Digital Commons Network^™

Slovakian Migration In The Aftermath Of The Velvet Revolution: A Qualitative Study Exploring Gender Relations Through Migration To The United States, Taylor A. Kanuk

Theses and Dissertations

Two million Eastern European immigrants have come to the U.S. in the latter part of the twentieth century, yet there is little research exploring their experiences. Slovakian immigrants represent one group whose presence in the U.S. has not been studied. This thesis investigates how Slovakian immigrants navigate their immigration experience in the aftermath of what is known as the Velvet Divorce, focusing on economic-driven and family-driven migration and transnationalism. Using a qualitative approach, data were collected through ten semi-structured interviews with Slovakian immigrants within the greater Chicago area. The informants in this study recalled their reasons for leaving Slovakia, which …

A New Theater For Age-Old Social Patterns: An Exploratory Study Of Interpersonal Dynamics And The Overlay Of Gender Within Ai Companionship, Miriam Wolff

Theses and Dissertations

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) companions fundamentally shifts the landscape of interpersonal communication, introducing artificial entities as relational partners rather than mere facilitators of human-to-human interaction. This exploratory study examines the interplay of machine gendering, self-disclosure, perceived partner responsiveness (PPR), and interpersonal satisfaction within human-AI interactions. Participants engaged in conversations with gendered AI companions through the program Replika, completed structured surveys, and participated in qualitative interviews. Findings indicate that users' willingness to self-disclose was influenced by their perceptions of AI responsiveness, while gendered characteristics of AI significantly shaped user expectations and communication patterns. Specifically, users often attributed distinct personality …

More Than Players, More Than Coaches: Institutional Agents And Youth Development In Urban And Suburban Minority-Majority Neighborhoods, Rainah N. Folk

Theses and Dissertations

Institutional agents play a crucial role in shaping youth development. While the institutional agent framework is well established in postsecondary research, less is known about its role during mid-adolescence. Using relational ethnography and responsive interviewing, this study compares an urban and a suburban high school in minority-majority neighborhoods in Cook County, Illinois, to explore how development is influenced through relationships between sport coaches and high school athletes. Athletes in both contexts face significant challenges tied to neighborhood conditions and socioeconomic status. In response, coaches form deeply caring and supportive relationships, though their roles diverge in ways shaped by their urban …

The Elemental Analysis Of Groundstone Celts From Noble-Wieting Using The Pxrf: A Provenance Study, Julian A. Marvel

Theses and Dissertations

Groundstone axes, or celts, were prehistoric stone tools used for chopping, cutting, or woodworking. Made from hard stone like basalt or granite, it was shaped by grinding and polishing rather than flaking, giving it a smooth, durable surface. Celts typically have a tapered edge and were often hafted onto wooden handles or used by hand. They were common in Neolithic cultures around the world and served both practical and sometimes ceremonial purposes. In this thesis, I analyze celts from Noble-Wieting (11ML24), a 14th-century Langford tradition village in McLean County, Illinois.

Specifically, my research addresses the following questions about these groundstone …

Rebranding Ink: Language, Identity, And The Rise Of Tatū In Contemporary Japan, Elise M. Ulrich

Theses and Dissertations

In modern Japan, the shift from the traditional term irezumi (入れ墨) to the English loanword tatū (タトゥー) reflects more than just language change—it reveals deeper cultural and social transformations. Loanwords, or borrowed words from other languages, often enter a language through cultural contact, adapting to fit local linguistic and social norms. As the Linguistic Society of America notes, “Most languages have been influenced at one time or another by contact” (Winford, n.d., p. 1). Since World War II, English has become a major source of loanwords in Japanese, shaping everything from everyday conversation to aesthetic trends.

