Digital Commons Network^™

"The Divine Light Illuminates The Intellect:" The Role Of Divine Illumination In The Theology Of Meister Eckhart, John Marshall Loving

Dissertations

This dissertation is a study on the epistemological theory of divine illumination in the works of Meister Eckhart (c. 1260 - 1329 CE). Illumination, first asserted by St. Augustine, is the theory that the human intellect is incapable of achieving epistemic certainty regarding what it sensorily receives. To gain this certainty, the mind is reliant upon illumination, wherein the sensed object is known by the mind through the light of that object's divine idea, which also serves as its ontological principle. Divine illumination was the dominant epistemology in Christian thought for centuries until it began to lose its influence in …

A Linguistic Analysis Of Humour In Selected Tanzanian Stand-Up Comedy Shows: A Script-Based Semantic Approach, Okoa Simile

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This study analyses humour as a culturally situated linguistic practice by examining how humour is constructed in selected Tanzanian stand-up comedy shows. Specifically, it sought to analyse the linguistic devices comedians use to evoke humour. The study is guided by Victor Raskin’s script-based semantic theory of humour (SSTH). The theory posits that humour arises from the opposition of two conflicting scripts within a linguistic structure. The qualitative research approach was used to guide the study processes. The study analysed nine (9) performances by famous Tanzanian comedians Mr. Eliud Samwel, Mr. Abdalla Musa Njalamoto (TX Dulla), Mr. Silvester Mujuni (Mpoki), and …

Strategies For Reducing Cost Overruns On Government-Funded Infrastructure Projects In Jamaica, Owen Whitely

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cost overruns involving government-funded infrastructure projects have the potential to lead to adverse economic and social outcomes. Project managers and government administrators are concerned with cost overruns as they often lead to delays, resource misallocation, and decreased public trust. Grounded in the theory of constraints, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore strategies project managers use to reduce cost overruns for government-funded infrastructure projects in Jamaica. Participants were five project managers working on large-scale infrastructure projects with experience effectively mitigating cost overruns in Jamaica. Data were collected through in-depth semistructured interviews, government documents, and public records. Five …

St. Louis, Missouri’S Gayborhood And Washington, Dc’S Black Lives Matter Plaza: Revealing The Healing Potential Of Resistance Stories That Are Grounded In Place, Ryan R. Lindsay, Lotte I. Lent, Ackesha J. Patrick

Dissertations

Oppressed people resist, even when facing severe consequences for doing so. At the core of systemic oppression—genocide, slavery, racism, and sexism—is a drive to control and dehumanize. Resistance, however, can serve as a powerful act of rehumanization. From enslaved individuals fleeing plantations to LGBTQ+ individuals risking arrest to gather in mid-20th-century bars, resistance reclaims power and autonomy under oppressive regimes. This study applies South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) “four truths” framework—comprising forensic, personal, social, and healing truths—to the interpretation of contested heritage sites. We argue that sites commemorating resistance hold transformative potential for individual and community healing. Using …

The Idea Of Ethiopia: Heritage Tourism In The Land Of Origins, Hosaena T. Tilahun

Geography Undergraduate Senior Theses

Hosaena Tilahun's "The Idea of Ethiopia" explores how heritage tourism in Addis Ababa cultivates Ethiopian patriotism and exceptionalism. Through an in-depth, close reading of the National Museum of Ethiopia, Unity Park, and the Oromo Cultural Center, supplemented by observations at the Red Terror Memorial Museum and Dergue Prison, Tilahun examines how heritage sites shape the political memory of national resistance, revolution, and Black internationalist thought. Tilahun discovers omissions of Menelik II's role in the Red Sea Slave network, encountering museum and archival silences about the internal conquest of peoples peripheral to the northern Abyssinian empire. As these heritage site renovations …

Redeeming The Amazon: Development Discourses And Imaginaries In Manaus, Brazil, Beatriz Da Silva Falcao

Geography Undergraduate Senior Theses

In 1957, the Brazilian government approved Law No.1310, establishing a free port in the city of Manaus, the capital of the state of Amazonas. Politicians at the time argued that such a project was essential to help mitigate the unfortunate economic circumstances the state faced due to its geographical isolation. Ten years later, the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil expanded that mission through Decree No.288, thus creating what is now known as the Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM, Free Trade Zone, or FTZ), an area with a series of fiscal incentives to foment industrialization in the Amazon region. The Zona …

