Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing Increases In Violence: An Analysis Of Homicide Cases From Orleans Parish, Louisiana, Helen Virginia Bouzon

LSU Master's Theses

Analysis of homicides in different cities can provide valuable research information. The information gathered from such an analysis can be used to aid those who are the primary targets of homicide. Such studies can also be used to understand the nature of homicide and what measures can be taken to decrease the rates of homicide. Information on the nature of homicide and who is primarily affected can be used by police departments and public organizations to develop methods to decrease the amount of homicide in any area. This study is an analysis of homicide cases from the Orleans Parish coroner's …

Bayou Boogie: The Americanization Of Cajun Music, 1928-1950, Ryan Andre Brasseaux

LSU Master's Theses

Bayou Boogie by Ryan A. Brasseaux outlines the evolution of Cajun music from 1928 to 1950. This thesis highlights obscure recordings by lesser-known Cajun artists to demonstrate how the Cajun-American discourse took place across Fredrik Barth's ethnic boundaries model. This study acknowledges the complexities of the Cajun experience by examining the regional and national socio-cultural contexts in which commercial Cajun recordings flourished. The birth of commercial Cajun music, John and Alan Lomax's 1934 Louisiana field recordings, and Cajun swing (Cajun inflected-western swing) are all discussed in detail to paint a picture of the complexities that shaped south Louisiana's fertile musical …

Application Of Stochastic Downscaling Techniques To Global Climate Model Data For Regional Climate Prediction, Suchita Potta

LSU Master's Theses

Global warming is the most important issue of the present day that affects the climate drastically. This research was carried out to find out the effects of Global warming on Louisiana in future on a very finer spatial and temporal scale. For this purpose spatial downscaling technique is used, where finer resolution climate information is derived from a coarser resolution Global Climate Model (GCM) output. Empirical/statistical downscaling method is used in which sub grid scale changes are calculated as a function of large scale climate. For this purpose a stochastic weather generator and two Global models are considered. The two …

Hidden Landscapes Of The Ancient Maya: Transect Excavations At Arvin's Landing Southern Belize, Bretton Michael Somers

LSU Master's Theses

Transect excavations at Arvin’s Landing in southern Belize revealed evidence of ancient Maya settlement indiscernible from surface inspection. The synthesis of archaeology and geography in field and laboratory methods and analysis provided the framework for this thesis. This study involves a transect survey with systematic shovel tests. Artifacts were recovered and recorded in the field and analyzed in the LSU archaeology laboratory in Punta Gorda, Belize. The entire survey area was mapped by transit and measurements and coordinates were combined with artifact data in a GIS. Prior research at Arvin’s Landing had revealed a Postclassic mound on the bank of …

"Honduran Memories": Identity, Race, Place And Memory In New Orleans, Louisiana, Samantha Euraque

LSU Master's Theses

During the decade preceding the height of the civil rights movement, a small population of Hondurans established residence in the New Orleans area. This Honduran migration was largely due to the trade relationship that existed between Honduras and New Orleans. Honduras was also experiencing political unrest and economic instability due to military coups, fruit company strikes and floods during the late 1950s. In response, the advent of the 1960s brought with it the first wave of Hondurans. According to the 2000 Census there were 64,340 people of Hispanic origin in the four parishes included in the New Orleans metropolitan area, …

Quality Assurance Testing Of The Eclox-M In Detecting Terrorism Threats In Louisiana's Public Drinking Water Systems, Jessica Coleman

LSU Master's Theses

A quality assurance testing of the ECLOX-M™, a rapid water quality indicator used in potential terrorist attacks, was evaluated for its adequacy in nine regional Louisiana water systems. The ECLOX-M™ system uses enhanced chemiluminescence to measure toxicity in water by integration of a mixture of luminol (C₈H₇O₃N₃), and an oxidant in the presence of a catalyst enzyme - horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Water samples were tested for chemiluminescence, chlorine content, pH, and arsenic and/or nerve agent/pesticide contamination. In addition, three toxic industrial chemical standards were evaluated (mercury, a volatile liquid mixture, and a …

The Atchafalaya Basin Proposal For Nomination To The World Heritage Site List, Mitchell W. Coffman

LSU Master's Theses

The Atchafalaya Basin in the Southern United States is a cultural, environmental, historical and natural land region of such universal importance, designation as a World Heritage Site is appropriate. This thesis provides a justification for this designation through compliance with cultural and natural criteria detailed in the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of 1972. The treaty, also known as the World Heritage Convention (WHC) promotes natural and cultural landscape preservation on an international level. This thesis lists the cultural and natural arguments for nominating the Atchafalaya Basin to the World Heritage Site list.

