variance in cancer screening, prevalence, and mortality rates for breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This geospatial cross-sectional analysis across all US counties used random forest algorithms to estimate the relative importance of 24 community measures—including health behaviors and lifestyle, socioeconomic, and environment factors—as explanatory factors for cancer screening, prevalence, and mortality. For each cancer, county-level cancer screening and …

Naturalizing Motherhood: Neoliberal Femininity And The Re-Traditionalization Of Gender In Turkey, Canan Tanir

Sociology Faculty Publications

The recent trends in the social construction of “good mothering” through “naturalism” have become remarkably definitive in Turkey in the last decade. This study presents data from in-depth interviews with naturalist mothers in Istanbul demonstrating four operative mechanisms in their narratives with regard to their conception of gender. Practices of naturalist motherhood depart from systemic criticism and opposition to the ongoing neoliberal conservatization process in Turkey. However, at the same time, they are congruent with the normalization of a patriarchal gender order in this context. I propose that addressing this controversy is contingent on problematizing the focus on choice and …

Eksplorasi Seni Dalam Mengasah Pemikiran Kritis Di Pojok Baca Parudongka, Abellia Anggi Wardani

Bhakti: Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat

The transmigration program in Parudongka Village, which began in 2016, has brought forth a young generation facing limited infrastructure, including restricted access to learning resources. This condition underlies the establishment of Pojok Baca Parudongka as an art-based literacy space. The purpose of this study is to encourage critical thinking, foster the courage to ask questions, and enhance reading interest through interactive literacy activities. The research employs Freire’s (1968) cultural action theory framework, which emphasizes dialogue, praxis, and critical consciousness as means to achieve educational liberation. In addition, it adopts Conde’s (2021) art-based approach focusing on narrative inquiry, visual storytelling, and …

The Political Construction Of Anti-Transgender Policy: A Critical Policy Analysis Of North Carolina State Legislators' Discursive Strategies, David Osworth, Morgan Edlin

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

In recent year anti-LGBTQ policy has been cropping up at the state level across the United States. While these policies have been described as unprecedented, they signal a period of retrenchment for the rights of queer and transgender individuals in the United States. This critical policy analysis of North Carolina state legislation that is decidedly homophobic and transgender examines the discursive tactics of policy actors (i.e. North Carolina Legislators) as they argue these policies during legislative sessions. Through our analysis of legislators’ commentary during House of Representative sessions we identified discursive formations that were considered allied with the LGBTQ community …

Wayward Joy In Queer Femme-Inist Educational Research, Sarah Stapleton, Lindsay Cavanaugh, Jade Crimson Rose Da Costa

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

This article draws on our experiences with “Femme Educational Futurities,” a dream-mapping (Author 2, 2023), critical arts-based, participatory-informed project about softness in K–12 schools, to explore the boundaries of queer, femme-inist research. We trace how our attempts to enact research softly (Schwartz, 2020) led us towards wayward joy (Hartman, 2019): a messy affective terrain marked by connection, vulnerability, shame, and hope. For each author, we identify what Applebaum (1995) calls a “stop” moment and explore within each instance the convergence of softness, radical love (hooks, 2000) and tender failure (Halberstam, 2011), and discuss what joy means to us as a …

Atlas Of Ai: Power, Politics And The Planetary Costs Of Artificial Intelligence - Book Review, Jelena Popov

Feminist Pedagogy

No abstract provided.

Sociology Between The Gaps Volume 10 (2025)

Sociology Between the Gaps: Forgotten and Neglected Topics

No abstract provided.

