Digital Commons Network^™

Motivation, Empowerment, And Entrepreneurial Intentions: A Pls-Sem Analysis Of Female Students In Algeria, Lotfi Mekhzoumi, Salima Ben Omar, Abderrazak Laouid, Sabrina Chikh-Amnache

Journal of Global Business Insights

This paper investigates the multidimensional nature of women’s empowerment and its impact on entrepreneurial intentions among female students at the University of El Oued, Algeria. It aims to clarify how motivational factors and perceived barriers interact with psychological, social, political, and economic empowerment to shape entrepreneurial aspirations in a developing economy context. A stratified sample of 353 female university students was used for quantitative research. A validated online questionnaire assessed entrepreneurial intention, motivation, empowerment, and barriers. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test direct, indirect, and mediating effects between constructs, along with rigorous reliability and validity …

Complex Adaptive Resilience And Asymmetrical Balancing: Russia And The 2022 Sanctions Regime, Renny Puspitarini, Sartika Soesilowati, Kacung Marijan, Ahmad Iskandar Rahmansyah

Journal of Strategic Security

The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine prompted unprecedented Western sanctions, which amounted to more than 23,000 sanctions during 2022-2024. However, these sanctions failed to fulfill their designated objective of influencing the end of the Russia-Ukraine War. Russian responses to progressively augmented sanctions have sparked debates surrounding microeconomic sovereignty, macroeconomic adaptability, and, foremost, resilience. The article’s findings reveal that while sanctions have not brought the Russian Federation to acquiesce, they have catalyzed a structural, politically induced policy shift into a Complex Adaptive Resilience (CAR) framework. Russia's ability to build resilience against sanctions has been manifested structurally in its strategy to reinforce …

Structural Dependency: Nato, Defense Industry Politics, And Europe’S Stagnation, Diane M. Zorri

Journal of Strategic Security

Europe’s defense industrial base (DIB) weaknesses are commonly attributed to underinvestment, fragmented policies, or a lack of European cohesiveness. This article advances an alternative explanation: European defense industrial dependency has emerged through institutionalized alliance structures that systematically privileged US capabilities and incentives, becoming self-reinforcing and difficult for European actors to exit, even as their strategic preferences evolved. Drawing on dependency theory, path dependence, and theories of alliance politics, this article argues that transatlantic security arrangements established during the early Cold War, most notably NATO’s integrated command structures, defense procurement norms, and interoperability requirements, have generated long-lasting asymmetries in production, technology, …

Full Issue 20.1

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

Genocide In Gaza? Social Media Discussions Of Violence In Israel And Gaza, Timothy Williams, Andreas Dafnos

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

This article conducts social network and topic analyses of German-language posts on X that discuss genocide and terrorism in Israel and Gaza in the first six months after the October 7 attacks and compares these to broader English-language discourses on the platform. The comparison reveals subtle differences in how Israeli violence and governance and Palestinians are discussed and who is seen as complicit in supporting violence. Markedly, German-language posts discuss what constitutes antisemitism more and employ a more restrained language towards Israel as a state and its political actors than English-language posts. We tie these findings back to the idiosyncrasies …

Genocidal Criminology: My Testimony, Yarin Eski

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

This article is a testimony on the entanglement of my personal biography, responsibility, and lived experience of genocide denial and, subsequently, developing criminologies of genocide and its denial, based on my formative experiences, ranging from encountering Armenian genocide denial as a student, to dealing with institutional constraints and careerism, to my academic activism, raising awareness about the Gaza genocide, to, finally, prospecting genocide and ecocide in outer space: astrocide. These experiences configure a genealogy of what I term genocidal criminology that unpacks and criticizes criminological knowledge, institutions, and practices that produce genocide (denial), both epistemically and structurally. Essentially, I argue …

Book Review: A People Destroyed: New Research On The Roma Genocide, 1941–1945, Elizabeth Graham

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

Genocide By Algorithm In Gaza: Artificial Intelligence, Countervailing Responsibility, And The Corruption Of Public Discourse, Branislav Radeljić

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

The accelerating militarization of artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed the ethics, politics, and governance of warfare. This article interrogates how AI-driven targeting systems function as epistemic infrastructures that classify, legitimize, and execute violence, using Israel’s conduct in Gaza as a paradigmatic case. Building on interdisciplinary debates in security studies, critical technology studies, and international law, the paper advances the concept of "genocide by algorithm"—a mode of technologically mediated extermination in which opaque computational systems automate and rationalize mass violence. The study argues that these systems collapse distinctions between military and civilian targets, and between intentional and accidental harm, thereby eroding …

