Digital Commons Network^™

Faith In Action: How Liberation Theology Connected Communities Around The World, Jaizeth Andrea Munoz

Posters - 2026

The Liberation Theology movement started in Latin America as a response to poverty, inequality, and violence. It focuses on the idea that religion should not stay neutral, but instead help people who are suffering and facing injustice. It began with Gustavo Gutiérrez, who believed that faith should be connected to real-life struggles, especially for the poor. Even though it began in Catholic communities, its focus on justice and human dignity allowed other religious communities to relate to it and adapt it.

The research asks how Liberation Theology has connected religious communities around the world and examines how these ideas have …

Postcolonial Identity Formation Of Somali Borderland Identity, Sunny Ngethe

Posters - 2026

Colonial borders in Africa divided long-standing communities, disrupting shared systems of culture, mobility, and identity. Somali populations, spread across Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia, present a unique case of transnational identity persistence. Somalis have maintained strong cultural unity despite state-imposed divisions. This study examines how this communities navigate identity across borders shaped by colonialism and post-independence governance. Using qualitative analysis of historical and political content, this study draws on postcolonial theory and border studies to analyze how identity is constructed and maintained across imposed borders.

American Death Penalty Opinion's Are Affected By Religion, Right?, Addysen Schniederjan

Posters - 2026

How does religion affect Death Penalty Public Opinion?

• align with doctrine?
• religious beliefs affect political beliefs?
• political ideology?

If public opinion is not affected by religion, what does this say about religious beliefs?

Brief #3: Collaborative Aggregation & Marketing Of Local Farm Food: Customer Perspectives On Participation Barriers, Evan England, Rachel Filippone, Hannah Stokes-Ramos, Cindy (Luyue) Zheng, Olivia Burton, Analena Bruce

Food Practice Research

No abstract provided.

Nh Ece Research Consortium Member Information, Evan England, Jess Carson

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

NH ECE Research Consortium membership is open to individuals and organizations with relevant expertise that aligns with the purpose of the Consortium, including the advancement of knowledge to support early care and education in NH. This document describes the benefits of membership, what it means to be a member, and the role of the Carsey School.

Purr-Spectives: Connections Between Feline Coat Color And Human Preferences And Perceptions In Northeast Arkansas, Tiffany L. Batchelor

Honors Theses

Felines have played an important role in the lives and culture of humans for thousands of years. The purpose of this study is to investigate perceptions of felines and feline demographics to gain a better understanding of the relationship between cats and humans in the Northeast Arkansas (NEA) area in particular. For Study 1, data on phenotype and health conditions (n = 2,277 feline patients) were collected from patient files from three Northeast Arkansas veterinary clinics. For Study 2, an anonymous survey generated using Qualtrics titled “Purr-spectives: Feline Behavioral Perceptions Survey” was published through the College of Agriculture social media …

Arrival Is Not Access, Emmanuel Asamoah

School of Art, Art History, and Design: Theses and Student Creative Work

This thesis presents a group of sculptures and installations that explore how material, labor, and communication shape unequal access in diasporic life. It questions the common belief that movement, visibility, or relocation automatically leads to stability, care, or belonging. In my experience, arrival does not guarantee access. Using clay, steel and found materials, I create tension between softness and control. Many of these materials are worn and discarded. I cut and rebuild them, leaving marks of strain and repair visible rather than hiding them.

Repetition appears through rows of cast faces and a collection of telephones. These forms suggest shared …

Social Support And Mental Wellbeing Among Veterinary Clinic Employees, Madison Koons

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Mental wellbeing is a significant concern for veterinary professionals and the subject of much discussion in the veterinary and academic fields. To determine whether social support is an effective protective factor for the mental wellbeing of veterinary professionals, I administered a survey to 879 veterinary clinics in Ohio, with ninety-two responses received for final analysis. The scales assessed mental wellbeing, organizational support, and nonorganizational support. I found organizational support, friends support, and family support to be positively correlated with mental wellbeing. Significant other support was not correlated with mental wellbeing. A linear regression evaluating social support as predictors of mental …

