Digital Commons Network^™

Health Equity Through Spatial Justice: A Critical Phenomenology Of Urban Trail Makers, Arvin Simon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has increasingly demonstrated that race, class and place are powerful predictors of health and social justice. This study was conducted to identify the lived experiences of individuals who were hired and trained as part of a green job program that created trails within a city park in Pittsburgh’s Mount Washington Community. This program has historically hired individuals who were formerly incarcerated, many of whom identify as African American. We explored the personal and social experiences of working in nature to better appreciate the intersections of race, class and environment in an urban community. This current study is based on …

Speaking From Places: A Phenomenological Deconstructive Study Of Children’S Places, Child-Centric Methods, And Politics., Sugandh Dixit

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation adopts an innovative phenomenological and deconstructive methodology to create a child-centric research process sensitive to facilitating, integrating, and representing children’s voices in designing their school playground. The study developed and employed two novel child-centric methods, an Embedded Walk and a Communal Child-Map Project in order to integrate parents’ and children’s experiences of the school spaces the authorities planned to renovate. Both methods reveal and complicate the socio-political dynamics that structure children’s, parents’, and researchers’ stances towards children’s places and worlds. During the Embedded Walk, children led their parents through their play spaces and they collaboratively documented the childrens’ …

The Rhetoric Of Missions Reporting, Bailey Cate

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Missions, especially short-term trips, are becoming more and more controversial. As short-term missionaries interact in the field, they take pictures depicting the poverty, lack of resources, and overall sense of destitution around them. These photos have helped generate income, as many Christians who see the photos as part of updates on mission work they supported come to see themselves in a position of “savior” because they have resources to give to “those in need.” Evangelism is a critical component of Christianity; however, how people evangelize and how they communicate about that evangelism is equally critical. By analyzing both the church …

The Effects Of Social Proof Through Social Media On Perceptions Of Responsibility, Taylor Powers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Situational crisis communication theory, also referred to as SCCT, is a central and very well-developed theory in the field of crisis communication. The goal of SCCT is to create a response strategy based on stakeholders’ levels of attributions of responsibility. SCCT states there are two main factors stakeholders take into consideration when attributing responsibility to an organization in crisis: crisis type and performance history. While the previously stated factors are very important, the progressive development of social media is not taken into consideration in this theory, specifically the use of social proof through social media channels. According to the principle …

The Emperor's New Clothes: How The New Atheists Are Reminding The Humanities Of Their Place And Purpose In Society., David Ira Buckner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation will examine the social and intellectual impact of the so-called “New Atheism” as evidenced by the writings and public careers of its four principal protagonists: evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, philosopher Daniel Dennett, journalist Christopher Hitchens, and neuroscientist Sam Harris. I will argue that the New Atheists together provide an account of reality philosophically superior to that of theism, including those superficially sophisticated variations espoused in the writings of scholars William Lane Craig, John Lennox, Allister McGrath, Alvin Plantinga, etc. Yet, even if this were not so, I would still contend that the accessible, informative, and provocative style of …

Lead And Crime: An Ecological Study Between Lead Contaminated Topsoil And Violent Crime., Brian Guinn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lead is a known neurotoxicant. Human exposure to lead comes primarily through environmental exposures, including remnant lead paint, lead contaminated topsoil and lead contaminated water. Prenatal and early life lead exposure has been associated with numerous neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric disorders. This dissertation presents findings from an ecological study which evaluated the geospatial association between topsoil lead content and the incidence of FBI designated violent crime in Jefferson County, Kentucky. A total of 412 topsoil samples were collected along roadways (n=300) and from Louisville Metro Parks (n=112). Jefferson County crime data was obtained from the Louisville Metro Police Department – Crime …

Assessing The Affects Of Treatment Services, Financial Assistance, Race/Ethnicity, And Income On The Criminal Justice Outcomes Of Women On Probation., Jordan Wilfong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study is to examine the affect that treatment services have on the criminal justice outcomes of women on probation. The research to date on the treatment services provided to the criminal justice population has tended to focus on prisoners rather than probationers, with even fewer studies that include samples of women on probation. This study will investigate the impact on criminal justice outcomes of services intended to treat issues identified to increase recidivism among female probationers, such as substance use disorders, illicit drug use, mental health issues, and poverty. An additional assessment is conducted to determine …

How Do Entrepreneurs React To Investor Rejection, Try Harder Or Move On?, Yuhan Hua

