Digital Commons Network^™

Does Belarusian-Ukrainian Civilization Belong To The Western Or The Latin Civilization?, Piotra Murzionak

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

“Eat, Sleep, Hydrate, Masturbate!” Sexuality Education, Digital Media And Creator Identity Implications, Emma Venetis

Honors Theses

The introduction of sexuality information to young people has been a point of tension in our society for decades as adults argue over how, when, or if young people should learn such information. However, with the rise of digital technology, the ability of adults to regulate young people’s access to information about sexuality has minimized significantly. Yet the curriculum in sexuality education classrooms continues to be debated while little research has been done examining the easily-accessible information that lives on the Internet. This thesis analyzes two popular sexuality education channels on YouTube, sexplanations and lacigreen, with subscriber counts ranging from …

Interpreting Black Women’S Narratives About The Foster Care System As Counterstorytelling, Shanae Nelson 18

Honor Scholar Theses

This research examines Black mothers’ narratives about the foster care system as counterstorytelling. This study analyzes the different ways Black mothers challenge systemic oppression through Critical Race Theory. This study offers a critical insight into the challenges Black mothers encounter with the foster care system and the different state actors that participate in maintaining common stereotype of Black mothers as poor parents. This project highlights the the role of the foster care system in suppressing Black mothers’ ability to care for and protect their children. This study critiques the state’s hypersurveillance and hypercriminalization of Black mothers and by extent, Black …

The Relationship Between Education And Health: Reducing Disparities Through A Contextual Approach, Anna Zajacova, Elizabeth M. Lawrence

Sociology Faculty Research

Adults with higher educational attainment live healthier and longer lives compared with their less educated peers. The disparities are large and widening. We posit that understanding the educational and macrolevel contexts in which this association occurs is key to reducing health disparities and improving population health. In this article, we briefly review and critically assess the current state of research on the relationship between education and health in the United States. We then outline three directions for further research: We extend the conceptualization of education beyond attainment and demonstrate the centrality of the schooling process to health; we highlight the …

Volume 10, Taylor Hogg, Tiffany Carter, Brandyn Johnson, Haleigh James, Josh Baker, Tyler Cernak, Kirsten Bauer, Allie Snavely, Mary Zell Galen, Eric Powell, Thomas Wise, Katie Kinsey, Beth Barbolla, Maeleigh Ferlet, Rebecca Morra, Michala Day, Alexandra Evangelista, Max Flores, Harley Hodges, Clardene Jones, Harrison Samaniego, Jamesha Watson, Abby Gargiulo, Heather Green, Haley Klepatzki, Juan Guevara, Dani Bondurant, Michael Joseph Link Jr., Pamela Dahl, Maeve Losen, Charlotte Murphey

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction Dr. Roger A. Byrne

An Analysis of Media Framing in Cases of Violence Against Women by Taylor Hogg

Writing in the Discipline of Nursing by Tiffany Carter

Photography by Brandyn Johnson

The Hidden Life of Beef Cattle: A Study of Cattle Welfare on Traditional Ranches and Industrial Farms by Haleigh James

Bloodworth's by Josh Baker and Tyler Cernak

Prosimians: Little Bodies, Big Significance by Kirsten Bauer

Skinformed by Allie Snavely

Coopertition and Gracious Professionalism: The Effects of First Robotics Folklore and Culture on the Stem Community by Mary Zell Galen

Tilt by Eric Powell And Thomas Wise

The Millennial …

Women’S Lived Experience Of Pregnancy And Child Birth: Narratives From Pakistan, Rabia Ali, Ume Habiba, Hazir Ullah

The Qualitative Report

In Pakistan there are unique socio-cultural factors that contribute to women’s experiences of pregnancy and childbirth. This study explores Pakistani women’s experiences of pregnancy and childbirth an area that remains under researched in the country. Qualitative research was employed for data collection by using an un-structured interview guide. The informants included twelve women who had recently been through the childbirth process for the first and second time. The collected data reveals that women were unaware of the use of multi vitamins during pregnancy. They delayed physical check-ups with a gynaecologist. Women encountered challenges at work during pregnancy and encountered work …

