Digital Commons Network^™

Letter From The Editor: The Journal Of Conventional Weapons Destruction Celebrates 25 Years!, Steven Costner

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction is the leading publication in the fields of humanitarian mine action (HMA) and munitions destruction and security. Since 1997, experts in these fields have shared their critical thinking and innovative ideas on how to make their practical work safer and more efficient at the same time. For this 25th edition of The Journal, I invite you to join me in celebrating all the present and past authors who have shared their ideas, inventions, and perspectives to improve the lives of countless communities around the world.

Borderline Personality Disorder: A Review And Analysis Through The Lens Of The Unified Theory, Paulihna S. Cechak

Dissertations, 2020-current

Abstract

In the field of psychology, there are many different ways to understand or make sense of a phenomenon. Researchers, theorists, or practitioners can approach topics via many different paradigms or schools of thought that guide their general understanding, programs of research or approach to therapeutic practice. Although this diversity of analysis affords some strength in terms of allowing many perspectives, it also brings with it a serious problem of fragmentation. With the countless theories and paradigms, we lack a shared language and meta-theoretical framework that assimilates and integrates the various bodies of knowledge and perspectives into a coherent frame …

Exploring Perceptions And Needs Of Rural Teachers To Enhance School Psychologists' Advocacy And Support Of Gender And Sexual Minority Students, Emily Walsh

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Gender and Sexual Minority (GSM) students are at a disproportionate risk for victimization in schools. They are especially vulnerable in schools that lack protective policies, have limited access to resources, and exist within conservative and unaccepting communities. These schools may be more common in rural communities. The purpose of the present study was to explore rural teachers’ perceptions of school climate and their readiness and willingness to support GSM students. Recommendations are provided for school psychologists to be able to understand and address their own schools’ needs in providing a positive school climate for GSM students.

The Correlation Between Poverty, Water Quality, Community Health, And Education In Guatemala And Tanzania, Jessica R. Besnier

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

This paper explores the relationship between poverty, water quality, community health, and education in Tanzania and Guatemala. These metrics will allow for a thorough analysis of the relationships between the countries and will determine their impact on the other aspects in these two countries. While Guatemala and Tanzania are very different countries, they share many things in common such as inequalities among different groups, having many different groups of indigenous people, having most people living in rural areas, and are located on a coast. Also, they share similarities regarding poverty, water quality, community health, and education. By looking into these …

The Anglo-Saxons--Stoddard And Lovecraft: Ideas Of Anglo-Saxon Supremacy And The New England Counter-Revolution, Benjamin M. Welton

Madison Historical Review

This paper attempts to explain the New England Counter-Revolution through two very different men--H.P. Lovecraft (1890-1937) and T. Lothrop Stoddard (1883-1950). While one was a respected and popular scholar, and the other was a little-known pulp writer, both men combined New England regionalism, a belief in Anglo-Saxon superiority, the primacy of modern science, and a belief in racial/eugenic differences to create a unique political paradigm little recognized at the time but influential today.

Madison Historical Review: Volume 18 Full Issue

Madison Historical Review

Attached is the complete publication of the Madison Historical Review, Volume 18.

Addressing Climate Induced Displacement: An Analysis Of Protection Policies For Environmental Migrants, Meredith R. Lawing

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

One of the fastest growing populations of displaced people are those forced to migrate because of climate change, but under current international legal agreements they receive no protections or support. In response to the lack of security and stability provided to climate displaced populations and host countries, supplementary agreements have been proposed at the international level to address the gaps in existing policy. The purpose of this analysis is to identify policy agreements intended to support environmental migrants during times of displacement, evaluate the policies’ effectiveness, and determine what issues they address regarding climate induced displacement. All of the policies …

What Are The Predictors Of Cyber Power?, Carter Bowman

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

This thesis identifies the predictors needed to anticipate a rise in a state’s national cyber power. Historically, national power measurements provide solid starting points but are not sufficient to rely on when assessing modern cyber power. Because of various factors such as an increase in globalization and reliance upon intelligence, factors that were once of paramount importance are now obsolete, and factors that had not been considered are now extremely important. By identifying the factors that matter most in predicting a rise in cyber power, future researchers have the tools to create a sophisticated metric by which to rank anticipated …

