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"Model Complexity And Variable Selection In Maxent Niche Models: Analyses For Rodents In Madagascar", Peter Galante

Dissertations and Theses

Ecological niche models (ENMs) characterize the relationship between localities where a species is known to occur and the abiotic characteristics of these regions. While widely used, ENMs remain subject to several outstanding issues, including those related to model complexity and violation of modeling assumptions (e.g., representative sampling). Critical in resolving these issues is a better understanding of the effectiveness of model selection techniques. Here, I compare two strategies for optimizing ENMs: an information-criterion approach (AICc) and a sequential approach that assesses model performance on withheld data. I do so for a single species using two datasets, one with all available …

Game, Set, Match: Sports And The Future Of Diplomacy, Valeria Munt

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis will serve to demonstrate sports diplomacy as a legitimate field of study in international relations. In this thesis, I will argue that the practice of sports diplomacy has provided countries with relative contentious relationships, with a ‘soft entry’ to a potential restoration of their diplomatic relations. As a fairly new study field, sports diplomacy has received its fair amount of criticism as to whether diplomacy and sports should mix. It is important to note that this criticism is not unfounded or unwarranted and that this field in particular does have its limitations and restrictions. There’s definitely an argument …

Citizens Electoral Behavior In Autocratic Regimes, Venezuela, Turkey, Russia, Marta Diaz Fernandez-Lomana

Dissertations and Theses

This study offers an explanation of why voters repeatedly choose leaders who came to power democratically at some point but will not abandon it when they ought to. Research shows leaders will employ any and every mechanism to remain in power, from restricting liberties to turning to violence as a method of repressing dissidence yet voters continue to vote them back into power. Why? Through an examination of the current situations in Venezuela, Turkey and Russia, the thesis reveals that economic performance provides the key explanation. If the country provides welfare to its citizens, they will be willing to overlook …

Factors Which Prolong Civil Conflict In Africa: The Case Of Angola, Liberia And Sierra Leone, Ntesang Lorraine Molemele

Dissertations and Theses

It has been a long journey for this thesis accomplishment and now finally it is accomplished. First and foremost I thank God for my mother, Seskhutshwe, who has always wanted her children to accomplish through education. It would not have been possible of course without my dad, Judge and my little sister Ikey. My 9 year old daughter, I also thank her for always making sure she did not disturb me whenever I had to concentrate on this project. Above all, I wish to express my gratitude to my exceedingly patient Professor and supervisor, Jacqueline Braveboy. I have probably been …

Civilian Protection: The Imperative Role Of Civil Society, Collen Kelly

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Extreme Levels Of Poverty And Inequality May Lead To Equally High Levels Of Social Conflict And Crime, Rukelt Dalberis,

Dissertations and Theses

Poverty and economic inequality remain a vexing concern in Latin America. The specter of crime continuously looms, creating a constant state of social discomfort in the region. Latin America has established an unparalleled zone of democracy. The region has also become an economic force.

The prevailing notion regarding the relationship between poverty and inequality with crime and conflict outbreaks is that violence tends to occur in regions where poverty is endemic. Inequality, as it is understood, breeds contempt. In this thesis, I test the hypothesis that extreme levels of poverty and inequality are likely to result in equally high levels …

Factors Affecting Persistence Rates Among College Freshmen, Darlene Rozon

Dissertations and Theses

This study explored new factors that may be associated with college success, including parents’ education level, annual household income, hours spent outside the classroom, and college premium. The current study provides evidence from an urban public college of predominately low socio-economic status students. Participants (N=251) were students enrolled in fall semester 2009 in an introductory psychology course. Participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire about their college experience, demographics and family background. Survival analysis and binary logistic regression was used to evaluate the effect of each factor on college retention Parents’ education level and student’s knowledge of the economic …

A Christian Nation: How Christianity United The People Of The Cherokee Nation, Mary Brown

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Outcomes Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw) In The Arab World, Rosann Mariappuram

Dissertations and Theses

The UN General Assembly adopted the Convention to End All Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1979 and it is currently the 2nd most ratified human rights convention after the Convention on the Rights of the Child. However critics argue that many of the states that ratified CEDAW continue to discriminate against women and girls. The region of the world where critics seem to focus much of their attention on is the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Islam and the implementation of sharia law are often cited as the sources of discrimination against Arab women. However is this a fair …

