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Honors Theses

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Congress And Its Other Budget Problem: An Examination Of The Effect Of Campaign Contributions On Congress' Decision-Making, Joe Hollis Higdon Jan 2013

Congress And Its Other Budget Problem: An Examination Of The Effect Of Campaign Contributions On Congress' Decision-Making, Joe Hollis Higdon

Honors Theses

While there is significant study concerning the source of money in Congressional campaigns, comparatively little is geared towards demonstrating the link between Congress’s decision-making and the interests of the donors. By examining individual statements made during the Congressional “Supercommittee” meetings and the overall voting behavior of the Congress during specific debates, this paper finds that the link between donors’ interests and members’ votes are varyingly correlated due to other factors, but in general the link is more tenuous than is popularly believed.


Attitudes Towards Homosexuality In China, Mallory Elaine Lee Jan 2013

Attitudes Towards Homosexuality In China, Mallory Elaine Lee

Honors Theses

Since Mao Zedong’s rise to power in China, homosexuality is has been a relatively under-studied topic. In order to identify factors that influence both self-identification of homosexuality and attitudes towards homosexuality, both qualitative and quantitative analysis was utilized. While the data analysis found that the variables were not significant in relation to one another, it is obvious that various factors may influence both a person’s willingness to come out as homosexual and the attitudes of Chinese people towards homosexual. While these conclusions are not definitive, this thesis opens the door for further research into attitudes towards homosexuality and self-identification of …


Sheparding Gender: Queering Video Games In The Mass Effect Series, Karina Rene Popp Jan 2013

Sheparding Gender: Queering Video Games In The Mass Effect Series, Karina Rene Popp

Honors Theses

The Mass Effect series is discussed as a case study for how video games construct gendered aspects of their lore and gameplay in order to appease what developers believe, and most likely is, their consumer base. While queering is possible both for the characters in the game and the gameplay as a performance it is also limited by appeasing an implied straight, male gamer.


Language Revitalization And Maintenance Of Indigenous Languages In Chile, Blake Everett Pruett Jan 2013

Language Revitalization And Maintenance Of Indigenous Languages In Chile, Blake Everett Pruett

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Divided We Stand? The Effects Of Identity Crisis On Democratic Institutionalization In Ukraine, Rebecca Elizabeth Pocase Jan 2013

Divided We Stand? The Effects Of Identity Crisis On Democratic Institutionalization In Ukraine, Rebecca Elizabeth Pocase

Honors Theses

Following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, a new name appeared on the map of Europe- Ukraine. No longer simply the borderland of the empires of Europe, Ukraine was now a sovereign nation. Traditional literature argues that to craft and maintain a nation requires a nation-building identity, a solid understanding of who is the in-group and who is the out-group; such an identity has not coalesced in the two decades of an independent Ukraine. This thesis analyses the interplay between democratic consolidation, both institutionally and culturally, economic development, and identity volatility in Ukraine through the lens of the …


Elementary School Teachers' Perspectives And Practices Toward Foods Allowed In The Classroom, Jennifer Leigh Varner Jan 2013

Elementary School Teachers' Perspectives And Practices Toward Foods Allowed In The Classroom, Jennifer Leigh Varner

Honors Theses

The Mississippi Healthy Students Act passed in 2007, with the intention of addressing childhood obesity and improving the school nutrition environment. While polices target foods offered through school meals and vending, foods allowed in the classroom have not been addressed. The purpose of this research was to investigate elementary teachers’ practices of allowing foods of low nutritional value in the classroom for special occasions, as rewards for academic achievement and as incentives for good behavior. During fall of 2012, 277 teachers from 10 public schools completed surveys. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate percentage of agreement and disagreement to questions …


The Sinaloa Drug Cartel: A Clear And Present Danger, Connor Anthony Hagan Jan 2013

The Sinaloa Drug Cartel: A Clear And Present Danger, Connor Anthony Hagan

Honors Theses

The Sinaloa drug cartel of Mexico poses perhaps the greatest threat to the citizens of the United States of America. The history of this organization, an analysis of its leaders and its current methods of operating, offer a clearer picture of its decision-making power structure. The two-branched structure that the Sinaloa cartel utilizes includes compartmentalization and extensive corruption within and outside of Mexico. This thesis is meant to propose a framework to understand the Sinaloa cartel and point out areas in which the cartel both excels and fails. This thesis is also intended to assist law enforcement with background information …


