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Portland State Magazine, Portland State University. Office Of University Communications

Portland State Magazine

PSU’s alumni magazine, published 2-3 times a year. In this issue: Wim Wiewel takes the helm at Portland State University; faculty research is going from ideas to something the public can use; Dark Horse Comics’ full collection is on the shelves in the PSU Library; and more.

Language Endangerment In West Africa: Its Victims And Causes, George Tucker Childs

Applied Linguistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper catalogues the forces at work threatening the Atlantic languages of Guinea and Sierra Leone. Compared to Mande, the other major language group in the area, and to figures for Africa in general (Sommer 1992), the Atlantic Group is beset by ominous forces. These include what could be considered ecological features (e.g., Mufwene 2001): the Mande Expansion (Niane 1989), colonialism, the spread of Islam, and globalization. There are other forces to be sure, such as the influence of Christian missions (Welmers 1971; cf. Mühlhäusler 1990), urbanization (a sub-category, perhaps, of globalization), and climatic changes (Brooks 1993, Fairhead and Leach …

Epistemological Pluralism: Reorganizing Interdisciplinary Research, Thaddeus R. Miller, Timothy D. Baird, Caitlin M. Littlefield, Gary Kofinas, F. Stuart Chapin Iii, Charles L. Redman

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite progress in interdisciplinary research, difficulties remain. In this paper, we argue that scholars, educators, and practitioners need to critically rethink the ways in which interdisciplinary research and training are conducted. We present epistemological pluralism as an approach for conducting innovative, collaborative research and study. Epistemological pluralism recognizes that, in any given research context, there may be several valuable ways of knowing, and that accommodating this plurality can lead to more successful integrated study. This approach is particularly useful in the study and management of social–ecological systems. Through resilience theory's adaptive cycle, we demonstrate how a focus on epistemological pluralism …

Structural Bone Density Of Pacific Cod (Gadus Macrocephalus) And Halibut (Hippoglossus Stenolepis): Taphonomic And Archaeological Implications, Ross E. Smith

Dissertations and Theses

Describing prehistoric human subsistence strategies and mobility patterns using archaeofaunal assemblages requires archaeologists to differentiate the effects of human behavior from natural taphonomic processes. Previous studies demonstrate that differences in bone density both within and between taxa contribute to variation in element representation in archaeofaunal assemblages. Measurements of contemporary Pacific Cod (Gadus macrocephalus) and Pacific Halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) skeletal elements using Dual Energy Absorptiometry (DEXA) and hydrostatic weighing revealed differences in bone volume density between elements and taxa.

Density values were highest in Pacific cod and halibut jaw elements; the lowest bone volume densities were measured in Pacific cod and …

Coming To Know (In) This Place Called Home: Teaching And Learning Sustainability At Portland Community College, Karen Elizabeth Wolfgang

Leadership for Sustainability Education Comprehensive Papers

A personal and professional chronicle of the ways in which indigenous education models can be applied to education for sustainability, especially among "New Portlanders."

Utilization Of Revoicing Based On Learners‘ Thinking In An Inquiry-Oriented Differential Equations Class, Oh Kwon Nam, Mi Kyung Ju, Chris Rasmussen, Karen A. Marrongelle, Jae Hee Park, Kyoung Hee Cho, Jung Sook Park, Jee Hyun Park

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Researchers of mathematics education are increasingly interested in a teacher's discursive moves, which refer to deliberate actions taken by a teacher to participate in or influence debate and discussion in the mathematics classroom. This study explored one teacher's discursive moves in an undergraduate inquiry-oriented mathematics class. The data for this study come from four class sessions in which students investigated initial value problems as represented by the phase portrait of a system of differential equations. Through the analysis and a review of the literature, we identified four categories of a teacher's discursive moves: revoicing, questioning/requesting, telling, and managing. This report …

Web 2.0, Synthetic Immersive Environments, And Mobile Resources For Language Education, Julie M. Sykes, Ana Oskoz, Steven L. Thorne

