Digital Commons Network^™

Parallel Punishments: The School-To-Prison Transgender Pipeline, Rayna Momen, Lindsay K. Semprevivo, Cris Mayo

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

With increasing criminalization of transgender people, especially legislation targeting youth, researchers need to consider more closely the historical and continuing criminalization of gender non-normativity. We suggest in this article that closer attention to queer criminology in relationship to transgender and gender-related social justice education can help shape research agendas and school practices and disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline for transgender youth. Our focus is specifically on how disciplinary practices requiring identification as well as those that ignore identification both contribute to the growth of punitive responses to gender diversity, especially in relationship to race and ethnicity.

Ramerican Political Science Review (Vol. 9, Feb. 2025 Special Edition)

Ramerican Political Science Review

France's Strategic Dynamics: Power, Partnerships, and Prospects / Marie Cox -- The Contribution of the United Kingdom to the Security of Europe / Kelly Williams -- Poland: A Pivotal Actor for the Future of European Security / Zack Kloman -- The End of Finlandization / Natasha C. Smith -- A New Age: Turkish Security in a Changing World / Alexandra Pabon

Indigenous Artists Working With Digital Materials, Luke A. Meeken

Teaching Resource Archive

This is a static PDF version of the online resource found here: https://www.gildedgreen.com/indigital This document contains the five thematic curricular modules from the online resource but does not contain the always-growing online database of contemporary Indigenous digital artists, who can be found at the above link.

This resource includes several thematic modules designed for use by educators of preservice art teachers, which can be adapted for use in graduate and undergraduate level courses (and parts of which will be deployed in my own elementary and secondary methods courses). These could be used in whole or in part, and are designed …

Bibliography Of Prior Literature Relevant To Research Development, Michael J. Spires, Nina Exner, Joshua Roney, April Schoonover

Research Development Repository

This document contains references that were included in the original Mendeley citation library established by Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski, added by NORDP members after the library was established, or included by the task force as a result of either personal knowledge or bibliographic tracing. While not exclusive, this bibliography represents a nucleus of the extant literature relevant to research development, and can serve as a resource for RD professionals going forward.

Social Class, Cultural Capital, And Public School Art Education, Yiwen Wei

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

This article delves into the often-overlooked issue of social class in visual art education. While art education is crucial for sustaining artistic traditions and cultural practices, the validation of certain art forms within educational systems significantly influences students’ perceived values of art and culture. This article explores the intricate interplay between social class, cultural capital, and art education in U.S. public schools. The goal is to enhance class consciousness among art educators, advocating for educational equity and cultural sustainability. The article presents a theoretical framework through a comprehensive review of existing scholarship on social class in U.S. art education. A …

Layers Of Identity, Elizabeth Toffel

Teaching Resource Archive

Students explore identity, specifically that identity is layered, shaped by personal experience, cultural background, community ties, and unique traits. Students conduct interviews with peers, reflect on identity components, both individually and collectively, and create a layer artwork on transparent acetate sheets. When stacked the layers visually showcase the layers of the student’s identity and represent how identity is complex, constructed, and always shaped by multiple influences.

Tate Speech: Radicalizing Rhetoric And Multi-Level Marketing Recruitment Strategies In The Manosphere, Carey J. Priebe

Theses and Dissertations

My study aims to uncover the discursive elements behind the gendered recruitment strategies that influencers in the manosphere use to pipeline men and boys into their multi-level marketing (MLM) companies. In the manosphere, male supremacy is presented as desirable and subversive, and MLMs take advantage of emotional and economic instability. My study examines the Twitter (X) account of the popular manosphere influencer Andrew Tate as I trace his rhetoric along a three-pronged gendered recruitment framework, a framework originally developed around women selling essential oils online and funneling their followers into radical alt-right politics. What are the similarities and differences in …

Virginia Commonwealth University Courses (2025), Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Listing of courses for the 2025-2026 year.

Virginia Commonwealth University Graduate Bulletin (2025), Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Listing of courses for the 2025-2026 year.

