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The Gendered Altar: Wiccan Concepts Of Gender And Ritual Objects, Jesse Sloan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many ethnographic accounts within the annals of anthropological literature describe the religious beliefs and magical rituals of peoples throughout the world. Fewer scholars have focused on the relatively young Neo-Pagan religious movement. "Neo-Pagan," explains Helen Berger in Voices from the Pagan Census (2003), "is an umbrella term covering sects of a new religious movement, the largest and most important form of which is…Wicca" (Berger et al. 2003: 1). This thesis examines the relationship between practice and ideology by analyzing the material culture of Wiccan altars as used by Wiccans in Central Florida, USA. Particular attention is paid to beliefs …

Discerning Migration In The Archaeological Record: A Case Study At Chichã©N Itzã¡, Andrea Slusser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Migration, as a theory to explain aspects in the archaeological record, has fallen out of favor in Mesoamerican archaeology, possibly due to a lack of a standard definition or description of migration. Migration as an explanation of change in Maya civilizations has been around since the 1950's and the culture-history era of American archaeology. Since the early 1990's, migration has been treated as a process, one that can be discerned in pre-literate cultures as well as historical ones. Models of the migration process are being developed and tested. One type of migration, elite dominance migration, is a particularly suitable process …

The Cost Of Being Me: Assessing The Consequences Of Compliance With Perceived Pressure To Assimilate In Work Roles, Tangela Phillips

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Acculturation refers to the process of change and adaptation that occurs between members of cultural groups, especially when one or more minority groups merge with the majority (Berry, 1980). In order to effectively manage diversity, organizational leaders are beginning to realize the importance of understanding the dynamics associated with cross cultural interactions in the workplace. This dissertation focuses on the acculturation mode of assimilation relative to the experiences of 101 African Americans employed in faculty and staff positions in colleges and universities located in the Southeastern United States. Specifically, the moderating role of ethnic identity on the relation between perceived …

Study Of Symbolic Expressions In Peking Opera'scostumes And Lyrics, Yiman Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis represents an analysis of symbolic expressions used to convey traditional Chinese cultural values in marital relations as expressed through costumes and lyrics in Peking Opera plays and performances. Two symbols, dragon and phoenix, were selected from the costume collection. Four symbols--bird, tiger, wild goose, and dragon--were selected from compilations of lyrics. These symbols were selected because they expressed Chinese core cultural values, an imperial ideology based on Confucian thoughts, which were practiced rigidly during Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Modeling Theory is applied to argue that dragon and phoenix as visual symbols convey ideas about characters' background, marital relationship, social …

The Relationship Between School Culture And Third-Grade Fcat Reading Proficiency In Seminole County Public Elementary Schools, Kelley Novak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to determine the relationship between school culture and student achievement. Elementary school teachers (N=574) from 27 schools in suburban Seminole County, Florida completed the School Culture Triage Survey to generate a school culture score. The participating schools were ranked and placed in categories representing the top 33% (N=9), middle 33% (N=9), and bottom 33% (N=9) of the population based on their culture score. School culture data were analyzed and correlated with third grade student achievement data, as measured by the 2007 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) Reading to determine if there were any relationships between (a) school …

Evaluation Of The Antecedents Of Cultural Competence, Mary Harper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The threefold purpose of this research is to identify the essential antecedents of cultural competence as identified by international nurse researchers, to compare the content of the extant cultural competence instruments to these antecedents and to potentially identify gaps in their conceptualization. A secondary aim of this research is to initiate validation of Harper's model of ethical multiculturalism. Conceptual Basis: The model of ethical multiculturalism depicts the attributes of ethical multiculturalism as the fulcrum of a balance between two ethical philosophies of fundamentalism and relativism. The attributes of moral reasoning, beneficence/nonmaleficence, respect for persons and communities, and cultural competence …

Determinants Of Turkish Police Officers' Perception Of Integrity: Impact Of Organizational Culture, Bahadir Kucukuysal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to examine the influence of police organizational culture on officers' perception of integrity in the Turkish National Police (TNP). Adopting an organizational rather than an individualistic perspective, this study focused on police organizational culture to investigate the causes of integrity problems in the TNP. While focusing on police organizational culture, this study also aimed to determine to what extent officers' perceptions of integrity are influenced by personal and occupational attributes such as age, gender, rank, income, educational level, years of employment, and assignment type. The research was conducted in Turkey's two largest cities, Istanbul …

