Digital Commons Network^™

Realities Of Religio-Legalism: Religious Courts And Women's Rights In Canada, The United Kingdom, And The United States, Anissa Helie, Marie Ashe

Publications and Research

Religio-legalism – the enforcement of religious law by specifically-religious courts that are tolerated or endorsed by civil government – has long operated against women’s interests in liberty and equality. In the 21st century, religious tribunals – Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim – operate throughout the world. Almost all are male-dominated, patriarchal, and sex-discriminatory. Harms to women produced by Muslim or sharia courts have come into focus in recent years, but present realities of religio-legalism operating through Christian and Jewish – as well as Muslim – religious courts in Western nations have been under-examined.

This essay by Ashe and Helie documents …

The Appeal Of Narrative In Research, Colette Daiute

Publications and Research

"I saw the bird flattened on the ground outside my door . One of the kindergarten child walked toward me slowly, crying. That's when I knew it was time to act."

The very brief narrative above occurs amid myriad spheres of social relations. These relations are not all apparent, but understanding narrative meaning requires understanding narrating as an interactive process. As researchers we enhance our Methods if we know how to read narratives as complex social processes. This openi11g narrative expresses a sequence of two past events.1 The narrative involves action ("walked," "act") and consciousness ("saw," "crying," "knew"). From the …

Nancy Huston's Danse Noire, Elizabeth Klosty Beaujour

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

The Adaptation Of Native Language Construal Patterns In Second Language Acquisition, Loraine Obler, Eve Higby

Publications and Research

First language attrition occurs when a bilingual’s native language shows evidence of language change due to the predominant use of a second language. Recent research in first language attrition has shown that lexical retrieval and word choice are more vulnerable to reduced native language use than are grammatical constructions. However, some research has shown that grammar can also be affected, especially for constructions which exist in both languages but have different distributions in their usage. Taking concepts from cognitive linguistics, we attempt to describe how this research may provide insight into how language construal from the second language can affect …

Effect Of Age, Education, And Bilingualism On Confrontation Naming In Older Illiterate And Low-Educated Populations, Sameer Ashaie, Loraine Obler

Publications and Research

We investigated the effects of age as well as the linked factors of education and bilingualism on confrontation naming in rural Kashmir by creating a culturally appropriate naming test with pictures of 60 objects.We recruited 48 cognitively normal participants whose ages ranged from 18 to 28 and from 60 to 85. Participants in our study were illiterate monolinguals (� = 18) and educated Kashmiri-Urdu bilinguals (� = 30). Hierarchical multiple regression revealed that younger adults performed better than older adults (� < 0.01) and the age effect was quadratic (age²). It also showed Age X Education and Age X L2 Speaking interactions predicted naming performance.The Age X …

Lo Político Del Lenguaje Y Los Límites De La Política Lingüística Panhispánica, José Del Valle

Publications and Research

This article introduces glottopolitical studies (political approaches to language) and discusses the meaning of the political within this field. It analyzes consensus-based language policies as deployed by Spain´s language academy and instances in which antagonistic relations surrounding language manifest themselves.

El Lugar De Las Lenguas En Las Lenguas Modernas: Hacia Una Nueva Cartografía De La Lingüística Hispánica En Eeuu, José Del Valle

Publications and Research

This article analyzes the status of linguistic studies in departments of modern languages in the USA and argues for the promotion of sociological approaches to language at the expense of formal approaches to language.

The Politics Of Spanish In The World, José Del Valle

Publications and Research

This article offers an overview of the spread of Spanish as a global language focusing on the policies and institutions that have worked, particularly in the last couple of decades, on its promotion. The actions of institutions as well as corporate and cultural agencies involved in this sort of language policy are to be understood as part of a wider movement of internationalization of financial activities and political influence.

The Politics Of Normativity And Globalization: Which Spanish In The Classroom?, José Del Valle

Publications and Research

This articles explores linguistic ideologies in teaching Spanish in the United States. It focuses on debates surrounding questions of normativity and correctness in the Spanish language classroom and curriculum design.

Review: Digital Humanities Pedagogy: Practices, Principles, And Politics, Stephen Brier

Publications and Research

Review of Digital Humanities Pedagogy: Practices, Principles, and Politics, edited by Brett D. Hirsch, multiple authored collection of articles on the theory as well as the practices and principles of the digital humanities and how DH can and has begun to reshape pedagogy in college teaching and learning.

