Digital Commons Network^™

How Does This End?: The Ukraine War And The Future Of Russia, Jonathan M. Acuff, Hannah N. Clegg

Journal of Strategic Security

We analyze a range of future scenarios for Russia related to the Ukraine War. Although regime change is a publicly-stated objective for several leaders of NATO countries, we find very little prospect for it. The Russian economy has largely evaded the effects of the sanctions. Despite enormous casualties and incompetence in the management of the war, both Putin and the war remain popular with the Russian public. Contrary to most analysis to date, the Wagner Group mutiny of June 2023 is not an indication of Putin’s weakness, but his strength. The coercive mechanisms of the Russian state remain intact. Indeed, …

Making Us Security Cooperation In Fragile States Work: Organizational Capital In Aid Provision, Randell Yi, Edward J. O'Connell

Journal of Strategic Security

The article examine how materiel and non-materiel organizational capital, as conveyed by military aid, differ in their effects on recipient nations with respect to governance. The authors analyze the Varieties of Democracy (vDem) dataset’s Regime Corruption Index alongside Security Sector Assistance expenditures as reported by the US Aid to Security Sector Actors (USASSA) dataset. They find that non-materiel forms of investment toward building partner nation capacity create generally better governance outcomes than materiel ones that involve transfers of weapons systems or supplies. They further contend that investments toward social cohesion and norms transmission “build the capacity to have capacity built.” …

From Corruption And State Capture To A Populist Backlash: The Challenges For Democracy In Eastern Europe, Georgi Georgiev

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Employing different research methods in each chapter, this dissertation aimed to shed light on past and present challenges to democracy in Eastern Europe. More specifically: 1) What underlying conditions and factors cause the failure to develop a well-functioning democracy? 2)What is the role of governance on social and economic outcomes for citizens in the former communist countries of what was known as the Eastern Bloc? 3)To assess the extent of the decline of democracy among the Eastern European EU member states, what component of democracy has deteriorated the most, and identify what drives democratic backsliding.I discovered that the failure to …

Maturing Out Of Crime: A Test Of The Integrated Maturation Theory Of Desistance, Kelly E. Kortright

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation partially tested a newer integrated theory, the Integrated Maturation Theory (IMT) of desistance. IMT argues that as maturation increases across five maturation domains (social role, civic, identity, psychosocial, and neurocognitive) the likelihood of offending decreases. Using a sample of serious justice-involved juveniles spanning ages 14-24 from the Pathways to Desistance Study, the individual and simultaneous maturation domain development of the social role, civic, identity, and psychosocial maturation domains, were explored for heterogeneity. Using a group-based trajectory modeling approach, including multi-trajectory modeling, this study advanced the understanding of maturation development by identifying sub-groups following declining trajectories of maturation and …

Books For Banders, Mabel Gillespie

Eastern Bird Banding Association News

No abstract provided.

Ontario Birding: A Qualitative Study On Its Practice In The Field, Gavan P.L. Watson

Ontario Birds

No abstract provided.

Uprooted, Displaced, Resilient: Kosovar Women’S Narratives Of Organizing For Survival During The Kosovo War, Erjona Gashi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this dissertation is to foreground Kosovar women’s narratives and organizing properties during the Kosovo War. I examine the overlooked gendered roles and day-to-day lived experiences of Kosovar women, survivors of the Serb genocide, political violence, and oppression, and investigate their organizing properties during the Kosovo War (1998-1999). In acknowledging women’s plurality of experiences and perspectives, I challenge the currently pervasive and monolithic narrative of women as passive victims of war present in scholarship in organizational communication and instead make overt the narrative of women as critical organizational actors that sustain lives during and after the war. Using …

“A Second Chance Citizen Reintegration Program Through The Lenses Of Black And Brown Participants And Case Managers.”, Bobbie Straughter

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recidivism has been linked to a lack of education opportunities, heightened surveillance, a lack of housing stability, and limited access to resources for assistance. Because Black and Brown communities are facing mass incarceration, there is a growing concern about recidivism, as they are affected by several factors that may make them more likely to re-offend upon release. These include a lack of mental health outreach, their socioeconomic status, environmental influences, and the challenges they face regarding their masculinity and role in fatherhood. To both reduce recidivism and provide a solution to the obstacles presented above, the literature suggests providing re-entry …

Full Issue, The Migrant

The Migrant - Tennessee Ornithological Society

No abstract provided.