H.P. Lovecraft And The Modernist Grotesque, Sean Elliot Martin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study serves to bring Lovecraft into a new and more significant literary context, and to highlight the relationships between modernist and grotesque literature. Various authors are mentioned with reference to both modernist and grotesque literary tendencies, and Lovecraft's "modernist grotesque" characteristics are analyzed in their connection to the three concepts that are prominent in both modernism and the grotesque: alienation, subjectivity, and absurdity. Biographical information about Lovecraft is used minimally in this study, which focuses on textual analysis of many elements of Lovecraft's writing that seem to have been previously overlooked, including religious satire, scrutiny of scientific practices, and …

Staying Afloat In A Global World : Reflections On Life As A Mill Worker At Inman Mills, Inman, South Carolina, Jane Harrison Chapman Fisher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

New Perspectives On Celtic Feasting, Emily Greene

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Tools Of A Local Economy: Standardization And Function Among Small Chert Tools From Caracol, Belize, Lucas Martindale Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis undertakes detailed analysis of a sample of 229 small chert tools from a single locus at the Maya site of Caracol, Belize. Emphasis is placed on determining the function of these tools and on the nature of their use in the broader Caracol economic system. Analysis sought to determine whether they were used for day-to-day household tasks or for specialized craft activity within the specified household locus and/or if they were prepared for broader distribution at Caracol. By focusing detailed analysis on artifacts from a single locus, greater insight is provided into the impact of household production on …

Assessing And Modeling Mangrove Forest Dynamics Along The Temperate-Subtropical Ecotone In Eastern Florida, Susan Leitholf

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mangrove ecosystems are among the world's most endangered biomes; nearly one-half of the overall coverage is threatened by human activity, invasive species, and global climate change. Mangroves play an important ecosystem role through detrital production and by providing: fisheries and wildlife nursery habitat, shoreline protection, a sink for nutrients, carbon, and sediment. In addition to human activity, the Florida mangroves (Avicennia germinans, Laguncularia racemosa, and Rhizophora mangle) are being threatened by the invasive Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius). This study was performed along a 261 km stretch of the east coast of Florida from Sebastian Inlet to the northern extent of …

Turkey In The Caspian Sea Region, Seyma Akkoyunlu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will determine the influence of Turkey's domestic resources on Turkey's foreign relations with the five Turkic states in the Caspian Sea Region. The spheres analyzed in this study are the common ties, which are history, culture, religion and language, with the regional countries, pan-Turkism, Turkey's initial interactions as well as ongoing constructive policies in the region. Findings showed that both Turkey and the five Turkic republics were enthusiastic to carry their relations in every field to future cooperation following the break up of the Soviet Union. However the Turkic Republics' interest in Turkish development model gradually declined starting …

Haitian American Mothers' Health And Dietary Beliefs Concerning Their Infants, Daniel Schooler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Studies on the effects of immigration are becoming more important as the number of immigrants into the United States continues to grow. This study was implemented in order to discover the infant feeding practices and beliefs of Haitians living in Central Florida. A food frequency card sort and interview were conducted with thirty-four Haitian mothers. Mothers were asked to identify which foods they fed their children. Foods pictured on the cards included a majority of Haitian staple foods, some of which are primary to the American diet as well. Low food feeding frequencies were generally attributed to lack of access …

Claudius Greer Clemmer, Doctor Of Humane Letters January 4, 1911-November 20, 2005., Sheila Breen Agen Pedersen Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While there are facts that are known about Claudius Greer Clemmer, there is much that is not known. By most accounts, he was a generous man who grew up during some of the hardest years of the Great Depression, worked to get an education, and had a successful teaching career. Clemmer worked diligently to do what he could to support himself and his family, working at two jobs. When his career track changed from teaching to business, in 1946, he experienced success in business and investments, sharing that wealth with East Tennessee State University and others. The intent of this …

I Think I Can: Identity And Social Experiences Of Adolescents With Physical Disabilities., Amy Sorensen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An online survey was completed by 40 adolescents and young adults (ages 12 to 22) with physical disabilities for the purpose of exploring their social experiences. The survey focuses on key variables associated with individual identity, group identity, social relationships and activities, and future aspirations. Positive outcome variables were explored including: self-esteem, self-efficacy, body satisfaction, cultural identity, relationship quality, activity participation, and future orientation. Independent variables included sex, population size, ability level, and proximity to disability. Ability level proved to be the most predictive of positive outcomes. Sex, population size, and proximity to disability exhibited small associations to some of …

