Digital Commons Network^™

Music And Ireland's National Identity: Connecting Folk Music And Cultural Theory Through Emotional Sociology, Alexandra Habecker

University Honors Theses

Music has been a crucial component of every major social movement in history. Though studies have shown that music and other areas of the arts are a product of the surrounding world in response to their own historical context, I propose that music can and has directly impacted society through the effects of music on the human emotional response. By looking at cultural theory through a musicological lens and using Ireland's rich and rooted musical culture as an example, this thesis suggests that with further research into the connection between music and emotions, along with expanding interest in the growing …

Notes From A Native Son And Other Stories, Jacob K. Warren

University Honors Theses

My goal as a writer is to contribute to the growing number of Native voices in contemporary memoir, as well as to continue a longstanding tradition of Indigenous creative nonfiction. I also hope to assist in the important work of ushering the voices of First Nations people out of the linguistic prisons of the past and into present-day discourse. In doing so, I will underscore the importance behind the demand for Native spaces in academia and politics. Using memoir, I’ll show some of the ways in which abusive social structures replicate themselves on smaller levels like one's family, and demonstrate …

The Impact Of Domestic And Foreign Forces On Guatemala's Social Services, Brooke Marie Reichert

University Honors Theses

This thesis will look at the socio-political history in both domestic and international contexts to analyze the development of Guatemala. This work will evaluate the positive and negative impacts of foreign aid and intervention in the development of Guatemala. International development theory is applied to this case study to better understand the current health and education crisis that intensified after the Cold War era. This thesis will serve to answer the following questions: how have internal and external forces shaped, beneficially and negatively, the current state of human development and social services in Guatemala? Why has Guatemala, a resource rich …

Growing Against The Grain: Confronting White Supremacy And Patriarchy In Gardens In The Dunes, Andre Cole

University Honors Theses

Gardens in the Dunes is a novel from 2008 by indigenous author Leslie Marmon Silko about gardening, family, and the looming threat of White, male hegemony in the late 1800's. By analyzing the characters and the garden settings, a pattern of various resistances and oppositions to this colonial violence emerges that I believe is useful for a case study in making meaningful strides in confronting contemporary support for white patriarchy.

Stop Labelling Us: Queer Futures For Film Criticism, Aria N. Ramus

University Honors Theses

Queer cinema exists as a form of subversive storytelling, where ambiguity is utilized to tell non-normative narratives. Mainstream film criticism, however, finds itself ill-equipped to address the complexities of queer films. Film criticism seeks clarity in films that are intentionally ambiguous, and in doing so runs the risk of misrepresenting the film and its topics. Through the use of a case study, queer cinema is evaluated as a tool for developing mainstream criticism. XXY (2007) and El niño pez (2009), written and directed by Argentine filmmaker Lucía Puenzo, tell coming-of-age stories of queer youth. Their stories and narrative techniques can …

The Semiotics Of Wine Labeling: A Study Of Millennial Perception, Abby Williams

University Honors Theses

Research shows that Millennial customers rely on a front package label as their primary purchase factor when determining a product's worth, but there is little research as to what each element on a label communicates to a customer, and specifically, to a Millennial customer.

Traditional semiotic analysis uses a qualitative approach to discover how attitudes and perceptions of brands are communicated to the consumer. The semiotic method looks to the subconscious consumer interpretations of emblems, icons, fonts, colors and other visual graphic components of a brand to uncover how different elements communicate to an individual.

It is also known that …

Evaluating Mobile-Based Educational Adventure Games For Language Learning, Deana Jackson

University Honors Theses

Despite there being many gamified apps, such as vocabulary trainers, on the market for language learning, there are not many that use communicative and task-based methods for instruction (e.g. adventure games). Well-designed games are intrinsically motivating to play even if they are long and challenging, and as Gee (2007) pointed out, facilitate learning. The Goethe Institute, a German language and culture institute, has tapped into the allure of adventure gaming and combined it with the benefits of communicative language learning. This study examines the strategies of these mobile-based adventure games for learning German and evaluates the principles of game design, …

Aftermath: Photographs After 9/11, Ground Zero, And The Myth Of American Exceptionalism, Victoria M. Arredondo

University Honors Theses

The events of September 11^th, 2001 rattled the U.S. public and left them in need of direction when approaching death and grief. Thousands of photographs were taken on 9/11, however, not many were taken of the construction occasionally referred to as "ground zero." In this project, it is demonstrated just how the photographs in two individual projects Aftermath: World Trade Center Archive by Joel Meyerowitz and Aftermath: Unseen Photos by a New York City Cop by John Botte, both perpetuate the myth of moral exceptionalism in the United States post 9/11. Using ideas put forth by Roland Barthes …

Hush, Abigail Jane Agersea

University Honors Theses

In the midst of my freshman year of college in 2013, I was abducted and sexually assaulted while attending a party in my dorm building. I was taken away from my home under the influence of a date rape intoxicant, vanished from all consciousness and whisked into the darkness of that cold October night in Portland, Oregon. Fortunately, with the help from various doctors and two years of specialized rehabilitation, I have renewed my strength in mental stability, professionalism and verbal confidence to tell my story and establish a sense of closure for my own victimization.

