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Framing The Fight: Women's Use Of Rhetorical Coercion To Gain Political Empowerment From Revolutionary Participation—The Cases Of El Salvador, Guatemala, And Eritrea, Kyleanne M. Hunter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The below paper examines women’s ability to translate participation in antigovernment movement into political empowerment in the post-conflict government. I use the theory of Rhetorical Coercion to explore how the way in which women frame their participation impacts their ability to achieve increased political empowerment. I find that nationalistic frames are more successful than women’s-specific frames in women’s ability to achieve full empowerment and lasting rights. Using the cases of El Salvador, Guatemala and Eritrea I explore the inputs to a successful rhetorical strategy and the stumbling blocks to translating participation into national inclusion.

In Search Of Social Justice Praxis: A Critical Examination Of Senior Student Affairs Officers' Leadership Practices, Ryan P. Barone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the highest ranking administrators in divisions of student affairs, Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAOs) have the substantial opportunity to perform leadership in a manner which realizes social justice processes and goals. Framed by critical postmodernism (Tierney & Rhoads, 1993), this study uses educational criticism and connoisseurship (Eisner, 1976, 1998, 2002) to document the social justice leadership practices of two SSAOs. In depth narratives give rich descriptions of the nuances of social justice leadership as enacted by the SSAOs. Critical interpretation and evaluation of these practices is woven throughout the study. Themes relevant for the field of higher education in …

Governing Confidence: Rhetoric, Affect, And Post-Crisis Financial Education, Samuel M. Jay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The 2007-08 financial crisis has been characterized as a “crisis of confidence” (Akerlof & Shiller, 2009), a span of time during which the non-discursive energy needed to compel Americans towards profit-producing decisions evaporated. Amidst this decline, the US lost its competitive edge in the global marketplace. Initial responses to the crisis by national leaders failed, triggering a revision to reasoning that resulted in a new argument taken up by central government: the lack of financial knowledge experienced by the majority of US citizens led to a population of ignorant decision makers lacking the confidence needed to take the risks necessary …

How Does Your Garden Grow: How Planting Seeds Of Hope Inspire A Community Of Gifted African-American Learners To Flourish In An Early Childhood Setting, Danielle Elaine Macneal-Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

"Knowledge is like a garden: if it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested"

-African Proverb

Each day, African-American children are rarely given the opportunity to reach their full potential and flourish in American school systems. There continues to be a disparity in the number of African-Americans in the gifted population. When identified early, and with appropriate educational opportunities, young, culturally diverse gifted learners will be more likely to have long-term educational success. By utilizing an educational criticism methodology, this study discusses the importance of gifted education for African-American, early childhood students, by answering the question, how does The Hope …

Gender Stereotyping Within Career And Technical Education : Exploring Relationships Among Gender, Coursetaking, And Outcomes Of High School Cte Students., Stephanie A. Fluhr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explored he relationships among gender, coursetaking, and student outcomes of high school CTE students. The variables analyzed within this study were selected based upon an extensive review of existing literature on gender, stereotypes, occupation, nontraditional careers, and CTE coursetaking and policy. The sample examined in this study came from a Midwestern state’s database of CTE students that were enrolled in high school CTE courses from 2010-2012. Operating under a theory that gender segregation with CTE leads to a continuance of gender segregation in the workforce at large, the purpose of this study was to add to the existing …

The Bricks In Action : Women's Public Housing Activism In Louisville, Kentucky, 1958-1970., Aletia M. Robey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a historical examination of women's public housing activism in Louisville, Kentucky from 1958 to 1970. With the proclamation of the War on Poverty by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, poverty stricken neighborhoods were provided with federal funding to initiate community action by public housing residents. This thesis illustrates how women living in Louisville's public housing communities organized grassroots community action groups and eventually utilized federal funds from the War on Poverty to initiate social change. Louisville activists organized by means of coalition building, increased education, and coordinated protests. Grassroots organizing in Louisville led to an established …

The Rise Of Bulgarian Nationalism And Russia's Influence Upon It., Lin Wenshuang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The exercise of nationalism is the assertion of the political sovereignty of a community in the form of a nation-state. In the case of Bulgaria, nationalism, in practice, was a long journey towards the establishment of a Bulgarian nation-state. This dissertation aims to clarify the place and role of nationalism in the reconstruction of the Bulgarian state and to examine to what extent the development of Bulgarian nationalism was influenced by Russia at the vital stage - the 1870s, when the nation fought hard against Ottoman rule and finally achieved national liberation. My motivation for examining Russo-Bulgarian historical, political and …

Informal College Study Groups : Gender And Group Homophily., Brandon Scott Mcreynolds

