Digital Commons Network^™

Black Women Social Studies Teacher Education Professors’ Curriculum Decolonization Experiences At Pwis: A Narrative Inquiry Study, Jametta Clarke

Theses and Dissertations

Social studies education at predominantly White institutions in the United States centered Whiteness and Eurocentric knowledge production. In response, Black women teacher education professors employed decolonization strategies to illuminate marginalized voices. This narrative inquiry study explored Black women social studies education professors’ curriculum decolonization experiences at PWIs to understand the unique and vital place Black women teacher education professors held in decolonizing the social studies teacher education curriculum, approaches employed during the process, and ways in which they coped with decolonial resistance. Participant interviews, artifacts, and field texts were collected and analyzed to understand Black women faculty’s decolonization experiences and …

Regional Variations In Nabataean Jewelry, Emily Marie Yankura

Theses and Dissertations

The use of jewelry is just one of many avenues for individual self-expression, but even in the most individualistic society it is also a reflection of certain cultural norms, values, and expectations. This thesis is an analysis of Nabataean jewelry in burial contexts from the three main regions of the ancient kingdom - Medina Selah, the Negev, and Petra – with the aim of reaching a better understanding of Nabataean culture through their jewelry. The types of jewelry, materials used in their construction, and many other variables are compared and reveal unique regional variations within an overall Hellenistic style.

Spatial Patterns In Anthropomorphic Fremont Rock Imagery Of Central Utah, Alyssa Pitts Merrill

Theses and Dissertations

Rock imagery from the late Fremont period (1000-1300 AD) has captivated the interest of both professional and avocational researchers for the past century. In this thesis, I apply a highly systematized method of cataloguing and analysis to 482 anthropomorphs from Clear Creek Canyon (CCC) and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument (GSENM). The primary theoretical assumption in this thesis is that the shapes used in anthropomorphic imagery convey ideas about how the Fremont saw people. I therefore recorded the head and body morphology and presence of arms, legs, and genitalia of each anthropomorph. By observing the data spatially, I discovered both …

A Story Of State Transformation In The Global South: Limited Statehood And Governance In Post-Syria Lebanon, Jodor Jalit

Theses and Dissertations

This research thesis analyzes security governance in areas of limited statehood in the context of state transformation. Specifically, it examines the impact of the 2005 Syrian military withdrawal on the Lebanese state in the realm of security. Briefly, the thesis unveils the coexistence of state and non-state groups and the engagement of non-state actors in state-like practices. That is, it assesses the impact of the 2005 Syrian military withdrawal on the Lebanese state to reveal the relationship its new configuration, relationship with non-state actors, and emerging governance practices. In that sense, this thesis pretends to contribute to the larger body …

Peace-Building And Stability After Civil Wars: The Cases Of Angola And The Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Ali Elsharkawy

Theses and Dissertations

Why do some rebel groups successfully establish stable and sustainable states after civil wars, while others fail? Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are two African countries that experienced long and bloody civil wars. Despite the commonalities, the two cases strongly diverged in the political outcomes after civil war. Angola successfully made the transition to stability and prosperity, while the DRC slipped back into violence. This thesis compares and contrasts between the two peace- building processes in both countries. The results illustrate that two main variables made the difference between the two cases, the geography of the capital …

Understanding Policy On The Move: The Workings Of School Policy And Teachers’ Emergent Positioning Through Narrative, Ryan Kerr

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the ways that school policies are understood and taken up by teachers. A review of the relevant literature suggests that much school policy, even that which is explicitly designed to ameliorate inequities that exist within schools and school systems, often have an inverse effect. It is also established that teachers, for many reasons, often subvert school policies in their daily practice. Using a transliteracies framework, this study seeks to explore the intimacies of these disconnects for teachers through a close look at their narratives surrounding school policy and the ways that certain policies affect their identities. This …

Bitcoin And Stock Market Return Correlation: A Sectoral Analysis Of The S&P500, Michael Narouz

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis studies the correlation between Bitcoin returns and stock market price returns for the S&P500 US stock market index by dividing the index into 11 sectors based on the industry and checking for correlation between Bitcoin returns and the returns of the stocks in each sector individually. The GARCH model is used due to its ability to account for the empirical phenomenon of volatility clustering that is usually present in financial time series datasets such as those used in this thesis. The results show statistically significant positive correlation between Bitcoin returns and stock market returns for all 11 sectors, …

