Digital Commons Network^™

The Development Of Christianity In Contemporary China, Chu Yi Lu

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to study the development of Christianity in contemporary China. It adds to the limited literature that explores how Christianity has developed as the fastest growing religion in China post the Chinese Cultural Revolution. The data derive from semi-structured and focus group interviews with Chinese Christians and field observation notes collected at both official and non-official Christian churches in Beijing. I found an ambivalent attitude toward the development of Christianity across different social levels in China. At the state level, the Chinese government expects Christianity to provide a much-needed stabilizing influence in an increasingly self-centered …

The Influence Of University-Related International Experience, Volunteer Service,And Service-Learning On Moral Growth , Parry F. Garff

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis empirically tests whether university-related volunteer service, international experience, and service-learning have a positive moral impact on students and whether the peer reference group moderates this relationship. I use a measure of morality based on the recent work on values by Shalom Schwartz. A novel approach to measuring the social psychological phenomenon of the peer reference group is used in which the relative strength of the peer reference group is measured. The peer reference group was included in hypothesized models as a moderator between volunteer service, international experience, service-learning, and moral growth. Cross-sectional survey data of 633 engineering students …

The Effects Of Worksite Health Promotion Programs On Employee Biometric Data, Jamie M. Pratt

Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Worksite health promotion programs (WHPP) promote maintenance and changes of health-related behaviors of employees. Some companies opt to contract with a third party provider to implement a WHPP. PURPOSE: This study evaluated the participation rates, availability and use of health coaching, and changes in biometric data over a 2-year time period of employees in 13 companies for whom the WHPP was implemented by Wellness Corporate Solutions (WCS). METHODS: We had 2 years of biometric, health risk appraisal (HRA), or health coaching data on 4,473 employees. The statistical analysis included biometric screening data (percent body fat, body mass index (BMI), …

The Importance Of Place In An Era Of Placelessness? Distance's Influence On Community Satisfaction And Attachment, Matthew L. Mcknight

Theses and Dissertations

The powerful influence of global consumerism and its strong effect on rural communities has led to calls for the “death of distance” and for the placelessness of community. However, skepticism remains that all unique elements of communities of place have been erased from rural life. Using data from Montana (N=3,508), this research investigates how distance, size, and other spatially-bound factors influence sentiments of community satisfaction and attachment in communities of place. Findings suggest that distance can decrease community satisfaction in highly rural communities and increase attachment in rural communities along the urban fringe. Perceived satisfaction with community services was a …

Attachment, Vagal Tone, And Co-Regulation During Infancy, Jessica Chloe Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the development of attachment as it relates to co-regulation and vagal tone over the second half of the first year of life. Links to infants' attachment and developmental status were also examined. Symmetrical and unilateral co-regulated patterns of interactions at 6 months demonstrated significant linkages with attachment. Developmental status did not show direct linkages with attachment. Direct links between vagal tone and attachment were also not identified. Correlations between co-regulation and vagal tone at the 6 month time point were identified. Findings suggest an important role of co-regulation as it relates to attachment development. Future studies may …

The Children Of Lehi And The Jews Of Sepharad, Shon D. Hopkins, D. Chad Richardson

BYU Studies

The Book of Mormon strongly asserts a gathering, not only of Lehi's scattered seed but also of the "Jews." Both Lehi (quoting Joseph of Egypt) and the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel prophesied of a running together of the children of Joseph and the children of Judah. This paper proposes one way in which this prophesied unification of Joseph and Judah into "one nation" may have been in part fulfilled, namely in a joining of the Jews of Sepharad (Sephardic Jews) with the children of Lehi. This occurred when the Sephardic Jews (coming primarily from Spain and Portugal) intermarried with the …

The Mormons: An Illustrated History Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, Roy A. Prete, Herman Du Toit

BYU Studies

Many predicted that the printed book would be doomed by developments in digital media. Far from it. This sumptuously illustrated "coffee table" hardcover publication by Merrell, an independent British publisher, testifies to the value of the printed book. The materiality of the medium emphasizes the synthesis of the complex visual and textual content of this publication--stressing the fact that this is a book and not a digital file after all. Stephen Hales Creative Inc., a design company in Provo, Utah, was responsible for the appealing visual design and layout of the book. The hard cover and dust jacket are both …

