Digital Commons Network^™

The Theoretical Symbolism Of Eruvin: A Model Of Dual-Identity And Sacred Space, Liza Stoltz Hanson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Eruvin are an innovative solution to the logistical “problem” of carrying on the weekly Sabbath. Boundaries that symbolically extend the walls of private homes into the public sphere, eruvin allow Orthodox Jews to carry objects outside of their homes on the Sabbath, a seemingly simple act that would otherwise be prohibited. Constructed according to intricate Rabbinic specifications, eruvin use existing architectural elements such as walls, train tracks, roadways and telephone wires, as well as natural features like rivers to create a continuous boundary. This paper will examine the theoretical significance of creating such a space. My argument maintains that beyond …

Reconciling Eros And Agape: The English Catholic Artistic Response To Reforms, Nicole M. Coonradt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the English Catholic artistic response to reforms--reforms being both internal and external to the Catholic Church--as part of the Catholic Reformation. "Response," for the purposes of this project, may be defined in terms of an "answer" in an ongoing dialogue about the Catholic position and may be seen as both conciliatory and apologetic in nature. Understanding this response is useful when we consider the role of rhetoric and poetry in society and the attendant contemporary theories thereof, in their historical context, especially the duty of the poet. The recent "revisionist" history is central to understanding art contextually. …

Idea, Energy, And Power: Sayers’S Creative Process Model And The Storytelling Of Jay O’Callahan, Rebecca K. Reynolds

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research uses an adaptation of Dorothy L. Sayers's 3-step theory of creativity to analyze the self-described creation process of contemporary storyteller Jay O'Callahan. Sayers wrote that Idea, Energy, and Power are foundational elements of the creative process. Idea is the invisible image that provides vision and unity throughout a project. The Energy is the working out of art into a medium. The Power is the connective force that binds artist to art and both to audience. (Sayers, 1987). This hermeneutical study develops subcategories within each of those 3 primary elements of creativity, then uses qualitative methods to explore connectivity …

Open Fire: A Portrait Of Gun Control In U.S. And International Newspaper Articles After The 2011 Arizona Mass Shooting, Heidi L. Smathers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research sought to explore media framing theory, first introduced by Erving Goffman, which asserts that the media portray certain items in a way that affects awareness, salience and tone of those items. There has long been debate about media framing especially as it pertains to the framing of violent events. Mass shootings are of particular interest because of the graphic and often senseless nature of the crime. This study looked particularly at the 2011 Tucson, Arizona mass shooting.

A content analysis of articles between February 7, 2010, and November 8, 2011, was conducted to explore media framing of gun …

An Audio-Visual Ethnographic Case Study Of International, Rural, Nonprofit Public Relations Geared Towards Sustainable Development, A. Chase Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper analyzes nonprofit public relations and its relationship to development communication. It evaluates previous attempts to integrate the two fields for development purposes. The author then offers an alternative approach, a so-called public relations for community development (PRCD) model.

The PRCD model is then tested in the form of a case studyùincluding digitally recorded video interviews and observationùon Warm Heart Worldwide, Inc. (WHW), an American-founded and operated nongovernment organization (NGO) in Phrao District, northern Thailand. The study aims to identify which elements of the PRCD approach WHW adheres to, and perceived efficacy of community development as a result. …

A Portraiture Of Evelyn Thompson Lawrence, Donna Reneé Clifton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the obstacles and motivators Evelyn Thompson Lawrence addressed in her thirst for lifelong learning and desire to share that learning through her life stories. The researcher also sought to understand how everyday events played a role in the outcome of Lawrence's life. More than just observing major events, the researcher considered ways the smallest moments made an impact on Lawrence's continued desire for learning. This study evolved through Lawrence's accounts. By allowing this African American woman, who was a lifelong Appalachian, to explore her past and present, a wide array of experiences …

Alternative Performances Of Race And Gender In Hip-Hop Music : Nerdcore Counterculture., Jessica Elizabeth Ronald

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In his documentary entitled, Nerdcore For Life, director Dan Lamoureux described Nerdcore as a "powerful social collision between hip hop and geek culture". Born on the Internet, Nerdcore Hip-Hop is rap music made by geeks, for geeks and covers such traditionally "nerdy" topics such as comic books, video games, science fiction, anime, technology, etc. Though it has existed online for almost a decade, only recently has Nerdcore gone from being an Internet fad to an underground cultural phenomenon. This paper investigated how hegemonic constructions of race and gender within both the dominant public sphere and hip-hop culture are subverted and …

Literacy By Subscription: Writing Instruction In Turn-Of-The-Century American Periodicals., Alicia Brazeau

