Digital Commons Network^™

Irreverent Womanhood: The Healing Of Intergenerational And Cultural Trauma In The Chicanx And Latinx Sonic Poetry Of Amalia Ortiz And Melissa Lozada-Oliva, Yasmine A. Gomez

Theses and Dissertations

The connections between nontraditional forms of literature and spiritual activism lie within the resistive practices of Chicanx Feminism. This thesis argues that cultural healing and social change is dependent upon the recognition of trauma as a step towards enacting social justice. Additionally, this thesis focuses on the figure of Coyolxauhqui and indigenous motherhood to reveal procedures for change. Through the theory of trauma, this thesis examines the nontraditional Chicanx/Latinx poetry of Amalia Ortiz’s sonic rock opera, Cancíon, Cannibal, Cabaret, & Other Songs and Melissa Lozada-Oliva’s novel in verse, Dreaming of You.

My investigation into the breaking of gendered …

Semantic Overflow Of Powerful Feelings: Digital Humanities Approaches And The 1805 And 1850 Versions Of Wordsworth's Prelude, Dylan Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

Scholars have repeatedly contrasted the 1805 and 1850 versions of William Wordsworth’s The Prelude since the discovery and publication of the former by Ernest De Sélincourt in 1926. Points of contention have included the 1850 poem’s grammatical revisions and shifts toward greater political and religious orthodoxy. While these discussions have waned in recent decades, digital humanities tools allow us to revisit oft-debated texts through new lenses. Wanting to examine scholarly claims about The Prelude from a digital humanities perspective, I collaborated with Dr. Billy Hall to enter both versions of the poem into a data analysis and visualization tool, which …

Not In This House, Satan! An Integrative Framing Analysis Of Body-Positive Posts On Instagram, Gladys Mana Momade

Theses and Dissertations

Scholars have associated the portrayal of idealized images of the body on social media with the negative body image of users, which manifests as several mental health problems such as eating disorders, body dissatisfaction, body dysmorphic disorder, depression, and anxiety in users. To tackle this issue, body-positive (BoPo) influencers on Instagram, having achieved a state of positive body image, post verbal and visual messages to advocate against normative ideologies that foster the negative body image of social media users. These messages have some implications for health communication and body image research. This study analyzes body-positive influencers’ self-assertion and self-expression in …

An Investigative Analysis Of Fernando Sor’S Introduction And Variations On “O Cara Armonia” From Mozart’S The Magic Flute, Luke James Nolan

Theses and Dissertations

Fernando Sor provides directions for fingering his Introduction and Variations on “O Cara Armonia” in the specific beaming and notation of the work. Although there are numerous publications of Sor’s Op. 9, most fail to provide elegant fingerings for his difficult passages. In these editions, the editor either failed to understand Sor’s intentions rendered in the notation, or disregarded Sor’s technical practices in favor of modern technical practices. Both avenues will lead to a disastrous reproduction of the work. While the piece may offer a challenge for the guitarist, the technical difficulties of Sor’s Op. 9 should not be readily …

Violence, Rebellion, And Compromise In Chinese Campus Cinema ----- The Comparison Of Cry Me A Sad River And Better Days, Chunyu Liu

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the social critiques in Chinese campus films by viewing their development and cultural context. Social Criticism, a prominent trend in Chinese cinema, addresses a wide range of widely concerned social issues, including education, romance, marriage, politics, environmental concerns, psychological repressions, etc. It appears that a Chinese mainland woman filmmaker and a Hong Kong professional director echo each other on the same theme. They are inspired by similar genuine events and share many similarities in the way they orchestrate the relationships and backgrounds of the characters. However, the two films retain their different characteristics. This thesis will discuss …

“We Are Created Inferior To Men”: Leveraging Horsemanship To Reinforce Gender Expectations, 1830-1861, Gabrielle Marie Mccoy

Theses and Dissertations

Horses have played a central role in human society since 3500 BCE when humans began domesticating and riding horses in large numbers. Horses continued to be important to human society during the nineteenth century as people used horses to drive industrialization, manage plantations, and transport goods, among other uses. Although historians and anthropologists have long extolled the horse’s laboring value, this paper views the horse and horsemanship (i.e., horseback riding, horse training) in a social context. Through the examination of newspapers, fictional literature, and manuals, this paper argues that Americans used horses and horsemanship to reinforce antebellum gender expectations. Reinforcing …

From Derby Tracks To Surf Shacks: Reflections Of California’S Changing Cultural Landscape Through Artistic Renditions Of Recreation 1930s-1960s, David Walls

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this thesis is to analyze works of art originating in the state of California during the 20^th century to better understand how sports and recreation were used as a subject matter to reflect upon the state’s changing cultural landscape. This changing landscape encompasses a wide range of social, cultural, economic, and political topics, however, the topics of race, migration, and economic strife are the most consistently reflected in the artistic production of this time and must be emphasized. Scholarship of art created within this region and timeframe has neglected the impact of recreational subject matter and …