Un Giro Ontológico En La Cosmovisión De La Naturaleza: El Papel Del Capitalismo Y Otras Influencias En El Cambio De Las Percepciones Tradicionales De La Naturaleza En La Comunidad Quechua De Paru Paru / An Ontological Turnover In The Cosmovision Of Nature: The Role Of Capitalism And Other Influences In The Change Of Traditional Perceptions Of The Nature In The Quechua Community Of Paru Paru, Jessica Pusch

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En el contexto de la antropología ambiental y con un lente de ecología política, este informe analiza el papel del capitalismo en la degradación ecológica global a través de un estudio etnográfico específico y único. Este estudio ocurrió en el pueblo quechua Paru Paru, situada en las sierras andinas de Perú en la región de Cusco. El siguiente artículo incluye una examinación del aumento en las actividades económicamente capitalistas y la presencia de otros factores involucrados en el cambio de la relación y las percepciones sobre la naturaleza en el contexto de la cosmovisión. Había una pérdida clara de algunas …

Imagining Intimacy Beyond Boundaries: 'Born-Frees' Conceptions Of Race And Relationships In South Africa, Reilly Torres

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Though South Africans are no longer legislatively governed by the color of their skin, race remains salient in the way individuals make meaning of themselves and the world around them. Previous scholarship suggests that citizens of the ‘Rainbow Nation’ still see race as a fixed category of difference, making socialization between races fraught and relatively rare (Finchilescu et al. 2007). This study seeks to explore how born-frees understand race in South Africa’s shifting socio-political terrain through the lens of intimate interracial relationships—a form of cross-racial contact complicated by histories of sexual stigma and constraint. Conversations with 17 ‘born-frees’ across the …

Participatory Development And Menstrual Health Management In South Africa: A Case Study Of Project Dignity, Natalie Geismar

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Menstrual health management (MHM) poses a significant public health concern in many South African communities. Though the national government is beginning to devote attention and resources to MHM, civil society organizations play a critical role in providing menstrual health products and education to female-bodied individuals who may otherwise lack access. This study examines the praxis and impact of Project Dignity, a nongovernmental organization which distributes washable, reusable sanitary pads and panties to students in public schools. The researcher collected qualitative data through participant observation as well as interviews and focus group discussions with Project Dignity’s staff and intended beneficiaries. Using …

The Mountain Stands: An Autoethnographic Inquiry Into Zulu Christians' Approaches To Spiritual Health, Makayla Lagerman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Spiritual health is a vital component of individual wellness that can be described in many ways; most commonly, it is thought of as the connectivity of the inner spirit to others, the world, transcendental beings, and more. From personal experience, I know that the state of my spiritual wellbeing can greatly impact my physical and mental health. For this reason, actively considered how to think about spiritual health for one of the first times in my life.

This project sought to explore Zulu Christians’ approaches to spiritual health in concurrence with my own. This was done by interviewing one Swazi …

Ontology Of Personhood In Ayurveda From The Perspective Of Patients And Physicians In Palampur, Himachal Pradesh: An Independent Study, Denise Defelice

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Scholars in western biomedicine describe the body as a physical entity distinct from mind and soul. However, the human body in Indian systems of medicine integrates the multiple natures of personhood and is both deeply physical and spiritual. This study demonstrates the unique view of personhood, being, health, and illness in Ayurveda through literature research and interviews with practitioners and patients. This study extends past a search for the ontology of personhood in Ayurveda and discusses the implications of this ontology on the way one views oneself and the world around him or her. Through this integrative approach, this study …

The Women Of Dho Tarap: Gender Roles, Challenges, And Change In Dolpo, Nepal, Luke Testa

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

By collecting and examining first first-hand accounts of women and men from Dho Tarap, this report illustrates the many challenges that women report facing throughout their lives in Dolpo, offers a conceptual framework for understanding the significance of gender, and highlights women’s thoughts on change. The difficulties that women face appear to be due to cultural concepts that suggest that women are less capable than men, social norms that provide various learning and growth opportunities to men but not to women, and customs that result in women experiencing discriminate treatment in the home and community. Through an analysis of the …

