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Graduate Theses and Dissertations

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How Consumer Awareness Of Sustainability And Labor Practices Shape Fast Fashion Purchase Intentions, Sydney Smith May 2026

How Consumer Awareness Of Sustainability And Labor Practices Shape Fast Fashion Purchase Intentions, Sydney Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how consumer awareness of sustainability issues and unethical labor practices influences fast fashion purchase intentions. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior and supported by the Symbolic Interaction Theory, the research explores how awareness, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and price sensitive shape consumer decision-making. A quantitative research design was employed using a self-administered online survey distributed via social media platforms. The final sample included 187 participants, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and multiple linear regression. Findings revealed that although participants reported moderate to high levels of awareness, this awareness did not significantly …


The Biased Divide: Perceptions And Challenges Of Esports Within Universities, Alexzandra O'Neal May 2026

The Biased Divide: Perceptions And Challenges Of Esports Within Universities, Alexzandra O'Neal

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how institutional framing and student motivations influence the development and perception of collegiate Esports programs within higher education. The research explores how Esports is positioned as either a legitimate academic and competitive pursuit or a low-priority extracurricular activity, and how these perceptions impact program growth and student experience. This non-traditional thesis is presented as a documentary film utilizing a qualitative, semi-structured interview methodology. Data were collected through interviews with students, faculty, and program leaders, focusing on a comparative analysis between University of Oklahoma and University of Arkansas. Findings indicate that institutional support and framing play a significant …


Nadh Flim Reveals Cellular Bioenergetics And Mitochondrial Morphology During Drosophila Convergent Extension, Maria Espana Pena May 2026

Nadh Flim Reveals Cellular Bioenergetics And Mitochondrial Morphology During Drosophila Convergent Extension, Maria Espana Pena

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that can fragment or fuse to support different bioenergetic demands and cellular processes, although the role of mitochondrial fission and fusion during embryonic development is not well understood. Fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) of the mitochondrial cofactor NADH can be used to visualize mitochondrial networks and infer aspects of cellular bioenergetics in a label-free manner. We used NADH FLIM to test whether germband cells undergo changes in cellular metabolism during Drosophila convergent extension (CE)––a process in which hundreds of epithelial cells undergo coordinated intercalation to elongate the embryo. Contrary to our expectations, we did not observe significant …


Exploring Agricultural Pathways: An Analysis Of Arkansas Community Colleges, Natasha Hightower May 2026

Exploring Agricultural Pathways: An Analysis Of Arkansas Community Colleges, Natasha Hightower

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As demand for a highly skilled agricultural workforce continues to grow, Arkansas must strengthen accessible and clearly defined academic and career pathways to prepare future agricultural professionals. Community colleges serve as a critical entry point into higher education, particularly for rural and first-generation students, and play a vital role in both workforce development and transfer preparation. However, information related to agricultural education offerings, transfer pathways, and faculty at Arkansas community colleges is often decentralized and difficult for students and stakeholders to locate. The purpose of this study was to examine agricultural education offerings at community colleges in Arkansas, specifically agricultural …


"Pockets Of Existence" The Lighting Design For "Silent Sky", Faith Noel Spencer May 2026

"Pockets Of Existence" The Lighting Design For "Silent Sky", Faith Noel Spencer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will explore how lighting can express wonder, isolation, and discovery through the lens of the play Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson. Produced at the University of Arkansas in February 2025, my design utilized shifts in color, intensity, and movement to mirror Henrietta Levitt’s pursuit of understanding within both science and society. This design sought to balance the expansiveness of the never ending universe with the intimacy of humanity, using lighting to bridge the vastness with isolation. Challenges in this production included creating a sense of infinite space within the confines of a proscenium theatre, having continuity across multiple …


Exploring Retention And Satisfaction Among Arkansas County-Level Cooperative Extension Employees: A Job Embeddedness Perspective, Rebecca M. Simon Dec 2025