The Theory Of Intonation: Boris Asafiev And The Russian Piano School Tradition, Polina Golubkova

Theses and Dissertations

Boris Asafiev was one of the leading musicologists whose Theory of Intonation is a philosophical and aesthetic study that comprehensively explains the historical and theoretical aspects of musical art. The Theory of Intonation is the methodological basis for music disciplines in Russia, including piano pedagogy. The purpose of this study is to create a source that explains Asafiev’s philosophical and aesthetic vision of the concept of intonation and to show how it can be applied to piano pedagogy. This study is also intended to translate and codify the Theory of Intonation and to provide examples of its implementation in any …

Learning To Let Go: Becoming A More Collaborative And Compassionate Director, Catherine Joy Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines all the directorial projects I’ve had the pleasure of working on throughout my time at UofSC, both as an assistant and as a director. Because I am completing my MFA without the mentor I originally started this journey with, my path has not been linear but, instead, a series of stepping stones in all shapes and sizes, guided by different directors and unofficial mentors who have various styles and approaches to theatre. These projects have molded my directorial approach in different ways, and I have become a better collaborator and leader because of them. This thesis examines …

Adaptation And Art: An Examination Of The Costume Design Process In A Global Pandemic, Kyla Ann Little

Theses and Dissertations

Exploring experiences in the Costume Design and Technology Program at the University of South Carolina, this thesis entails the extensive journey from the first trepidatious costume rendering to fully designing costumes for a studio feature film that may be sold to Hallmark. Through a comprehensive curriculum that involved designing costumes for three realized productions, acquiring proficient skills in drawing, painting, digital rendering, patternmaking, and draping, I was able to finish off with an internship semester that encompassed five professional jobs in the industry. My odyssey highlights the ability to adapt to new challenges, including navigating the global pandemic as an …

Not Acting, Reacting: An Analysis Of Reaction Videos, Reactors, Viewers And Authenticity, Cameron Cox

Theses and Dissertations

The digital age has brought about a new type of YouTuber content creator, the Reactor. Reactors film their supposed first-time reaction to various online videos including trailers, film, television etc. Reactors represent a new performance mode at the intersection of audience member and performer attempting to recreate a lost sense of community in an increasingly digitally mediated world. The act of filming one's reaction calls into question the authenticity of a reaction however, it is this very authenticity that drives Viewers to watch the content made by Reactors. Using reaction videos to the first year of Marvel Studios Disney+ shows …

Art Education As A Tool Of Feminist Resistance In Iran ( 1979-2022 ), Sedigheh Fathollahzadeh Dizaji

Theses and Dissertations

Art Education as a Tool of Feminist Resistance in Iran is a thesis that explores the use of art education as a form of resistance against patriarchy and gender inequality in Iran. Iran's historical and cultural background is examined in this study, along with the effects of the Islamic Revolution and the place of women in society. I interviewed Iranian female artists, art educators, and activists using an ethnographic research methodology to learn about their perspectives on using art education as a form of resistance. This research explores the various ways that art education can be a tool of resistance, …

The Aerial Refueling Asset Basing And Assignment Problem, Camryn E. Deames

Theses and Dissertations

With growing tensions in the European theatre and Indo-Pacific theatre, the constraints of aerial refueling impede the missions of Air Mobility Command and USTRANSCOM in their execution of both the National Security Strategy and National Defense Strategy. Introducing and integrating semi-autonomous aerial refueling aircraft is a logical next step due to advantages in endurance, survivability, runway requirements, and fuel offloading capacity. This research frames the Aerial Refueling Asset Basing and Assignment Problem with two model approaches: a baseline model and a fuel shuttle concept model. Whereas the former model considers instances with only manned refuelers or only semi-autonomous refuelers, the …

Poverty Depiction In Egyptian Films Across The Decades: A Comparative Content Analysis Of Framing Poor Characters In Egyptian Cinema Between 1955 And 2010, Moustafa Abdelfadil Daly

Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the framing of poverty in Egyptian film productions during a 55-year period from 1955 to 2010. It uses a qualitative analysis to identify and analyze main characters depicted to be poor in films produced under three political eras; Gamal Abdel-Nasser, Anwar El Sadat, and Hosny Mubarak. It analyzes the frequency of featuring poor characters and whether the depiction of poor people was favorable or unfavorable based on three constructs; accountability of poverty, heroism, and honesty. Out of 41 main characters studied, 22 were found to be poor, with Nasser's era witnessing the highest representation of poverty. Most …

“W”: Women In Afropop Entertainment At The Intersection Of Race, Gender, Sexuality, And Culture, Coreen Robledo

Theses and Dissertations

Performing artist uses a personal and historical viewpoint as a catalyst to discuss some women's challenges in the Afropop and African entertainment by offering social, patriarchal, cultural, and sexual contexts that the writer argues construct the images, reputations, decision-making, and circumstances of Brown and Black women in the entertainment industry.