Tibetan Perceptions Of Lgbtq, Lauren Champagne

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This project is aimed at understanding the perceptions of LGBTQ identities, people, and issues within the Tibetan exile community in Dharamsala, India. The project starts by contextualizing feminism in Tibetan spheres as well as Buddhist conceptions of gender and sexuality, as many Tibetans are practicing Buddhists. The focus then turns to the reactions to and experiences of queer Tibetans and how Tibetans talk about and conceptualize queerness. Finally, this project looks at the formation of various networks that have formed amongst a small community of out LGBTQ Tibetans. The main objective of this paper is to provide a context for …

“Because This Land Is Free” A Historical Perspective On Poverty, Settlement, And Conservation In The Lubigi Swamp, Adele Stock

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Between 1970 and 2010, 40 percent of the world’s coastal and inland wetlands disappeared (Ramsar Convention, 2014). 13 percent of Uganda’s land area is wetland (Elroy, Muhweezi, and West, 2005). A 2015 World Bank Study found that 40 percent of Kampala population lives in informal settlements in or or around wetland, and 50 percent of Kampala’s wetland cover has disappeared in the past 20 years (World Bank, 2015). Kampala’s Lubigi Wetland, the city’s largest, serves as a critical water catchment area for the entirety of Uganda’s Central Cattle Corridor. Alongside this, it provides vital social, environmental and economic functions and …

A Content-Analytic Meta-Analysis Of Gender Stereotyping In Screen Media, Lee Whitney Essig

Theses and Dissertations

Thousands of studies have investigated the gendered portrayals in various forms of media. Researchers believe that considering gendered media content is important, as gender stereotypes have been found to influence development, often with adverse outcomes. Although a vast body of research on gender stereotypes has accumulated, little effort has been made to synthesize this literature. The purpose of this paper is to collect and analyze the results of content-analytic studies of gender portrayals across several forms of media including television, television commercials, movies, video games, music videos, and various forms of print media into a comprehensive paper on gender stereotypes …

Stress And Anxiety Interventions For Classical Musicians, Tara Ashley Austin

Theses and Dissertations

This meta analysis looks at the results of performance anxiety related interventions with musicians. This meta analysis results from all found studies on computerized databases including National Library of Medicine's PubMed, Dissertations and Theses (ProQuest), PsycINFO, and Oxford Journals Database. They range from cognitive interventions, behavioral interventions, mediation, and biofeedback. The results are primarily drawn from participants self report before and after the intervention. They were coded for length of intervention, number of participants, level of participant (students or professionals), type of intervention, self report measures used, and the effect size of the intervention. The overall effect of all 17 …

"Love On The Brain":? Exploring The Influence Of Lyrics On Sexting And Risky Sexual Behavior, Savannah Leigh Kroff

Theses and Dissertations

While some research has been done on the influence of music lyrics on sexual behaviors in general, none has explored the lyrical influence on sexting. The goal of the current study is to explore the longitudinal influence of sexual and sexually objectifying lyrics on adolescent sexting behaviors. Participants were 125 14-year-old adolescents who were recruited from high schools in Texas. Participants completed questionnaires on music preferences, sexual behaviors and impulsivity and were given BlackBerry devices through which frequency of sexual text message utterances was obtained. Music preferences were then quantitatively analyzed using the Linguistic Inquiry Word Count (LIWC) software. Logistic …

A Multi-Dimensional Model Of Enjoyment: Development And Validation Of An Enjoyment Scale (Enjoy), Shayn Davidson

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Enjoyment of an activity is central to positive experiences and can determine future behavior toward the activity or object of interest. In the literature there has been no consensus on the definition and dimensionality of enjoyment. In this dissertation, to provide clarity to the construct, a new multi-dimensional model and definition of enjoyment is proposed. To investigate enjoyment, a new measure of enjoyment applicable to any activity was developed using current best practices of scale development and validation.

The new instrument measures enjoyment of any activity, called the ENJOY scale. The ENJOY scale has 5 subscales and demonstrated good content …

Leading From The In-Between: Disability, Leadership, And Identity, Xochitl Mendez

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

The daily lives of individuals challenged with physical disabilities shed light on the intersections, as well as the friction, between the identities we forge as individuals, and the social identities of the public space. In this interdisciplinary presentation, I will explore the fault lines between the social concepts of disability and the personal realities and specifics of biology and adaptation.

