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Awe Volume 2 (2015), Awe Editors

AWE (A Woman’s Experience)

No abstract provided.

The Future Of Squaw Valley And Alpine Meadows, Brian Friel

Pomona Senior Theses

This paper examines the ongoing conflict between Squaw Valley Ski Holdings and the local Tahoe community and analyzes this conflict within the greater historical context of ski resort consolidation and development across the Western United States.

Bridging The Blue-Green Divide: The Role Of Environmental Ngos In Tackling Environmental Problems In Taiwan, Yttrium Sua

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis attempts to provide a brief historical outline of the environmental movement in Taiwan and the unique political situation that has directly affected how the movement has progressed. Thereafter, it looks at some examples of environmental disputes that have occurred in recent years, paying special attention to the ways the environmental movement has interacted with the government. This provides the background to frame the analysis, which will shed light on the reasons for the current state of distrust and antagonistic interactions between the environmental movement and the government. Finally, the thesis evaluates whether such interactions with the government is …

Reforestation, Renewal, And The Cost Of Coal: Opposing A Manichean Worldview In Central Appalachia, Elizabeth R. Hansen

Pomona Senior Theses

Surface coal mining is a major form of land change and environmental degradation in Central Appalachia. Traditional mine reclamation iresults in unmanaged, unproductive grasslands that fail to mitigate many of the environmental costs of coal mining and are of minimal use to communities. Forestry reclamation is an alternative reclamation tactic that has the potential to address both environmental and socioeconomic concerns in Central Appalachia. A case study of Laurel Fork Mine in Eastern Kentucky is included.

Discovery Islands, Earth Islands: The Theory And Practice Of Island Imagery In Environmental Thought, Naomi A. Bosch

Pomona Senior Theses

Earth Island is a core metaphor of activist thought often applied in Environmental Analysis and related fields as a tool for thinking about the planet’s limited resources. It puts forth the claim that if only we thought of the earth as more like an island, we would better understand our connectivity to other living things and be drawn to develop better and more extensive practices of environmental stewardship. This thesis uses personal accounts of environmental life philosophies and political practices collected from residents of the Discovery Islands in British Columbia as a site for analytical comparison between the theory and …

Looking Beyond Fossil Fuel Divestment: Combating Climate Change In Higher Education, Robin Xu

Pomona Senior Theses

The young fossil fuel divestment movement is altering the landscape of climate change activism on US campuses. Student-run divestment campaigns are now pushing for institutions of higher education to withdraw their investments from the top 200 public fossil fuel companies. Despite student fervor, however, divestment has remained a controversial tactic for combating climate change. The first half of this thesis examines the stated motives of a selection of institutions that have officially agreed or declined to divest, and investigates the hypothesis that pushing for divestment alone will not achieve broad success because it does not appeal to a wide enough …

The Relationship Between Religiosity And Health-Promoting Behaviors Of Pregnant Women At Pregnancy Resource Centers, Natalie Ann Cyphers

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: While religiosity (e.g. prayer, attending church) has been reported to be related to health behaviors in pregnant women, whether religiosity was related to health-promoting behaviors in pregnant women at Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRC) had not been previously studied. The purpose of this research study was to explore the relationship between religiosity and health-promoting behaviors of pregnant women at PRC. PRC are Christian community-based centers with a focus on meeting needs of pregnant women.

Methods: Pender’s Health Promotion Model guided this descriptive correlational study. A consecutive sample included pregnant women who knew they were pregnant at least two months, could …

Recall Of Novel Words In Adolescents Following A Brief Mindfulness Exercise, Anna Lauren Schimmelpfennig

Theses and Dissertations

Mindfulness has been associated with various benefits, including enhanced attention, improved recall, and increased emotional well-being. Previous research has suggested that a brief mindfulness exercise can enhance recall of novel words in female college students. Participants in the current study were 82 students (41 female, M = 14.6, SD = 1.2) from a rural, Midwestern secondary school. Participants were randomly assigned to listen to a 20-minute body scan exercise or a control lecture before learning English-Swahili word pairs. Results revealed no significant effect of group on immediate or delayed recall of word pairs. Additionally, there was no significant effect of …

Civil-Izing Federalism, Brooke Coleman

Faculty Articles

When Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito joined the United States Supreme Court, most commentators predicted it would become more conservative. Indeed, many believed that the reinvigorated federalism revolution under Chief Justice Rehnquist would, if anything, become more robust under the new chief. To a large degree, those commentators were right; the Court has decided numerous hotly contested federalism cases along predictable ideological lines. But there are some important counterexamples in the Court’s federalism jurisprudence. In a list of cases about access to plaintiff-friendly state courts, the Justices seem to abandon their federalism principles. Instead, the liberal wing of the …