This thesis explores why …

Attitudes And Perceptions Toward The Qassimi Dialect, Fahad M. Alwehaibi

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores attitudes and perceptions surrounding the Qassimi dialect within Saudi Arabia. It addresses two primary questions: What are the attitudes of Qassimi speakers toward their own dialect? and What are the perceptions of non-Qassimi Saudi citizens regarding the Qassimi dialect in terms of stereotypes and its speakers? To investigate these questions, the research employed two population-specific surveys—one for Qassimi speakers and another for non-Qassimi participants—alongside semi-structured interviews with selected Qassimi individuals to gain deeper qualitative insights. The findings reveal that Qassimi speakers generally express strong pride and a positive emotional connection to their dialect, viewing it as a …

The Path From Acceptance To Adoption For Linguistic Innovations Dealing With Gender In The Language Classroom, Juan Carlos Acevedo Fontecha

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the factors influencing the acceptance, rejection, or adoption of gender inclusive and gender-non-identifying forms among language users. The study draws on responses from 25 students in a linguistic class to evaluate innovations in English and from 23 instructors of Spanish to evaluate innovations in Spanish. Participants took part in a survey designed to evaluate existing forms endorsed by the United Nations, and gender-non-identifying forms, such as the -e morpheme in Spanish or singular they in English, promoted by community-generated guides. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed side by side to better understand the participants’ reasoning regarding these …

Experienscape And The Interior Environment: A Case Study At A Bar With Entertainment, Paige J. Hendrickson

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to understand what aspects of the interior environment at a bar with bowling affect customers’ willingness to return and word-of-mouth sharing. The dimensions of the experiencescape model were used to guide the research, focusing on sensory, functional, social, and hospitality culture. A mixed qualitative methods approach was used, combining observations, focus group interviews, and moment maps to investigate customer comfort, satisfaction, excitement, memorability, and the difference in one’s perception of their experience based on ethnicity. It was found that the unique atmosphere, price, staff, and diversity were the main reasons customers returned or shared …

Perceptions And Treatment Decisions For A Drug Offender Based On Social Class, Cocaine Type, Personal Characteristics, And Compassionate Love: A Vignette Study, Yasmin A. Odeh

Theses and Dissertations

Problem: The shift from a focus on rehabilitation to the more punitive, “tough on crime” approach to illegal behavior in the U.S. has been enacted in no small way by policies connected to the use and abuse of drugs. The disparities between crack and powder cocaine—two chemically similar substances—have headlined this shift (Vagins and McCurdy 2006). However, research is scarce on laypeople’s approval of deterrence approaches for drug offenses, including as a function of types (e.g., powder vs. cocaine possession). This study examined people’s perceptions of prosecutorial decisions for drug offenders—whether they are punished, rehabilitated, or both—and whether people perceived …

From Columbia To Usc, Palestine Will Be Free: Capturing The Palestinian Student Narrative, Deena Ata

Theses and Dissertations

In 2024, student groups across colleges organized encampments demanding their institutions cut financial and academic ties with Israel and the Israeli military, a call rooted in resistance to the ongoing occupation and violence against Palestinians. These student-led actions were met with harsh retaliation from university administrations and state authorities, including graduation deferments, suspensions, censorship, and arrests. Clear attempts to silence dissent and suppress Palestinian solidarity. This study centers the voices of Palestinian college students by examining their lived experiences and counter-narratives in the face of backlash, anti-Palestinian rhetoric, and institutionalized acts of disenfranchisement. Their stories reveal how repression of pro-Palestine …

Savior To Ally: Exploring White Students' Decisions To Major In Social Work Through The Lens Of White Saviorism, Amy S. Dennison

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored how white students chose social work as a major and how white savior ideology reinforced or challenged students’ choices. The study contributes to a gap in the literature regarding white saviorism and social work education. Using a phenomenological approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews from five undergraduate social work students at one Midwestern state university. Transcripts were analyzed thematically using Moustakas’ data analysis for phenomenology framework. The findings revealed that participants chose social work because of an intent to help others, as well as a desire for their work to have a meaningful impact. White …

Cultural Identity In Mental Health Services And Helpseeking Behaviours Among African International Students, Mark Ofosu Asirifi

Theses and Dissertations

Acculturation stress impacts international students’ psychological well-being and academic success, yet research on African students remains limited. For African international students, this stress is intensified by cultural stigma surrounding mental health services, deterring help-seeking due to fears of judgment and ostracization. This identity negotiation complicates their willingness to access support, reinforcing cultural barriers to mental health care. This study explores how cultural identity shapes the mental health perceptions and help-seeking behaviors of African international students in the United States. Grounded in the Communication Theory of Identity (CTI) and the Health Belief Model (HBM), the research examines how acculturative stress, stigma, …

