Digital Commons Network^™

Political Socialization And The Youth Vote : A Study Of Political Engagement During The 2008 Election, Meredith Hull

Honors Theses

I began my research on political socialization struck about the political apathy I was observing among my friends. Through studying those very same peers here at the University of Richmond in both a survey and interviews, I am even more determined to find ways to encourage high levels of knowledgeable engagement and volunteerism among college aged students. The United States will have to continue to compete in a global market in the future and citizens of other democracies understand and care enough to vote about the changes in that government-what is the problem here?

The results of the survey and …

Deliberative Democracy At The Local Level, Tony Derosa

Honors Theses

This thesis addresses the role that deliberative democracy can play in local politics. Deliberative democracy is a theory that posits discourse among free and equal citizens as a route to better public policy outcomes, a more just society, the fostering of social capital, and the cultivation of civic virtues. While both liberals and civic republicans have endorsed the theory, it stands in direct contrast to the economic theory of democracy. This view equates citizens to consumers, whose private preferences are to be aggregated by the political system. Votes are the equivalent of capital in the market, according to the economic …

Empathy, Group-Level Guilt And Identification : Measuring Their Relationship Through Past American-Cambodian Relations, Laura Musser

Honors Theses

A collective approach to emotions suggests that, in some cases, members of groups may experience collective guilt when they consider the negative actions performed by other members of their group, even when they were not personally involved themselves. Social identity theory suggests that such group-level reactions are more likely when individuals strongly identify with their group, and less likely when their sense of identity is not linked as strongly to their group membership.

This hypothesis was examined by directly manipulating the salience of individuals' collective identities through priming through an identification manipulation. The identification manipulation primed participants to feel more …

Upgrade Of A Raman Spectrometer With Modern Computer Control And Data Acquisition For Studies Of Hydrogen Bonding In Pyrimidine, Austin Howard

Honors Theses

The restoration of a Cold War era high resolution Raman spectrometer to working order as well as its control and data acquisition upgrade using a Labview program authored for this purpose are discussed. The restored Raman spectrometer was used in an investigation of intermolecular interactions involving pyrimidine. Following in this manuscript are three chapters. The first chapter is a brief description of the history and theory of Raman spectroscopy as well as some details of the instrumentation used in Raman spectroscopy. The second chapter contains technical details of the restoration and upgrade of the high resolution Raman spectrometer. The third …

The Emergence Of Biotechnology In The State Of Mississippi: A Review, Whitman Scott Dowlen

Honors Theses

This publication was written with the intention of performing an analysis of the present in-state bioscience initiative and subsequent Mississippi industry incumbents. Hopefully, this publication will be employed as an informative tool to Mississippi residents, universities, policy makers and private corporations considering investment in research and development in the state of Mississippi.

Connections, Aynslee Elizabeth Moon

Honors Theses

I am a painter and my thesis work talks about connecting to people through a shared experience. I spent Christmas break and spring semester as a traveling painter, putting all my brushes, paints, mediums, boards and my travel easel in my car. I sought to find the quiet, simple moments in people’s lives and put them on a surface. By sharing these simple moments with people I found a connection in painting from life that I cannot find when painting from a photograph. As I continued painting and writing I began to think about modem technology and how it has …

An Exploration Of Factors Increasing Male Involvement In Couples' Hiv Testing In Malawi, Mary Margaret Peterson

Honors Theses

Each year HIV is responsible for approximately 75,000 deaths in Malawi and for creating 550,000 (75%) of Malawi's orphans (UNdata, 2006). UNAJDS and the World Healtli Organization recommend HIV testing as an important measure in preventing transmission to future sexual partners and children. However, only 20% of Malawians aged 15 years and above had ever participated in HIV testing (Machinjili, 2006, p.l3). Heterosexual contact is the primary' mode of HIV transmission and is responsible for 90% of Malawi’s HIV infections, making couples an important target for testing (Zanera & Miteka, 2004, p.l85). In Malawi, 93% of pregnant women receive antenatal …

Harry Potter: Magic Or Illusion?, Douglas Fugate Caldwell Williams

Honors Theses

When first introduced, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series rocked the world of children’s books. It quickly topped bestseller lists and became the talk of the elementary world. But then something strange happened: grown-ups began reading the series. By the time that the last couple of books debuted, crowds of all ages fonued around bookstores to gather the latest editions. The series was all over the news, with notable critics giving their opinions and censorship debates arising in various regions. The cultural phenomenon had begun. Such a massive reception begs one question: will the Harry Potter series be a literary classic? …