U.S. Tax Imperialism, Diane Lourdes Dick

Faculty Articles

This article uses historical and legal analysis to demonstrate how U.S. domination over Puerto Rico's tax and fiscal policies has been the centerpiece of a colonial system and an especially destructive form of economic imperialism. Specifically, this article develops a novel theory of U.S. tax imperialism in Puerto Rico, chronicling the sundry ways in which the United States has used tax laws to exert economic dominance over its less developed island colony. During the colonial period, U.S. officials wrote and revised Puerto Rican tax laws to serve U.S. economic interests. In more recent years, U.S. tax laws have disadvantaged Puerto …

Precarious Existence And Capitalism: A Permanent State Of Exception, Tayyab Mahmud

Faculty Articles

The contemporary neoliberal era is marked by an exponential expansion of contingent and precarious labor markets. In this context, the construct of precarity emerged to signify labor conditions of permanent insecurity and precariousness. Coming at the heels of the era of Keynesian welfare, precarity is mostly seen as an exception to the normal trajectory of capitalist formations. The basic argument of this paper is that under capitalism, for the working classes precarious existence is the norm rather than the exception. Precarity is the outcome not only of insecurities of labor markets but also of capital’s capture and colonization of life …

The Deliberation Paradox And Administrative Law, Bill Sherman

Faculty Articles

Deliberation is a linchpin of administrative decision-making, and is a key basis for judicial deference to the agency’s interpretation of law. But deliberation has a dual valence in other areas of administrative law: it triggers the right to access to agency information in public meeting laws, but bars access in public records laws. This is the first article to identify and explain what I call the Deliberation Paradox in administrative law. This longstanding but unexplored dichotomy has roots in common law history, separation of powers, the purposes of public access statutes, and assumptions about how the government works. But the …

Theorizing The Social Provisioning Process Under Capitalism: Developing A Veblenian Theory Of Care For The Twenty-First Century, Andrew Cumbers, John B. Davis, Robert Mcmaster

Economics Faculty Research and Publications

Thorstein Veblen highlighted a number of human instincts, one of which was the “parental bent.” In contrast to the other “positive” instincts, the parental bent is specifically other-regarding in that Veblen described it in terms of utilizing knowledge for the betterment of society. Veblen’s “parental bent” stresses the social embeddedness of humanity and the human instinct to care. Our ability to care is partially predicated on our social roles and the values embedded within those roles. Critically, this is influenced by the configuration of institutions within a society. Care is grossly under-valued. By drawing upon recent contributions to care in …

The Nature And Frequency Of Countertransference Reactions In Psychoanalysts, Michelle Walker

Theses and Dissertations

Psychotherapist personal factors, often referred to as countertransference reactions, are widely believed to impact the therapeutic process. While the existence of the countertransference is commonly accepted by contemporary psychotherapists, there is continued debate over its nature, quality and therapeutic utility. Further, there have been relatively few empirical studies on the countertransference reactions of practicing psychologists and other mental health professionals. This study aimed to address this lack by examining the frequency and nature of countertransference experiences as reported by psychoanalysts. Additionally, this study sought to explore the relationship between countertransference reactions and patient symptomology as suggested by recent findings (Betan, …

The Rise And Fall Of Self-Esteem: A Critical Review, Reconceptualization, And Recommendations, Tamara Shawn Levy Eromo

Theses and Dissertations

Self-esteem, viewed for decades as psychology’s Holy Grail, has proved to be an elusive and surprisingly barren destination. One of the oldest concepts in psychology, self-esteem likely ranks among the top three covariates occurring in personality and social psychology research. Propelled by the self-esteem movement of the 1970s, it was popularly believed that self-esteem played a significant causal role in determining a wide range of both positive and negative social behaviors. However, the results of a 2003 large-scale literature review showed that it is actually not a major predictor of almost anything, with the exception of positive feelings (happiness) and …

The Forging Of Modern Broadway Sound Design Techniques Amid The Fires Of The Rock Musicals In The Late 1960s And 1970s., Timothy Tracey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

From the ancient Greek theater, through the dawn of the Renaissance, beyond the development of Shakespearean theater, to the Broadway theater boon in the 1920s, sound reinforcement within the theater remained virtually unchanged. Through Broadway's Golden Age, directors and producers relied on architectural acoustics to carry sound throughout the theaters. This is not surprising given that most of the theaters were built in the early 1900s, before the invention of any electric sound reinforcement technology. Moreover, early attempts at amplification in the 1940s yielded dismal results. Eventually, the maturation of the integrated book musical and the invasion of the rock …