Transportation Policy And Indigenous Ways Of Knowing: What Counts As Evidence In Tribal Policy Contexts?, Cole Grisham Aicp

Hatfield Graduate Journal of Public Affairs

Evidence-based policy making is the notion that policy decisions should be based on (1) rigorous data collection and research and (2) focus on ‘what works.’ This approach aligns with the broader theory of New Public Management (NPM), which contends that the public sector should adopt the practices of and operate more like the private sector, including a reliance on measuring performance. That said, the application of evidence-based policy approaches to Tribal contexts is often difficult, if not impossible, due to the reliance on oral traditions rather than data collection. The result is that Tribal contexts are often underrepresented in contemporary …

The Rhetoric Of Responsibilization: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Campaigns For Hiv Prevention, Catherine M. Pabalate

Kentucky Undergraduate Journal for the Health Humanities

Responsibilization refers to the process by which patients are made accountable for their health and wellbeing, which is determined by their habits and behaviors. Though responsibilization affords greater agency to patients, it can also result in anxiety and guilt when the patient appears "deviant" or "noncompliant." Because sexual behavior is attributed to the causality of HIV/AIDS, patients’ sexual patterns and choices are included within their medical decision-making. This rhetorical analysis focuses on pharmaceutical campaigns and commercials for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which were released between 2012 and 2024 and are targeted towards patients at-risk for HIV/AIDS. Findings suggest that specific rhetorical …

Across Generations Of Time: Institutional Memory And Individual Memory Of The Kwangju Uprising Regarding The Hong Family, Seung Hong

Undergraduate Honors Theses

On May 18, 1980, the Kwangju Uprising took place in Kwangju, a city in the Chŏlla province of South Korea. Though it was initially a student demonstration against Chun Doo Hwan’s martial law, it grew to involve thousands of Kwangju civilians who united to fight against vicious paratroopers and Chun’s unjust rule. After nine days, state troops recaptured Kwangju and arrested the remaining demonstrators. Years later, as a response to popular demand, the South Korean government compensated victims and began celebrating May 18 as a turning point for democracy in the nation. The institutional memory of the Kwangju Uprising has …

Cultural Continuity And Identity Preservation In Diaspora: The Role Of African Pentecostal Churches In Maintaining Traditions Within African Communities In The United States, Olamide T. Awoyemi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the role of African Pentecostal churches in preserving cultural traditions andshaping identities among African diaspora communities in the United States, focusing specifically on Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) and Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) in Tampa, Florida. Through detailed participant observation and in-depth qualitative interviews, this thesis examines how rituals, religious practices, and community engagement within these churches facilitate cultural continuity and identity negotiation among Nigerian and Ghanaian immigrants. Findings reveal that these religious institutions serve as critical sites for resisting cultural erasure, navigating the complex tensions between maintaining African heritage and adapting to American society, and providing …

Animal Exploitation At Early Bronze Age Ashqelon, Afridar: What The Bones Tell Us—Initial Analysis Of The Animal Bones From Areas E, F And G, Sarah Whitcher Kansa

'Atiqot

No abstract provided.

An Excavation At Ashqelon, Afridar—Area J, Ya‘Aqov Y. Baumgarten

'Atiqot

No abstract provided.

The Ground Stone Assemblage From Ashqelon, Afridar—Area E, Yorke M. Rowan

'Atiqot

No abstract provided.

Front Matter, Editorial Board

'Atiqot

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Consuming Short-Form Videos On Young Adults’ Fine Motor Skills, Dragon Tanaghon Chew, Jerome Gabriel Gay, Hien Than, Zhi Qin Ko

Introduction to Research Methods RSCH 202

The composition of short-form video (SFV) consumption can affect cognitive abilities, including motor skills. This study addresses a potential concern due to the lack of data. By presenting two experimental designs, the study explores the impact of SFV consumption on the motor skills of young adults. The first experiment employs a between-subjects design, where 60 participants are randomly assigned to two groups, with one group exposed to 30 minutes of SFV content. The second experiment adopts a cross-sectional design based on self-reported historical SFV consumption, where motor skill is compared between groups with low (< 3 hours/day) and high (≥3 hours/day) SFV consumption. Typing performance is used as an indicator of motor skill for the first experiment and finger tapping test is used in the second. The results will compare pre- and post-intervention performance. The findings would enhance practical understanding and illustrate the relationship between social media and motor skills.

