Digital Commons Network^™

Storm Damage In Town

Miscellaneous Postcards and Photographs

A group of men in uniforms and hats stand among storm or tornado damage in a town. A group of wooden chairs are lined up in the street holin blankets and other textiles. The photograph is mounted on a light colored matte.

Family Photo At A Farm Stand

Miscellaneous Postcards and Photographs

A colorized photograph of people standing with a small harvest in front of a farm stand. The men are all wearing hats and the women are wearing dresses. Boxes of red fruit or vegitables are in front of the people and some of the men are holding boxes of the red fruit. A small, open structure is behind the people in the center. The photograph is mounted on a black matte.

James Ford Family In Front Of A House

Todd A. Herring Archival Collection

A family of seven, three young girls, a young boy and a baby with their parents, are pictured standing in front of a wood house with a long front porch. The older children are standing outside the wire fence while the parents and the baby are behind the fence, slightly closer to the house. A dog or pig is vaguely seen nosing the ground behind the fence to the left of the parents. Trees are seen behind and to the sides of the house.

James Ford Family At Swing Set

Todd A. Herring Archival Collection

A family wearing nineteenth century clothing are pictured standing at the side of a white house beside a swing set where a young child is swinging. A man pictured standing beside a horse the front of the house facing the family. Trees are on every side of the house and a black iron fence runs along the front yard of the house at the street. The family is identified by the donor as being the John Ford Family.

Soldier History, Samuel T. Lloyd

Todd A. Herring Archival Collection

This series of print outs from the internet contain a brief soldier history of Samuel T. Lloyd, a Lt. Colonel for Company E of the Pennsylvania 121st Infantry from 1862 to 1864. The documents also contain the Wikipedia entry for the 121's Pennsylvania Volunteers Gettysburg Campaign.

Agent-Based Model Details For Quantifying Error In Drone-Based Animal Surveys: Animal Density, Distribution And Flight Patterns, Emma A. Schultz, Natasha Ellison-Neary, Landon R. Jones, Kristine O. Evans, Raymond B. Iglay

Research Data

The following dataset pertains to Python scripts of an agent-based model simulating various drone survey design and quantifying potential count bias of stationary animals in fixed landscapes as part of an accepted manuscript in Ecosphere. Simulated animals were distributed among five animal densities (n = 4, 9, 25, 49, 100 animals/survey area) and three distribution patterns (random, uniform, aggregated). Eight drone flight patterns surveyed a 4.16-km² landscape within constraints of real-world battery and line-of-sight limitations. The simplified landscape also provided 100% animal classification (i.e., all animals within image frame observed and identified).

Pre- And Post-Coppice Production And Biomass Chemistry Of Eastern Cottonwood And Hybrid Poplars In The Southeastern Us, Heidi Renninger

Research Data

Sustainably grown feedstocks for bioenergy and bioproducts are important tools to fight climate change, provide ecosystem services, and sequester carbon. Populus species including hybrid poplars have been utilized around the world, and in the southeastern US native eastern cottonwood (P. deltoides) is often favored due to its resistance to stem cankers. However, P. deltoides has historically been grown in single stem production and its relative performance in short rotation coppice production, prevalent in Europe, is not well documented. Therefore, this study’s goals were to evaluate eastern cottonwood and hybrid poplar productivity under a two-year establishment and two-year coppice …

Linking Local Ecological Knowledge And Management Perspectives On Oyster Predation In Mississippi And Alabama, Cynthia Lupton, Eric Sparks, Mark Woodrey, James M. Drymon, Nigel Temple, Steven Scyphers

Research Data

Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) provide critical ecosystem services, yet populations along the northern Gulf Coast are declining due to environmental stressors, such as water quality issues and predation. To evaluate how threats to oysters are perceived across stakeholder groups, we surveyed oyster Farmers and Resource professionals in Mississippi and Alabama about predator impacts, seasonal patterns, and mitigation strategies. Survey responses (n = 21) were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Fisher’s Exact tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, and t-tests. Farmers and Resource professionals identified multiple predators as important sources of mortality, but their relative rankings differed across groups. Resource professionals consistently viewed southern …

