Digital Commons Network^™

A Content Analysis And Status Report Of Adolescent Development Journals: How Are We Doing In Terms Of Ethnicity And Diversity?, Jason Bernard Lefrandt

Theses and Dissertations

Ethnic minority research in the U.S. is important to study because of the increase of ethnic minorities over the past several decades. Content analyses help to track the progress of ethnic minority research and guide researchers to future areas of study. Journals of adolescence have been analyzed and coded in the following areas of methodology of the article: article topic, article funding by topic, funding agencies, geographic location of sample, and measures used. A steady increase in ethnic minority research by article topic, funding, and measures was found for some groups.

U.S. Ethnic Groups In The Journal Of Family Psychology: A Content Analysis, Jessica Croft Gilliland

Theses and Dissertations

Articles published in the Journal of Family Psychology over a 23-year period (1990-2012) were analyzed for their attention to ethnic groups in the United States. Articles were analyzed in terms of their ethnic population of interest, topic of study, funding sources, sample characteristics, and use of measures. Findings indicated that the journal has showed an increased focus on and sensitivity to issues relevant to ethnic groups in the U.S. However, there are several gaps in research for some groups, especially for Native American populations. Recommendations are offered to family science researchers, psychologists and other mental health professionals and educators.

G.I. Joe V. Jim Crow: Legal Battles Over Off-Base School Segregation Of Military Children In The American South, 1962-1964, Randall George Owens

Theses and Dissertations

Between 1962 and 1964, the U.S. Justice Department, African American military members stationed on southern military bases, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) filed six federal civil suits to end off-base segregation of military children in public schools. These cases took place in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Virginia. Plaintiffs sought to bring civilian cities near federal military bases into compliance with the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown decision. The presence of federal military bases, which had been integrated since a 1948 Executive Order issued by President Harry S. Truman, provided leverage against ongoing …

Lebanon's Shouf Biosphere Reserve: A Protected Area And Sport Hunting, Robert Watkins Bowdoin Greeley

Theses and Dissertations

Fortress conservation, the act of setting aside for conservation goals and protecting them through sanction, coercion, and violence, towards local users has became the paradigmatic understanding of how protected areas are created and maintained. The fortress conservation critique is marked by a preoccupation with the negative livelihood impacts of these areas, portrays animosity and social conflict between local users and the protected areas, is primarily concerned with national parks and clearly defined protected areas, and places state power at the center of the creation and maintenance of protected areas. This dissertation takes the tenants of fortress conservation to task by …

Teaching Distance Education In Library Science: A Comparative Study Of Faculty Satisfaction, Teaching Effectiveness, And Support Services, David S. Adams

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether distance education technologies, institutional support services and/or faculty demographics have a relationship to the job satisfaction of faculty teaching in American Library Association (ALA) accredited master of library and information science programs (MLS) delivered through online distance education. A better understanding of faculty satisfaction in these areas will allow universities to more effectively select technologies and design/maintain support services that can contribute to faculty morale, teaching effectiveness, and program quality in distance education.

The researcher studied faculty in MLS programs because the discipline of library science interconnects academe, information collection and …

Framing The Spaces Unseen In Mason & Dixon, Gregory W. Deinert

Theses and Dissertations

The treatment of the Conestoga Massacre and the (dis)placement of the subaltern in Mason & Dixon are of utmost importance to the novel’s narrative arc. The relative paucity of indigenous voices in Mason & Dixon is important in at least two seemingly contradictory ways: the author simultaneously avoids appropriation, and performs, as it were, the erasure at the heart of the colonial paradigm. Mason & Dixon’s multiple allusions to native peoples never quite amount to an indigenous presence; indeed, they seem only to rehearse a particular ideological outlook in which colonial racial aggression cannot be acknowledged, or perhaps even seen. …

Defining And Displaying Gallo: Language And Ideology In Upper Brittany, France, Sandra Keller

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines discourse practices in and about Gallo, a marginalized Romance language of Upper Brittany, France. Specifically, it explores how various Gallo social actors (advocates, performers, teachers and students) defined, labeled and displayed Gallo, as they constructed it as a language capable of participating in modernity, producing local authority, and forging links with loved people and places.