Dismantling The Master's House : Deconstructing The Roots Of Antiblack Racism And The Construction Of The "Other" In Judaism, Christianity And Islam., John Chenault

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This critical inquiry into the social constructions of "black" and "white" identities analyzes the roles of the three "western" monotheisms (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) in the cognitive and sociohistorical developments of racial slavery and antiblack racism. Specifically, it investigates the sociohistorical consequences of the inherent dualisms of the "western" monotheisms and how those dualisms are expressed in the production of social theories and systems that rely on believer/non-believer oppositions and binaries defined by a Manichaean view of the universe and a teleological conception of history that fosters and sustains an eternal holy war against infidels. What emerges from this analysis …

A Study Of Gender Differences In Academic Performance In A Rural County In Tennessee., Olivia Joy Sparks-Wallace

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes differences in academic performance measures of males and females in a rural county in Northeast Tennessee. A transcript review was performed for the graduating classes of 1993, 1998, and 2003. Overall GPA and individual math, science, and English grades were recorded. Comparisons of females and males enrolled in AP English, Advanced Math, and Advanced Science courses were also recorded and analyzed.

Findings revealed that females performed better than males in every subject. In 1993 the advantage is slight and is not statistically significant. However, in 1998 and 2003 the advantage is much more pronounced. In 1993 slightly …

Charles Lang Freer And His Gallery Of Art : Turn-Of-The-Century Politics And Aesthetics On The National Mall., Patricia L. Guardiola

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualifying paper examines the contradiction of a public museum dedicated to one man's vision of art collecting. Charles Lang Freer established the Freer Gallery of Art in 1906, regarded as the first national public art museum on the National Mall. Section One presents the biographical history of Freer, and clarifies his place in the contexts of collecting and aestheticism at the turn of the century. Section Two presents the political situation in Washington, D.C. that gave way to President Theodore Roosevelt's efforts to use Freer's private collection for a public museum on the National Mall. This paper concludes with …

The University Of Mississippi Confederate Cemetery: Lost Cause Ideology, Monumentation, And Ritual, Allan Lemmon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work is an analysis of the University of Mississippi Confederate Cemetery. Several remote sensing surveys were conducting inside the confines of the cemetery wall in order to determine the nature of the internments. This was done in order to determine if the cemetery is the site of a mass grave as local legends indicate. Following this analysis historical research was conducted to discover the intended meaning of the cemetery. A theoretical analysis of mortuary activities as discussed by archaeologists is utilized as a means of verification regarding the ideology attached to the cemetery. The cemetery on the campus is …

Lived Religion: An Examination Of "Pass The Salt" Luncheons., Jeff Smith Bernard Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study used a case study approach to examine how religious culture, such as theologies and doctrines, is lived or practiced by "Pass the Salt" luncheon participants. "Pass the Salt" participants are taught the teachings of Harvest Evangelism, an interdenominational Para-church organization; these teachings are evidenced through their cultural toolkit. It was expected that the luncheon participants would practice Harvest Evangelism's religious culture in the workplace. Participant observation and personal interviews were conducted to examine participants' application of the cultural toolkit to their everyday lives, specifically in the workplace. Findings indicated that the leader of the "Pass the Salt" luncheon …

The Burley Tobacco Buyout Program And Its Impact On Farmers In Tennessee, Virginia, And North Carolina., William T. Jarrett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses the Burley Tobacco Buyout Program and its impact on three local economies. Data collection involved obtaining information from government reports, internet sources, public documents, agriculture offices, federal agriculture officials, and books. Personal interviews were conducted with 32 farmers in Sullivan County, Tennessee; Washington County, Virginia; and Watauga County, North Carolina.

This study is significant because it addresses not only the decline of an agricultural product but also changes in a way of life in Southern Appalachia. The future of burley tobacco growing in this region appears to be bleak because of foreign market competition and decreasing domestic …

What To Make Of Race? : A Content Analysis Of The Use Of Race In Health Research., Oliver Eugene Rollins Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using content analysis, this study examines the use of race in health related journal articles from 2000 to 2005. Each of the articles pertained to African Americans and either access to health or quality of health. Selected articles for review were examined in order to gain an understanding as to how race was measured and if race was conceptualized, the explanation for racial disparities, and the intersection of race and class in health.

