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Stable Carbon Isotope And Niche Breadth Analysis Of Animal Bone From Pocahontas Mounds (22hi500) And Lyon's Bluff, Robert Linder Mccain

Theses and Dissertations

Maize uses a photosynthetic pathway called C4 which produces a carbon signature in animal tissue that is different from most of the plants available to the inhabitants of the Southeastern United States. Faunal remains (deer, rodent, and turtle) from Pocahontas Mounds (22HI500) and Lyon’s Bluff (22OK520) were tested to determine whether the samples possessed a C4 signature. Maize has been found at both sites, but the extent of maize agriculture was not known. Rodent and turtle from both sites indicate partial to heavy consumption of C4 plants, while one deer sample from Pocahontas indicates moderate consumption of C4 plants. The …

Stable Carbon Isotope Evidence Of Ancient Maya Agriculture At Tikal, Guatemala, Richard Lee Burnett

Theses and Dissertations

Stable carbon isotope analyses of the humin fraction of the soil organic matter were conducted on more than 160 soil profiles from Tikal, Guatemala. The profiles were collected from near areas associated with the earthworks of Tikal; an ancient ditch and parapet construction hypothesized to have formed ancient boundaries of the polity. In addition to the isotope analyses, the physical and chemical characteristics of the horizons were determined. Maize, a C4 plant, formed an integral part of the ancient Maya diet and is the only known C4 plant cultivated by the Maya. Prior to and subsequent to the ancient Maya …

Map, Manuscript, And Memory: The Emergence Of An Anglo-Saxon Identity Between Origins And Apocalypse, Juliana Marie Chapman

Theses and Dissertations

As the only extant detailed world map of the Anglo-Saxon period, the Anglo-Saxon map, c. 1025, presents a unique opportunity to explore a sense of Anglo-Saxon social identity as evidenced in this graphic worldview. The Anglo-Saxon map has most often been dismissed as an ill-fitting illustration when viewed solely in its manuscript context or an equally poor navigational tool when considered in the context of modern cartography. The purpose of this thesis is to present the argument that the Anglo-Saxon world map is neither simply a bad illustration nor a poorly rendered map intended for travel, but is rather a …

Palembangese In Print: An Nls Look At Literacies, Linguacies, Communicacies, And Culturacies In South Sumatra, Jacob M. Hall

Theses and Dissertations

People have been interacting with print in the South Sumatran city of Palembang for well over a millennium. Most of this literate activity has been carried out in languages other than the vernacular. Even now, the vast majority of print in the public realm in Palembang is in Indonesian, English, Arabic, and Chinese. And yet there are examples of the local language, Baso Pelembang, in print. This thesis looks for reasons behind these variations from the norm.

After exploring the perspective offered by the New Literacy Studies (NLS), this paper builds upon the foundation provided by these works. Through …

Mikhail Bakhtin's Appropriation In The West And A Needed Return To Primary Texts: A Review Of Authoritative Criticism And A Return To The Idyllic Chronotope In Jude The Obscure, Alaina Hohnarth

Theses and Dissertations

Mikhail Bakhtin's Appropriation in the West and a Needed Return to Primary Texts: A Review of Criticism and a Return to the Idyllic Chronotope in Jude the Obscure

Crafting Authenticity, Allison N. Schumacher

Theses and Dissertations

Authenticity is what we want from the world around us, from others, and crucially from ourselves and what we make. As it relates to graphic design, I define authenticity as a perceived match between form and purpose. For the designer, its quality is found in the process of simultaneously developing a concept and crafting the design/object.

A Longitudinal Study Of The Educational Advancement Alliance, Inc. Afterschool And Summer Enrichment Programs, Karen E. Nicholas

Theses and Dissertations

By all accounts there is a crisis in the American educational system. From government officials at all levels to educators, both practitioners and researchers, the question of how to reconnect with America's youth is debated on a daily basis. Solutions to the problems are suggested, debated, and sometimes tested. One of the topics that is often deliberated is the impact of supplemental educational programs. In an effort to address issues of academic skill deficiencies and college preparedness, the Educational Advancement Alliance (EAA) was founded in 1990.