Building School, Family, And Community Partnerships That Support Rural Diverse And Exceptional Learners, Jerrie L. Brooks, Brooke A. Moore, Megan S. Finnerty

The Rural Educator

Research demonstrates that school, family, and community partnerships are mutually beneficial, holding the potential to foster positive educational, emotional, and behavioral benefits for all students, especially diverse and exceptional students. Our qualitative study examined survey responses from 109 administrators, general and special educators, and parents in rural schools across western Kansas. We identified common barriers and successes to building parent partnerships related to communication, access, and attitudes about working with diverse and exceptional families. One major finding was the importance of “place”—rural communities are often close-knit and connected across generations. We propose a model that can be used by rural …

Rural Schools Of Choice: Virtual Charter Schools, Karen Eppley

The Rural Educator

No abstract provided.

“Oh! It’S Fine, We’Re Not Even Counting This Anyways”: Remote Educational Experiences Of Rural Families With A Child With A Disability During The Early Covid-19 Pandemic, Andrew M. Colombo-Dougovito, A. Josephine Blagrave, Aubrey Newland

The Rural Educator

Disparities in rural areas regarding technology, internet access, and higher teacher turnover were amplified as a plurality of schools across the US moved to remote instruction in early 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While rural communities often show a greater resiliency and resourcefulness in the face of tragedy than their (typically) more affluent suburban or urban neighbors, regardless of location, the needs of children receiving educational accommodations are often not met effectively or are ignored altogether. To understand if those educational needs were met for rural families early in the COVID-19 pandemic, an exploratory descriptive qualitative approach …

Challenges To Equity Leadership: Rural Leadership For Marginalized Students, Alex N. Oldham

The Rural Educator

This study examines the challenges and importance of equity-oriented leadership in rural schools. Equity, as opposed to equality, involves providing all students with the resources and support they need to succeed. Research indicates that equity-oriented leadership is crucial for creating positive school climates and improving student outcomes. However, implementing equity-oriented leadership in rural schools can be particularly challenging due to contextual factors and potential resistance from communities with differing values. The study explores the challenges and benefits of equity-oriented leadership in rural schools. While some principals express a desire to lead equitably and implement various initiatives to promote positive outcomes …

Impacts Of Literacy Programming During The Covid-19 And Recovery School Years, Julie Meredith

The Rural Educator

While numerous articles and research reports have focused on understanding the impact of COVID-19 recovery interventions on students in urban and rural schools, fewer have addressed the impact of school closures and efforts to recover lost learning time on children in rural schools. Children in rural areas faced challenges similar to their peers in urban and suburban areas, but infrastructure challenges in many rural places, such as lack of broadband, required tailored approaches guided by educators’ knowledge and connection to their communities. This article examines the impact of Save the Children’s school-age literacy program, supported by 21st Century Community Learning …

From Classroom To Field: Rural Teachers’ Integration Of Science And The Outdoors, Steph N. Dean, Julianne A. Wenner

The Rural Educator

This study explored how rural educators in the US use outdoor environments to enhance science instruction, addressing the educational marginalization of rural students. Using rural cultural wealth as a theoretical framework, we investigated how rural teachers integrate local nature-based resources and students’ out-of-school experiences into science learning. We conducted interviews and observations with rural teachers, using reflexive thematic analysis as our qualitative approach. Three key themes emerged that highlight the ways our participants use the outdoor environment to teach science: (a) harness rural community partnerships, (b) engage students through relational teaching, and (c) design learning opportunities that honor students as …

Empowering Rural Voices Through Deliberative Mini-Publics, Elizabeth B. Hinchcliff

