Digital Commons Network^™

Media And Mindfulness: Associations Between Adolescent Mindful Social Media Use, Chenae Christensen-Duerden, Sarah Coyne

Journal of Youth Development

The objective of this study is to examine social media mindfulness and other social media habits as predictors of depression in adolescents. As depression and poor mental health increase for American adolescents, so does the research surrounding the positive outcomes associated with mindfulness. It is possible that mindfulness could be an effective tool in managing individual social media habits, however, very little research exists exploring the effects of mindfulness on media use. The sample for the current study includes a national quota sample of 1,158 adolescents (between the ages of 10 and 17 years old) from the United States. Participants …

The Floodnet Community Engagement Guide, Véronëque Ignace, Sofia Mariyamis, Kendra Krueger, Polly Pierone, Hayley Elszasz, Hannah Eisler Burnett

The Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay, SRIJB

"At the Intersection of Science, Policy, and Community: The FloodNet NYC Community Engagement Strategy” is a public-facing community engagement guide that documents the strategies, tools, and lessons developed through FloodNet NYC, a cross-sector partnership among researchers at NYU and CUNY and New York City agencies. Designed as a practical resource, this guide shares our approach to community engagement and dissemination so that researchers, practitioners, community organizations, and public agencies can adapt these methods to their own urban climate science projects and other community-centered efforts that address climate challenges.

Grounded in community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles, the guide presents community engagement …

Age & Dementia Friendly Bellingham: Assessment Of Community Needs And Ideas For Action, Caitlin E. Coyle, Katherine Burnes, Ceara Somerville

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

In 2022 a steering committee of three Bellingham residents involved in the COA/Senior Center served as a catalyst in helping Bellingham attain the designation of Age and Dementia Friendly. A Task Force including an impressive mix of individuals from town government, schools, local organizations and older residents was formed to help Bellingham set and implement annual goals of activities designed to make Bellingham a good place to grow older for all residents.

This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston on behalf of …

The Intersection Of Race And Nativity: Exploring Criminal Justice Contact Among Black Adults In The United States., Uchenna Makuochukwu Onuoha

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black immigrants in the United States navigate a dual identity as both Black and immigrant, yet their unique experiences remain underexplored in research on immigration and crime. While prior studies have documented generational differences and negative associations between immigration and crime, the intersection of race and nativity in shaping criminal justice contact for Black immigrants is unknown. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, this study examines the role of race and nativity on various forms of criminal justice contact. Specifically, we investigate (1) the extent to which nativity plays a role in criminal legal …

Strategies And Considerations For Forming And Managing Community Advisory Boards From Health Research With Transgender And Nonbinary Communities, Mannat Malik, Anushka Aqil, Jennifer L. Glick, Jean Michel Brevelle, Anthony Black, Kellan Baker, Arjee Restar, Molly Gribbin, Colin Flynn, Danielle German

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Purpose: There is limited research on the use of community advisory boards (CABs) in health research with transgender and nonbinary communities. Transgender communities are navigating challenging histories of health researcher exploitation and research distrust alongside exponential research growth. We explored strategies for forming and managing CABs when conducting transgender community-informed health research. Methods: We used purposive and snowball sampling to identify key informants (KIs): research leaders, implementing staff, and community partners engaging in transgender health research. Between October 2018 and December 2020, we conducted 30 semi-structured in-depth interviews. We used coding followed byiterative thematic analysis and memoing to identify themes. …

Montana Voices Amplified: My Perspective: The World Is Not Unbreakable, Katie Neskey, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Independent Living and Community Participation

RIIC employee Katie Neskey talks about helping her child manage anger and express emotions healthily.