Slot Machine Addiction: The Untold Story Of Contradictions Between Self And America's Neoliberal Risk Society, Melanie C. Falconer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ability to take risks is nothing short of heroism in the modern United States which thrives on a diet of hyper mobility, technological progress, and globalized, deregulated “free” markets. Such relentless instability affirms scholarly contentions that the U.S. is now a “risk society.” Indeed, in Gambling with the Myth of the American Dream: The Pokerization of America, rhetoric scholar Aaron Duncan suggests that media stories of modern poker tournaments signify a collective desire to grapple with this heightened modern “chanciness” within our established gambling lore and make it cohere with our deeply cherished notions of American individualism. While Duncan …

The Older Adults; Oral Health Crisis: An Exploration Into Barriers, Intervention, And Development, Sydney Wojcieszak

USF St. Petersburg campus Honors Program Theses (Undergraduate)

This thesis examines the growing oral health crisis among older adults in the United States by exploring the barriers that prevent access to dental care and evaluating potential strategies for improvement. Through an interdisciplinary review of literature spanning dentistry, public health, gerontology, and healthcare policy, the study highlights the significant relationship between oral health and overall well-being, demonstrating how conditions such as dental caries, periodontal disease, tooth loss, and reduced salivary flow can contribute to systemic illnesses, diminished quality of life, and increased healthcare costs. The research identifies key barriers faced by older adults, including limited mobility, transportation challenges, cognitive …

Band Members’ Attitudes Toward The Queer Community And Perception Of Band As A Safe Space, Brian J. Panetta

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework of human development and Yuval-Davis’ analytical framework of belonging as a lens to explain how the band environment might cultivate positive attitudes toward the queer community, this study investigated band members’ attitudes toward the queer community and their perception of the band as a safe space. Utilizing adapted inventories with established reliability and validity, the following research questions were addressed: 1) What are queer and non-queer band members’ attitudes toward the queer community? 2) What are queer and non-queer band members’ attitudes toward the band as a safe space? 3) What differences exist between the independent …

The Experiences Of A Black Teacher Educator Surrounded By Whiteness In Teacher Education: A Critical Autoethnography, Lamicah Lindsey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The field of teacher education is dominated by whiteness, perpetuating the influence of white ideologies in designing and implementing teacher education at each phase of the continuum (pre-service teaching, in-service teaching, teacher educators). This study employs a critical autoethnographic approach to examine how my experiences as a Black educator have shaped my social justice pedagogy across the teacher education continuum. It also identifies the supports I received during my journey. The findings reveal persistent racial discrimination throughout all phases of teacher education, as well as struggles with imposter syndrome, self-doubt, racial identity, and fear of the unknown. These findings underscore …

Osteoarthritis, Social Role Participation, And Satisfaction With Life: A Quantitative Study Informed By The Social Identity Model Of Identity Change (Simic), Stephanie E. Rosado

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This cross-sectional survey study utilized an adapted version of the Social Identity Model of Identity Change (SIMIC) to investigate associations between post-diagnostic factors, role salience identity changes, and satisfaction with life for U.S. adults with osteoarthritis (OA). Data were collected from 193 adults with OA using ResearchMatch. Results suggest that role limitations significantly contributed to explaining variations in role salience identity. Furthermore, a positive relationship was observed between change in role salience identity and satisfaction with life. A moderated moderation analysis assessing the interaction effects of satisfaction with role performance and social support on the relationship between role salience identity …

Disability, Blackness, And Online Community: Black Twitter As Self-Narrative, Morgan S. Wilson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black disabled people, especially those with invisible disabilities, are often not included or welcomed by all in the disabled community. In addition, Black disabled individuals also face discrimination and exclusion within the Black community due to ableism. This project will be an investigation of Black disabled community and health culture in online spaces, specifically using Twitter hashtags as a starting point. This research project is about helping to write the whole story, an opportunity that my Black ancestors did not have but still demand, for our generation and those who will come after us. For this project, I conducted an …

A Personal Autobiographical Essay On The Origins And Beginning Years Of Genocide Studies, And Some Reflections On The Field Today, Israel W. Charny

