Digital Commons Network^™

Settler-On-Settler Violence: Ritual Protocols In Youtube Street Fight Videos - Part Two, Kelly Menzel, Tyson Yunkaporta

Journal of Indigenous Research

This is part two of a series of two papers exploring a project was conducted by two Australian Aboriginal researchers, one male and one female, and might be described as ‘reverse anthropology’, in the same way that people sometimes refer to positive discrimination as ‘reverse racism’. But we would just call it anthropology; a tidal river is still a river when it flows back the other way. The project could hardly be acknowledged as anthropology though, as it was based on Indigenous methods of inquiry that do not yet belong to a formal discipline. Initially the goal was to disrupt …

Faculty Senate Agenda, October 3, 2022, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Call to Order
• University Business
• Information
• Educational Policies Committee - September 1, 2022
• Reports
• Educational Policies Committee Annual Report
• Empower Teaching Excellence Annual Report
• Old Business
• Code 401 Track Changes | Clean Version
• New Business
• Brief Overview of Senate Responsibilities | Orientation
• Adjourn: 4:30

Faculty Senate Executive Committee, Agenda, September 19, 2022, Utah State University - Continuing Education

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Call to Order - John Ferguson
• Approval of Minutes
• University Business - Noelle Cockett, President | Larry Smith, Provost
• Information
  • Educational Policies Committee - September 1, 2022
• Reports
  • Educational Policies Committee Annual Report
  • Empowering Teach Excellence Annual Report
• Old Business
• New Business
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Suicide Among Utah Girls And Women, Kristy Hodson, Chloe Bhowmick, Cindy Jenkins, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Suicide is a serious, evolving, and complex public health issue¹ that negatively impacts individuals, families, and communities across Utah, the nation, and the world.² Suicide can have lasting and harmful effects on everyone touched in some way, and it carries high economic and human costs.³ In fact, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that the US loses almost $70 billion annually as a result of suicide attempts and suicides due to medical and work-loss-related costs.⁴

In 2020, suicide was the 12th-leading cause of death in the US,⁵ and there were double the number of …

The Utah Statesman August 29, 2022, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Local Production And Developing Core Regions: Ceramic Characterization In The Lake Pátzcuaro Basin, Western Mexico, Anna S. Cohen, Amy J. Hirshman, Daniel E. Pierce, Jeffrey R. Ferguson

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

A core region is the first place for expected shifts in archaeological materials before, during, and after political changes like state emergence and imperial consolidation. Yet, studies of ceramic production have shown that there are sometimes limited or more subtle changes in the ceramic economy throughout such political fluctuations. This article synthesizes recent efforts to address political economic changes via geochemical characterization (neutron activation analysis; NAA) in the Lake Pátzcuaro Basin in western Mexico. This region was home to the Purépecha state and then empire (Tarascan; ca. AD 1350-1530), one of the most powerful kingdoms in the Americas before European …

Transferring Knowledge And Opening Pathways: The Unconventional Doctoral Student-Adjunct Instructor, Samantha Prado

Exploring How We Teach

• Doctoral student/adjunct instructor is a unique and important positionality that can provide perspective on the range of graduate student instructor experiences that exist.
• Positionality can be used to break down educational barriers and increase equity in the classroom.
• Transferring knowledge between contexts can be a form of advocating for social justice.
• There are both advantages and challenges to being a doctoral student/adjunct instructor.

Don't Forget To Breathe: Advice For Coping With Graduate Teaching Anxiety, Ryan Cheek

Exploring How We Teach

• Graduate teaching anxiety is a unique form of communication apprehension.
• Ignore your overactive amygdala. Teaching will not kill you.
• Teach with empath. Students are more afraid of you than you are of them.
• Don’t forget to breathe. A hospitable atmosphere is key to successful teaching.
• Institutions should better support their graduate student instructors.

How Can Graduate Instructors Promote Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In Their Courses?, Taneisha Vilma, Natalie Low

Exploring How We Teach

In this chapter, readers will find

• Strategies to include Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices when designing the course syllabus.
• Considerations for fostering equity among students through the format and scoring of course assessments.
• Methods to include diverse cultures and contexts in course materials to increase representation.
• Strategies for promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in various components of a course by graduate instructors who have different levels of course autonomy.