Combining Life Grid With Biographical Narrative Approach In Reconstructing Living Situation Of Metro Manila’S Street Dwellers, Melissa Q. Navarra, Irene Reyno, Wander Van Der Vaat

Institute of Philippine Culture (IPC)

Engaging homeless populations in biographical research is often hindered by the deep-seated distrust and trauma that characterize their lived experiences. This study introduces a methodological approach that transforms this hurdle, turning the research interview into an empowering and collaborative encounter. Using a combination of the Life History Calendar (LHC) and biographical narratives, we explored the complex life transitions of 15 individuals living on the streets and in a cemetery of Metro Manila, Philippines. The LHC served as a co-constructed visual scaffold, enabling participants with low educational attainment and histories of trauma to recall and structure their life stories with remarkable …

The Normalization Of Sexual Exploitation, Donna M. Hughes

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Issue 22: Actors Overlooked In Economic Integration: Syrian Refugee Single Mothers In Turkey, Ayşe Perihan Kırkıç, Fatmanur Delioglu

International Migration Research Centre

Syrian refugees in Turkey are struggling with integration, as policies fail to address holistic approaches, especially at they pertain to class and gender. Previous research on this topic has focused on legal rights, employment, the impacts on Turkey's labor market, and local perceptions of Syrian refugees in the workforce. This policy paper addresses a significant gap in the integration of Syrian refugee single mothers. Specifically, this research explores how economic integration is influenced by class and gender. To understand their experiences, semi-structured interviews were conducted with Syrian refugee single mothers residing in Istanbul. We argue that the economic integration of …

Older Adults And Financial Exploitation, Aaron Li, Natalie Galucia, Cal J. Halvorsen

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

The National Adult Protective Services Association defines elder financial exploitation as misuse, mishandling, or exploitation of an older adult’s property, possession, or assets. These actions often occur without consent and are typically carried out through false pretense, undue influence, coercion, or manipulation.

Supporting Employed Informal Caregivers, Michele Dinman, Natalie Galucia, Cal J. Halvorsen

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

More than 53 million Americans are informal caregivers. These family members, friends, and acquaintances provide social, medical, transportation, and other support to individuals because of illness or disability without getting paid. Additionally, at least 2 million grandparents, not counting other kinship caregivers, provide care for children who cannot remain with their parents.1

Reduce, Replace, Reframe: How Civil Society Organizations Build Resilience In The Face Of Financial And Political Pressures, Merrill Sovner

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In order for civil society organizations (CSOs) to perform essential functions to support democracy and prevent democratic erosion, they must operate sustainably, maintaining resources and legitimacy to carry out their missions. CSOs experience financial and political pressures when resources and legitimacy are withdrawn. CSOs facing both pressures may reduce their activities, replace lost funding, or reframe their work to engage new audiences. How CSOs respond in the face of financial and political pressures has implications for their role in hindering democratic erosion. Yet civil society organizations weather these pressures in ways that are not straightforward; the most targeted organizations may …

Prerogative In Common: On The Emancipatory Potential Of Radical Mutuality Amid Sovereign Decisionism, Matthew Builes

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In times of crisis, liberal democracies resort to authoritarian measures that undermine core democratic values. Dominant thought in the study of emergency-era law and politics appeal to a dichotomy of normal and exceptional times, to critique or justify the turn to sovereign decisionism. While this strategy seems clear-cut, the persistence of exceptional spaces and the crises that supposedly generate them challenge existing frameworks by blurring the line between norm and exception. This project explores the prospect of radical mutual aid, as a transformative response to the enduring crisis of modernity.

Flotsam And Jetsam: The Role Of Mlb Integration In The Wreckage Of The Negro Leagues, Nastasia Pollas

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

“We are the ship, all else the sea.” Adapted from a Frederick Douglass speech, this quote by Rube Foster became the slogan of the Negro Leagues, illustrating the resolve and determination to prosper alone during a time of segregation. Setting aside long-standing rivalry and strife, Black baseball teams united under a shared vision of forming the first professional Black baseball league.

This paper examines how Giddens' structuration theory, connecting social structures with individual actions, can explain both the development and success of the league under segregation and its eventual demise during integration.