To achieve this closure, …

Community Music For Human Development: A Brain-Centered Approach To Outreach, Jesse M. Hamlin

University Honors Theses

In an effort to combat the harmful physiological, societal, and psychological effects of the cutting of arts and music program budgets in public schools, and close the achievement gap for those in lower socioeconomic classes and underrepresented populations, this thesis created a functional community music training program, especially for homeless youth in Portland, OR. The author reviewed current literature across disciplines to form a curriculum based on evidence in psychological, educational, and cognitive neuroscience research. The curriculum was collaboratively formed with active music training professionals. The intervention was piloted via the ongoing collaboration between Portland-based arts-integrated science outreach group NW …

“Living Day By Day” Refugees Of Color Navigate Gentrification And Racism In Portland, Oregon: A Sense Of Place, Serena Dressel

University Honors Theses

This research highlights the impact that rising rent prices have on refugees' sense of place in Portland. The majority of Oregon’s refugee population arrive in Portland, the fourth fastest gentrifying city in the United States. Refugees receive eight months of financial assistance upon arrival, an average of $339 per month. Employees from the Immigrant Refugee Community Organization were interviewed including refugees, an asylee, and immigrants from Bhutan, Myanmar/Burma, Chad, Iraq, and Somalia. One employee from Catholic Charities was interviewed. Positive perceptions include natural amenities, that it is considered safe and small, the progressive political climate, and community presence & support. …

Atypical Speech Development And Working Memory Recall Ability, Savannah Leeann Couch

University Honors Theses

Background: Alan Baddeley and Graham Hitch introduced working memory processes as a three component model including the visuo-spatial sketch pad, the central executive, and the phonological loop. The phonological loop has been theorized to play a role in speech and language acquisition and production. Aims: This study aimed to explore the potential relationship between school-aged children with atypically developing speech and their working memory ability as compared to their typically developing age matched peers. Methods: Participants age 5;0-5;11 and 8;0-8;11 were separated into two groups based on articulation test scores as well as any documented developmental challenges. The participants completed …

The Pious And Political Networks Of Catherine Of Siena, Aubrie Kent

University Honors Theses

This project looks at the career of St. Catherine of Siena and argues that without the relationships she had with her closest followers, who provided social connections and knowledge of the operation of political power, she would not have been able to pursue as active or wide-ranging a career. The examination of Catherine’s relationships, the careers of her followers, and the ways she made use of this network of support, relies mainly on Catherine's extant letters. Most prior research on St. Catherine focuses on her spirituality and work with the papacy, which leaves out the influence of her local, political …

Exploring The Association Of Victimization And Alcohol And Marijuana Use Among American Indian Youth Living On Or Near Reservations: A Mixed Methods Study, Lindsay Nicole Merritt

Dissertations and Theses

Adolescent substance use research has yet to consider victimization as a potential risk factor contributing to alcohol and marijuana use among American Indian youth living on or near reservations, despite the presence of traumatic experiences, childhood adverse events, racism, and discrimination. Contribution to this lack of attention may be due to little being known about American Indian youth victimization. Even less is known about its association with alcohol and marijuana use in general and for those youth living on or near reservations in particular.

This study utilizes mixed methods with a nationally representative sample of American Indian youth living on …

An Ethnographic Study Of Intermediate Students From Poverty: Intersections Of School And Home, Shiela G. Rector

Dissertations and Theses

The achievement gap in American schools between middle class students and students from poverty is well documented. This paper outlines the findings of a study designed to explore the experience and conscientization of struggling students from poverty. The argument will be made that poverty can be viewed as a culture and that this view may shed significant light on the dynamics of the achievement gap. Further, using the construct of poverty as a culture provides real life applications that have the potential to impact the achievement gap. The study explored the lived experiences in a public school setting of intermediate …

Pushing Back On School Pushout: Youth At An Alternative School Advocate For Educational Change Through Youth Participatory Action Research, Jessica Hopson Burbach