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines popular periodicals in the late 19th- and early 20th-century America as pivotal artifacts in the history of literacy education. It first reviews current histories of literacy, writing instruction, and magazines at the turn of the century, and then concentrates on the formation, circulation, and function of agricultural journals and of two women's periodicals, Harper's Bazar and The Ladies' Home Journal, between 1880 and 1910. In analyzing this collection of periodicals, this dissertation outlines both how magazines provided audiences with explicit instruction in reading and writing practices, and how editors and readers constructed unique, contextually-specific, definitions of advanced …

Exploration Of The Chemistry Of Alkynes And Selectfluor : Search For Cytotoxic Agents From The Amazonian Rainforest., Zhuang Jin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Vicinal dithioethers and alkenyl thioethers were synthesized under environmentally friendly conditions using alkyne and thiol in water. Alkynes were also used to develop a multibond-fonning reaction that fonned cyclic ketones or ketoesters through a goldcatalyzed intramolecular oxygen transfer isomerization of 2-alkynyl-l ,5-diketones or 2- alkyny 1-5 -ketoesters. The investigation of Selectfluor chemistry yielded a highly stereoselective synthesis of fluoroalky (E)-a,ß-unsaturated ketones from allenyl esters, through a gold-catalyzed rearrangement that produced an intennediate dienyl ester. When Selectfluor was combined with copper, it produced two oxidative systems, F-TEDA-BF4 and F-TEDAPF 6, both of which efficiently converted amides into imides at room temperature …

Visualizing Female Agency : Space And Gender In Contemporary Women's Art In Mexico., Jamie L. Ratliff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation outlines a theoretical model for contextualizing contemporary women's art practice in Mexico within the profound socioeconomic and political events that have taken place since 1968, characterized by the steady breakdown and eventual turnover of the Mexican state. Following the spatial theories outlined by Henry Lefebvre in The Production of Space, this study adopts the logic that social spaces are a direct production of the societies that inhabit them, as well as the social relations, ideologies, and notions of power that are espoused therein. Focusing on the artists Paula Santiago, the collective Polvo de Gallina Negra, Daniela Rossell, Minerva …

Arabic Women And English Language Learning: A Case Study, Ream Alkarni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main goal of this study was to interview Arabic women students at Spring International Language Center to record their perceptions, rationale, goals, stories, and opinions about learning English in a U.S. language school. This research was conducted to understand the purposes and goals of Arabic women who come to the United Stated to study the English language, and the importance of English language proficiency, both within and outside the United States.

The findings of this study are not only relevant to English language centers in the United States, but also those in other countries. The information and methods used …

Development Of A Measure Assessing Knowledge And Use Of Internal Punctuation To Signal Syntactic Relationships, Pamela S. Van Horn Howard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A literary debate has been ongoing from the early 1900s regarding not only the place of grammar instruction in the classroom but even of the veracity of a grammatical standard, such as Standard American English, by which grammar skills may be measured. Very little empirical research has been attempted to compare the effectiveness of teaching methods because grammar assessment has been given even less attention. Therefore, to address this gap in the literature and to explore whether objective testing is suitable for assessing grammar skills, a 51-item measure was constructed to test the use of internal punctuation (commas, semicolons, and …

Exiled As The Ship Itself: Liminality And Transnational Identity In Malcolm Lowry's Ultramarine, Under The Volcano, And Dark As The Grave Wherein My Friend Is Laid, Spencer Tricker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The themes of empire, nationality, and self-imposed exile constitute underexplored topics in critical discussions of modernist author Malcolm Lowry (1909-1957). Until recently, most academic studies have approached his work from biographical, mythological, and psychoanalytic perspectives. While a few studies have performed historical readings of his novels, such investigations tend, primarily, to focus on his engagement with western literary and theoretical movements of the early twentieth century. Of the few studies that address the cross-cultural reach of his novels, most are limited to discussions of Mexican history and traditions, thus prioritizing a specific geographical region when they might, instead, illuminate the …

When Talking Helps: A Quantitative Study Of Privacy And Resilience After Bereavement, Carrie Lynn West

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using the theoretical framework of Communication Privacy Management, this study sought to determine how trait resilience, state hopefulness, distress disclosure, use of social networks, and boundary turbulence relate to bereaved spouses' life satisfaction. Bereaved spouses (N=149) completed questionnaires at Camp Widow, a weekend-long conference for bereaved spouses held in San Diego, from August 12-14, 2011. Participants were single, engaged or remarried. The average age of the participants is 46.24 years. The average age at time of bereavement reported was 43.71 years. The amount of time that had passed since the death of their spouse was 2.83 years, and the average …

Capacity-Building Through English Language Training To Improve Long-Term Resettlement Success: A Case Study Of The Refugees Along The Thailand-Burma Border, Lorelle W. Yuen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Achieving long-term resettlement success is a challenge for many refugees seeking to restart their lives after displacement and being uprooted from their lives. Refugees must deal with finding employment, integrating into a society immensely different from what they have known their whole lives, and starting over from scratch. Learning a new language enables refugees to progress towards integration and long-term resettlement success, however, resettled refugees face a multitude of barriers in the U.S. to accessing language classes and attaining English proficiency. This study seeks to bridge this problem by exploring the possibilities of implementing a standardized language training program in …