Exploring my own experiences with disability, pedagogy, and art, I will further delve on how the social realm (Arendt, 1958) evaluates and judges identity from expected modes of interaction that are often not available to the disabled person. Further, using …

Right Of Adoption For Same-Sex Parents, Youjia Chen

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

The gay right has been one of the hot topics in the world, especially when the same-sex marriage legalized, there are few controversial topics still cannot be solved. I mainly discussed do same-sex parents have the right to have children or to be the adoptive parents. I have read several articles and research about how the same-sex parents affect their children, would their sexual orientation will affect the children etc. the result was the influence for children who grow in a homosexual family is same as heterosexual family, in conclusion, the same-sex parents definitely have the right to have children. …

Representations Of Feminist Theory And Gender Issues In Introductory-Level Sociology Textbooks, Jena Amber Zarza

Dissertations and Theses

A review of sociological literature reveals a long history of the study of gender, and an increased popularity in the application of feminist theories and ideas to sociological research. As transmitters of the discipline, introductory-level textbooks have been heavily studied over the past quarter-century to assess the accuracy with which they portray the field of sociology. In order to update the literature available on the topic, this study analyzed the current cohort of top-selling, introductory-level sociology textbooks for coverage of feminist theory and gender issues. Each of the ten textbooks was read cover-to-cover and coded for both latent and manifest …

Coloring In The Margins: Understanding The Experiences Of Racial/Ethnic And Sexual/Gender Minority Undergraduates In Stem, Jonathan D. Ware

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Extensive research has documented the experiences and outcomes of women and certain underrepresented racial/ethnic minority groups in STEM educational programs. This paper contributes to current conversations by focusing on the experiences of individuals that identify as both a racial/ethnic and sexual/gender minority (SGM). This paper has two major objectives in mind: (1) provide one of the first empirical studies examining the experiences of SGM students in STEM and (2) interrogate the intersection of racial/ethnic identity and sexual/gender identity within the context of these programs. In order to provide a more robust understanding in these areas, this paper is guided by …

Contributions Of Mean And Shape Of Blood Pressure Distribution To Worldwide Trends And Variations In Raised Blood Pressure: A Pooled Analysis Of 1018 Population-Based Measurement Studies With 88.6 Million Participants, Majid Ezzati, Bin Zhou, James Bentham, Mariachiara Di Cesare, Honor Bixby, Goodarz Danaei, Kaveh Hajifathalian, Cristina Taddei, Rodrigo M. Carrillo-Larco, Shirin Djalalinia, Shahab Khatibzadeh, Charles Lugero, Niloofar Peykari, Wan Zhu Zhang, James Bennett, Ver Bilano, Gretchen A. Stevens, Melanie J. Cowan, Leanne M. Riley, Zhengming Chen, Ian R. Hambleton, Rod T. Jackson, Andre Pascal Kengne, Young Ho Khang, Avula Laxmaiah, Jing Liu, Reza Malekzadeh, Hannelore K. Neuhauser, Maroje Sorić, Gregor Starc, Johan Sundström, Tara Coppinger, Janette Walton, Con Burns, Mark Woodward

Publications

Background: Change in the prevalence of raised blood pressure could be due to both shifts in the entire distribution of blood pressure (representing the combined effects of public health interventions and secular trends) and changes in its high-blood-pressure tail (representing successful clinical interventions to control blood pressure in the hypertensive population). Our aim was to quantify the contributions of these two phenomena to the worldwide trends in the prevalence of raised blood pressure. Methods: We pooled 1018 population-based studies with blood pressure measurements on 88.6 million participants from 1985 to 2016. We first calculated mean systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean …

Evolutionary Game Theory Perspective On Dynamic Spectrum Access Etiquette, Mohammad Abu Shattal, Anna Wisniewska, Ala Al-Fuqaha, Bilal Khan, Kirk Dombrowski

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

In this paper, we describe the long-term evolution of societies of secondary users in dynamic spectrum access networks. Such an understanding is important to help us anticipate future trends in the organization of large-scale distributed networked deployments. Such deployments are expected to arise in support of a wide variety of applications, including vehicular networks and the Internet of Things. Two new biologically-inspired spectrum access strategies are presented here, and compared with a random access baseline strategy. The proposed strategies embody a range of plausible assumptions concerning the sensing capabilities and social characteristics of individual secondary users. Considering these strategies as …

Improving Canadian Indigenous Health: Diabetes & Cardiovascular Disease, Sukhmeet S. Sachal

Western Research Forum

Background:

This abstract explores improving health outcomes for Canada’s Indigenous peoples. The increased prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes in this population makes this a public health problem because diabetes has long-term complications that affect the cardiovascular system and can result in disability and premature death.