The Italian Press And The Church: Italian Newspaper Coverage Of Lds-Related News And The Media Strategies Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In Italy 2010-2012, Giulia Vibilio Matthews

Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between media and religion has been influenced by many factors in history. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has received a great deal of media attention throughout the world in the past five years. In Italy, the Church National Council of Public Relations worked to provide the media with the necessary information to report accurate news about the Church. This thesis collected the information provided to the Italian media by the Church National Council and analyzed the main topic and the level of accuracy reported by the Italian media on Church-related news. The results show that …

Mormonism In Europe: A Bibliographic Essay, J. Michael Hunter

Faculty Publications

“Mormonism in Europe: A Bibliographic Essay,” surveys studies useful to serious students and researchers interested in Mormonism in Europe. It focuses on scholarly books, articles, theses, and dissertations published prior to 2010 about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in Europe. Out of necessity it is selective. Works of a more popular nature are included only when they contain information valuable to researchers not found in other publications. The studies listed herein are generally categorized by region and country and fall in a somewhat chronological order by topic within those geographic regions.

Book Review: Early History Of The Southwest Through The Eyes Of German-Speaking Jesuit Missionaries, Charles R. Gallagher, S.J.

Swiss American Historical Society Review

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

Civilization And Self-Determination: Interpreting R.G. Collingwood For The Twenty-First Century - Part I, Gautam Ghosh

Comparative Civilizations Review

This article – the first of two – elaborates and endorses the understanding of civilization as advanced by R. G. Collingwood. Particular attention is given to two of his most neglected works, The New Leviathan and "What 'Civilization' Means." The New Leviathan in particular was written in the context of the rise of fascism and the prosecution of World War II. To support the war effort, Collingwood reconceptualized notions of civilization and linked it to a rationality of self-determination. Central to his argument are the distinctions he draws between civilization and barbarism, on the one hand, and between social, economic …

Associations Between Family And Interpersonal Processes And Emerging Adult Marital Paradigms: Does Adult Attachment Mediate?, Todd M. Jensen, Brian J. Willoughby, Thomas B. Holman, Dean M. Busby, Kevin Shafer

Faculty Publications

Current research on predictors of marital attitudes highlights the importance of family and interpersonal processes, yet fails to identify which factors are more important and whether there are mediators that help to conceptually simplify the process by which such attitudes are influenced. We examine the influence of family-of-origin quality and past romantic relationships on three specific marital paradigms, as well as the mediating role adult attachment may play in these associations. We used a sample of 1,210 single heterosexual males (23 %) and females (77 %), age 18–30 years, who took the READY assessment. Results indicated that family-of-origin quality, attachment …

New Appointments, Journal Of East Asian Libraries

Journal of East Asian Libraries

No abstract provided.

Rowena Xiaoqing He. Tiananmen Exiles: Voices Of The Struggle For Democracy In China (Palgrave Studies In Oral History), 2014., Zehao Zhou

Journal of East Asian Libraries

No abstract provided.

From Brinton To Goldstone: A Scientific Civilizational Perspective On The Theory Of Revolution, Vlad Alalykin-Izvekov, Stephen Satkiewicz

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

Sing C. Chew. World Ecological Degradation: Accumulation, Urbanization, And Deforestation 3000 B.C. - A.D. 2000, Tereza Coni Aguiar

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

Paul S. Kinderstedt. Cheese And Culture: A History Of Cheese And Its Place In Western Civilization, Laina Farhat-Holzman

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

Islamic Capitalism: The Muslim Approach To Economic Activities In Indonesia, Hisanori Kato

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

Memories Of An Editor, Laina Farhat-Holzman

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

Essay: The Great Literary Utopias Have A Nightmarish History, Laina Farhat-Holzman

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

The Book Of Jonah: Foreshadowings Of Jesus As The Christ, David R. Scott

BYU Studies

The book of Jonah is a remarkable story perhaps best known for the stubbornness of a prophet, the great fish that swallows and then regurgitates Jonah, the conversion of the whole city of Nineveh, and the rapid growth and death of a gourd. But this small book has a much deeper, more powerful message that has been obscured through the ages: that the Messiah would live and die to make salvation available to all humankind.

