Digital Commons Network^™

“Permission To Be Real”: Elouise Bell And The Personal Narrative, Danille Christensen Lindquist, Suzanne Evertsen Lundquist

Journal of Undergraduate Research

“The literature of the poor, the feelings of the child, the philosophy of the street, the meaning of household life, are the topics of the time. It is a great stride. It is a sign—is it not? Of new vigor, when the extremities are made active, when currents of warm life run into the hands and the feet.”1 So Ralph Waldo Emerson champions the collection of ordinary stories. Others have stressed the importance of stories in general: author Leslie Marmon Silko believes that stories, while entertaining, are also “all we have . . . to fight off illness and …

Historic Syria, Sally A. Mcdonald, Dr. Cynthia Finlayson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

It is hard to know where one will be taken when researching an obscure topic. It is the exhilaration of the mysterious as well as the frustration of the unexpected that takes the researcher on a journey into the unknown, leading them to an unforeseen destination. This was what happened to me during the past year as I researched the costuming of the Ottoman Empire for exhibition purposes at the Azem Palace in Damascus Syria. Being one of the few remaining palaces from the Ottoman Era, the Azem Palace has been turned into a museum that houses valuable artifacts from …

Scientific Superstions: The Rationale Of Harvest Rituals In Anglo-Saxon Medicine, K. Jane Hughes, Dr. Glen Cooper

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I originally applied for an ORCA grant in order to further my research toward my Honors thesis — a cultural study of Anglo-Saxon medicine. I realized that I would not be able to create a viable paper on the subject with the limited sources available to me in an already limited field. To this end, I put the money toward BYU’s Direct Enrollment program at Cambridge University, where I would have access to the imposing University Library as well as the chance to work one-on-one with an expert on my subject. This was the most rewarding – and also the …

A Bibliography Of Uighur Studies, David T. Allred, Dr. David C. Wrigth

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Uighur Turks are a minority group several million strong now living primarily in the desert oasis towns of western China. They first appeared on the world stage during the Tang dynasty (618-907 AD) as a fierce nomadic tribe threatening China from the Mongolian steppe. By raiding the border they forced the Tang government into doling out lavish protection payments, but later as allies to the Chinese the Uighur cavalry was instrumental in rescuing the government from destruction by civil war. Chinese dynastic records give vivid accounts of official processions to the capital at Changan and magnificent weddings between Chinese …

Style, Discourse, And The Completion Of The Vernacular Style In Modern Japanese Literature, Jacob Zan Adachi Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Many histories of modern Japanese literature see the "completion" of the modern vernacular style in the writings of Shiga Naoya (1883--1971), Mushakōji Saneatsu (1885--1976) and Takamura Kōtarō (1883--1956). Why and how this critical-historical perception of stylistic normalcy arose and still continues is better understood, I propose, through a close reading of key texts that identifies instances and patterns of creative manipulation of-as opposed to mere determination by or complicity with-certain philosophical, social, and historical discourses.How this creative manipulation plays out varies in prose and poetry and from text to text. In Mushakōji's Omedetaki hito (1911; The Simpleton), temporal and generic …

Place-Based Art Education/Anasazi & Fremon Art And Culture, Mark Graham

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This project engaged students in arts-based research of the rock art of Anasazi, Fremont and other ancient cultures in central and southern Utah. Their research had three components: (1) A review of research literature describing the history and interpretations of this ancient art, place-based education, and the issues of educating the indigenous people of Utah and the American Southwest. (2) A visual documentation of this ancient rock art in its various locations that includes photography, drawing and painting. (3) A scholarly presentation of the background research and the visual documentation that incorporates arts-based research methodology. This project will began during …

Transcending Tragedy: Shifting Tragedy From The Individual To Society At Large In Shakespeare's Coriolanus, Steve Kesler

Student Works

One of the many parameter that Aristotle placed on tragedy when he defined the genre was that it exists only in the individual. The plethora of tragedies that have been written since have largely followed this rule. While many of William Shakespeare's tragedies follow the rules as defined by Aristotle his Roman tragedies, written later in his career, tend to challenge and expand the basic ideas of the genre. Specifically looking at Coriolanus I argue that Shakespeare transcended the classic idea of tragedy established by Aristotle by taking away the emphasis on the individual and placing it on society as …