The Prospect Of Reform In North Korea: Will China Play A Role?, Emily Victoria Bennett Jan 2013

The Prospect Of Reform In North Korea: Will China Play A Role?, Emily Victoria Bennett

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Uphams Corner And "Other" Spaces: Racialized Youth Identities In Boston's Cape Verdean Community, Jessica F. Pires Jan 2013

Uphams Corner And "Other" Spaces: Racialized Youth Identities In Boston's Cape Verdean Community, Jessica F. Pires

Honors Theses

While embarking on this thesis project I have begun by viewing Cape Verdean-Americanness and Uphams Corner as linked; to study contemporary Cape Verdean-American lived realities means consulting this neighborhood space, and the area is mutually dependent on its Cape Verdean residents. In the particularly unpredictable world of ethnographic field research, as I focused on the collection of narratives, a new and surprising actor emerged: the neighborhood space, around which crucial tensions revolve. It is vital to understand how neighborhood provides not merely the scenery behind actions but more importantly how, as a conceptual framework, it can also be constitutive of …


Is Cutinase The Smallest Possible Alpha/Beta Hydrolase? Insights Into Structure And Function Using Deletion Mutants, Mary Elizabeth Barrack Jan 2013

Is Cutinase The Smallest Possible Alpha/Beta Hydrolase? Insights Into Structure And Function Using Deletion Mutants, Mary Elizabeth Barrack

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


An Analysis Of The Internal And External Motivations Of Hispanic Employees And The Corresponding Management Techniques, Taylor Alexander Cook Jan 2013

An Analysis Of The Internal And External Motivations Of Hispanic Employees And The Corresponding Management Techniques, Taylor Alexander Cook

Honors Theses

The study was to discover the proper management techniques of Hispanic employees in relation to their internal and external motivations. Through initial research on the subject based on previous work in the field, information was compiled in order to produce research on Hispanics’ values from their home countries and compare them to how these values have changed during their time in the United States, how the U.S. environment supports or impedes their motivations, how U.S. managers have attempted to actively tap into these motivations, and what techniques U.S. managers should utilize to better lead their Hispanic employees. A survey of …


Tax Credits In The Film Industry: Friend Or Foe? An Analysis Of The Cost-Benefit Relationship Between Tax Incentives And The States That Provide Them, Virginia Anne Gamble Jan 2013

Tax Credits In The Film Industry: Friend Or Foe? An Analysis Of The Cost-Benefit Relationship Between Tax Incentives And The States That Provide Them, Virginia Anne Gamble

Honors Theses

Today, tax incentives play a major role in the film industry. The primary research question of the thesis is the cost-benefit relationship between these incentives and the states that provide them. A further research question is how states can remain competitive amongst one another while maintaining this cost-benefit relationship. A review of scholarly articles, from economists and film office officials, reveals arguments for and against the incentive programs. Researching the history of these tax incentives in the United States also provides a basis for an opinion on the potential future incentives may have in the film industry. Many economists believe …


The Marketing And Branding Of The Church In America, Joshua David Gregory Jan 2013

The Marketing And Branding Of The Church In America, Joshua David Gregory

Honors Theses

The objective of my thesis is to examine the church and its efforts to market to the consumer-centric society that is America. In the United States, churches have evolved and changed in many ways since our ancestors came to America. In what we call the “Bible Belt,” the area from Texas to Florida, there is a church on nearly every comer. The question becomes “Is variation a necessity?” One might say that all religions offer the same transaction in that they exchange the meaning of life for some investment by the believer (Twitchell, 2004). My intention is to focus specifically …


Perceptions Of Mississippi As A Tourist Destination, Kathleen Diane Kaiser Jan 2013