Justice Impacted Mothers: An Autoethnographic Study Exploring The Impacts Of Quality Prison Visitation With Children, Sarah E. Gore

PSU McNair Scholars Online Journal

This study explores the impacts of in-person visitation at correctional facilities and how the quality of this contact affects relationships between justice impacted mothers and their children. Little is known about these nuanced lived experiences as revealed by qualitative data and from someone who is mothering during incarceration. The literature on maternal incarceration is vast, but relies heavily on quantitative data. Existing research indicates facility visits, particularly those of high quality, offer constructive benefits such as reductions in maternal recidivism rates. However, separation during incarceration has shown higher risks for adolescent substance abuse, behavioral, and academic struggles. This study expands …

Conversations With Hsls:09: Reflections On College-Going By Black Queer And Trans Scholars, Dion T. Harry, Quortne R. Hutchings, Christopher Sewell, Lorae Bonamy-Lohve, Taylor R. Lewis

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

This paper threads together quantitative data on Black QT students from the HSLS:09 data set, while connecting the authors' lived experiences about the college-going process. According to this data, Black QT high school students were heavily influenced by parents and peers and less influenced by school counselors and teachers regarding decisions about college and post-high school trajectories. In response, we engage in collaborative autoethnography (CAE) to center our narratives as Black QT people by threading our commonalities and differences to highlight what tensions and connections emerged from our experiences with the college-going process to add context to the aforementioned data.

9th Gsep Research Symposium - 2025

GSEP Research Symposium

The Ninth Annual GSEP Research Symposium, themed "Building Bridges to Elevate Humanity: Innovations and Insights in Education and Psychology", was hosted by the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) on June 19–20, 2025, at the historic Château d’Hauteville in Switzerland and virtually via Zoom.

This hybrid symposium convened a vibrant global community of students, alumni, faculty, and scholars to share research that addresses real-world challenges, advances scholarly inquiry, and builds pathways for inclusive collaboration and leadership. Spanning a wide array of topics—from artificial intelligence and mental health to trauma-informed practices, educational equity, social justice, and cross-cultural leadership—the …

Physical Activity, Cultural Tourism And Social Inclusion For Persons With Down Syndrome, Dana Ioana Cristea, Anca Cristina Pop, Corina Florina Tătar, Raluca Buhaș, Dariusz Jacek Olszewski-Strzyżowski, Mirela Ștef

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Individuals with Down Syndrome (DS) need customized attention. By providing an inclusive environment and tailored cultural support, meaningful and enjoyable tourism experiences can be created for them. Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the daily energy expenditure of DS individuals after undertaking a walking tour and the impact on their physical activity level. Methods: In the current study, three questionnaires were completed by the DS participants and their parents to assess the walking tour satisfaction level and social integration, the daily energy expenditure as a result of walking depending on an adapted cultural route, and the …

Diabetes-Related Foot Complications And Socioeconomic Influences Among Hispanic Males In South Texas: A Scoping Review, Mariana J. Rodriguez, Demian Rodriguez, Amanda Killeen

School of Podiatric Medicine Publications

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S. and 6th in Texas. South Texas counties have higher diabetes rates than state and national averages. This complex, progressive disease affects multiple body systems and can lead to serious complications, especially in the lower extremities. Uncontrolled diabetes is often associated with diabetic foot ulcers (DFU), foot infections, and lower extremity amputations (LEA). South Texas, predominantly Hispanic American, is disproportionately affected. This demographic faces clinical barriers due to a lack of cultural understanding, highlighting the need for culturally sensitive healthcare workers such as promotoras. This study aimed to …

Venezuelan Migrants In Prostitution: A Personal Decision?, Yazmin Maria Lucila Cadena Camargo, Izara Maite Mondragon Moreno, Isabela Osorio Jaramillo, Paula Angélica Suárez Álvarez, Andrés Duarte Osorio, Carlos Gómez-Restrepo

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This paper explores the multifaceted experiences of Venezuelan migrant women engaged in prostitution, framed through three critical moments: the “decision to enter in prostitution,” the unique abuses faced, and the resultant consequences on mental, physical, and social health. The study highlights how socioeconomic vulnerabilities—exacerbated by migration and poverty—significantly influence the likelihood of entering prostitution. It also shows how traumatic experiences, particularly in childhood and adolescence, coupled with a lack of support networks, contribute to a heightened risk of exploitation. Eleven life stories were collected through a phenomenological approach, revealing a common narrative of abuse, poverty, and the search for survival …