A Novel Nuclear Variant Of Nbmp-2: Role In Ca2+ Transport, Dr. Laura Bridgewater

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The goal of this project was to elucidate the role that nBMP-2 plays in Ca2+ transport. In the previous year, we demonstrated that mice that have no nBMP-2 in the nuclei of their cells exhibit delays in the transport of Ca2+ back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum after each muscle contraction. During the period of this award we have extended our focus on nBMP-2 and Ca2+ transport to its effects on neurological function, since learning and memory are also dependent on intracellular Ca2+ transport. To do so, we collaborated with Dr. Jeff Edwards, a neuroscientist in the Department of Physiology and …

Mtor Pathway Activation Following Resistance Exercise With Vibration In Human Subjects, Michael G. Leavitt

Theses and Dissertations

Functional adaptations in human skeletal muscle following a period of resistance exercise are the result of regular activation of cellular signaling pathways that elevate muscle protein synthesis. It has been reported that the addition of whole body vibration (WBV) to a resistance exercise program enhances performance. Such improvements in muscle function may be the result of increased activation of cellular signaling pathways associated with muscle growth. Purpose: We have investigated whether an acute bout of resistance exercise in combination with WBV results in a greater activation of the mTOR signaling pathway compared to resistance exercise alone. Methods: Eight untrained college-age …

Joseph Smith, Jesus, And Satanic Opposition: Atonement, Evil, And The Mormon Vision, Steven L. Olsen, Douglas J. Davies

BYU Studies

Douglas J. Davies is one of the most insightful and prolific scholars of Mormonism working today. He is a professor in the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Durham, UK. Two of his earlier studies--The Mormon Culture of Salvation (2000) and An Introduction to Mormonism (2003)--analyze foundational aspects of Mormonism from an engaging academic synthesis of history, religious studies, cultural studies, literary studies, theology, and philosophy. The breadth and depth of his scholarly background enable him to address new and crucial questions, yielding remarkable insights. For example, The Mormon Culture of Salvation proposes that the plan …

Connecting Classrooms: Russian Language Teaching Project At Ucf, Alla Kourova

Russian Language Journal

Change happens all the time and in all places. It is a characteristic of our modern world. A current trend in the world is globalization, which occurred by rapid developments in transportation and information technology. Today, people from diverse backgrounds come into more and more contact with each other with a regularity that is unique to this period of human history. As a result, intercultural communication has become increasingly important.

Introduction

Russian Language Journal

On behalf of the editorial team of the Russian Language Journal, it is with great pleasure that we present Volume 63. The current issue of RLJ sees a number of changes to the editorial team as well as an expansion of the kinds of materials we publish; we hope that these changes serve both the profession and our readers. Starting with this issue, we will include review articles, as well as a section of shorter book reviews. Michael Gorham, our Associate Editor, leads this effort for the RLJ. As well, there are two new appointments to the Editorial Team: Dr. …

Contributors, Criterion: A Journal For Literary Criticism

Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism

No abstract provided.

Toward A Theory Of Interdisciplinarity: An Example Of Conceptual Integration/Blending In Teaching And Learning In Russian And East European Language-Based Area Studies, Anna Pleshakova, Kathleen M. Quinlan

Russian Language Journal

Most of problems in everyday and professional life are interdisciplinary, though most of our academic scholarship is contained within disciplines. To understand and solve such interdisciplinary problems, we must cross disciplinary boundaries. Yet, “the need to identify a method or/and logic of interdisciplinarity has, however, proven to be much easier to proclaim than to meet.”

Review: Сетевые Разговоры: Культурные Коммуникации В Рунете, Thomas J. Garza

Russian Language Journal

For any reader interested in the linguistic and cultural shifts that have occurred in the Russian language as a result of the explosion of Internet use in the russophone world, Zvereva’s work, Сетевые разговоры, is especially apt. In this timely and insightful work, Zvereva employs both discourse analysis as well as rigorous commentary from the corpus of work in media and cultural studies to fashion a critical review of current trends and innovations in the use of Internet-based media―predominately via RuNet (.ru)― as a means of initiating and developing communication. Emphasizing its broad appeal, Zvereva points to the relevance of …

Sex Differences In Verbal Aggression Use In Romantic Relationships: A Meta-Analytic Study And Review, Laura Stockdale, Sarah Tackett, Sarah M. Coyne

Faculty Publications

Purpose - The current study aimed to investigate potential sex differences in the use of verbal aggression in romantic relationships.