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The examination of undergraduate informal college study groups offers not only the ability to better understand student culture, but also the ability to look further into the role that gender plays in a student’s college experience. Further, it is hypothesized that students form and maintain these groups based off homophily. This study uses a mixed methods approach to examine how males and females experience informal study groups differently, along with how a student’s gender informs his or her perception of the group’s purpose, formation and function. Themes such as trust, along with a student’s pre-college background and major, emerged in …

Down Comes The Mountain : Coal Mining And Health In Central Appalachia From 2000 To 2010., James Kent Pugh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Appalachia is one of the unhealthiest and most economically disadvantaged regions in America. It has higher rates of diseases (including heart disease and cancer) than the rest of the United States. Past research posits that low socioeconomic conditions in Appalachia are the main determinants of health disparities, and a burgeoning body of literature is examines the relationship between coal mining and health. The latter shows that, when controlling for socioeconomic status, health status remains significantly lower in coal-producing, Appalachian counties compared to non-coal producing Appalachian counties. While previous studies examine coal production over one or two years, they do not …

"They Had No Key That Would Fit My Mouth" : Women's Struggles With Cultural Constructions Of Madness In Victorian And Modern England And America., Leslie Ann Harper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since Elaine Showalter’s publication of The Female Malady in 1985, various scholars have addressed the association between women and mental illness in Victorian and Modern culture. However, little attention has been devoted to how this association impacted the lives of actual women. In this dissertation, I analyze how the gendered construction of mental illness affected the lives of individual women living in Victorian and Modern England and America. My study reveals that the cultural association between women and madness made women vulnerable to unwarranted institutionalization. Women who rebelled against social conventions were particularly at risk, and the public was aware …

Investigation Of Factors Related To Performance And Retention Of Engineering Students., Nora B. Honken

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was part of an ongoing effort to improve retention of engineering students at the J. B. Speed School of Engineering at the University of Louisville. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to gain a better understanding of the relationship among interest in engineering, performance and first-year retention in engineering, and whether this relationship is different for males and females, and (2) to better understand the relationship among self-control, academic ability and first semester GPA for engineering students. To address the first research question investigating retention, survey responses and data from student records were analyzed using logistic …

Early Detection And Control Of Potential Pandemics., Shengpeng Jin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the centuries, human beings have been inflicted with a variety of contagious diseases, resulting in tens of millions of respiratory illnesses and deaths worldwide. Early detection of disease spread facilitates timely responses that can greatly reduce its impact on a population. Therefore, this early information is a major public health objective and is crucial for policy makers and public health officials responsible for protecting the public from the spread of contagious diseases. Current indicators of the spread of contagious outbreaks lag behind its actual spread, leaving no time for a planned response. The studies of Christakis et al. in …

A Case Study Of The Early Institutionalization Process Of A Restorative Justice Social Movement Organization., Brittany Buttry-Watson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the early development process of a restorative justice social movement organization in Louisville, KY. Utilizing social movement and organizational frameworks, this case study seeks to expand knowledge on the early developmental period for small, locally founded social movement organizations. Results from this study confirm claims in the literature about the critical nature of an organization’s structure, networks, and strategy. The analysis also discovers an unexplored strategy for organizational development, i.e. preemptive co-optation. Restorative Justice Louisville deliberatively sought co-optation by the institution they were attempting to change, the juvenile justice system, from early in their development. Due to …

The Whore Paradox : "Rational" Condom Use Decisions Among Prostitutes In The Context Of Stigma And Patriarchal Bargaining., Maggie Mccandless Stone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High-risk sexual activity involved in prostitution is a criminal justice and public health issue heightened by the potential transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as a result of engaging in certain unprotected sex acts. This constitutes a significant health problem suitable for discourse on social policy. The work adds to the extant prostitution literature by providing an in-depth qualitative examination of female prostitutes resulting in the proposal of a new theoretical framework, the whore paradox. The theory provides explanatory insight into the sexual health decisions of prostitutes and has potential applications to other deviant and risk-taking populations. Policy implications include …

Disaster And Poverty : The Differential Impacts Of Disaster On The Poor In The Gulf Coast Region., Abu Muhammad Sufiyan 1979-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Low-income and vulnerable populations that suffer most in natural disasters are females, children, elderly, disabled, and ethnic minorities This dissertation explores the association between natural disaster and poverty conditions among socially disadvantaged subgroups within the social, economic, and political contexts of the disaster affected regions in the Gulf Coast States. It argues that poverty conditions increase the negative impacts of disaster for socially vulnerable populations. This dissertation advocates incorporating the vulnerabilities of the marginalized population in each phase of disaster management planning, from mitigation to recovery. The study uses correlation and regression analyses to find the association between disaster impacts …