"Alienation In The Egyptian Novel Under Nasser: A Study Of Naguib Mahfouz’S The Beggar And Son’Allah Ibrahim’S That Smell.", Zeina Sabry

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Creative Economy As A Path To Economic Development For Africa: Cases Of Nollywood In Nigeria And Women's Gold In Bukina Faso, Rebecca Moudio

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Documentation Status On The Educational Attainment Experiences Of Undocumented Hispanic/Latino Students, Brittanie Alexandria Roberts

Dissertations and Theses

The issue of undocumented immigration has recently taken center-stage in the media and national politics in the United States. A large population of undocumented youth grows up with legal access to public education through high school, following the Supreme Court decision of Plyler vs. Doe, but faces legal and economic barriers to post-secondary education. Following high school, undocumented Hispanic/Latino youth legal protections end, greatly limiting chances for upward mobility through traditional post-secondary education pipelines. In some cases, knowledge of future barriers to post-secondary education leads to a decline in educational motivation.

The current political atmosphere makes this study a bit …

Strengths In Action: Implementing A Learning Organization Model In A Human Service Setting, Barbara Ann Whitbeck

Dissertations and Theses

Although learning organization theory evolved in corporate settings, literature suggests that the theory has much to offer human service organizations. This dissertation examines the implementation of a modified learning organization model in three small field offices of a publicly-funded vocational rehabilitation organization in the Pacific Northwest, at a time when the organization was negotiating financial cutbacks and organizational changes. The model - known as Strengths in Action - was based on Senge's five learning organization disciplines, and informed by organizational culture theory. In each participating office, all staff worked together to set a goal, make a plan, and achieve the …

Street Level Food Networks: Understanding Ethnic Food Cart Supply Chains In Eastern Portland, Or, Alexander G. Novie

Dissertations and Theses

Portland, OR, is the site of a unique urban food cart phenomenon that provides opportunities for small business ownership and access points for culturally specific food for the city's foreign-born and minority populations. Known as a "foodie haven," Portland also has an active sustainable food movement with engaged citizens and support from city and regional policies aimed at significantly increasing the consumption of local food. To date, there have been no in-depth studies on the sourcing habits of Portland food cart owners and whether or not these street-level actors are involved in the area's local alternative food movements (AFNs). The …

"Your Information Station": A Case Study Of Rural Radio In The 21st Century, William Jacob Amadeus Pinnock

Dissertations and Theses

The study examined how the introduction of high-speed internet into a rural community affected audience members' use of their local radio station. A qualitative case study was guided by uses and gratifications and niche theory. The author conducted interviews with KMMR FM audience members in Malta, Montana, to investigate how the introduction of high-speed internet impacted listener habits. Twenty participants who either listened to or produced content for KMMR FM were interviewed. The author performed a thematic analysis of different uses for the radio guided by typologies created by Rubin (1983), Palmgreen and Rayburn (1979), and Katz, Haas, and Gurevitch …

The Stories We Tell: A Qualitative Inquiry To Multiracial Family Storytelling, Mariko O. Thomas

Dissertations and Theses

A narrative inheritance is comprised of the stories told by family members that are received by a younger generation and used to help construct identity. According to the communication theory of identity, identity is formed through communication. Additionally, the storied resource perspective looks at narratives as a major method of creating and maintaining identity. This study looks at the kinds of narrative inheritance concerning race that people in multiracial families receive and possible ways it affects racial identity formation. Findings from 12 semi-structured interviews indicate that narratives of racism, cultural pride, and hardship are prevalent in multiracial families. Additionally, findings …

Latino Men Managing Hiv: An Appraisal Analysis Of Intersubjective Relations In The Discourse Of Five Research Interviews, Will Caston

Dissertations and Theses

Latino men, particularly those who have sex with other men, have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. Scholars have sought for nearly two decades to understand how various social and cultural factors in the Latino community exacerbate HIV risk among these men. Although following the advent of life-sustaining medications in 1996, HIV is often regarded as a manageable chronic illness, as opposed to a death sentence, scant attention has been devoted to how HIV-positive Latino men experience managing the illness. Among studies that have focused on HIV-positive persons' illness management, few Latino men have participated.