World Languages and Literatures Faculty Publications and Presentations

In light of the increasingly blurred line between mediated and nonmediated contexts for social, professional, and educational purposes, attention to the presence and use of innovative digital media is critical to the consideration of the future of computer-assisted language learning (CALL). This article reviews current trends in the use of mediated communication and offers a vision for near-future second and foreign language (L2) learning that utilizes emerging media as (a) meaningful contexts for L2 language development and (b) a means for adding real world relevance to in-class uses of internet-mediated communication tools. In this article, we first explore a sampling …

A Comparative Linguistic Application Of The D.O. And The I.O. In Both Spanish And Albanian (Aplicación Lingüística-Comparativa Del Cd Y Ci Del Español Y Del Albanés), Eva NúÑEz-MéNdez, Fationa Aliaj

World Languages and Literatures Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this research is to compare descriptively the issues arising from comparing the direct and indirect objects in both Albanian and Spanish. Both languages belong to different Indoeuropean groups, however they keep some morphosyntactical similarities in some of the functions of these two cases. In Albanian, five cases are used to indicate relations between words. In Spanish, the morphological difference of cases (inherited from Latin) has only been kept in the third person of the indirect and direct object pronouns. We present here paralellisms and linguistic applications of these two cases: dative (indirect object) and accusative (direct object) …

Faculty Senate Monthly Packet November 2007, Portland State University Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Monthly Packets

The November 2007 Monthly packet includes the November agenda and appendices and the Faculty Senate minutes and attachments from the meeting held October 2007

Islamophobia And The U.S. Media, Michelle Maria Nichole Diamond

Dissertations and Theses

The following paper examines the growing fear and discrimination currently projected towards Islam and Muslims in the United States. This thesis will specifically focus on what role the U.S. mainstream media has played in either increasing or decreasing Islamophobia amongst the American public post September 11, 2001. The research collected to conduct this study came from theories of political science, conflict resolution, international affairs, psychology, sociology, and personal interviews. I conclude that Islamophobia has increased in the United States since the attacks of September 11, 2001 and that Islamophobia, due to the mainstream media, is more pervasive in the U.S. …

The Car Park, Dave Colangelo

School of Film Faculty Publications and Presentations

This essay uses the work of Marc Augé as a lens through which to view the supermodern urban space, and how the concept of place is manufactured and negotiated. The author focuses on a car park to elucidate these themes, and agrees with Augé, who claims that non-places such as car parks fail to create identity or relations.

Faculty Senate Monthly Packet October 2007, Portland State University Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Monthly Packets

The October 2007 Monthly packet includes the October agenda and appendices and the Faculty Senate minutes and attachments from the meeting held June 2007

Healthy Eating And Active Living In North Portland: Asset Mapping With G.I.S., Arthur Aldridge, Susan M. Anderson, Mike Aspros, Lisa Barnes, Matt Bergstrom, Ambra Bingham, Ernest Bork, Sara Cottam, Jeremy Crawford, Shawna Graber, Jonathan Jubera, Patrick Louisel, Rebecca Symonds, Eric Wright

Asset Mapping: Community Geography Project

Making community development as democratic as possible has long been a challenge for urban planners and municipalities alike. A number of obstacles stand in the way of greater community participation in the planning process and consequently communities who are best served by their design. Visual Preference Surveys (VPS) are a tool planners can use to increase participation in the design process within the communities they serve. This can result in community plans that more accurately reflect the wants or needs of its members. Relying heavily on image driven content, VPS offers communities a straightforward methodology that asks participants to rate …

Perspectives On An Arts Magnet School : The Voices Of Elementary School Children, Denise Robles-Torres

Dissertations and Theses

Since the beginning of public school as a social institution early in the nineteenth century, the voices of children have been missing from the discussion about school. From the progressive era to the current standards based movement, structures of education have been premised on the ideas of what adults think are the best ways for children to learn. But educators and other adults are recognizing the importance of student perspectives by providing children opportunities to participate in critical reflection about school. By including children of all ages in this discussion, educators, policy makers and researchers may begin to examine their …

