Digital Commons Network^™

Human Intelligence In Federal Terrorism Cases, Noah James Schneider

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Though it has often been quipped that the September 11th attacks changed "everything", domestic policy alterations were among the most significant changes after 9/11. Specifically, the 2002 Ashcroft Attorney General Guidelines and the 2008 Mukasey Attorney General Guidelines were two of the most impactful policy changes following 9/11. These Attorney General Guidelines changed the way the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated terrorism in the United States in addition to making counterterrorism the FBI's top priority. One of the ways the FBI prevents terrorism is through the use of undercover agents and confidential informants. How the 2002 and 2008 Attorney …

An Exploratory Study Of Spending Patterns, Obstacles And Traditions Among Same-Sex Marriage Vs Heterosexual Marriage: Who's The Bigger Spender?, Lydia Perritt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated if there was a significant difference in the amount of money spent on same-sex weddings versus heterosexual weddings. The results of this study would assist both the wedding and hospitality industry by providing much needed financial and planning information.

A descriptive, four-section survey was distributed online via Qualtrics utilizing snowball sampling. A total of 152 respondents participated in the study; 84 heterosexual and 68 LGBTQ. The respondents completed the questionnaire that measured wedding traditions, wedding spending, obstacles and challenges faced during their wedding and wedding planning, and demographic information.

The results of this study indicated that same-sex …

A Comparison Of Infant And Toddler Reactions To Strangers Who Have Similar Attributes To An Established Attachment Figure Vs. Strangers Who Have Different Attributes, Jessica Hamilton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A child's early attachment experiences can have a lasting impact on later development. Early attachment relationships often result in greater Social and cognitive skills, as well as better school performance (Peisner et al., 1999). For these reasons, it is important to address those components that may contribute to secure attachments with care givers in the child care setting. The current study looked at the reactions of infants and toddlers when presented with two previously unknown individuals: one who physically resembled an established caregiver with whom they had already established attachment and one who looked different from this caregiver. The study …

Security Or Sovereignty? Institutional And Critical Approaches To The Global Food Crisis, Anya Galli Robertson

Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Faculty Publications

Citation information for the books reviewed:

Andreé, Peter, Jeffrey Ayres, Michael J. Bosia, and Marie-Joseé Massicotte, eds. 2014. Globalization and Food Sovereignty: Global and Local Change in the New Politics of Food. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Barrett, Christopher B., ed. 2013. Food Security and Sociopolitical Stability. New York: Oxford University Press.

Galt, Ryan E. 2014. Food Systems in an Unequal World: Pesticides, Vegetables, and Agrarian Capitalism in Costa Rica. Tucson: University of Arizona Press.

Who Chooses My Future?The Role Of Personality And Acculturation In First And Later Generation Immigrant College Students’ Career Decision Making, Gema Gutierrez Alcivar

Honors College Theses

Career choice is often reflected by a student’s choice of major. Personality, vocational interests, and cultural influences are also significant factors in the process of choosing a major. For Latino students, maintaining cultural norms is an important part of career choice, although the influence of cultural norms tends to decrease from first to later generations. The current study examined the influences of acculturation and personality (introversion/extraversion) among 57 Latino/Hispanics students: first-generation immigrant students, those who migrated to the US during childhood/adolescence, and later generation students. We hypothesized that later-generation students are more likely to major in business and social sciences, …

The End Of The World (Eotw) Scientist And The Framing Of Science In Science Fiction Films From 1950 To 2010, Jennifer Naoko Lui

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The current study looks at scientists in End of the World (EOTW) films spanning from 1950 to 2010 through stereotypes and gender roles. Eighteen films, 12 representing EOTW films and 6 that are considered “regular” science fiction films, were analyzed in terms of Goffman’s (1976) 6 aspects, first introduced in Gender Advertisements, as well as aspects of visual and textual frame analysis. The analysis of these films provided a way to look at the portrayal of scientists in EOTW films and add to the limited body of literature on this particular sub-genre of film.

Previous research identified that scientists were …

Unrealistic Weeds Of Love And Romance: The Korean Drama And The "Flower Boy" Genre, Colby Y. Miyose

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The concept of love has intrigued many social critics, and has led them to accuse media of perpetuating unrealistic notions of romance that are unattainable for a healthy and satisfying relationship. Unrealistic expectations of love and romance are a primary cause of relationship dissatisfaction among real couples. It is imperative to critically analyze media sources in order to gain knowledge of how to counter unhealthy notions of romance. Korean dramas (K-dramas) typically present a scenario in which strong mutual love and desire between two people come into conflict with existing sociocultural values. The kkonminam (Flower Boy) genre in particular, caters …