The Concept Of Peace : Tracing Its Development Through Three Historical Periods In The West Using Artistic And Literacy Evidence., Allan Berry Mcguffey 1952-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to suggest that peace is an idea that changes throughout the history of the west, rather than to show how nations may achieve peace or to define what it is. It begins as a concept the power brokers refer to or represent in their own terms. In Rome the concept of peace expressed the emperor's ability to end civil war. In Siena, the concept substantiated the Nine's claim that communal prosperity and absence of regional wars had happened during their rule. By the Westphalia period the power brokers began to realize the populace was …

Explorations & Redefinitions Of New Media Aesthetic Concepts In Contemporary Art Culture, Phillip S. Delacruz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My thesis pursues the exploration, invention, and redefinition of the role of Aesthetics through artistic practices of 3d digital graphics, 2d print, video, and sculpture. Aesthetic research altruistically generates visual installations informed by utopian idealism, science and technology centric culture, pop culture iconography, art history, international contemporary art and design.

Maya Eclipses: Modern Data, The Triple Tritos And The Double Tzolkin, William Earl Beck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Eclipse Table, on pages 51-58, of the Dresden Codex has long fascinated Maya scholars. Researchers use the mean-value method of 173.3 days to determine nodal passage that is the place where eclipses can occur. These studies rely on Oppolzer's Eclipse Canon and Schram's Moon Phase Tables to verify eclipse occurrences. The newer canons of Jean Meeus and Bao-Lin Liu use decimal accuracy. What would be the effect of modern astronomical data on the previous studies and the Maya Eclipse Table? The study utilizes a general view of eclipses that includes eclipses not visible to the Maya. Lunar eclipses are …

"This Flesh Will Rise Again": Retrieving Early Christian Faith In Bodily Resurrection, J. Douglass

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The doctrine of bodily resurrection is fundamental to the Christian faith. Its significance is grounded in the fact that the Christian faith arises from and is dependent upon the belief that Jesus returned to life after having been dead and buried. As a result of this belief and the teaching of Christ's first followers, the early Church articulated a hope for a similar resurrection. In spite of the centrality of the doctrine of bodily resurrection for the early Church, the doctrine's present relevance is questionable. This dissertation provides an answer to the question, What does it mean to affirm faith …

The Relationship Between Stroop Task Performance And Delusion-Proneness In Non-Psychiatric Adults, Diana Orem

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Delusions are symptomatic of a number of psychiatric disorders; however, nonpsychiatric adults have also been shown to vary on a propensity toward delusional thought, or "delusion-proneness." The current study examined whether there is a relationship between an individual's degree of delusion proneness (on a continuum) and performance on the Stroop task, a cognitive task thought to measure conflict response monitoring. It was theorized that reduced conflict response monitoring ability may relate to (and perhaps cause) increased delusional propensity. A total of 35 nonpsychiatric college students completed a measure of delusion-proneness (Peter's et al. Delusion Inventory-21 item version; PDI-21), and a …

A Model For Humane Economic Development: Hernando De Soto, Property Rights, And The Preferential Option For The Poor, Robert Van Der Waag

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A Model for Humane Economic Development: Hernando de Soto, Property Rights, and the Preferential Option for the Poor provides a constructive dialogue between the works of the Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto, President of the Institute for Liberty and Democracy, and Catholic social teaching in order to assist people in less developed nations (LDCs) to escape the cycle of poverty. The dissertation argues that Hernando de Soto's insights to protect property rights, in conjunction with the Catholic Church's theological commitment to promote human dignity and human rights, through a preferential option for the poor, offers practical resources for sound economic …

What Is College-Level Writing? - The Common Ground From Which A New Secondary Post Secondary Composition Partnership Can Be Formed, Nancy Jane Berger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the Introduction to What is "College-Level" Writing?, editors Patrick Sullivan and Howard Tinberg state that the title asks "one of the most important questions in our profession" (xiii). However, even after 418 pages of essays written from the perspectives of high school teachers, college instructors, students, and administrators, the answer remains elusive because college-level writing does not, in fact, start in college - it starts in high school - where high school teachers believe they are instilling in their college-bound students the writing skills required by post-secondary institutions. The students, meanwhile, show up in first-year composition classes to find …