Digital Commons Network^™

Ties That Bind: The Long Emancipation And Status Ambiguity In Early 20th-Century Southwestern Tanzania, Lydia (Wilson) Marshall, Thomas John Biginagwa

Sociology & Anthropology Faculty publications

In the 1890s, the slave and ivory trader Rashid bin Masoud established the settlement Kikole deep in what is now southwestern Tanzania. Kikole was strategically located near Lake Nyasa, a major slaving region. Masoud's followers residing at Kikole were typically referred to as his slaves by German colonists and missionaries. Local oral histories today, however, define these followers as askari (soldiers or guards) or mafundi (technicians or specialists; in this case, in using weaponry). This article considers how recent expanded excavations at Kikole can help us better understand Masoud's followers. Differences in housing investment and material access suggest status differences …

Citation Bias, Diversity, And Ethics, Keisha S Ray, Perry Zurn, Jordan D Dworkin, Dani S Bassett, David B Resnik

Faculty and Staff Publications

How often a researcher is cited usually plays a decisive role in that person's career advancement, because academic institutions often use citation metrics, either explicitly or implicitly, to estimate research impact and productivity. Research has shown, however, that citation patterns and practices are affected by various biases, including the prestige of the authors being cited and their gender, race, and nationality, whether self-attested or perceived. Some commentators have proposed that researchers can address biases related to social identity or position by including a Citation Diversity Statement in a manuscript submitted for publication. A Citation Diversity Statement is a paragraph placed …

Intentional Unlearning Practices In Postmassified University Systems: Reformation For The Metamodern Era, Mihaela A. Lynn

Journal of Global Education and Research

A crucial aspect of the learning cycle, unlearning has recently received more attention in academic discussions about the future of higher education. In an attempt to improve equality and equity of access to quality educational experiences in the wake of postmassification, the recent literature has highlighted the need to incorporate unlearning practices to transform university learning experiences. This literature review examines the role of the unlearning process in engaging diverse student populations in tertiary learning environments. First, traditional and contemporary conceptualizations of unlearning are explored. Next, specific issues related to unlearning in higher education are discussed before synthesizing current studies …

The Attachment Repair Hexagon: A Model For Recovery From Infidelity In Evangelical Marriages, Theresa C. Allen, John C. Thomas

Journal of Faith Integration Counseling (JFIC)

Many studies have examined risk factors for infidelity; however, few have investigated how couples recovered from the attachment injury of infidelity. Thus, a grounded theory pilot study was conducted by the lead author to explore the question, “What helps evangelical marriages recover after sexual infidelity by the husband?” Three evangelical couples who were a minimum of two years post-disclosure of infidelity shared their personal accounts of marital recovery. Six major findings emerged from the analysis of the data collected from their semi-structured interviews: 1) developing healthy communication; 2) obtaining support and accountability; 3) maintaining physical separation from the other woman; …

Scavenging As An Accelerant In The Postmortem Interval Estimate: Refining Quantitative Regressions For Decomposition Analyses In Southeast Nebraska, Jenna L. Alexander

Department of Anthropology: Theses and Student Research

In forensic anthropology, the postmortem interval (PMI) is an estimation of the time elapsed from the moment of death to the point of discovery or examination. Contemporary approaches for estimating PMI have sought to refine broad quantitative regressions by addressing variance among intrinsic and extrinsic influences of decomposition at a regional level. Southeast Nebraska and the broader Great Plains region encompass one of the most influential agricultural ecosystems, featuring a unique climate type and a diverse spectrum of vertebrate scavengers. While there has been minimal research addressing how the biogeoclimatic conditions of Nebraska affect predicted estimates for PMI using known …

The Algorithm Of Fear: Unpacking Prejudice Against Ai And The Mistrust Of Technology, James Hutson, Daniel Plate

