Digital Commons Network^™

Another Look At Gender In Prime-Time Television, Jan Carolyn Kircher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Television has become an important agent of socialization in society today. Social interaction on prime-time television was examined 24 years ago by members of the Sociology Department at South Dakota State University. That study was similar to this research project that investigates gender roles on prime-time television. The earlier study used a modified version of the Bales Interaction Scale to code male and female behavior to assess the extent to which prime-time television presented traditional or nontraditional gender roles. This study used research methods similar to those of the previous study to see if traditional gender roles depicted on prime-time …

The Bloody Truth: A Psychological And Cultural Study Of Menstruation As Lived And Experienced By Women, Carolyn Deforest

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present research explores the negation and affirmation of menstrual life as found in culture, theory, and the concrete experiences of individual women. A phenomenological and hermeneutical thematic analysis is used throughout. In this study, the aspects of culture analyzed include language, humor, art, television, film, literature, print and television advertising, menstrual education, medicine, and some of the historical influences in the perception of women. Additionally, the formal psychological literature is examined as part of the cultural data, as is the researcher's own observations and cultural experiences.

Overall, this research reveals that the experience of menstrual bleeding has been culturally …

Scientific Evolution, Creation Theologies And African Cosmogonies In Dialogue: Toward A Christian Theology Of Evolution, Ameh Ejeh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is a dissertation in which the question of cosmic origins is examined from three perspectives, namely, Scientific Theories of Evolution, Christian Theologies of Creation, and African Cosmogonies, respectively. Through the use of comparative-dialogic and dialectic methods, and the application of the models of contact/dialogue and confirmation/integration in ways of relating science with religion, the insights of these three perspectives are examined and analyzed in the formulation of a Theology of Evolution that conceives of evolution as a medium of divine creativity.

The themes of evolutionary process, interconnection, interrelation and interdependence in nature, the mystery and sacredness of nature and …

Patient Experiences With The New Nurse Practitioner Role In New Brunswick Canada, Trudean Hahn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The role of nurse practitioner (NP) has been flourishing in the US since the late 1960's. In Canada, the implementation of the role was slower to get established and has experienced a new thrust in recent years with shortages of family physicians and the implementation of new NP programs. The role of the NP was given royal assent in the province of New Brunswick, Canada in June, 2002 and the first NPs were hired in 2003. The purpose of this interpretive description study was to examine patient responses to this new role of NP in New Brunswick. Purposeful sampling was …

The Turn To The Neighbor: Emmanuel Levinas's Conceptual Affinities With Liberation Theology, Alain Mayama

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My dissertation establishes some conceptual affinities between the philosophical project of Emmanuel Levinas and liberation theology. I analyze Levinas's work by comparing it to two important liberation theologians, Gustavo Gutiérrez and Jon Sobrino, whose work, like his, needs to be brought into greater contemporary debate about the subject's encounter with the other. I argue that fundamental to Levinas, Gutiérrez, and Sobrino is the fact that they all bring forth one major characteristic: the dimension of the divine opens forth in the human face. For Levinas, Gutiérrez and Sobrino, commitment to the neighbor is the necessary context for "understanding" God. They …

The Politics Of Medical Syncretism In The Ghanaian National Healthcare System, Mark Morrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Efforts to create public policy integrating traditional/indigenous medical practices and practitioners into national healthcare strategies are currently being pursued in a variety of nations in the Africa region. The purpose of this research is to present a historical case study of the social and political factors associated with the passage of the Traditional Medicine Practice Act of 2000 in the West African nation of Ghana. Research methodology included conducting a thorough examination of available archival and secondary data as well as an abbreviated interview series (N=5). Research findings suggest that significant factors associated with Ghanaian medical revivalism were the role …

Demystifying A Sexual Perversion: An Existential Reading Of Sadomasochism And Erich Fromm's Call To Love, Salvatore Palazzolo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the lack of clinical evidence suggesting that sex is the primary passion behind sadomasochism and critiques which have debunked the idea of gendered polarities as intrinsic to its nature, the popular imagination of sadomasochism remains as a gendered sexual perversion. This dissertation explores how theories of sadomasochism became "dominated" by sexual themes along with some of the problems that interfere with a full understanding of sadomasochism as a psychological disorder.