Gallo was popularly imagined as part of a rural past and dismissed as a “deformation” of French, unlike the Breton language, which stood as a salient emblem of Brittany’s cultural distinctiveness. This dissertation elucidates the ideological and everyday consequences of using this …

From Near And Far: Utilization Of In-Situ And Remotely Sensed Satellite Data From Nasa And Noaa, Jessica Rochelle Price Sutton

Theses and Dissertations

Satellite remote sensing observations have been used for numerous studies to better understand physical and biological properties over varying spatial and temporal scales. Depending on the satellite and sensor, the satellite-derived observations can provide high spatial and temporal resolution for many important physical and biological variables. While there are many limitations in utilizing satellite remote sensing products, there are also many advantages. This dissertation investigates three different applications for satellite remote sensing products to address climatological and ecological concerns. This dissertation is motivated by two overall research questions: (1) How can satellite remote sensing products be used to address important …

The Cultural Politics Of Affective Bureaucracy In Service Delivery To North Korean Refugees In South Korea, Seo Yeon Park

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the affective dimensions and intersecting politics of service operations for North Koreans, focusing on semi-government institutions, Hana Centers in two different regions of South Korea. It probes into how bureaucratic service institutions for North Koreans operate on the ground using affect-laden languages and practices in creating a specific type of clientele subjectivity. This study also points out how the state bureaucracies identifying themselves as “practical” and “neutral” agencies reveal contradictory and fragmented governing which is antithetical to how the state institutions are imagined. There are underlying politics working in the realm of a so-called neutral service agency, …

Satellite-Assisted Assessment Of The Effects Of Human Development On Coral Reefs, Roatan Honduras, Clayton A. Helm

Theses and Dissertations

Human intervention is degrading coastal marine environments on a global scale. Coral reefs are one of the most valuable ecosystems occupying coastal areas that provide a vast majority of consumable fish, recreational activities, and protection from extreme events, such as tropical cyclones. Unfortunately, as human development activities such as the construction of buildings, road infrastructure, and agriculture increase in coastal areas, so do the detrimental impacts on the health of coral reefs. Consequences of coastal development such as pollution, sedimentation, eutrophication, overfishing, and recreational activities have been linked to diminished coral health. A degraded coral ecosystem can often be identified …

Are Gay-Straight Alliances Working ? Advisor's Perceived Role Of And Level Of Success Of Gsas In Combatting The Bullying Epidemic In South Carolina, Jason Paul Bagley

Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological, ethnographic, collective case study examined the effectiveness of Gay-Straight Alliances in public high schools in South Carolina in reducing or eradicating aggression and bullying towards LGBTQ students through the lenses of both queer and critical theories within a framework of social justice. The current study investigated the perceptions of experts and GSA faculty advisors regarding the success of the clubs in reducing or eliminating bullying in South Carolina high schools. The investigation stemmed from the perceived discrepancy between literature on GSAs, which reports that the clubs contribute to a more positive school climate, positive effects on LGBTQ youth, …

Sifting Through The Sand: Adaptive Flexibility In The Middle Archaic Occupations Of The Sandhills Province Of South Carolina, Audrey Rachel Dawson

Theses and Dissertations

Based on a sample of Coastal Plain Middle Archaic sites in addition to lithic debitage data from three Morrow Mountain (7,500-5,500 BP) occupation clusters at the Three Springs site (38RD837/841/842/844), Richland County, South Carolina, this dissertation explores the applicability of a model of Adaptive Flexibility to the Morrow Mountain occupations of the South Carolina Sandhills Province. The model of Adaptive Flexibility was developed to explain the redundant, low-density scatters of lithic debitage and generalized, expedient tools made of locally available raw materials that characterize the Middle Archaic, specifically Morrow Mountain, archaeological record of the South Carolina Piedmont. Multiple lines of …

Enslaved Labor In The Gang And Task Systems: A Case Study In Comparative Bioarchaeology Of Commingled Remains, William D. Stevens

Theses and Dissertations

This study designs and tests an approach intended to confront one of the major problems faced within biological anthropology, the commingling or mixing of human skeletal remains. The first goal of the study is to implement an approach to sorting mixed human remains in order that they can be made amenable to comparative study. Bioarchaeologists depend on an array of measures, preserved in the human skeleton, to assess the lifestyles and identity of past human groups. As many of these measures are preserved within the morphology of different bones, it is imperative that the association and context of remains are …

From Communities Of Practice To Classroom Communities Of Inquiry: Engaging Students In Meaning Construction, Scott Gregory Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Gordon Wells (2001) stated that policy makers and educational planners believe there is a crisis in public education. These individuals talk about improving the “delivery of a standardized education” (p. 172) and creating nation-wide assessments that ensure particular outcomes. On the other hand, Wells (2001) discussed academic researchers who are interested in students achieving “depth of understanding” by emphasizing the importance of inquiry, construction of knowledge, and collaboration. Unfortunately, Wells (2001) also believed that the daily practice of classroom teachers lies somewhere between these two perspectives, meaning their teaching practices may not always align with their teaching philosophy. This research …

Nothing Is The Matter With Kansas: White Southern Exceptionalism In American Politics, Paul White Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