Faculty Scholarship

The mistrust of AI seen in the media, industry and education reflects deep-seated cultural anxieties, often comparable to societal prejudices like racism and sexism. Throughout history, literature and media have portrayed machines as antagonists, amplifying fears of technological obsolescence and identity loss. Despite the recent remarkable advancements in AI—particularly in creative and decision-making capacities—human resistance to its adoption persists, rooted in a combination of technophobia, algorithm aversion, and cultural narratives of dystopia. This review investigates the origins of this prejudice, focusing on the parallels between current attitudes toward AI and historical resistance to new technologies. Drawing on examples from popular …

The Primate Gut Microbiota Contributes To Interspecific Differences In Host Metabolism., Elizabeth K Mallott, Sahana Kuthyar, Won Lee, Derek Reiman, Hongmei Jiang, Sriram Chitta, E Alexandria Waters, Brian T Layden, Ronen Sumagin, Laura D Manzanares, Guan-Yu Yang, Maria Luisa Savo Sardaro, Stanton Gray, Lawrence E Williams, Yang Dai, James P Curley, Chad R Haney, Emma R Liechty, Christopher W Kuzawa, Katherine R Amato

Faculty Research 2024

Because large brains are energetically expensive, they are associated with metabolic traits that facilitate energy availability across vertebrates. However, the biological underpinnings driving these traits are not known. Given its role in regulating host metabolism in disease studies, we hypothesized that the gut microbiome contributes to variation in normal cross-vertebrate species differences in metabolism, including those associated with the brain's energetic requirements. By inoculating germ-free mice with the gut microbiota (GM) of three primate species - two with relatively larger brains and one with a smaller brain - we demonstrated that the GM of larger-brained primates shifts host metabolism towards …

The Constitutional Case Against State-Controlled Fact-Checking: A Case Comment On Kunal Kamra V. Union Of India, Abhinav Ravi, Aravind Sundar

National Law School of India Review

The Bombay High Court in Kunal Kamra v Union of India struck down the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023, which had established a centralised fact-checking unit to issue takedown orders against social media posts that were identified as “fake or false or misleading”. The Rules threatened the safe harbour protection of social media intermediaries for failing to adhere to such takedown orders. The Court held that the establishment of the fact-check unit violates the rights of free speech, profession and equality under the Indian Constitution. This article explores the free speech implications of …

A Brief History Of The Scheduling Discourse In Late-Colonial India (1918–1950), Saagar Tewari

National Law School Journal

Over a tenth of India’s land mass in 14 states are notified under the Fifth and Sixth Schedules of the Indian Constitution. Tracing the genealogy of the idea of scheduling in the late colonial period (1918–1950), this essay presents a brief survey of the deliberations on the ‘tribal question’ in British India. Focusing mainly on the debates in the administrative realm, it offers a top-down analysis of major developments vis-à-vis the discourse on aboriginal and hill tribes as the category itself transitioned into what is now called ‘Scheduled Tribes’.

Boise State Magazine, Anna Webb (Editor)

FOCUS on Boise State

No abstract provided.

73 | ‘Akko Iii: The 1991–1998 Excavations: The Late Periods Part 2: The Knights’ Hotel Site, The Messika Plot And Miscellaneous Studies, Danny Syon, Ayelet Tatcher

IAA Reports—Monograph Series of the Israel Antiquities Authority

Akko III: The Late Periods comprises two parts (IAA Reports 72 and 73), the third and fourth volumes in a series publishing the results of four excavations that took place within and just outside of the Old City of ‘Akko between 1991 and 1998. These two volumes present the archaeological finds from the Early Islamic to Ottoman periods, concentrating on the architecture and small finds from the Crusader period.