Perceptions Of Mississippi As A Tourist Destination, Kathleen Diane Kaiser

Honors Theses

Mississippi offers an array of tourism, but what do people who visit the state consider Mississippi has the best of? What are Mississippi’s less known tourism offerings? This study hints that those who are experienced with Mississippi more positively perceive the state as a tourist destination, whereas those who are not familiar with Mississippi’s offerings do not see the state as positively. A Qualtrics survey was conducted for students attending the University of Mississippi in the Lafayette/Oxford asking demographic questions and a survey that measured 16 tourism criteria on a 5 point Likert scale. SPSS 17.0 Independent sample t-tests were …


Memphis Carnival Traditions: Maintaining Identity In A Changing Society, Katherine Hitt Kenwright Jan 2013

Memphis Carnival Traditions: Maintaining Identity In A Changing Society, Katherine Hitt Kenwright

Honors Theses

The Memphis Cotton Carnival began in 1931 as a way to use the main product of Memphis—cotton—to bring the city out of the Great Depression. Through various incarnations, Carnival has endured and today stands as one of the longest-standing traditions in the city. Its founders envisioned a meeting of the minds of the city's industry leaders accompanied by a series of events as a celebration for Memphis residents, as well as a way to increase tourism in the city. Cotton Carnival and Cotton Maker's jubilee, a celebration started in 1935 for the African American community in Memphis, have changed and …


An Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Incorporating Virtual Cadaver Study On Student Performance In Human Anatomy And Physiology, Mary Katherine Kerce Jan 2013

An Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Incorporating Virtual Cadaver Study On Student Performance In Human Anatomy And Physiology, Mary Katherine Kerce

Honors Theses

In an ideal Human Anatomy & Physiology (Human A&P) laboratory, students would use human cadavers for study. However, due to the limited supply of human cadavers and high cost of constructing and maintaining laboratory facilities, many institutions choose to use various animal organs and models to teach human anatomy. Dissections are an irreplaceable tool to help students understand human anatomy because models often have garish colors that allow easy discrimination of structures but do not show the colors and textures associated with real tissue. Additionally, cadavers, organs. and models must remain within the laboratory, so students have limited access. The …


The Effects Of Social Media On Fashion Consumption, Sydney Mccarthy Jan 2013

The Effects Of Social Media On Fashion Consumption, Sydney Mccarthy

Honors Theses

The fashion industry, like most business in general, has been heavily impacted in recent years by the introduction of online social media. Social media has changed the way in which people not only communicate, but also how firms advertise and reach their consumer. The purpose of this research was to explore the ways social media impacts fashion consumption, specifically among the female, college-age demographic. Secondary research was used in the initial stages of the process to gather information prior to conducting primary research. Both qualitative and quantitative research was then conducted. The primary method for collecting qualitative data was personal …


Attending Law School: Lucrative Or Lunatic?, Anna Lennep Jan 2013

Attending Law School: Lucrative Or Lunatic?, Anna Lennep

Honors Theses

The total number of law school graduates for the class of 2011 was 43,979 and of the 42,411 graduates whose employment status was known by March 15, 2012, less than 55% of graduates had found long-term, full-time jobs in a field that required bar passage. Less than 63% of graduates had found any job in a field that required bar passage. With so many graduates and so few jobs, prospective law students must consider the risk that at- tending law school has become for many of its graduates. This thesis uses recent graduate data to analyze the current woes of …


France's Soul-Searching: Finding National Identity In Political Metaphors During The 2012 Presidential Election, Cody Leblanc Jan 2013

France's Soul-Searching: Finding National Identity In Political Metaphors During The 2012 Presidential Election, Cody Leblanc

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the ways in which French national identity was constructed metaphorically during the 2012 presidential election. Due to the increased controversy surrounding the overt utilization of the term national identity following the 2007-2012 Sarkozy administration, candidates in the 2012 presidential election used metaphor as a means by which to define their own competing conceptions of French national identity. The goal of this study is to examine the phenomenon of national identity creation by addressing the following question: How does each principal candidate (François Hollande, Nicolas Sarkozy) in the French presidential election of 2012 use metaphor in order to …


Shame On You: How Media Affects The Formation Of Negative Body Image In Adolescent Women, Brittany Lee Cosenza Jan 2013