Exploring Retention And Satisfaction Among Arkansas County-Level Cooperative Extension Employees: A Job Embeddedness Perspective, Rebecca M. Simon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This quantitative study investigated the retention of county-level employees within the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service (CES) using Job Embeddedness Theory (JET) as the theoretical framework. The research aimed to describe levels of job embeddedness, job satisfaction, and intent to stay, and to examine the relationships among these variables. A census of 328 CES employees was conducted, yielding a 53% response rate. Data were collected through a validated online survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression. Results indicated high scores in organizational fit and sacrifice dimensions, while links to organization and community were comparatively lower. Age …


A Journey And A Roadmap: Lessons Learned From Co-Creating An After-School Art Program With/For Newcomer Youth From Refugee Communities., Sally Anne Ball Dec 2025

A Journey And A Roadmap: Lessons Learned From Co-Creating An After-School Art Program With/For Newcomer Youth From Refugee Communities., Sally Anne Ball

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on my participation in a project developed in collaboration with a non-profit organization, Canopy NWA, with a goal to design and implement an after-school art program for newcomer youth from refugee communities that Canopy serves. This research inquiry is a self- study supported by observation, reflexive practice, and the use of a critical friend for mentorship, collaborative planning, group reflection, and co-developing and co-teaching curriculum. Through investigating my current teaching practices and my lack of experience teaching students from refugee communities, I set out to answer the following two questions: How will my art teaching practices develop, …


Spiral, William Edward Krauland Dec 2025

Spiral, William Edward Krauland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Spiral is an audio programme comprised of six individual, but related, parts. Installed in Rogers, Arkansas at the historical Rogers Milk Processing Plant, colloquially known as “The Creamery”, on the evening on November 7th, Spiral presented the audience with complex entanglements of noise, both gentle and harsh, field recordings, feedback, and synthesized melody. Built in parts, each section of the audio programme used elements from the others, spiraling on itself, attempting a deeper understanding of its own structure and meaning through both moments of centrifugal and centripetal force. Let us consider the following “thesis” a supplement or a reflection on …


Investigating Nutrient Management & The Impacts Of Nitrogen On Blackberries Across Arkansas And The Southeast, Amanda Michelle Lay-Walters Dec 2025

Investigating Nutrient Management & The Impacts Of Nitrogen On Blackberries Across Arkansas And The Southeast, Amanda Michelle Lay-Walters

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Current blackberry (Rubus subgenus Rubus) research on nutrient needs, monitoring practices, and dynamics in the United States has primarily been conducted on cultivars popularly grown in the Pacific Northwest. Thus, regional research is required to understand the needs of blackberry cultivars grown in the southeastern U.S., with southeastern U.S. production practices. In 2022 and 2023, 12 cultivars of blackberry, across seven states, were leaf tissue sampled across multiple phenological stages for nutrient analysis. In Clarksville, AR from 2022 to 2024, six rates of N were applied to established ‘Ouachita’ blackberry plants. During the trial, plant yield, post-harvest fruit quality, fruit …


Optimal Network Maintenance And Restoration: Applications And Algorithms, Nayan Chakrabarty Dec 2025

Optimal Network Maintenance And Restoration: Applications And Algorithms, Nayan Chakrabarty

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, we consider three types of network optimization problems. In Chapter 1, we consider a network maintenance problem which focuses on time-based redeployment of multi-class nodes for reliable wireless sensor network coverage. Whereas previous research on time-based node redeployment assumes nodes are identical with respect to time to failure, we use multiple classes of sensor nodes to represent a scenario where nodes’ times to failure are dependent on positioning in the network. We propose a partial survival signature (PSS) approach for estimating area coverage reliability under a given time-based redeployment policy, where the PSS is estimated by Monte …


Perception Of Drinking Water Quality Among Arkansas Residents, Kolade Olawale Olatunde Dec 2025

Perception Of Drinking Water Quality Among Arkansas Residents, Kolade Olawale Olatunde

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Perceptions of drinking water quality influence public trust, water consumption behaviors, and the willingness to invest in infrastructure improvements. Despite the importance of safe drinking water, regional and socio-economic disparities impact how residents perceive their tap water and their readiness to pay for enhancements. While past research indicates that negative views of tap water quality have resulted in behavioral changes, the connection between perception and actual household water usage remains ambiguous. This study aims to investigate how perceptions of drinking water quality differ across regions in Arkansas and how residents are willing to invest in quality improvements. Method: A …