The Rural Educator

This conceptual paper explores the tension between valuing and listening to community voices, while also providing a space wherein rural advocates and community members can come together to address difficult issues prevalent within rural schooling, through deliberative mini-publics. A multiplicity of reasons supports deliberative mini-publics, but I explore three in particular, the first being that they provide a space wherein an intentionally diverse set of community voices and perspectives can be shared, listened to, and explored. Second, the goal of any democratically deliberative space is to explore multiple perspectives as part of the process to seek solutions that contribute to …

Complexities And Intersectionalities Of Rurality In Our Current Moment: Conversations Offered Through The 2025 Whippoorwill Book Award, Michael J. Young, Erika L. Bass, Erin Schulz, Monica Roe, Jacqueline Yahn

The Rural Educator

The 2025 Whippoorwill Award-winning book and eight honor books offer conversations for navigating the intersectional complexities of rural life in important ways. In this moment when division, marginalization, and erasure continue to impact our national (and global) story, we committed ourselves to selecting books that provide narratives offering a nuanced examination of the complex ways our identities and experiences intersect with rurality. This conversation recognizes that the winner and honor books offer opportunities for celebrating our stories, our struggles, and our unwavering commitment to living our rural lives with authenticity, love, and joy.

Lakota Powwow Singers At The Drum, Robert J. Damm

Publications

No abstract provided.

Kernel Density Estimate (Kde) Surfaces Of Wintering Tidal Marsh Birds Along The Mississippi Gulf Coast, Carlos Ramirez-Reyes, Kristine O. Evans, Mark S. Woodrey, Rachel V. Anderson, Jared Feura, Landon R. Jones, Raymond B. Iglay

Research Data

This dataset accompanies the article Spatial patterns of habitat use of wintering tidal marsh birds along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and includes kernel density estimate (KDE) raster layers describing spatial patterns of bird abundance and community richness derived from winter bird surveys. The study examined landscape features associated with the occurrence and spatial distribution of eight tidal marsh bird species during the non-breeding season along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Using field observations collected along fixed transects, the analysis evaluated differences between occupied and unoccupied transects, associations between bird occurrence and landscape-level predictors at ecologically relevant spatial scales, and species co-occurrence …

Global Insight 2026, Masey Smith, Chance Carden, Hayley Pounds

Books

Global Insight 2026 is the annual publication of the International Institute at Mississippi State University, documenting the university’s global engagement across education, research, service, and institutional partnerships. This issue highlights Mississippi State University’s international impact through faculty‑led study abroad programs, international research and development initiatives, global fellowships, and comprehensive international student support services. Featured content includes narrative case studies of student and faculty experiences abroad, data‑driven insights into study abroad participation and international enrollment trends, and in‑depth examinations of international research collaborations spanning Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. The magazine also showcases the work of the English Language Institute …

Toilet Paper Olympics, Liza Bondurant

Publications

Toilet Paper Olympics includes three engaging embodied learning events designed to deepen conceptual understanding.

Ethical Engagement In Heirs' Property Work: A Guide To Inform Dialogue And Practice, John J. Green, Grace Johnsen, Portia Johnson, Karama Neal, Sarah Stein, Ryan Thomson, Kara Woods

Heirs' Property

No abstract provided.

In Pursuit Of Effective Research Collaborations: Explorations With 1890 And 1862 Land-Grant Universities, John J. Green, Grace Langford

Collaborations that Work

This report provides findings from a study focused on research collaborations between 1862 and 1890 Land-Grant Universities. Methods included a survey of research administrators and interviews conducted with researchers. Insights from the study are interpreted through extant literature and organized by the categories of interpersonal interactions, organizational cultures, and institutional structures and processes. The report concludes with recommendations made by regional leaders based on these findings.