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

Examining Childhood Trauma And Substance Use Problems Among Justice-Involved Adolescents In Florida, Skye C. Bristol

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to assess the relationship between childhood trauma and substance use problems as latent constructs among justice-involved adolescents (JIA). Additionally, racial differences and spatial analyses were examined. Previous research underscores the limitations of conceptualizing childhood trauma solely through Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). This justified integrating child welfare involvement, or out-of-home placement, as an additional indicator to develop a comprehensive scope of childhood trauma among JIA. Furthermore, current literature established that childhood trauma is a key predictor of substance misuse among JIA. However, the lack of a standardized measure of substance misuse across juvenile justice systems …

The Prevalence And Perceptions Of Self-Relevant Research (“Me-Search”) In Psychological Science, Andrew R. Devendorf

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Self-relevant research (i.e., me-search; SRR) is research that is informed by lived experience or having close connections to a topic. The disclosure of SRR may impact how a researcher is viewed in professional contexts, like an application to graduate school, and thus can impact who is recruited and retained in psychology. Although SRR appears to be common in psychology, little systematic research exists on its prevalence by subfield of psychology or how SRR is perceived. This study examined SRR across psychology disciplines. An online survey was administered to faculty and graduate students (N = 1313) affiliated with accredited doctoral programs …

No Change No Gain: A Comparative Framing Analysis Of The Nfl’S Inspire Change Campaign, Kia K. Cannon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research provides a basis for understanding how public relations practitioners should present CSR initiatives in their organizations and how the media may interpret its initiatives. The researcher analyzed how the NFL framed its Inspire Change campaign and how it was translated in the media. First, a qualitative textual analysis determined how the NFL strategically framed its newly founded social justice initiative. Then, another textual analysis examined how the media framed the Inspire Change initiative and if the NFL’s preferred frames were reflected in the media. The results reveal that while two out of three of the NFL’s frames of …

Empowering Populist Politics: Social Media Use In The Us And Uk, James M. Howley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Modern advancements in technology, in particular the rise in influence and popularity of social media platforms, have had a profound effect on the political landscape. The way in which political actors conduct their campaigns therefore requires significant analysis. Populist campaigns have particularly benefitted from the political influence of social media platforms. This research therefore looks at two significant political events from 2016, the Presidential Election campaign of Donald J. Trump in the United States and the 'Vote Leave' Brexit referendum campaign from the United Kingdom. Utilizing Manuel Castells' 'Network Society' (1990) as the theoretical framework for the research, this analysis …

Examining Localized Communication, Political Action, And Polarization In The 108th Senate, Mitchell Popovic

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis answers the call by Neal (2020) to provide the first study of positive and negative direct relations between senators, and by doing so, converges normative communicative praxis with the contemporary study of legislative networks under the auspices of communicatively constituted organizationality (CCO). The broad range of academic research on legislative networks, like the U.S. Senate, have long studied the political behaviors of senators via indirect social ties of mutual participation. The work presented here crosses that gap with a sentiment analysis of interpersonal statements of senators to/about a second—or possibly more—senator(s) during the 108th Congress (2003-2005) to construct …

Exploring Educational Equity: An Ethnographic Case Study Of Non-Profit Initiatives In Early Childhood Education, Jovana Jovanovic

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Quality early childhood education is acknowledged as a crucial factor in paving the way for academic success and societal contribution. Childhood experiences greatly influence individual life trajectories, significantly shaping future endeavors. This research delves into the intricate dynamics between socioeconomic status (SES), educational outcomes, and non-profit organizations, emphasizing the challenges faced by students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. While factors such as limited resources, financial constraints, and substandard living conditions have been linked to negative consequences on educational attainment, this research seeks to understand the specific role of non-profits in enhancing educational opportunities. By shedding light on collaborative efforts between local …

Lights, Camera, Recruitment: Analyzing Dod-Hollywood Synergy And Its Effects On Attitudes And Behaviors Towards The Military, Jose-Andres Leon-Gil

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to research priming effects on DoD influenced films and uncover if there are significant effects affecting attitudes, beliefs, military support, and behaviors. This study is important because there is a lack of literature on the effects of DoD-influenced films. A portion of top grossing films are influenced by the DoD while there is little research on the effects consumers have. This study conducted an experiment testing the effects of behaviors and attitudes when a priming stimulus is presented. The priming stimulus was a military-influenced film clip and a military advertisement. Three groups were made, …