Methods:

A literature review using specific search terms was performed to find 36 relevant articles. Search databases for the primary and secondary information were CINAHL and PubMED, respectively.

Results:

The results were classified into five groups: (1) Previous Genetic Protection; (2) Current Day Risk; (3) Diet; (4) Barriers in Developing and Maintaining …

Criminal Genius: A Portrait Of High-Iq Offenders, James C. Oleson, Allen Copenhaver

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

Criminology has a long history of attempting to discover and explain what some researchers claim are links between biological characteristics and criminal behavior. More specifically, some criminologists have explored the potential linkages between IQ and criminal behavior (i.e. see the work of Lombroso, Beaver, and Hirschi, among others). James C. Oleson continues this line of research with his 2016 book Criminal Genius: A Portrait of High-IQ Offenders. Oleson’s work is unique in that it is the first attempt to systematically examine the potential links between individuals with high IQs and criminal behavior. To accomplish this, Oleson uses a mixture …

Reconsidering The Immutability Of "Race": An Examination Of The Disconnect Between "Race" In Title Vii Jurisprudence And Social Science Literature, Natalie Tupta

Graduate Student Research Symposium

This paper discusses reconceptualizing racial discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act in light of modern social science theories on racial identity. Title VII prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and the judiciary calls these bases for discrimination “protected classes.” To bring a successful legal claim under Title VII, a person must demonstrate that she actually belongs to a protected class. In the case of a claim of racial discrimination, this means the plaintiff must belong to a racial group based on immutable characteristics, which are traits that cannot simply …

A Naturalist’S Guide To The Great Plains, Paul A. Johnsgard

Zea E-Books Collection

This book documents nearly 500 US and Canadian locations where wildlife refuges, nature preserves, and similar properties protect natural sites that lie within the North American Great Plains, from Canada’s Prairie Provinces to the Texas-Mexico border. Information on site location, size, biological diversity, and the presence of especially rare or interesting flora and fauna are mentioned, as well as driving directions, mailing addresses, and phone numbers or internet addresses, as available. US federal sites include 11 national grasslands, 13 national parks, 16 national monuments, and more than 70 national wildlife refuges. State properties include nearly 100 state parks and wildlife …

When Protest Doesn't Quite Fit The Mold, Morgan M. Hubbard

SURGE

White people protesting is powerful. It is a privilege to be guaranteed that someone will listen to us, as pointed out by Jerome Clarke in a piece about last year’s “Won’t Stand For Hate” protest. With that privilege comes a responsibility that has been neglected on this campus.

I agree with the students who protested on the steps of Penn Hall and spoke out during the Student Senate meeting about the way our administration is handling the mold situation in Hanson Hall. The response was insufficient and it directly contradicts the College’s verbal commitment to promoting a healthy living …

Contemporary Methodological Approaches To Qualitative Research: A Review Of The Oxford Handbook Of Qualitative Methods, Dian Jordan

The Qualitative Report

Researchers can discover the dynamism of new methods of qualitative inquiry and discover new applications for the established methods. The Oxford Handbook of Qualitative Methods (2014), edited by Patricia Leavy examines topics ranging from the politics of knowledge to researcher prejudice and bias extant in qualitative research. History, ethics, philosophy, and theoretical approaches of qualitative research are presented in a cogent manner. Topics include grounded theory, feminist research, indigenous methodologies, narrative inquiry, ethnography, case studies, oral history, content analysis, Internet research, photography and arts-based research, community-based research, qualitative disaster research, and mixed-methods. Chapters are devoted to skill-building techniques for …