Virginia Commonwealth University Undergraduate Bulletin (2025), Virginia Commonwealth University

VCU Bulletins

Undergraduate bulletin for Virginia Commonwealth University for the academic year 2025-2026. It includes information on academic regulations, degree requirements, course offerings, faculty, academic calendar, and tuition and expenses for undergraduate programs

Lived Experiences Of School Counselors’ Facilitation Of Small Group Counseling In Public High Schools, Joshua D. Hurley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of school counselors’ facilitation of small group counseling in public high schools. Prior research has shown that high school counselors utilize small group counseling at a lower rate than their elementary school counterparts. Researchers have identified two primary barriers that school counselors face in the implementation of small group counseling in schools to include time and internal fear and anxiety. This study investigated the lived experiences of 11 school counselors in their facilitation of small group counseling in the public high school setting. Through data analysis, three …

Housing Quality For Whom? Housing Quality As A Form Of Housing Insecurity And Housing Inequality For Black Women Renters, Jenee Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Housing quality is an often overlooked but critical aspect of housing insecurity that often impacts one’s well-being physically, mentally, and socially. As a compromise for affordable housing, some individuals reside in substandard conditions, often lacking essential safety measures and amenities needed for a comfortable and secure living environment. Consistent with broader patterns of housing disparities, Black women renters are disproportionately affected by housing insecurity and more likely to live in substandard housing. Although previous literature has explored the impact of poor-quality housing and its characteristics, there is a gap in understanding how Black women renters uniquely perceive and experience housing …

Mutual Realm, Tyna Ontko

Theses and Dissertations

mutual realm is a container for my many meandering thoughts on speculative futures, present-day-truth-telling, and the everyday construction of histories. Informed by systems of belief and power that humans have created to grapple with the unknown, the writing illustrates how storytelling builds worlds, assigning value to things by inscribing them with desire. In parts fact and fantasy, sculpture is considered as a form of sorting, making known the ways in which my experience of living between publics whose methods for demarcating boundaries, communally agreed upon superstitions, and algorithms for assigning meaning have marked my unconscious and affect my daily trajectories. …

Civic Conservation Workshop: A User Manual For Creating A Makerspace Dedicated To Historic Preservation, Building Repair, And Civic Engagement, Madeleine Bean

Theses and Dissertations

Research Abstract:

Democracy depends on citizens’ participation at all levels, from local to national; moreover, engagement in one’s community is directly correlated with greater reported feelings of happiness and trust (Cox et al., 2021). This research examines how makerspaces can act as civic hubs that promote inclusive community interaction, facilitate the exchange of cultural and skills-based knowledge, encourage civic discourse, and serve as sites for political engagement through the provision of tools and resources that focus on historic home repair/preservation and craft-based trades. Specifically, this study proposes the development and design of a preservation-focused makerspace in Jackson Ward, a historically …

From Objects To Relationships: Reviving Connectivity Through Collaborative Artmaking, Carolina Blatt-Gross

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

A shortage of pro-social opportunities during the pandemic brought to the fore a longer, deeper trend toward disconnection. With the broader emphasis on individualized academic achievement compounding pandemic-induced social disenfranchisement, schools and communities are struggling to revive a sense of connectivity and belonging. The arts, on the other hand, have long been associated with social outcomes, historically generating group cohesion and inherently offering participants a sense of unity and synchronicity through collaborative artmaking. Applied to educational settings, pinpointing the concrete aspects of art education that beget social capital and connectedness is a more difficult task. This investigation examines the potential …

Jstae V44 Full Issue: Navigating Collapse: Re-Envisioning Educational Structures, Jstae Editor

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

No abstract provided.

Reimagining Education: Revisiting A Quantitative Study Of Naea Members, Hannah K. Sions

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

In 2020, (anti)racism, implicit bias, and white supremacy were topics that were becoming highlighted in school systems across the country (Krauth, 2021). However, as stay-at-home orders relaxed, the same educators who were regarded as heroes at the beginning of the pandemic were suddenly criticized for trying to teach anti-racism, equity, and other systemic social issues (Graham, 2021). The inability to acknowledge uncomfortable truths about history has highlighted a major shortcoming of education in the United States: we can continue to teach in ways that we know oppress students from the Global Majority or we can reexamine education and move towards …

News Mediated Reporting And Governmental Narratives About The Enforcement Of Elite Criminality: Exploring The Social Construction Of Financial Frauds And Discrepancies In Punishment, Dominic J. Zicari