Social Capital As An Intervening Explanatory Mechanism Linking Socioeconomic Status And Deliberative Decision-Making In Citizen Advisory Boards In California Municipalities, Christopher Gerry

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

Citizen advisory boards (CABs) are widely used in local government as institutional mechanisms for participatory governance and public input. While these bodies are intended to promote inclusive and deliberative decision-making, persistent socioeconomic inequalities raise concerns about whether CABs mitigate or reproduce disparities in participation and influence. This dissertation examines how socioeconomic status (SES) shapes deliberative decision-making within CABs and whether this relationship operates indirectly through board-level social capital.

Integrating perspectives from participatory governance, deliberative democracy, and social capital theory, the study conceptualizes deliberative decision-making as a collective, board-level process shaped by relational and institutional dynamics rather than individual attributes alone. …

Transforming Wood, Transforming Bodies: Craft Work, Addiction Recovery, And Regional History At An Appalachian Guitar Factory, Eva Murillo , ‘26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

A Medical Home: How Pediatrics Challenges Systemic Barriers Through Relationships And Time., Doris Serrano , ‘26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

Bioengineering The Future Of The Human Species: H+’S Ideological Iterations Of Trans-/Posthumanity As Exemplified By Futurist Literary Texts = (Bio)Technological Solutions For (And/Or) Reification Of Systemic Inequities?, Marjorie E. Bomhower

English Theses & Dissertations

While humanity has, throughout our species’ history, endeavored to dream and create astonishing, and ever-evolving, (bio)technologies with the utopian ideals of bettering our day-to day lives and achieving greater longevity, our endeavors have (thus far) not only produced remarkable, beneficial advances in longevity and quality of life, but have also yielded devastating and dire outcomes; often at the cost and victimization of marginalized communities. This dissertation focuses on select (bio)technologies – particularly, those promoted by H+ (the most current and popular technoutopianist non-profit, “educational,” organization) – with an investigation of current and nascent (bio)technological evolutions, futurist literary texts, and critical/digital …

Nh Ece Research Consortium Data Technical Assistance, Jess Carson

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

The New Hampshire Early Care and Education (NH ECE) Research Consortium helps community partners access and interpret data to support funding, business, and planning decisions. This resource outlines the variety of data available.

Nh Ece Data Collection Inventory Overview, Jess Carson, Evan England, Tyrus Parker

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

The NH ECE Research Consortium maintains an inventory of current and complete NH ECE-relevant data collection efforts to strengthen public access for data users, improve awareness and coordination among researchers, and minimize duplication. Check out this graphic that describes what the data collection inventory is and how you can use it.

Computational Analysis Of Immigration Discourse And Political Polarization: Evidence From U.S. Political Podcasts During The 2024 Presidential Election, Reishiro Kawakami , ‘26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

This study examines how immigration is discussed across the U.S. political podcast ecosystem during the 2024 presidential election cycle, with a focus on differences across the political spectrum. While prior research on immigration attitudes has relied heavily on survey data, this study shifts attention to naturally occurring political communication by analyzing large-scale podcast transcripts. Drawing on a novel dataset of over 48,500 episodes (approximately 40,000 hours of audio) from the top 100 political podcasts ranked on Election Day, this paper combines keyword search, topic modeling, and sentiment analysis to investigate both the thematic structure and emotional tone of immigration discourse. …

Dairy Cows And Doughnut Holes: The Class Politics Of Municipal Boundaries And Logistics Land Use In Inland Southern California, Anthony Rumbos-Perez , ‘26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

Disputing Geographies Of Sanctuaries: Legal Manifestations And Re-Imagined Practices In Adverse State Conditions For Migrants In Philadelphia County And Miami Dade County, Clara Ximena Villalba , ‘26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

Beyond The Individual: Exploring Structural Explanations Of Homelessness Through Thematic Analysis Of Extant Research, Madison R. Mcclain