How Mindfulness Training Influences Attention: A Systematic Review, Ingrid E. O'Brien, Kent W. Barrett, Berna Altunisik Ms

Endeavors: Mississippi State Undergraduate Research Journal

The aim of this literature review is to understand the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation on training attention control skills. Relevant resources were identified through academic databases by entering keywords such as “attention” and “mindfulness training”. Preference was given to recent publications to ensure the inclusion of up-to-date research findings. Three main factors that influence training efficacy emerged from the literature: Reducing mind wandering, increasing acceptance, and lifting mood and affect. Review of empirical findings suggested that mindfulness does contribute to enhancing attentional abilities, although findings are somewhat inconsistent. Mind wandering and acceptance were important moderators in this effect, while no …

Data From: Complete Mitochondrial Genomes Of The Spring Pygmy Sunfish (Elassoma Alabamae), Kayla M. Fast, David Lee Pounders, Mayah P. Peterson, Michael W. Sandel

Research Data

The Spring Pygmy Sunfish, Elassoma alabamae (Mayden, 1993), is a small species of sunfish (Centrarchiformes) endemic to tributaries to the middle Tennessee River in north Alabama. Elassoma alabamae is the most geographically restricted member of Elassoma and the only species found above the fall line. This species was twice considered extinct and was listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as threatened in 2013. To date, surveys for this species have been limited to traditional invasive methods using dipnets and seines. In order to reduce impacts on sensitive populations, we sequenced the mitochondrial genome with the intent of developing a …

From Aid To Looting: Justice And Sovereignty Issues In The Ukraine–U.S. Mineral Deal, Petra Gümplova

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

This essay identifies three central moral and political issues with the the Ukraine–U.S. Mineral Deal. First, by linking financial and military assistance to access to Ukraine’s natural resources, the deal entrenches a form of resource conditionality that is highly problematic from the moral standpoint of international justice and other ethical principles. Second, the absence of a commitment to a just peace—including the restoration of territorial integrity, reparations, and security guarantees—renders the conditions for secure, long-term investment in Ukraine’s extractive economy a distant prospect, while raising the risk that a substantial portion of Ukraine’s resource wealth unlawfully seized by Russia will …

For Neurodivergent Marxism: Between Materialist Analysis And Escape From The Empire Of Normality And Capitalism, Arianna Introna Dr

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

Robert Chapman’s Empire of Normality: Neurodiversity and Capitalism (2023) possesses extraordinary import for the emancipatory thinking and praxis of neurodivergent folk, but also of those of us who identify as disabled, chronically ill, crip, mad or even neurotypical. This is not only because Chapman’s work offers a fundamental contribution to debates initiated by recent Marxist engagements with the relationship between capitalism and health. It is also thanks to the intense theoretical innovation, historical analysis and inclusive politics that the book radiates. By dissecting the harms wrought by the Empire of Normality, Chapman’s Neurodivergent Marxism is an updated type of Marxism …

Response To Panos Tsoukalis, James K. Galbraith

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

No abstract provided.

Review Of James K. Galbraith And Jing Chen, Entropy Economics: The Living Basis Of Value And Production (The University Of Chicago Press, 2025), Panos Tsoukalis

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

No abstract provided.

Neofeudalism: The Messy Political Economy Of Transitioning To Something Worse, Jodi Dean

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

No abstract provided.

Neofeudalism And Its Historical Unraveling. A Review Of Jodi Dean’S Capital’S Grave: Neofeudalism And The New Class Struggle (Verso Books, 2025), Jiang Lan

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

American Marxism political scholar Jodi Dean’s concept stands out from the numerous neofeudalism intellectual currents. In her early work, she proposed the concept of “communicative capitalism” as a more advanced form relative to traditional capitalism. However, in the development of her thought during the early 21st century, she demonstrated a trajectory from political critique to the critique of communicative political economy. Having become aware of the issue raised by McKenzie Wark in Capital is Dead concerning capitalism’s descent into an even more dire historical phase, Dean too perceives contemporary capitalism as potentially entering a state of decline, transitioning into a …