The intent of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the impact of the Educational …

Ethnographic Literary Journalism, Christel Lane Swasey

Theses and Dissertations

Leon Dash and Ted Conover have modeled an ethnographic approach to literary journalism. This approach combines literary journalism's compelling narrative techniques with ethnographic “naturalist-like” (Brewer, 2000) thoroughness and trustworthiness. Rosa Lee: A Mother in Urban America, by Leon Dash, and Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing, by Ted Conover, exemplify this painstaking method that skillfully uses the narrative craft, generates trustworthy data, and contributes to an academic body of knowledge as well as exposing findings to the general public. Dash, Conover, and others have demonstrated the synergy and problem-solving potential of merging anthropology with literary journalism, yet there is no …

Standing In The Center Of The World: The Ethical Intentionality Of Autoethnography, Nicole Wilkes

Theses and Dissertations

Emmanuel Levinas's philosophy of ipseity and alterity has permeated Western thought for more than forty years. In the social sciences and the humanities, the recognition of the Other and focus on difference, alterity, has influenced the way we ethically approach peoples and arts from different cultures. Because focus on the ego, ipseity, limits our ethical obligations, focusing on the Other does, according to Levinas, bring us closer to an ethical life. Furthermore, the self maintains responsibility for the Other and must work within Levinas's ethical system to become truly responsible. Therefore, the interaction between self and Other is Levinas's …

The Human Side Of Change: Towards A Pragmatic, Evolutionary Conception Of Cognition And Emotion In Organizational Change, Jason Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation synthesizes and analyzes an emblematic sample of three prevalent psychological approaches to organizational change and learning, giving particular attention to the conception of cognition and emotion. It also explores some of the philosophical and psychological assumptions undergirding these approaches. A web model depicting various epistemological influences is offered as a tool for exploring influences on the psychological research within and beyond this study. A second conceptual model is also offered as a tool for considering the hierarchical treatment and preferential placement of cognition over emotion theory and practice. The project draws on general philosophy, psychology, evolutionary theory, and …

We Latter-Day Saints Are Methodists: The Influence Of Methodism On Early Mormon Religiosity, Christopher C. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Historians have long noted Joseph Smith's early interest in Methodism. Demographic studies of early Mormon converts have demonstrated further that many of those attracted to the Mormon message on both sides of the Atlantic came from Methodist backgrounds. These two points, and the many similarities between Methodist and Mormon beliefs and practices, have led many scholars to suggest that Smith's church was influenced by the Methodists who joined the movement. This thesis explores the Methodist backgrounds of those Methodists who converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1830, when Joseph Smith formally organized his church(originally called …

Literary Case Histories And Medical Narratives In Nineteenth-Century Britain, Travis Wade Austin

Theses and Dissertations

Literature and medicine are not usually seen as related disciplines, but scholars have already begun producing fruitful scholarship regarding historical and aesthetic interactions between them. This thesis adds to that scholarship by examining medicine and literature in nineteenth-century Britain. More specifically, Thomas De Quincey's Confessions of an English Opium-Eater and Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde both use nineteenth-century medical case conventions to tell their stories. Furthermore, because both works deal with addiction, divided selves, and the power that physical substances can have on morality and character, these two works provide an excellent comparison coming …

A Longitudinal Study Of The Enrollment Patterns Of Fulltime, First-Time Degree-Seeking Recent High School Graduates At A Community College, Ramsaran Ramoutar

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the enrollment patterns of first-time, full time recent high school graduates enrolled a community college. This longitudinal study focused on students who were enrolled at Cumberland County College in the fall of 2002 through the fall of 2008. Enrollment and transfer patterns and graduation rates were explored for the sample population of 209 students who came from all ethnic background. The databases of the Cumberland County College and the New Jersey Higher Education Clearing House were examined in order to retrieve the relevant information. The study revealed that although financial concerns impacted the educational outcomes, there was …

Puppets, Pioneers, And Sport: The Onstage And Offstage Performance Of Khmer Identity, Marel Angela Stock

Theses and Dissertations

Most tourists visiting Cambodia only seek to visit the World Heritage Site of Angkor Wat. The Cambodian, or Khmer people are capitalizing on this booming tourist industry, but they are also disseminating a more complex Khmer identity through other sites and festivals. This identity simultaneously hearkens back to the affluence of the Angkor Period in Khmer history and looks forward to the modernization of the country. After the reign of the Khmer Rouge, from 1975-1979, which led to what is now called the Cambodian Killing Fields, the Khmer people needed to create a new, hopeful, peaceful identity for their nation. …

Building School Connections Through Integrating Extracurricular Programs, Grete E. Gerber

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop an integrated extracurricular program and evaluate its effectiveness on improving middle school students' emotional connectedness to the school. The integrated extracurricular program provided an opportunity for a diverse group of students to work cooperatively as a team toward a common goal.