Senior Theses

This thesis examines how homelessness is defined, explained, and addressed within contemporary U.S. research using Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Intersectionality as guiding frameworks. Through a qualitative, deductive thematic analysis of 16 peer-reviewed articles, this study identifies six key themes related to structural causation, policy governance, measurement practices, racial inequality, dominant narratives, and intersecting systems of disadvantage. Findings reveal that while structural explanations of homelessness are widely acknowledged, they are inconsistently defined and often insufficiently theorized. Institutional systems primarily function to manage rather than resolve homelessness, while measurement practices and definitions actively shape who is recognized and prioritized. Additionally, structural …

Nh Ece Research Consortium 2025 Activity Timeline, Jess Carson, Evan England

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

The New Hampshire Early Care and Education (NH ECE) Research Consortium is a network of researchers and research users committed to strengthening the state's ECE landscape through the use of data. Discover what Consortium staff accomplished throughout 2025 in this 2025 Activity Timeline.

Status Of New Hampshire Public School-Affiliated Preschool Programs: 2024-2025 School Year Infographic, Tyrus Parker, Kamala Nasirova, Jess Carson

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

This infographic describes findings from the second annual census of New Hampshire elementary schools conducted by the Carsey School of Public Policy to identify preschool programs implemented by school districts. These data reflect the 2024-2025 school year.

Connectivity And Tourism Flow In Small Island Developing States, Edmir Luciano Dos Santos Ferreira, João Paulo Madeira

International Journal of Islands Research

Tourism in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) faces unique sustainability challenges, with connectivity emerging as a critical factor. These nations, often situated in remote locations, encounter significant accessibility constraints and limited infrastructure, which restrict tourist flows and adversely affect economic development. The primary aim of this paper is to analyse the relationship between connectivity and tourism flows in SIDS, exploring how connectivity, proxied by geographical and cultural-political distance, influences tourism in these regions. Furthermore, the study seeks to determine whether belonging to different SIDS regions or exhibiting varying levels of development helps destinations attract greater tourist flows, by examining several …

Collaborating To Create A Research Training Program For Underrepresented Students: Insights And Strategies For Developing And Sustaining A Multi-Institutional Consortium, Mackenzie J. Gray, Dara Shifrer, De’Sha S. Wolf, Olivia M. Ainsworth, Rosemary A. Fama, Roberto P. Anitori, Ernest Blackwell, Tracey K. Burke, Carlos J. Crespo, Derek Helsham, Travis Kibota, Alissa Leavitt, Beylul Solomon, Thomas E. Keller

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction

In 2014, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) invested in the Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) initiative to enhance diversity in the biomedical research workforce. As one of ten grantees nationwide, the BUILD EXITO project at Portland State University established an institutionally and geographically diverse consortium including local community colleges, a research-intensive medical institution, and universities and community colleges around the Pacific Rim. The goal of this collaboration was to support comprehensive research training for undergraduates from backgrounds historically underrepresented in the biomedical workforce. This manuscript aims to provide insights into creating and sustaining a large-scale multi-institutional consortium.MethodsUsing …

Determining Factors Leading To Sobriety In Native American Graduates Of A Joint-Jurisdictional Court Program, Ryan Fisher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The issue of driving under the influence (DUI) is a continuous problem in rural communities, especial those in Indian Country. Alcohol use and abuse has long been a health concern for these communities contributing to higher mortality rates and increased incarceration rates for American Indian / Alaskan Native (AIAN) populations. Wellness courts, using the problem-solving court model, have been successful in helping DUI offenders achieve sobriety and wellness. While the model has been successful, there remains a lack of qualitative research into why participants find success in these programs; especially marginalized populations such as AIAN. This phenomenological qualitative study was …

Book Review Of Hidden Suicides And Fatal Overdoses: A Forward Path Author: Ian Rockett. Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore. 2026. 271 Pages., Roger Clark

Sociology Between the Gaps: Forgotten and Neglected Topics

No abstract provided.

