Digital Commons Network^™

(Un)Necessary Evils?: Ethical And Emotional Conflicts For Social Change Lawyers In Canada, Marina Francesca Mckenzie

LLM Theses

This thesis concerns an exploratory study about “social change” lawyers in Canada. Based on qualitative interviews, I aim to provide a modest but in-depth examination of the experiences and practical challenges these lawyers face in their work and how they navigate them. I find their approaches are divided between external and internal, both of which are affected by lawyers’ positionalities and experiences. “External approaches” concern how they reconcile conflicts in their values and responsibilities to different groups—namely individuals, communities and social movements—with each other, and with their obligations to the legal profession. Meanwhile, “internal approaches” concern how they navigate conflicting …

Reporting Gunshots: Prevalence, Correlates, And Obstacles To Calling The Police, Kris Henning, Joshua Carmony, Somalia Johnson Calloway, Christian Peterson

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

Accurately documenting where and when firearms are discharged is a critical first step in gun violence prevention. Many cities rely on police calls for service as their primary source for this information. Recent studies find, however, that citizens underreport gunshots. This has led some communities to invest in gunshot detection technology (GDT) as an alternative data source. GDT remains an expensive and often controversial solution with limited evidence for long-term benefits. This underscores the need for additional research on third-party reporting of gunshots. The current study, conducted in Portland Oregon, surveyed 1,240 residents in 23 neighborhoods with above-average firearm discharges. …

Aiding A Reformed Church Into A Multiethnic And Economically Diverse Congregation, Leroy E. Childress Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Ethnic and economic diversity can be experienced in the local church. There is a biblical undertone in the Scriptures that shows Jesus, the apostles, and Old Testament themes that point to Revelation 7 for the reality of it. This reality can be lived on earth while Christians practice for heaven. While 95 percent of the churches around America remain homogeneous, with intentionality, adequate training, and a willingness to engage in difficult conversations, historically Reformed churches can also experience ethnic and economic diversity within their congregations. Although many churches do not feel the capabilities to become multiethnic and economically diverse, by …

Examining The Impact Of Special Education Teacher Attrition On Student Performance: A Causal-Comparative Study, Kiandra Dane Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to determine if there was a difference between the achievement of Georgia special education students on the Ninth Grade Literature and American Literature Georgia Milestones Test in school districts with high and low special education teacher (SET) attrition rates. This study provided quantifiable data that measured the impact of teacher burnout on student achievement. This research further supported the literature in this field by documenting the consequences of increasing teacher turnover rates. Participants in this study included Georgia Milestones student achievement data from approximately 180 Georgia school districts from 2019–2022. The state’s …

Success Treating Substance Use Disorder: A Case Study Of Minnesota Adult And Teen Challenge, John Joseph Lenss

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge (MNTC) is an addiction treatment center. The reason for this qualitative case study was to discover why clients of substance use disorder treatment programs believe that they can graduate from their program when 50% of those who start the same long-term program drop out. This case study focused on graduates from MNTC in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This study discovered the graduates' common attributes that may improve MNTC treatment center programs, which could decrease the number of people who walk away from addiction recovery programs prematurely and increase the number of those who graduate. According to MNTC …

Wisdom City: Towards A Political Reading Of The Wisdom Genre, James E. Golec Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The contemporary conversation surrounding the wisdom genre shows a lack of consensus regarding the origin, nature, and biblical use of wisdom. This situation can be improved through reading the biblical wisdom genre politically, revealing the principles that create and sustain a God-fearing society. The hermeneutical key to accomplish this task begins with the claim that the book of Proverbs presents itself as a ‘city in a book.’ The outline of Proverbs, especially via the first nine chapters, introduces coherence between the concept of wisdom and an archetypal city. Second, the book provides a transformative engine, which can be found in …

Pastoral Care For Intimate Partner Violence: An Examination Of Attitudes And Behaviors, Francine P. Young

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Domestic violence or intimate partner violence (IPV) is willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and other abusive behaviors. They are utilized as a part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. Domestic violence can affect anyone, regardless of social status, how they identify themselves, or how others identify them. Religious affiliation is no exception to these abusive exploits; however, your spiritual practices may aid in the recovery and escaping IPV. This dissertation addressed the ministerial process of counseling congregants victimized by intimate partner violence. At the same time, examining the attitudes …

An Explanatory Study Of Toxic Leadership And Servant Leadership Related To Organizational Culture And Behavioral Trust, Daniel Timothy Thames

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative ex post facto correlational study was to determine if a relationship exists between followers’ perceptions of toxic leadership and servant leadership as they relate to organizational culture and behavioral trust as measured by the Toxic Leadership Scale (TLS), the Servant Leadership Questionnaire (SL-7), the Organizational Culture Scale (OCS), and the Behavioral Trust Inventory (BTI). Toxic leadership was evaluated through the framework of Padilla et al.’s (2007) toxic triangle and Thoroughgood et al.’s (2012) susceptible circle of followers of toxic leaders. Exploring the theoretical context of toxic leadership, this project studied the effects of toxic leadership …

Kenyon Collegian - September 19, 2024

The Kenyon Collegian

No abstract provided.

