Digital Commons Network^™

The Arab Spring Uprisings In Geopolitical Context, Jake Alan Rutledge

Dissertations and Theses

The question of why revolts, civil wars, and social unrest occur is central in the field of political science. This paper asks that question in the specific context of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings as a revolutionary wave. Many theories of revolution and social unrest locate their causes in the internal characteristics of the country where they take place, such as the country's demographics or level of economic development. This paper examines the external situation of a country: its relationships with other states and the international community. This paper examines eighteen Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa …

2020 Racial Justice Protests In Portland, Or: An Analysis Of Radical Place-Making And Police Tactics In A Neighborhood Context, Claire Brumbaugh-Smith

Dissertations and Theses

During the George Floyd protests, police used tactics infrequently seen until now, including the use of tear gas and sonic weapons in contested spaces. Police tactics are presumably sanctioned by policing directives, but little is known about how these tactics may vary across space at a granular spatial level, or how they might be normalized over time. To address this knowledge gap, I used the concept of repertoires of protest control to characterize and quantify the tactics of the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) deployed on racial justice protesters during the 2020 racial justice protests and describe the role of these …

Exploring The Experience And Identity Of Associated Faculty Teaching In A Doctor Of Physical Therapy Program, Catherine A Bilyeu

Dissertations and Theses

Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program faculty often enter academia as expert clinicians or researchers, but rarely as expert educators. Recommendations for faculty development exist, yet many physical therapy faculty still enter academia with little or no formal preparation for teaching and limited understanding of academe. This lack of preparation can impact faculty performance and identity, which ultimately can influence student outcomes. This is particularly true for associated faculty, who have very limited access to development opportunities due to the nature of their academic positions. Framed in social constructivism and transition theory, this study explored the experience and identity of …

Traumatic Stress, Sexual Abuse-Related Shame Severity, And Participation In Commercialized Sex Based On Childhood Sexual Abuse, Barbara Ann Bailey

Dissertations and Theses

Any sexual act performed under the condition that one person will receive or provide something of value to another in exchange for the sexual act is referred to as commercial sex. Some research suggests that those who engage in commercial sex are more likely to be victimized or physically assaulted. Moreover, a frequently cited risk associated with engaging in commercial sex is a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Because commercial sex and CSA are often unreported, there is limited understanding regarding symptom severity experienced by survivors of both. It was hypothesized that individuals who had experiences of both CSA …

Evaluating The Length Of Clinical Rotations In Medical Laboratory Science Education, Kendal Beazer

Dissertations and Theses

Medical laboratory scientists and technicians play a crucial role in healthcare by utilizing advanced methods to aid in the diagnosis, monitoring, and prevention of a wide range of diseases. Certifying as an MLS or MLT professional is detailed and specific, requiring years of laboratory training that is crucial to accurately perform testing that impacts patient care. Shortages of qualified medical laboratorians have persisted for decades, causing laboratory administrators to hire individuals who lack basic laboratory training. Laboratory education programs are not keeping up with the staffing demands, in part due to the lack of clinical rotation placements needed for MLS …

Fascismo Al Bivio: The Arditi Del Popolo And Civil War At The Advent Of Fascist Power, Thomas R. Discepola

Dissertations and Theses

Focused on the years immediately following World War I in Italy, the dopoguerra, this thesis revisits the entire period from 1919 to 1922 with special attention given to the largest organized, armed antifascist group, the Arditi del popolo (AdP). It argues that it was the AdP, not the Italian Communist Party (PCI), that preoccupied Prime Minister Ivanoe Bonomi and led the Socialists (PSI) to work with Benito Mussolini and other members of the Fasci di combattimento (FdC), their erstwhile nemeses, in creating a pacification agreement in the summer of 1921.