A Comprehensive Analysis Of The Integration Of Esd Competencies In A Primary Four Curriculum In Egypt: A Case Study, Aya Elkholy

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines the integration of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) competencies within the Primary Four Science Curriculum in Egypt under the Education Reform Project EDU 2.0. ESD competencies are viewed as essential for empowering citizens to address real-world challenges. Utilizing a qualitative research design, the study employs document and content analysis of the teacher guide of the Techbook to investigate the incorporation of these competencies. Additionally, interviews are conducted with science teachers to gain insights into the application of the curriculum design. Interviews with curriculum developers directly involved in the curriculum development process with the Egyptian Ministry of …

Dreams Of An Elsewhere Or Aspiring To Stay? Navigating Anxious Youthhood And Migration In Morocco, Chaimaa Radouani

Theses and Dissertations

Migration in Morocco has long been a topic of scholarly and public debate, with a particular emphasis on low-skilled labor migration. Nonetheless, there is still a significant need to figure out the aspirations of educated, skilled youth regarding their desire to move or stay in the country. This thesis investigates the aspirations of educated youth in Casablanca, Morocco, and how they are influenced by the changing dynamics of contemporary Morocco. It addresses youth aspirations and migration by examining the elements affecting their decisions within the context of the country’s current economic, social, and political contexts. The primary focus of this …

Crafting Lives: Experiences Of Ethiopian Refugees In Cairo, Nayrose S. Abd El-Megid

Theses and Dissertations

There has been an ongoing influx of refugees for years driven by political instability, famine, and prolonged conflicts in the region, leading many individuals to seek sanctuary in other countries. Egypt has become a host country for many years, whether for settlement or transit, for various populations from different nationalities hoping to find refuge. However, amidst this influx, Ethiopian refugees often find themselves overlooked or usually associated on the sidelines with other African nationalities; their stories and struggles are marginalized in broader narratives of displacement. The experience of Ethiopians is heterogeneous and multidimensional in terms of their intersectional identities of …

Processing The Kaay Collection: Reeling In The Am Era, Dora L. Bradley

Theses and Dissertations

The KAAY Collection of reel-to-reel tapes was received at the Central Arkansas Library System at the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies and stored in the archives temporarily before being sent for digitization. The collection was not fully processed. This project was to include organizing and labeling the materials before cataloging descriptive information about each reel-to-reel tape. Further plans included digitizing and collecting metadata from each reel, as well as creating finding aides for the materials before they could be stored in the archive. Though a deed of gift was signed awarding ownership of the collection to the archive, interviews and …

Digital Technology Usage Behaviour Among Unorganised Retailers In Tamil Nadu, Karthik Ram M

Theses and Dissertations

Unorganised retail, consisting of small local shops offering various products, holds a significant market share of 81.50 %, according to the India Retailer Report (2023). Despite the burgeoning e-commerce and organised retail sectors, unorganised retail remains a preferred shopping choice for many consumers.

In response to the sector's potential, several startups have emerged, aiming to support kirana stores. While these startups have primarily focused on horizontal solutions to enhance efficiency, there is a growing need for tailored solutions addressing the specific requirements of unorganised retailers.

Introducing the Dukantech (Dukan in hindi meaning ‘Shop’) model as a solution, this approach enables …

Motivations For Habitat Management Of Private Lands In The Southeastern United States: Implications For At-Risk Species, Caleb Michael Blake

Theses and Dissertations

Private lands play a crucial role in protecting at-risk species in the Southeast, and finding ways to increase landowner participation in conservation efforts is essential. I surveyed non-industrial private forest owners in Mississippi to assess how their motivations for land management relates to their willingness to manage for at-risk species. I also assessed if landowners who hunt are more willing to manage for at-risk species. Results showed that landowners are motivated by a sense of stewardship for the land, but there is a lack of awareness about at-risk species. Although the effect size was minimal, there is a significant relationship …

Jackson, Mississippi Food Security Efforts: Understanding The Current And Future Foodscape, Natalie Rosemary Bowers