Gestures As Mimetic Forms Of Identity In Post-Secondary Italian As A Foreign Language Classrooms: A Sociocultural Perspective, Ilaria Nardotto Peltier

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study investigates the use of mimetic gestures of identity by foreign language teachers of Italian and their students in college classes as a form of meaning-making. All four of the teachers were found to use a variety of Italian gestures as a regular aspect of their teaching and presentation of self. Students and teachers also were found to mirror each other’s gestures. None of the teachers had been video-recorded before the study and all were surprised to see the degree to which they appeared to be Italian, although at the same time all believed this to be an important …

Examining The Role Of Supportive Others In Substance Abuse Treatment And Child Welfare, Jessica Marie Urgelles

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Child neglect is a prevalent problem and often co-occurs with parental substance abuse. Mothers are most often the perpetrators of child neglect. The currently available treatment programs appear to be failing to meet the needs of these mothers. Most mothers are not completing treatment, putting them at risk of losing custody of their children. The literature suggests that women may have different risk factors associated with their substance use, as compared to men. Social networks appear to play a particularly important role in the maintenance of women’s substance abuse problems. The role of social networks may be distinct for different …

Faculty Parental Status: An Investigation Of Network Homophily, Marginalization, And Supportive Work–Family Academic Culture, Megumi Watanabe

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Serious incompatibility between work and family life among faculty is well known, and various work-family policies have become available to faculty. Due to the traditional academic work culture (e.g., the ideal worker norms and the individualism norms), however, these policies tend to be underused. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an academic work culture that is more supportive of faculty’s work-family needs. Using data collected on tenure-line faculty at a research-intensive Midwestern university, this dissertation pursues three complementary research objectives that provide new insight into the culture of academic work environments. First, based on social identity theory and homophily theory, …

Work Across The Generations: Communication Narratives Of Stay-At-Home Fathers In Early And Middle Adulthood, Alice L. Jones

Communication & Theatre Arts Theses

The notion of work whether it is done inside or outside the home represents a complex and shifting pattern of social relationships, gender role identities, and ideologies. For an increasing numbers of men, who represent the population of fathers labeled as "stay-at-Home Dad" [SAHD] or "stay-at-home father" [SAHF], these changes have created special challenges, controversies, and raised questions about cultural expectations concerning the transition from that of a stigmatized role to that of a "new, involved father" (Eranta & Moisander, 2011; Rochlen, 2008). Increased participation by men in roles that challenge traditional and long standing gender role norms and expectations …

Presence-At-Hand, Eric Lyle Schultz

Graduate School of Art Theses

Abstract

The writing that follows is intended to provide a theoretical framework for the motives behind my practice. The primary concerns addressed are the reception, transmission, and physical shape of knowledge. I will discuss a human condition that exists as a byproduct of both the legacy of representation as well as the innate biology of the brain. I will argue that as a society we are governed by the residue of an extreme logic, and that this condition places severe margins on our potential for creative solutions. I will propose that our ability to create meaning is stifled by the …

The Process Of Musical Acquisition For Traditional String Musicians In The Homeschool Environment, Keith R. Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how three accomplished traditional string musicians learned music in their homeschool environments. Data were derived from formal interviews of the three musicians. The research framework for this qualitative study is based upon the socio-educational model of second language learning motivation developed by R. C. Gardner (1959, 1985, 2004, 2010) and applied to the study of instrumental music learning motivation by P. D. MacIntyre (2012). Structured interview questions, triangulated by additional informal dialogues, field observations, externally documented sources, and collaboration with an expert review panel were the data collection activities utilized in the research. Five overarching themes …

The Effects Of Electronic Response Systems On Student Learning, James D. Morrison

Masters Theses

One of the most technologically advanced methods of implementing active student responding is the electronic response system (Judson & Sawada, 2002). This technology is known under several names including audience response system, classroom response system, and colloquially as clickers (Smith, Shon, & Santiago, 2011). To accurately assess the impact of clickers on learning performance and classroom achievement, more quantitative analysis and systematic replication of studies was needed (Kay & LeSage, 2009). This study examined the effects of ASR questions on exam performance in two sections of an organizational psychology class for majors and non-majors. A social validity questionnaire was also …

The Struggle Itself Toward The Heights Is Enough To Fill A Man's Heart: Calling, Moral Duty, Meaningfulness And Existential Self Of Zookeepers, Luisa G. Allen