Therapist Engagement With Patient Nonverbal Behavior: Exploring These Interactions As A Mechanism Of Change In Virtual And In-Person Short-Term Psychotherapy, Elliana Sheriwn

Dissertations and Theses

The individual (intrapsychic) and dyadic (interpersonal) implications of nonverbal behavior have kindled interest among psychologists for decades. Many researchers and clinicians have studied nonverbal communication in the context of attachment and moment-to-moment interactions between parent and infant (Stern, 1977; Beebe et al., 2000). Theorists have also explored nonverbal behavior in the clinical setting as a dynamic relational dimension co-created by patient and therapist (Freedman and Lavendar, 1995). Although the extant literature highlights how nonverbal communication can inform psychotherapy outcome (e.g., by fostering empathy and building rapport), the topic of therapist engagement with patient nonverbal behavior—specifically, how these interactions serve as …

Reporting On Un Security Council: Decoding Media Bias, Alessandra Loiero

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis explores Western media's representation of the United Nations (UN), focusing on the Security Council's role in global conflict resolution. It examines how UN-accredited correspondents perceive the effectiveness of the Security Council, particularly when the body faces deadlock. The study employs text analysis techniques to identify biases and perceptions in media coverage, using The New York Times' reporting on the Ukraine conflict as a case study. It illuminates framing effects in journalistic narratives, revealing how journalists subtly interject their views when reporting, often revealing unrealistic expectations and shedding light on the limitations of the UN's mandate or its inability …

The Menstrual Cycle In Psychotherapy: Interventions, Therapist Engagement, And Blind Spots, Rozita Alaluf

Dissertations and Theses

There is a dearth of literature on psychotherapy and menstruation, except for the treatment and diagnosis of issues associated with premenstrual distress. This study aimed to bridge this gap by investigating the frequency and context of discussions about the menstrual cycle, the factors influencing therapists’ engagement with this topic, and the therapeutic approaches utilized to address the menstrual cycle within psychotherapy.

In phase 1, 118 psychotherapists from various theoretical backgrounds completed a survey on menstruation in clinical practice. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. In phase 2, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 7 psychotherapists, primarily identifying their theoretical orientation …

Identity-Focused Therapist Self-Disclosure In Matched Sexual/Gender Minority Dyads: A Longitudinal Therapy Process-Outcome Study, Brian Thomas Neff

Dissertations and Theses

Therapist self-disclosure (TSD) is a controversial clinical intervention whose benefits and drawbacks remain contested. Notably, no prior research has differentiated explicitly between self-disclosures related to the therapist’s core identities and those peripheral to identity, and qualitative studies suggest that identity-focused therapist self-disclosure (TSD-I) may be beneficial when therapist and patient share at least one marginalized identity. LGBTQ+ people, who experience significant health disparities and utilize psychotherapy more than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts, could benefit particularly from TSD-I. The mental and physical health challenges facing LGBTQ+ individuals are predominantly explained through minority stress theory, which suggests that societal prejudice and …

A Multidimensional Look Into Covid-19’S Reverberating Psychological Consequences, Talia Schulder

Dissertations and Theses

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated preexisting inequities in depression and anxiety symptoms, particularly for marginalized populations. Post-disaster mental health has often been investigated in both public health and clinical psychological literature, and the present dissertation integrates both disciplinary frameworks to understand the reverberating psychological consequences of the pandemic. Methods: Data were collected Winter 2022-2023, and the present analyses used descriptive statistics, correlations, and structural equation models to measure associations between variables of interest. Two separate SEMs were conducted with variables often used in public health literature. Specifically, these models assessed the indirect relationship between COVID-19-related financial and social stress …

Religious Upheaval In A South Dakota Mennonite Community, 1874-1940, Ryan Mews

Dissertations and Theses

In 1874, multiple colonies of German-Russian Mennonites and Hutterites entered the Dakota Territory to settle into tightknit religious communities. These Anabaptists sought to escape religious persecution and assimilation in Russia but found themselves influenced by American religious groups. Their history of isolationism caused these groups to draw lines between their congregations that kept them small but allowed them to interact with new ideas in different ways, but caused them to redefine their German Mennonite identity. One such influence erupted from the Presbyterian Church called fundamentalism that encouraged evangelical works in America and sought to combat modernism in religious institutions. In …