Positionality: The Interplay Of Space, Context And Identity, Rebecca Y. Bayeck

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

This article considers the way in which positionality shifts and is formed during a cross-cultural study to reveal the complexity of the insider-outsider status. As a researcher in a male-dominated game setting, I reflect on the research process and my interactions with participants to show the interplay of space, context, and identity in shaping a researcher’s status. I discuss the process of gaining access to the research site and participants, and data collection in relation to space, context, and identity. The interaction of my identities with space, and context informed my status at various moments. This interplay constructs a complex …

Settler-On-Settler Violence: Ritual Protocols In Youtube Street Fight Videos - Paper 1, Kelly Menzel, Tyson Yunkaporta

Journal of Indigenous Research

This is part one of a series of two papers exploring a project that was conducted by two Australian Aboriginal researchers, one male and one female, and might be described as ‘reverse anthropology’, in the same way that people sometimes refer to positive discrimination as ‘reverse racism’. But we would just call it anthropology; a tidal river is still a river when it flows back the other way. The project could hardly be acknowledged as anthropology though, as it was based on Indigenous methods of inquiry that do not yet belong to a formal discipline. Initially the goal was to …

Reversing The Gaze: Using Indigenous And Western Worldviews To Compare Coverage Of Climate Change And Indigenous Peoples In The News Media, Gina Mccrackin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The news media acts as an important conduit for shaping societal views of the socio-politics of climate change. While climate change will indeed affect everyone, it will not affect everyone equally. Indigenous peoples are among the populations whose well-being is threatened the most by climate change. International scholarship finds it is not uncommon for Indigenous cultures, communities, and perspectives to be underrepresented and misrepresented in Western climate change media. Research also indicates that fair Indigenous representation occurs when Indigenous peoples are the authors of news articles themselves. We evaluated the differences in discussions of climate change and environmental issues …

Implications Of Malthus-Boserup Ratcheting For Interpreting The Archaeological Record, Gideon F. Maughan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Prehistoric populations across North America seem to grow exponentially, with some variation between regions. Archaeologists have explored the differences somewhat, but have not explained the differences or the sustained growth with any reference to what may be going on under the surface in a way that is relevant to all regions. I propose that environmental limits on population are shaped by what populations eat and how they acquire food, and that when populations are large enough to feel the scarcity in their environment, they change their way of life in a way that increases those limits. The model I propose …

Developing Cultural Competence Among Sixth-Grade Students Through Indigenous Knowledge And Place-Based Education, Tyus Roanhorse

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There is a need to develop cultural competence in educational settings. While there is a focus on training K-12 educators to be culturally competent, there is little focus on developing and examining the impact of student cultural competence training. Integrating Indigenous knowledge in an education setting is a unique way to start developing cultural competency by recognizing cross-cultural worldviews and perspectives. This can be done while using place-based education, which links the classroom to the cultural environment that has significant meaning to Indigenous peoples while enriching the learning experience for all students. The current study examines and measures the development …

Aging Bison Teeth With A Gis: A New Tooth Age Prediction Methodology And Its Archaeological And Ecological Implications, Andrew Edward Owens

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Archaeologists use teeth to estimate the age an animal died based on tooth eruption, growth, and wear. Animal age estimations then inform archaeologists about when and why archaeological sites were occupied. However, to date, no concise and repeatable practice exists to age estimate teeth. Therefore, we propose a new tooth age estimation methodology, in this case using bison teeth. The new tooth aging method uses GIS mapping software to draw tooth surfaces and then calculate tooth surface areas of known-age bison teeth. Then, this known-age tooth sample is used to derive algebraic equations that can estimate the age of prehistoric …

Trauma Exposure And Trauma Symptoms As Predictors Of Police Perceptions In Latinx Youths, Amanda Venta, Germán Cadenas, Alfonso Mercado, Luz M. Garcini, Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: The Latinx immigrant youth population composes nearly a quarter of all children in the U.S. and are a high-risk group for police encounters. Based on perceptions of Latinxs as criminals, increased enforcement actions against Latinxs in the U.S., and failures of policing and police brutality in immigrants’ home countries, we expected that immigrants who reported increased trauma exposure and symptoms would have more negative perceptions of police. Method: This study utilized data from 107 recently immigrated Latinx youth to examine how trauma exposure (Child Trauma Screen) and symptoms (Child PTSD Symptoms Scale) related to perceptions of police (Criminal Sentiments …