National, …

Design Exploration: Totem As Alternative For Efficient And Socially Responsive Burial, Mark Evan Bazzell

LSU Master's Theses

American cities are facing unprecedented development pressures. Urban populations in particular are increasing and diversifying, land as a resource is becoming more valuable, and designers/developers are challenged to creatively maximize space for all land uses. As urban populations grow, space for burial of the dead may become limited thereby prompting communities to consider alternatives to traditional burial. The increase in numbers of cremation already points to this trend. In addition to the spatial limitation issues there also exist issues of social and cultural limitation. Ethnic diversity is rapidly increasing and within each group one finds different traditions and needs regarding …

Short-Term Evolution Of A Marsh Island System And The Importance Of Cold Front Forcing, Terrebonne Bay, Louisiana, Dana Ann Watzke

LSU Master's Theses

Short-term, wave induced erosion along bay beaches in the northern Gulf of Mexico has been linked to the postfrontal phase of cold front passages. Not until recently has consideration been given to the importance of wave erosion on marshes fringing large bays during the entire cold front event. Two WAVCIS (Wave-Current-Surge-Information System) stations were established on the north and south flank of a small marsh island in Terrebonne Bay, Louisiana, to measure and elucidate the hydrodynamic response to these events. Data from WAVCIS stations, which includes wind speed and direction, air temperature, significant wave height and water level, were collected …

A Spatial Analysis Of The Smallpox Epidemic In Sheffield, United Kingdom, 1887-1888, Ann-Marie Cain

LSU Master's Theses

One of today's most fecund fields of research in medical geography involves using historical datasets from past epidemics and contemporary cadastre maps to plot the course of the contagion. The purpose is to study the spatial patterns of diseases that are rare or extinct today but still have large research value. The best example of this problem is smallpox. This project involves taking one of the most complete records of a smallpox epidemic, plotting the cases in a geographic information system (GIS), and exploring the spatial patterns using statistical software. As one of the most contagious and damaging diseases to …

Reading The Humor In Korean Traditional Space - Dreaming The Restoration Of Old Sentiment -, Sungmi Han

LSU Master's Theses

This study is about humor and its application in Korean traditional space, which merges culture, design, and preservation. The purpose of the research is to seek humor as a significant design concept in Korean traditional space, and establish it through the examples. The examples focused on are found in temples and palaces since those are relatively well preserved Korean traditional spaces. Each humor in the examples is interpreted based on culture and the mentality of the age, such as religion, ideology, and customs. Also, forms and functions of humor are examined. Through the design analyses of case studies, unique characteristics …

Solving A Locational Distribution Problem Of Non-Toxic Solid Waste On The Island Of Puerto Rico, Sandra A. Soto

LSU Master's Theses

The island of Puerto Rico is confronting a crisis in waste management due to inadequate management from the local government, the decreasing number of landfills available, high population density, and paucity of places for waste disposal. This research develops a least-cost model for the disposal and transportation of non-hazardous solid waste. Location-allocation (LA) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software are used to analyze the efficiency of the present pattern of waste allocation and to identify a near-to-optimal assignment of waste for the landfills in operation today and the landfills that will be open by 2008. The “near-to-optimal” models obtained from …

Country Roads Magazine: Has The Move From The "Country" Influenced Baton Rouge Advertisers' Buying Habits, Arianne Parker Bellizaire

LSU Master's Theses

Country Roads magazine celebrated its 20th anniversary in September of 2003. Founded by Dorcas Woods Brown in 1983, the publication prides itself on offering its readers a cultural events guide showcasing events, festivals and destinations from Natchez, Mississippi, to New Orleans, Louisiana. Readers have watched the magazine evolve over the years. However, nearly two years ago, readers experienced one of the biggest changes. The magazine moved its headquarters from St. Francisville to Baton Rouge. This study evaluated Baton Rouge advertisers' reactions the move. The researcher modified and tested the Country-of-Origin Effects (COO) on a smaller scale by examining City-of-Origin effects. …

Hydroclimatic And Circulation Anomalies Associated With The North Atlantic Subtropical High, Brian Taylor Allen

LSU Master's Theses

Hydroclimatic and circulation variability in regions around the Atlantic sector are linked to the intensity, location, and areal extent of the North Atlantic subtropical high (STH). Few analyses focus directly on the influence of the STH on climatic variability. Using sea level pressure (SLP) data from the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis dataset, a time series of the STH was produced using principal components analysis (PCA) to describe the temporal variability of the STH from January 1948 to December 2001. A simple area average of SLP across the PCA domain is shown to describe the same phenomena (the dominant mode of the STH …

Estimation Of Living Body Weight Based On Measurements Of Anterior Superior Iliac Spine Breadth And Stature, Jaime A. Suskewicz

LSU Master's Theses

Standard identification criteria for creating a decedent’s biological profile typically include ancestry, sex, age, and stature, but not body weight. Body weight information may not only assist in creating a more complete biological profile but may also provide insight into other forensic considerations, such as taphonomy and body transport and disposal. The current study seeks to establish multiple regression equations for the prediction of living body weight in skeletal remains. Specifically, the measurements of anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) breadth and stature are assessed with regard to living weight. Research was carried out on both a skeletal sample and a …