Characterizing Stellar Flares On Low-Mass Stars Tic 144217628 And Proxima Centauri Using Transiting Exoplanet Space Satellite (Tess) Optical Data, Charles Edward Holloway Dec 2025

Characterizing Stellar Flares On Low-Mass Stars Tic 144217628 And Proxima Centauri Using Transiting Exoplanet Space Satellite (Tess) Optical Data, Charles Edward Holloway

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Low-mass stars account for more than 70% of stars within our galaxy. Their ob?servational interest can be attributed to their smaller radius and luminosity, making them ideal for detecting terrestrial planets inside their habitable zones. These magnetically active stars produce frequent stellar flaring events that can impact the atmospheric composition of nearby planets and interfere with the prebiotic processes for carbon-based life. Using TESS optical data, I have detected, measured astrophysical properties, and modeled the behavior of 44 flares from two low-mass stars: TIC 144217628 and Proxima Centuari. Given similar observational periods, Proxima Cen has shown to produce larger amplitudes …


A Thesis On Incentive Structures, Shirking Dynamics, And Market Valuation In Major League Baseball: A Statcast Analysis Of Worker Effort Levels, Charles Jordan Dec 2025

A Thesis On Incentive Structures, Shirking Dynamics, And Market Valuation In Major League Baseball: A Statcast Analysis Of Worker Effort Levels, Charles Jordan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how guaranteed contract length influences player effort and market valuation in Major League Baseball using high resolution Statcast data across over 1,200 player season observations. Fixed effects regressions on the 2015 to 2024 seasons show directionally consistent but statistically imprecise shirking and final year effort spikes in hard hit rate and sprint speed. Machine learning models (OLS and Random Forest) predict next year Dollars Over League Average (DOL) with out of sample MAE approximately $11.4–11.8 million and approximately 0.23–0.27, with plate appearances, hard hit rate, sprint speed, and contract timing as top predictors. Embedding these findings in …


A Phenomenological Exploration Of Black International Graduate Students’ Experiences In Building A Sense Of Belonging And Community At A Predominantly White Southern University, Hilda Solange George Dec 2025

A Phenomenological Exploration Of Black International Graduate Students’ Experiences In Building A Sense Of Belonging And Community At A Predominantly White Southern University, Hilda Solange George

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black international graduate students’ experiences navigating and developing a sense of belonging and community at higher educational institutions in the United States and particularly at predominantly white institutions have received minimal attention in scholarly inquiries, despite their cultural, intellectual, and financial contributions to host institutions and the country. To fill this gap in the existing literature, this hermeneutical phenomenological study aimed to gain a nuanced and in-depth understanding of Black international graduate students' perceptions of their sense of belonging and community at a predominantly white southern university (PWSU) in the United States. Guided by the research questions and the Black …


Evaluating A Self-Guided Cognitive Behavioral Coping Skills Workbook For Sexual Violence-Exposed College Students Using A Nonconcurrent, Multiple Baseline Design, Marley F. Fradley Dec 2025

Evaluating A Self-Guided Cognitive Behavioral Coping Skills Workbook For Sexual Violence-Exposed College Students Using A Nonconcurrent, Multiple Baseline Design, Marley F. Fradley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

College students endorse high rates of sexual violence victimization and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Help-seeking behaviors in college students are low and may be impacted by limited financial resources, competing obligations, treatment-related stigma, and features of PTSD such as avoidance, fear, and shame. Novel opportunities for sexually victimized college students to engage with trauma-focused interventions are necessary to mitigate the biopsychosocial consequences of PTSD. In a nonconcurrent, multiple baseline trial of a self-guided cognitive behavioral workbook for PTSD, sexual violence-exposed college students (N = 6) completed a 3-, 4-, or 5-week baseline period and then utilized the study workbook for …


Implementation Of A Three-Port Solar Converter With A Battery Energy Storage System, Maison Christopher Phipps Dec 2025

