Digital Commons Network^™

America's Best Idea? Identity Politics And Opposition To National Monuments, Christine E. Mackrell

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This research focuses on identity as a source of opposition to national monuments. Whenever a new national monument or park is proposed, it faces almost constant opposition form local residents who often attribute their concerns to economic fears related to land use change, loss of industry, and threats to traditional practices like hunting or fishing. However, in most cases, national parks and monuments actually boost their local economies. Rather than taking an economic approach to analyzing community opposition to national monuments, this research uses identity as a lens to understand why communities continue to oppose new federal park land.

An Examination Of Heavy 30-Day Snowfall Events East Of The Rocky Mountains From 1900-2016, Lauren M. Haas, Daniel O'Sullivan Jr.

Honors Capstones

Winter weather events such as snow and ice storms, and extreme cold air outbreaks produce major damages and large costs across many weather-sensitive sectors. Numerous studies have characterized snowstorms, their regional frequency, magnitude, and related impacts, and others have examined the cumulative role of snowfall and temperature anomalies for a specific month or winter. This study aims to examine a snowfall extreme at a different temporal scale, the greatest 30-day snowfall totals for areas in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains for the period 1900-2016. The initial task of such a study is to identify and map the …

"Pessimism Is Wrong": A Critical Analysis Of State-Sponsored Visual And Verbal Culture During China's Great Leap Forward, Catherine Liberty

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This thesis is an analysis of the visual and verbal rhetoric of China's Great Leap Forward. Comparing propaganda posters alongside with Mao Zedong's speeches an analysis is made into the ways that technology, progress, and the rural and urban sectors are depicted in propaganda. Starting with the analysis of the early period and the trope of mass mobilization the thesis then moves into a discussion of the trope of positivity in the later period, and concludes with an overview of the artist Zhang Yuqing's work. Through the analysis of the trends of mass mobilization and positivity applied to this period …

Fighting Ignorance Of The Middle East And Islam: A Case Study Of Generation Global In A Virginia Classroom, Caitriona Nam Hee Cobb

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

The current research on American public education about the Middle East and Islam shows that there are serious gaps and biases in the present teachings. This is extremely harmful in light of the current political climate, Islamophobia, and the importance of foreign policy decisions made about the Middle East. Informed citizens are vital in influencing how the US will engage with the rest of the world. This thesis endeavors to explore what improvements can be made in the teaching of this field through a case study of a unique program called Generation Global in a Comparative World Religions Class in …

Counter Terrorist Financing: French Case Study, Adrienne Holtzworth

Honors Theses

In this undergraduate capstone honors thesis research project I will discuss the most basic defunding terror framework. I will suggest several responsibilities every financial institution should assume to aid efforts in counter terrorism financing. Lastly, in a case study of France three contributing factors to the heightened terror attacks are analyzed, these include: geographical location, the “outsider” effect, and their complicated past with the Muslim world. Next, each contributing factor is given a few suggested resolutions, resolutions range from tighter border control to radically revising the Code du Travail, from repealing discriminatory laws like those banning the burqa to fostering …

Infrastructural Urbanism: Hybridizing Our Networks, Hannah Boyd

KSU Journey Honors College Capstones and Theses

“The story of people can be told through our infrastructure. In the rise and fall of cities throughout history, the places best positioned for a thriving future have always been those that offer systems to create the lives that we want. And we can see that as the innovations of canals, aqueducts, railroads, and highways did in their time, the kind of infrastructure that we build today matters to our success. If we do it right, it will forever transform our way of life.”
– Ryan Gravel¹

Urban edges are created through interstices, spaces intervening between one thing and …

A Process For Extracting Knowledge In Design For The Developing World, Paden Michael Troxell

Master’s Theses

The aim of this study was to develop the process necessary to identify design knowledge shared across product classes and contexts in Design for the Developing World. A process for extracting design knowledge in the field of Design for the Developing World was developed based on the Knowledge Discovery in Databases framework. This process was applied to extract knowledge from a sample dataset of 48 products and small-scale technologies. Unsupervised cluster analysis revealed two distinct product groups, cluster X-AA and cluster Z-AC-AD. Unique attributes of cluster XX-AA include local manufacture, local maintenance and service, human-power, distribution by a non-governmental organization, …

The Extinction Of The Carolina Parakeet And Multiple Dimensions Of Global Parrot Biodiversity, Kevin R. Burgio

Doctoral Dissertations

The study of the ecology of a species has traditionally ceased when that species goes extinct, despite the benefit to current and future generations of potential findings. We used the Carolina parakeet to develop a framework investigating the distributional limits, migratory habits, and extinction process as a means to recover important information. We developed a comprehensive database of every known occurrence of this iconic species. Using a combination of environmental niche modeling and extinction estimating analyses, our results demonstrate that the Carolina parakeet’s range was smaller than previously believed, the eastern and western subspecies occupied different niches with broad geographic …

Legal Permanent Migration, Strategic Il/Legalization, And Intergenerational Social Mobility In A Transnational Migrant Farmworker Community, Jennifer A. Cook

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation traces the circular migration of a unique population of rural Mexican farmworkers between Guanajuato, Mexico and central Connecticut over a six-year period. Capitalizing on the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, many of these men were able to obtain U.S. legal permanent resident status, and thus became able to legalize not only their own immigration status, but also that of family members. This allows a unique opportunity to examine the impact of legal status on the migration patterns of Mexican farmworkers.

