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Decoding Literary Aids: A Study On Issues Of The Body, Masculinity, And Self Identity In U.S. Aids Literature From 1984-2011, Alexander Shimon Abrams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rather than waiting decades to respond, novelists of nearly every literary genre began conceptualizing the AIDS epidemic shortly after the first documented case of the virus in the United States in 1981. Writers, feeling a sense of urgency, wasted little time constructing didactic texts that differ from much historical fiction in that they were written as the tragedy they are commenting on occurred. However, AIDS literature has changed as the disease has spread well beyond the gay communities of San Francisco and New York, causing people to reexamine their longstanding beliefs on masculinity, sexuality, and body politics.

My Master's thesis …

Jurors’ Subjective Certainty And Standards Of Proof: The Role Of Emotion And Severity Of Charge In Subjective Probability Judgment, Yimoon Choi

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Recent empirical research suggests that jurors struggle to understand and correctly apply the standard of proof. Many researchers have focused on methods to re-write jury instructions so that standards of proof are clearer and easier for jurors to understand. This dissertation suggests the fundamental cause of jurors’ confusion concerning standards of proof is that jurors may use different decision processes (intuitive decision processing or systematic decision processing) and decision indices (objective probabilistic judgment or subjective confidence) depending upon their transient emotions or the seriousness of charge.

Study 1 assessed whether experiencing particular emotions (sadness or anger) could change mock jurors’ …

Assessing The Correlation Between Terrorist Attacks And The Limiting Of Muslim Immigration Due To Anti-Islamic Sentiments, Ratna Okhai

HIM 1990-2015

In the last 12 years, since the devastating attack on the United States Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, the global community has become increasingly wary. The continuing terrorism on July 7, 2005 on the United Kingdom subway system increased tensions between citizens and immigrants in these countries. I use these two countries to examine the consequences effects that these terrorist attacks have had on, in particular, the Muslim immigrant population. In addition to that, I use Germany as a control, since it has not faced a major terrorist attack, yet has a substantial Muslim immigrant population. In the United …

High School Dropout: A Study Of Parental Perceptions Of Dropout And Prevention Strategies, Daniel Garcia

HIM 1990-2015

Dropping out from high school is becoming a growing trend that necessitates new and more powerful intervention strategies to be utilized. Large numbers of adolescents between the ages of 16- 24 have been shown to receive no high school diploma or equivalent. The effects of dropping out are far reaching, with many students who dropout facing depression and alienation that may lead to other negative consequences. This research focuses on the need for preventative action against the issue of dropout. One hypothesis to be tested is whether or not current dropout prevention techniques can be applied to students who are …

Animal Cruelty: The Nexus Between Admonishable Violence And Sanctionable Criminal Acts, Natalie Donis

HIM 1990-2015

In recent years, animal cruelty has stirred into the limelight as society has given the issue further consideration. State and federal laws as well as the establishment of diverse non-governmental organizations exist to abate animal cruelty, but such institutions have lagged in creating effective control mechanisms in spite of the growth of this modern day pandemic. This thesis will discuss animal cruelty, the types of cruelty, legislative developments, correlation of animal cruelty to violence among humans, and ways to strengthen control mechanisms. Credible findings have indicated a propensity for offenders of animal cruelty to escalate their acts of violence towards …

The Meaning Of Being In Speech: Language, Narrative, And Thought, Leah Kaplan

HIM 1990-2015

In this thesis I will follow the works of Jacques Derrida and Hans-Georg Gadamer, reconciling both thinkers by providing a reflection on the necessary and foundational conditions for the experience of meaning. A reflection on Jacques Derrida's formulations on différance, trace, absence, presence, clôture, and hospitality, alongside Gadamer's critical hermeneutics on the aesthetics of play and interpretation will open up this tension and provide a new relation for the possibility for meaning. By reconciling these two philosophers it will become apparent that the Self-Other relationship, the activ-ity of difference,and the trace, all condition a space for heterogeneity within linguistic, hermeneutic, …

Breach Of Allegiance: The History Of Treason Charges In The U.S., And Its Rebirth In The Age Of Terrorism, David Lewis

HIM 1990-2015

The purpose of this thesis is to provide a legal history and analysis of how the treason clause has been utilized since the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1789. Further, the United States and the United Kingdom share not only a historical parallel of the meaning and use of the charge of treason, but also an abandonment of using the charge today. This thesis will provide an in-depth legal history of treason charges in the United States, along with its close parallels in historical evolution and usage to that of the United Kingdom. Focusing prominently on treason throughout United States …

Greyhound, 1984, Lisa K. Sandlin

Writer’s Workshop Faculty Publications

In "Greyhound, 1984," fiction writer Lisa Sandlin grabs and holds onto the reader with terse, rhythmic language, unique imagery, and a story that's both unsentimental and poignant.