Connections Between Voice And Design In Puppetry: A Case-Study, Ryan Skiles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Puppets have been entertaining, educating, and mesmerizing American audiences since the birth of our nation. Both in live theatrical events and TV/film, audiences have watched puppeteers bring their puppet characters to life with clever voice quality choices, unique characterizations, and vivid visual designs. This thesis is a case study that first borrows insight from cartoon character designers, animators, and voiceover actors to provide considerations for voice quality choices, characterizations, and design elements when creating a new puppet character. It then investigates the connections that exist between those three elements once a puppet is fully realized. In order to identify these …

Providing Cultural Balance For Young Americans, Mark Nichols

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children today are increasingly being introduced to tablets and other personal electronic devices at very young ages. Due in part to this, the entertainment industry now has a near ubiquitous presence in America compared to cultural arts. Its influence on the development of children is almost impossible to ignore. My thesis will study an approach to engaging young people by way of location-based projects that synthesize two or more art forms (e.g. theatre arts, literary arts, visual arts) in order to provide a unified effort for cultural arts and also provide balance to the influences of entertainment. Incorporating research, interviews …

When Oppressed Women Attack: Female-Enacted Violence Through Minority American Female Playwrights' Works, Kate Busselle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As an Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors, theatrical violence is something that has always captivated me. When a female combat instructor once told me that even though I throw a great punch I will never be able to use it because women are always on the receiving end of violence in theatre, I wondered if this was truly the case. After a thorough exploration of several works with theatrical violence, I am glad to say that it is not the case. When most scholars examine violence in theatre, the focus is either male-centric or specifically on …

The Artistry Of Accessibility: Creating Theatre With And For Students On The Autism Spectrum, Sara Brunow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Theatre is a place where all can come together and have an experience regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexuality, or ability. As a theatre maker and teaching artist, how do I create inclusion and augment social awareness by designing and implementing theatrical experiences for a specific audience? In this personal exploration of inclusive theatre practices (Sensory Friendly Theatre, Inclusive Arts Integration, and Multi-Sensory Theatre) I will examine my experience of creating and adapting theatre with and for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. My process has a three-pronged approach: adapting an established production using a Sensory Friendly model; adapting an arts integration …

Almost Mirror Image: Exploring The Similarities And Dissimilarities Of Identical Twins In Theatrical Solo Performance, Elizabeth Mignacca

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Almost Mirror Image: Exploring the Similarities and Dissimilarities of Identical Twins in Theatrical Solo Performance Is an exploration of the psyche of identical twins within the context of devised solo performance. The author, an identical twin herself, has long been interested in twins' ability to cultivate both highly independent personalities as well as intensely co-dependent tendencies during development. What can twins tell us about the way we create close relationships and how is their upbringing radically different from the majority of the world that is born alone? Equally intrigued by society's growing technological dependence, the author would like to delve …

A Jew From Nebraska: An Actors Attempt At Stand-Up Comedy, Jeffrey Nathan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stand-up comedy has been a major influence on American culture and has given the "Everyman" the ability to laugh at ourselves. Stand-up comedians have been performing in nightclubs, bars, clubs, and, most importantly, theatres for the past 60 years. Stand-up comedy can take many forms: a monologue of entertaining incidents that form a story, or a string of one-liners, or a succession of jokes. This performance project and thesis is an examination and an attempt at the art form that we call stand-up comedy. It will answer the question of what is the best approach to writing comedy for an …

Folate Conjugated Hyperbranched Polyester Nanoparticles For Prostate Tumor-Targeted Delivery Of A Cytotoxic Peptide Via Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen, Orielyz Flores-Fernandez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Prostate Cancer is the second most deadly cancer in men, after lung cancer. The need for new and effective therapeutics that can constrain prostate cancer progression are challenged by the lack of suitable delivery strategies that target prostate cancer tissue. To study CT20p as potential chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of prostate cancer we proposed the use of targetable hyperbranched polyester (HBPE) based nanoparticles as delivery system. Folic acid was conjugated to the nanocarrier to improve the selectivity of the nanoparticle towards specific cell surface targets in prostate cancer cell lines. Specifically we evaluated LNCaP that up-regulated the PSMA receptor. …