Faculty Senate Monthly Packet June 2007, Portland State University Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Monthly Packets

The June 2007 Monthly packet includes the June agenda and appendices and the Faculty Senate minutes and attachments from the meeting held May 2007

Systems Metaphysics: A Bridge From Science To Religion, Martin Zwick

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

'Systems theory' is familiar to many as the scientific enterprise that includes the study of chaos, networks, and complex adaptive systems. It is less widely appreciated that the systems research program offers a world view that transcends the individual scientific disciplines. We do not live, as some argue, in a post-metaphysical age, but rather at a time when a new metaphysics is being constructed. This metaphysics is scientific and derives from graph theory, information theory, non-linear dynamics, decision theory, game theory, generalized evolution, and other transdisciplinary theories. These 'systems' theories focus on form and process, independent of materiality; they are …

Faculty Senate Monthly Packet April 2007, Portland State University Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Monthly Packets

The April 2007 Monthly packet includes the April agenda and appendices and the Faculty Senate minutes and attachments from the meeting held March 2007

Disease And Demography In The Plateau, Robert T. Boyd, Cecilia D. Gregory

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Twelve years ago, Roderick Sprague asked the authors-an anthropologist trained in epidemiology and a physician with training in paleopathology-to prepare this paper for his projected book, Burial Practices of the Plateau. Since that volume has not seen print, and with the intention of bringing the information herein to the attention of regional researchers, in early 2004 Sprague asked us if we would be willing to have it published as the first in a special numbered series of articles in the Journal of Northwest Anthropology. We agreed, with the proviso that it be at least moderately updated to reflect developments since …

Faculty Senate Monthly Packet March 2007, Portland State University Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Monthly Packets

The March 2007 Monthly packet includes the March agenda and appendices and the Faculty Senate minutes and attachments from the meeting held February 2007

Urban Ecology & Conservation Symposium 2007: 5th Annual -- Seeking Science For Solutions (Abstracts), Urban Ecosystem Research Consortium Of Portland/Vancouver

Urban Ecosystem Research Consortium of Portland/Vancouver

The UERC is a consortium of people from various universities and colleges, state and federal agencies, local governments, non-profit organizations and independent professionals interested in supporting urban ecosystem research and creating an information-sharing network of people that collect and use ecological data in the Portland/Vancouver area.

UERC Mission Statement:

To advance the state of the science of urban ecosystems and improve our understanding of them, with a focus on the Portland/Vancouver metropolitan region, by fostering communication and collaboration among researchers, managers and citizens at academic institutions, public agencies, local governments, non-profit organizations, and other interested groups.

The principal organizers span …

Advancing Transdisciplinary And Translational Research Practice: Issues And Models Of Doctoral Education In Public Health, Linda Neuhauser, Dawn M. Richardson, Sonja Mackenzie, Meredith Minkler

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Finding solutions to complex health problems, such as obesity, violence, and climate change, will require radical changes in cross-disciplinary education, research, and practice. The fundamental determinants of health include many interrelated factors such as poverty, culture, education, environment, and government policies. However, traditional public health training has tended to focus more narrowly on diseases and risk factors, and has not adequately leveraged the rich contributions of sociology, anthropology, economics, geography, communication, political science, and other disciplines. Further, students are often not sufficiently trained to work across sectors to translate research findings into effective, large-scale sustainable actions. During the past 2 …

Indigenous Scientific Literacies In Nalo Hopkinson’S Ceremonial Worlds, Grace L. Dillon

Indigenous Nations Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Increasingly our critical tradition is recognizing the prevalence of issues of indigeneity in sf. Whether this emerging emphasis reflects keener powers of observation on the part of readers or shifting preferences on the part of writers, it is clear that, as the idealism of a Golden Age melts into the dross of colonial aftermath, sf is beginning to reflect the West's rising awareness that manifest destinies, whatever fashion they wear, wield a violent science in pursuing control and care little for the cultures they displace and erase. Nor is it surprising that a genre noted for its pioneering exploration of …