Key words: Short-form video, motor …

Multi-Neutrosophic Ayni Method Based On Ancestral Logic And N-Alectic Reasoning For Ethical Ai And Sustainability, Maikel Y. Leyva Vázquez, Noel Batista Hernandez, Edwin Alberto Callejas, Florentin Smarandache

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

This article presents the Multi-Neutrosophic Ayni Method, a novel framework that integrates Latin American Indigenous philosophies with neutrosophic logic to guide ethical and sustainable AI development. Grounded in ancestral principles such as Ayni, Buen Vivir, In Lak’ech, ch’ixi, and nepantla, this approach models plural, ambiguous, and context-dependent ethical judgments through Multi-Neutrosophic Sets (MNS). A key contribution is the introduction of the Euclidean Multi-Neutrosophic Consensus Measure, which quantifies the degree of alignment among diverse stakeholders' evaluations without erasing epistemic differences. This measure enables the detection of convergence thresholds in intercultural deliberation, offering a rigorous yet flexible tool for decision-making. The method …

Intercultural Dialogue In The Meeting On Neutrosophy And Latin American Worldviews: A Perspective From The Náhuat Indigenous Chair Of The Technological University Of El Salvador, Morena Guadalupe Magaña

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

This article presents a reflective analysis of the intercultural forum held during the Meeting on Neutrosophy and Latin American Worldviews, focusing on the contribution of the Náhuat Indigenous Chair at the Technological University of El Salvador. Drawing on philosophical and decolonial frameworks, it explores how the revitalization of the Náhuat language serves as both an act of cultural resistance and an epistemological statement. The Chair's initiatives—including teacher training, language certification, and community-based educational projects—are examined as concrete expressions of intercultural commitment. These efforts are contextualized within a broader critique of historical erasure, media manipulation, and social forgetting that have affected …

The Significance Of Labels: From Shy And Lazy To Autistic And Adhd, Katrine K. Bechsgaard

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This article examines the ways in which language and conceptions of neurodivergent conditions, autism and ADHD, are connected in a Danish context. As in other Western countries, there are significant increases in diagnoses, and particularly women are being diagnosed in adulthood. The article focuses on how these conditions are perceived and talked about, utilizing concepts such as othering, labeling, and performativity. The analysis suggests that when individuals feel othered and stigmatized by diagnostic labels, it has less to do with the labels themselves and more to do with the connotations and pathologization connected with the labels. Furthermore, the analysis shows …

Dewey And Nkrumah On Education: A Comparative Study Of Their Philosophies And Impact On Ghana’S Development, Peter Kojo Kontoh

Center for Dewey Studies Essay Award

This study explores Ghana’s developmental challenges through the lens of its educational philosophy. Despite decades of effort, the country’s economic growth remains slow, partly due to an education system misaligned with national goals. Scholars debate whether an indigenous or global philosophy of education is best suited to drive progress. This work argues for a blended approach, drawing on John Dewey’s progressive ideas and Kwame Nkrumah’s vision of education for liberation. Through historical-comparative analysis, it proposes a hybrid framework that integrates global relevance with local realities to foster a more effective, development-oriented education system in Ghana.

Beyond The Meadow: Exploring The Violence And Dynamics Of Power In Watership Down Through Critical Animal Studies And Cinematographic Lens, Marwa Hussein Abdelfattah

Arts and Design

This paper aims to analyze the 2018 Netflix miniseries adaptation of Richard Adams's classic novel, Watership Down, using Critical Animal Studies and a Cinematographic lens. The analysis focuses on its visual storytelling through the camera angles, lighting, and character representation. Adams’ novel was adapted three times. The first two animated versions were horrifying to the extent that one of them was banned. The most recent version used Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) technology to be more friendly. The CGI version toned down explicit brutality while maintaining the novel's darker themes. Unlike the two previous versions, the CGI focused on inferred violence and …

Transforming The Law School Matrix, Susan L. Brooks

The Journal of Law Teaching and Learning

No abstract provided.

2025-06-05 Minutes & Appendices, Longwood University

Board of Visitors Meeting Minutes 1964-

No abstract provided.

