Digital Commons Network^™

White Supremacy Culture And Capitalism As Co-Dependent Systems Of Oppression, Allegra Kistler Ellis

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to discuss questions surrounding the intricacies and intertwining narratives of white supremacy culture and capitalism, and other systems of oppression that they fuel. For my research, I intentionally used anecdotes, essays, poems, books, and social media posts by primarily queer, trans, Black and Indigenous women and femmes. In doing so, I delve into the inherent relationship between whiteness, white exploitative institutions, and power. I discuss the history of the two systems of oppression in the United States through analyzing pillars and characteristics of white supremacy culture and capitalism, western colonized science and research, sexism, white feminism, fatphobia, …

The Evolution Of The Slave Trade In South-East Asia, Rosanna Pathmanathan

Honors Theses

Modern slavery has managed to persist through the 21^st century as it has shape-shifted into new occupations and various forms of entrapments. However, my research will prove that despite its seemingly different situations, multitudes of modern industries continue to employ harsh and unfair working conditions which utilize labor laws that restrict protections for employees. To fully comprehend how these new-age jobs are in fact new forms of old-age slavery, it is paramount to look into past forms of enslavement – primarily looking into Columbus’ discovery of Hispaniola and the Atlantic Slave Trade. To aid us easing into modern-day enslavement, …

The Effects Of Emotionally Appealing Messages On Perceptions About Marine Plastic Pollution: Implications For Science Communication On Social Media Outlets, Shelby Miller

Honors Theses

Marine plastic pollution (MPP) is one of the most pressing problems in the world today with many effects on ecological, economic, and social aspects of society. Global plastic production is around 322 million tons, with 10% of the world’s plastic products entering the ocean every year. Environmental campaigns use humor and shock in order to influence consumer behavior in regard to plastic products. Such approaches are important to utilize on social media in order to effectively communicate the issues posed by MPP. In this study, students and staff at the University of New Haven campus were given a survey containing …

"We Missed Our Youth": The Identity Formation Of Child Migrants, Refugees, And Jewish Children In France From 1940 To 1942, Michaela Maria Gouge Watson

Honors Theses

From 1940 – 1942, hundreds of Jewish children from Germany, Austria, Russia, and France were hidden from Nazi and Vichy French authorities in children’s homes in France. These homes were administered by the Oeuvre de Secours aux Enfants, a Jewish aid organization that assisted children in need during World War II. This study employs a quantitative content analysis of the testimonies of twenty Holocaust survivors who were hidden children in France between 1940 and 1942 to investigate to what extent the experience of outsider status and trauma affected these children’s personal and religious identity formation. The analysis finds that the …

Public Sentiment Toward Migration In A Globalizing World: The Case Of Spain And Its Distinctive Demeanor Toward Its Immigrants, Caroline Thompson

Honors Theses

This thesis discusses Spain's overall public opinion around immigration, exploring factors that contribute to the development of a country's attitude toward its immigrants. Spain exemplifies a particularly distinctive attitude in relation to its European Mediterranean counterparts, displaying an increased receptiveness toward its immigrant population. I examine economic factors, studying whether or not perceived economic competition can lead to significantly increased negativity toward immigrants. However, I find that, specifically regarding the Spanish case, economic competition does not determine the country's attitude toward immigration. Therefore, I focus on this element of authoritarian legacy and its contribution to public opinion around immigration. Following …

“[Don’T] Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor...” A Study On The Trump Administration’S Unprecedented Reforms To The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program And Their Implications, Savannah Day

Honors Theses

From 2017 to 2020, the Trump administration cut United States refugee admissions tenfold. These reforms come unprecedented to the 40-year-old resettlement program (USRAP). By critically reviewing literature on this topic as well as conducting eight original interviews with five national nonprofits contracted by the Department of State to do refugee resettlement casework, this study sought to identify the implications of the Trump administration’s reforms to the program. Once implications were identified, I used the applied frameworks of program model as well as Michael Worth’s sociological and political science theories of American nonprofit-government relations to better inform and guide the study. …

Making It Make Sense: Black Undergraduate's Negotiation Of Spiritual And Lgbtq+ Christian Identities Within The Black Church, Leah Davis

Honors Theses

For Black LGBTQ+ individuals, spirituality and sexuality can often conflict as the Black community tends to be more spiritual than other demographics and historically exhibited exclusivity towards the LGBTQ+ community. This research examines how Black LGBTQ+ youth at the University of Mississippi handle the intersectionality of race, spirituality, and sexuality and makes recommendations about ways to improve the lived experiences of Black LGBQT+ Christians and to promote LGBQT+ positive attitudes within the Black church. This research study was conducted using qualitative methods with purposeful sampling. The data yielded results that discovered Black youth identify with Christianity, engage in oppositional identity …