Buenos Aires, Fernando Degiovanni, Fernando Rosenberg

Publications and Research

One of the most important city ports of the Western Hemisphere, Buenos Aires has a history inextricably connected to the fluctuations of the Atlantic economy as well as to its strategic position as a gateway to vast and fertile flatlands that extend far beyond the city limits. Founded and re-founded in the 16th century as a secondary colonial outpost, Buenos Aires was dramatically transformed by the demands of the European markets at the turn of both the 18th and 19th centuries. In this context, two crucial developments are decisive for understanding the physical, social, and cultural fabric of the city: …

"He Got In My Face So I Shot Him": How Defendants' Language Impairments Impair Attorney-Client Relationships, Michele Levigne, Gregory Van Rybroek

City University of New York Law Review

No abstract provided.

Natural Disasters, Access To Justice, And Legal Services, Jordan Ballard, Julia Howard-Gibbon, Branda Muñoz Furnish, Aaron Scheinwald

City University of New York Law Review

No abstract provided.

College Senate Minutes December 12, 2013, Bronx Community College Senate

BCC Governance Archives

Minutes for the meeting of the College Senate on December 12, 2013.

Lexical Retrieval In Discourse: An Early Indicator Of Alzheimer’S Dementia, Seija Pekkala, Debra Wiener, Jayandra Himali, Alexa Beiser, Loraine Obler, Yulin Liu, Ann Mckee, Sanford Seshadri, Philip Wolf, Rhonda Au

Publications and Research

We examined the progression of lexical-retrieval deficits in individuals with neuropathologically determined Alzheimer’s disease (AD; n=23) and a comparison group without criteria for AD (n=24) to determine whether linguistic changes were a significant marker of the disease. Our participants underwent multiple administrations of a neuropsychological battery, with initial administration occurring on average 16 years prior to death. The battery included the Boston Naming Test (BNT), a letter fluency task (FAS) and written description of the Cookie Theft Picture (CTP). Repeated measures analysis revealed that the AD-group showed progressively greater decline in FAS and CTP lexical performance than the comparison group. …

Out Of Information Poverty: Library Services For Urban Marginalized Immigrants, Lan Shen

Urban Library Journal

This paper provides an analytical overview of the literature on information poverty and the strategies of reducing such poverty for urban marginalized groups from cultural and structural perspectives. Focusing on the urban immigrants in the United States, this paper discusses their informational needs with respect to literacy skills, technology support, cultural awareness, and information resources. In addition, the paper evaluates the library services demonstrated by the selected urban libraries that supply diversified education programs and civic engagement activities in an attempt to establish a more equitable and harmonious community.

Digital Inclusion, Learning, And Access At The Public Library, Melissa Morrone, Shanelle Witt

Urban Library Journal

New York City is not an easy place to live. Brooklynites who are just learning about the Internet in 2013—20 years after the development of the World Wide Web—likely have more challenges than simply needing someone to show them how to open up the computer's browser. Brooklyn Public Library has been engaged in a digital inclusion project that brings together issues of ability, access, and learning styles. By giving our patrons skills and confidence to navigate technology both online and off, we are laying the groundwork for them to have a voice in the city.

Knowledge Studies, Jay Bernstein

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Queer Pedagogical Desire: A Study Guide, Matt Brim

Publications and Research

This essay explores the queer pedagogical desires that attended my writing of the Study Guide for the documentary film United in Anger: A History of ACT UP (Jim Hubbard, 2012). The analysis takes up Robyn Wiegman’s central question in Object Lessons, “What is it we expect our relationship to our objects of study to do?”, which is of particular importance to the discipline of queer studies insofar as the field is oriented around the desire to meld social justice with critical pedagogy. The queer professor’s desire in the case of the Study Guide-as-object was to create a text that …

Synesthesia: A Colorful Word With A Touching Sound?, Myrto I. Mylopoulos, Tony Ro

Publications and Research

Synesthesia is a fairly common condition in which individuals experience atypical responses (such as color experiences) in association with certain types of stimuli (such as non-colored letters). Although synesthesia has been described for centuries, only very recently has there been an explosive growth of systematic scientific examinations of this condition. In this article, we review and critically evaluate current methods for both assessing synesthesia and examining its psychological basis, including the “test-retest” procedure, online battery assessments, and behavioral experiments. We highlight the limitations of these methods for understanding the nature of this complex condition and propose potential solutions to address …

Students' Immersion Experiences In Study Abroad, Federica Goldoni

Publications and Research

Data show that a larger number of students than ever are participating in learning experiences abroad. However, such programs are not always as immersive and intensive as participants, faculty, program directors, and administrators would wish. This study examines the ways in which students created sustained opportunities to interact with members of the host community as well as episodes of cultural clash, miscommunication, and misunderstanding experienced at the intersection of two cultures that led to diminishing willingness to interact with members of the host community. The article concludes with recommendations for pre-departure experiences that are designed to help students become more …

Latinos In New York City: K-12 Public Schools, 1990-2009, Haiwen Chu

Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies

Introduction: This study examines demographic and socioeconomic factors of racial/ethnic groups in New York City between 1990 and 2009 – particularly Latino educational attainment in public school.