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how financial crime enforcement decisions are socially constructed through a qualitative content analysis of news articles and government communications pertaining to two specific cases: the Enron scandal of 2001 and the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008. The study was guided by a theoretical framework that utilizes Barak’s (2017) theory of state-routinized crime control. The rigorous analysis of 394 news articles and government communication documents revealed that the media and the state rarely framed the subprime mortgage crisis as a criminal issue. Although the Enron scandal was frequently described as financial crime, journalists and government communicators were often …

The Dance Of Human Affairs: Public Administration Leaders’ Perceptions Of Candor’S Impact On A Sense Of Belonging, Aaron Dimmock

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines public administration leaders’ perceptions within the executive branch of the state government studied to determine if the components of radical candor, care personally and challenge directly, are associated with the sense of belonging in a public administration setting. Questions from surveys conducted by the state government studied were used to create the variables analyzed in this study. To the researcher’s knowledge, this is the first study to apply components from the Radical Candor® Framework to determine a relationship with sense of belonging in a public administration setting.

The significance of these components was tested through a quantitative, …

Novel Time-Since-Deposition Signatures For Canine Blood; Implications For Animal Cruelty Investigations, Alysia M. Townsley

Master of Science in Forensic Science Directed Research Projects

Dogfighting is a felony in all 50 states and is often tied to other organized crime activities including gambling, narcotics, and weapons trafficking. Because of the clandestine nature of dogfighting crimes, it may be necessary to determine the age of blood samples from suspected events, not just the source. In this study, flow cytometry was used to identify cellular autofluorescence signatures for estimating TSD (time-since-deposition) in canine blood deposits up to 6 months old. To accomplish this, blood was taken from canines of various chronological ages and breeds, then deposited to create TSD samples ranging between 1 day and 180 …

Elements Of A Talent Information System For The Shenandoah Valley Partnership, Jake Thompson

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This study examines the development of a comprehensive talent information system for the Shenandoah Valley Partnership (SVP), addressing the region’s prioritized need for talent attraction and retention. Through a mixed-methods approach combining literature review, demographic analysis, and qualitative interviews with comparable regional economic development organizations, the research identifies effective strategies for collecting, managing, and analyzing workforce data. The Shenandoah Valley region, comprising twelve localities in Virginia, faces challenges in educational attainment and healthcare provision despite possessing significant natural and cultural assets. Findings reveal three key components for effective talent information systems: (1) ambassador programs that provide qualitative insights on regional …

Exploring The Stem Career Identity Development Of Black Women Across Their Lifespan, Veronica Hurd

Theses and Dissertations

Although STEM is the fastest-growing career sector, Black women are grossly underrepresented as they account for 2.5% of the workforce. Research highlights that this underrepresentation is due to racialized structures in K-12, postsecondary, and career settings that restrict Black girls’ and women’s STEM opportunities. While macrosystems such as hegemonic ideologies, attitudes, and social conditions shape Black girls’ and women’s opportunities in STEM, they continue to persist and achieve their career goals. To explore these barriers and Black women’s persistence in this industry, this study draws from the autobiographical memories of 10 Black women in the field or formerly in the …

Campus Culture Of Hazing At James Madison University: A Mixed Methods Exploration Of Perceptions, Behaviors, And Policy Implications, Lauren D. Powell, Amanda K. Simmons, Alexandra E. Holt, Elizabeth M. Matthews, Mark D. Meadows

Doctor of Education Capstones

Hazing has been around for centuries and has become more prevalent with the rise in social media. This convergent parallel mixed method study sought to explore students, faculty, and staff perceptions of hazing and hazing prevention at JMU, examine what they define as reportable hazing behaviors, and identify what behaviors are currently being reported in organizational misconduct reports. Through content analysis of JMU organizational misconduct reports, a student survey, and interviews with faculty and staff, the capstone team collected data on hazing and determined seven key findings. Findings revealed that students, faculty, and staff acknowledge the risks of hazing, including …

The Permanent Supportive Housing Of Central Virginia’S Aged Out Foster Youths: The Permanent Supportive Housing Of Central Virginia’S Aged Out Foster Youths A Plan To Increase Regional Capacity, Fill Gaps In Service, And Identify Potential Sites., Matthew Snow

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

As of 2024, Virginia’s Central Region continues to produce one of the highest rates of foster care emancipations in the state, despite having minimal infrastructure to support young adults transitioning out of care. Each year, dozens of foster youth in the region age out of the system without reunification, adoption, or other forms of permanency, disproportionately entering adulthood without the stability of housing, employment, or accessible services. Although permanent supportive housing (PSH) has emerged as a nationally validated model for housing and service integration, few PSH developments in Virginia are designed specifically for aged-out foster youth or their families.