There are two research questions at the heart of this dissertation: Does the American South have a distinct political environment in comparison to other regions? If so, how does this distinction influence American politics? I argue that the American South has long been politically distinct from other regions in the United States. This southern ethos, this southern way of agrarian politics, is predicated on three factors- State Centered Federalism, Racial Conservatism, and Religious Conservatism. I consider these factors in a model I call “The Determinants of Southern Exceptionalism” or the D.S.E. Model. It views the American South as remaining distinctive …

Restoring The Dock Street Theatre: Cultural Production In New-Deal Era Charleston, South Carolina, Stephanie E. Gray

Theses and Dissertations

The Dock Street Theatre project, completed between the years 1935 and 1937 in Charleston, South Carolina, was a New Deal experiment in “historical restoration” funded by President Franklin Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration (WPA). Opening night of the restored theatre signified the transformation of the Old Planters’ Hotel, a dilapidated nineteenth-century resort built on the site of the original 1736 playhouse, into an architectural gem that resurrected the eighteenth-century theatre that was considered the cultural heart of colonial Charleston. The orchestrated recreation of the Dock Street Theatre resulted from the imperative of Charleston’s white elite to foment through architecture a tangible …

Contest Or Congruence: The Effects Of Work/School Conflict And Facilitation On Working College Students, Madeline Mareen Miscenich

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to find out more about working students perspectives on work/school conflict and facilitation. The subjects that participated in the study included students workers of Rowan University employed through the Federal Work Study (FWS) Program in the area of Gloucester County, New Jersey. Data from the subjects were gathered using a quantitative survey design, with items presented in a Likert scale format. The data were analyzed using SPSS Software, and frequency of response, measures of central tendency, and Pearson correlations were examined in order to determine student attitudes regarding work/school conflict and facilitation. Subjects were …

The Effects Of Google Classroom On Teaching Social Studies For Students With Learning Disabilities, Kathleen M. Dicicco

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of Google Classroom on teaching social studies for students with learning disabilities. Six 7th graders with learning disabilities, attending a resource classroom participated in the study. A single subject design with ABC phases was used to evaluate their learning outcomes in both areas of knowledge of content and vocabulary words. During the baseline, students were taught with the traditional way of using textbooks. During the intervention, students were required to complete various assignments using Google Classroom daily for 9 weeks and were assessed by unit tests and vocabulary quizzes using …

A History Of Art Education At Illinois State University, Kayla Hueneburg

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis evaluates the process in which the Art Education teacher preparation program has evolved through the years to reflect the changes in pedagogy in the larger world of education. Illinois State University is regarded for its historical significance as a normal school. This thesis analyzes the successes and changes in the Art Education undergraduate and graduate sequence at Illinois State University from its founding to the current era. The program has undergone multiple modifications to provide attending students with current and informed teacher training. The unique ways in which Illinois State University provides such a service for students in …

A House Without A Roof, Adam Golfer

Theses and Dissertations

A House Without a Roof (AHWAR) is a project that scrutinizes the histories of violence and displacement connecting Europe, Israel, and Palestine. With photographs, appropriated imagery, and texts, I weave together fictions of my family history with representations from Israel’s founding and ongoing military occupation. Ethnic and national identities are ruptured and reassembled as the project interrogates contradictory histories and notions of selfhood. AHWAR questions how we understand global conflict and trauma in light of our individual experience.

The Pilgrimage To Meaning Along The Camino De Santiago, Matthew Carey Greenhalgh

Theses and Dissertations

As Christianity spread throughout the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages, many believers attributed miraculous tales to the Virgin Mary and saints. In Camino de Santiago folklore, the Virgin Mary and Saint James intercede on behalf of pilgrims who cannot resolve a crisis without divine assistance. The Codex Calixtinus, a twelfth-century manuscript, contains such a story that occurs in Toulouse called "The Hanged Pilgrim." In this miracle, an innkeeper frames a pilgrim for theft and the local magistrate sentences the accused to hang as a consequence. However, the Virgin Mary and Saint James spare the pilgrim's life because of his …

Reconstructing Prehistoric Human/Plant Relationships At Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico Through A Microfossil Analysis Of Dental Calculus, Daniel James King

Theses and Dissertations

As part of a multinational project and with the help of other professionals, I gathered and analyzed 110 samples of dental calculus (fossilized plaque) from human remains discovered at Paquimé and the Convento site in the Casas Grandes River valley to identify various microfossils still present in the silica matrix. Once identified, I used the results to reconstruct human/plant relationships present during the Viejo (700-1250 CE) and Medio (1250-1450 CE) periods in and around Paquimé. My data suggest that maize was used throughout both time periods, supplemented by wild plants, and possible marine resources. Further, evidence for cultural food modification …

Student Self-Assessment: Teachers' Definitions, Reasons, And Beliefs, Christopher Daren Andrews

