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54th International Congress On Medieval Studies, Medieval Institute, Western Michigan University

International Congress on Medieval Studies Archive

The printed program of the 54th International Congress on Medieval Studies (May 9-12, 2019), including the Corrigenda.

Front Matter, Medieval Feminist Forum, V.54, No.2, Winter 2018

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Opportunism & Duty: Gendered Perceptions Of Women's Involvement In Crusade Negotiation And Mediation (1147-1254), Gordon M. Reynolds

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

Women’s involvement in negotiation and mediation during the Middle Ages has received close scrutiny. However, few scholars have concentrated their investigations on the trends in female-led negotiations during the crusades in the Near East, and the significance of the religious connotations of such leadership in this theatre. There were dramatic societal shifts in the Latin East during the twelfth-thirteenth centuries, most significantly in the aftermath of the Battle of Hattin and loss of Jerusalem in 1187. The destruction of much of the Latin East’s crusader states that followed Jerusalem’s fall displaced many individuals, and with a plethora of Christian nobles …

Demonic Pedagogy And The Teaching Saint: Voice, Body, And Place In Cynewulf's Juliana, Christina M. Heckman

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

In Cynewulf’s Old English poem Juliana, the saint frames her encounters with her adversaries as pedagogical confrontations, refusing the lessons they attempt to “teach” her and ultimately adopting the identity of a teacher herself. These confrontations depend on three key tropes in the poem: Juliana’s voice, as a material manifestation of language deployed by the saint; her body, both as living body and as relic; and place, especially the place of the saint’s martyrdom and/or burial. Viewed through theories of material feminism, these tropes reveal diverse forms of agency in the poem, as both human and non-human agents make …

Chaucer's Pardoner: The Medieval Culture Of Cross-Dressing And Problems Of Religious Authority, Larissa Tracy

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

One of the most ambiguous and contentious characters in Geoffrey Chaucer’s fourteenth-century Canterbury Tales is the Pardoner, the last (and arguably worst) of the pilgrims described in the General Prologue. The Pardoner accused of being a gelding or a mare endowed with several effeminate traits, plays on multiple gendered associations—including that of a cross-dressing woman. Throughout the Canterbury Tales Chaucer manipulates gender expectations and assumptions in the figure of the Pardoner without fully clarifying the Pardoner’s sex, sexuality or gender, leaving the text open to potentially subversive interpretations. By the fourteenth century, cross-dressing was a relatively common literary motif, …

“A Drunken Cunt Hath No Porter”: Medieval Histories Of Intoxication And Consent, Carissa M. Harris

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

This essay traces medieval representations of intoxication and consent and links them to contemporary cases, including Brock Turner’s 2016 rape trial and the 2017 slew of lawsuits filed against Baylor University. Through an examination of medieval texts from a range of genres, including the Biblical stories of Lot and Noah, the Digby Mary Magdalene play, proverbs, Geoffrey Chaucer’s Wife of Bath’s Prologue, the 1292 legal case of Isabella Plomet, and Robert Mannyng’s Handlyng Synne, this essay explores past views of gender, perpetrators, culpability, alcohol, and consent. It argues that victim-blaming those who have been assaulted while intoxicated has …

The Wealth Of Wives: A Fifteenth-Century Marriage Manual, Olympia Pelosi

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Cristalian De Espana, Ana Grinberg

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Afterlives Of Rape In Medieval English Literature, Nicole Nyffenegger

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

The Encyclopedia Of Medieval Literature In Britain, Alexandra Reider

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Anglo-Saxon Literary Landscapes: Ecotheory And The Environmental Imagination, Renee R. Trilling

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

A Revelation Of Purgatory, Barbara Zimbalist

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

The Book Of The Mutability Of Fortune By Christine De Pizan, Roberta Krueger

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Rn To Apn Role Transition, Bethney Hernandez

Honors Theses

Role Transition can be difficult whether the transition is planned or unplanned. The transition from student to practitioner for nurses who follow the traditional path to licensure is challenging. Practitioners who change specialties, roles or scope of practice experience some of these same challenges, as well as unique challenges. The consequences of an unsuccessful role transition include unresolved stress, reduced job satisfaction, increased risk of errors, and changing roles again, without settling into the current role. This literature review will explore these challenges from the perspective of Meleis’s Transition Theory. Successful transitions occur when the practitioner finds employment, feels pride …

Femicide In The News: How Newspaper Articles Represent The Killing Of Women & Girls In Detroit And Ciudad Juárez, Danielle Branch