Design/methodology/approach - The current study used meta-analytic methodology to analyze 20 studies to understand gender differences in the use of verbal aggression in romantic relationships.

Findings - The results found that women used more verbal aggression than men in romantic relationships; however, overall levels of verbal aggression use were relatively high regardless of sex.

Research imitations/implications - Limitations of the current research, such as calling for less exploratory research and the need for theories grounded in human coupling research, and …

The Experiences Of Hispanic International Students As Interviewees In A Cross-Cultural Interview Project, Ren S. Carbutt

Theses and Dissertations

In the field of world language education, it has long been affirmed that language and culture are inseparable. It has also often been asked how teaching language and culture in an inseparable way is to be accomplished. One solution that has been proposed is ethnographic interviews. Other studies have demonstrated that interviewing native cultural informants is beneficial for language students. This study examined whether such interviews are also beneficial to the native informants. The participants in this project, sixteen native speakers of Spanish, were each interviewed three times by a pair of Spanish students who employed ethnographic techniques as a …

17 Miracles, Directed By T. C. Christensen, Allan Davis

BYU Studies

The film 17 Miracles is a recent cinematic depiction of the faith and trials of the Martin and Willie handcart companies. Mormon culture's hallowed treatment of the trek has appeared in oral histories, pageant depictions, and trek reenactments, and writer and director T. C. Christensen's treatment of the subject material is an excellent addition to a robust tradition that remembers a significant moment in our cultural past. That said, the film is not without its flaws. Though the film evidences superb storytelling and adept skill in the narrative language of film, it sometimes meanders away from its own strengths in …

Haunting The Imagination: The Haunted House As A Figure Of Dark Space In American Culture, Amanda Bingham Solomon

Theses and Dissertations

In contemporary America the haunted house appears regularly as a figure in literature, film, and tourism. The increasing popularity of the haunted house is in direct correlation with the disintegration of the home as a refuge from the harsh elements of the world. The mass media populates society with dark images and subjects, portraying America as a dark place to live. Americans create fictional narratives of terror and violence as a means of coping with their own modern horrors. Their horrors are psychologically displaced within these narratives. The haunted house is therefore a manifestation of contemporary anxieties surrounding the dissolution …

The Death Of A Disco Dancer; A Sense Of Order And Other Stories; The Scholar Of Moab, Shelah M. Miner, David M. Clark, Jack Harrell, Steven L. Peck

BYU Studies

DAVID CLARK. The Death of a Disco Dancer. Provo, Utah: Zarahemla Books, 2011.

JACK HARRELL. A Sense of Order and Other Stories. Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2010.

STEVEN L. PECK. The Scholar of Moab. Torrey, Utah: Torrey House Press, 2011.

As an enthusiastic reader of literary fiction and as someone who is fascinated by Mormon culture, I am always on the lookout for works of literary fiction that contain Mormon themes or Mormon characters. While there are always plenty of new romances on the shelves at Deseret Book, and Mormon authors frequently find commercial and critical success writing science …

Designing A Russian Language Learning Course For Brigham Young University Independent Study, Jacob R. Burdis

Theses and Dissertations

In 2010, Brigham Young University Independent Study (BYU IS) sponsored a development project for the creation of a second-year high school Russian language learning course. The objectives of the course were to implement the five standards for foreign language learning as constituted by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities. The design project is an attempt to implement these principles in an independent distance learning course, with particular emphasis on encouraging meaningful communicative learning in authentic, real-world tasks and contexts. The product of the design is a course deliverable completely online through …

A Hybrid Artificial Intelligence Modelling Framework For The Simulation Of The Complete, Socio-Technical, Urban Water System, Sotiria Baki, Ifigeneia Koutiva, Christos Makropoulos

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

A (truly) integrated approach to the management of urban water should take into account, further to the characteristics of the technical system, a range of socio-economic processes and interactions – combined into what has been termed the “socio-technical system”. This is by no means an easy endeavour: conventional simulation tools often fail to capture socio-economic processes and their interactions with the technical urban water system. Variables depicting the socioeconomic environment are usually static and estimated from literature and/or expert opinion. To address this issue, new socio-technical modelling approaches are emerging aiming to explicitly account for the feedback loops between the …