In images from Jonah's storm-tossed sea experiences to those in his prophetic prayer of affliction while in the Lord's great fish (belly of hell), the …

Criterion: A Journal For Literary Criticism (2014), Criterion: A Journal For Literary Criticism

Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism

No abstract provided.

Archiving Art: The Value Of Nostalgia In Hemingway's A Moveable Feast, Jared Michael Pence

Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism

No abstract provided.

North Versus South: The Effects Of Foreign Direct Investment And Historical Legacies On Poverty Reduction In Post-Đổi Mới Vietnam, Scott R. Sanders

Faculty Publications

This research examines the factors that account for variance in provincial poverty reduction rates between 2002 and 2008 in Vietnam. In particular, this paper uses spatial regression modeling to show that foreign direct investment (FDI) and the capitalist legacies of southern Vietnam significantly affected provincial poverty reduction during this time period. These findings suggest that although Vietnam as a whole has benefited from post-Đổi Mới economic reform and FDI, the historical capitalist legacies of the former Republic of Vietnam played a strong role in aiding provinces in the south in attracting FDI and subsequently reducing provincial poverty.

Examining Academic Performance Of Polynesian Student-Athletes Using The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Sierra Terina Keung

Theses and Dissertations

This study used Ajzen's (1991) Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to explore Polynesian student-athletes' motivation to improve academic performance (AP), while participating in Division I (D1) college football. Specifically, this study examined how attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control influence motivation to achieve a higher GPA. Furthermore, ethnic identity, family obligation and cultural values were examined as potential contributors to subjective norms. The sample consisted of 70 Polynesian football student-athletes at 10 U.S. D1 universities. A modified TPB questionnaire was used to assess the TPB variables (attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) as contributors to Polynesian football student-athletes …

What Matters Most? The Everyday Priorities Of Teachers Of English Language Learners, Johanna Boone

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers work within a context of competing stories, including pressures regarding English language learners (ELLs), a deficit view of teachers, and high-stakes testing and accountability, all of which impact teachers' emotions. Within this context, teachers prioritize what is most important to them. This self-study using narrative inquiry methods lays the author's stories of teaching alongside those of two other teachers of ELLs. The author conducted a series of interviews with the participants, analyzed the interviews for themes and tensions, negotiated meaning with participants, and created interim texts to represent the participants' priorities in teaching ELLs. Three teachers' priorities, as indicated …

Roles And Relationships In Learning And Teaching: A Case Study Of The Development And Worldwide Implementation Of A New Religious Curriculum, Melissa Noel Hawkley

Theses and Dissertations

This in-depth case study examines perceptions of teacher and learner roles and relationships that were the basis for common understanding in the creation and implementation of the new youth curriculum, Come, Follow Me: Learning Resources for Youth, for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The assumptions and beliefs of teachers and learners directly influence each other in their perception of their roles and thus, directly influence the type of teaching and learning they engage in. The curriculum was intentionally designed to help members of the Church teach and learn for conversion. Teachers who understand both their role and …

"No Goin' Back": Modernity And The Film Western, Julie Anne Kohler

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is inspired by an ending—that of a cowboy hero riding away, back turned, into the setting sun. That image, possibly the most evocative and most repeated in the Western, signifies both continuing adventure and ever westward motion as well as a restless lack of final resolution. This thesis examines the ambiguous endings and the conditions leading up to them in two film Westerns of the 1950s, George Steven's Shane (1953) and John Ford's The Searchers (1956). Fascinatingly, the tension and uncertainty conveyed throughout these films is also characteristic of life in modernity, a connection which has previously gone …

Reducing The Prison Population Final Report Of Mentoring Grant, Stephen J. Bahr

Journal of Undergraduate Research

1. Evaluation of how well the academic objectives of the proposal were met

The purpose of this research was to evaluate a pre-trial services program designed to help first-time offenders adjust and reduce the risk of their re-arrest. The overall goal was to assess whether it would be cost effective and help reduce the jail population. A secondary purpose was to provide students with practical research experience working in the criminal justice system and conducting evaluation research.