A Holistic Approach To Music For Stress Management During Pregnancy, Danielle Emily Dixon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pregnancy is a transformative journey for women, but amidst the excitement and anticipation that most women experience, pregnancy often raises stress levels to profound heights for various reasons, which may include hormonal fluctuations, physical discomforts, concerns about the baby’s health, financial pressures, relationship changes, fear of labor and birth, life adjustments, and societal expectations. The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to examine how music interventions impacted stress levels during pregnancy. This two-week study employed an in-person group experiment involving pregnant women. The study sample was selected via voluntary response sampling, where pregnant women volunteered to participate in …

Outlaw Country Chronicles: Rebels, Roots, And Cultural Change, Ashleigh Diane Howell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Music provides lyrics and symbols to express art within the society. The goal of this research project is to examine the outlaw movement in the country music genre to study the connection of the working-class American culture to the music. Additionally, the purpose of this project is to establish the strong relationship of folk genre and country music as an endeavor to provide authentic lyrics that reach into the past to reflect the experiences of the changes in the present. The outlaw movement in the country music genre provided a unique capture through the lyrics and reflection to the culture …

Crisis Of Youth Homelessness In Birmingham, Alabama, Velma Annette Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The economic and educational conditions of Jefferson County, Alabama, have contributed significantly to the increase of homeless families with children (LaGory et al., 2018). The failures of the foster care system have exponentially increased the population of homeless youth ages 19 to 26 (Burge et al., 2021). The lack of efficient public transportation emergency and affordable long-term housing has created a permanent population of homelessness (Kelly, 2020). Within the homeless culture, the increased incidents of violence, substance abuse, and sexual and physical abuse combined with functional illiteracy create an environment that breeds repetitive behaviors that reproduce the homeless outcomes (Burge …

Industry 4.0 And The Solution To The Austrian Knowledge And Calculation Problem: A Grounded Case Analysis, Robbie Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The dissertation consists of five chapters examining the current state of the Austrian knowledge and calculation problems which have long been characterized as indestructible barriers to a functional, state-controlled central planning body. Modern technological advancements in computing and communications have introduced to the market the means with which to have near perfect knowledge of all information at every stage in the supply and demand processes. Related literature does little more than theorize on industry 4.0’s impact while this research seeks to discover the extent to which industry 4.0 has overcome the Austrian knowledge and calculation problem by analyzing specific ground-level …

Exploring School Counselors’ Perceptions Of How Poverty Impacts Elementary School Students’ Capacity For Academic And Emotional Success: A Phenomenological Study, Latesha Dixon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate school counselors’ viewpoints regarding poverty’s influence on elementary school students’ executive functioning, self-regulation abilities, and academic performance. The impact of poverty on children’s academic achievement is widely acknowledged, and school counselors’ assistance to students from low-income families is considered paramount. The study provided a unique viewpoint regarding alleviating poverty by highlighting the crucial significance of education and skills. The guiding theory in the research study was the social cognitive theory that offers a conceptual structure for comprehending how school counselors’ observations and experiences within the educational setting influence their perspectives regarding …

Using Music To Learn Geomorphology: An Undergraduate Experience, Casey D. Allen, Tyler J. Thompson, Matthew T. Hansen

The Geographical Bulletin

As an alternative to traditional upper-level physical geography pedagogy (labs, quizzes, tests, papers, and occasional field exercises), this article outlines and analyzes a 10-week large-group research endeavor conceived and executed by undergraduates where they explored aspects of project construction, methods, analyses, and group dynamics. These experiences are then critiqued from both instructor- and student-based perspectives. We suggest that pedagogies linking physical geography and traditional humanities disciplines should not be overlooked, especially in physical geography-based courses, as they can expose students to high-level thinking skills such as: not limiting research projects to quantitative observations in a natural setting; implementing a student-friendly …

Gated Communities: Institutionalizing Social Stratification, L. Joe Morgan

The Geographical Bulletin

This paper argues that an increase in gated and separated communities is being perpetuated by social structure and de facto government policies. A review of the contemporary literature indicates the development of “gated communities” has become more pronounced in recent years. This paper demonstrates that the processes of social separation and stratification playing themselves out in these communities result from the extant structure of society at large. “Pro-growth” policies and pushes to preserve property values, both rooted in class differentiation, have become a new mechanism promoting segregation, and have been employed by governments, developers, police, and public policy makers. This …

Full Issue, Bulletin Of The Texas Ornithological Society

Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Bulletin Of The Texas Ornithological Society

Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society

No abstract provided.