Genocidal Occupation And The Occupier’S Dilemma: From Lemkin’S Axis Rule To 21st Century Palestine, Martin Shaw

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

Following Israel’s campaign in Gaza after October 7, 2023, which was widely recognized as a genocide, the “ceasefire” of late 2025 introduced the prospect of a new occupation of the territory by the USA and Israel, leading to its redevelopment by them rather than the restoration of the pre-2023 Palestinian society. Together with the parallel accentuation of Palestinian dispossession under Israeli occupation in the West Bank, this development calls for a theorization of the relationship between occupation and genocide. Yet, although the concept of genocide was introduced by Raphael Lemkin in his analysis of the German occupations of European countries, …

Book Review: The Futures Of Reparations In Latin America: Imagination, Translation, And Belonging, Jakob Leichtman

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

Considering What Counting: Measuring Lives Saved And Other Things That Don’T Happen, Joel Best, Keith R. Johnson

Numeracy

While most statistics are assumed to count elements in the empirical world, it is also possible to calculate the numbers of things that don't or won't happen. Estimates of "lives saved" represent an important application. This column explores insights numeracy skill offers to such discussions.

Religious Higher Education In Prison In The United States: The Importance Of Well-Being, Robin L. Labarbera

Journal of Global Education and Research

A growing body of scholarship suggests that incarcerated individuals who participate in education programs, particularly those grounded in faith, are better positioned for lasting community reintegration and positive long-term outcomes. Using a mixed-methods evaluation design, the author examines two interrelated questions: whether faith-based higher education is associated with enhanced well-being among current participants and whether program graduates carry those well-being gains into post-release life. Drawing on group interviews with 109 incarcerated men and women across six U.S. facilities and surveys from 157 participants in four states, the study found that participation in a prison-based theological education program was associated with …

Bridging The Gap: Addressing Challenges And Enhancing Support For Learners Transitioning From Primary To Secondary School, Redson Nkosi, Precious Nyoni, Philogene Manirahari

Journal of Global Education and Research

This study explored the challenges students face during the transition from primary to secondary school, particularly in their final year of primary and first year of secondary school. Common concerns include bullying, making new friends, increased workload, unfriendly teachers, teasing, new subjects, and adjusting to the secondary school environment. Conducted in Malawi, Mzimba North education district at two secondary schools and one primary school, the research used a qualitative methodology, employing documentary review, interviews, focus group discussions, and observations for data collection. Findings revealed that many of the students’ fears were either confirmed, such as bullying and teacher strictness, proving …

Teaching A Stand-Alone Course On Burney, Lorna J. Clark

ABO: Interactive Journal for Women in the Arts, 1640–1830

This essay outlines a stand-alone course on Frances Burney, suggesting that she offers a good entry point into eighteenth-century studies. Given that she wrote in so many genres—novels, plays, journals, and letters—such a course avoids the narrowness which often marks a single author course. In twelve weeks, the course studied ten works: four novels, five plays (three comedies and two tragedies) and a selection of journals and letters. The latter describes well-known figures in Burney’s social and literary networks in eighteenth-century London and leads to discussion of techniques of the epistolary, of diary-writing and of women’s life-writing. Burney’s novels are …

Testimonios From Latine Educational Leaders Supporting Youth Development Programs, Luis E. Feliciano

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The United States has been experiencing a demographic change for the last twenty years representing a rise in both Latiné students and families. Despite this demographic change, Latiné folk remain widely underrepresented in school leadership, and furthermore underrepresented in specific Youth Development Programs (YDPs), with the relationship between educational leaders and YDPs being widely unexplored in academia. This study sought to bridge the gap between YDPs and educational leadership, specifically for Latiné folk by asking how Latiné educational leaders used their cultural heritage to encourage YDP development. To accomplish this a testimonio methodology was implemented via a two staged interview …

Philanthropic Grantmakers’ Roles In Transforming Higher Education: A Narrative Inquiry, Elizabeth Jean Larkin Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Philanthropic foundations have become influential actors in higher education reform, often supporting initiatives to improve student success, advance equity, and promote systemic change. Yet limited research has examined how philanthropic grantmakers understand and navigate their roles in shaping long-term change across the higher education field. This narrative inquiry explored the personal and professional experiences of eight philanthropic grantmakers working across different foundations, roles, and organizational contexts in the United States. Guided by organizational change theory, Strategic Action Fields theory, and sustainability planning in dynamic systems, the study examined how grantmakers made sense of their responsibilities, influence, and contributions to systemic …