A Translation And Cultural Adaptation Of The Japanese Version Of The Outcome Questionnaire 45 (Oq), Risa Takara

Theses and Dissertations

The need for psychotherapy outcome research is growing in Japan as the societal demands for psychotherapy have increased in recent years. Although researchers in Japan recognize the importance of integrating clinical practice and empirical research in evaluating psychotherapy outcome, most Japanese studies to date have relied heavily on qualitative case studies (Haebara, 1997; Kanazawa, 2004; Tanno, 2001). With the help of six translators and 116 native Japanese pilot respondents, this study adapted the Outcome Questionnaire (OQ; Lambert et al., 1996), one of the most common quantitative measures of clinical outcome, for use in Japan. The translation of the original OQ …

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Negative Communication And Spirituality On Relationship Quality Among Different Groups Of Latino And Anglo Couples, Sergio Benjamin Pereyra

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the direct relationship between actor/ partner effects of negative communication, spirituality and relationship quality and also examined negative communication when mediated by spirituality among four types of couples. The sample included 300 heterosexual Anglo couples (AC), 319 heterosexual female Anglo/ male Latino couples (FAML), 292 heterosexual female Latina/ male Anglo couples (FLMA), and 177 heterosexual Latino couples (LC) who completed a survey questionnaire known as the RELATionship Evaluation (RELATE). Variables from this questionnaire that were used in the study included measures of negative communication, spirituality, and relationship quality. Results from Structural Equation Modeling indicated that negative communication …

The Portrayal Of Older People In Marketing Materials For Senior Centers, Jason Robert Gillespie

Theses and Dissertations

This content analysis examined 128 senior center brochures and newsletters to determine how older people (those 65 years and older) were portrayed. Findings indicated that portrayals of older people in this medium that targets older people and their caretakers exclusively were overwhelmingly positive. Older people were portrayed favorably in terms of health status, personality descriptors related to level of happiness, interaction with others, mental state, as well as body image and overall evaluation. In several other categories such as energy level and activity level they were portrayed neutrally, and not a single category was dominated by negative portrayals. In fact, …

Full Issue, Comparative Civilizations Review

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

What Is The Difference Between Culture And Civilization?: Two Hundred Fifty Years Of Confusion, Thorsten Botz-Bornstein

Comparative Civilizations Review

The distinction between culture and civilization is not well embedded in the English language but has remained relatively meaningful in both other European and non-European languages. Edward B. Tylor designed in idea of civilization that covers both culture and civilizations. Similar attempts had been made in late 18th Century Germany. Though it is sometimes stated that Tylor's relativist concept of culture harks back to Herder, the latter's cultural relativism differs from Tylor's civilizational relativism. Tylor's holistic definition of civilization-culture has created an amount of confusion that can still be felt today. European totalitarianism is often called "civilization" because many people …

Visual Attention, Color Processing And Physiological Measure Differences In Males And Females With Substance Abuse And Opiate Addiction, Jo Ann Petrie

Theses and Dissertations

A biological marker of the addictive state would be a major breakthrough in objectively assessing the efficacy of treatment outcomes. Given its role in the mesolimbic system and drug reward, most biological marker studies for addiction focus on measures related to dopamine (DA). Dopamine is also implicated in some disorders of visual attention and plays a modulatory role in the processing of color in the retinal DA pathway. For example, visual processing in the retina has been shown to co-vary with DA levels during cocaine withdrawal. In this electroencephalographic (EEG) study, we studied event related potentials (ERPs) and reaction time …

Power By Possession: Cuban-American Types And Collecting In The Agüero Sisters, Ashley Noelle Walton

Theses and Dissertations

Although many other ethnic and cultural studies have moved beyond essentialist labels and categories, Cuban-American studies persists in categorizing the people belonging to the cultural group in terms of how much time they have spent in Cuba, thus creating a hierarchy of "authentic" Cuban-ness. Isabel Alvarez Borland gives a comprehensive overview of Cuban-American literary categories, and through her description we can see how these categories may lend themselves to stratification. These categories include: the first generation, the second generation, the one-and-a-halfer, and the ethnic writer. To say that one generation of Cuban exiles is more or less authentically Cuban discounts …

Constructivist Theory And Overcoming The Gender Gap In Education In Latin America, Kristen Staib

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

No abstract provided.