Implementation Of A Three-Port Solar Converter With A Battery Energy Storage System, Maison Christopher Phipps

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The increasing deployment of distributed solar and energy storage systems has created the need for integrated power converters that can efficiently manage photovoltaic (PV) generation, battery energy storage, and grid-tied AC output. This thesis presents the implementation and validation of a 5kW non-isolated Three-Port Converter (TPC) adapted for residential solar applications. The converter consolidates three power stage into a high-frequency, compact architecture: a unidirectional boost converter for PV input, a bidirectional interleaved buck-boost converter for battery energy storage, and a configurable DC/AC inverter for 120Vac single-phase output. The system is controlled using a central controller implemented on a TI C2000™ …


Bridging The Gap: Enhancing Institutional Support For Adjunct Faculty In Rural Community Colleges, Emily Joleen Mason Dec 2025

Bridging The Gap: Enhancing Institutional Support For Adjunct Faculty In Rural Community Colleges, Emily Joleen Mason

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Adjunct faculty constitute approximately 70% of the academic workforce in U.S. higher education, yet they often face challenges related to professional isolation, limited institutional support, and insufficient onboarding. This qualitative study explores how institutional connectedness influences adjunct faculty retention at a rural community college in the Midwest. Using a phenomenological approach, the research investigates the lived experiences of adjunct faculty, focusing on onboarding processes, professional development opportunities, and institutional culture. Findings highlight the critical role of structured onboarding, mentorship, and continuous professional development in fostering engagement and retention among adjunct faculty. The study underscores the importance of inclusive institutional practices …


Design And Optimization Of High-Frequency Medium-Voltage Dual Active Bridge Dc/Dc Converter Using Sic Device, Hui Cao Dec 2025

Design And Optimization Of High-Frequency Medium-Voltage Dual Active Bridge Dc/Dc Converter Using Sic Device, Hui Cao

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

High frequency Dual Active Bridge (DAB) converters have become a key enabling technology in medium- and high-power applications such as renewable energy integration, electric vehicle fast charging, and emerging DC power distribution systems. However, when operating at high power and high frequency, DAB converters face critical challenges including limited soft-switching range, uneven semiconductor loss distribution, deadtime-induced resonance, switching-frequency constraints of wide-bandgap (WBG) devices, and transformer DC bias during dynamic transitions. This dissertation addresses these challenges through advancements in modulation strategies and converter architecture. First, an enhanced triple-phase-shift (E-TPS) modulation scheme is proposed to achieve balanced switching and conduction losses across …


Programmable Network Approaches To Resilience And Security In Phasor Measurement Unit Networks, Zhiyao He Dec 2025

Programmable Network Approaches To Resilience And Security In Phasor Measurement Unit Networks, Zhiyao He

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The security and resilience of smart grids are critical for ensuring reliable and stable power delivery. As modern power systems evolve to incorporate more advanced sensing and control capabilities, Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) have become an important source of high-frequency, time-synchronized measurements that support wide-area monitoring, control, and protection. However, the growing complexity of smart grids and their reliance on real-time communication expose them to a range of cyber threats, including data loss, tampering, and coordinated attacks. This dissertation explores the use of programmable network technologies, particularly P4-based programmable switches, to provide in-network solutions that enhance the reliability and security …


Design And Development Of A Multi-Port Solid State Circuit Breaker Based On Half Bridge Sic Mosfets, Yannal Nawafleh Dec 2025

Design And Development Of A Multi-Port Solid State Circuit Breaker Based On Half Bridge Sic Mosfets, Yannal Nawafleh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates multi-port solid-state circuit breaker (M-SSCB) architectures that reduce steady-state conduction losses while preserving microsecond-class DC fault interruption and per-port selectivity. The proposed M-SSCB consolidates protection for several node interfaces into a single assembly with shared sensing, control, and a common energy-absorption branch. In normal operation, two electrically symmetric parallel semiconductor paths are established so each port’s current divides approximately in half; because conduction loss scales with current squared, the M-SSCB achieves ≈75% reduction in on-state loss relative to a conventional anti-series SiC path without increasing device count. During fault handling, the coordinated controller detects the local over-current, …