Youth As Coalitional Possibility In The Youth Climate Movement: An Analysis Of The Climate Justice Rhetoric Of Hilda Nakabuye, Autumn Peltier, & Greta Thunberg, Kristopher Samuel

Masters Theses, 2020-current

In 2019, Greta Thunberg delivered her “How Dare You” speech that captivated the social and political world. Throughout her speech she tethered ideas of extinction, future generations, and coalitional movements. These topics encouraged the Political and Social world to contemplate the reality of climate crisis and generated support for the Youth Climate Movement. However, Thunberg garnered a lot of attention that ultimately overshadowed the worksof other youth activists, particularly BIPOC activists. I analyze the rhetoric of fellow climate activists Hilda Nakabuye and Autumn Peltier utilizing psychoanalytic terms and analysis. Nakabuye and Peltier advocate for climate justice through a lens of …

April 22, 2021, James Madison University

The Breeze, 2020-

The Breeze is the student newspaper of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

University Administrators Serving International Students During Social And Organizational Change, Luda Patokina

#LEADCC: Leading Change Conference

Attracting full fee paying international students to higher education institutions in the United States has become a central issue for university administrators in the era of globalization. With current decreases in international student enrollments, it is more important to understand how to strengthen international student support services to both increase international students’ retention and satisfaction with their educational experience abroad and to recruit new international students from a dwindling pool. This study investigated how university administrators served international students at a private, nonprofit, four-year university in the Northeast United States. Using a single case study methodology, the researcher examined how …

Diversity And Inclusion Toolbox: Action Items For The Nonprofit Sector, Donovan Branche Phd, Karen Ford Dsw

#LEADCC: Leading Change Conference

There is a critical lack of diversity in leadership, particularly African-American women, across all sectors. Given that the nonprofit sector is an integral part of the social system, it makes sense to have leaders that reflect the social fabric of the United States. Diversifying the nonprofit work is an important goal, not only given underrepresentation but also because of looming population shifts. This paper builds on previous mixed methods research by the authors by adding concrete implications and action points to increase diversity and inclusion.

Quasi-School Leaders: The Lived Experiences Of High School Counseling Directors And Their Role In Schools, Andrea Evans

#LEADCC: Leading Change Conference

The aim of this study is to explore the lived experiences of high school counseling director’s and how their principal and district school counseling supervisor shape their experiences as leaders. The role of high school counseling director’s is increasingly complex, unique, and oftentimes misunderstood. They are often viewed as leaders and change agents in student’s overall success due to their unique skill levels in advocacy and collaboration (Kaffenberger, Murphy, & Bemak, 2006; McMahon, Mason, Daluga-Guenther, & Ruiz, 2014; Young, Millard, & Kneale, 2013). However, principal’s and district school counseling supervisors are key players in defining the role and responsibilities of …

The Spread Of International Borders As A Prelude To The Spread Of International Borders During Covid-19, David E. Toohey

International Journal of Peace Studies

This article analyzes how Covid-19 has impacted borders and xenophobia. In particular, it looks at how four countries with generally right-wing politics, but not necessarily right-wing viewpoints, have used xenophobia to deal with Covid-19: The United States, Japan, Brazil, and Australia. This paper chronicles the expected rise in blaming other countries for the spread of Covid-19 with unexpected consequences. Rather than solidifying national borders and constituencies in the face of an international threat through xenophobia, right-wing countries have instead created a successful border creation process with little room to expand. The options seem to be a fragmentation of these countries …

Research To Consider While Effectively Re-Designing Child Welfare Services, Richard P. Barth, Jill Duerr Berrick, Antonio R. Garcia, Brett Drake, Melissa Jonson-Reid, John Gyourko, Johanna K. P. Greeson

Department of Social Work - Faculty Scholarship

An intense appetite for reforming and transforming child welfare services in the United States is yielding many new initiatives. Vulnerable children and families who become involved with child welfare clearly deserve higher quality and more effective services. New policies, programs, and practices should be built on sound evidence. Reforms based on misunderstandings about what the current data show may ultimately harm families. This review highlights 10 commonly held misconceptions which we assert are inconsistent with the best available contemporary evidence. Implications for better alignment of evidence and reform are discussed.