Methods: Data on Latinos and other racial/ethnic groups were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, reorganized for public use by the Minnesota Population Center, University of Minnesota, IPUMSusa. Cases in the dataset were weighted and analyzed to produce population estimates.

Results: Several trends emerge about the school-aged population overall in terms of absolute numbers and relative proportions. The school-aged Latino and non-Hispanic Black populations increased greatly between 1990 and 2000, …

The Mexican-Origin Population In Metropolitan Statistical Areas Across The United States, 1990-2010, Haiwen Chu

Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies

Introduction: This study examines demographic and socioeconomic factors of racial/ethnic groups in the United States between 1990 and 20010 – particularly the Mexican origin population.

Methods: Data on Latinos and other racial/ethnic groups were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, reorganized for public use by the Minnesota Population Center, University of Minnesota, IPUMSusa. Cases in the dataset were weighted and analyzed to produce population estimates.

Results: This section focuses on the growth of the Mexican population in different Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). The top three MSAs in terms of total Mexican population in 2010 were Los Angeles, …

Functional Connectivity In The First Year Of Life In Infants At-Risk For Autism: A Preliminary Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study, Brandon Keehn, Jennifer B. Wagner, Helen Tager-Flusberg, Charles A. Nelson

Publications and Research

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been called a “developmental disconnection syndrome,” however the majority of the research examining connectivity in ASD has been conducted exclusively with older children and adults. Yet, prior ASD research suggests that perturbations in neurodevelopmental trajectories begin as early as the first year of life. Prospective longitudinal studies of infants at risk for ASD may provide a window into the emergence of these aberrant patterns of connectivity. The current study employed functional connectivity near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in order to examine the development of intra- and inter-hemispheric functional connectivity in high- and low-risk infants across the …

Amanda Knox And Bella Figura, Denise Scannell Guida

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

‘A River Is Not A Woman’: Re-Visioning Finnegans Wake In Eavan Boland’S ‘Anna Liffey.’, Melissa Dinsman

Publications and Research

"This essay argues that Eavan Boland's 1994 poem “Anna Liffey” is, in part, a re-visioning of James Joyce's famous river-woman and mother, ALP. Although Joyce's deconstructive tendencies provide an added challenge for any author looking to engage with Finnegans Wake, Boland manages to reclaim ALP, both channelling and challenging Joyce's portrayal of the Liffey as “Anna Livia Plurabelle.”--From the Journal.

Work, Work, And More Work: Whose Economic Rights?, Stanley Aronowitz, Shirley Lang, Ruthann Robson

City University of New York Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Intellectual And Curricular Spaces Of Knowledge Studies, Jay H. Bernstein

Publications and Research

The words “knowledge” and “information” are sometimes used interchangeably, but the connection between them is complex and problematic. Knowledge is a mental product gained from engaging with information. All educational subjects, scholarly disciplines, occupations, and activities produce knowledge as well as information. Because libraries encompass potentially all subjects, professional vision in librarianship would benefit from an examination of knowledge that transcends the methods and topical concerns of individual disciplines. An interdisciplinary (or transdisciplinary) framework in which to view knowledge was pioneered in the post-Sputnik age by Fritz Machlup and Michael Polanyi. Their insights have stimulated scholars to develop research, publications, …

Activity Determinants Of Helical Antimicrobial Peptides: A Large-Scale Computational Study, Yi He, Themis Lazaridis

Publications and Research

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), produced by a wide range of organisms, have attracted attention due to their potential use as novel antibiotics. The majority of these peptides are cationic and are thought to function by permeabilizing the bacterial membrane, either by making pores or by dissolving it (‘carpet’ model). A key hypothesis in the literature is that antimicrobial and hemolytic activity correlate with binding affinity to anionic and zwitterionic membranes, respectively. Here we test this hypothesis by using binding free energy data collected from the literature and theoretical binding energies calculated from implicit membrane models for 53 helical AMPs. We indeed …

The Era Of Open-Ended Dual Life, Hirosuke Hyodo

Publications and Research

Although missing in mainstream studies of American immigration in the post-1965 Act era, the volume of native Japanese living in the U.S. today (called the shin-issei) is three times that of the prewar Japanese-American community on the U.S. mainland. Their curious absence from the mainstream studies results from the traditionally entrenched frame, ‘immigrants’, that does not unfit their migrant patterns. This paper explores the shin-issei, portraying their characters in three parts: (1) akogare (‘longing or desire’) for the West grown in Japan in the late nineteenth century, (2) a statistical sketch of the shin-issei over the last several decades, and …