Differentiating Magic: A Call For A Differential Approach, Weston L. Wright

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper seeks to propose an alternative approach for studying magic. It is often the case inacademia, when studying magic, scholars use an understanding of modernity which favors a scientific perspective. When doing so, some scholars have concluded magic has become extinct in our modern society; despite recent research suggesting magical practice is thriving. Likewise, this scholarship promotes an idea of magic grounded in fear, ignorance, superstition, and fraudulence. The goal of this paper is two-fold. First, I seek to advocate for an approach to magic that allows for a plurality of perspectives to be acknowledged, not just a scientific …

Formulating Utopian Pasts: Time As A Coping Method For Lgbtq+ Floridians, Elise M. Kuechle

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Florida has emerged in recent years as a breeding ground for a new generation of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. The state has introduced 10 anti-LGBTQ+ laws so far in 2023, touching on issues such as bathroom access, healthcare, and education. This paper analyzes the experiences of queer and transgender people living in Florida to ask: How do LGBTQ+ people in Florida cope phenomenologically with rising anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination? Drawing on data from 22 interviews with LGBTQ+ people situated in and around Florida in 2023, this paper captures a distinct political moment for the people that I spoke with, as anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments continue to …

“You Are Not The Same Person You Were:” On Diagnosis Seeking During A Liminal Period And Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Kaylee A. Appleton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

“You are the healthiest looking sick person I’ve ever met”

(Daphne, 62)

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is one of many chronic illnesses considered to be “invisible.” Once the onset of symptoms occurs, the illness can drastically change the dynamic of an individual's life in ways that may not be noticeable to others, even before a chronic illness diagnosis. I discuss how these individuals experience the liminal period of developing symptoms and seeking a diagnosis. Furthermore, I discuss vignettes that exemplifies the occurrence of a liminal state while looking at the current for-profit set-up of healthcare in the United States. Utilizing …

Family Tourism: Understanding The Concept And Improving The Parents - Children Relationship, Anukrati Sharma Anu, Shruti Arora Dr.

Journal of Sustainability and Resilience

Family tourism is driven by the increasing importance placed on promoting family togetherness, keeping family bonds alive and creating family memories. It not only builds life long memories, but also gives break away from the usual routine, opening the minds to new cultures, foods and experiences and even good for health. According to the researchers, positive relationships between parents and children are important for children’s overall development and builds trust. Various articles on family tourism from 2010 to 2023 were gathered from the Web of Sciences, UGC Journals, Scopus indexed journals, books, websites and was reviewed by the researchers.

Examining Crises Resilience In Tourism : A Systematic Review Of Literature, Kanyamwa Lunanga Félix, George Ariya, Priscillah Omagwa

Journal of Sustainability and Resilience

This study is the systematic review of literature on the resilience of tourism businesses. Following the various crises and disasters that shook the World between 2000 and 2020, the interest of researchers in tourism resilience has increased significantly. Despite the interest felt by these scientists, the notion of resilience has remained fragmented in terms of its definition and dimensions. This review presents an overview of the literature on the resilience of tourism businesses from 2013 to June 2023. The study revealed that there is a lack of cohesion in the literature on resilience from the definition to its influencing factors. …

Ay 2023/2024 Sec Meeting Minutes, 2024-02-07, Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Archives

No abstract provided.

Exploring Lived Experiences Of Gunshot Wound Survivors: A Key To Ethnographically Informed Public Health Interventions For Curbing Firearm Violence, Paul Webb, Jack Jimenez, Andre Elder, Alfredo Ortega Cotte, Apoorva Ravichandran, Emily Holbrook, Roberta Baer, Jason Wilson

College of Medicine & TGH Faculty Publications

Intro: The high rates of gun violence in the United States are a recognized public health concern with increased attention since the 1990′s. The predominant studies used in gun violence research have been epidemiological approaches and quantitative analyses. This study, instead, examines lived experiences of gunshot wound survivors to better understand their situations. This study also compared the different census categories and their types of gunshot wound injuries. Ethnographic informed analyses may inform public health interventions to decrease firearm injuries. Methods: Data was collected through a series of semi-structured interviews at the emergency department of an urban, Level-1, academic trauma …