Exploring The Effect Of Cultural Sensitivity In Public Relations Campaigns, Amanda N. Christian

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

This study examines the importance of perceived cultural sensitivity on consumer attitudes and intent to support. Participants were randomly assigned to campaign messaging with a perceived high level of cultural sensitivity or a perceived low level of cultural sensitivity. Findings reveal that higher perceived levels of culturally sensitive messages generate more positive attitudes and increase the willingness of consumers to demonstrate supportive communication and intent to purchase. Other hypotheses comparing the response between two groups—self-identifying Hispanic and non-Hispanic respondents— aimed to distinguish the role origin plays in determining how important cultural sensitivity is to the perception of the organization. These …

Predicting Attrition Of New Student Affairs Professionals Through Perceptions Of Work-Related Quality Of Life, Synergistic Supervision, And Executive Servant Leadership, Wendy Lushbaugh

Dissertations, 2020-current

Abstract

New professional attrition in Student Affairs has been established as a concern for the field (Bender, 1980; Lorden, 1998; Renn & Hodges, 2007; Marshall, Gardner, Hughes, & Lowery, 2016). The debilitating impacts on university finances, productivity, organizational stability, team disruption, and innovation as a result of this problem creates urgency for the field to understand its predictors. The current study reviewed the impact of new professionals’ work-related quality of life, their perception of the use of synergistic supervision by their direct supervisors, and their perception of the use of executive servant leadership by divisional leaders as potential predictors of …

My Own Distinguished People: An Analysis Of Carpatho-Rusyn Autonomy Movements, Alexandra S. Benc

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

What factors must a stateless nation possess in order to gain political autonomy? This question is explored through the perspective of Carpatho-Rusyns, an East Slavic stateless nation with a largely unknown, yet rich and distinct, history and culture. Throughout modern history, the Rusyns have made three significant attempts to gain political autonomy and become a semi-independent entity. I argue that stateless nations that possess high levels of the elements of political opportunity structure, cultural maintenance, and economic functioning are more likely to succeed in their efforts to gain political autonomy than those stateless nations who do not. Each of these …

The Connections Of Music, Culture, And Language: A Qualitative Case Study Of The Musical Experience Of A Newcomer Program, Jessica Strawderman

Masters Theses, 2020-current

In this qualitative case study, I investigated the philosophy and process of an elementary newcomer program and explored the perceived benefits for newcomer students of the musical experience, aiding in transition from full-time English as a second language (ESL) services in self-contained class to a general education setting. The studied school division serves a high population of students who are English Language Learners (ELLs), representing a multitude of languages and cultures. The division places students of immigrant families who have no social or educational experience speaking English in the newcomer program. In order to gain a deep understanding of the …

The Mine Free Sarajevo Project, Marija Trlin, Elise Becker, Nataša Uršič

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Mine Free Sarajevo is a US-funded project aiming to clear more than six million square meters of mine-suspected and mine-contaminated land in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and surrounding municipalities. The project utilizes land release methodology, a cost-effective and safe way to release large areas by combining technical and non-technical survey methods. Upon completion of the project, the Sarajevo region will finally become mine-free and safe for the local population. This will enable social and economic growth and the development of many infrastructure projects that have been on hold for years.

December 10, 2020, James Madison University

The Breeze, 2020-

The Breeze is the student newspaper of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

From International Borders To The Honeycombing Of Internal Borders: Response To Covid-19 Pandemic, David E. Toohey

International Journal of Peace Studies

This article looks at borders during the Covid-19 crisis. In particular, it looks at how internal borders have arisen following xenophobic and national responses to Covid-19. This rise of internal borders is referred to as the honeycombing of borders. This article takes a genealogical approach to understand how borders have arisen—despite not always favorable opinions about them. Therefore, this looks at Rancière’s (1999; 2004) concept of the “police order” in the imposition of the sensible through Foucault’s genealogical approach, both to show the temporary, haphazard nature of these borders and how they revert to less desirable things. This is situated …

Volume 7, 2020

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

No abstract provided.