New Music For A New World: Robert Ashley’S Television Operas, Nicole Kaack

Theses and Dissertations

Robert Ashley defined the majority of his works as “television operas”—spoken narrative music for television broadcast. Analyzing Ashley’s works through their cross-disciplinarity, this thesis addresses the development of Ashley’s chosen medium; assesses his use of visual, linguistic, and musical structures; and interprets their basis in American cultural identity.

The Case Of The Disappearing Owner: Do Dogs Show Behavioral Evidence Of Violation Of Expectation?, Rita Kanagat

Theses and Dissertations

The What the Fluff challenge became a series of viral YouTube videos that started in 2018. In the videos, a person stood behind a blanket in a doorway in front of their dog and lifted and lowered the blanket revealing and obscuring themselves, and finally disappearing with a final blanket drop. The dogs’ reactions were varied but were suggestive of a violation of expectation response. We conducted a community science study that employed methodologies consistent with the What the Fluff Challenge paradigm that were conducted in the owners’ homes with their dogs. Each owner was required to run a control …

Exploring Teachers’ And Administrators’ Perceptions Of Steam Education In K-12 Schools And Its Implications On The Development Of Steam: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Method Design, Royce J. Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed method design was to investigate, identify and document the similarities and differences in perceptions when implementing a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education between teachers and administrators at the K-12 level. Throughout this process, teachers’ and administrators’ beliefs and perceptions towards STEAM instruction were analyzed to determine how they perceived, interpreted, implemented and sustained this new initiative. The problem, however, is that studies have demonstrated that educators have a limited understanding of STEAM content knowledge (CK), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), as well as low self-efficacy in teaching STEAM concepts, which results …

Gender, Sex, And The Body In Medieval Armenia, Ashley Bozian

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates textual representation of the body, gender, and sexuality in Armenian chronicles produced between the fifth and eleventh centuries CE. In so doing, it reconstructs the development of Armenian somatology between Zoroastrian and Islamic suzerainties. Specifically, the dissertation examines the modalities by which the body functioned to medieval Armenian cognition as the locus of identity and alterity through the deployment of such devices as the following, to each of which is devoted a chapter: masculinity, femininity, archetypes of sexual morality, legislation of sexual conduct, sexual experientiality (in both temporal and eschatological dimensions), anatomy, and violence. As such, the …

Laying Out A Space: Spectral Geographies, Fictions Of The Soul, Erin D. Yerby

Theses and Dissertations

Laying out a Space: Spectral Geographies, Fictions of the Soul, arises out of my artistic practice, and thoughts behind my current project and MFA exhibition, Spectral Geographies.

Linking the problem of the world ‘out there’ or external space, to inner experience through painting as both medium and practice, my work expresses what I call inner geographies, spaces where intimate immensities, folding inside and outside, find expression. I think of my paintings as beginning with this gesture of laying out a between-space where the intimacies of waking dreams and visions are opened by, and grow into, actual places, …

The Use Of Dance And Movement For The Embodied Healing Of Interpersonal Trauma In Women And Girls: A Systematic Review, Catherine Xinyu Liang

Theses and Dissertations

Interpersonal trauma is a serious and devastating problem for women and girls from all walks of life. Research has shown that there are physiological consequences for experiencing trauma, and as such, treatment for trauma may need to target the body. Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) has been emerging in the current literature as one body-oriented treatment approach that is effective in helping women and girls heal from interpersonal trauma. This review examines how practitioners are currently using DMT for this population, what treatment outcomes have been observed, and what the racial/ethnic identities and international contexts are for survivors who have benefited from …

Client Perspectives On Effective Psychotherapy: A Systematic Review And Foundation For A Consilient Psychology, Sam Han

Theses and Dissertations

This study will explore client perspectives on what works in psychotherapy in an effort to elucidate critical ideas for more consilience, or the unity of knowledge, in the field of clinical practice. The objective is to generate a theory from the data that can serve as a foundation for an eventual unified model of psychotherapy. A qualitative narrative synthesis approach was taken using grounded theory principles to analyze data from common factors outcome research. The results appear to confirm prior findings on the importance of interpersonal dynamics and the therapeutic relationship. The data demonstrates a potential connection between interpersonal factors …

Generational Theory As A Lens For Approaching Musical Theatre History, 1943-2023, Or A Strange Loop, Ben J. Lundy