Dissertations and Theses

In the United States, a staggering four thousand students drop out every school day. Moreover, in 2016, the graduation rate in Oregon was only 74.8%, one of the lowest in the nation. Research shows that a disproportionate number of youth leaving school are from historically marginalized communities. Many of these youth resiliently return to education at alternative schools. This research sought to explore the educational experiences of youth in alternative schools in their own voices and perspectives. From a theoretical framework based in sociocultural theory, cultural capital, and critical theory, this study underscored the importance of youth voice in changing …

Comparative Use Of The Ages And Stages Questionnaires In Low‐ And Middle‐Income Countries, Jason W. Small, Hollie Hix-Small, Emily Vargas-Baron, Kevin P. Marks

Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Aim: To map the breadth of use of the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) across world regions, and examine procedures for ASQ translation, adaptation, psychometric evaluation, and administration.

Method: We conducted a review of all original, peer‐reviewed studies written in English referencing use of the ASQ in LMICs. We used a consensus rating procedure to classify each article into one of four categories: feasibility study, psychometric study, prevalence study, or research study.

Results: We analysed 53 peer‐reviewed articles written in English detailing use of the ASQ in LMICs. We found evidence …

Harnessing Social Media To Explore Youth Social Withdrawal In Three Major Cities In China: Cross-Sectional Web Survey, Lucia Lin Liu, Tim Mh Li, Alan R. Teo, Takahiro A. Kato, Paul W.C. Wong

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Socially withdrawn youth belong to an emerging subgroup of youth who are not in employment, education, or training and who have limited social interaction intention and opportunities. The use of the internet and social media is expected to be an alternative and feasible way to reach this group of young people because of their reclusive nature.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the possibility of using various social media platforms to investigate the existence of the phenomenon of youth social withdrawal in 3 major cities in China.

Methods: A cross-sectional open Web survey …

The Role Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy In The Preparation Of Secondary Teacher Candidates For Successful Teaching Of Diverse Learners: A Multiphase Mixed Methods Case Study, Rosalyn Taylor

Dissertations and Theses

The dramatic demographic shift occurring in this country makes it essential that our nation examines its policies, practices, and values as they relate to culturally diverse learners. That this student population remains underserved needs immediate attention. One arena that can become a part of the solution to the underachievement of diverse learners is teacher education and preparation programming.

The purpose of this research study was to give attention to this issue and to understand what an urban teacher education program (UTEP) with an educational equity and social justice mission does to prepare its secondary teacher candidates (STCs) to work successfully …

Transition With Purpose: Pathways From English Language To Academic Study, Michele Miller, Anne Greenhoe

PDXOpen: Open Educational Resources

This Open Access Textbook will guide students through their English language to academic degree studies.

Part one of this textbook is a guide for moving from ESL study to academic study at Portland State University*. It includes the resources students will use to understand policies and processes governing their degree study and their transition to academic coursework.

Part two focuses on how academic skills are used across various disciplines and is comprised of activities and assignments designed to practice these skills.

Key elements include culture and expectations in an American university, transferring academic skills from ESL to content-specific academic courses, …

The Integration Of Early Psychosis Services In A System Of Care Framework: Opportunities, Issues, Tamara G. Sale, Patrice Fetzer, Jennifer Humensky, Megan Baker, Kate Hardy, Douglas Noordsy, Steven Adelsheim

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Since the beginning of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Children’s Mental Health Initiative in 1993, the system of care (SOC) framework has provided the foundation for community- based service development in the United States and has focused on improving the lives of children, youth, and young adults who experience the most complex mental health needs and their families. In recent years, with greater understanding of early psychosis, the SOC framework has expanded to include young adults presenting with signs of early psychosis.

The SOC approach brings children, youth, and young adults with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED)1 and …

Food Insecurity, Social Networks And Symptoms Of Depression Among Men And Women In Rural Uganda: A Cross-Sectional, Population-Based Study, Jessica M. Perkins, Viola N. Nyakato, Bernard Kakuhikire, Alexander C. Tsai, Sv Subramanian, David Bangsberg, Nicholas A. Christakis

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: To assess the association between food insecurity and depression symptom severity stratified by sex, and test for evidence of effect modification by social network characteristics.

Design: A population-based cross-sectional study. The nine-item Household Food Insecurity Access Scale captured food insecurity. Five name generator questions elicited network ties. A sixteen-item version of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist for Depression captured depression symptom severity. Linear regression was used to estimate the association between food insecurity and depression symptom severity while adjusting for potential confounders and to test for potential network moderators.