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand how teachers define student self-assessment (SSA), why teachers use or do not use SSA, and to explore how beliefs might influence teachers' reasons for using SSA or not. This study used Ajzen's theory of planned behavior to explore the relationships between teachers' stated beliefs about SSA and reasons for using or not using SSA. I interviewed seven teachers from one high school in the Intermountain West and found that five of the seven teachers in this study used SSA. I found that these teachers' definitions of SSA varied between formative and summative …

We're Friends Right? Dialogical Strategy Effects In Csr Facebook Posts On Perceived Organizational Trust And Authenticity, Casey J. Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

A study examining the effects of public relations' dialogical communication strategies on stakeholder's perceptions of trust and authenticity of organizations was conducted. The experiment was tested on organizational Facebook posts broadcasting a corporate social responsibility message. While "Human Voice" had no affect on perceived trustworthiness or authenticity, Dialogical Loop was found to significantly effect stakeholder perceptions of authenticity, but not trustworthiness. Due to the presence Dialogical Loop in the form of replies to user comments, users perceived the organization as less authentic. Ruminations about possible implications for public relations theory and practice on social media as well as recommendations for …

Resistance In Political Theatre Of Saadallah Wannus, Iman Ahmed Alayyat

Theses and Dissertations

Sa’d Allah Wannūs (1941-1997) was a renowned Syrian playwright whose plays aimed at stimulating audience’s reactions against the impacts of the political situation after the setback of 1967. Wannūs first highlights the complex interrelationship between the rise of power structures and hegemonic rule colored by the leaders’ aspirations. Such collision with inexorable mapping of reality incites the audience to incarnate an inspiring future that is not influenced by the past or co-opted with the complex interrelated power structures. Wannūs portrays a world that the French philosophers Gilles Deleuze (1925-1995) and Felix Guattari (1930-1992) theorize as the “rhizome” in which hegemonic …

Air Mobility Future: Evolving Command And Control Relationships In The Information Age, Ian M. Slazinik

Theses and Dissertations

This research paper analyzes information flow through theater Air Mobility Command and Control (C2) organizations. The purpose is to uncover guidelines going forward to adapt organizational structure and processes to increase the speed and reach of information. These guidelines could assist with improving organizational agility and decision making while adapting to future trends in the broader C2 enterprise. To collect data, the researcher conducted interviews with seventeen C2 experts with experience at various levels of C2, from worldwide to theater Air Mobility C2 organizations, from Air Mobility C2 leadership, to experts in non-mobility C2 divisions. Interview subjects shared their perceptions …

The Role Of Customary International Water Law In Settling Water Disputes By Mediation: An Examination Of The Indus River And Renaissance Dam Disputes, Sayed Shaarawy

Theses and Dissertations

Managing internationally shared rivers commonly lead to disputes among the states sharing the watercourse. In general, these disputes mostly relate to water allocation, equitable and reasonable utilization, and potential for harm. Scholars argue that all of the rules of Customary international water law contradict each other and are vague. According to their points of view, this law is not efficient in resolving these disputes. This paper tries to prove the efficiency of these rules in settling these disputes because they identify the different criteria used to manage internationally shared watercourses. This paper contends that these rules whether substantive or procedural …

Mūhndsīn; Explorations Of The Right To The City, Fatma Saber

Theses and Dissertations

With the majority of the world’s population living in cities, the urban has become a dynamic space where contemporary social relations, gender roles and subjectivities are being recreated. This thesis explores the nexus between the urban and the social spaces it creates, with a specific focus on Cairo. It adopts critical urban theory and the right to the city as theoretical approaches to understanding these dynamics by studying Mūhndsīn a district in the city which combines diverse forms of living and dwelling. The thesis reaches conclusions on the operationalization of the right to the city by focusing on three themes …

Palestinian Rights: A Literary Multiple-Genre Approach, Marwa Mahmoud

Theses and Dissertations

The year 1948 marked a turning point in the Palestinian history and a shift in the process of art production. Nakba constituted drastic changes on the political, social and demographic contexts of the Palestinians. That was necessarily followed by a similar alteration in the forms of expression adopted to articulate the new status quo of the land and its people. The artistry of the Palestinians emerged as surmounting the imposed limitations of Israeli occupation and opened up new spaces for freedom of expression denied to Palestinians. The fragmented Palestinians functioned creatively as they articulated their diverse experiences of displacement and …

Community Engagement And Civic Participation In Education: The Role Of Education In Advancing Social Capital Among Rural Communities. A Case Study Of Usaid Funded Program To Basic Education In Egypt; The New Schools Program (Nsp)- 2000-2008, Yasmine Ali Mohamed Ibrahim

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines e the role of civic participation in education in building the capacities of rural communities and advancing behaviors of democracy through the formation of a culture of social capital among them.