Unplanned Pregnancy In The Mississippi Delta: Causes And Implications, Julia Grant

Honors Theses

This study seeks to understand the causes and implications of the abundance of adolescent pregnancy in the region known as the Mississippi Delta, where teenage childbearing is among the highest in the nation. To do so, this study reports and analyzes twelve interviews with young, African American, single mothers conducted by the author in the summer of 2019. This study relies on a narrative approach to research and analysis and employs the theoretical framework of Afrocentrism. As a result of the interviews, the author concludes that a blatant lack of sex education in the region is a powerful influence on …

A Study Of The Social Credit Score System And The Implications It May Have In Chinese Society, Glennis Mcwilliams

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the social credit score (SCS) system of China and the implications that it may have in Chinese society. The SCS is a revolutionary accountability system that is touted to ascertain a person’s trustworthiness of a person. An individualized score is produced by a complex algorithm which takes into account both social and financial behaviors. My research, comprised primarily from secondary qualitative data, discusses the SCS system and analyzes the political, social, and economic implications that the SCS may have on Chinese society. Conflict theory is utilized to help contextualize my findings and explain the increase in authoritative …

More Than A Language: A Detailed Look At The English Major, Hannah Woods

Honors Theses

This thesis analyzes the perceptions of the English Major in order to come up with suggestions for the Univeristy of Mississippi English Department with the purpose of increasing enrollment in the English Program. The last decade has seen a large decrease in the number of English Majors throughout the country, and this decrease has been reflected in the University of Mississippi. This thesis looks at recent opinions of the English Major in society, including popular criticisms of the major and responces from the English community. It was found that the two main criticisms of the English Major are that graduates …

Analyzing The Adjustment Of American Business Expatriates In China: Professionalism, Culture And Social Support, Ramelle Mueller

Honors Theses

This paper provides a comprehensive literature review of the American expatriate adjustment process to life in China. Additionally, online textual analysis on expatriate forum website was conducted to better understand the expatriate perspective and examines empirically the relevance of multiple factors of the expatriate adjustment process. Overarching factors include; work adjustment, general adjustment and interpersonal adjustment, which serve as the framework for this paper.

"You Play Like A Girl": How Alternative Conceptualizations Of Sexism Impact Attitudes Toward Women In Professional Sports, Kate Wigod

Honors Theses

This thesis examines whether alternative conceptualizations of sexism impact attitudes towards women in professional sports. Specifically, this thesis focuses on the United States Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT), who sued their governing body in 2018 on the bases of unequal treatment and pay. The choice to focus on this particular team is because these women generate more revenue and outperform the United States Men’s National Soccer Team; two factors that are normally used to justify why female athletes should not be paid equally. To measure sexist attitudes, a survey of 74 questions was administered through Lucid and served as the …

An Examination Of Student Health Insurance And Student Health Center Policies Across The Southeastern Conference, Katrina Gateley

Honors Theses

Campus health care services are often overlooked by prospective students and families during the college search process, yet the access and affordability of these services may have a significant impact on the overall health of college students. This study sought to compare student health services and policies at the 14 member institutions of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Additionally, this study explored student perceptions about campus health services and policies. A mixed methods approach was used to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. Institutional website reviews of all 14 SEC institutions were conducted to gather information regarding health insurance policies, health …

Queering Secondary Education: An Inquiry To The Necessity Of Queer Studies For All Students, Ashlign D. Shoemaker

Honors Theses

In the current state of secondary education, queer studies are appallingly underexposed. The subject matter is often completely disregarded due to a perceived discomfort around themes and content regarding LGBTQ+ sexualities. This process of elimination is a disservice to all students as they continue their education and move on to the adult world. Queer studies must be included for all students to ensure a society of empathy and understanding. Including the queer identity in the secondary education, classroom gives LGBTQ+ students the usable past that is essential to their wellbeing and mental health, and it provides exposure and understanding for …

Examining The Institution Of Public Health: The Case Of The James C. Kennedy Wellness Center, Hannah Hoang

Honors Theses

This thesis aims to function as an analysis of the James C. Kennedy Center and the impact capacity the Center has on community health and wellness in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. Poor health is a global problem that is especially prominent in Tallahatchie County which ranked 81st out of 82 Mississippi counties in 2012. This thesis used institutional theory to explain the relationship between the Center and public health. Through interviews and data analysis, a broad evaluation was performed on the Center’s programs and community impact. Results showed that the Kennedy Center has made a large impact in improving the health …