Impact Of Development On Freshwater Turtle Populations Of Coastal South Carolina: An Examination Of Land Use And Road Density, Andre Dominguez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies (Haxon 2000; Steen and Gibbs 2004; Marchand and Litvaitis 2004; Aresco 2005) have demonstrated that urbanization and development have disproportionally adverse affects on female turtles. In order to test this paradigm I caught 301 turtles (primarily Trachemys scripta scripta) in ten ponds (5 impacted and 5 unimpacted) across coastal South Carolina. Not only do coastal South Carolina turtles not follow the same male biased pattern of many other studies, there was an overall female bias (154:95). Turtle metrics were between the types of sites existed as well, indicating larger/older population of turtles in unimpacted sites. Water quality parameters …

A Comparison Of Whole Body Mercury Concentrations Of Mummichogs (Fundulus Heteroclitus) And Atlantic Silversides (Menidia Menidia), Daniel P. Ferons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Few studies have focused on mercury cycling within salt marsh estuaries. Mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus) and Atlantic silversides (Menidia menidia) are two species of forage fish that live year round in South Carolina salt marshes. During high tide, mummichogs feed from the water column, sediment, and off of smooth cordgrass while Atlantic silversides prey upon zooplankton. In this study, total and methyl mercury within mummichogs and Atlantic silversides from Dunn Sound, SC were quantified and compared over four seasons throughout 2014. Gut contents were also quantified and compared to determine if there was a dietary impact on the concentrations of total …

The Fish Kill Mechanism Of The Harmful Raphidophyte Chattonella Subsalsa, Amy E. Grogan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Harmful algae blooms (HABs) and toxins associated with HAB species are a significant threat to the health of marine species and coastal environments. In the South Carolina coastal zone, HABs have proliferated with intensified anthropogenic eutrophication in coastal waters. The raphidophyte species Chattonella subsalsa is a prominent cause of algal blooms resulting in fish kills in South Carolina. Though C. subsalsa is a known ichthyotoxic alga, the fish kill mechanism of this species remains unidentified. C. subsalsa is likely to elicit fish mortality via one of two mechanisms: (1) gill damage induced by cell contact irritation or (2) the production …

Tide-Dependent Predation Patterns Of Piscivorous Fishes In Shallow Estuarine Creeks, Matthew Ross Helms

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The distribution and foraging behavior of predatory salt marsh fishes is shaped by the movements of prey, many of whom seek shelter in shallow and tributary creeks. I hypothesized that the distribution of piscivorous fishes in marsh creek channels would differ with proximity to the mouths of intertidal creeks and with tidal stage. Custom-built trotlines baited with live minnows were deployed during four discrete tidal stages at two microhabitats in main creek channels: (1) adjacent to intertidal creek mouths, and (2) along straight banks in North Inlet estuary, South Carolina. Catch-per-unit-effort of predatory fishes was significantly higher (Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, …

Linking Water Quality And Beach Morphodynamics In A Heavily Impacted Tidal Creek In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Brittany Lynne Hoffnagle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The morphological changes of small tidal creeks, driven by coastal processes, can pose risks to infrastructure and engineered coastlines and often rely on dredging to maintain them. These changes along the beachface can negatively affect the health of associated estuaries where open exchange between the ocean and creek basins is vital. This study used Real Time Kinematic-Differential Global Positioning System equipment to survey a small tidal creek in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina that often experiences migration to the south and requires dredging to maintain an open exchange between the ocean and the estuary. In order to understand the relationships between …

The End Of The Wasp Season, Erin K. Schmidt, Special Collections, Fleet Library

Artists' Books

1 artists' book. Edition of three numbered and signed copies. Title, artist's name, edition statement, and artist's email address written in pencil on paper board which attaches the cover boards in place. Publication date from artist's invoice. "The title of this work is taken from the title of the book 'the end of wasp season' which has been altered into the form of a wasp nest. Nine small whirlwind bound books are nestled into the brood cells, tucked away like larvae. Within the brood cells images of wasps have been rubber stamped in social groupings, but their numbers decrease leaving …

Built For Boyhood?: A Proposal For Reducing The Amount Of Gender Bias In The Advertising Of Children's Toys On Television, Nareissa L. Smith

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

While the last half-century has seen a dramatic increase in the number of US women in the workforce, women remain under represented in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. For years, researchers and social commentators have tried to explain the persistence of this gender gap. Some have even argued that genetic differences explain women's inability to excel in the hard sciences. This Article asserts that the impact of socialization on children's educational and occupational choices has been greatly underestimated. Specifically, the toys that are marketed to boys teach spatial skills that prepare boys for STEM careers. Conversely, the toys …