Let’S Discuss: Teaching Students About Discussions, Eve Brank, Lindsey Wylie

Academic Publications

Research consistently demonstrates the benefits of employing classroom discussions; however, there has been less attention given to teaching students about discussions. The current research compared 2 advanced social psychology courses: 1 without (control) and 1 with (experimental) a week devoted to learning about and discussing discussions. Several different indicators showed marked improvements for the experimental group as compared to the control group. The differences between the two classes were particularly noticeable at the beginning of the semester. Even though the control group was able to eventually obtain similar scores, the differences at the beginning of the semester suggest that students …

Bench Presence: Toward A More Complete Model Of Federal District Court Productivity, William G. Young, Jordan M. Singer

Penn State Law Review (2003 - Present)

No abstract provided.

Advance Organizers In Secondary Special Education Resource Classrooms: Effects On Student Engagement Behaviors, Lisa King

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Student engagement and appropriate behaviors are essential for effective instruction in secondary special education classrooms. Research suggests that proactive engagement strategies and interventions can have a greater effect on overall classroom behaviors than negative consequences. A single case experiment measured the effects of expository advance organizers on academically engaged behavior, respectful behavior, and disruptive behavior in the special education self-contained resource classroom. The single-case A-B-A-B design for this study evaluates these components of student engagement during academic instruction over a four-week period. Three secondary special education small-group resource Language Arts classes from a Northeast Georgia high school comprised the subject …

An Analysis Of The Correlation Between The Christian Education Context Of The Local Church And The Biblical Worldview Of High School Students, David Scott Rutledge

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether a significant relationship exists between the Christian education context of the local church and the Biblical worldview of high school students. This investigation assessed the Biblical worldviews of senior high school students who have basic knowledge of Christianity but different levels of involvement in church-based Christian education. The study used the PEERS Worldview Test and compared students' scores to their self-reported involvement in the main worship services, Sunday school classes, and youth services of their churches and their parents' church attendance. The results showed little to no correlation between church …

A Phenomenological Investigation Into The Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Teachers Who Have Persisted In The Teaching Profession, Shana Market Norton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study investigated the lived experiences of 12 secondary school teachers from public secondary schools in northern Georgia regarding their feelings about self-efficacy and why they have persisted in the teaching profession. The research questions centered around their perceptions on how self-efficacy influences the academic achievement of their students, on what personality characteristics they feel teachers add to their positive or negative self-esteem in teaching, and on what factors they identify as influencing their professional self-efficacy in teaching. Teacher self-efficacy, the belief in oneself to succeed at completing a task, is a key factor in retaining teachers. Four data …

To The Jew First: A Socio-Historical And Biblical-Theological Analysis Of The Pauline Teaching Of `Election' In Light Of Second Temple Jewish Patterns Of Thought, Anthony Thornhill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Paul's "doctrine" of election has remained a controversial and enigmatic topic for centuries. Few studies, however, have approached Paul's doctrine through the context of Second Temple Judaism. This study examines Paul's view of election through the lens of Second Temple Jewish texts written prior to 70 CE. In doing so, it is argued that the best framework through which to view Paul's discussion of election is through a primarily corporate model of election. While such a model is rooted in Judaism, Paul departs from his Jewish contemporaries in arguing that the locus of election is in God's Messiah, Jesus.

A Plan For Developing An Effective Community Outreach Strategy For Churches In The Northeast, Roscoe Lilly

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Community outreach is an essential part of a church's mission to be "salt and light" to those around them. Community outreach creates the crucial platform for a church's evangelistic efforts. While many churches want to reach out to their community, few have a clear understanding of how or where to begin. The purpose of this project is to help churches in the Northeast better understand how to increase their community's receptivity to the gospel through a strategic community outreach plan. The project will use NorthStar Church as a case study. It is the aim of this project to demonstrate how …

Assessment Of Organizational Culture In Chiropractic Education And Its Influence On The Implementation Of Revised Accreditation Standards, Karen A. Bobak