Making Space To Learn: Prison-Less Places, Nicole Patrie

Journal of Prison Education Research

Diversifying modalities or modes of program delivery inside prisons is necessary and important to increase access to programs; however, this also demands that learning is intended to occur in most places of a prison. In this paper I present the concept prison-less places, relational, temporary places where the prison is less noticeable and where learning becomes possible. Exploring three dimensions of learning, I argue that the existence of prison-less places brings balance to these dimensions and is crucial for learning to occur inside prisons. As the boundaries between program and prison space become more fluid and permeable with modalities …

Editor’S Introduction, Michael D. Pante

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

No abstract provided.

Contributing Factors To The Rise In Juvenile Gun-Related Homicides: Investigating Criminal Behavior In Southern Georgia, Tracey Hudson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gun-related juvenile homicides continue to be a critical public health and social issue, disproportionally affecting African American males aged 17. Prior research identified poverty, neighborhood violence, individual and familial risks, gang affiliation, and inadequate education as contributors to the increase in juvenile gun-related homicides. In this study, the relationship between gun-related juvenile homicides and poverty, violent crimes, and gang affiliation were examined from 2019 to 2023 in 66 counties within South Georgia. Guided by sociological positivism, a quantitative non-experimental design was used using secondary data sources that included juvenile homicide totals, demographic characteristics, poverty levels, violent crime rates, and gang …

Negotiating Identity: Local Religion Adherents And Majority Group Resistance In Indonesia, Tri Astutik Haryati, Amat Zuhri, Annisa Mutohharoh

The Qualitative Report

The existence of local religion adherents amidst a majority population is marked by structural and cultural rejection. This condition highlights fundamental issues surrounding freedom of religion and belief in Indonesia. This study aims to explore the experiences of local religion adherents in confronting structural and cultural resistance from an emic perspective, situating local religions within the broader academic discourse on the interaction between local wisdom and global religions. The participants consist of 11 adherents of local religions affiliated with Majelis Luhur Kepercayaan Indonesia (MLKI), an organization that supports followers of local religions and indigenous beliefs throughout Indonesia. Using a qualitative …

Critical Cultural Literacy As A Path To Reconciliation: A Literature Review Of Teacher Agency In Post-Conflict Cultural Education In Maluku, Indonesia, Falantino Eryk Latupapua, Melani Budianta, Dhita Hapsarani, Shuri Mariasih Gietty

The Qualitative Report

This study examines how secondary-school teachers in post-conflict Central Maluku, Indonesia, enact cultural education to advance critical cultural literacy and social cohesion. Using a qualitative design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 25 teachers, classroom observations across six schools, curriculum-document review, and field notes from school and community ceremonies (e.g., pela gandong village alliances; sasi resource-management). Data were analysed through abductive thematic coding informed by critical literacy and teacher-agency frameworks. Findings show teachers mobilise local narratives and practices to: (1) open dialogic spaces for discussing conflict and reconciliation; (2) cultivate critical interpretation of historical and media texts; (3) rebuild intergroup trust …

Gender Norms, Socio-Organizational Ergonomics, And Female Labor Force Participation In South Asia, Huma Maqsood, Nor Fatimah Che Sulaiman, Suriyani Muhamad, Nor Aizal Akmal Binti Rohaizad, Sana Mukhtar

The Qualitative Report

Socio-organizational ergonomics encompasses workplace social and cultural factors that influence inclusion, performance, and well-being. Gender-based socio-organizational ergonomics has both microeconomic and macroeconomic implications. In this context, underutilization of women’s economic potential, evidenced by low female labor force participation, emerges as a critical factor that compromises sustainable growth in developing countries. To study the phenomenon, we examined the impact of gender norms on socio-organizational ergonomics and female labor force participation in South Asia. Qualitative data from in-depth interviews with 20 female participants are thematically analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s TA framework. Our findings highlight that socio-organizational ergonomics in South Asia is …