Honors Theses

In the year 2017 alone, 87,000 women were intentionally murdered across the globe, while 58% of these victims were murdered by someone they knew — family members or intimate partners (Global Study on Homicide: Gender-Related Killing of Women and Girls, 2018). The intentional killing of women and girls, typically by men and motivated by gender, is classified as a crime called “femicide.” Broader definitions of femicide simply state that it is the murder of women and girls, by someone of any gender, regardless of their motive. In some regions of the world, this phenomenon is more prevalent than in others. …

Relationship Of Grip Strength And Quality Of Life Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Melissa Van Omen

Honors Theses

Loss of muscle strength is one of the key features of aging. Quality of life is a factor that affects productive aging and loss of muscle strength. A literature review was completed to assess the possible relationship between grip strength and quality of life among community-dwelling older adults, as measured through physical health in terms of independence with ADLs/IADLs, physical disability, and mobility. Articles were collected from various peer-reviewed, publish journals using the available databases of Western Michigan University libraries. Databases used include PubMed, Clinical Keys, the National Institute of Health (NIH), Springer Link, Scopus, BioMed Central, Wiley, and Oxford …

An Exploration Of Resources Available To Deaf Children Attending Public And Deaf Community Schools, Katelyn Reid

Honors Theses

The purpose of this paper is to explore current literature surrounding the similarities, differences, advantages and disadvantages that Deaf children experience while attending mainstream schools compared to the experiences of Deaf children attending all-Deaf and signing schools. A literature review was conducted using the terms: “mainstream schools” , “signing schools” , “resources” , and “Deaf children” were used. Areas of specific interest included social skills, academic performance, overall mood, and the availability of classroom and communication resources. A review of the literature in these four specific areas revealed mixed findings about which academic environment is more beneficial for Deaf children. …

Cross Cultural Volunteering: A Best Practices Guide For Aspiras Usa, Lindsey King

Honors Theses

This thesis project explores the topic of cross-cultural volunteering in the context of volunteer opportunities facilitated by Aspiras USA, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on youth and community development efforts in the Dominican Republic. Aspiras partners with various college student organizations in the US and offers them opportunities for international volunteering in the Dominican Republic. Knowing how popular international volunteering is, and that it can result in negative outcomes, I was interested in the experiences of these Aspiras volunteers and the community hosts, and how to improve said experiences. I completed a thorough review of literature surrounding volunteer tourism …

Culture Without Borders: Intercultural Awareness Through Interviews And Images From International Asian Students, Zhi Xin Wee

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to understand and raise awareness of international Asian students’ culture and experiences at Western Michigan University. As an immigrant, I am interested in listening to personal stories about people’s culture and upbringing. I want to give students an opportunity to share their narratives and a chance to help contribute to a better understanding of culture and inclusion on campus.

Through this study, I will explore the unique stories from international Asian students at Western Michigan University to encourage and bring awareness of the many dimensions of diversity. At the end of this research, I …

64th Conference On Senior Engineering Design, College Of Engineering And Applied Sciences

Senior Engineering Design Conference

The 64th Conference on Senior Engineering Design Projects. The conference was held from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences on the Parkview Campus of Western Michigan University. The College of Engineering and Applied Sciences sponsors the conference to showcase the work of its graduating seniors, who are required to complete a capstone project that puts into practice what they have learned. Many of the projects are sponsored by business and industry.

Screaming, Humming: A Look Into Student Theatrical Direction And The Importance Of Queer Narratives On Stage And In The Rehearsal Room, Kropveld Danielle

Honors Theses

There is a large lack of discussion and writing concerning the intersections of queer theory, theatre as an art form, and student direction. My thesis attempts to add to this small amount of work. Using historical evidence, I define radical queer theory and its implications for art. I contextualize my own work in the rehearsal room with the piece Screaming, Humming by Hannah Manikowski with this framework, and speak to my experience of casting and rehearsal.