Theses and Dissertations

In Jackson, Mississippi, basic needs like access to food and water are critical issues. This research reveals efforts and actors working to improve food access within Jackson’s foodscape. This study uses interview and mapping methodologies, which unearth the challenges and opportunities for food efforts in Jackson. Current food work is analyzed through a cultural lens – How is the work influenced by the unique conditions and aspects of Jackson? – and a temporal lens – How does time impact access? What are historic changes and future visions for Jackson? These investigations contribute to opportunities for developing sustainable food systems, determining …

Effect Of Metaphylaxis In High-Risk Stocker Heifers On The Nasopharyngeal Microbiome, Resistome, And Antimicrobial Resistance Of Mannheimia Haemolytica, William Byrn Crosby

Theses and Dissertations

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the leading cause of morbidity in feeder and stocker cattle, resulting in large impacts on economics of stocker and feedlot operations. One of the most effective means of controlling BRD is the mass administration of antimicrobials (AM) at arrival or “metaphylaxis”, potentially leading to increased antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Mannheimia haemolytica (MH), the most commonly isolated bacterial pathogen in BRD cases in feedlot cattle, has been shown to have integrative-conjugative elements (ICE), which are mobile genetic elements that have the ability to integrate themselves in the host genome. Notably, these ICE have been shown to contain …

Collective Bodies And Individual Experiences: The Case Of Chamber Tomb Four At Nikoleika Aigio, Achaea, Greece​, Daniel David Dillon

Theses and Dissertations

The end of the Bronze Age was a tumultuous period throughout the Mediterranean, seeing the fall of the major palatial economy in Greece. This project seeks to reconstruct the lived experiences of individuals interred at the Nikoleika cemetery in eastern Achaea, utilizing a variety of methods to analyze biological profiles and pathological conditions. Through the analysis of the 55 burials of Chamber Tomb Four, it was found that low levels of pathology and the presence of locally-produced goods may emphasize the self-sufficient nature of Achaea during the Bronze Age. The osteobiographies of three primary burials also revealed a great deal …

Insect Management Strategies Using Insect Growth Regulators In Mississippi Soybean, Sawyer Clayton Hopkins

Theses and Dissertations

Soybean looper and corn earworm are economically damaging pests in Mississippi soybeans. Chemical control plays a large role in the control of these pests. Some producers have started applying an automatic co-application of insecticide and fungicide at the R3 growth stage. Insect growth regulators are a commonly used insecticide for this management strategy. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the impact of insect growth regulators on soybean looper and corn earworm mortality when applied with an automatic fungicide application at the R3 growth stage in soybean. Insecticide treatments included methoxyfenozide, diflubenzuron, and novaluron. These insect growth regulators showed …

Where’S The Food? Food Insecurity And Black Food Geographies In The Mississippi Delta, Taylor Patterson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the historical and contemporary roots of food apartheid in the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta, while employing a Black Food Geographies approach to highlight and interpret the lived experiences of people in the Delta. This work draws on interviews and participant observation in Clarksdale, Mississippi, to decenter popular narratives around food insecurity and region and instead center the ideas and opinions of people directly impacted. The thesis highlights Black Deltans’ experiences and understandings of food and foodways to provide a nuanced picture of how residents interpret, negotiate, and challenge the region’s unequal food geographies in light of a longer history …

The Performance Of Participation In The Medicare Quality Payment Program, Mary Atkinson-Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aims to explore the performance of health provider participation inthe Medicare Quality Payment Program by investigating the relationship among the performance metrics of value and quality and the capacities of geography, technology, finance, and administration. There is a theory-practice gap in the research that examines the impact of these capacities on the value and quality of clinical services delivered by healthcare providers participating in the Medicare Quality Payment Program. The study will address this theory-practice gap by applying the capacity-performance paradigm to better understand the influences of geographical, technological, financial, and administrative capacity have on the performance of …

Wordflight, Joey Gonnella

Theses and Dissertations

Exploring subjects revolving around the nature of images, language and their subsequent disseminationn through time, this paper weaves together seemingly unrelated topics from the hot air balloons of the Franco-Prussian war to the envelope poems of Emily Dickinson.

Default, Noah Pica

Theses and Dissertations

“Default” explores the formation and maintenance of normalcy, uniformity, and banality in American life. Noah Pica starts with the visual language of lined paper, prefabricated objects, model-making kits, and blueprints. He reforms these structures through a sculpture practice, investigating how their design inconspicuously implements social norms.