Marks Of Heritage: Chicana Tattoo Artists Navigating Gender, Culture, And Artistic Expression In "Men's Work", Ryleigh Hickman

Theses and Dissertations

Art, and tattoos especially, have been fundamental in creating and articulating an identity for Chicanos within the United States. Yet, for much of the history of Chicano style tattoos, Chicana/xs were not free to engage with them in the same way that Chicanos were. In many regards, their entrance into these spaces was restricted (Santos 2009). However, recently with the growing interest in tattoo art and career opportunities, the industry has expanded significantly, creating more opportunities for a broader range of individuals. This research aims to explore how young Chicana/x and Latina tattoo artists now accessing these spaces navigate and …

Listening To The Body: Attunement And Advocacy In Women's Experiences Of Endometriosis, Rebekah E. Greenslaugh

Theses and Dissertations

Endometriosis is a chronic, inflammatory condition in which tissue similar to the endometrial lining grows outside the uterus, leading to severe pain, fatigue, and other debilitating symptoms. Despite its significant impact on daily life, many women with endometriosis report that their symptoms are dismissed in medical encounters, as their pain is minimized or normalized as an inherent aspect of womanhood. This medical dismissal, combined with a lack of definitive diagnostic tools and effective treatments, leads many to turn to online support communities to make sense of their symptoms, share experiences, and develop ways to cope with the condition. Drawing on …

The Continued Insignificance Of Genocide In Criminological Inquiry, Grace Allbaugh, Susan Woollen, Jacqueline L. Schneider, Joanne Savage

Faculty Publications - Criminal Justice Sciences

This study aimed to explore publications appearing in criminology journals that studied the crime-type of genocide. The study of crime encompasses a wide range of topics. Largely, it is confined to traditional forms of crime like assault, murder, rape, robbery, burglary, and theft that take place at the local level. Criminologists have been studying international crimes, such as human trafficking, terrorism, piracy on the high seas, and wildlife trafficking amongst other crimes that span geo-political boundaries. What remains somewhat a mystery is the sparse research by criminologists worldwide on the crime of genocide. Our research explored the presence of studies …

Black Adolecent Girls' Perceptions Of Dress Code Violations, Pat A. Carpenter

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the experiences of Black adolescent girls at Wellington Middle School (pseudonym) regarding dress code policies and the disciplinary actions associated with their attire. Through the analysis of disciplinary data, qualitative interviews, and a review of relevant literature, the research aimed to uncover potential racial biases within dress code policies and their enforcement. Preliminary insights indicated that such measures may contribute to broader patterns of racial discrimination and inequity in the education system, impacting the academic and social development of these students. The study goals were to emphasize the need for policy reforms and advocate for the development …

Today And Yesterday, Vol. 49, 2025, Illinois State University, Department Of History

Today and Yesterday

Newsletter of the Illinois State University Department of History

Discussing Race And Racism With Young Children: A Qualitative Longitudinal Investigation, Chang Su-Russell, Luke T. Russell, Adena B. Meyers, Christina Michaels

Faculty Publications - Family and Consumer Sciences

Racial socialization, a process in which parents communicate beliefs and values about children’s race and cultural backgrounds to help children prepare for their current and future social interactions, has lasting effects on child development. Understanding the extent to which children understand race in the context of racialized violence, and the extent to which parents are willing to engage their children in such conversations, is critical for professionals who work with and support families through these challenging contexts. Existing evidence suggests parents in racially minoritized groups often put more conscious efforts into racial socialization than their White parent peers. Although recent …

Research And Graduate Studies Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2025, Office Of Research And Graduate Studies, Illinois State University

Research and Graduate Studies Annual Report

No abstract provided.

The Body Is On, Kitty F. Davies

Theses and Dissertations

THE BODY IS ON is a visual art exhibition that considers queer embodiment, pervert as political identity, the arriving climate catastrophe, and difficulty in artmaking. I make use of various concepts from Deleuze and Guattari to interconnect my own with the primary goal to ask: what does futurity look like or mean in these climates (in both a literal, warming sense and an increasingly fascistic, political one), and how do we actualize that future?