As a student director whose acting collaborators are also students, there are additional considerations to be taken into account. This experience also serves as …

The Laureate, Hannah Ryder

Honors Theses

In its eighteenth edition, the only undergraduate literary journal on Western Michigan University’s campus returns with more phenomenal student creations. The Laureate, led this year by senior Hannah Ryder, compiles fiction, non-fiction, plays, poetry, art, and photographs to provide a yearly snapshot of the best work from the university’s brightest individuals. Inside, the pieces explore not only what it means to be an individual, but how different surroundings and influences shape characters and experiences. The journal kicks off with a photograph staring up at a golden-leafed tree, representing both hopefulness and light. It then moves quickly and seamlessly through a …

Low Income And Stroke Rehabilitation: A Tale Of Two Clients, Sarah Bernard, Katrine Sauvé-Schenk, Mary Egan

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Related Service Providers’ Perspectives On Everyday Life Participation Of Children And Youth With Disabilities, Kathleen Flecky, Alyssa Bornman, Danielle Boyer, Andrea Huckabee

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the perspectives of related service providers on everyday life participation of children and youth with disabilities that they serve.

Method: A qualitative design was used to guide interviews that elicited the participants’ perspectives working with children and youth with disabilities.

Results: Five themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: (a) each child’s individual experiences and quality of life; (b) linked to home, school, and community life; (c) child or youth driven; (d) provider collaboration and carryover; and (e) distinct professional provider views.

Conclusion: Insights into related service …

A Scoping Review Of Self-Awareness Instruments For Acquired Brain Injury, Danielle Mahoney, Sharon A. Gutman, Glen Gillen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Self-awareness and insight are critical functions required to maintain safe and optimal participation in all daily life activities in a variety of environmental contexts. In the past two decades, occupational therapists have developed several psychometrically sound assessments designed to identify self-awareness and insight deficits in patients with neurological disorders. This scoping review identifies and evaluates key properties of such assessments to inform clinical practice.

Method: Multiple electronic databases were searched using the key search terms of “self-awareness” and “self-awareness assessment,” and “insight” and “insight assessment.” Included studies were original primary sources from the peer-reviewed journals.

Results: …

The Shapes Of Early English Poetry: Style, Form, History, Eric Weiskott, Irina Dumitrescu

Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Culture

This volume contributes to the study of early English poetics. In these essays, several related approaches and fields of study radiate outward from poetics, including stylistics, literary history, word studies, gender studies, metrics, and textual criticism. By combining and redirecting these traditional scholarly methods, as well as exploring newer ones such as object-oriented ontology and sound studies, these essays demonstrate how poetry responds to its intellectual, literary, and material contexts. The contributors propose to connect the small (syllables, words, and phrases) to the large (histories, emotions, faiths, secrets). In doing so, they attempt to work magic on the texts they …

Emeriti News, Spring 2019, Emeriti Council

Emeriti News

Contents of Volume XXVIII Number 2:

• Message from the Chair: James Bosco
• Emeriti Council Transitions 2019
• OLLI at WMU
• WMU's Phi Beta Kappa Chapter Thanks the WMU Emeriti Council
• Update from Sruthi Rameshkumar, Medallion Scholar
• Update from Eboni Nichelle Brown, Medallion Scholar
• Emeriti Council Scholarships
• Coming Wednesday II Events
• In Remembrance
• Final Notes...

Ballads Of The North, Medieval To Modern: Essays Inspired By Larry Syndergaard, Sandra Ballif Straubhaar, Richard Firth Green

Festschriften, Occasional Papers, and Lectures

This volume is intended as a belated but heartfelt thank-you and Gedenkschrift to the late Larry Syndergaard (1936-2015), long-time professor of English at Western Michigan University and Fellow of the Kommission für Volksdichtung (International Ballad Commission). Larry’s contributions down the decades to ballad studies--particularly Scandinavian and Anglophone--included dozens of papers and articles, as well as his supremely useful book, English Translations of the Scandinavian Medieval Ballads. As David Atkinson and Thomas A. McKean of the Kommission have written (May 2015): “Larry... was a sound scholar with a penetrating mind which he used to support, encourage and befriend others, rather …

Somos Y Estamos, Primavera/Spring 2019, Department Of Spanish

Somos y Estamos

For Friends of the Department of Spanish at Western Michigan University. In both Spanish and English.

Western Michigan University Magazine, Spring 2019, Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University Magazine (1997-present)

• University News
• Evaluating Education for All "WMU has been a driver in addressing the regional, state, national and global needs for educators for more than a century. Since its inception in 1903, WMU has impacted millions of lives through preparing committed and well-equipped education professionals." - Dr. Ming Li, dean of the College of Education and Human Development
• Building School Leaders: Boosting Student Literacy - An elementary school teacher, alumna and WMU instructor is Michigan's top teacher
• Driven Educator Pays it Forward - She's pursuing a calling, not simply a career
• Expert Insights
• Survive, Thrive, Care - A childhood burn …