Education Doctoral

Developing and implementing a change process to demonstrate alignment with updated accreditation standards is a challenge that is currently facing all chiropractic colleges across the United States. The purpose of this study was to identify the current organizational cultures of the 18 CCE accredited doctor of chiropractic educational institutions within the United States and to assess if there are characteristics of the organizational cultures that support or resist the implementation of change. Using a mixed method sequential explanatory design, this study gathered quantitative data from the faculty and administrators of these institutions through the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) (Cameron …

Render Unto Rawls: Law, Gospel, And The Evangelical Fallacy, Wayne R. Barnes

Faculty Scholarship

There are many voices in American politics claiming that various candidates, laws and policies are necessitated by a “Christian” worldview. Many of these voices use explicit public rhetoric that their position is the one compelled by “Christian” principles. Although religious voices have been present in the United States since its founding, the volume and urgency of the voices seems to have increased dramatically in the last several decades, during the so-called “culture wars.” These voices famously come from the Christian Religious Right, advocating socially conservative laws on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage. But there are also voices from …

So You Want To Have A Second Child? Second Child Bias And The Justification-Suppression Model Of Prejudice In Family Responsibilities Discrimination, Kyle C. Velte

Buffalo Law Review

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of The Perceptions Of Music Educators And School Administrators Regarding Trends In Secondary Curricular Offerings And Implications On Student Body Participation, Leigh Falconer

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to understand the perceptions of music educators and school administrators regarding current practices in curricular offerings as they pertain to music education. These included experienced and anticipated changes to the music curriculum, music education participation rates, barriers to music participation, and school and music course ethnic composition. From a regional perspective, music teachers and administrators were surveyed to determine if perceptions regarding any of the above items varied significantly between the groups. Total potential subjects were selected through random stratified sampling (in Washington) or all music educators (Oregon and Idaho) (n = 922). …

Price And Store Image As Mitigating Factors In The Perception And Evaluation Of Retailers' Customer-Based Brand Equity, Hagai Gringarten

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Developing, improving, and achieving sustainable advantage is becoming more challenging than ever before. This is due in part to the complexity and the rapidly changing marketing environment. No matter how strong brands are, it is getting harder to achieve and sustain brand equity. Increasingly, firms realize that branding is one of the most valuable intangible assets that firms have. This study aims to provide a better understanding of customer-based brand equity (CBBE) in the era of super brands.

Consumers often base their buying decisions on impressions of price and store image. The objective of the study was to acquire an …

Calibration Of Microscopic Traffic Flow Models Considering All Parameters Simultaneously, Victor Hugo Molano Paz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study proposes a methodology to calibrate microscopic traffic flow simulation models. The proposed methodology has the capability to calibrate simultaneously all the calibration parameters as well as demand patterns for any network topology. These parameters include global and local parameters as well as driver behavior and vehicle performance parameters; all based on multiple performance measures, such as link counts and speeds. Demand patterns are included in the calibration framework in terms of turning volumes.

A Simultaneous Perturbation Stochastic Approximation (SPSA) algorithm is proposed to search for the vector of the model‟s parameters that minimizes the difference between actual and …

Coping With Pediatric Cancer: Conversational Methods Utilized By Parents And Children When Dealing With Pediatric Cancer, Chelsi Morgan Walls

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study analyzed how people perceived parents should communicate with their child regarding pediatric cancer treatments. When dealing with pediatric cancer, it is vital that parents and their child communicate about the illness in order to effectively cope with the cancer. Using Uncertainty Management Theory, appraisals, inferences, and illusions, are examined in this study to discover how much affect-management and buffering would be used to manage the illness. Under UMT, the coping mechanisms of affect-management (i.e., religious coping and behavioral disengagement), and buffering (avoidance and child distraction) depend upon how individuals appraise the uncertain situation (positive vs. negative), the inferences …

"The New Economy": Utilizing Creative, Cultural, And Innovative Industries For Sustainable Socioeconomic Development In Fiji, Salvin Nand

Pacific Studies

Today, creative, cultural, and innovative industries are becoming important differentiators and drivers of competitiveness and economic development in many regions of the world. Creative industry has many characteristics, including being knowledge intensive and of high economic value. These characteristics determine that the development of creative industry not only directly promotes economic growth but also drives upgrades of other industries, thereby promoting economic growth indirectly as well as directly. The Pacific region has long been projected as a pristine paradise with vast cultural, natural, and biological resources that have unique opportuities for sustainable economic development in Pacific Island countries. Pacific Island …