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rejected by the investor is a common challenge that entrepreneurs face in the startup process. This study investigates how entrepreneurs respond to investor rejection. The results indicate the rejection can motivate entrepreneurs to learn from the rejection and improve venture image. Meanwhile, investor rejection can also increase entrepreneurs’ tendency of withdrawal from the investor and exit intention. Rejected by investor also increase entrepreneurs’ doubts about the investors’ competency. This study finds both the alternative funding source and the fairness of the rejection can impact entrepreneurs’ rejection responses. Also, the individual difference influences how entrepreneurs deal with investors’ rejection. The empirical …

Public Perceptions On Domestic Sex Trafficking And Domestic Sex Trafficking Victims: A Quantitative Analysis, Faith Browder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sex trafficking is a grossly misconstrued and increasing issue within the United States. The purpose of this study was to extend current knowledge regarding the public’s education on domestic sex trafficking and perceptions of domestic sex trafficking victims. The public’s awareness of domestic sex trafficking and perceptions of domestic sex trafficking victims were examined through the utilization of a 31 closed-ended question survey. The survey included questions about domestic sex trafficking and prostitution myths, domestic sex trafficking victim characteristics, domestic sex trafficking legislation, law enforcement’s involvement in domestic sex trafficking cases, and demographics. The sample consisted of 195 Criminal Justice …

The Unequal City: The Mass Criminalization Of The Urban Poor., Elizabeth Michele Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exploring and understanding the widespread use of arrests and incarceration in urban neighborhoods of concentrated poverty is the subject of this dissertation. The research addresses gaps in theoretical debates about the causes of mass criminalization that position the phenomenon as the result of either neoliberalism or racism. In addition, the dissertation explores the impact of mass criminalization on urban citizenship. Urban citizenship is a theoretical frame that considers the substance of the economic, social, political, and mobility dimensions of city life. The research methodology is a case study of two impoverished neighborhoods in the city of Louisville, Kentucky that incorporates …

"Why Am I In School?": A Mixed Methods Investigation Into Stopping Out Of College., Kathryn Gardner Adamchik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Higher education research often looks at student retention as a dichotomous outcome, either students stay enrolled or not; however, students’ enrollment pathways are more complicated than that as they frequently transfer, swirl between institutions, and stopout and return. This study was designed to explore students who stopout and return to the same institution within their six-year graduation window. More specifically, I sought to learn who stops out, why they stopout, what happens while out, why they come back, and what may be different upon their return. Four conceptual frameworks were applied to understand students’ experiences with stopping out including Tinto’s …

Exploring The Capabilities Approach In A Sport For Development And Peace Setting., Jeffrey F. Levine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) has become a popular approach to development. However, critical scholars remain skeptical of SDP’s effectiveness. Utilizing a holistic approach that includes local voices may help a program’s effectiveness. Scholars are searching for a framework flexible enough to accommodate the varied nature of programs. One theoretical approach is the Capabilities Approach, which evaluates well-being based on what people can do and be. This case study explored the Capabilities Approach in an SDP setting. Youth Odyssey, a non-profit organization that works with at-risk youth through adventure programming, was the case. This case study explored what role …

Counter Narratives: A Phenomenological Study Of High Achieving African American Male High School Students., De'nay Lanise Speaks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the contributing factors to the success of high achieving African American male high school students who attend an all-male, predominantly Black, college-preparatory academy. The study took place in an urban, Midwestern school district and highlighted the lived experience and perspectives of students who have at least a 3.0 grade point average. Through the lens of Critical Race Theory, this study was an effort to bring attention to counter narratives to the otherwise deleterious image portrayed of African American males. The history and plight of the African American male is included to provide a comprehensive understanding of the …

Arab-Islamic And Folk Health Models: New Perspectives On Syrian Refugee Resettlement In The Us., Ghina Kheir

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research builds upon the framework of the Health Traditions Model (HTM) as described in 1994 by Rachel Spector, a scholar and practitioner of a cultural care model of health among multicultural populations. I integrate this model into a study of Syrian refugees’ resettlement experience in Louisville, Kentucky. Syrian refugees’ voices and narratives of their corresponding Arab-Islamic and folk approaches to health, illness, and healing are the launch site for this project. I argue that approaching the resettlement experience from the refugees’ own cultural and Arab-Islamic perspectives toward health, illness, and healing aids in achieving a pluralistic health care system …

Bluegrass And Old-Time In Catalonia: An Ethnographic Case Study Of Aesthetic Communitas, Michael J. Luchtan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is an ethnographic case study of a musical community in Catalonia centered around the performance of bluegrass and old-time music. By using Victor and Edith Turners’ ideas of normative communitas, this paper identifies an aesthetic communitas model which describes a community centered around a performative genre. Through participant observation in the 16th Annual Al Ras Bluegrass and Old Time Music Festival and interviews with local musicians, fans, venue owners, and luthiers, the ethnographic narrative details the characteristics of the aesthetic communitas in Catalonia and searches for associations of Appalachia that accompany the cross-cultural manifestation of bluegrass and old-time music …

The Impact Of Foreign Aid On Extreme Poverty: A Case Study Of Liberia’S Development Complexities (1980-2018), Roosevelt Seedee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many countries in West Africa, including Liberia, remain trapped in extreme poverty and dysfunctional social services amid continued increase in foreign aid. This study examines complexities influencing decisions of government donors in determining the kind of development assistance needed in Liberia and nation states in West Africa. This research explains the ways in which aid perpetuates poverty instead of alleviating it using interdisciplinary research approaches. Although aid is critical to Liberia’s development agenda, aid implementation faces numerous challenges because of extant poverty and rampant corruption.