The present volume (Part 2; IAA Reports 73) presents the excavations in the Knights’ Hotel Site, which yielded a wealth of small items of daily use, including glass finds, lead ampullae, …

Insider-Outsider Research, Qualitative Discovery, And The Enhancement Of Social Justice, Randa Abbas, Deborah Court

The Qualitative Report

We have for over twenty years researched the Israeli Druze community in an insider- outsider research partnership, coming to deep understanding of the family and communal factors that limit the access of Druze and Muslim women to higher education and academic and professional advancement. These research insights have enabled us, in the academic institution where we work, to enact practices that increase academic and professional access for these women. While we did not plan this as a research focus or goal, we have lately come, in inductive fashion, to the realization that this is social justice work. According to John …

From Race To Culture: Southeastern Mindanao Peoples And Their Crafts, 16th To 20th Centuries, Patricia Irene Dacudao

History Department Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Analyzing Food Sources And Food Insecurity Of Kichwa Farming Families In The Ecuadorian Amazon, Reina Watanabe

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

While the right to food is internationally recognized and the United Nations established the sustainable development goal to end hunger and achieve food security by 2030, many households remain without consistent access to food in 2024. In Latin America, approximately 4 in 10 households were reported as food insecure in 2020 with higher rates in rural and indigenous communities. Rural areas, which have great overlap with indigenous communities in Ecuador, experience disproportionately high levels of poverty and food insecurity compared to urban areas. The most populous indigenous nationality in the Ecuadorian Amazon and the participants of this study are the …

New Legal Realism At 20: Rethinking Law In An Era Of Populism And Social Movements, Jeffrey Omari, Pablo Rueda-Saiz, Richard Ashby Wilson

Articles

This Article critically examines the New Legal Realism (NLR) movement on its twentieth anniversary and illuminates its distinctive intellectual contributions. In evaluating NLR's unique methodological and substantive contributions, we explore the movement's relationship to other interdisciplinary theories and empirical approaches to law. NLR approaches show a commitment to a comparative, cross-national exploration of legal phenomena while allowing for grounded generalizations about the relationship between law and society. NLR approaches embrace a diverse range of methods and emphasize the importance of "looking up, down, and sideways." Notably, NLR embraces both "top-down" and "bottom-up" methods, providing comprehensive insights into the intricate interactions …

Religious Affiliation And Alcohol Use Amongst The College Population At The University Of Northern Colorado, Cassandra H. A. Higgins

Undergraduate Honors Theses

A rampant problem growing globally is the issue of substance use disorders, especially that of alcohol abuse. As the problem of alcohol abuse spreads, finding tactics to mitigate this issue or discover what aspects are causing this issue is important to decrease the threat of a further problem developing. Prior research on different religious groups has shown that people who identify as highly devout in their religion are often less likely to exhibit signs of alcohol abuse. This study examined students at the University of Northern Colorado with the goal of comparing their levels of religious affiliation with their levels …

Take A Ballot: Can Transnational Theatre Foster Political Efficacy In Women Of Color?, Breanna Marie Bailey

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research examines whether transnational theatre fosters political efficacy in women of color. Research shows the history of disenfranchisement of women of color; even today, upper-class, white males have the greatest access to civic resources– including access to theatre–which ignite their political efficacy in the United States. The gap in research surrounds how, and if, transnational theatre can affect women of color’s political efficacy. By analyzing theatre’s role in engaging political efficacy, I offer an avenue to build a more equitable and democratic society. Using a case study analysis of two female playwrights from opposite sides of the U.S. border–Sor …

Literature Review: Parkinson's Disease And Non-Motor Symptoms, With A Focus On Constipation And Potential Therapeutics, Daria Smirnova

ALL - Honors Theses

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that tends to affect elderly individuals and is most commonly associated with the emergence of motor symptoms such as tremors, stiffness, and bradykinesia. However, non-motor symptoms (NMS), such as gastrointestinal (GI) issues, namely constipation, are also prevalent, and deeply affect the lives of individuals suffering with the disease. Among these, constipation stands out as one of the most common and frustrating problems for patients, typically arising from a variety of interrelated factors including disruptions in the autonomic nervous system (ANS), diminished dopamine activity, gut microbiota imbalances, inflammation, and side effects from PD …

Learning To Read Like An Eighteenth-Century Lawyer: The Historical Critique Of Originalism Revisited, Saul Cornell

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

Historians have been among the fiercest critics of originalism. Among the many virtues of Jack Balkin’s book, Memory and Authority, is the deft way he analyzes and dismantles these efforts to insulate originalism from historical critique. In a short essay, it would be impossible to fully acknowledge the sophistication of Balkin’s analysis. Instead, I would like to build on his impressive achievement by pointing out additional problems with the originalist response to historical critique.