How Do Self-Employment Rates Change Across The Lifespan?, Cal J. Halvorsen, Bruna C. Lopez

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

People pursue self-employment for a variety of reasons, including autonomy, the ability to pursue their own goals, and income. Yet for many older people who are not yet eligible for Social Security retirement benefits, which can begin at age 62, or Medicare, the U.S. health insurance program that generally begins at age 65, self-employment is also associated with less health insurance and retirement savings program coverage. 1,2 3,4

This research brief asks, What is the proportion of Americans who are self-employed, and how do these rates change throughout the life course?

Ageism In Employment, Aaron Li, Natalie Galucia, Cal J. Halvorsen

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

The World Health Organization defines ageism as stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination directed at individuals based on their age. As people remain in the labor force longer, they are increasingly exposed to ageist attitudes and discrimination. Ageism often manifests through negative assumptions about older workers’ abilities, adaptability, and value in the workplace. Older workers are frequently perceived as less competent, resistant to new technology, inflexible, or physically and mentally less capable.

Mental Health Challenges In Later Life, Sophie Mauk, Michele Dinman, Natalie Galucia, Cal J. Halvorsen

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

Although older adults are less likely to be diagnosed with mental health challenges than younger adults, Americans over the age of 65 have experienced the greatest growth in new diagnoses — an increase of 57% between 2019 and 2023. By 2023, about 1 in 7 adults age 51 and older had received mental health diagnoses, including major depressive, generalized anxiety, adjustment, bipolar, and mood disorders. However, older adults are less likely to receive treatment than younger people. At the same time, older adults may also misuse substances such as alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and prescription and nonprescription medications. Americans age 75 …

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Newton, Phillip Granberry, Florita Coto Tristán

Gastón Institute Publications

Established in 1989, the Massachusetts Legislature created the Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy in response to a need for an improved understanding of the Latino experience in the commonwealth. Now in its 34th year, the Gastón Institute continues its mission of informing the public and policymakers about issues vital to the state’s growing Latino community and providing information and analysis necessary for effective Latino participation in public policy development. To learn more about the Gastón Institute, visit: www.umb.edu/gastoninstitute

Table Of Contents

Journal of Youth Development

No abstract provided.

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Chelsea, Phillip Granberry, Florita Coto Tristán

Gastón Institute Publications

Established in 1989, the Massachusetts Legislature created the Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy in response to a need for an improved understanding of the Latino experience in the commonwealth. Now in its 34th year, the Gastón Institute continues its mission of informing the public and policymakers about issues vital to the state’s growing Latino community and providing information and analysis necessary for effective Latino participation in public policy development. To learn more about the Gastón Institute, visit: www.umb.edu/gastoninstitute

Massachusetts' Latino Population: 2020-2040, Phillip Granberry

Gastón Institute Publications

Latinos have been a vital component of Massachusetts’ population growth since 1990. Their younger age structure has helped to offset the older age structure of the much larger non-Latino White population. As Latinos’ population crosses the 1 million threshold by 2030, their growth (even as it slows) will be faster than the commonwealth’s overall population change.

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Webster, Phillip Granberry, Florita Coto Tristán

Gastón Institute Publications

Established in 1989, the Massachusetts Legislature created the Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy in response to a need for an improved understanding of the Latino experience in the commonwealth. Now in its 34th year, the Gastón Institute continues its mission of informing the public and policymakers about issues vital to the state’s growing Latino community and providing information and analysis necessary for effective Latino participation in public policy development. To learn more about the Gastón Institute, visit: www.umb.edu/gastoninstitute

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Lynn, Phillip Granberry, Florita Coto Tristán

Gastón Institute Publications

Established in 1989, the Massachusetts Legislature created the Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy in response to a need for an improved understanding of the Latino experience in the commonwealth. Now in its 34th year, the Gastón Institute continues its mission of informing the public and policymakers about issues vital to the state’s growing Latino community and providing information and analysis necessary for effective Latino participation in public policy development. To learn more about the Gastón Institute, visit: www.umb.edu/gastoninstitute

Latinos In Massachusetts Selected Areas: Boston, Phillip Granberry, Florita Coto Tristán