Latino Family Involvement: An Exploratory Study Of Latina Mother-Daughter Relationships And Their Effects On Educational Attainment And Resiliency, Maria Ana Rodriguez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Latino family involvement is an important issue in the field of education. Effective strategies to promote family involvement in the Latino community are vital for the educational attainment of Latino students and emotional wellbeing of Latino families. This study used focus groups, in-depth interviews, and observations to examine Latino family involvement and the relationships and communication patterns between Latina mothers and daughters. The Latina mother-daughter relationship was studied in an effort to gain a better understanding of how this relationship affects a Latina daughter's educational attainment and sense of resiliency. Results indicated that a positive relationship between a Latina mother …

Implicating Bitzer's Rhetorical Situation In Comparative And Non-Violent Rhetoric: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Three Ecofeminist Movements From East To West, Shahreen Mat Nayan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the study of social movement rhetoric, scholars often focus on movements based in Western nations, foregoing study of social change in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and other parts of the world. Similarly, the focus on non-violent rhetoric has also been lacking, despite its use by great leaders such as Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King. This dissertation contributes to the study of social change in a globalized world, by taking a comparative approach to non-violent rhetoric in three diverse case studies. As sub-areas, both comparative rhetoric and non-violent rhetoric require further deliberation due to the numerous debates concerning …

Solar Photovoltaic System Modeling And Control, Qing Xia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To realize the benefits of grid-connected photovoltaic system, it is extremely important to reduce energy losses and improve reliability of grid-connected PV systems with high PV penetration. In this thesis, three different Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) strategies named as Perturbation & Observation MPPT, Incremental Conductance MPPT and Fuzzy Logic Control MPPT have been analyzed, simulated and compared with each other to improve the efficiency of power conversion. A general discussion to counteract partial shading effect in several aspects is also provided in this thesis. In order to improve reliability of the system, an optimum current control loop with suitable …

Rewriting The Future: The Construction Of Masculine Subjectivity Within Articulations Of Russia's Post-Soviet National Idea, Arianna L. Nowakowski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation evaluates the construction, negotiation, and contestation of masculine Subjectivity within articulations of Russia's post-Soviet national Idea. As Russia endeavors to define itself after years of turmoil and strife, gender identities have become deeply enmeshed in understandings of quintessential Russianness. From discourses of the state under Vladimir Putin to those of the Russian Orthodox Church, actors with significant social and political power have constructed particular understandings of what it means to be Russian, and in so doing, have delineated the parameters of normal, or natural gender identities and sexualities for men.

Drawing from the ideas of Michel Foucault, Jacques …

Matching Educational Interventions To Behavioral Phenotypes: Spatial Temporal Math As A Mathematics Achievement Intervention For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Erin Slason Grell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), a rapidly growing group of neurodevelopmental disorders, affect nearly all aspects of development. The knowledge base of ASDs has increased significantly over the past half century due to translational research models (Rutter, 1999). Basic science and applied clinical work have informed research in a bi-directional manner. Through these models, much is now known about the language, behavioral, and cognitive difficulties associated with ASDs. However, autism research would benefit from further delineation of the differences between ASD types through the development of behavioral phenotypes. Behavioral phenotypes are expressions of particular aspects of disorders that may aid in …

Self-Report Anxiety And Depression Ratings Among Adolescents With An Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comparison Of Individuals With And Without A History Of Sexual Offending, Stephanie N Marshall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The following study seeks to determine if there are differences in anxiety and/or depression symptoms between adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have been adjudicated for a sexual offense compared to adolescents with an ASD who are not adjudicated. The scores of 26 adolescent offenders diagnosed with an ASD were compared to the scores of 14 non-offending adolescents with an ASD on the following measures: The Behavioral Assessment System for Children- Second Edition (BASC-2) depression and anxiety subscales, and the Beck's Depression Inventory- Second Edition (BDI-II). An examination of whether broad band (BASC-2) vs. narrow band (BDI-II) measures …

Flourishing Selfhood In Aristotle And Authentic Selfhood In Heidegger, Jacob Graham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores Aristotle's concept of human flourishing, or eudaimonia, through the lens of the flourishing self. Connections will be made with Heidegger's concept of authenticity, as seen through the lens of authentic selfhood. It is argued that there is some type of authenticity or self-appropriation already present in Aristotle's ethical thought. For both thinkers, however, the particularized self is subsumed into a type of universality--the universality of excellence or care.