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Applying Existential Sociology (Douglas & Johnson 1977, Manning 1973, Lyman and Scott 1989, Kotarba and Fontana 1984) as a theoretical foundation, this thesis endeavors to formulate first-order experiential understanding of zookeepers. Utilized is a mixed method approach comprising the survey and interview methods to explore zookeeper sense of calling as a moral duty, meaningfulness of work, and the possible connections formed with animals under their care (Bunderson & Thompson 2009, Spreitzer 1995, Wrzesnesweki et al 1997, and Pratt and Ashforth 2003, Hosey & Melfi 2010). Thirty zookeepers completed questionnaires containing measures of sense of calling, moral duty, work meaningfulness and …

"Because I Shave My Armpits…": A Content Analysis Of #Womenagainstfeminism On Twitter, Marina Brandman

HIM 1990-2015

Because of the speed and convenience of Twitter, it has become one of the most widely utilized platforms for breaking news and is often used to raise awareness of current social issues, political happenings, and social injustices. As more women use Twitter and other social media to embrace the feminist label online, an array of criticism has come to surface. A new movement, #WomenAgainstFeminism, has become popular with Twitter users who reject feminism ideals and the feminism label. Research has been done examining the presence of online feminism, “hashtag feminism,” and online activism in general. Currently, there is no research …

The Role Of The Integration-Responsiveness Framework In An International Branch Campus: A Case Study, Tammy Joy Silver

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Similar to multinational corporations, international branch campuses have the challenge of maintaining legitimacy in different cultural and regulatory environments across national borders. It is common for organizations to modify business practices when expanding operations abroad to respond to local demands and preferences based upon cultural expectations and regulatory requirements.

National culture is comprised of the underlying values, beliefs, and attitudes of a society that drives behavior and expectations (Hofstede, 1980). Differences in national culture determine the amount of local adaptation necessary to conduct business in a foreign country (Kostova & Roth, 2002). International branch campuses must also maintain quality assurance …

New Americans' Perspectives On Retention And Adaptation Of Childrearing Practices In Vermont: Building Intercultural Relationships, Julie Richards

All Dissertations

With the prevalence of global migration, many communities are becoming increasingly diverse. However, along with the benefits of diversity, cultural divides can emerge. Members of the dominant culture may not be familiar with, nor understand, cultural practices of the newly arrived community member, and vice versa. This dissertation research sought to identify various cultural childrearing practices as well as New Americans' perspectives on childrearing within Vermont. Barriers and supports for cultural retention and adaptation were identified, along with potential contributions that New Americans can offer their communities in understanding who they are and what they bring to the childrearing experience.

Opportunity, Temporal Patterns, And Successful Outcomes Of Far-Right Terrorism Incidents In The United States, Brent Ryan Klein

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the impact that far-right terrorism opportunity structures and temporal patterns of precursor activity have on incident outcomes. Data from the American Terrorism Study (ATS) are extracted for several attributes of far-right opportunity, in addition to measures for temporal patterns of planning and preparatory behaviors. Bivariate and multivariate findings generally support expectations that target attractiveness and vulnerability, far-right group structures, and patterns of precursor activity are significantly associated with incident outcomes. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research and several implications for homeland security policy.

"Luck Of The Draw:" Enhancing Safety In Equine University Sport, Angela Barbour

Honors Projects

Equestrian sports have the highest rates of injury across all sports with traumatic brain injury rates twice as high as those in football. The goal of this project is to make our university Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) athletes safer by creating an easy-to-use tool that athletes can apply to evaluate new horses they ride at competitions. The tool guides team members through evaluation techniques by providing important safety dimensions and scoring guidelines. An undergraduate majoring in biology with an interest in Veterinarian specialization developed the diagnostic tool. The tool allows evaluation of movement/quality of gaits, jumping ability, equine personality, …

From “My Block” To “Born On The Rez”: A Linguistic Analysis Of Lyrics By 2pac, Frank Waln, Litefoot, Nataanii Means, And Night Shield, Teresa Y. Neely, Sarah Kostelecky, Jorge Ricardo Lopez-Mcknight, Monica Etsitty Dorame

University Libraries & Learning Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications

The lack of consistent wide-spread media coverage of recent events in North America involving violence against Native Americans and African Americans in the U.S., missing and murdered indigenous women, led the authors to a thoughtful discussion about the similar and parallel issues shared by our people. Although the deaths of Michael Brown (August 9, 2014, Ferguson, MO), Eric Garner (July 17, 2014, NY), and Sandra Bland (July 13, 2015, TX) were nationally covered news events; the deaths of Misty Upham, Blackfeet (October 5, 2014, WA); Native American activist Rexdale Henry, Choctaw (July 14, 2015, MS), and Christina Tahhahwah, Comanche (November …

Completing The Puzzle Of My Early Life, Kirk Schuster-Southern

Sociology Between the Gaps: Forgotten and Neglected Topics

No abstract provided.