Vol. 36 No. 1/2 (2013): Pacific Studies Full Issue, Et Al Miranda Forsyth

Pacific Studies

Pacific Studies is published two times a year by The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies, Brigham Young University Hawai‘i #1979, 55–220 Kulanui Street, Lāʻie, Hawai‘i 96762, but responsibility for opinions expressed in the articles rests with the authors alone. Subscription rate is US $26.00 yearly, payable to The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies. The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies (formerly The Pacific Institute) is an organization funded by Brigham Young University Hawai‘i. The Center assists the University in meeting its cultural and educational goals by undertaking a program of teaching, research, …

Music In Traditional Exchanges In North Vanuatu, Monika Stern

Pacific Studies

Music is a social phenomenon all owing the possibility of indefinite recreations. Depending on the cultures, places, and times, musical exchanges have been locally managed in various ways. Today the tights to copy a particular music are a sensitive topic of current international interest because of the development of the music industry. In Vanuatu custom, a principle close to the concept of intellectual property rights has existed for centuries for music or other intangible knowledge. Traditionally, not everyone has the right to hand over certain parts of this knowledge; complex rules must be observed. Although for most sets of music …

Medicaid Expansion, Long-Term Care Financing In Retirement States And The Post World War Ii Birth Cohort, Toni P. Miles

Center for Policy Research

This policy brief contains a formal consideration of ideas discussed during a presentation to the 2012 Syracuse Seminar on Aging. Like most briefs, it will appeal to policy makers and academics craving detailed demographic, fiscal and policy data. Before diving into this brief, I would encourage readers to view the presentation video (available at http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=bsv8K7DdJFY). As you will see, the seminar was informal and the discussion was wide ranging. In contrast, this brief focuses on limitations faced by states as they finance longterm care. It is primarily concerned with the Medicaid expansion and growing need for care as the …

Restore Public Trust Through Deliberative Public Policy Formulation, Antun Mardiyanta

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

Public trust is a very essential and fundamental element to the legitimacy of public administration. Moreover, the local government is obliged to serve the community. Without public trust, many policies may have serious problems. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain and enhance public trust. A highly committed public trust will allow public administrators to receive good judgment, which is, necessary in the policy-making process. This paper is carefully seeing through some findings of a deliberative public policy formulation, especially in the planning and budgeting areas. The qualitative study was conducted in the Probolinggo regency from 2008 to early 2011. Data …

Three Essays On Social Health Insurance In Developing Countries: The Case Study Of Ghana, Stephen Ofori Abrokwah

Dissertations

More than 2 billion people live in developing countries with health systems constrained by inequitable access and inadequate funding. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 150 million of these people suffer financial breakdown every year having to make unexpected out-of-pocket expenditures for emergency care.

To improve health and reduce the financial burden on households, a number of developing countries, including Ghana, Colombia, and Peru, have recently introduced social health insurance programs which are heavily subsidized. The dissertation is a collection of three essays looking at how individual health care choices changed as a result of the availability of …

Coveting The Backstage: A College Student Audience Study Regarding Authenticity Construction In The Reality Television Viewing Process, Lisa Marie Kruse

Dissertations

Television is a major staple of daily life for those who live in the United States and reality television has persisted as a primary genre of television programming. While it is unclear just how much reality television (RTV) viewers are watching, the genre’s dominance in primetime lineups suggests that RTV is a main type of programming viewed by television audiences.

Many audience studies have focused on the primary motivations for viewing the genre of reality television converging on four: to satisfy psychological desires (voyeurism, vengeance, and status); to connect with others; to socially learn; and the “quest for authenticity.” The …

Factors Affecting Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing Students’ Selection Of A Deaf-Serving Institution: Deaf Identity Influences On College Choice, Pamela L. Carmichael

Education Doctoral

Student-university fit leads to increased satisfaction with a student’s postsecondary institution and has a positive effect on college completion (Braxton, Vesper, & Hossler, 1995). As increasing numbers of deaf and hard-of-hearing students elect to attend college (Newman, Wagner, Cameto, Knokey, & Shaver, 2010), the relationship between college choice and completion points to a need to better understand how students make their college decisions. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, the present study examined factors that influence deaf and hard-of-hearing students’ college choice and explored how deaf identity influences selection of a deaf-serving institution (DSI). The theoretical framework for the study was …