Relic Hunting, Archaeology, And Loss Of Native American Heritage At The Dalles, Virginia L. Butler

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Assesses the damage done to Native American sites and heritage by relic hunters and archaeologists digging in the mid-Columbia River region that was inundated by completion of The Dalles Dam in 1957. Long before the dam was built,relic hunters disturbed grave sites and mounds in their search for artifacts. The artifacts went into private collections or were sold, without concern for their context or for the rights and concerns of native people. The article also discusses the development of the profession of archaeology and the ways professional archaeologists were complicit in the desecration of native sites. Sites along the river …

Bleeding Albina: A History Of Community Disinvestment, 1940‐2000, Karen J. Gibson

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Portland, Oregon, is celebrated in the planning literature as one of the nation’s most livable cities, yet there is very little scholarship on its small Black community. Using census data, oral histories, archival documents, and newspaper accounts, this study analyzes residential segregation and neighborhood disinvestment over a 60-year period. Without access to capital, housing conditions worsened to the point that abandonment became a major problem. By 1980, many of the conditions typically associated with large cities were present: high unemployment, poor schooling, and an underground economy that evolved into crack cocaine, gangs, and crime. Yet some neighborhood activists argued that …

The Meaning Of Falling Water: Celilo Falls And The Dalles In Historical Literature, William L. Lang

History Faculty Publications and Presentations

Discusses the changing meaning attached to Celilo Falls and The Dalles and how these places were represented in the published literature from the 1807 edition of Lewis and Clark Expedition sergeant Patrick Gass's journal through the 2006 publication of Joseph C. Dupris, Kathleen S. Hill, and William Rodgers, Jr.'s 'The Si'lailo Way: Indians, Salmon, and Law on the Columbia River.' The article examines many topics, including early Euro-American incursions, the changes wrought by the Native American land cessions in 1855, and the development of hydroelectric power on the Columbia River, particularly The Dalles Dam, completed in 1957, which destroyed ancient …

The "Visions Of Pele" Competition And Exhibit At Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Jeremy Spoon

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The article provides an overview of the "Visions of Pele" competition and exhibit at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

Book Review Of, Mark Whitaker. Learning Politics From Sivaram: The Life And Death Of A Revolutionary Tamil Journalist In Sri Lanka, Michele Ruth Gamburd

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Reviews the book "Learning Politics from Sivaram: The Life and Death of a Revolutionary Tamil Journalist in Sri Lanka," by Mark Whitaker.

Habitat And Distribution Of The Ruffed Lemur, "Varecia", North Of The Bay Of Antongil In Northeastern Madagascar, Evon R. Hekkala, Marius Rakotondratsima, Natalie Vasey

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Here we present information on the conservation status of ruffed lemurs (Varecia) north of the Bay of Antongil in northeastern Madagascar. Two contiguous protected areas were recently established that traverse this region via blocks of forest connected by narrow forest corridors: the Masoala National Park, which expands further to the east, and the Makira Protected Area, which expands further to the west and northwest. The two extant ruffed lemurs, Varecia variegata and V. rubra, overlapped in this region historically and, on rare occasions, hybridized. As such, land north of the Bay of Antongil is a critical part …

The Spiritual World Of A Hakka Village, Sharon A. Carstens

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper examines spiritual beliefs and practices in the Hakka Malaysian community of Pulai, focusing on the pantheon of deities and spirits worshipped and propitiated; the system of local beliefs in the power and efficacy of these deities; and the manner in which individuals and families have reproduced and altered these spiritual beliefs over time. Unlike my previous writings about religion in Pulai, which have emphasized the sociological components of local religion practices, my goal here is to explore the cosmological system, world view, and system of meanings conveyed through religious practices in this Hakka village.

As with many Chinese …

Bulletin: General Catalog Issue 2007-2008, Portland State University

Bulletin & Curriculum Change Documents

No abstract provided.