Using the Appraisal framework from Hallidayan …

The Effect Of Social Media On Public Awareness And Extra-Judicial Effects: The Gay Marriage Cases And Litigating For New Rights, Sarahfina Aubrey Peterson

Dissertations and Theses

When the Supreme Court grants new rights, public awareness is a crucial part of enforcement. Gerald N. Rosenberg and Michael J. Klarman famously criticized minority rights organizations for attempting to gain new rights through the judiciary. The crux of their argument relied heavily on the American media's scanty coverage of Court issues and subsequent low public awareness of Court cases. Using the 2013 United States v. Windsor and Hollingsworth v. Perry rulings as a case study, I suggest that the media environment has changed so much since Rosenberg and Klarman were writing that their theories warrant reconsideration. Minority rights groups …

"But There's A Black History Month": A Content Analysis Of Ideological Framing And Presentation In White Nationalist Publications, Dylan Tomas Waite

Dissertations and Theses

The political climate in America continues to become more polarized each year. The "left" and "right" political parties are locked in near-constant struggle and it is often the people whom they are meant to serve that suffer the harshest effects of this struggle. This mainstream political posturing and hostile behavior has allowed for the continued presence, and some say resurgence, of racially motivated right-wing nationalist groups. Groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, the Aryan Nations and racist Skinheads have seen periods of strength and decline throughout American history. In the late 20th and early 21st Centuries they have begun …

Evaluation Of A High School Science Fair Program For Promoting Successful Inquiry-Based Learning, Julia Nykeah Betts

Dissertations and Theses

The success of inquiry-based learning (IBL) in supporting science literacy can be challenged when students encounter obstacles in the absence of proper support. This research is intended to evaluate the effectiveness of an Oregon public school district's regional science fair coaching program in promoting inquiry skills and positive attitudes toward science in participating high school students. The purpose of this study was to better understand students' perception of program support, obstacles or barriers faced by students, and potential benefits of IBL facilitated by the science fair program. Data included responses to informal and semi-structured interviews, an anonymous survey, a Skills …

Community Connections: Exploring The Constructive Potential Of Facebook For Civic Engagement, Sarah Ruth Martin

Dissertations and Theses

Recognizing the importance of civic engagement to the health of local communities and the overall success of a democracy, this research sought to better understand the relationship between online media use and civic engagement. Specifically, the constructive potential of the social networking site Facebook was explored using the theoretical framework of communication infrastructure theory (CIT; Ball-Rokeach, Kim, & Matei, 2001). Results of a cross-sectional survey with a national sample of 375 participants indicated that Facebook does hold potential for civic engagement. The two most important findings of the research were that Facebook facilitated connection to neighborhood storytelling and that connection …

Illuminating The Experiences Of Single Fathers, Heidi Rosa Esbensen

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the experiences of single fathers and their roles as primary caregiver to their children as men in society adopting traditionally feminine roles. There was one primary research question explored: How do single father's experience parenthood? This is explored through four sub questions and discussions about daily life and childrearing alone; childcare and work and family conflicts; use of services and support networks; and of particular interest, gender and the influence of masculinity. Through an analysis of interviews with 14 fathers of varying class status, age, education, and time spent as a single …

Socio-Spatial Transformation And Contested Space At The Street Level In Latin America: The Case Of Cali, Colombia, Maria Janeth Mosquera Becerra

Dissertations and Theses

Since 2008, more than 50% of the world's population has lived in cities and it is projected that by 2050 around 87% will do so. Designing infrastructure in urban spaces has become increasingly critical for achieving human well-being. This dissertation examines socio-spatial transformation processes related to urbanization, economic development and the marginalization of utilitarian cycling in Cali, Colombia, as a particular expression of the struggle for transportation space occurring in urban areas. The research analyzes (a) the socio-spatial processes that have restricted the use of bicycles as a means of transportation in the city of Cali, Colombia; and (b) the …

Using Music-Related Concepts To Teach High School Math, Vytas Nagisetty

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this research was to test a strategy which uses music-related concepts to teach math. A quasi-experimental study of two high school remedial geometry sections was conducted during a review lesson of ratio, proportion, and cross multiplication. A pretest was given to both groups. Then, Group A received normal textbook instruction while Group B received the treatment, Get the Math in Music, which is an online activity involving proportional reasoning in a music-related context. Afterwards, a posttest was given to both groups. Pretest and posttest scores were used to compare gains in subject knowledge between the groups. Then …