This …

Senior Living Guide: Strategies For Aging In Place In Chesterfield County, Emma E. Tilley

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The Senior Living Guide: Strategies for Aging in Place in Chesterfield County provides a comprehensive framework to support the county's growing older adult population in maintaining independence and quality of life within their homes and communities while aging in place. This plan outlines demographic trends, housing conditions, and the needs of older residents, and offers actionable planning strategies to make Chesterfield County a supportive locality for those aging in place. Emphasizing universal design, accessible infrastructure, and integrated support services, this plan promotes a multi-disciplinary approach to ensure that aging in place is a viable and equitable option for all residents. …

Exploring The Role Of Government Funding And Policy Criteria In Greening Projects: A Case Study Of Southside Richmond, Destiny R. Brown

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This thesis explores how government and private funding structures and policy criteria influence community-based organizations (CBOs) engaged in urban greening projects, focusing on Southside Richmond, Virginia through a case study of a local CBO. Using a multi-method approach including document analysis, secondary data review, and autoethnographic reflection, the research suggests a gap between visibility and influence for CBOs, showing that their decision-making authority often varies while they are publicly recognized. The study also reveals that public documentation of funders' community engagement is often performative or symbolic rather than structurally embedded in decision-making processes. In addition, funding remains a barrier, with …

Searching Effectively: Basic Principles And Practical Tips For Better Results, Roy E. Brown

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

This handout updates Doing a Good Search: Basic Rules and Search Tips, originally published in 2024. It outlines the basic principles of doing a good search, from identifying a topic and formulating a clear question to selecting and searching at least two databases. It also includes information on Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT), subject headings, and Google Scholar. New to this iteration of the document are best practices for using artificial intelligence in literature and evidence searches.

Remember: Searching is an iterative process, which involves repeated cycles of refinement. Your approach will shift depending on the specific question you're trying …

The Trauma-To-Prison Pipeline: A Multi-Level Theoretical Framework Exploring The Intersection Of Inequality, Trauma, And Exclusionary Discipline, Dana Ainsworth

Theses and Dissertations

The school-to-prison pipeline (STPP) is a widely recognized and extensively studied metaphor used to describe the process by which school discipline policies increase the risk of juvenile justice system involvement, particularly among historically marginalized populations. While it has been instrumental in shaping educational policy, the STPP framework has not evolved to account for the critical impact of trauma on learning and behavioral outcomes. Furthermore, it overlooks the role of systemic inequality that increases trauma exposure and produces concentric patterns of marginalization.

Drawing on research across the fields of education, public health, sociology, and criminal justice, this study proposes a theoretical …

Guardians Of Their Own: Routine Activities, Risk Perceptions, & Self-Protection Among Police Officers In The Line Of Duty, Amy Clifton-Mills

Theses and Dissertations

This research illuminated how police officers perceive risks in the line of duty and whether police officers implement protective behaviors on duty. This was done by implementing two phases of data collection: focus groups (I) and self-report surveys (II). The focus groups (N = 21) were conducted to inform the self-protective behaviors instrument in the self-report surveys (N =143). Officers self-reported their risk of assault and injury in the line of duty in the next six months to be 33.86% (SD = 27.13) and their risk of felonious death to be 14.4% (SD = 18.1). Results show that …

Inherited Wounds: Navigating Intergenerational Trauma Through Cooperative Play, Ayza Sheikh

Theses and Dissertations

'Strength' for Pakistani women is often defined as compromise, sacrifice, and silence. This definition has shaped intergenerational struggles in which women's self-narratives are constructed through suppression. Inherited Wounds seeks to address the trauma of suppression by creating a safe space for expression that fosters reflective and emotion-driven dialogue between Pakistani mothers and daughters.

Using interactive storytelling and embodied play, I developed a choice-based, narrative-driven video game and accompanying gesture-based controller. The game unfolds across childhood, marriage, and motherhood, mirroring the cycle of intergenerational struggle. Navigating choices in the game requires physical, intimate cooperation. The game uses the protagonist’s life as …