Change In The European Court Of Human Rights: Accession Of Eastern And Central European Member States, Rachel Morgan West

Honors Theses

The research idea originated as a result of interest in Russian human rights which then expanded to include all of Eastern and Central Europe. This work seeks to explore the effects of the Council of Europe’s (COE) Eastern and Central European member states on the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR or the “Court”). The in-depth publishings of ECHR itself provided the greatest source of information for this work. Part I provides a brief history of the ECHR up to 1989 when expansion to Eastern and Central European states first became possible. Parts II, III, and IV focus on three …

Crowning Glory: A Sociological Study Of Gender In The Beauty Pageant System, Lee Taylor

Honors Theses

This thesis provides a sociological examination of the personal experiences of beauty pageant participants in the South. By deconstructing the ideal view of women in beauty pageants, I attempted to answer how pageant contestants view their individual participation in the oppressive framework of the beauty pageant contest. In order to provide an in-depth analysis on the role of gender in beauty pageants, I conducted personal interviews and field study observations. Additionally, I researched current online sources and scholarly publications concerning gender and beauty pageants. The beauty pageant system demands that young women alter their bodies and personalities in order to …

The Butterflies: An Original Film Produced Throught The University Of Mississippi In August 2008, Winsor Yu-Liang Yuan

Honors Theses

This paper is an account of a student’s original short film from the first stages of its artistic intention to its completion. The film is entitled The Butterflies. The paper provides a close inspection of the evolution of the film’s artistic intention, how that intention was realized, and how it was not realized. It describes the hardships, stresses. triumphs, and victories of the filmmaker during months of preparation and production.

Acoustics In Highly Concentrated Wormlike Micellar Materials, Najat Ahmad Al-Sherri

Honors Theses

The purpose of this project is to verify the results of a previous study (Gladden and Mobley, 2008) conducted to determine the acoustical parameters, attenuation and sound speed, in the viscoelastic material of wormlike micelles. In this experiment, narrowband acoustic waves at ultrasonic frequencies were propagated through worm-like micellar solutions of varying concentrations (50 mM, 75 mM, 100 mM, 200 mM) across a range of temperatures. The measurements were performed using a pulse-echo technique and the echoes (representing wavelets that have traversed the sample twice) were then analyzed for signal loss and sound speed utilizing the Hilbert transform. The resulting …

Political Polarization And Networking In The Modern Internet Campaign, Alan Michael Pate

Honors Theses

For this study, the methods and techniques employed by internet campaign managers and major online interest groups from 1996 to 2008 were studied. Additionally, for the 60 days leading up to the 2008 presidential election, e-mail and online newsletter communication disseminated to supporters from the major presidential parties, candidates, and interest groups were tracked and analyzed. Since the 1996 presidential election, presidential candidates have increasingly used the internet to interact with supporters. This study examines the evolution of this relatively recent phenomenon and theorizes about its potential effects on democratic participation. Specifically, this paper argues that although the modem internet …

Finding Humanity In Dystopia: Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale And Oryx And Crake, Emily Thrash Peters

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the relationship of humanity and literature in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake. Through personal narration, Offred tells the story of being a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian government in which language is forbidden. She struggles to remain human in a world that treats her as a reproductive machine. Offred’s experiences lead her to forbidden games with the Commander, an affair with the Commander’s guardian, and escape because of love and trust in a world void of emotion. In Oryx and Crake. Jimmy/Snowman thinks he is the last genuine human being …

Perceptions Of Nursing Students Regarding Patient Suffering, Molly Marie Shivers

Honors Theses

The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the experience of nursing students in situations involving the suffering of a patient. Through analysis of interviews of senior nursing students, six themes were gathered. The themes discovered were: Student nurses in the face of suffering, desire knowledge and support from faculty: allowing time for student interaction and sharing prior to and post experience is important; Student nurses in most cases have prior experiences with suffering that color the student nurse professional view of suffering; Student nurses stay busy in the face of suffering, feel helpless and without interventions, however, …

Testing A Model: Ca2+ Induced Exposure Of Tryptophan In Neural-Cadherins, Chinelo Udemgba