Three themes emerge in this study. First, a robust transnational network has developed which facilitates continued labor …

Infrastructural Urbanism: Hybridizing Our Networks, Hannah Boyd

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

“The story of people can be told through our infrastructure. In the rise and fall of cities throughout history, the places best positioned for a thriving future have always been those that offer systems to create the lives that we want. And we can see that as the innovations of canals, aqueducts, railroads, and highways did in their time, the kind of infrastructure that we build today matters to our success. If we do it right, it will forever transform our way of life.”
– Ryan Gravel¹

Urban edges are created through interstices, spaces intervening between one thing and …

Black Matter, Kahlil Irving

Graduate School of Art Theses

History as we know it, is inherited. Racism, fascism, white supremacy, and Eurocentric dominance have been presented as normal and acceptable within our society for many years. This has allowed police officers to execute Black American’s and not be acquitted for their horrendous crimes. As an activist I want to challenge the status quo. As an artist I am interested in investigating how I can present ideas embody or reflect contemporary issues and concerns. Using different colors can aggressively change how an object is perceived. Historical objects hold many important.

I explore many mediums, but an anchor material that I …

Examining The New York State Gun Involved Violence Elimination Initiative’S Alignment With Several Theoretical Perspectives, Jamie Dougherty

Theses

This research examines how well New York State’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative aligns with four theoretical domains: subculture of violence, deterrence, rational choice/situational crime prevention, and implementation theories. It reviews how procedural justice and community integration align with these theories and the evidence-based strategies that GIVE sites implement. Sites are grouped for analysis, and their characteristics are described. The literature review describes each theoretical domain’s core principles as they pertain to GIVE. It shows that the theories can be compatible and that their integration is difficult but would likely make the initiative more effective. The primary research questions …

Coastal Protection, Environmental Change, And The Heterogeneity Of Preferences: A Case Study Of The Eastern Shore Of Virginia, Ian T. Yue

Master's Theses

There is growing interest amongst the environmental management community to understand the feedback links between human and environmental systems, particularly the way humans value the natural environment and how such valuation affects behavior, choice, and actions. One prominent method for examining these linkages has been to consider the framework of ecosystem services: the naturally-occurring processes, functions, or outputs that are utilized (actively or passively) to produce human well-being. Especially in the context of climate change, ecosystem services can be used to gauge the value humans place on their surrounding environment, given that the supply of ecosystem services is expected to …

Celebration Of Learning 2017: Full Program, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois

Celebration of Learning

Full program of the 2017 Celebration of Learning at Augustana College

Key Factors In The Evolution And Globalization Of The Berimbau: How The Brazilian Musical Bow Overcame Social And Musical Limitations And Became A Global Icon Of Music, Culture And Spirit., Nathan W. Watson

Open Access Theses

Musical instruments, many of them in the percussion family, are among the cultural goods brought across the Black Atlantic during the periods of colonization. As New World cultures and traditions developed, these instruments developed their own identities and stories within these new social contexts. This study seeks to show how several key factors surrounding the berimbau—a Brazilian musical bow of African origin and modest beginnings—situated it as a global musical and cultural phenomenon. It also establishes a need to reframe the berimbau`s codification in music as an instrument of creativity and virtuosity, and a need to reframe its representation as …

Factors Contributing To Consumers Decisions To Attend A Sporting Event, Sarah Gensler

Sport Management Undergraduate

Previous research on consumer attendance patterns has explored the impact of single factors on desired outcomes. This is problematic because people rarely have a single motive behind their decision making to attend a sporting event. This study aimed to determine which factors were the most important to college students when deciding to attend sporting events. Using a cross-sectional survey, the research found that desire for excitement, geography, and social media all had statistical significance in influencing decision making. Contradictory to existing research, on field promotions, level of fandom, and consumer emotion were not found to be tied to their decision …

Fandom: A Study On How College Students Selected A Favorite Professional Sports Team, Zachary R. Brown

Sport Management Undergraduate

This research aimed to uncover key factors in how college students select a favorite sports team. An important issue in today’s sport industry is recognizing fans motives for supporting their favorite sport teams. Sport managers need to better understand fan’s motives in order to address the team's needs and increase the fan base. Also, the team needs to cultivate a relationship for fan involvement to garner economic benefits. The subjects for this study were college students at St. John Fisher College. Using an online survey, the results of this uncovered that team factors were the most important in someone supporting …

1914 - Report Of The Commissioner Of Indian Affairs For 1913

US and Indian Relations

Detailed report on the efforts by the US government to manage Indian affairs, educate the Indians, and legislation regarding the Indians. In part, issues covered relate to employees, farming, health, schools, specific tribes, irrigation, forestry, minerals, supplies, finances, and statistics.

