Digital Commons Network^™

Increasing Voter Investment In American Democracy: Proposals For Reform, Adam Drake

Fordham Law Voting Rights and Democracy Forum

Millions of Americans choose to stay home every election cycle. Polling suggests that these nonvoters are either apathetic with respect to the democratic process or feel alienated from the United States government. Reforms to the democratic system should focus on alleviating these sentiments, ultimately encouraging more voters to show up to the polls. As turnout increases, so too does the legitimacy and stability of the U.S. government.

With that goal in mind, this Article advocates for a five- prong approach to reforming the electoral system. The first proposed step is to eliminate unnecessary barriers to voting by establishing federal automatic …

Book Review: World Wide Weed: Global Trends In Cannabis Cultivation And Its Control By Tom Decorte, Gary R. Potter & Martin Bouchard, Editors, Lora J. Bristow

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

Book Review: World Wide Weed: Global Trends in Cannabis Cultivation and its Control by Tom Decorte, Gary R. Potter & Martin Bouchard, editors

A Study Abroad Program In Tanzania: The Evolution Of Social Justice Action Work, Elizabeth M. Cannon, Carmen Heider

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

This article focuses on the evolution of our study abroad program to Tanzania, including the integration of three liberal arts disciplines and the foundational core that links together the three areas: social justice activism. More specifically, we explore the overall challenge of dismantling “us versus them” thinking and the interactive learning moments that allow this process to transpire. We narrate how what we learned on our 2008 and our 2010 trips led to our model of social justice action work, which we enacted on our 2012 trip. Our approach to social justice action work integrates experiential learning with Dan Butin’s …

Designing “‘Queer’ Across Cultures:” Disrupting The Consumption Of Diversity, Kim Berry

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

This article charts the underlying logic and structure of a course titled “‘Queer’ Across Cultures,” created to provide a transnational focus for the groundbreaking minor in Multicultural Queer Studies, spearheaded by Eric Rofes. Concerned that students would too easily revert to a practice of consuming diversity, I have attempted to weave together readings which complicate a colonial gaze by challenging hegemonic constructions of essential difference. My primary strategy in crafting this course has been to focus on the term “across” in the title. In other words to foreground and theorize the transnational within the production of both similarities and differences …

Fiscal Policy Response Of Local Governments To Floods In Italy, Chiara Lodi, Giovanni Marin, Marco Modica

Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei Working Papers

This paper aims at empirically testing the dynamics of budget outcomes of Italian municipalities in the aftermath of floods, by accounting for heterogeneous levels of resilience and vulnerability to natural disasters. Our findings, based on a dynamic difference-in-difference after propensity score matching, point to substantial impacts in terms of increased capital expenditure and revenues from transfer, which also depend on the degree of resilience and vulnerability. Through our analysis we account for multiple aspects of risk so we can support policy decisions related to both ex-ante and ex-post disaster occurrence management.

Issue 407: November 21-December 1, 2022, The Local Voice

The Local Voice

No abstract provided.

Lanthorn, Vol. 57, No. 14, November 21, 2022, Grand Valley State University

Volume 57, August 1, 2022 - April 10, 2023

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

The Echo: November 21, 2022, Taylor University

2022-2023 (Volume 110)

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of An Ellis Act Eviction On Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status, Brian J. Asquith

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

Rent-control advocates argue that its strongest feature is offering tenants strong protections from economic displacement. Nonetheless, rent control may have negative effects on tenants, as previous research has shown that these tenants have longer commutes and higher unemployment rates because they are incentivized to stay in place even after their location is no longer optimal. I study what happens to tenants when they are displaced from their rent-controlled apartments by exploiting a California law called the Ellis Act that allows landlords in Los Angeles and San Francisco to evict tenants even if they are lease-compliant, under the condition that all …

Promoting Early Language Development In The Arab World And Sustainable Development Goals 3, 4, 10 And 17, Ghada Khattab, Alshaimaa Gaber Salah Abdelwahab, Khalid Al-Shdifat, Zakiyah Alsiddiqi, Caroline Floccia, Hreich E Kouba, Cristina Mckean, Camille Moitel Messarra, Thair Odeh, Anastasia Trebacz