Preparing Preservice Teachers: Developing Skills For Working With Students With Disabilities In The Social Studies Classroom, Melissa Waugh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study was aimed towards investigating the extant research, best practices, and teacher preparation standards related to working with students with disabilities in the social studies classroom. The study was guided using three research questions: Are students with disabilities’ learning needs reflected in the National Council for Social Studies National Standards for the Preparation of Social Studies Teachers?; How do preservice social studies teacher programs prepare their candidates for teaching students with disabilities as evidenced by Social Science Education methods course syllabi?; and, What might a college-level course aimed towards social studies teaching methods centering around students with disabilities’ learning …

Vestitus Auctoritate: Visual Representations Of Power In Late Roman Sicily, Angela L. Costello

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how Late Roman iconography of dress and appearance acted as visual bolsters of elite identity in the province of Sicily by engaging with two villas and their mosaic corpora: the Villa Romana del Casale, and the Villa Romana del Tellaro. Traditional Roman scholarship on power have focused on monuments, military achievements, and imperial building programs, and while these are all necessarily facets of Late Roman identity, there are valuable avenues left unexplored. Some, but not enough, attention has been given to the role of dress iconography during Late Antiquity. This study addresses this gap by investigating how …

Mental Health Service Utilization Among Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Secondary Analysis Of The 2021–2022 National Survey Of Children's Health, Emma N. Barnes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently experience co-occurring emotional, behavioral, and mental health concerns that increase the need for accessible behavioral health services. Although schools often serve as an important point of access for behavioral health support, disparities in service utilization continue to exist. Limited national research has examined recent patterns of mental health service utilization among children with ASD using updated nationally representative data.

The purpose of this study was to examine mental health service utilization among children with ASD and determine whether utilization differed across demographic and socioeconomic groups. Secondary data from the 2021–2022 National Survey of …

Prosocial Behaviors As A Protective Factor Against Suicide Risk: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Approach, Bradley A. Brown

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Suicidal ideation (SI) fluctuates substantially over short timescales, and the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide proposes that suicidal thinking emerges through dynamic interpersonal states involving perceived burdensomeness (PB), thwarted belongingness (TB), and hopelessness regarding these interpersonal states (IH). Although ecological momentary assessment (EMA) research has demonstrated that these risk factors fluctuate meaningfully within individuals and are associated with short-term changes in SI, comparatively little research has examined interpersonal processes that may attenuate suicide risk in real time. Prosocial behavior — voluntary actions intended to benefit others — may represent one such process, yet no known EMA study has examined whether prosocial …

Analysis Of Security Concerns In India-Central Asia Relations, Anmol Mukhia, Anurag Tripathi, Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari

Journal of Strategic Security

India-Central Asia relations have gained strategic significance driven by its historical ties, growing economic interests, and, most importantly, evolving security dynamics. This article deals with multifaceted security concerns such as drug trafficking, terrorism, radicalization, and the implications of instability in Afghanistan. The findings show that security concerns in the region, particularly in Afghanistan and Pakistan, constitute a significant obstacle, alongside geographical challenges, to India’s connectivity with the Central Asian Republics (CARS). India’s rising aspiration to increase connectivity and build closer ties with the region in energy, trade, and commerce heavily relies on a peaceful, prosperous, and stable Central and South …

Unveiling The Intersection Of Institutional Racial Identity And Student Loan Debt: An Analysis Of The State University System Of Florida’S Higher Education Institutions, Valerie Marie Moore

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Federal student loan patterns in Florida’s State University System (SUS) from 2013/14 to 2022/23 reflect differences in institutional revenue capacity rather than individual borrowing behavior. Using data from all 12 SUS institutions, this study examined how institutional wealth and revenue composition shape student loan outcomes through both race neutral and race considerate analyses informed by Ray’s (2019) theory of racialized organizations. Overall, the SUS operates as a racialized organizational field in which inequities in funding flows, access to capital, and institutional logics sustain long term disparities in wealth and debt. Results show that borrowing levels closely track how institutions assemble …