Perceived Ostracism And Fathers’ Experiences Of Grief And Trauma After Miscarriage, Eric D. Wesselmann, Jordan A. Arellanes, Leandra Parris

Faculty Publications – Psychology

Miscarriage can be a traumatic experience with serious mental health implications for parents. However, fathers’ experiences and outcomes post-miscarriage are understudied compared to those of mothers. Previous research focused on mothers’ experiences found that perceived ostracism correlated with grief intensity and posttraumatic stress symptoms, predicting unique variance in symptoms beyond grief intensity factors. We replicate several of these research findings in a sample of fathers and demonstrate that their perceived ostracism correlated positively with posttraumatic stress symptoms and negatively with grief reality (i.e. the pregnancy did not feel real to them). Perceived ostracism also explained additional variance in posttraumatic stress …

Autism Is Black Too! Intersectional Experiences With Service Provision For Black Autistic Individuals And Their Families, Brea M. Banks, Tyra Jackson, Randi Goodwin, Raven Moore

Faculty Publications – Psychology

We aimed to address a gap in the literature surrounding the experiences of Black autistic individuals and their families, specific to their engagement in the diagnostic process and service provision broadly. Our study was theoretically oriented in critical theories, as we aimed to push back against the dominant narrative about autism. We used qualitative methods and conducted interviews with Black autistic people (n = 2) and parents of Black autistic people (n = 9) to learn about their experiences. We employed an inductive approach to interpretation of data and used MAXQDA to engage in analysis. Results demonstrated that …

Community Immersion For Homegrown Teachers: Learning “There Are Never Just Negatives…”, Elizabeth A. Skinner, Apryl Riley

Faculty Publications - College of Education

The authors describe an initiative between an urban public school district, a city college, and a college of education to establish a pipeline of teachers of color from and for the school district. The qualitative research occurred during the teacher candidates’ participation in a community immersion program. Centering the teacher candidates’ experiences and reactions to the community immersion highlights their identity, commitment to teaching, and the importance of exposing homegrown teachers to communities beyond their own. The authors discuss community-based curriculum in the preparation of teachers and consider how the experiences of teacher candidates of color impact program implementation.

The Statewide Standard, 2025, Illinois State University

The Statewide Standard

Annual newsletter of the Illinois State University College of Education

Illinois State University, One Hundred And Sixty-Fifth Annual Commencement, December 2024, Illinois State University

Commencement Programs

Illinois State University

One Hundred and Sixty-Fifth Annual Commencement

December 2024

Senate Meeting, November 6, 2024, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Sinclair Lewis Society Newsletter, Vol 33, No. 1, The Sinclair Lewis Society

Sinclair Lewis Society Newsletter

"Sinclair Lewis Conference to be Held in Sauk Centre in July 2025"

"Sinclair Lewis and the American Mind," by Greg Davis

"What Were They Reading Then?: Pioneer Realism: A Lantern in Her Hand by Bess Streeter Aldrich" by Ted G. Fleener

"All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days: An American Literature Scholar in Germany During World War II"

"Sinclair Lewis: Chess's Red Master," by Shaun F. Richards

"Breaking into Print"

"What Were They Reading Then?: How to Get to the Top of the Heap: What Makes Sammy Run? by Budd Schulberg" by Sally E. Parry

"Mantrap: The Move"

Signs & Symbols, Fall 2024, Illinois State University, Department Of Sociology And Anthropology

Signs & Symbols

Newsletter of the Illinois State University Department of Sociology and Anthropology. An email newsletter version of this document is available at https://news.illinoisstate.edu/newsletters/signs-symbols-fall-24-2/.

Redbird Impact, Vol. 7, No. 2 (Fall 2024), Center For Civic Engagement

Redbird Impact

No abstract provided.

Redbird Scholar, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Fall 2024), Illinois State University, Office Of The Vice President For Research And Graduate Studies

Redbird Scholar

No abstract provided.