In part one, starting with the theories of Krafft-Ebing, Ellis, and Freud, various theories of sadomasochism are examined guided by four principles that are explicitly and implicitly addressed. These …

Examining The Ways And Extent To Which Counselors In Botswana Are Utilizing Indigenous Cultural Practices And Structures, Dan-Bush Bhusumane

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and examine the ways in which and the extent to which counselors in Botswana incorporate and utilize indigenous cultural practices and structures in counseling. This applied research involved interviewing 30 counselors from different parts of Botswana. Data collection was through a semi-structured interview guide while audiotaping was the main method of recording the interviews. The study showed that while counselors in Botswana appreciate the need to utilize indigenous cultural practices and structures, they rarely incorporate cultural practices into counseling. In addition, the study revealed that most counselors have limited knowledge …

A Little Hat Dyed Precisely To Match : Identity Performance And Parody In Frances Newman's The Hard-Boiled Virgin And Dead Lovers Are Faithful Lovers / By Amy Schmidt, Amy Schmidt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Alternative Epigraphic Interpretations Of The Maya Snake Emblem Glyph, Christopher Tyra Savage

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis seeks to demonstrate that the Maya snake emblem glyph is associated with religious specialists, instead of geographic locations, as emblem glyphs are typically understood to be. The inscriptions and the media on which the snake emblem glyph occurs will be analyzed to determine the role or function of the "Lord of the Snake." Temporal and spatial data has also been collected to aid in understanding the enigmatic glyph. The snake emblem glyph has recently been identified as originating from a broad area containing the sites of El Peru and La Corona in Guatemala, and Dzibanche, Mexico, a departure …

Fear Of Crime And Perceived Risk Of Victimization Among College Students, Jennifer Truman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fear of crime is argued to be a social problem that may lead to restriction of activities, increased security costs, and avoidance behaviors. Findings from research indicate that there are many demographic influences on the fear of crime. Specifically, gender has been found to be one of the most consistent predictors of crime, that is, females significantly fear crime more than males. Additionally, research suggests that a person's fear of crime or perceived risk to crime may increase their engagement in precautionary behaviors, such as carrying a weapon for protection. The current study examined these relationships using data collected from …

Multi-View Geometric Constraints For Human Action Recognition And Tracking, Alexei Gritai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human actions are the essence of a human life and a natural product of the human mind. Analysis of human activities by a machine has attracted the attention of many researchers. This analysis is very important in a variety of domains including surveillance, video retrieval, human-computer interaction, athlete performance investigation, etc. This dissertation makes three major contributions to automatic analysis of human actions. First, we conjecture that the relationship between body joints of two actors in the same posture can be described by a 3D rigid transformation. This transformation simultaneously captures different poses and various sizes and proportions. As a …

A Comparison Of Housing Unit Estimates To The American Community Survey Master Address File Extract, Andrew J. Reese

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Project Camelot And Military Sponsorship Of Social Science Research: A Critical Discourse Analysis, Ryan Hunt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

"Project Camelot" was an ambitious social science research project conceived and funded by the Army, one whose scope and level of funding was unprecedented as of its inception in 1964. It was created in order to examine the potential for "internal war" and insurgency in the "developing countries" of the world, and to identify actions that the U.S. and its allies could take to prevent or suppress such insurgencies. Historians have described the Project as an event of particular importance in the history of American social science, and have argued that it is related to significant changes in their structure …

Patchwork Culture: Quilt Tactics And Digitextuality, Michelle P. Barrett Ferrier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Embedded in the quilt top, the fabric patches are relays, time pathways to stories and memories of their former owners. Through the quilts, the voices of the past survive. The stories trace a path of connection between oral traditions, storytelling, the invention of meaning, and the preservation of cultural memory. The theory and method described herein use the quilt patchwork metaphor as the basis for a web interface for designing and modeling knowledge-based graphical, narrative, and multimedia data. More specifically, the method comprises a digital storytelling and knowledge management tool that allows one or more users to create, save, store, …

African Religious Integration In Florida During The First Spanish Period, Christopher Beats