School of Psychology

PurposeThis commentary describes a multi-national project which addresses gaps in the design and delivery of health and education services in Arabic-speaking countries in relation to early language development, with a focus on Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories. This includes: (1) co-production with early years professionals and NGOs of approaches to support early language development; (2) development and standardisation of tools to identify monolingual and multilingual Arabic-speaking children at risk of poor language development; and (3) examination of language development in refugee communities.ResultThe importance of inter-professional partnership and the inclusion of families in planning support for oral language development …

Implementing Just Climate Adaptation Policy: An Analysis Of Recognition, Framing, And Advocacy Coalitions In Boston, U.S.A., Jeffrey T. Malloy, Catherine Ashcraft, Paul Kirshen, Thomas G. Safford, Semra Aytur, Shannon H. Rogers

Faculty Publications

Cities face intersectional challenges implementing climate adaptation policy. This research contributes to scholarship dedicated to understanding how policy implementation affects socially vulnerable groups, with the overarching goal of promoting justice and equity in climate policy implementation. We apply a novel framework that integrates social justice theory and the advocacy coalition framework to incrementally assess just climate adaptation in Boston, Massachusetts in the United States. Boston made an ambitious commitment to address equity as part of its climate planning and implementation efforts. In this paper, we evaluate the first implementation stage over the period 2016–2019 during which Boston developed coastal resilience …

Future Of Maritime Autonomy: Cybersecurity, Trust And Mariner's Situation Awareness, Misas Jd Palbar, R Hopcraft, K Tam

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

As technology evolves, the level of automation in the maritime industry grows, and will continue to grow significantly, as the industry strives for fully autonomous vessels. Current maritime operations on board rely on a mixture of automated processes, human decision making, and human interventions. In the future autonomy may lead to the removal of the mariner physically on board, increasing remotely operated vessels. The remote nature of these operations will subject mariners to new operational risks, such as a potential reduction in Situational Awareness (SA) and/or cyber threats. This article will discuss the importance of SA in maritime operations, and …

Surface Faulting Earthquake Clustering Controlled By Fault And Shear-Zone Interactions, Zoë K. Mildon, Gerald P. Roberts, Walker Jp Faure, Joakim Beck, Ioannis Papanikolaou, Alessandro M. Michetti, Shinji Toda, Francesco Iezzi, Lucy Campbell, Kenneth J.W. Mccaffrey, Richard Shanks, Claudia Sgambato, Jennifer Robertson, Marco Meschis, Eutizio Vittori

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Surface faulting earthquakes are known to cluster in time from historical and palaeoseismic studies, but the mechanism(s) responsible for clustering, such as fault interaction, strain-storage, and evolving dynamic topography, are poorly quantified, and hence not well understood. We present a quantified replication of observed earthquake clustering in central Italy. Six active normal faults are studied using 36Cl cosmogenic dating, revealing out-of-phase periods of high or low surface slip-rate on neighboring structures that we interpret as earthquake clusters and anticlusters. Our calculations link stress transfer caused by slip averaged over clusters and anti-clusters on coupled fault/shear-zone structures to viscous flow laws. …

Sub-Recent Microfauna Within Allogenic Sediments At The Bottom Of A Deep Cave, Njemica (Biokovo Mt., Croatia), Tomislav Kurečić, Valentina Hajek Tadesse, Lara Wacha, Marija Horvat, Nina Trinajstić, Ivan Mišur

International Journal of Speleology

Clastic sediments deposited at the bottom of the vertical, nearly 1000 m deep Njemica Cave (Biokovo Mountain, Croatia) were analysed. Owing to the vertical morphology of the cave, the occurrences of clastic sediments are sparse. Small, up to decimetre-thick, undisturbed sediment accumulations situated near the siphon lake revealed interesting palaeontological and mineralogical data. These data are used as a useful proxy for discussing depositional processes, the provenance of the sediments and paleo-habitats of the subterranean fauna.

The sub-recent assemblages of ostracods were discovered within the sediment, and they were shown to be correlative to the known endemic species in the …

The Impact Of Electronic Flipped Classroom Instruction On Students` Attitudes Towards Learning Vocabulary, Reham Moh Al- Sakal

Jordanian Educational Journal

Abstract:

This study examines the effect of the electronic flipped classroom instruction (EFCI) on students` attitudes toward learning vocabulary. To this end, the sample consisted of 38 EFL female tenth grade students who were selected purposefully in UNRWA schools in South Amman Area. The study uses a questionnaire and an interview to collect the data which is analyzed using means and standard deviations, the analysis revealed that students had positive attitudes towards learning with the electronic flipped classroom. Several pedagogical implications and recommendations are put forth.