An Application Of Geographic Information Systems (Gis): The Utility Of Victim Activity Spaces In The Geographic Profiling Of Serial Killers, Charles Casey Shamblin

LSU Master's Theses

Today, computer technology is producing new methods of investigation into the complex nature of serial killers; among these are geographic profiles. Yet, due to the lack of proven success, budgetary constraints, and the inherent multifaceted nature of serial murder, these geographic profiles have not been completely embraced by the law enforcement community. Because of this, the academic and law enforcement communities continue to refine and develop new methods to solve serial killer cases. This thesis investigates the possibility of identifying the location of the interaction site of a serial killer and his victims using a commercial geographic information system (GIS) …

Evaluation Of The Impacts Of Hurricane Hugo On The Land Cover Of Francis Marion National Forest, South Carolina Using Remote Sensing, Amit Kulkarni

LSU Master's Theses

Hurricane Hugo struck the South Carolina coast on the night of September 21, 1989 at Sullivan’s Island, where it was considered a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale when the hurricane made landfall (Hook et al. 1991). It is probably amongst the most studied and documented hurricanes in the United States (USDA Southern Research Station Publication 1996). There has been a Landsat TM based Hugo damage assessment study conducted by Cablk et al. (1994) in the Hobcaw barony forest. This study attempted to assess for a different and smaller study area near the Wambaw and Coffee creek swamp. The main …

Musical Play Across Ethnic Boundaries In Western Jamaica, Ronald Eric Dickerson

LSU Master's Theses

An ethnography of music, ritual, and festival in western Jamaica, this thesis reports on fieldwork performed in St. Elizabeth and St. James Parishes between June 2002 and January 2003. Featured field sites include rural dancehall events, Kumina performances, Accompong Town's Maroon Heritage Festival, and a Rastafarian music and nutrition festival called "The Supper of Rastafari." Building an account of these and other sites of cultural performance, this study focuses on social connections between groups of participants, traced through poetic, historical, and personal relationships among performers, especially across boundaries of ethnic, stylistic, or religious difference within Jamaica's national cultural identity.

Being Korean And Being Christian: Identity Making In The Korean Baptist Church Of Baton Rouge In The U.S. Deep South, Hyeon Ju Lee

LSU Master's Theses

The post-1965 generation Korean immigrants in the U.S., who have left their country for betterment of their lives, find themselves unable to acculturate to the U.S. mainstream culture. Although legally Americans, these Koreans strive to hold onto their culture they brought with them. A group of Koreans who belong to this post-1965 immigrant generation in Baton Rouge established a church to share religious and cultural experience while speaking Korean language and sharing Korean food--The Korean Baptist Church of Baton Rouge. The members of the Korean Baptist Church of Baton Rouge ("the Church") create a familial community within Christian and Confucian …

Stepping Out Of Her Place: A New Look At Women's Roles During Selected Wars In U.S. History, Nicole Lynn Bowen

LSU Master's Theses

Women are not included in high school history text books in a meaningful way, thus students are only learning about half of the experiences that shaped our nation. The ways in which history is represented as part of the social studies curriculum in secondary schools must be reconsidered. A history text that does not represent the experiences of women in a meaningful way does not provide a means for young women to "locate themselves in time," or meet many of the other standards of the National Council for the Social Studies. If young women and men are going to develop …

What Do Tin-Enameled Ceramics Tell Us?: Explorations Of Socio-Economic Status Through The Archaeological Record In Eighteenth-Century Louisiana: 1700-1790, Jason A. Emery

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis examines the presence and distribution of tin-enameled earthenwares in what was colonial Louisiana at nine archaeological sites: Madame John's Legacy (16OR51), the ca. 1730s French Colonial Barracks (16OR136), the Lower Pontalba Building (16OR209), Galveztown (16AN39), French Site I (16PC80), the Bicentennial Gardens (22AD999), Los Adaes (16NA16), the American Cemetery (16NA67), and the Chamard House site (16NA100). To examine the ceramic diversity, a comprehensive classificatory system is proposed, with discussion and classification of vessel forms. Ceramic diversity was anticipated to be patterned following geographic and economic lines; however, this was not substantiated through the analysis of the general body …

I-Tal Foodways: Nourishing Rastafarian Bodies, Mandy Garner Dickerson

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis takes a close look at the lived world of Jamaican Rastafarians through the lens of food-related practices and preferences, working to define the group's characteristic strategies for maintaining wellness and illuminating their tastes and sensibilities. It strives to evoke a sensorial and discursive awareness of the activities through which Rastafarians nourish and heal their physical and social bodies, by focusing on ways in which they produce and use I-tal food-medicines. Rastafarian taste for I-tal has developed alongside collective engagement with the valorization and revitalization of traditional knowledge about health and land use. In addition to providing sites for …

Guanajuato: A Virtual Exhibit, Norma Elena Gonzalez

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis will present a virtual exhibition of a tourist destination in Mexico, Guanajuato City. By applying my previous experiences and the knowledge and skill acquired during this MFA program, I developed a Multimedia exhibition that encompasses a new virtual experience of the Mexican culture. This exhibition demonstrates my proficiency in the area of motion graphics.