Whose Right Is It Anyway? A Study Of Human Rights Language On Both Sides Of The Abortion Debate In Post-Dictatorial Argentina, Ysabella Carmen St. Amant

Honors Theses

In August of 2018, thousands of protestors waited to hear results of the vote on the Voluntary Termination of the Pregnancy bill in the Argentinian Senate. Though the bill failed by seven votes, the near passage of the bill and the outpouring of protestors indicated that the issue of abortion had gained an increasing foothold in the legislature and in public discourse. This project seeks to explore in greater detail the emergence of activism on abortion legislation in the decades following the re-democratization of Argentina in 1983. Particularly throughout the 2000s and 2010s, advocates for both the expansion and repression …

Who Has A Voice: Issues Of Free Speech At The University Of Mississippi From 1955-1970, Neale Grisham

Honors Theses

Amidst the upheaval of American society in the 1960s, the University of Mississippi’s administration found itself in a precarious position. A long-standing institution that prided itself on its ties to the Old South, the university was being challenged by integrationists and liberal notions of equality and social justice. The university was forced to decide between abetting the alumni that padded university pockets and the tides of change that were rippling through the university campus. Their main way of combatting this was through the surveilling of students and the vetting of potential guest speakers who may spread “controversial ideas.” While students …

Socioeconomic Status And Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression In Pregnant Women, Meagan Mandabach

Honors Theses

Pregnancy is a period of great change in a woman’s body as her baby develops. During this period, women commonly experience symptoms of anxiety (Dennis et al., 2017) and depression (Shidhaye & Giri, 2014). Literature has suggested that socioeconomic status (SES) can contribute to the severity at which pregnant women experience anxiety and depression (Arora & Aeri, 2019; Field et al., 2008; Shagufta & Shams, 2019), and women of low socioeconomic status may be more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression during pregnancy (Field et al., 2008). The present study aimed to assess the relationships between household income …

An Examination Of The Association Between State Medicaid Perinatal Services And Birth Outcomes, Joy Morgan Myers

Honors Theses

This thesis investigated the connection between socioeconomic status, healthcare coverage, and birth outcomes. The research question that was posed specifically looked at twenty perinatal services that states covered under Medicaid to varying degrees to see their association, if any, with premature birth rates and low birthweight rates. State-level and Mississippi county-level data were compiled regarding preterm birth rates, low birthweight rates, presumptive eligibility adoption, and coverage of twenty different perinatal services. Using these data, the correlation between state Medicaid expansion status and birth outcomes was first calculated in order to determine if variation in birth outcomes was associated with expanded …

When Worlds Collide: Charlie Hebdo And Islam In The 21st Century, Mildred Morse

Honors Theses

Caricatures are entrenched in French socio-political identity. That identity has shifted due to internal and external forces, but the most important event for the socio-political identity of France in the 21st century is the attacks at Charlie Hebdo in January 2015. The event and the responses to it reignited the ideas of incompatibility of France and Islam, furthering the schism between French society and the integration of Islam. The nature of the memory of Charlie Hebdoand its effect on the perception of Islam before January 2015 and after necessitates the question, “How does Charlie Hebdo reveal contradictory ideas of …

Through The Screen: Examining Peer Relationships, Social Anxiety, Loneliness, And Social Media In Undergraduates, Lindsay Sappington

Honors Theses

Interpersonal connections are a fundamental human need, and as technology becomes more ubiquitous, these connections have shifted to frequently occur online through social media platforms. Two factors that independently influence peer relations are loneliness and social anxiety. However, no study to date has concurrently examined the relation of these psychological factors, social media use, and peer relationships. As such, the aims of the current study were to 1) examine the associations between peer relationships, social media use, loneliness, and social anxiety; 2) investigate the moderating role of quality of peer relationships in the relation of social anxiety and loneliness; and …

Who Will Do The Good Works?: The Troubling Case Of Secularization And The Failure Of The Welfare State In England And Perú, Gabrielle Anna Schust

Honors Theses

This study examines the contribution and impacts of the social service works done by nuns in the UK in the 1950s and 1960s, and in Perú within the last five years. Specifically, it investigates the relationship between nuns as providers of social services and other providers such as the government. Drawing on existing literature on theories of secularization, and a close examination of the historical evolution of the British and Peruvian welfare state apparatuses, this study contextualizes the social service work of nuns in contemporaneous social, economic, and political circumstances. It finds that the population of nuns is on a …