E Hui Me Ke Kaiāulu: To Connect With The Community, Heather Kayleen Bartlett

Dissertations and Theses

Urban planning literature contains a wealth of knowledge on community engagement as a crucial component of the planning process, yet there remains a notable gap in our understanding of best practices when it comes to sustaining community involvement for ongoing plan implementation. The County of Hawai'i, has charted a unique course through the establishment of Action Committees which serve as an intermediary to uplift grassroots implementation efforts while remaining closely entwined with County resources and processes. This interplay provides a unique case study that results in somewhat of an "identity crisis": Action Committees do not have the autonomy of external …

The Experiences Of Black Women Direct Care Workers In Long-Term Care, Nakeshia Knight-Coyle

Dissertations and Theses

This study expands understanding about the experiences of Black women direct care workers (DCWs) experiences with racism, discrimination, and economic exploitation in the long-term care (LTC) sector. It comes at a critical time when COVID-19 has demonstrated the important and essential nature of long-term care work. COVID-19 has also elucidated the challenges of an insufficient workforce and its detrimental impact on the long-term care system’s ability to meet the care needs of those accessing long-term care services. Finally, workforce needs are projected to increase with the impending influx of baby boomers into retirement, making this study a timely effort at …

"Suited To The Wants Of The Country": Historical Ceramics From The Fort Vancouver Sutler's Store, Vancouver, Washington, Kaitlyn Nicole Hosken

Dissertations and Theses

For much of the early 19th century, the British Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) dominated commercial activity throughout the Pacific Northwest. Following development of the Oregon Trail in the 1840s and 1850s, however, the HBC saw increasing social and economic competition from American settlers. This research examines nationalist attitudes evident during the transition to the American colonial era and effects on the consumption of commercial goods. Analyses compare archaeological ceramics from two retail sites located in what is now Vancouver, Washington: an 1850s American sutler's store and the HBC Sale Shop. Additional comparison is made with a contemporaneous U.S. Army Officers' …

How Are Oregon's Rural Indigenous Communities Overcoming Water Access Issues?, Tyren John Thompson

Dissertations and Theses

This study investigates how water insecurity affects Indigenous communities in Grand Ronde, Warm Springs, and Umatilla, Oregon, through loss of clean drinking water, access to culturally significant foods, and exposure to pollution. Each community offers innovative solutions drawing on their Indigenous knowledge to overcome water supply challenges. Communities with more resources are better equipped to cope with water insecurity and environmental degradation.

Motivation To Collaborate: A Qualitative Exploration Of The Perspectives Of Service Providers On An Alternative First Response Program, Desiree' J. Duboise

Dissertations and Theses

Alternative first response programs have existed in the United States for decades, and the formation of these programs has increased across the country in light of public calls for non-police responses to emergency. Portland Street Response (PSR) is an alternative first response program located in Portland, Oregon. The program assists individuals experiencing mental health crises by providing unarmed response in non-violent situations that ordinarily would be responded to by armed police officers. In order for such programs to thrive, collaboration with other organizations is crucial. Service-providing organizations are uniquely prepared to collaborate with a program such as PSR due to …

The Impetus Of International Security In European Integration: The Nature Of Eu Common Security And Defense Policy, Osman Goktug Tanrikulu

Dissertations and Theses

This study explores the complicated relationship between security considerations and the European integration process. The research uncovers specific security factors that have shaped the EU integration process. Applying policy alignment and collective efforts for governance, this study offers a methodological improvement to the conventional status quo satisfaction concept within power transition theory.