Butch, Femme, Or Neither? What Owning These Identities Means, Joey F. Cooter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite an increased awareness of the diversity of gender identities, butch and femme roles continue to be viewed as lesbian stereotypes that reinforce rather than challenge heteronormativity. This study explores how self-identified butch and femme lesbian women define themselves and how their identities influence their sexual/romantic relationships. Interviews were conducted with 20 lesbians who identified as butch, femme, or neither to learn what these identities meant to them. While the interviewees saw their identities as unique, a number of similarities emerged. This thesis analyzes the themes of conflict with a gender binary model, stereotypes of butch and femme, replication of …

Adolescent Religion And Parenthood Outcomes In Young Adulthood, Kelli K. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A multitude of research exists examining the relationship between religion and early marriage, yet little research has focused on the relationship between religion and early childbearing. Even less has examined the influence of adolescent religion on early parenthood. Using data from the National Study of Youth and Religion, I examined the relationship between religion in adolescence and parenthood outcomes in early adulthood. I focus on how religiosity in adolescence shapes whether an individual is more or less likely to be sexually active, become pregnant, and/or have and keep a child. Results suggest that those who are religious in adolescence are …

Teacher Attitudes And Practices That Support Student Learning, Charles T. Sutton Mr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Generally in today’s classrooms educators have the responsibility to develop teaching practices that are best suited for a particular group of learners. Since the early days of 1-room schools, various teaching styles have been developed to accommodate a changing world. As the curriculum has broadened through the years, individual student needs have remained the focus as teachers have become more and more accountable for student learning.

The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate or identify how successful teachers manage their classrooms. It defines key student behavior issues that most teachers experience daily. The study further investigates the hypothesis …

The Idea Of ‘Holy Islamic Empire’ As A Catalyst To Muslims’ Response To The Second Crusade, Emeel S. Lamey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The oral traditions in the Islamic world presented only the moral benefits of Jihad. Yet, the fact is that, though the moral benefits continued to exist before and after the First Crusade, though the interest seemed to have been present and the necessary intellectual theories continued on, Muslims did not advance the practical Jihad. Nonetheless, the disastrous Second Crusade struck a powerful chord among Muslims. It forced Muslims to battle for their very survival, and to do so they would have to adapt, but equally they could only survive by drawing on their imperial inheritance built up over centuries. A …

From Quackery To Control: Perceptions Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine From Users With Mental Health Disorders, Rachael Welsh Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study is an investigation into why people with depression and anxiety use complementary and alternative medicines at higher rates than the general population. The study examines perceptions of mental illness and meanings assigned to depression and anxiety, others’ perceptions of mental illness, and experiences with conventional medicine. All participants were using complementary and alternative medicine at the time of the study; their reasons for CAM use as well as how CAM affected perceptions of their illness were main research questions. I conducted three focus groups with individuals diagnosed with depression who were using complementary and alternative medicine as forms …

Heavy Drinking Behaviors And Parental Influence Among Greek Affiliated College Students, Melodie Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Heavy drinking behaviors have been observed in relation to fraternity and sorority membership. Some have argued that this relationship persists as a result of the drinking-conducive social environments of Greek organizations, but others have suggested that this relationship may be spurious. Using data from The Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study (n = 10,904) the link between Greek affiliation, alcohol consumption, and parental influence was examined through the lens of social learning theory. It was hypothesized that members of Greek organizations would report higher levels of drinking compared to others and that the inclusion of the variable of …

The Impact Of World Bank’S Conditionality-Ownership Hybrid On Forest Management In Cameroon: Policy Hybridity In International Dependence Development, Asongayi Venard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many developing countries depend on the World Bank for development assistance, which the Bank often provides with policy reform conditions. Resistance to World Bank’s conditionality caused the Bank to posit “ownership” as a country’s real assent to its development policies. The combination of ownership and conditionality invalidates the neocolonial, false-paradigm and dualism theses in explaining the international dependence development model. This study explains this model by investigating how the relationship between conditionality and ownership in the context of this model impacts forest management in Cameroon.