Setting: In-home survey interviews in south-western Uganda. Subjects: All adult residents …

An Introduction To Data Mining With Open-Source Technologies, Blake Galbreath

Online Northwest

In this presentation, I will introduce various aspects of data mining using three open-source technologies: OpenRefine, Rapid Miner, and Voyant Tools. The goal is to better organize and understand data that is freely available or that is provided by your vendor. In order to do so, I demonstrate how to pull relevant data from a website, use text processing operators, and display data using multiple visualization tools. Level: Beginner.

"Agglutinating" A Family: Friedrich Max MüLler And The Development Of The Turanian Language Family Theory In Nineteenth-Century European Linguistics And Other Human Sciences, Preetham Sridharan

Dissertations and Theses

Some linguists in the nineteenth century argued for the existence of a "Turanian" family of languages in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia, claiming the common descent of a vast range of languages like Hungarian, Finnish, Turkish, Mongol, Manchu, and their relatives and dialects. Of such linguists, Friedrich Max Müller (1823-1900) was an important developer and popularizer of a version of the Turanian theory across Europe, given his influence as a German-born Oxford professor in Victorian England from the 1850s onwards. Although this theory lost ground in academic linguistics from the mid twentieth century, a pan-nationalist movement pushing for the political …

Benevolent Sexism And Racial Stereotypes: Targets, Functions, And Consequences, Jean Marie Mcmahon

Dissertations and Theses

In this dissertation, I present three manuscripts in which I integrate race into an ambivalent sexism framework using experimental, correlational, and cross-sectional methods. The first paper tests whether a female's race acts as a subtype to differentially elicit benevolent sexism (BS). Two experiments demonstrated that BS is more strongly associated with White women than Black women. The second paper explores the relationship between protective paternalism (a subcomponent of BS), anti-minority attitudes, and threat. Threat was associated with stronger endorsement of protective paternalism and a corresponding increase in anti-minority attitudes, particularly for White men, implicating BS in the maintenance of racial …

Advancing Digital Equity In Public Libraries: Assessing Library Patrons’ Problem Solving In Technology Rich Environments, Gloria Jacobs

Presentations and Publications

This mixed methods research examined the digital problem solving processes of vulnerable adults within the community setting of a public library. Data were collected from approximately 450 library users who completed a library survey, a subset who completed PIAACs Problem Solving in Technology Rich Environments (PSTRE) assessment, and a smaller subset who participated in an observation protocol. Quantitative analysis revealed that library website use was a strong predictor of PSTRE scores. Qualitative analysis showed that digital problem solving needs to be seen as a set of contexts and events that are dynamic across different situations. In order to respond to …

Supporting Digital Problem Solving, Tyler Frank

Presentations and Publications

This presentation draws from findings based on a three-year research project with the goal of achieving greater digital equity for adult learners in libraries. This project addresses digital problem solving, a unique task adults face in today’s age of ubiquitous technology use. Marginalized and under-resourced digital users face challenges of access not only to high-speed Internet but also to getting the support they need for their digital learning and problem solving. Libraries are uniquely positioned to support these learners. However, this calls for techniques and tools to assist digital users in accomplishing their goals as they continue to develop their …

Framing Race And Blame In The Media: A Case Study On The Chapel Hill Shooting, Sara Abdullatif Galadari

Dissertations and Theses

This research examines how racism is hidden and denied by the press, and how blame is attributed to individuals in crime news stories. This research heavily relies of van Dijk's (2015) six discursive strategies to reveal how racism is hidden and denied in the press: positive self-presentation, denial and counter-attack, moral blackmail, subtle denials, mitigation, and defense and offense. Specifically, the Chapel Hill shooting is used as an example of a crime news story for my case study. This study will use framing as the primary method, and critical discourse analysis will be used to guide my interpretations of the …

Foreign Language Anxiety, Sexuality, And Gender: Lived Experiences Of Four Lgbtq+ Students, James Donald Mitchell

Dissertations and Theses

The relationship between foreign language anxiety and gender identity has been largely a quantitative endeavor that has shown contradictory results. Furthermore, sexual identity has not been researched in foreign language anxiety literature. A qualitative account of LGBTQ+ language learners with different gender identities has been absent from the literature. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between foreign language anxiety and sexual and gender identity. To gain insight into this relationship, this qualitative study investigated the lived experiences of four LGBTQ+ foreign language university students who represented three gender identities. Data were collected through multiple, in-depth …

Languaging As Competencing: Considering Language Learning As Enactment, John Hellermann

Applied Linguistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The terms interactional competence and learning are discussed in the context of recent research in the areas of cognitive science and ethnomethodological conversation analysis studies of language learning. Two data excerpts from a longitudinal case study of a beginning learner of English are presented to illustrate (1) the difficulty of representing language learning using structural linguistic representations and (2) evidence of language learning as at-that-time appropriate embodied interaction.