Can They Teach Each Other? : The Restructuring Of Higher Education And The Rise Of Undergraduate Student “Teachers” In Ontario, Jennifer Massey, Sean Field

Journal of Critical Scholarship on Higher Education and Student Affairs

Changes to public funding regimes, coupled with transformations in how universities are managed and measured have altered the methods for educating undergraduate students. The growing reliance on teaching fellows, teaching assistants, and increasingly undergraduate peer educators (administering Supplemental Instruction [SI] programs) is promoted as a means toachieve a greater “return on investment” in the delivery of postsecondary education. Neoliberal discourses legitimating this downloading of teaching labour suggest it offers a “win-win” solution to the “problem” of educating growing numbers of undergraduate students. It proposes universities can deliver the same curricula, and achieve the same “outcomes” (primarily measured through grades and …

An Assessment Of Affirmative Action In Business, Jordan A. Kennedy

Honors Scholar Theses

Affirmative action has become an inevitable aspect of the employment hiring process. It has been put into place to assist in eradicating the institutionalized discrimination that inherently exists in such practices. On the surface, affirmative action may appear to be something that is beneficial to both the hiring institution and the individual; it seems to be a win-win situation because the business is creating a more diverse workplace and the individual is getting a job that they desired. However, the way that affirmative action is practiced may prevent its overall effectiveness. For example, there are several fundamental flaws with this …

Through The Looking Glass Space To New Ways Of Knowing: A Personal Research Narrative, Gabrielle Brand

The Qualitative Report

This article describes how writing personal research narratives during my doctoral research journey challenged my role as a health professional and my personal beliefs and values in fundamental ways. In qualitative narrative inquiry, the reflexive account of the research experience is a key element in conducting ethical, rigorous, and meaningful forms of qualitative research. However, as a novice researcher, I was unprepared for the unlearning journey I experienced during the research process. This uncomfortable experience cut to the core of my identity by dismantling unexamined belief and value systems that lay dormant and hidden from my everyday consciousness as a …

Food Insecurity & Aging Adults, Kimberly Morales

Ohio Association of Gerontology and Education Conference (2015)

No abstract provided.

War Veterans And Civilian Reentry: Combatting Unemployment With Entrepreneurship, Stephen Frochen

Ohio Association of Gerontology and Education Conference (2015)

War Veterans and Civilian Reentry: Combatting Unemployment with Entrepreneurship

Stephen Frochen, Research Assistant and Doctoral Student, Scripps Gerontology Center

Objectives. The primary objective of this paper is to emphasize the unique professional problems that war and disabled veterans face when returning from military service to the civilian workforce. Secondary objectives include presenting employment outcomes of vulnerable war veterans groups and investigating entrepreneurship and other state and federal employment programs to uncover relevant work opportunities.

Methods. This paper describes military life and the distinct professional characteristics of veterans, particularly those with disabilities. Drawing upon the theoretical bases of group dynamics, military …

The Sword In The Stone: The Arts As Harbingers Of Social Change, Raymond L. Forbes

All Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Artists have been often been criticized by their scientific brethren for a lack of perceived current utility in their work. One potentially useful response to the issue of present value is through the use of historical analysis of art as a means for anticipating major social transformations. The thesis of this article is that Art, besides being representative of the Zeitgeist or spirit of its time, may well be an effective progenitor of coming significant social upheavals. The paper employs as a methodology comparison of historical waves of social change with pre-period artistic expression. Additionally, the legend of King Arthur’s …

An Examination Of Volunteer Motivations And Characteristics Between Required Volunteer Service And Non-Required Volunteer Service In College Students: An Exploratory Study, Amanda C. Bastien

Honors College Theses

Volunteerism in the undergraduate years can enhance students’ academic development, civic responsibility, and life skills (Astin & Sax, 1998). Whether a student volunteers in high school can be a predictor of continued volunteerism in college and later in life (Planty & Regnier, 2003; Astin & Sax, 1998). Participants of this study were 283 college students enrolled in first year seminar courses at a large university in the Southeastern United States. Participants completed a questionnaire developed by Gage and Thapa (2012) which included the Volunteer Function Inventory (Clary et al. 1998) that served to investigate the volunteering characteristics and volunteering motivations …

An Analysis And Examination Of College Undergraduates' Perceptions Of Women In Law Enforcement, William T. Stone ~

Honors College Theses

Throughout the course of history, various perceptions of gender and the roles that each gender should play have been observed. As Western society has progressed, so have the rights of women in many modern, developed nations. In America, women became an integral part of the workforce during World War II. When the war was over, however, they were expected to return to a more domestic role. Today, the number of women in the workplace continues to increase; however, many disparities continue to exist. Traditionally masculine careers, such as policing, have seen smaller increases in the number of women in these …