Integrating theoretical and methodological insights mainly from political science, economics, geosciences, and sociology, the study …

Queering The Abcs: Lgbtq Characters In Children’S Books, Lindsay A. Toman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past 30 years, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) groups have called for children’s books to include LGBTQ characters and themes to help children understand our multifaceted social world. Few LGBTQ characters have appeared in children’s literature. This qualitative study analyzes the text and images of 29 children’s books published between 1972 and 2013 that have any LGBTQ characters. Books featuring lesbian and gay characters often presented them as conforming to heteronormative standards to find fulfillment. The majority of books with gender-deviant characters focused on boys harassed by other characters for their conventionally feminine behaviors. Surprisingly few …

Trust In Government Versus Fear Of Crime As Predictors Of Support For Authoritarian Policies In Ecuador: A Cross-Sectional Study, Clímaco David Cañarte Gutiérrez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individuals interacting in an environment that exacerbates fear of crime and general distrust may face erosion of democratic values and perceive authoritarian policies as a solution to restore order. In Latin America historical widespread distrust in the government apparatus as well as fear of crime, have always been a topic of interest, not only for sociologists but also for political scientists and lawmakers. This study uses the LAPOP wave 2012 (Latin American Public Opinion) survey to assess Ecuadorians’ perceptions about trust in the government and fear of crime as predictors of support for authoritarian policies (mano dura). Logistic regressions …

Single Mothers And Religiosity, Natalie J. Sheets

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines single mothers compared to coupled mothers and the differences in their public and private practices of religiosity. Data come from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, 2007 U.S. Religious Landscape Survey. The study explores the influence of marital status between single and coupled mothers by using regression models to control for income, age, education, and race. Findings suggest that, while there are differences in single and coupled mothers in both their public and private practices of religiosity, the cause of these differences is being driven by other social factors rather than marital status alone. Income, …

Men In Nursing: Masculine Gender Role Stress And Job Satisfaction, Anita Bailey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Men represent a minority in nursing who have until recently experienced limited scholarly interest. Existing studies indicate that men experience bias, discrimination based on sex, and disproportionate levels of discipline within the profession. In the face of a continuing nursing shortage, recruitment and retention of men, as well as the rates at which men leave the profession and factors associated with that turnover, are of concern. Masculine Gender Role Stress (MGRS) may play a part in men's responses to nursing culture and settings, and may influence job satisfaction in a manner that affects behavior and tenure. This descriptive correlational study …

Wealth And Acculturation: A Qualitative Study Of The Influence Of Wealth During Chinese International Students' Acculturation, Linshan Fu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the increasing number of Chinese international students coming to the United States every year, a more in-depth understanding of these international students’ acculturation is necessary and urgent. Given the fact that past researches mostly describe Chinese immigrants, migrates or international students as oppressed cultural adaptors, who cannot avoid being marginalized; who suffer from various adjusting problems; and who have to make use of acculturative strategies to adapt to the new country, this thesis takes the factor of wealth and its relation with class, status and power into account during Chinese international students’ acculturation under the globalized context. Instead of …

Foreign Investment In African Resources: The Ecological Aspect To Imperialism And Unequal Exchange, Mariko Frame

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the issue of foreign investment in African resources from the theoretical perspective of ecological imperialism and ecologically unequal exchange theory (EUE). Pulling from Marxist ecology, critical political ecology, and an environmental reading of Polanyi, this dissertation seeks to theoretically deepen and clarify the concept of `ecological imperialism.' It posits that the wave of neoliberal policies that swept through the developing world in the 1980s can be interpreted as a historically distinct moment of ecological imperialism, a `counter-countermovement' to the era of economic nationalism that sought to bring developing world resources under state control. Focusing on Africa and …

The Great Mirror Of Fandom: Reflections Of (And On) Otaku And Fujoshi In Anime And Manga, Clarissa Graffeo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this thesis is to examine representations of otaku and fujoshi (i.e., dedicated fans of pop culture) in Japanese anime and manga from 1991 until the present. I analyze how these fictional images of fans participate in larger mass media and academic discourses about otaku and fujoshi, and how even self-produced reflections of fan identity are defined by the combination of larger normative discourses and market demands. Although many scholars have addressed fan practices and identities through surveys and participant observation, many of these studies work with Western groups of fans whose identities may not be consistent with …

Resource Sovereignty: The Indigenous Value Of Mount Rainier Within Activities Of Traditional Resource Harvesting, Samantha Joan Nemecek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Nisqually, Puyallup, Muckleshoot, Cowlitz, and Yakama Indian Tribes historically utilized the plant resources of Mount Rainier until the National Park Service established Mount Rainier National Park in 1899. Since 1992 there have been formal, written requests by these Tribes to revitalize the harvest of these culturally significant plant resources in their original collection location. Through archival analysis, participant observation, and interviews with Indigenous consultants, I investigated the impetus for these requests and furthermore the role of Mount Rainier in tribally relevant plant harvesting. Data indicates a lack of plant resource monitoring in the United States Forest Service has resulted …