This abstract has been taken from the author's opening paragraph.

The Successes Of Rotuman Women In The Modern World, Alan Howard, Makereta Mua

Pacific Studies

Inspired by Ester Boserup’s 1970 thesis regarding the role of indigenous economies in promoting the success of women in the modern economies, this article explores aspects of Rotuman culture that have led to the considerable success of Rotuman women in various contemporary occupations. Our analysis is based on multiple sources implicating the socialization of women that promote a self-confidence conducive to accomplishments. This article also includes reflections by seventeen interviewees on the sources of their success

Cgbi_Yolo: Lightweight Land Target Detection Network, Ruiyang Wang, Siyu Lu, Jiawei Tian, Lirong Yin, Lei Wang, Xiaobing Chen, Wenfeng Zheng

Faculty Publications

Object detection algorithms for optical remote sensing images often face challenges in computational efficiency, particularly when detecting small and densely packed targets. This paper introduces CGBi_YOLO, a novel lightweight land target detection network designed to optimize computational resource utilization while maintaining detection capabilities for small-scale targets. Our approach incorporates an innovative lightweight optimization strategy featuring a new lightweight backbone feature extraction network: CSPGhostNet. This model significantly enhances the detection ability of small objects within optical remote sensing images without increasing computational demands. The efficacy of the proposed model is validated through rigorous experimentation on the DOTA dataset. Compared to the …

Research Overview On Urban Heat Islands Driven By Computational Intelligence, Chao Liu, Siyu Lu, Jiawei Tian, Lirong Yin, Lei Wang, Wenfeng Zheng

Faculty Publications

In recent years, the intensification of the urban heat island (UHI) effect has become a significant concern as urbanization accelerates. This survey comprehensively explores the current status of surface UHI research, emphasizing the role of land use and land cover changes (LULC) in urban environments. We conducted a systematic review of 8260 journal articles from the Web of Science database, employing bibliometric analysis and keyword co-occurrence analysis using CiteSpace to identify research hotspots and trends. Our investigation reveals that vegetation cover and land use types are the two most critical factors influencing UHI intensity. We analyze various computational intelligence techniques, …

Current Situation And Prospect Of Geospatial Ai In Air Pollution Prediction, Chunlai Wu, Siyu Lu, Jiawei Tian, Lirong Yin, Lei Wang, Wenfeng Zheng

Faculty Publications

Faced with increasingly serious environmental problems, scientists have conducted extensive research, among which the importance of air quality prediction is becoming increasingly prominent. This article briefly reviews the utilization of geographic artificial intelligence (AI) in air pollution. Firstly, this paper conducts a literature metrology analysis on the research of geographical AI used in air pollution. That is, 607 documents are retrieved from the Web of Science (WOS) using appropriate keywords, and literature metrology analysis is conducted using Citespace to summarize research hotspots and frontier countries in this field. Among them, China plays a constructive role in the fields of geographic …

Study Of The Effect Of Social Anxiety And Social Support On Third Place Perceptions In Student Samples, Lillian M. Lestrange

Honors Theses

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) and perceived social support are well-documented to influence social interaction styles and behaviors. Some data suggests that SAD and social support relate to perceptions and familiarity with various public spaces outside of home and work (i.e., third places). This study assessed relations among social anxiety, self-perceived social support, and attitudes/beliefs about ten common third places (i.e., perceived degree of restorativeness, preference, and sentiment for these places) among undergraduate psychology students (n = 92). Contrary to predictions based on prior research (Fong et al, 2021, Case & Hunter, 2012), social anxiety symptoms did not correlate with any …