A One Health Approach To Marine Health, Juli Seth, Emma Fralin

Virginia Journal of Public Health

Background: Climate change, plastics, and overfishing are major threats to marine health. The scientific and public health communities will be front and center in dealing with these threats. A One Health approach, where the integration of various disciplines together promote the protection and preservation of people, animals, and the environment, represents a sound model to address marine health problems.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to show how a One Health approach can be applied to marine health in order to protect and preserve marine ecosystems. A literature review was conducted on Google Scholar using the keywords “climate change”, …

Virginia Journal Of Public Health Fall 2020 Full Issue

Virginia Journal of Public Health

No abstract provided.

Using Age-Adjusted And Crude Rates For Assessing Covid-19 Cases, Priyadarshini Pattath Phd, Mph, Rexford Anson-Dwamena Mph

Virginia Journal of Public Health

Purpose: To assess the difference in crude rates and age-adjusted rates in COVID-19 cases.

Methods: COVID-19 cases in Virginia were obtained from the publicly available dataset as of June 21, 2020. Crude rates of COVID -19 cases were calculated and estimates for the total population of Virginia were age-adjusted to the U.S. Census 2000 population using the direct method.

Results: There was a wide difference between the crude rate and the age-adjusted rate in the different age-groups. The crude rate was highest for the over 80 age group, 1063.93 per 100,000 population. However, the age-adjusted rate was highest in the …

Review Of New Technologies And Methodologies For Eore In Challenging Contexts, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

This review examines promising new technologies and methodologies used for the delivery and monitoring of risk education interventions in response to three key challenges: risk education for improvised explosive devices, in urban complex environments, and in areas with limited to no accessibility. It highlights examples, good practices and emerging solutions in facing these challenges, both from within and outside the EORE sector, and builds on recent initiatives developed to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. The publication was made possible thanks to the financial support of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Government of Switzerland.

Using The Alliant Intercultural Competency Scale To Develop Behavioral Scenarios For Assessing Sociocultural Awareness, Catherine R. Fisher

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

The current study used and developed situational scenarios based on the questions in the Alliant Intercultural Competency Scale (AICS) as a step toward developing a direct measure of James Madison University (JMU) psychology’s sociocultural awareness course requirement. Participants were first semester psychology students, who have yet to take the sociocultural course requirement, and seniors, who have fulfilled the requirement. The participants responded to the behavioral scenarios survey as well as an ethnocultural empathy survey, and other self-report measures of sociocultural awareness. I compared underclassmen and seniors’ responses in order to assess the feasibility of this type of behavioral measure. Results …

Singing In The Beginning Band Classroom, Sarah J. Moyer

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The purpose of this action research study is to explore the impact vocal activities have on fourth and fifth grade beginning band students and how their perspective might change throughout instruction. The participants' experience with vocal activities in the beginning instrumental classroom will shape their perspective. The following research questions guide this study:

1. In what ways do vocal activities in the beginning instrumental classroom influence student knowledge of repertoire?
2. In what way do vocal activities boost student confidence in the beginning instrumental classroom?
3. What aspects of vocal activities encourage or discourage students from participating in the beginning instrumental classroom?

Data …

Automated Uas Aeromagnetic Surveys To Detect Mbrl Unexploded Ordnance, Alex Nikulin, Ph.D., Timothy Desmet, Ph.D., Andrii Puliaiev, Vasyl Zhurakhov, Sofia Fasullo, Gabriel Chen, Isaac Spiegel, Kaylee Cappuccio

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Unguided Multiple Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) systems are limited-accuracy, high-impact artillery systems meant to deliver barrages of explosive warheads across a wide area of attack. High rates of failure of MBRL rockets on impact and their wide area of ballistic dispersion result in a long-term unexploded ordnance (UXO) concern across large areas where these systems have been deployed. We field tested a newly-developed UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle)-based aeromagnetic platform to remotely detect and identify unexploded 122 mm rockets of the widely-used BM-21 MBRL. We developed an algorithm that allows near real-time analysis, mapping, and interpretations of magnetic datasets in the …