The program's first extracurricular activity was a Haunted House event which was utilized for this study. Participants in the study included 232 students and 21 staff members. Two separate surveys were administered to the student and staff participants. Each survey resulted in general opinions about the effectiveness of the integrated extracurricular …

Using Author Studies To Incorporate Multicultural Literature Across The New Jersey Core Curriculum, Carol Lynn Raines-Sapp

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to incorporate one author's work of multicultural literature to determine its significance in other subject areas within the New Jersey Core Curriculum exclusive of Language Arts/Literacy curriculum. It was to provide media specialists and classroom teachers with integral skills, concepts and ideas found in multicultural literature. The study used one author study, Virginia Hamilton, and one culture, African American in its evaluation within the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards. The study showed that readability level of the selected works by Virginia Hamilton was excellent for students in grades four through six. Also, it …

Social Ties And Team-Member Exchange As Antecedents To Performance In Networking Groups, Jeffrey Pollack

Theses and Dissertations

The present research examines the role of social ties and team-member exchange quality (TMX) in enabling small business owners involved in formal networking groups to gain access to new business. I report on data from two studies. First, initial data from a pilot study of 23 small business owners in networking groups revealed that more numerous social ties and more positive perceptions of team-member exchange quality (TMX) predicted performance outcomes. Specifically, individuals who had more numerous social ties within a networking group, and who reported higher TMX perceptions of their group, received significantly more referrals to potential clients compared to …

Modes Of Participation: Co-Creative Approaches To The Design Process, Carissa Henriques

Theses and Dissertations

This project explores the notion of participation within the graphic design and problem-solving process. Through projects using generative tools and collaboration, I explore ways to instigate controlled participation from designers and non-designers. I observe and document how the methods and means of participation affect the creative process during these projects.

Comparative Study Of The Ritual Aspects Of Western And Asian Performance, Hyung Don Lee

Theses and Dissertations

This comparative study focuses on ritual aspects of Western and Asian performance. We may say that ritual in contemporary theater production has limitation to become realization. The limitation arises from contemporary period’s nature. We know that these days we do not have common or collective psyche. However, some theatre artists are trying to get back ritual function and process to recover real communion between spectator and performer throughout performance.

A Culturally-Relevant, Emergent Approach To Exploring The Needs, Strengths, And Priorities Of Tribal Communities In Virginia, Amy Prorock-Ernest

Theses and Dissertations

Little is known about the health of the indigenous peoples in Virginia. When compared to the total U.S. population, indigenous peoples nationwide disproportionately experience disparities in health status across multiple health indicators. Research shows that these disparities are largely due to the inequitable distribution of social and economic determinants present within indigenous communities. Because the indigenous peoples of Virginia are affected by inequitable social and economic conditions, there is reason to believe that health indicators may mirror that of the indigenous population at-large. Outlined in this paper is a framework for exploring the needs, strengths, and priorities of indigenous communities …

From Mass Consumer Society To A Society Of Consumers: Consumption And Community In Late Modernity, Matthew Russell Colling

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines a late-modernity model of society where consumption is the conduit through which individuals meet society. This model is contrasted with Wilkinson's (1991) model that sees the community as the place where individuals make contact with society. Using Brown et al.'s (1996) Outshopping Index, residents of two rural Mississippi Delta communities were asked how often they shopped for 30 consumable items outside of their communities both in 1996 and again in 2007. Logistic regression demonstrates a significant interaction effect between year and outshopping such that outshopping was significantly and positively associated with community sentiment in 1996 but not …

Obesity, Adiposity, And Satiety In Mouse Models Of Smith-Magenis Syndrome And Dup(17)(P11.2) Syndrome, Brooke Burns

Theses and Dissertations

Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) is a complex disorder caused by haploinsufficiency of RAI1 and characterized by sleep disturbances, behavioral abnormalities, mental retardation, and obesity in teens and adults. Rai1+/- mice are obese after 20 weeks. Dup(17)(p11.2) syndrome is a complex disorder associated with overexpression of RAI1. A transgenic mouse model of dup(17)(p11.2) syndrome overexpresses Rai1 and results in a mouse that is growth delayed. In order to characterize the obese phenotypes of mouse models of SMS and the role of RAI1 in obesity, daily food intake and serum levels of insulin, glucose, PPY, and leptin were measured; adiposity was studied by …

Distribution, Function, And Value Of Parowan Valley Projectile Points, Aaron R. Woods

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis primarily addresses the quantities and distributions of Fremont projectile points in the Parowan Valley. First, I review previous research performed in Parowan Valley and outline currently accepted projectile point analysis and typology methods. I also review ethnographic data surrounding the function and value of projectile points. Then, I provide the results of an analysis of all projectile points in the Parowan Valley Archaeological Project collection. I note the large amount of projectile points in this collection and compare it to projectile point counts from other large Fremont sites.I also note chronological patterns in Parowan Valley using projectile points …

Perceptions Of Spirituality And Perceptions Of God Image: A Qualitative Study, Christopher Elson Peck