Honors Theses

Cadherins are transmembrane cell adhesion proteins that are critical for tissue formation and maintenance. Cell adhesion by cadherin requires binding of 3 calcium ions at the interfaces between the ectodomain modules. Recent data suggest a model in which calcium induces a relatively large conformational change in the first ectodomain module, domain 1, by causing the detachment of the A-strand from the core of domain 1 and exposure of a tryptophan in the second position, W2. The exposure of W2 is crucial for formation of a strand-crossover structure that is believed to be the adhesive dimer interface. In order to establish …

The Ontology Of Number, Garrett Michael Strickland

Honors Theses

In this thesis, I hope to offer a historical summary of the discussion of the ontology of number. I will begin with the origins of the argument, focusing primarily on the first two major players, Plato and Aristotle, and I will continue to the major players and positions of the debate as it stands today. This done, I will give some of my own insights and impressions on the subject, and I will discuss which, if any, of the positions seem acceptable and why.

Corporate Sports Sponsorship: An Analysis Of Fan/Consumer Attitude And Purchase Behavior`, Jaime Marie Weaver

Honors Theses

Despite the increasing popularity of sponsorship of sports, there remains a lack of understanding of its effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to examine the growing business practice of corporate sponsorship, and ultimately the effects of spots sponsorship, specifically intercollegiate sports at the University of Mississippi, to determine the effects on consumer attitude and behavior. In depth interviews with key informants in the sponsorship process and fan surveys were conducted to gather information regarding current sponsorships. Results suggest that sports properties and corporate sponsors agree on objectives of sponsorship; however, consistent effectiveness tracking methods cease to exist. In addition, …

Internal Controls And Regulation Of The Not-For-Profit Sector: Increasing Transparency For Churches, Sarah Catherine White

Honors Theses

Regulation of for-profit organizations and fraud within them are commonly researched areas; however, many overlook the need for adequate internal controls and regulation of the not-for-profit sector, particularly religious not-for-profit organizations. Fraud has been a problem in this sector for a while, but it is frequently neglected due to the false sense of security that people have when dealing with not-for-profits. The not- for-profit sector is much less regulated than the for-profit sector, and religious not-for- profit organizations are not subject to any of the regulations that other not-for-profit organizations face. In order to gather appropriate data for determining ways …

Neural Cadherin: A Study Of Domain 1., Elaine Ann Clark

Honors Theses

Cadherins are a class of transmembrane proteins responsible for calcium dependent cell-cell adhesion. Classic cadherins share a common structure involving five extracellular domains, each connected by a 7 residue sequence known as a linker region. As these domains are modular in nature, this study focuses primarily on the first extracellular domain of neural cadherin without and with the adjacent linker region. NCADl and NCADl-Ll. Upon calcium binding, a tryptophan residue located in domain 1 allows for the adhesive activity of the cadherin through formation of a strand crossover structure. With the dissected NCADl and NCADl-LI, the binding pocket for calcium …

The Language Facilitation Training System: Vocal Verbal Behavior, Maija Graudins

Honors Theses

The Language Facilitation Training System (LFTS) is a subsystem of the Behavioral Research Supervisory System (BRSS). Both of these are contained within BATS, which is the Behavior Analysis Training System. These systems were developed by Dr. Richard Malott in one of the Behavior Analysis programs at Western Michigan University.

Implications For Nursing Involvement In Health Care Reform: An International Comparison, Erin Mccuen

Honors Theses

In this paper, a comparison of two countries' approaches to deliver healthcare services to their people and the practice of professional nursing will be presented. The report is based on a study abroad course where data were gathered about the two countries and included a ten day tour of Slovakia meeting many healthcare leaders and nursing students. A pictorial presentation of this report is attached (See Appendix) as evidence of the comparisons between the two health care systems. The United States of America and the Republic of Slovakia are two countries that have particularly interesting healthcare delivery and nursing practice …

Antibiotics, Herbs, And Magic: Health Practices In Contemporary St. Petersburg, Christine Shu

Honors Theses

In St. Petersburg, Russia, two seemingly conflicting health doctrines, western medicine and alternative medicine, play significant roles in residents' health culture. I define alternative medicine as all health practices that use such natural products as herbs, natural honey, water, seeds, berries, and even animal products, and as such unobtrusive body therapies as acupuncture, massage, yoga, or animal therapies. I define western medicine as all treatments that involve the manipulation of ingredients in a chemistry laboratory (such as antibiotics, antiviral drugs, antihistamines. or pain killers) and all body therapies intrusive to the body (such as operations). Through interviews with St. Petersburg …