Evidence Of Backwater Morphodynamics In Stratigraphy On Earth And Mars: Implications For Ancient Mars, Cory Mitchell Hughes Dec 2025

Evidence Of Backwater Morphodynamics In Stratigraphy On Earth And Mars: Implications For Ancient Mars, Cory Mitchell Hughes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Geologic evidence indicates that liquid water once flowed in abundance across the martian surface. For this reason, in the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life, Mars represents a prime target for scientific inquiry. River systems encode climatic and environmental signals in their deposits on Earth and Mars, often in fan-shaped landforms (e.g., alluvial fans, river deltas, etc.). Distal fan-shaped deposits (i.e., river deltas), in particular, act as a relatively high-fidelity record of dynamic geologic processes. As such, NASA frequently sends rovers to locations on Mars’ surface with hypothesized river deltas (e.g., Perseverance and Jezero crater). Problematically, there are many different …


Examining Administrator And Teacher Perceptions Of Integrating Technology In The Classroom, Tracy E. Rampy Dec 2025

Examining Administrator And Teacher Perceptions Of Integrating Technology In The Classroom, Tracy E. Rampy

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of PK-12 administrator and teacher perceptions of required skills and abilities to integrate technology in the classroom. Examining the happenings in the PK-12 technology ecosystem will provide insight into the knowledge and skills preservice teachers need to use technology in the classroom and inform the teacher preparation program of ways to address technology integration in preservice experiences. This study uses a phenomenological research design to explore participants’ experiences collected through an online survey questionnaire, individual interviews, and focus group interviews.


Solar Powered Conservation: The Effects Of Solar Photovoltaic Facilities On Avian Community Composition, Michael Christopher Ferrara Dec 2025

Solar Powered Conservation: The Effects Of Solar Photovoltaic Facilities On Avian Community Composition, Michael Christopher Ferrara

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The expansion of solar photovoltaic energy infrastructure is transforming landscapes worldwide. Increasingly, facilities are planted with native vegetation, yet how vegetation characteristics and landscape variables shape wildlife communities in solar facilities remains poorly understood. Because avian populations have been in decline and are sensitive to habitat changes, understanding how solar facilities influence avian communities is important. In Chapter 1, we used autonomous recording units, local vegetation measurements, and land use and land cover data to quantify how avian community occupancy is influenced by solar cover in solar facilities and comparable reference sites. We used a Bayesian multi-species occupancy model to …


Establishment Of Native Warm-Season Forages Using Organic Practices, Kolten Ray Wright Dec 2025

Establishment Of Native Warm-Season Forages Using Organic Practices, Kolten Ray Wright

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Grassland agriculture is seen as a particularly sustainable form of agriculture. Many opportunities are known to use organic production methods or incorporate native warm-season grasses (NWSG) to accomplish both production goals and environmental or social outcomes. Environmental concerns have led some practitioners to question the use of organic methods to establish NWSG. As limited work has been accomplished in the northern bermudagrass belt, this project sought to compare organic establishment strategies for common NWSG species. A field trial conducted at the USDA ARS Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center in Booneville, AR found that NWSG establishment success in the …


There, But Not There: Pre-Service Teacher Identity And Transformation In The Internship Semester, Jacob G. Warren Dec 2025

There, But Not There: Pre-Service Teacher Identity And Transformation In The Internship Semester, Jacob G. Warren

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive multiple-case study investigates how five secondary pre-service teachers constructed and negotiated their professional identities during the internship semester. Guided by a single overarching research question—How do pre-service teachers form and narratively negotiate their identities as educators within the liminal space of the internship?—the study conceptualizes identity as a dynamic, socially mediated, and storied process. Sociocultural theory and narrative identity theory provide the analytical framework, emphasizing development through interaction, participation, and reflective meaning-making. Participants were enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts in Teaching program and completed internship placements in middle and high school classrooms. Data were collected through pre-internship …


Volume Status Detection With Integral Pulse Frequency Modulation Model Of Peripheral Venous Pressure, Jeremiah Rhys Wimer Dec 2025