An Inventory And Assessment Of Sample Sources For Survey Research With Agricultural Producers In The U.S., Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, Shuang Li, J. G. Arbuckle, Edem Avemegah, Kathryn J. Brasier, Morey Burnham, Anil Kumar Chaudhary, Weston M. Eaton, Wei Gu, Tonya Haigh, Douglas Jackson-Smith, Alexander L. Metcalf, Amit Pradhananga, Linda S. Prokopy, Matthew Sanderson, Emma Wade, Adam Wilke

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Researchers need probability samples to collect representative survey data about the behaviors and attitudes of agricultural producers they study in relation to the natural resources that they manage, yet obtaining accurate and complete sampling frames is challenging. We extract data from a publication database to identify the most commonly used sampling frame sources in survey research of agricultural producers in the U.S., finding that government program participant lists are used most often, while private vendor samples are increasingly being purchased. Based on our research experience, we find that for many projects, private vendors can provide the most rigorous samples. Given …

To The Moon And Mars And Back To The Archives: Working With Modern Space Collections At The University Of Arizona Libraries, Molly Stothert-Maurer, Lisa E. Duncan

Journal of Western Archives

With a long history at the University of Arizona with excellence in the lunar and planetary sciences, the University of Arizona Libraries Special Collections has increased its collecting of the History of Science and Technology. These large, modern space collections pose unique challenges and require specific needs to be addressed in order for the collections to be stored, processed and made available for access. It is essential for archivists working with these collections to ask their donors the right questions and learn the limitations and restrictions that often come with acquiring modern space collections. Archives around the country have started …

Utah State University Commencement, 2022 - Main Campus, Utah State University

Commencement Programs

2022 Commencement Ceremony for the Main Campus of Utah State University.

Making The Old New: The Recontextualization And Traditionalization Of Tree Spirits In Video Games, Alexandria Ziegler

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Folklorists study the active rituals between humans and deities, as well as the inactive participation between them in narrative. However, they do not study the active participation that comes in the form of video games between them, though with shifts in society, this new way of engaging through digital forms is widespread and accessible. In my research, I studied Russian and Japanese tree spirits in a variety of video games to understand this new form of engagement with ancient deities. These video games are Okami, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Black Book, and The Witcher 3: The …

Belief, Unbelief, And Rebelief In Santa Claus: A Theory Of Cyclical Belief Or A Belief Cycle An Introduction, Steven G. Merrell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Every single person, no matter who they are; what they look or sound like; where they are or come from in space and time; their sex, gender, and/or orientation; their age or maturity; their culture; and/or their background, has one or multiple belief(s) and/or belief system(s) of some kind. Such belief may be temporary, transient, fleeting, or long lasting. It/they may be superficial or deeply rooted. It/they may be (considered) or seem rational or irrational. It/they may be encouraged or discouraged, romanticized or pathologized. It/they may be conscious, subconscious, or unconscious; or, such belief(s) may exist somewhere in between. It/they …

Cultivating Agrobiodiversity In The U.S.: Barriers And Bridges At Multiple Scales, Kaitlyn A. Spangler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The diversity of crops grown in the United States (U.S.) is declining, causing agricultural landscapes to become more and more simplified. This trend is concerning for the loss of important plant, insect, and animal species, as well as the pollution and degradation of our environment. Through three separate but related studies, this dissertation addresses the need to increase the diversity of these agricultural landscapes in the U.S., particularly through diversifying the type and number of crops grown. The first study uses multiple, openly accessible datasets related to agricultural land use and policies to document and visualize change over recent decades. …