B.S., Michael P. Redmond

LSU Master's Theses

This is a novel about a hack of a novelist who guides a fraud of a novelist around an allegorical version of the United States of America. It tests the limits of its readers’ patience with irony and metafiction. Themes that are explored, mocked, and then explored again include belief, identity, reality, geography, the intersections of the aforementioned, and the comical futility of such exploration. Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.

The Myth Of Eternal Preservation: Patterns Of Damage In Egyptian Mummies, Ellen Salter-Pedersen

LSU Master's Theses

Mummification can preserve a body for several millennia, but it is a popular misconception that these bodies are in pristine condition. The activities of tomb robbers, archaeological excavation and transportation, and the embalming process itself may damage the body. This thesis examines published reports on Egyptian mummies from museums in the United States, Europe, and Egypt for the presence of osteological fractures, dislocations and other related damage. These reports include biographical information and the results of investigations made by one or more of the following techniques: unwrapping, autopsying, x-raying, and CT-scanning. Data on 275 Egyptian mummies were collected and examined …

"Never Could Read No Road Map": Geographic Perspectives On The Grateful Dead, Daniel R. Culli

LSU Master's Theses

The Grateful Dead hold a unique niche in the musical, social, and cultural history of the United States. However, while the volume of available academic literature concerning the band is increasing, the Grateful Dead remain to be nearly ignored by academia and, to this point apparently, completely ignored by cultural geographers. This paper introduces the Grateful Dead into the field of geography. I analyze the geography of certain aspects of the band, such as its context in San Francisco, the carnival atmosphere of the entire phenomenon, the over 2300 tour dates, as well as the huge catalog of lyrics sung …

Phylogenetic Influence Of Complex, Evolutionary Models: A Bayesian Approach, Neeraja M. Krishnan

LSU Master's Theses

Molecular evolution recovers the history of living species by comparing genetic information, exploring genome structure and function from an evolutionary perspective. Here we infer substitution rates and ancestral reconstructions, to better understand mutation responses to some known biochemical phenomena. Mutation processes are commonly inferred using parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian. Parsimony is not explicitly model-based, and is statistically biased due to unrealistic assumptions. The model-based maximum likelihood approaches become computationally inefficient while analyzing large or high-dimensional datasets, leaving little opportunities to incorporate complex evolutionary models. We implemented a posterior probability (Bayesian) approach that evaluates evolutionary models, applying it to primate …

Caller Id, Plamen Ivanov Arnaudov

LSU Master's Theses

As one might expect from a young poet writing at the turn of a millennium, recurrent in "Caller ID" is the theme of struggle with literary tradition and of seeing it as both necessary and constricting to the project of forging one's own creative identity. The collision between history and the self is visible in the often conflicted references to great philosophers and poets of the past as well as in the call for renewal of the body poetic after an envisioned 'end of history' marked by creative sterility and exhaustion. The proposed renewal does not entail destruction of tradition …

Exedra: Form And Function In The Landscape, Daniel W. Mcelmurray

LSU Master's Theses

This study resulted in the development of design guidelines used to create a contemporary exedra, in relationship to commemoration in the landscape. Through research and field investigation, an assessment of forms, materials, uses and locational characteristics of the exedra provides an understanding of the dynamics of the relationships between the elements of the exedra. By understanding the historical and commemorative nature of the exedra, landscape architects can utilize the form to create freestanding or structurally-integrated exedral forms as a solution to the identified need for the development of human-scale, urban places which commemorate people, places, and events.

Remote Sensing At The Broussard Mounds Site: A Prehistoric Multi-Mound Site Located In The Lower Mississippi River Valley, Benjamin Shenandoah Goodwin

LSU Master's Theses

In order to test the effectiveness of various types of remote sensing for applications in archaeology, remote sensing data in the form of color infrared aerial photography, Airborne Terrestrial Applications Sensor (ATLAS) imagery, 35mm (black and white) and (color) infrared photography, and ground penetrating radar (GPR) were used at the Broussard Mounds site. Additionally, light detection and ranging (LIDAR) digital elevation imagery was downloaded, processed, and interpreted. Anomalies identified through the use of remote sensing were relocated geospatially and archaeological testing procedures were used to verify the presence of subsurface archaeological remains and to document the prehistoric cultural components at …