Findings indicate that external militarized actions targeting European nations only occasionally disrupted integration in the short term. Instead, inner coordination among member states vis-à-vis external actors, promoted integration. During the early stages of integration, alignment with the EU collective was crucial, while aligning with regional leader Germany became …

Left Out To Dry: Understanding The Social Experiences Of Ground Depletion In Washington State's Columbia River Basin, Alexis Lisandro Guizar-Diaz

Dissertations and Theses

Millions of water wells worldwide risk running dry due to overpumping, drought, and climate change. This study adopts a political ecology framework to investigate how economic structures and power dynamics shape the effects of groundwater depletion in a highly impacted region. It is based on qualitative fieldwork conducted in the Odessa Aquifer region of Washington State. This agriculturally productive region has experienced severe groundwater depletion, endangering communities and threatening water supplies for many, as agribusiness has intensively used deep water wells to irrigate high-value crops. This research addresses three key questions: 1) How do residents and households excluded from irrigation …

Community Adaptations To Wildfire Risk In Central Oregon, Usa: An Empirical Study Of Inclusionary Practices In Collaborative Wildfire Risk Mitigation, Liam Resener

Dissertations and Theses

Adverse impacts of wildfire in Western North America have become increasingly present through the 21^st century, driven by landscape changes imposed by colonists in the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Community adaptations to wildfire will be necessary through the 21^st century to restore landscapes and protect the safety and livelihoods of people who live in at-risk areas. Wildfire risk extends across countless environmental and social systems, and individuals have competing ideas about what constitutes that risk and how to best adapt to it. As resources are being allocated to community adaptations, important questions emerge about the values …

The Influence Of Polystyrene Microplastics On Juvenile Steelhead Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss), Kaitlyn Marie Baker

Dissertations and Theses

Mass production of plastic within the past decade has led to over 100 billion tons of plastics being added to the world’s oceans through rivers and effluent disposal and decomposition. For marine environments, the sudden and constant growth of microplastics (plastics 1 µm to 5 mm in diameter), is of particular concern to top-predatory fish such as steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), who passively or actively uptake microplastics while consuming prey. Previous research has demonstrated clear detrimental impacts of microplastic accumulation in bivalves, seabirds, and zebrafish, including decreased diet, reproduction rates, and metabolism, as well as increased rates of …

The Affective Discourses Of Eviction: Right To Counsel In New York City, Hadley Savana Bates

Dissertations and Theses

This study explores the interrelationships of urban policy, affect, and power through a critical discourse analysis of New York City's "Universal Access to Legal Services" / "Right to Counsel" ordinance, a 2017 initiative that has persisted amidst the evolving landscape of eviction diversion following the outbreak of Covid-19. By examining archival documents regarding the groundbreaking policy, this research reveals how affective discourses regarding vulnerability, stress, and solidarity situate political actors in relation to urban policy, political movement, and the material conditions of survival. Drawing upon critical policy studies and affect theory, this study underscores the affective dimensions of policy mobility …

"We Just Have To Trust The People In White Lab Coats": Analyzing Distrust In Vaccine Hesitant Comments On The Hhs Nondiscrimination In Health Programs And Activities Proposed Rule, Hima Bindu Lakshmi Vedantham

Dissertations and Theses

Vaccine attitudes provide a valuable site for analyzing trust relations on both interpersonal and institutional levels. This study is a content analysis of public comments submitted from August through October 2022 in response to a proposed rule issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which sought to strengthen non-discrimination protections in healthcare programs. Specifically, it examines the role of distrust in shaping and reinforcing vaccine hesitant beliefs, experiences, and healthcare decisions. The five themes identified in the study illustrate a breakdown in trust in pharmaceutical companies, government actors, and healthcare providers, reflecting broader social patterns. In the …

The New Profits Of Pleasure: Reality Television And Affective Exploitation In Post-Pandemic Neoliberalism, Sophia Aepfelbacher

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis uses reality television and the parasocial relationships it cultivates as a microcosm to better understand the current form of neoliberalism as well as the implications it has for democracy. I extend the preexisting scholarship surrounding neoliberalism and reality television by emphasizing the importance of social media in understanding that link. By conducting a case study of Netflix's Love is Blind, I demonstrate how both reality television content and the reality-television-participant-to-influencer pipeline serve to reinforce neoliberal values by constructing powerful cultural imaginaries such as a model of care and self-sufficiency that centers marriage and the household. I argue …