Shame On You: How Media Affects The Formation Of Negative Body Image In Adolescent Women, Brittany Lee Cosenza

Honors Theses

The culturally accepted body ideal is grov^dng increasingly thinner. Youns women seem to be particularly susceptible to an internalization of this ideal throuah media exposure. This susceptibility led me to explore the relationship between media exposure and negative body image. After examining a plethora of literature on the subject, I discovered that body dissatisfaction seems to have become the societal norm for adolescent girls. Images of women in the media have become a source of comparison that often results in a discrepancy betv^^een actual physical body t>T?e and the idealized body type. Objectification theory^ explains how media may lead …


The Effect Of Whole Body Vibration On Rate Of Force Development And Vertical Jump Performence In College Aged Females, Marco Antonio Italia Jan 2013

The Effect Of Whole Body Vibration On Rate Of Force Development And Vertical Jump Performence In College Aged Females, Marco Antonio Italia

Honors Theses

Whole-body vibration (WBV) may potentiate vertical jump (VJ) performance via augmented muscular strength and motor function. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of different rest intervals after WBV on VJ performance. Eight collegiately trained athletes (age 20.75 ± 1.16yr, mass 61.35 ±9.68kg, height 168.19±7.73cm) and eight recreationally active (age 22.25 ±1.83yr, mass 64.35 ±4.64kg, height 162.53 ± 2.6cm) individuals volunteered to participate in 4 testing visits separated by 24 hours. Visit 1 acted as a familiarization visit where subjects were introduced to the VJ and WBV protocols. Visits 2-4 contained 2 randomized conditions per visit with …


Southern Baptists And Charismatics On Spiritual Warfare: The Ecumenical Implications, Sarah Parker Morris Jan 2013

Southern Baptists And Charismatics On Spiritual Warfare: The Ecumenical Implications, Sarah Parker Morris

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the topic of spiritual warfare and compares the views of Southern Baptist and Charismatic Christians. For this thesis, the definition of spiritual warfare I am using is a cosmic and metaphysical struggle between God and His adversaries. What similarities and differences are present on this topic have implications for the ecumenical movement. These two denominations have been chosen for study due to their different historical backgrounds. VvTiile the Southern Baptist Convention emerged in the Civil War South in White churches, the Charismatic/Pentecostal movement emerged amongst and was led by African Americans. The methodologies I implemented for my …


Casinos In Mississippi: A State And Regional Analysis, Norma Katharine Butts Jan 2013

Casinos In Mississippi: A State And Regional Analysis, Norma Katharine Butts

Honors Theses

The aim of this paper is to complete a case study of the casino industiy in Mississippi its three casino regions. Figures on visitation, employment, and population were taken from the U.S. Census, Federal Reserve, Mississippi Gaming Commission. American Gambling Association, and Mississippi Regional Economic Analysis Project. This paper aims to show how the casino industry in Mississippi has fared compared to other states, how its casino regions have developed, and how they var>'. The review of history, economic theory on casinos and tourism, and data shows how resort areas have the best chance for economic development, and one …


Millions Of Owners, Not Hundreds Of Millionaires: An Analysis Of The Middle Class As A Requisite Condition For Democracy In Contemporary Russia, Isaac Alan Lichlyter Jan 2013

Millions Of Owners, Not Hundreds Of Millionaires: An Analysis Of The Middle Class As A Requisite Condition For Democracy In Contemporary Russia, Isaac Alan Lichlyter

Honors Theses

Building on Lipset's modernization theory, this thesis makes the argument that a robust, independent middle class is vital for the long term sustenance of liberal democracy in Russia. Following a discussion of scholarly literature on what constitutes democracy and the middle class, a historical analysis compares and contrasts the trajectories of the middle class and democracy in Russia from the late-Soviet Era to the present, This thesis draws on public opinion polling, media reports (both Russian and foreign), and scholarly works to perform a mixed qualitative and quantitative analysis to show that middle class Russians provide the most reliable base …


When Cultures Collide: A Comparative Study Of The Culinary Cultures Of Uruguay And The Lebanese Community In The Mississippi Delta, Claire Nicola Reid Jan 2013