Volume Status Detection With Integral Pulse Frequency Modulation Model Of Peripheral Venous Pressure, Jeremiah Rhys Wimer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis studies the effectiveness of utilizing a modified integral pulse frequency modulation (IPFM) algorithm to synthesize peripheral venous pressure (PVP) waveforms for the detection of several physiological conditions using logistic regression. PVP waveforms are collected from 18 human patients and 4 porcine subjects. Human data are used to train models for determining the hypovolemic status of the patient, while the porcine data are used to train models for determining level of anesthesia and detecting internal hemorrhaging. In the human dataset, the waveforms collected from the 18 patients are classified into two groups according to serum chloride levels: resuscitated (≥100 …


“No Man Is An Island:” A Critical Discourses Analysis Of Newspaper Reporting On The Marshallese Community In Northwest Arkansas, Johana Vazquez Dec 2025

“No Man Is An Island:” A Critical Discourses Analysis Of Newspaper Reporting On The Marshallese Community In Northwest Arkansas, Johana Vazquez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to examine local newspaper coverage of the Marshallese community in Northwest Arkansas from 1998 to 2017 and analyze discourses that could be attributed to linguistic bias, stereotypes, and Pacific transnationalism. This analysis examines how marginalized immigrants are portrayed in local news coverage using a critical discourse analysis (CDA). The study analyzes the labels and metaphors used in the coverage of Marshallese immigration, adapts the Stereotype Content Model for a discourse analysis, and compares the experiences of Marshallese in the area with larger scholarly work on Pacific transnationalism. The researcher analyzed 11 published pieces from …


Next-Generation Salmonella Inactivated Vaccine Platforms And Phytobiotic-Modulated Immune Responses In Poultry, Santiago Uribe Diaz Dec 2025

Next-Generation Salmonella Inactivated Vaccine Platforms And Phytobiotic-Modulated Immune Responses In Poultry, Santiago Uribe Diaz

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Here, a comprehensive understanding of immune responses triggered by either a multimeric CD40 receptor-agonistic DNA aptamer-based or mannosylated chitosan-based Salmonella Enteritidis inactivated vaccine platforms, along with phytobiotic supplementation as an immune modulatory strategy in response to Salmonella lipopolysaccharides, is presented. This dissertation supports the development of next-generation Salmonella vaccine platforms that simultaneously stimulate both protective cell-mediated and humoral immune responses, while indicating the potential immunomodulatory effects of phytobiotics supplementation to reduce the immunological impact of Salmonella lipopolysaccharides in chickens. The first chapter describes that both vaccine platforms administered in broiler chickens initiated local inflammatory responses, recruiting heterophils and macrophages from …


Social Support And Depression In Latinx Youth: A Meta-Analysis, Dulce Diaz Benitez Dec 2025

Social Support And Depression In Latinx Youth: A Meta-Analysis, Dulce Diaz Benitez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although previous meta-analyses have found significant relationships between social support and youth outcomes, neither has included ethnicity as a moderator or even described the ethnic breakdown in the studies analyzed (Chu et al., 2010; Rueger et al., 2016). Studies that have looked at the relationship between social support and outcomes in Latinx youth have found mixed findings. This study examined the relationship between social support and depression in Latinx youth living in the United States. This study also explored differences in the strength of the relationship between social support and depression in several previously studied moderators (function of social support, …


Reading Between Lines: Mapping El Orinoco Ilustrado, Guillermo Pupo Pernet Dec 2025

Reading Between Lines: Mapping El Orinoco Ilustrado, Guillermo Pupo Pernet

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines El Orinoco Ilustrado (EOI) by Joseph Gumilla as a layered textual and cartographic artifact central to the production of colonial knowledge in the Orinoco River basin. Moving beyond surface narratives of evangelization and exploration, it interrogates the sombras and silencios implanted in the Jesuit chronicle. Through an intradisciplinary approach combining literary analysis, archival research, and visual studies, the study reveals how EOI helped construct imperial visions of space, race, and resource extraction in eighteenth-century Spanish America. The dissertation is structured around six chapters. Chapter One outlines a theoretical framework. Chapter Two provides a longue durée historical context, …