Gender And Prescription Painkiller Misuse: Findings From The 2011 National Survey On Drug Use And Health, Robin Jo Clough

Dissertations and Theses

This study examines the effects of gender and social bonds on the experience of prescription painkiller misuse for men and women. The theoretical framework for the project is Travis Hirschi's social control theory (1969), and the social bond elements of attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief, which emphasizes the importance of these bonds in creating a "stake in conformity" for the individual, leading to acceptance of social norms and desistence from deviance. This theory, however, is relatively silent with regard to gender differences and was developed to examine delinquency in an all male sample of adolescents. The elements of this theory …

The Impact Of The Tax Revolt And School Reform On Oregon Schools During The 1990s, Beth Cookler

Dissertations and Theses

When Oregon voters passed the property tax limitation initiative, Measure 5, and the state legislature enacted school reform under the Oregon Educational Act for the 21st Century during the 1990-91 school year, the trajectory of public schooling in the state changed significantly. After Oregon's tax revolt, the state legislature also enacted legislation that equalized school funding throughout the state. The combination of equalization and the Measure 5 step-down to the $5 per $1000 tax limitation led to a decrease in statewide school funding over the decade. Many wealthy urban districts experienced years of budget cuts, while rural districts received additional …

Social Networks Of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrators, Wendy Elaine Viola

Dissertations and Theses

Empirical research in the areas of substance abuse (Beattie & Longabaugh, 1997; Beattie & Longabaugh, 1999; Falkin & Strauss, 2002; Gordon & Zrull, 1991; Humphreys & Noke, 1997; Mohr et al., 2001; Zywiak, Longabaugh & Wirtz, 2002) and general antisocial behavior (Browning, 2002; Capaldi, Dishion, Stoolmiller & Yoerger, 2001; Dishion, Patterson & Griesler, 1994) and a theoretical model of sexual assault perpetration (DeKeseredy & Schwartz, 1993; DeKeseredy, 1990a; DeKeseredy, 1988; Schwartz & DeKeseredy, 1997) highlight the role of peer groups' attitudes and behaviors in shaping those of their members. Intimate partner violence (IPV) among men's parents (Arriaga & Foshee, 2004; …

Racism, Heterosexism, Depression, And Hiv Risk Behaviors Of Native Men Who Have Sex With Men: Findings From The Honor Project, Matthew Alan Town

Dissertations and Theses

Racial minority men who have sex with men (MSM) experience greater levels of discrimination and higher rates of HIV infection. However, little is known about the associations between racial and heterosexist discrimination and HIV risk behavior. Further, little is known about the mechanisms of the association between racial and heterosexist discrimination and HIV risk behavior. There is some evidence to suggest that depression may be a mechanism that mediates the relationship between racial and heterosexist discrimination and HIV risk behavior. Thus, one purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which discrimination based on both race and sexual …

Benevolent Racism? : The Impact Of Race And Sexual Subtype On Ambivalent Sexism, Jean Marie Mcmahon

Dissertations and Theses

How does a woman's race influence perceptions of her sexual behavior? This study investigated how race and sexual behavior intersect within an ambivalent sexism framework. Benevolent sexism characterizes women as pure and defenseless, which contrasts with the cultural stereotype of Black women as aggressive and hypersexual. Gender and racial stereotypes may combine to produce different outcomes for women who behave according to negative (promiscuous) or positive (chaste) sexual subtypes. According to shifting standards theory, evaluations and treatment of these women should vary depending on whether the measured behavior is non-zero sum (limitless) or zero sum (finite). To test this hypothesis, …

Equality, Trust And Universalism In Europe, Canada And The United States: Implications For Health Care Policy, P. Christopher Palmedo

Dissertations and Theses

A number of theoretical explanations seek to describe the factors that have led to the position of the United States as the last industrialized Western nation without a universal health care program. Theories focus on institutional arrangement, historic precedent, and the influence of the private sector and market forces. This study explores another factor: the role of underlying social values. The research examines differences in values among ten European countries, the United States and Canada, and analyzes the associations between the values that have been seen to contribute the individualism-collectivism dynamic in the United States. The hypothesis that equality and …