When Cultures Collide: A Comparative Study Of The Culinary Cultures Of Uruguay And The Lebanese Community In The Mississippi Delta, Claire Nicola Reid

Honors Theses

Every world culture defines itself differently through the application of similar qualifying processes. Gastronomy is an important one of these processes. This thesis aims to explain how food both aids in and exists as a reflection of cultural identity by asking these questions: What are the specifics of how gastronomical processes are applied in Uruguay and the Mississippi Delta? Do the two regions share similar cultural identification structures? If so, in what ways are they similar, and what do these similarities mean in the context of identity construction? In doing this, | aim to explain why culinary practices, more so …


An Investigation Of The Green Grove Initiative, Haley Brooke Kesterson Jan 2013

An Investigation Of The Green Grove Initiative, Haley Brooke Kesterson

Honors Theses

Game days, particularly football game days, at division one universities generate a great deal of waste. At the University of Mississippi, the amount of waste generated on home football game Saturdays has been increasing. Increasing recycling by spectators may decrease the amount of waste generated and reduce the negative environmental impact of game days. The purpose of this case study was to explore the development and evaluation of interventions that may be effective for increasing recycling behaviors. Various interventions were implemented at each game of the 2012 season. Recyclables were collected and waste was measured following each game. Games with …


What Women Want: Masculine Images And Gender Construction In The Old Spice And Dos Equis Ad Campaigns, Ashley Meyer Jan 2013

What Women Want: Masculine Images And Gender Construction In The Old Spice And Dos Equis Ad Campaigns, Ashley Meyer

Honors Theses

The award-winning Dos Equis "The most interesting man in the world" and Old Spice "the man your man could smell like" campaigns are unique not only for their creativity and humor, but also for their portrait of ideal men. These campaigns propose idealized images of masculinity which engage societal conceptions of manhood in the 21st century. Using rhetorical criticism, we can identify underlying ideologies in these campaigns, which combine the traditional and modern masculine constructs to present a new identity that aims but ultimately fails to be universally pleasing. The campaigns also reinforce sexist views of women as childlike and …


The "Hero" Motif Within The Adventist Narrative, Evan Knott Jan 2013

The "Hero" Motif Within The Adventist Narrative, Evan Knott

Honors Theses

Throughout the 150-year history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, hero stories in the Adventist Review have served an important role in conveying church doctrine and beliefs as well as communicating the principles of how good Adventists should behave. An analysis of the Review's storytelling of Anna Knight, Desmond Doss, and Ben Carson using Walter Fisher's narrative paradigm reveals that Adventist heroes are men and women who embody essential Adventist values. The qualities the Review presents as characteristics of Adventist heroes in the telling of these stories include perseverance, hard work, self-sacrifice, and unwavering faith.


The Effect Of The Female Athlete Triad On Performance: Both Physiologically And Psychologically, Constance Darlington Dec 2012

The Effect Of The Female Athlete Triad On Performance: Both Physiologically And Psychologically, Constance Darlington

Honors Theses

The female athlete triad is a condition that is composed of an interaction of three separate disorders: low energy intake due to the presence of an eating disorder or disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction, such as, oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea, and osteoporosis. Separately, each disorder can affect performance; however, when the disorders are combined, the consequences are magnified. The female triad has a profound effect on an athlete's performance both physiologically and psychologically. The female athlete triad can affect any female athlete; however, it is more prevalent among the athletes that specialize in aesthetic sports or sports that emphasize leanness, for example, …


Daring To Dream, Michelle Carreon Dec 2012

Daring To Dream, Michelle Carreon

Honors Theses

Many people are unaware of the DREAM Act and its benefits; however, many scholars agree that the DREAM Act at the federal level is potentially beneficial to those undocumented students and to the United States. These scholars have researched the various benefits of the DREAM Act, such as an increase in human capital, increase in education revenue, and increase in taxable income. The DREAM Act can potentially give students the opportunity to obtain a higher education and ultimately a job and a better life. Most likely, ignorance of the DREAM Act has obscured the benefits it provides. People are more …