Theses and Dissertations

The vast majority of people living in the U.S. report that spirituality is an important part of their life. Ironically, the field of psychology has largely ignored the spiritual beliefs and experiences that so many people see as central to their well-being. Empirical study of spirituality, along with people's differing perceptions of their relationship to God, is a viable area of study for psychologists. This dissertation examines both spirituality and God image and the relationship between these two constructs using qualitative hermeneutic analysis. Findings showed a difficulty defining spirituality among other themes. Findings also showed that individuals' experiences with God …

Paleoindian Lifeways Of Paleoarchaic Peoples: A Faunal Analysis Of Early Occupations At North Creek Shelter, Utah, Bradley A. Newbold

Theses and Dissertations

Recent archaeological research within the American west, especially the Great Basin (e.g., Graf and Schmitt 2007), has perpetuated the notion of decreased residential mobility accompanied by increased diet breadth of hunter-gatherer groups during the Early Holocene. The earliest occupations at North Creek Shelter (NCS), a multicomponent site in south-central Utah, date to this time, specifically the Paleoarchaic (~10,000-9000 BP) and Early Archaic (~9000-7500 BP) periods. The zooarchaeological data from these levels were analyzed to determine whether Paleoarchaic occupations on the Colorado Plateau possessed greater residential mobility and narrower diet breadth than those of the Early Archaic, as they do in …

Residential Mobility Of Paleoarchaic And Early Archaic Occupants At North Creek Shelter (42ga5863): An Analysis Of Chipped Stone Artifacts, Mark L. Bodily

Theses and Dissertations

Early human activity in the arid west has been of interest for many researchers over the last century. However, relatively little is known about Paleoarchaic occupants of the Colorado Plateau and Great Basin because stratified Paleoarchaic sites in these regions are rare. Linked with the climatic Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene transition, the Paleoarchaic to Early Archaic transition has also captured interest in the central Great Basin with recent data coming out of Bonneville Estates Rockshelter—a site containing Pre-Archaic and Early Archaic components in eastern Nevada. These new data provide a model for testing differences in the chipped stone assemblage inferring changes …

Fremont Site Distribution In The Upper Escalante River Drainage, Deborah C. Harris

Theses and Dissertations

A Fremont site distribution model for the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument during the period A.D. 500—1050/1100 posits that the Fremont subsistence strategy (seasonal mobility with dependence on both agriculture and hunting/foraging) is reflected by a site pattern of low-investment, seasonal or short-term habitation sites and isolated storage facilities at "lowland" elevations, and high-investment, long-term residence sites at "upland" elevations (McFadden 1998, 2000). This research assesses the model to evaluate its general precision, looking particularly at its success in modeling site locations for long-term residential versus seasonal/short-term habitation sites. A database including more than 400 Fremont sites was created to evaluate …

An Exploratory Social Network Analysis Of Military And Civilian Emergency Operation Centers Focusing On Organization Structure, Joseph D. Legradi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to explore how United States Air Force Emergency Operation Centers (EOC) compare to civilian EOCs with respect to their task-based social networks and decision making social networks. Multiple measures were explored to understand the networks, which included analyzing key metrics of the network such as closeness centrality and betweenness centrality, centralization of the network, and comparison of structural holes within the networks. These measures were then used to suggest improvements for the organizations to improve performance and more importantly, interoperability. The results of the study showed that in this data set there were several …

How Reading Can Shape Us As Literary, Cognizant, And Ethical Human Beings, Namely Witnesses, Yukiko Yamasaki

Theses and Dissertations

The juridico-symbolic violence, which includes or excludes the survivors of the Holocaust and wartime rape in Bosnia from the legal category of a witness, shapes the reader's bodily engagement with texts. The MA program of Gender and Women's studies and the institutional networks with the English and Comparative Literature and Law department at AUC have facilitated my reading of three main texts: a novel about wartime rape in Bosnia S.: A story about the Balkans, a particular world map rendering of the former Yugoslavia, and the judicial opinions found in a landmark case regarding wartime rape in Bosnia, Kunarac. My …

Parentage Statements And Paired Stelae: Signs Of Dynastic Succession For The Classic Maya, Daniel Moroni Stewart

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to describe and document parentage statements and paired stela found on Maya monuments or portable objects. While the existence of parentage statements, within the Maya text, has been known since the late 1970s, no thesis or major research project has ever been published pertaining to this class of glyphs within the Maya script. In 1977 Christopher Jones is credited with the discovery of parentage statements in Maya hieroglyphic texts (Jones 1977). His discovery was followed by a detailed analysis of parentage statements by Floyd Lounsbury, Peter Mathews, and Linda Schele (1977). They introduced most …