Diabetes-Related Foot Complications And Socioeconomic Influences Among Hispanic Males In South Texas: A Scoping Review, Mariana J. Rodriguez, Demian Rodriguez, Amanda L. Killeen

School of Podiatric Medicine - Student Research

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is the 7^th leading cause of death in the United States and is 6^th in the state of Texas. Counties from South Texas are primarily affected with higher rates of diabetes than both the state and national average. Diabetes mellitus is a complex and progressive disease which can affect multiple systems of the body, leading to serious complications if untreated, especially in the lower extremities. Uncontrolled diabetes is often associated with diabetic foot ulcers (DFU), foot infections, and lower extremity amputations (LEA). South Texas is a region predominantly populated by Hispanic Americans who are disproportionally …

Faith Vs. Morality: Do Viewpoints Of Protestant Christians Attending Psu Align With Anti-Transgender Legislation Being Proposed In Oregon?, Asher Schneider

University Honors Theses

Transgender-identifying individuals living within the US face significantly higher rates of discrimination and harassment compared to the general US population. Recently, there have been thousands of legislative measures introduced with the intent of limiting the rights of Transgender and other LGBTQ identifying individuals. Christian Americans are significantly more likely than irreligious Americans to be against various rights for Transgender people, such as the ability to participate in sports or use restrooms that correlate with their self-identified gender rather than their biological sex. Research indicates that recent anti-transgender legislative measures introduced in several states is in part driven by the large …

The Motherhood Penalty On Health: Evidence From China, Ang Sun, Fang Xia, Xuan Zhang

Research Collection School Of Economics

Understanding women’s physical and mental well-being following childbirth is critical for informing policies on labor market equity, family support, and fertility. Using event study methods and panel data from China, we document a persistent motherhood penalty in both physical and mental health, whereas the health impacts on fathers are minimal. While mothers experience a temporary reduction in paid work hours, they face a sustained increase in unpaid domestic labor — housework and childcare — resulting in a net increase in total work time. This additional workload likely contributes to deterioration in health. Mothers are also more likely to engage in …

Professor Perspectives: Inclusion Of Students With An Intellectual Disability In Transition Programming On A College Campus, Melissa Jane Massey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with intellectual disabilities (ID) are often unemployed or underemployed compared to students who do not have ID. Transition or postsecondary programming for students with ID has increased in recent years in response to the U.S. federal requirement for special education professionals to complete transition plans before students turn 16. The requirement for transition planning in Texas is age 14, and the ARD committee including the student and parent come together to develop goals for future planning. Transition plans include information on future employment, future independent living skills, and agency connections that students with ID may need to access to …

Navigating Leadership: A Qualitative Exploration Of Challenges And Coping Strategies For Women In Sport Management Education, Rachel Silverman, Shanon Kempt, Nita Unruh

The COSMA Journal

Abstract

Women remain significantly underrepresented in senior leadership roles in higher education, a disparity that is particularly pronounced in male-dominated disciplines, such as sport management (Chance, 2023; Lozano et al., 2023). This qualitative study examines the challenges faced by women in leadership positions within sport management education and the strategies they employ to overcome these barriers. Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with biological females holding leadership roles at both teaching- and research-focused institutions. Participants ranged in age from 32 to 74 and had between one and twenty-four years of leadership experience. Using thematic analysis, key challenges identified included male-dominated work …

Defining Marketing In The Digital Age: An Opportunity To Advance Marketing Thought And Practice, Norman Mafuratidze, Marius Wait, Ilse Struweg

The Qualitative Report

Our study consolidates and refines diverse marketing definitions that have emerged over six decades to formulate a contemporary definition encapsulating the discipline’s current practices and theoretical advancements. We investigate how diverse conceptualizations of marketing can be synthesized into a modern definition that accurately reflects current practices and theoretical advancements while providing practical guidance. Using qualitative document analysis methodology, we conducted first- and second-cycle coding on existing marketing definitions from academic literature and industry publications, identifying recurring themes through thematic analysis. Our findings reveal that marketing can be effectively conceptualized through the DIVE framework (Dynamism, Interconnectivity, Value co-creation, and Exchange), positioning …