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an examination of the unique conditions for African-descended slaves in St. Augustine, Florida, during the First Spanish Period. St. Augustine was an important garrison at a remote point in the Spanish Empire at the edge of a hostile frontier. As such, economics were less a priority than defense. Slaves, therefore, received different treatment here than in English colonies or even other Spanish colonies. Due to the threat of Protestantism, religious adherence was more important as a test of loyalty than ethnicity and slaves and freed-people were able to integrate better than in other Spanish holdings. In order …

Genetic And Phenotypic Evolution In The Ornate Chorus Frog (Pseudacris Ornata): Testing The Relative Roles Of Natural Selection,, Jacob Degner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding how migration, genetic drift, and natural selection interact to maintain the genetic and phenotypic variation we observe in natural populations is a central goal of population genetics. Amphibians provide excellent model organisms for investigating the interplay between these evolutionary forces because amphibians are generally characterized by limited dispersal abilities, high philopatry, and are obligately associated with the areas around suitable habitats (e.g. breeding ponds). Thus, on relatively small geographic scales, the relative effects of all of these evolutionary forces can be studied together. Here, we study the interaction of migration, genetic drift, natural selection, and historical process in the …

The Emergence Of The Maya Tlaloc: A Late Classic Religious Icon, Amanda Toyie Groff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Iconography has the capability to memorialize and guarantee one's place in history; iconography can also provide powerful insight into human culture, and explore social and cultural values in a visual manner. Iconography can incorporate information about group identities, allegiances, religious affiliations, propaganda, and acceptance within both modern and ancient societies. By studying a specific iconographic figure, the Central Mexican god Tlaloc, as a visual representation of a belief or identity, we can glean a greater understanding of the cultural transmission of iconographic symbols. The substantial use of this icon, in both Central Mexico and the Maya region, reveals iconography as …

A Study Of Instructional Technology Resource Teachers In Virginia's Public School Divisions: Who Are They And What Do They Do?, Kimberly M. Hooker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to examine the role of instructional technology resource teachers (ITRTs) within Virginia's public school divisions focusing on how ITRTs used their time throughout the school year to integrate technology into the curriculum. Based on data from surveys of current ITRTs, the researcher investigated further to find relationships, if any, among the professional and educational backgrounds and work calendar of these teachers and their responses to their actual role. The study also addressed training that the ITRTs have received to assist them in their job duties and explored the participants' perceptions of their roles as …

Father Absence And Early Family Composition As A Predictor Of Menarcheal Onset: Psychosocial And Familial Factors That Are Associated With Pubertal Timing., Amanda Christel Healey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Father absence and the introduction of a stepfather before menarche have been shown to contribute to the early onset of menarche. The present study analyzes the effects of father absence situations that tend to result on the onset of menarche. Presence of a related male in a father-absent homes is also considered as a protective factor for menarcheal onset. Participants consisted of 342 female students enrolled in undergraduate work at a southeastern university. The mean age of participants was 20.7 years. Participants completed a survey consisting of 12 questions pertaining to their family environment before menarche. Participants were asked to …

Using The Theory Of Reasoned Action To Examine The Gambling Behaviors Of College Athletes And Other Students., Robert Gene Thrasher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Legal and illegal gambling opportunities are readily available to students on college campuses and surrounding areas (Saum, 1999). College students are at an age that is highly impressionable, experimental, and prime to taking risks while ignoring the potential consequences (Oster, 1992). Because of their desire for competition, college student athletes may be highly susceptible to the lure of gambling. While the rates of pathological gambling are high for college students, the rates for the subpopulation of college student athletes are posited to be even higher (Rockey, Beason, Lee, Stewart, & Gilbert, 1997). The general purpose of the current study was …

Comparative Tmj Imaging Accuracy Using Icat Cone Beam Computerized Tomography., Oana Bida Honey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A blinded observational cross-sectional in vitro study was conducted to compare the diagnostic accuracy of observers viewing images made using cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT), panoramic radiography and linear tomography. The sample consisted of 37 TMJ articulations from 30 human skulls demonstrating either normal condylar morphology (n=19) or erosion of the lateral pole (n=18). The articulations were imaged using corrected angle linear tomography, normal and TMJ specific panoramic radiography and CBCT. Images and 10 re-reads were presented to 10 observers. Multiple CBCT multi-planar images were presented both statically and interactively. Intra-observer reliability was determined by weighted kappa (Kw) and diagnostic …