Cover And Forewords, Casey D. Allen

The Geographical Bulletin

Cover and Forewords

Volume 60-2 Complete Issue, Casey D. Allen

The Geographical Bulletin

Volume 60-2 Complete Issue

Sin In Business: The Contributions Of Perversion, Defilement, And Idolatry, Jason M. Stansbury

Journal of Religion and Business Ethics

Far from being a parochial concern with the ritual observances of the faithful, sin is the fundamental problem of life for all people. It encompasses all of the violations of the peace that a person has or should have with God, themselves, others, and even the natural environment. These violations occur as people pervert parts of God’s good creation away from their created purposes and toward unworthy ones, disrupting the interdependent order of creation and defiling themselves and their objects in the process. It moreover is self-reinforcing, gaining a power over people that makes future sins more difficult to resist, …

Cover And Forewords, Casey D. Allen

The Geographical Bulletin

Cover and Forewords

Volume 60-1 Complete Issue, Casey D. Allen

The Geographical Bulletin

Volume 60-1 Complete Issue

Gsep Research Symposium Proceedings - 2024

GSEP Research Symposium

The 8th Annual GSEP Research Symposium, was themed "Dismantling Barriers between Research and Practice: Shining a Light on Global Interdisciplinary Solutions," took place on July 18-19, 2024, at the picturesque Château d'Hauteville in Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz, Switzerland.

The annual symposium is hosted by the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP). The symposium served as a dynamic platform for students, faculty, alums, and staff to come together and explore innovative ideas across multiple disciplines. Featuring 69 selected presentations under five distinct tracks, the proceedings showcase groundbreaking research, foster meaningful discussions, and promote professional development.

The symposium aimed to bridge …

Empowering Women In Pakistan's Agriculture: Rethinking Sharecropping, Education, And Rural Dynamics, Sahibzada Muhammad Hamza, Nasim Shah Shirazi

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Islamic Economics

This study examines the impact of sharecropping agricultural structures on women'sempowerment in Pakistan, utilizing data from the Pakistan Social and Living Standard Survey (PSLM)across three-time cohorts: 2010-2011, 2014-2015, and 2019-2020. Employing a comprehensiveempirical model and the Heckman two-step approach to address potential sample selection bias, weanalyze a sample of 315,835 respondents. Contrary to initial expectations, our findings reveal thatparticipation in sharecropping does not have a statistically significant impact on women's empowerment,as measured by female employment. However, the study identifies several other crucial determinants ofempowerment. Education consistently demonstrates a positive and significant relationship withempowerment, reinforcing its vital role in enhancing women's …

Lindenwood Digest, September 18, 2024, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

The Lindenwood Digest has been a digital employee newsletter since 2009.

Examining The Adoptability Of Cryptocurrency In The Islamic Financial System: Perspectives From SharīʿAh Scholars, Samina Naz, Naila Nazir

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Islamic Economics

This study explores the adoptability of cryptocurrency within the Islamicfinancial system, a topic of substantial debate among scholars and practitioners. Given thedecentralized nature of cryptocurrency, its acceptance within the conventional and Islamicfinancial systems presents unique challenges. To ascertain the legitimacy and possibleadoptability of cryptocurrency under Sharīʿah law, this paper employs qualitative researchmethods, using in-depth interviews of twenty-four Sharīʿah scholars. These scholars,selected through purposive and snowball sampling techniques, possess expert knowledgeof both cryptocurrency and the Islamic financial system. The results revealed that theacceptability of cryptocurrency in Sharīʿah-compliant financial systems is contingent onits centralization and its function as a store of value, …

Strategies To Mitigate Supply Chain Disruptions In Manufacturing Enterprises, Aikins Brobbey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some business leaders of manufacturing enterprises lack strategies to mitigate supply chain disruptions to prevent financial loss. Business leaders need strategies to mitigate such disruptions to return their organizations to normal operational status. Grounded in stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to identify and explore successful strategies business leaders of manufacturing enterprises in southern Ghana use to mitigate supply chain disruptions. The participants were six business leaders who had experienced and successfully mitigated supply chain disruptions over the past 5 years. The data sources were semistructured interviews, direct observation, and organizational records. Reflexive thematic analysis yielded …

Understanding The Stressors Of Mothers Who Have Transitioned Out Of Prison, Latoya Cain

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was conducted to explore the experiences and perceptions of eight mental health clinicians on the stressors that mothers transitioning from prison face as they try to integrate into the community. The participant sample for this study consisted of eight mental health clinicians who have experience working with mothers who are transitioning out of incarceration. Participants were between 30 and 50 years of age. All eight participants were actively employed as mental health professionals and had experience working with women/mothers that were incarcerated and were reintegrating back into the community. All eight participants had1-11 years’ experience working with women/mothers …

Influences Of Quality Of Maternal Care And Environmental Enrichment On Associative Memory Function In Rats With Early Life Lead Exposure, Jay S. Schneider, Courtney Williams, Shamaila Zafar, Jaehyun Joo, Blanca E. Himes

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: Children in low socioeconomic status (SES) communities are at higher risk of exposure to lead (Pb) and potentially more severe adverse outcomes from Pb exposures. While the factors encompassing SES are complex, low SES households often have less enriching home environments and parent-child interactions. This study investigated the extent to which environmental/behavioral factors (quality of maternal care and richness of the postnatal environment) may modify adverse effects from Pb exposure.

METHODS: Long-Evans female rats were randomly assigned to Control (no Pb), Early Postnatal (EPN: birth through weaning), or Perinatal (PERI: 14 days pre-mating through weaning) Pb exposure groups. From …