Judeo-Christian Principles And Their Influence On Business Ethics In 21st Century America, Charles Benjamin Clark

Honors Theses

In today’s economic climate, people are constantly faced with making decisions that blur the lines of sound ethical principles. Business owners are faced with the dilemma of adopting questionable business practices, or allowing their competitors to gain a competitive advantage over them by abusing the system. This thesis will explain how the United States of America might go about solving some of the problems that thrust it into the current recession by advocating the implementation of a national code of ethics based on Judeo-Christian principles. The thesis will begin by citing some examples of previous research in business ethics. Next, …

Assessment Of Eating Disorder Knowledge Among College Students & The Effectiveness Of A Primary Prevention Program, Patricia Eileen Edwards

Honors Theses

Objective: To assess the current knowledge of eating disorders among college students and to determine the effectiveness of a prevention program in increasing eating disorder knowledge. Participants: College students enrolled in the University of Mississippi and in a Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) 311 Nutrition course. Methods: Participants in attendance of an FCS 311 Nutrition course were administered a 21 question survey to assess a baseline knowledge level of eating disorders. Participants were later educated on eating disorders through a primary prevention program “Eating Disorders 101”. The previous survey was administered again to assess the knowledge gained and the effectiveness …

A Cross-Cultural Content Analysis Of The 2008 American Presidential Election, Willow Beverly Nero

Honors Theses

Agenda-setting theory, based on the idea that journalism has a strong correlation to audience opinion and evaluation of issue salience, shows the unportance of how the media present the news. Naturally, media values vary across cultures, wherein some news outlets serve only to inform and others approach news through partisan positions or evaluative tactics. Especially during a time of media upset in the United States, it is important to examine U.S. media values and those of other cultures. This thesis looks at some of the dominant and documented differences in newspaper reporting in France and the United States, using Patterson’s …

Dissection Of Ncad12: Distinctive Characteristics Of Domains 1 And 2, Brittany Nicole Rogers

Honors Theses

The cadherin superfamily of cell surface adhesion molecules have long been recognized for their crucial roles in morphogenesis, and controlled growth and turnover in adult tissues. Neural cadherins (NCAD) are involved in the cell to cell adhesion of neural tissue. Neural cadherin molecules share a common structure with the members of its superfamily including an amino terminal extracellular region, a transmembrane region and a carboxyl-terminal cytoplasmic region. It contains five folded domains in its extracellular region that are seven strand B-barrel modules of the immunoglobulin type. These modular domains are then connected by a seven amino acid sequence known as …

Accounting For Negative Goodwill Arising From Business Combinations, Jere Matthews Sights

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine both the long-term and short-term effects of negative goodwill- the result of acquiring a company for less than its fair valueupon the acquiring company in a business combination, researcher hypothesizes that while the new accounting standard of SFAS 141R will make acquiring companies more attractive to stakeholders in the year of acquisition, the long term effects of acquiring negative goodwill will be detrimental to the company's long-term success, as there has to be some reason that a company would be sold for less The than it is worth. The study takes into …

Theory And Practice: Translating The Arsamatoria, Ellen Bowden

Honors Theses

In this paper, I have translated the Ars Amatoria by Ovid. I have examined the cultural and political context and history of the Ars and its author, and I have researched translation theory, as well as examined criticisms ofthe poem. I have integrated these elements as best I can into my translation and the paper. I have also attempted to present the Ars in a way that is appealing and interesting to academic and non-academic readers alike.

Capturing The Banner Of Batlissmo: The Frente Amplio And The End Of Uruguay's Two-Party System, Kelly Ann Usher

Honors Theses

This paper looks at the 2004 presidential victory of the Frente Amplio in Uruguay, as well as the party’s development since 1971 to explain how it became victorious. The paper will also investigate what changes the two traditionally dominant political parties have undergone in response to the Frente Amplio’s rise. Uruguayan political science magazines and documents from the political parties themselves form the foundation of this work, supplemented by research from books and academic writings. Research showed that although the Frente Amplio started out as a radical leftist group, it was able to become moderate and use political means of …