Part of the problem in Liberia is not solely the failure of aid to meet …

Political Competition And Predictors Of Hate Crime: A County-Level Analysis, Eaven Holder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research on hate crime has tended to utilize sociological frameworks to best explain the incidence of such offending, but little research has been conducted to determine whether political factors may play a role. Although Olzak (1990) touched upon the relationship between racial violence and third-party politics during the American Progressive era (1882-1914), the research did not fully articulate how political competition may influence the commission of hate crime. The current study seeks to fill this gap, while also extending concepts associated with social disorganization theory and the defended communities perspective. It does so by utilizing a longitudinal research design to …

Gaming Behaviors In Day-To-Day Life: Exploring A Problematic Gaming Behavior Scale, Christin Collie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Growing concern for the problematic use of video games has prompted new research in a now growing field of literature. Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is a proposed behavioral addiction in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5). To examine the proposed criteria for IGD, a self-report problematic gaming behavior scale (PGBS) was developed for adults residing in the United States. One hundred eighty-nine participants completed an online questionnaire comprised of demographic items, general gaming information, the PGBS, and the Internet Gaming Disorder-20 Test (IGD-20 Test). Statistical analyses conducted at the conclusion of the study were consistent …

The Impact Of The Gender Of The Coach On The Type Of Motivational Climate That Is Established On A College Athletics Team, Zola Pieterse

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to investigate the connection between the gender of the coach and the perceived motivational climate that is established on a college sports team. Eighty-eight athletes completed the Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire (PMCSQ-2) to assess their perceptions of the motivational climate that is established on a college sports team. The study further investigated the influence of the gender of the athlete, as well as the athlete's preference for either an Ego-oriented or Task-oriented motivational climate. No statistically significant correlation were found between the gender of the coach, the gender of the athlete, and …

Self-Regulation Abilities Of Low-Income Mothers In Community Based, Expanded Food And Nutrition Education Program, Alyssa Abreu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Diet is strongly associated with many risk factors for chronic disease. Educational programs such as the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) are designed to improve dietary behaviors among low-income populations. Although EFNEP has seen improvements, they are not yet up to recommendations. Previous studies have been successful in eliciting behavior change when improving self-regulation in conjunction with dietary education. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine self-regulation in EFNEP participants and its relationship to participants change in dietary behavior. All participants were currently enrolled in an EFNEP program and were asked to complete an additional self-regulation …

Marital Satisfaction For Military Couples With A Child Of Autism, Simone R. Deloach

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines a phenomenological study of the experiences of military couples who have a child with autism. The research analysis was conducted with Polkinghorne’s (1989) ideas in mind, using a limited number of participants who all share a similar lived experience. The research was carried out with six married couples who are currently serving in the military and have a child with autism. After a brief overview of autism, military families, and marital satisfaction, the research hypothesis of the specific study follows. The present study, therefore, used a qualitative methodology in the form of Creswell’s (2014) definition of phenomenology …

Posttraumatic Growth: The Lived Experience Of Recurrent And Multiple Trauma Survivors Of Kenya’S Skirmishes, 2007 Post-Election Violence, And 2009 National Level Oil Tanker Fire Explosion, Jane C. Lang'at

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Current research has associated the benefits of posttraumatic growth (PTG) with high levels of stress and trauma that challenge the victim’s assumptive world. The literature reveals that extensive research on PTG has been done on the American, European, and Asian continents but not on the African continent. Yet, how trauma survivors make meaning out of their lived experiences may not be the same globally. This universal phenomenon may also have varied interpretations based on the frequency, intensity, and scope of the traumata, along with the survivors’ socio-economic status (SES) and other benefits and risk factors. In addition, anticipation for high-risk …