Theses and Dissertations

In 1991, William Strauss and Neil Howe published generational theory in Generations: The History of America’s Future, 1584-2069. Though critiqued, Strauss and Howe’s generational theory suggests that American history occurs in cycles characterized by four distinct generational turnings or moods that occur approximately every eighty years, roughly the span of a human life. Though the theory has been applied to American history, usually through a political and economic lens, this thesis will focus on the most recent Millennial Cycle and apply the theory to the development of Broadway musical theatre history. Innovative musicals such as Oklahoma! (1943), Hair (1968), Rent …

The Wehrmacht Experience In World War Ii, Tyler Masterson

Theses and Dissertations

German soldiers who were in the Wehrmacht during World War II faced many different experiences from the beginning of the war when it seemed they were in control to later parts of the war were they were being driven back by the Allies. Along with the different experiences from different times of the war, they also faced different experiences when it came to what front they were fighting on. Fronts and theaters that stretch from North Africa and the Mediterranean Campaign to Eastern Europe and Russia to Western Europe. When it comes to the troops that were fighting in the …

Utilization Of Occupational Therapy Services For Patients With Cancer In Acute Care Settings, Christine Mcnichols

Theses and Dissertations

For patients with cancer diagnoses, effects from the disease or as a result of cancer treatments can cause profound impairments impeding patient functioning and independence. These assaults to the independent achievement of activities have far reaching implications and linkages to a patient’s length of stay and their likelihood of a hospital readmission. Unfortunately, occupational therapy services have frequently been found not to be ordered for patients with cancer, even when there have been demonstrated functional deficits and needs. Through the analysis of patient records from a National Cancer Institute hospital over 5 years, the current study investigated occupational therapy services …

Emergent Trends Of Contemporary Dramatic Recontextualization: An Exploration Utilizing Eugene O'Neill's Mourning Becomes Electra, Cameron M. Nickel

Theses and Dissertations

The art of adaptation in the realm of drama has undergone an easily recognizable evolution in the past couple of decades, from the work of Sarah Ruhl to Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. This evolution has opened doors to an altogether new form of adaptation in the theatre: dramatic recontextualization. While the two forms are built upon a foundation of shared aspects, there are certain observable and quantifiable delineations between the two artistic forms. As this trend continues to grow exponentially in the world of theatre, it is important to further research the origins and methodologies of contemporary dramatic recontextualization, both to provide …

A Methodology Of Paradoxes: Investigating Authenticity In The Representation Of Queerness On The Contemporary Stage, Kendall C. Walker

Theses and Dissertations

In my experience as a queer theatre practitioner, performer, and student, I have always had questions of ownership and authenticity when it comes to LGBTQIA+ narratives on the contemporary theatre stage. The question of: “Who is allowed to tell what story?” and the many complex ideas that this leads to, is what has inspired this thesis and my own pedagogy of intersectionality and inclusivity.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the relationship between authenticity and queerness on the contemporary stage in order to develop a methodology for how all theatre practitioners—no matter their identity—can effectively tell queer-identifying stories …

Incorporating Noh Training Into Contemporary Western Theatre: An Examination Of The Benefits To Implementing Noh Theatre And Suzuki Training Into Western Performance Pedagogy, Baylee A. Holloran

Theses and Dissertations

Noh theatre is a traditional Japanese theatre practice that focuses on isolated and intentional physicality and separating actor personality from character. It is an imaginative and heightened performance that differs greatly from Western theatrical realism. This thesis examines Noh theatre, its origins, and why it should be more implemented into Western acting pedagogy. I start by describing what Noh is as an art form, from the ritualistic aspects to how it is staged and performed. Then I outline the religious and historical significance of Noh and how they are showcased in its storytelling and performance. I analyze the pedagogies of …

To, From: Of Time, Of Distance, Of Body And Mind, Fanxi Sun

Theses and Dissertations

This paper introduces the concepts, theories, and techniques associated with my thesis project “To, From.” The paper consists of three parts: Time as Structure, Distance as Premise, and Body and Mind. Each chapter is written in a mixture of personal narration and a general introduction to materials that are directly or implicatively relevant and important to the creation of my project. In this experimental narrative comprises film screening and live performance with multi-channel sound, I tell a story of non-story. Words and the exchange of words, movements and non- movements, objects that are being handled and subjects that are handling... …

From Silence To Forte: Developing An Inclusive Space For Persian Musicians To Flourish, Sholeh Salimi

Theses and Dissertations

Music serves as a reflection of culture and conveys various emotional and intellectual states, such as a nation's perspective, social attitudes, and historical background. However, the Iranian revolution in 1979 led to the ban of music by the new regime, limiting the output and audience for Iranian music. In addition, the emergence of Western music accessibility through technology posed challenges for traditional Persian music, and the government's restrictions on music further compounded the problem. To support and advance the preservation and dissemination of Iranian music, this study aims to explore how an interior designer can create a space that enables …