The Digital Radical: Online Extremism, Propagation, And Terror By Design's Strategic Implications For Homeland Security, Hunter Lacroix, Shevach Berkovits

Journal of Strategic Security

The 'lone wolf' figure has long been central to counterterrorism analysis, representing the trajectory from non-participant to self-directed actor aligned with extremist causes. Traditional frameworks emphasizing in-person networks or online exposure, however, fail to capture the transformation of radicalization in the algorithmic age. The Arab Spring demonstrated the mobilizing power of digital platforms, yet movements like ISIS later weaponized these networks to provide ideology, belonging, and identity to dislocated populations. This article introduces the concept of the Digital Radical—an individual who transitions from passive consumer to active propagator of extremist narratives, sustaining and expanding radical ecosystems in a symbiotic …

Doctor, Teacher, Terrorist: The Life And Legacy Of Al-Qaeda Leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri. By Sajjan M. Gohel. Oxford University Press, 2023., Naveen Khan

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

Third Generation Gangs And Transnational Cartels. Edited By John P. Sullivan And Robert Bunker. Xlibris, 2025., Nathan P. Jones

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

Iron Deficiency And Depressive Symptoms: Effects Of Racial And Ethnic Disparity In Two Reproductive-Aged Us Women, Alexis Monkhouse

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Problem: Reproductive- aged women are one of the populations most at risk for iron deficiency and depression in the United States. While many studies have looked at the relationship between these two illnesses, none have explored it from a biocultural framework, examining how race/ethnicity affects this relationship. Using data from NHANES, this thesis examined the relationship between iron status (total body iron) and depressive symptoms (PHQ-9) among reproductive-aged women in the U.S. and how race/ethnicity affects it. Methods. NHANES survey data from 2005-2010 were pulled. Demographic and laboratory data were used to determine eligibility, total body iron, and depressive scores. …

Netflix, Between Intercultural Exchange And Monopolizing Tendencies: Streaming Consumption, Production, And Distribution In Romania, Ana-Maria Calancea

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the development and involvement of the SVOD platform Netflix in Romania in the context of a global media corporation engaging with a local market. Romania’s status as a former communist country acts as a good case study highlighting the long-term consequences of diverse content deprivation. I argue that in a country such as Romania, a service like Netflix can provide a so-called indirect intercultural exchange through the production and distribution of easily accessible diverse content, whether that diversity stems from nationality, ethnicity, race, sexuality, or any unconventional form of expression that was restricted or censored in the …

Military Sexual Trauma And Suicidality: An Analysis Of Interpersonal Risk Factors, Jacquelyn Burckley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Suicide remains a major public health concern, particularly among military personnel and veterans, who experience elevated risk compared to civilian populations. Military sexual trauma (MST), defined as sexual assault or harassment during military service, is a significant risk factor for suicidality, yet less is known about how characteristics such as recency and revictimization influence suicide severity. This study aimed to examine the relationship between MST victimization and suicide severity and to evaluate whether the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide explains suicide severity among MST victims. Using data from a large military sample, logistic regression and mediation analyses were conducted to assess …

Mentoring Mentalities Made Manifest: Toward A Better Understanding Of Secondary Teacher Mentor Professional Learning, Practice, And Self-Efficacy, Maggie L. Wilson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teacher shortages are becoming increasingly problematic nationwide. Teacher mentoring has been found to be an effective method of curbing teacher attrition, but little attention has been addressed to ensuring that teacher mentors are receiving the most relevant professional learning experiences to bolster their self-efficacy and mentoring practice. This qualitative study, drawing on research traditions such as grounded theory and case study, seeks to illuminate the mentor self-efficacy and practice of secondary teacher mentors and to understand the role their professional learning plays in how and how well they enact their mentor roles. Through qualitative interviews, including artifact-based interviews, this study …

The Power Of A Princess: Rebranding For A New Generation, Victoria A. Heath

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The lyric “Well, that sounds an awful lot like princess problems” from Snow White (2025) reflects Disney’s evolving portrayal of its princesses as more self-aware and independent. This shift is echoed in earlier live-action adaptations, such as Beauty and the Beast (2017), where Belle’s longing for “adventure in the great wide somewhere” signals her rejection of a limited, traditional role. Guided by Feminist Film Theory and media framing, this study examines how Disney’s rebranding of princess characters in Beauty and the Beast (2017), The Little Mermaid (2023), and Snow White (2025) reflects contemporary ideals of empowerment. Through narrative content and …