Syrian And Lebanese Identity In The American South, Caetlind Moudy

Honors Theses

For Americans of Arab descent, identity can present a number of difficulties to define within the existing ethnic and racial categories of the United States. While several scholars have looked at the ways that Muslims American of Arab descent navigate these categories, less attention has been paid to the complex self-identification Christian Arab Americans, many of whom come from Lebanese and Syrian backgrounds. It is the objective of this thesis to explore how Americans of Syrian and Lebanese descent understand their ethnic, racial, cultural, and national identities as well as how these identities both inform and are informed by religion. …

Can Cities Be Feminist? A Cross-National Analysis Of Factors Affecting Local Female Representation In Latin America, Katie Davis

Honors Theses

Women are underrepresented in mayor’s offices and on city councils across Latin America. In this paper, I examine gender-based differences in individual opinions toward running for office in Argentina and Uruguay, as well as conduct a twenty-six country analysis on factors related to female representation in municipal government. Based on these analyses, I make three main conclusions about female local representation in Latin America. The first conclusion is that women in Latin America are significantly less likely to want to run or feel qualified to run for office. The second conclusion is that cross-national variation in the percentage of female …

The Red Swimsuit: Essays, Jacqueline Knirnschild

Honors Theses

This thesis is a collection of creative non-fiction essays that offers a collage of ethnography, reportage and memoir. The Red Swimsuit blurs the lines between what is considered social science, journalism and art. These essays will become part of a book- length work of creative non-fiction that will explore what it’s like to grow up as a woman in a globalized world wrought with social media, hookup culture and cross-cultural interactions. The Red Swimsuit provides first-hand experience, reflexive narration, and reflection on life as a member of Generation Z, also known as iGen.

The Covert Abolition Of The Death Penalty: A Comparative Analysis Of France And Mississippi, Emma S. Rice

Honors Theses

This study places that question in the context of two places which both share a common history of using brutal death penalties: France and Mississippi. This thesis seeks to answer the question of what the abolition of the death penalty in France suggests about the likelihood of its abolition in Mississippi, in light of a cultural comparison of their respective attitudes toward crime and punishment.

Honoré De Balzac’S Portrayal Of The Feminine Condition In The Wild Ass’S Skin, Père Goriot, And The Lily Of The Valley, Brooke V. Musmeci

Honors Theses

In 19th century France, women appeared to be second class citizens. They were often limited in their abilities to have independence and secure their own wealth. This perception of women perhaps justifies why, as Honoré de Balzac’s novels illustrated the realities of French society, he attempted to characterize women’s struggles to obtain control and power in their lives. In his novels The Wild Ass’s Skin (1831), The Lily of the Valley (1835), and Le Père Goriot (1835), Balzac sought to prove how women could improve their lot.

Firstly, in studying how women had been relegated to second-class citizens under their …

Clarifying The Conceptualization Of Empire: Is China's Belt And Road Initiative An Attempt At Empire?, Olivia Melvin

Honors Theses

Is 21st century China building an empire through the Belt and Road Initiative? Where do modern imperialist trends fit into the post-colonial world? This study explores different conceptualizations of empire used in previous academic studies and explores how the Belt and Road Initiative fits in this narrative of empire. Clarifying the discourse surrounding modern expansionist and imperialist behavior is a necessary first step in comparing phenomena that occur in very different historical periods. For example, when comparing former imperial dynasties of China to modern Chinese expansionist behavior, over 500 years of development divide these two historical periods. Newer terms such …

American Indian Sovereignty And Climate Change: Emerging Spaces And Coalitions To Assert American Indian Sovereignty During A Climate Crisis, Brenna Q. Gardner

Honors Theses

Climate change is a global issue that will affect most, if not all, populations on earth; however, it will not affect groups equally. While vulnerability varies between groups, poor, frontline, marginalized, and Indigenous people are particularly vulnerable. This thesis explores if the challenge of climate change as affecting multiple vulnerable populations presents emerging spaces in which American Indian sovereignty can be asserted. I provide a literature review on federal Indian policy and the American Indian Sovereignty movement in the 1960’s and 1970’s. I then analyze primary materials produced by the Indigenous Environmental Network and primary material surrounding the #NoDAPL movement. …

The Embeddedness Of Racial Microaggressions In International Student Experiences At The University Of Mississippi, Morgan Blythe

Honors Theses

This study explores the lived experiences of international students at the University of Mississippi (UM). Using a phenomenological approach, the participants’ stories were understood and offered as a counter-narrative to existing literature dominated by White Americans. The interviews were processed through the lens of Critical Race Theory, specifically the microaggressions framework to account for modern-day racism as it evolves alongside culture. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with international students at UM ranging from exchange to PhD candidates. These participants are from various countries around the globe, chosen through convenience sampling. The interviews were coded using NVivo12. The results of this …