"A Vigorous Propaganda": The Peace Conferences Of 1899 And 1907, The Peace Palace, And Internationalism Through Design At The Hague, 1899–1920, Daniel Pecoraro

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis uncovers the history of the Peace Palace and The Hague’s role in the early days of the internationalist movement. In the process of localizing the early twentieth century history of The Hague, this thesis examines the development of international imagery and culture through design. The Peace Palace as we know it today was ultimately a result of tensions between internationalist ideas (cooperation, arbitration, modernity) and the pride of Old World nationalism. The final design by Louis Cordonnier and J. A. G. Van der Steur repudiates the feeling of modernity surrounding the idea of peace through arbitration. It is …

Summer Precipitation Occurrence Effect On Two Passerine Species In Thule, Greenland, Sara E. Baugh

Celebration of Learning

Climate change is occurring at a faster rate in the Arctic than the rest of the globe, causing temperature rises at twice the rate of the global average and increased summer precipitation in the form of rain. These precipitation events are predicted to affect migratory bird species that breed throughout the Arctic. Increased occurrence of heavy rainstorms indirectly affect bird populations by impacting distribution and abundance of food supply, and directly by increasing mortality rates of juveniles. Studies conducted on bird species throughout the low Arctic regions; have shown that it is not the total precipitation of a breeding season …

Nutrient Variations Of Six Surface Water Bodies In Mchenry County, Il, Jacob Piske

Celebration of Learning

This research analyzes water quality from several ponds in McHenry County, Illinois, with a goal of developing a understanding of pollution sources and temporal variations in concentrations of nitrate, potassium, phosphorus, chlorine, and sodium. Over the past 25 years, the population of McHenry County has grown rapidly, with residential developments expanding into former farmlands. Yet, the county remains heavily agricultural, with roughly 60% of the surface area used for agricultural purposes. Concentrations of NO3-, P+, K+, Cl-, and Na+ were analyzed from six sites: two in subdivisions, two in farmland, and two near major highways. Data were collected once a …

An Evaluation Of Gridded Temperature Products And Their Effectiveness In Modeling Small Scale Ambient Temperature, Barrie Chileen

Celebration of Learning

The use of gridded temperature products is becoming increasingly prevalent in ecological research due to their accessibility, low cost, and spatial and temporal coverage. While a few studies have compared gridded products against each other and against weather station data, little research exists that attempts to verify the accuracy of these gridded products on finer spatial scales in field settings. In this study, we use two networks of temperature sensors to evaluate the effectiveness of these widely used gridded products in modeling ambient temperatures and compare tradeoffs between spatial and temporal resolution of gridded products.

We deployed 65 temperature sensors …

Volume 54, Number 38: May 03, 2017, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

Between The Rural And Suburban: The Social, Political, And Economic Dynamics Of Policing Forsyth County, Ga, Alexandra Vuich

Master of Arts in American Studies Capstones

This thesis reveals how perceptions of crime produce real outcomes in how Forsyth County is policed by the local sheriff’s office and how the residents come to police themselves and each other. Using historical analysis and ethnographic methods, this thesis explores the county’s racial history and shifts in political economy that shape perceptions of crime and their subsequent influence on policing amid decreasing crime rates. It is argued that the forceful removal of all African American residents in 1912, the economic shift away from an agriculture and poultry-based industry, the construction of Lake Lanier and Buford Dam, the staggered expansion …

Trailing Freedom: Embodied Resistance, Geopolitics, And A Black Sense Of Freedom, Vanessa Lynn Lovelace

Doctoral Dissertations

This project challenges the conventional construction of the academic and real-life search for freedom by exploring how Blackness changes the dynamics of who is a liberated and free subject. In order to do so, this project engages with three specific iterations of freedom: freedom as liberty, freedom as emancipation and freedom as revolution. By focusing on “Freedom Trails”- namely, the Boston Freedom Trail, the geography of the Nat Turner slave rebellion, and the embodied geography of Black Power – this project maps the spaces that enhance a Black sense of freedom. These particular cases conceive of freedom in both conventional …

Evaluating Fault-Line Escarpment Exposure In The Guadalupe Mountains Of West Texas And New Mexico, Audrey Anne Happel

Theses and Dissertations

The Permian stratigraphy of the Guadalupe Mountains is well-known due to the impeccable exposure of Permian strata along distinct escarpments that define the boundaries of the range. Even though the Permian strata have been closely examined to understand the associated petroleum reservoirs in the adjacent Delaware basin, little work has been done on the escarpments that expose the well-known rocks at the surface by way of tectonic and erosional processes. The development of escarpments are directly affected by multiple processes that create the landscape, and can be used as a tool to temporally and spatially constrain tectonic and erosional activity …

A Guide To The Literature Of The Southwest, Lyle Saunders

New Mexico Quarterly

No abstract provided.

A Guide To The Literature Of The Southwest, Lyle Saunders, Theo Cravenna

New Mexico Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Book Reviews, University Of New Mexico Press

New Mexico Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Book Reviews, University Of New Mexico Press

New Mexico Quarterly

No abstract provided.