Gastón Institute Publications

The City of Boston Planning Department has found that Boston’s population was undercounted in the 2020 Census by as many as 25,000 people and that subsequent population estimates continue to understate the population.1 The Planning Department’s Research Division has developed a tool to display limited demographic data, but these population estimates are insufficient for purposes of this report.2 Therefore, this report uses 2019-2023 American Community Survey and may therefore undercount Boston’s population. Boston, the largest city in the Commonwealth, is home to an estimated 126,647 Latinos. This is the largest Latino population in the state, though other smaller cities (Lawrence, …

B. Assignment One: U.S. Voting Rights Character Card Assignment With Presentation, Frankie Nicole Weaver

Frankie Nicole Weaver, Comparative Twentieth Century South African and United States Civil Rights and Voting Rights Histories

This assignment requires students to think like curators and research their assigned historical figures. Figures are tied to the women’s suffrage and anti-suffrage movements in the United States. Museums and historic landmarks want visitors to engage in history and to consider the complicated, interesting backgrounds of figures who acted in unique ways, shaped by their notions of class, race, gender, culture, power, education, religion, democracy, and citizenship. Often, museums ask their visitors to imagine they are historical figures. One way to achieve this is by providing wearable lanyards with character cards that feature an image of a historical figure on …

C. Assignment Two: South Africa Voting Rights Character Card Assignment With Presentation, Frankie Nicole Weaver

Frankie Nicole Weaver, Comparative Twentieth Century South African and United States Civil Rights and Voting Rights Histories

This assignment requires students to think like curators and research their assigned historical figures. Figures are tied to the women’s suffrage movements in Southern Africa. In Southern Africa, women’s suffrage campaigns were less central as male-dominated white political agendas and non-white struggles for emancipation eclipsed them. Yet, the history of women’s suffrage and enfranchisement of new segments of South Africans, including white women in 1930, is important to examine when considering voting rights and civic engagement in Southern Africa. Non-white women in South Africa would be forced to persevere in their struggle for political rights; some would vote in the …

E. Assignment Four: Scopes Trial History Lesson & Class Activities, Frankie Nicole Weaver

Frankie Nicole Weaver, Comparative Twentieth Century South African and United States Civil Rights and Voting Rights Histories

Build on introductory context and engage with themes tied to the 1925 Scopes trial, particularly highlighting public discourse and civic engagement in culture and politics, TN law and state judicial proceedings, science and technology, religion and Christianity in the US, notions of evolution and human evolution, public education, journalism and media, national politics or political ideologies, and US Constitutional liberties of speech, press, and religion.

F. Assignment Five: Scopes Trial Creative Assignment, Frankie Nicole Weaver

Frankie Nicole Weaver, Comparative Twentieth Century South African and United States Civil Rights and Voting Rights Histories

This creative assignment encourages students to reflect on independent exploration, class group learning, discussions, and to use research to think critically and to present their ideas in a 5-6-page essay. Students will also think like educators and create 8-10 PowerPoint slides.

D. Assignment Three: Scopes Trial Introductory Assigned Activities: Learning From Tennessee’S Scopes Trial 100 Years Later, Frankie Nicole Weaver

Frankie Nicole Weaver, Comparative Twentieth Century South African and United States Civil Rights and Voting Rights Histories

This assignment encourages students to engage actively with scaffolded pre-learning necessary for the Scopes Trial unit. Students are introduced to the history of the 1925 Scopes Trial and the folk history connected to Inherit the Wind, in its various forms.

A. Syllabus His 207 Comparative Twentieth Century South African And United States Civil Rights And Voting Rights Histories, Frankie Nicole Weaver

Frankie Nicole Weaver, Comparative Twentieth Century South African and United States Civil Rights and Voting Rights Histories

Originally shared as an in-person comparative upper-level undergraduate history course, this course was adapted for online, virtual use. It works well in either format; however, if you share it virtually, I strongly encourage at least one weekly synchronous class meeting and utilizing breakout rooms to promote discussion. Also, provide discussion questions and randomly enter breakout rooms to facilitate discussion --ensuring that engaging discussions occur. I recommend offering both in-person and virtual office hours, regardless.