The Myth Of Promiscuity: Examining Black Male Sexual Narratives And Sexual Identity, Seth Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black masculinity and sexuality are common topics across areas of philosophy, psychology, cultural studies and others. Yet, these topics are dedicated to the racial narrative of hypersexual Black male, the sexual objectification of Black men, and their presumed promiscuity. While such topics are important, there is little qualitative research that looks at the complexity and emotionality of African American men’s sexual experiences. Using the theoretical research on black masculinity and sexuality as its backdrop, this dissertation explores how heterosexual, African American men experience their sexuality. The study incorporates narrative inquiry and in-depth, semi-structured interviews to gather stories of five African …

Building Resilience Through A Positive School Climate, Charles Fleischmann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the present study is to explore the potential for schools to promote resilience and protective factors through a positive school climate and a focus on school connectedness. Data from the California Healthy Kids Survey was used to analyze differences between children who reported high versus low school climate and school connectedness, and their reported levels of resilience based on four traits: empathy, problem-solving skills, self-awareness, and self-efficacy. The research questions addressed in the present study are: Is there a difference between students with different levels school climate perception when examining resilience-linked traits? And is there a difference …

Back In The Closet: A Queer-Modified Interpretive-Phenomenological Analysis Of Gay Men Creating An Identity Through Clothing, Jose Arroyo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

How one dresses comprises their personal style, which subsequently informs one’s orientation to the world. Clothing is a global practice that demarcates our experience of self, others, and the world; and—as we are swathed in clothing since birth—those experiences are primarily split among gendered lines. Using Merleau-Ponty (2014/1945), I reconceptualize how clothing can be understood as inseparable from our body, and I use Deleuze and Guattari (1987/1980) to illustrate how clothing augments our embodied experience to produce a process of identification with our style. I also draw from queer theorists (Ahmed, 2006; Halberstam, 2011) to illustrate how we can disrupt …

Professor Who? A Phenomenological Exploration Of Working Professionals Who Feel Called To Teach As Adjunct Faculty, Molly A. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explores the meaning that those who feel called to teach make out of their adjunct teaching experience in higher education. In addition to understanding more about how these individuals describe their call to teach, the study explores how adjunct faculty characterize the relationship between personal identity, calling, and professional identity as a teacher. This study also explores how adjunct faculty articulate the relationship between their identity, teaching intentions, and professional practice. Five essential themes emerged as characterizing the phenomenon of feeling called to teach as an adjunct member in higher education, including (1) Enjoyment, (2) Alignment, (3) …

Serial Murder Mysteries: Revisiting Definitional Issues, Data Challenges, Archaic Theories, And Myths Using Empirical Evidence, Jolene Vincent

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While serial killings have been the focus of much scholarly research, the definition of what it means to be a serial killer has been debated by law enforcement agencies and academics for decades. This overall lack of understanding about serial killers and the murders they commit has contributed to the numerous limitations concerning the general knowledge about this unique form of homicide. Furthermore, serial killers have typically been examined using psychological models, psychiatric approaches, or the external drives/motives of the offenders, while the development of a sociological perspective has received less attention. This current research uses arguably the most complete …

Predicting Help-Seeking Attitudes And Intentions In A Diné Sample, Chesleigh N. Keene

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between cultural factors, psychological distress, barriers, and attitudes toward seeking psychological help among Diné tribal members. This study is in response to calls to consider psychological and cultural factors in the underutilization of mental health services by ethnic minorities. The present study examines psychological and cultural antecedents to seeking professional psychological help among Diné tribal members (N=119). It examined the mediating role of attitudes toward help seeking in the relationship between psychological distress, barriers to care, three acculturation variables, and intentions to seek counseling. Mediation was assessed with …

A Structural Equation Analysis Of The Relationships Between Ptsd, Depressive Symptoms And Suicidal Ideation : Is General Strain Theory A Viable Framework For Explaining Suicide Risk Among Correctional Staff?, Wm. Clay Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a large body of evidence, which suggests PTSD is strongly related to increased suicide risk, however, some studies suggest the true nature of their relationship is better explained through the development of depression due to the effects of PTSD. While a majority of the studies examining this relationship focus only on general populations, a growing body research suggests that high-risk occupations such as police, firefighters and correctional staff are developing PTSD at rates as high as 8 to 10 times that of the rate of these general samples. This study, then, aims to fill a small gap in …

Uncertain Certainties: An Analysis Of The American Response To The 2014-2016 West African Ebola Epidemic., Kelly Carty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project examines the construction of scientific facts surrounding the 2014-2016 West African Ebola outbreak as well as the subsequent uptake and transformation of those facts by the United States government. While the Ebolavirus ravaged the communities of Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea, the incidence of the virus in other countries was very low. Nonetheless, the United States spent $576 million on domestic preparedness and response. This study addresses this mismatch in the context of the reinvigorated interest among rhetoricians into writing and science. Applying and expanding the methodology of Jeanne Fahnestock, this study analyzes Ebola-related statements in scientific articles, …