Artificial Intelligence, Machines, Devices, And Robots: Mobilizing Humanness And Intelligence In The American Techno-Landscape, Carlos A. Batres

Dissertations

This dissertation is an ethnographic inquiry of artificial intelligence (AI) in the techno-landscape of three major metropolitan areas in the United States. It traces the ways in which both experts and non-experts talk about their interactions with AI via machines, robots, and other devices, and how the ways in which people deal with AI-technologies have come to shape how we think about our own ways of going about doing things. The goal is to discern what the social ramifications of this technology may be as relationships and relations are formed betwixt and between people and artificially intelligent things.

Incorporating Families Experiencing Disabilities Into The Rhythm Of Small Groups At Saturn Road Church Of Christ, Robby John

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project addresses the critical gap in the inclusion of families experiencing disabilities within small groups at Saturn Road Church of Christ. The primary aim is to develop a curriculum that raises awareness among small group leaders about this significant issue. To provide a theological reflection on the necessity of such a venture, I explored the topic through the lens of four theological pillars: the image of God, the incarnation, ecclesiology, and eschatological hope. This exploration revealed several key themes that serve as foundational building blocks for the awareness curriculum. Ultimately, the final artifact is an awareness curriculum designed to …

A Teacher-Development Curriculum: Encouraging Community Discipleship Through Faith And Learning Integration At Bracken Christian High School, Denice F. Knight-Slater

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

The title of this project is “A Teacher-Development Curriculum: Encouraging Community Discipleship through Faith and Learning Integration at Bracken Christian High School.” The purpose of the project was to create a seven-part curriculum that would empower educators to form an interconnected teaching community centered upon the practice of faith and learning integration. The development team hoped our work would articulate good practices and equip teachers to engage in faith conversations with their students. We utilized Parker Palmer’s classic, The Courage to Teach, as the scaffolding for our curriculum. The development team modeled faith and learning integration by creating a …

Indigenous Ecocinema: Decolonizing Media Environments, Salma Monani

Gettysburg College Faculty Books

Introducing the concepts of d-ecocinema and d-ecocinema criticism, Monani expands the purview of ecocinema studies and not only brings attention to a thriving Indigenous cinema archive but also argues for a methodological approach that ushers Indigenous intellectual voices front and center in how we theorize this archive. Its case-study focus on Canada, particularly the work emanating from the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival in Toronto--a nationally and internationally recognized hub in Indigenous cinema networks--provides insights into pan-Indigenous and Nation-specific contexts of Indigenous ecocinema.

This absorbing text is the first book-length exploration foregrounding the environmental dimensions of cinema made by …

Contesting And Controlling Abortion In China’S Courts, Molly Bodurtha, Benjamin L. Liebman, Li Chenquian, Xiaohan Wu

Faculty Scholarship

The decision of the United States Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization has brought renewed global attention to how legal systems protect and restrict women’s reproductive autonomy. Central themes have included how the rollback of reproductive rights in the United States coincides with the judiciary’s embrace of a broader “jurisprudence of masculinity” and the relationship between abortion restrictions and authoritarianism, as multiple countries have enacted restrictive measures while undergoing democratic backsliding.

Yet, the scholarly conversation on abortion, democracy, and how courts reflect and entrench gender disparities entirely omits China — the largest authoritarian state and a country …

Social Patterns In Physical Infrastructure: Associations Between Socioeconomic Status And Walkability, Kaylee Coursey

Honors Theses

Studies analyzing the relationship between socioeconomic status and physical infrastructure of a city are inconsistent in findings but agree on racial and class disparities. Utilizing walkability (Walk Score) as a measurement for physical infrastructure, this thesis aims to understand the relationship between socioeconomic status and the walkability of a city. The Socio-Ecological framework suggests that environmental experiences are correlated with the social functioning of a community. Thus, socioeconomic status has a significant impact on the quality of one’s built environment.

Using housing data from the 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) and Walk Score, a series of quantitative analyses were conducted …