Quantifying Sediment And Particulate Phosphorus Accumulation In Restored Floodplain Wetlands Using Beryllium‐7 As A Tracer, William H. Blake, Carl Christian Hoffmann, Jane Rosenstand Poulsen, Alex Taylor, Brian Kronvang

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Floodplain wetlands in agricultural river basins provide critical ecosystem services such as nutrient retention, flood mitigation, carbon sequestration and ecological habitats and are a key component of a nature-based solution approach to restoration. In the context of the global challenge to reducing impact increasingly intensive food production on downstream ecosystems, restoration of wetlands in river floodplains offers a practical means for downstream retention and mitigation of P flux from upstream agricultural land. Data on short term, flood event related, accretion rates are, however, difficult to acquire via conventional monitoring yet such information is essential for restoration planning and scenario testing. …

Visualization Research: Scoping Review On Data Visualization Courses, Fabio Capra-Ribeiro

Faculty Publications

Understanding data visualization as one of the foundational skills of the 21st century, this research aimed to define up-to-date guidelines to effectively teach data visualization courses and–from there–developed the first version of a new data visualization course. To do so, it faced the following questions: What is the current role of data visualization in higher education? What have been the main trends in data visualization courses in higher education? What methodologies have been used to teach data visualization courses? What difficulties have been identified in data visualization courses? What recommendations have been offered by previous professors that have taught this …

The Water-Energy Nexus With Alida Cantor, Alida Cantor

PDXPLORES Podcast

In this episode of PDXPLORES, geography professor Alida Cantor discusses the water-energy nexus--the ways water and energy resources are physically, socially, and politically intertwined. Cantor's research focuses on politics, power, decision-making, and environmental justice around water resources.

Click on the "Download" button to access the audio transcript.

Geographical And Attendance Impact On Financial Sustainability At The Field Museum In Chicago, Il, Clara Barbier

Nonprofit and NGO Studies Student Projects

This study focuses on the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois, and analyzes how the geographical location of the museum and the rate of attendance impacts the museum’s financial health and sustainability. This study utilizes three sources of data: annual reports to donors, yearly financial audits, and a primary data source via a survey response from an employee of the finance department at the Field Museum. The data collected was analyzed qualitatively using three categories that aligned with the research question: location, attendance, and finances. These three categories, and the use of Excel and its equation functions, allowed …

A Typology Of Cybercrime: An Assessment Of Federal Prosecutions, Jay S. Albanese

Journal of Criminal Justice and Law

This research develops an empirical typology of cybercrime based on an assessment of all cases prosecuted by the federal government in 2019 calendar year. There have been several previous efforts to develop a typology of cybercrimes, but this research examines serious cases resulting in federal prosecutions for which a burden of proof has been established and detailed information is available. The result is a typology that includes three major elements: a description of the conduct, how it was carried out, and the objective of the illegal act. A keyword search identified every federal prosecution involving cybercrimes over 12 months in …

Investing In The Middle: A New Approach To Deliver On The Promise Of Equitable Neighborhood Development, Molly Schnoke, Shannon Driscoll, Madeline Frantz

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The Center for Economic Development at Cleveland State University, through the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Policies for Action Grant, has been conducting research into middle neighborhoods. As part of its ongoing research, the Center organized the Investing in the Middle forum to present the work the team has done and gain insight into policy and best practices from members of the community. The workshop took place on November 20, 2022 at the Cleveland State University Levin College of Public Affairs and Education.

An Interactionist Approach To Btlg Pride, Lain A.B. Mathers, Jason E. Sumerau

The Qualitative Report

Within and beyond Symbolic Interactionism, sociological studies of bisexual, transgender, lesbian, and gay (BTLG) populations have expanded dramatically in the past two decades. Although such studies have invigorated our understanding of many aspects of BTLG life and experience, they have thus far left BTLG Pride relatively unexplored. How do BTLG populations experience Pride, and what insights might such efforts have for sociologically understanding such populations and events? We examine these questions through an interview study of bi+ people (i.e., sexually fluid people who identify as bisexual, pansexual, or otherwise outside of gay/straight binaries; Eisner, 2013). Specifically, we analyze how bi+ …

Working For Justice: A Black Educators Journey Of Supporting Black Males In An Urban School District, Carey Cunningham