Punishing The 'Other' : Race, Ethnicity, And The American Justice System., Kristen T. Valentine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an examination of the relationship between race and ethnicity and the American justice system. It is a comparative case study of the racial dimensions of the War on Drugs in the domestic criminal justice system and the ethnic dimensions of the War on Terror through an examination of the prison and prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. This thesis is about building bridges between domestic and international conceptions of justice with a focus on human rights. Central to this project is an exploration of similar process of white fear, racialization, and dehumanization black and Arab/Muslim men experience under the …

Ancient Maya Afterlife Iconography: Traveling Between Worlds, Mosley Dianna Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ancient Maya afterlife is a rich and voluminous topic. Unfortunately, much of the material currently utilized for interpretations about the ancient Maya comes from publications written after contact by the Spanish or from artifacts with no context, likely looted items. Both sources of information can be problematic and can skew interpretations. Cosmological tales documented after the Spanish invasion show evidence of the religious conversion that was underway. Noncontextual artifacts are often altered in order to make them more marketable. An example of an iconographic theme that is incorporated into the surviving media of the ancient Maya, but that is …

Reproductive Delay In The Female Cape Ground Squirrel (Xerus Inauris), Beth Pettitt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Cape ground squirrel, Xerus inauris, is a highly social cooperative breeder that forms groups containing multiple breeding females. While the distribution of reproduction among group members is fairly even (i.e. exhibits low reproductive skew), previous studies of Cape ground squirrels suggest the reproductive development of sub-adult females is inhibited by the presence of adult breeding female group mates. As reproductive delay is known to be influenced by a number of different parameters, my goal was to determine if other factors affected the timing of sexual maturity, and if so, which factors are the most influential. In this study, I …

Quo Vadis: An Integrated Direction For Catholic Media Technology Engagement, Eugene M. Gan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the years, the Catholic Church has explored issues of media technology and how it relates to education. At the same time, a number of profound, modern Catholic thinkers have wrestled with the nature of media technology and how it affects the human condition. These two threads have been independent of each other. An effective conceptual understanding of the role and meaning of media technology in Catholic education requires us to weave these two threads together to craft an integrated and coherent synthesis. The question I raise is: in a culture that promulgates the digital lifestyle as the standard and …

Property Rights As A Precondition To Development: A Case Study Of Jamaica, Leah Kral

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emerging research suggests that property rights play a significant role in the economic and social development of nations. To test this proposition, this study examines the case of Jamaica and whether there is a relationship between property rights and development. In order to carry out this investigation, this study gathers and analyzes existing research to:

1. define the extent that Jamaicans lack property rights and how this affects their everyday quality of life and vulnerability to poverty;

2. examine the relationship between the absence of property rights and underdevelopment; and

3. explore how the current international and local Jamaican policy …

Community And The Meal: A Rhetorical Investigation, Richard J. Mills Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

From ancient Greece to post modernity, the meal as a focal point of community life and a cultural practice, and the meaning of eating, have been the focus for numerous scholarly studies and their rhetorical significance. This dissertation will define how interpersonal communication and the enactment of the meal are rhetorical partners within a community. Cultural differences, communication style, and values affect one's perception of the culture's narrative structure, inclusion and exclusion, private and public space, and civility and incivility practices in relationship to the community. These differences impact the meal, food choices, tastes, and communication style and ultimately shape …

Exploring Transient Identities: Deconstructing Depictions Of Gender And Imperial Ideology In The Oriental Travel Narratives Of Englishwomen, 1831-1915, Carrieanne Deloach

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Englishwomen who traveled to the "Orient" in the Victorian era constructed an identity that was British in its bravery, middle-class in its refinement, feminine in appearance and speech and Christian in its intolerance of Oriental heathenism. Studying Victorian female travel narratives that described journeys to the Orient provides an excellent opportunity to reexamine the diaphanous nature of the boundaries of the public/private sphere dichotomy; the relationship between travel, overt nationalism, and gendered constructions of identity, the link between geographic location and self-definition; the power dynamics inherent in information gathering, organization and production. Englishwomen projected gendered identities in their writings, which …

Grave Goods Of Early Historic Chickasaw Burials, Lorrie Whittemore Jerome

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.