Perceptions Of School Climate And Connectedness:The Impact Of A Cross Age Peer Mentoring Program, Kathleen Staude-Sites

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this research is to determine the impact of a peer mentoring/tutoring program on parent perceptions of school climate and connectedness and standardized test scores, report card grades and attendance of at risk elementary students. Peer mentoring has been found to be effective in addressing some of the concerns regarding at risk student performance in the school environment and eventual school outcomes. This study uses quantitative methods to determine the effect of this intervention on this population. A school climate/connectedness survey completed by parents of the students participants in a Cross Age Peer Mentoring Program (CAPM Program) and …

Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric In Western Europe: The Role Of Integration Policies In Extreme Right Populism, Nathalia Martins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The recent rise of Western Europe's extreme populist Right (EPR) parties has been attributed to the EPR's mobilization of grievances over the issue of immigration (Ignazi 1991; Taggart 1996; Fennema 1997; Schain, 1998; Mudde 1999; Brubaker 2001; Ivarsflaten 2007). This study contributes to the literature on EPR's anti-immigrant rhetoric by examining whether different integration policies play a role in conditioning anti-immigrant rhetoric, and if so, what their role is in the formulation of such rhetoric. This thesis is comprised of two case studies: the French assimilation approach to immigrant integration and the rhetoric of Front National's leaders Jean-Marie and Marine …

Sub-Saharan Africa: Searching For A Social Contract, David D. Mayen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the phenomenon of civil war and state failure in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) from a social contract perspective. Its main hypothesis is that authoritarianism will lead to state failure in the context of SSA. In this regard, SSA states are political communities that have not done enough to promote and develop a social contract that is compatible with the region's sociopolitical and structural peculiarities. Since civil war and state failure have hampered different dimensions of human progress in SSA, analyzing the main patterns of conflict will inevitably lead to an underlying incompatibility between existing governing political structures and …

The Dialectical-Level Reflective Habits Of Middle-Grade Teachers: A Phenomenological Study, Tina Humphrey Boogren

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The literature leads us to believe that an educator must be reflective in order to improve one's practice, and in terms of reflection, Van Manen's (1977) highest level of reflection, the dialectical-level, is presented as a worthy aim for all educators. But should this type of reflection truly be a goal for all educators? This study sought to uncover the phenomenon of dialectical-level reflection. Dialectical, or critical-level, reflection is the process of analyzing, reconsidering and questioning experiences in order to continually adjust one's practice with an eye towards improvement. This phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of five middle school …

Gesture Production, Motor Skills, And Disfluencies Observed In Typically Developing Preschoolers, Christina Beatty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Interest in gesture production has considerably increased in recent decades, yet few studies have examined the preschool population. Even fewer studies have examined the intriguing interaction between motor skills and gesture. The original intent of this study was to investigate the relationship of gesture and motor skills in individuals who stutter. However due to recruitment limitations the enrolled sample consists solely of typically developing preschoolers, 3:8 to 6:6 years. Data are presented on gestures and disfluencies during spontaneous speech, a cartoon narration, and a video narration. Additionally, disfluencies were observed during a procedural description task with restricted hand use and …

Perceptions Of Opportunity Among Youth Served By The Allegheny County Department Of Human Services: A Program Evaluation Study Of The Partnership For Youth Transition, James Caldwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Allegheny County Department of Human Services implemented the Partnership for Youth Transition Program (PYT) to provide services for transition aged youth in Allegheny County who suffer from Severe Emotional Disturbance. One of the goals of this program was to enhance the perceptions of opportunity of goal attainment held by this population. This research is a program evaluation of the PYT program to find out if the PYT program was successful in enhancing these perceptions. This study uses a Paired-Samples T-Test, a Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient and an Analysis of Variance to see if the perceptions of opportunity changed during …

Another World Entire: The Posthumanism Of Cormac Mccarthy, Margaret Henson Pless

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cormac McCarthy's novels are thought experiments in what it might mean to write posthuman works of fiction. In a close reading of three of his novels, Child of God, The Crossing, and The Road , this project reveals how McCarthy's stories paradoxically unravel the dangerous human desire to make of our world a story. His characters, Lester Ballard, Billy Parham, and the boy, become posthuman as they live increasingly outside of narrative. Their existences extend beyond the page, in a radical intimacy with the world, evident in the haunting and elusive presences, and absences, of wolves, hawks, trout, and even …

Turning Away From Your Slavic Brother: The Effects Of Identity On Relations Between Russia And Belarus, Matt Matejka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On September 24, 2011, it was announced that Putin would run for president once again in 2012. The reaction in the West was that ―the more things change, the more they stay the same.‖ The Western conception of the post-Cold War Russia is often one of remarkable consistency since the turn of the century. This Western narrative focuses on an autocratic Putin reigning over his resurgent and confrontational Russia. Does this narrative tell the story of Russia today, or does it instead obscure it? To answer this I have elected to analyze Russian identity and how it relates to Russia‘s …