Dissertations

Abstract

This autoethnographic dissertation focuses on my journey as a Black male educator and administrator working in an urban school district. I highlight some of my accomplishments and challenges in dedicating my life to the field of education in the same urban school district that I attended from kindergarten to twelfth grade. This dissertation points out how my journey allowed me to support students, mainly Black boys, who faced challenges in a school district that I know very well. I have increased my, and hopefully others, understanding of the challenges Black male students and Black male administrators face in an …

Is Your Socially Responsible Investment Fund Green Or Greedy? How A Standard Esg Disclosure Framework Can Inform Investors And Prevent Greenwashing, Cara Beth Musciano

Georgia Law Review

As environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing exponentially increases, so does the level of inconsistent ESG disclosures, adding to investor confusion. Without any mandates for standardization, companies will continue disclosing their sustainability efforts without concrete facts behind their subjective claims in hopes that they will appear “greener” to investors. This practice—known as greenwashing—could become prevalent, resulting in capital intended for sustainable investments flowing toward harmful businesses investors sought to avoid. Regulators should develop a mandatory ESG disclosure framework to create accurate, reliable data and to prevent capital from being misallocated against investors’ genuine sustainable efforts. Some existing rules could hold …

The Minutes Of The Marshall University Graduate Council Meeting, November 18, 2022, Marshall University Graduate Council

Graduate Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

Estimation Of Economic Risk From Coastal Natural Hazards In Louisiana, Rubayet Bin Mostafiz

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Louisiana, U.S.A., is among the most vulnerable areas globally to coastal natural hazards, with risk vulnerability likely increasing. The risks associated with non-tropical-cyclone hazards in Louisiana’s coastal zone have been understudied. This research enhances present and future (i.e., 2050) Louisiana risk assessment using locally-weighted, model-based hazard frequency/intensity and population projections.

Results suggest that property risks associated with extreme cold temperature and tornado are and will remain costlier than those for hail and lightning. Property risks of extreme cold temperature and hail are projected to decrease with the expected warming temperatures, with those of all four of these hazards peaking in …

Indian Perspectives: Insights For The Indo-American Partnership, Tyrell O. Mayfield

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

To buttress stability in the Indo-Pacific, the United States must understand how India sees the region and the world. The theories and ideas of Kautilya, a leading but little-studied Indian philosopher, provide significant insight into Indian perspectives on strategic partnerships and silent war. India has lived out Kautilyan perspectives in its recent foreign policy; therefore, a US understanding of the Indian perspective could advance the national security interests of both countries, clarify recent Indian security responses around the world, and provide a basis for a mutually beneficial pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Book Reviews, Usawc Press

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

Reducing Liver Cancer Risk Through Dietary Change: Positive Results From A Community-Based Educational Initiative In Three Racial/Ethnic Groups, Lin Zhu, Ellen Jaeson Kim, Evelyn González, Marilyn A. Fraser, Steven Zhu, Nathaly Rubio-Torio, Grace X. Ma, Ming-Chin Yeh, Yin Tan

Publications and Research

Dietary behaviors and alcohol consumption have been linked to liver disease and liver cancer. So far, most of the liver cancer awareness campaigns and behavioral interventions have focused on preventive behaviors such as screening and vaccination uptake, while few incorporated dietary aspects of liver cancer prevention. We implemented a community-based education initiative for liver cancer prevention among the African, Asian, and Hispanic populations within the Greater Philadelphia and metropolitan New York City areas. Data from the baseline and the 6-month follow-up surveys were used for the assessment of changes in dietary behaviors and alcohol consumption among participants. In total, we …

Inverting Passive Margin Stratigraphy For Marine Sediment Transport Dynamics Over Geologic Time, Charles Shobe, Jean Braun, Xiaoping Yuan, Benjamin Campforts, Boris Gailleton, Guillaume Baby, François Guillocheau, Cécile Robin

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Passive margin stratigraphy contains time-integrated records of landscapes that have long since vanished. Quantitatively reading the stratigraphic record using coupled landscape evolution and stratigraphic forward models (SFMs) is a promising approach to extracting information about landscape history. However, there is no consensus about the optimal form of simple SFMs because there has been a lack of direct tests against observed stratigraphy in well-constrained test cases. Specifically, the extent to which SFM behaviour over geologic space and timescales should be governed by local (downslope sediment flux depends only on local slope) versus nonlocal (sediment flux depends on factors other than local …