'I Try To Take The Whole Family Thing Out Of The Picture': How Professionals Navigate Motherhood Bias At Work, Rachael Gulbrandsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research aims to improve our understanding of professional mothers and the strategies they develop to navigate bias and sustain their careers. Previous research has shown that women with children face a motherhood bias that results in negative career outcomes such as reduced wages, fewer high-quality assignments, and decreased chances for promotion and leadership opportunities. This research investigates how professional mothers respond to that bias by analyzing interviews with forty-seven women in the field of law about their professional experiences: their experiences before and after having children; the challenges they face navigating their careers and families; and the strategies they’ve …

Utah State University Commencement, 2022 - Tooele Campus, Utah State University

Commencement Programs

2022 Commencement Ceremony for the Tooele Campus of Utah State University.

Utah State University Commencement, 2022 - Brigham City, Kaysville & Tremonton Campuses, Utah State University

Commencement Programs

2022 Commencement Ceremony for the Brigham City, Kaysville & Tremonton Campuses of Utah State University.

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder In A Brazilian Context: Treatment Of Three Cases, Luana D. Laurito, Carla Pereira Loureiro, Livi Faro, Rafaela Venâncio Dias, Bianca Torres, Maria Eduarda Moreira-De-Oliveira, Samara Dos Santos-Ribeiro, Gabriela B. De Menezes, Leonardo F. Fontenelle, Carter H. Davis, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Previous research indicates that a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is an effective treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, there are no studies to date of ACT for OCD in Latin American populations. Because socio-cultural context influences OCD symptomatology, it is worth adapting and testing ACT for OCD in such cultures. Three patients seeking treatment for OCD at a public health center in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil were treated with 16 sessions of ACT and ERP. All participants showed decreased OCD scores from baseline to post-treatment that remained lower at follow-up, suggesting …

Return Migration, Reintegration, And The Covid-19 Pandemic: Evidence From Kyrgyzstan, Saeed Ahmad

Student Research Symposium

The disruptions to migration caused by the COVID-19 pandemic were particularly notable in the former Soviet Union, because before the pandemic the region experienced levels of circular and labor migration, and comparatively lax restrictions on international mobility. Kyrgyzstan and other FSU states are heavily dependent on migrant remittances from Russia, making the border closures and other restrictions during the pandemic a major source of hardship. This paper draws on 20 interviews with citizens of Kyrgyzstan who returned from Russia after March 2020. We ask how individuals and families made the decision to return to Kyrgyzstan in the chaotic and uncertain …

Making The Old New: The Recontextualization Of Tree Spirits In Video Games, Alexandria Ziegler

Student Research Symposium

Folklorists study the active rituals between humans and deities, as well as the inactive participation between them in narrative. However, they do not study the active participation that comes in the form of video games between them, though with shifts in society, this new way of engaging through digital forms is widespread and accessible. In my research, I studied Russian and Japanese tree spirits in a variety of video games to understand this new form of engagement with ancient deities. Through the lens of hypermodern and folkloresque folklore, I use the concepts of recontextualization and traditionalization to explain why video …

“Me Adjacent”: Alternate Personas And Virtual Worlds, Nichole Bresee, Katie Snow, Whitney Hall, Gracie Wilkinson, Leah Downey

Student Research Symposium

Research shows that people who engage in role-playing games (RPG), from video games to tabletop games, can derive feelings of achievement, as well as social and immersive experiences which can help them reach eudaimonic and hedonic states (Snodgrass et al. 2019). However, gaming has also been linked to negative emotions related to “problematic” and “addictive” play, related to toxic communities and compulsive gameplay. In this project, we examine how avatars — digital and imaginary representations of players — shape emotional states. Through free listing and pile sorting interviews, our results show how gamers relate to their avatars, and how these …

“Me Adjacent”: Alternate Personas And Virtual Worlds, Katie Snow, Gracie Wilkinson, Nichole Bresee, Whitney Hall, Leah Downey

Student Research Symposium

Research shows that people who engage in role-playing games (RPG), from video games to tabletop games, can derive feelings of achievement, as well as social and immersive experiences which can help them reach eudaimonic and hedonic states (Snodgrass et al. 2019). However, gaming has also been linked to negative emotions related to “problematic” and “addictive” play, related to toxic communities and compulsive gameplay. In this project, we examine how avatars — digital and imaginary representations of players — shape emotional states. Through free listing and pile sorting interviews, our results show how gamers relate to their avatars, and how these …