Archaeomalacological Studies In The North Atlantic Islands, Kelly A. Mclafferty

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis expands upon the archaeomalacological narrative of the North Atlantic islands (the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Orkney) from the mid-8^th through the 20^th century. The main objectives are to identify exploited mollusk populations and ecological zones; investigate the roles of mollusk exploitation; contribute to laboratory methods of marine shell.

Judaism, Conversion, And The Limits Of Christian Orthodoxy: The Jewish Identities Of Joseph Wolff And Michael Solomon Alexander As Detailed In Their Memoirs And Missions To Palestine, Michael Iodice

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the Jewish identities of the Anglican missionaries Joseph Wolff and Michael Solomon Alexander by examining their conversion memoirs and evangelical missions to Palestine. It argues that they used Protestant biblical exegesis to emphasize their Jewish heritage and its importance in Christian prophecy.

A Taste For The Distasteful: The Aesthetics Of Gore In The Giallo And Horror Films Of Mario Bava, Thais Casado Bignardi-Engstrom

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the Italian experience with horror in cinema in both psychoanalytic feminist and cognitive Marxist critical film theories through a study of visual renderings of excessive violence and sex in gothic and thrillers known as giallo films created by the film director Mario Bava. This is an art historical study that looks at Bava’s work against the Italian cultural landscape in the post war period.

A Spatial Decision Support System For Rent Estimation Of Retail Spaces In Manhattan Using Geographically Weighted Regression And Spatial Regression, Andie M. Migden Miller

Theses and Dissertations

This report outlines an automated, three-phase Spatial Decision Support System that creates models to estimate rent of retail spaces across Manhattan. First, enrich data with predictors. Second, optimize spatially aware neighborhood-level models by combining GWR, spatial regression, and non-spatial regression. Finally, visualize results in an Esri-based WebApp.

“Here’S My Brown Soul!”: Identity And Transformation In Tejano Music, Joseph Guzman

Theses and Dissertations

The music genre of música tejana, known later as Tejano music, is the musical celebration of Texas-Mexican, or tejano, identity and transformation. This paper explores and reflects on the topics of transformation, identity, and current state of Tejano music, including first-hand experiences and recent conversations with Tejano musicians.

Papering Over Colonial Legacies: Chinoiserie, Chinese Wallpaper, And Exotic Obfuscation At Harewood House, Carolyn J. Bishop

Theses and Dissertations

Harewood House is an estate emblematic of eighteenth-century evolutions in aesthetic philosophy, capital flows and social dynamics in the British empire. Built by the Lascelles family, it embraces an eclectic neoclassical decorative style that includes chinoiserie. This thesis argues that this exoticizing decorative strategy, and particularly its Chinese wallpaper – as both fine art and consumer good – translated the Lascelles' fortune, amassed through colonial exploits in the Caribbean, into advancement through domestic British hierarchies.

Land Surface Temperature Change In New York City, 1985-2023: A Historical Analysis, Andrew Kittredge

Theses and Dissertations

Intra-urban land surface temperature change is not well studied outside of a land use land cover change perspective. To address this research gap, this thesis studied the effect of biophysical change and recent development on land surface temperature (LST) change in New York City from 1985 to 2023. Mean summer values of land surface temperature, transformed difference vegetation index (TDVI), and albedo were computed for New York City census tracts during 1985 – 1994 and 2015 – 2023, along with measures of development activity since 2015. A spatial Durbin error model (R²: 0.939, RMSE: 0.538°C) significantly related TDVI …

Melancholic Maestrae: Gender, Genius, And Self-Fashioning In Baroque Female Archetypes, Rebecca Digiovanna

Theses and Dissertations

Highlighting the fissures that run through Early Modern ideas of manliness and femininity, this paper seeks to describe how, alongside pervasive imagery of pensive gentlemen, female artists of the seventeenth century developed their own deeply symbolic form of melancholic posturing, offering a groundbreaking redefinition of gender and genius in the Seicento.

Chemical Meadows, Nate Dorr

Theses and Dissertations

Chemical Meadows correlates water chemistry and photochemistry in New Jersey’s Meadowlands. A vast marshland transformed by industry and environmental contamination, the Meadowlands today are home to seven Superfund sites. By bathing 16mm film in contaminated waterways, sensitive photochemistry reveals hidden histories.