A Mixed Methods Approach To Understanding The Links Between Mining, Climate Change And Selected Health Outcomes In India, Mary J. Cheruvillil

Dissertations and Theses

Despite ample evidence of the significant role that mining activities play in determining health outcomes, in India there is a dearth of comprehensive health studies that draw linkages between mining and health. The purpose of the following study is to investigate the impact of mining activities on population health in India using three different methods: ecological multivariable regression, exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) and content analysis of government documents using a phenomenological approach. The first aim uses the ecological multivariable regression to examine associations between mining activities and children’s malnutrition outcomes at the district level. Census data, the Demographic Health …

Do Men Strategically Leverage Women's Intersecting Identities? Intersectional Symbolic Inclusion As An Electoral Competition Strategy In Polarized Turkey, Elif Sari Genc

Dissertations and Theses

Do party elites use intersectionality as an electoral competition strategy? In this dissertation, I study this question in the context of mayoral elections in Turkey by focusing on the competition between the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the People's Republican Party (CHP). Examining the gender and religious orientation of candidates from these parties, local variations in party affiliations, and partisan polarization that is decisive in vote choice at the district level, I argue that the Islamist AKP strategically selects secular-appearing women to leverage their intersecting identities in races where secularist partisan polarization against this party is high.

Drawing on …

How Unequal Access To Personal And Professional Networks Impacts Success Among Construction Apprentices, Cameron Elliot Arnold

Dissertations and Theses

The construction industry is still primarily white male dominated, and while there is significant research on gendered experiences in the trades, there is not research on experiences and attitudes towards support that occurs outside of the trades across gender and other intersectional identities. My study aims to start filling the gap and answer the questions: How does access to personal and professional networks impact success among Oregon apprentices? How is access to and attitudes towards receiving support impacted by gender and race? To answer these questions this study uses qualitative interviews of Oregon apprentices who completed or terminated in 2018-2019. …

Developing Public Service Leadership: Understanding The Field Immersion/Comparative Cases Model For Mid-Career Professional Education In Environment And Natural Resources Leadership, Erin M. Steinkruger

Dissertations and Theses

Public administrators in the United States face increasingly complex challenges and are called to leadership by position and in practice. In a hyper-pluralistic society, individuals must lead from where they sit, arbitrating value differences in day-to-day functions and taking on adversity and uncertainty in pursuit of the public good. These individuals are served by a variety of leadership training programs both internal and external to their organizations. This study characterizes the field immersion/comparative cases (FICC) model for public service leadership development and uses a grounded theory approach to build understanding about how individuals learn about leadership; what learning outcomes emerge …

Radical Urban Natures: Mitigating Urban Heat With Nature-Based Techniques In Portland, Oregon, Heather Day-Melgar

Dissertations and Theses

Anthropogenic rising heat associated with climatic changes in the built environment has become a serious global issue. The built environment is often comprised of impermeable, paved surfaces, lack of vegetation to make way for development, tree removal, and loss or alteration of urban waterways, which leads to a degraded ecosystem for humans and non-human life, and less of an ability for carbon capture, all of which contribute to higher urban temperatures. This alteration of the existing natural environment leads to populations often unable to conceptualize that a built environment is still an ecosystem, and restoration is possible and necessary for …

Participatory Mapping Of Tree Equity, Preferences, And Environmental Justice In Portland, Or, Katharine Vezin Gregory

Dissertations and Theses

Studies have shown that marginalized communities do not have the same access as more privileged groups to urban tree canopy cover due to historic and current processes of discrimination and disinvestment. This study explores the lived experiences, narratives, and values related to trees and greenspaces for residents of Portland, OR, through participatory mapping focus groups. It uses an environmental justice and urban political ecology framework to examine how values, lived experiences, and narratives compare for Portland residents across neighborhoods, socio-economic status, and racial or ethnic identity and how the changes that matter to residents can inform more just urban greening …