A Mixed-Methods Study On Extended Parental Separation Among Mexican And Central American Immigrants: Insights From Legal Violence And The Stress Process, Natalie J. Cholula

Dissertations and Theses

My mixed-methods dissertation examines the mental health effects of legal violence on Mexican and Central American immigrants experiencing prolonged parental separation amid heightened immigration enforcement. The study encompasses three papers utilizing Menjívar and Abrego's (2012) framework of legal violence and Pearlin's (1989) stress process model. The first paper employs quantitative analysis of the Mesoamerican Migration Project data, revealing that heightened immigration enforcement is associated with increased distress among Mexican immigrants in the context of parental separation, the use of coyotes, and the Trump era. The second paper offers qualitative insights from 29 Mexican and Central American immigrants, highlighting the emotional …

Currere, Antiblack Racism, Education, Amphitrite, And Shadow Swimming, Dorothy Heard

Department of Art and Design Scholarship and Creative Works

What does it mean to make the ordinary and the everyday special? What would it mean to teach African American children as though their every moment is special?

Medicare Advantage Dominance In Puerto Rico’S Healthcare System: Exploring Its Financial Landscape, Marketing Strategies And Quality Measures Using The Commercial Determinants Of Health Framework, Sergio Andrés Rivera-Rodríguez

Dissertations and Theses

Over time, Medicare Advantage (MA) has seen an increase in enrollment in the United States and Puerto Rico. This program, which is the privatized version of traditional Medicare, has faced critiques in recent years for being focused on profit maximization and reducing accessibility to Medicare beneficiaries. In Puerto Rico, the majority of Medicare beneficiaries (95%) choose a MA plan over traditional Medicare. Despite being the primary financier of healthcare in Puerto Rico and covering populations that require extensive healthcare services, individuals over 65 and those with disabilities, there are still numerous research gaps about the MA industry. This dissertation examines …

(M)Other Tongue Aspirations: Negotiating Banjara Language, Identity, And Education Policy In Rural India, Jessica Chandras, Devayani Tirthali, Sameer Honwad

UNF Faculty Research and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Patterns Of Late Holocene And Historical Extinctions On Madagascar, Laurie R. Godfrey, Zachary S. Klukkert, Brooke E. Crowley, Robin R. Dawson, Peterson Faina, Benjamin Z. Freed, Evon Hekkala, Cortni Borgerson, Harimanjaka A.M. Rasolonjatovo, Patricia C. Wright, Stephen J. Burns

Department of Anthropology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Around 1000 years ago, Madagascar experienced the collapse of populations of large vertebrates that ultimately resulted in many species going extinct. The factors that led to this collapse appear to have differed regionally, but in some ways, key processes were similar across the island. This review evaluates four hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the loss of large vertebrates on Madagascar: Overkill, aridification, synergy, and subsistence shift. We explore regional differences in the paths to extinction and the significance of a prolonged extinction window across the island. The data suggest that people who arrived early and depended on hunting, …

Patterns Of Late Holocene And Historical Extinctions On Madagascar, Laurie R. Godfrey, Zachary S. Klukkert, Brooke E. Crowley, Robin R. Dawson, Peterson Faina, Benjamin Z. Freed, Evon Hekkala, Cortni Borgerson, Harimanjaka A. M. Rasolonjatovo, Patricia C. Wright, Stephen J. Burns

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Around 1000 years ago, Madagascar experienced the collapse of populations of large vertebrates that ultimately resulted in many species going extinct. The factors that led to this collapse appear to have differed regionally, but in some ways, key processes were similar across the island. This review evaluates four hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the loss of large vertebrates on Madagascar: Overkill, aridification, synergy, and subsistence shift. We explore regional differences in the paths to extinction and the significance of a prolonged extinction window across the island. The data suggest that people who arrived early and depended on hunting, …

Television As Myth And Ritual

Communication Research Trends

Main issue abstract:

Every nation and culture finds a way to continually retell its folktales and myths. If once we did this around camp-fires and through wandering bards, today we recast our traditional stories in modem clothes through our most popular medium, television. Throughout the world the highest audience ratings are for folktale- like soap operas that embody our historical contests, heroes and villains, and, usually, happy endings. The American-produced Dallas and Dynasty are set in the old 'wild West' states ofTexas and Colorado - but extended into new frontiers of high finance and international intrigue. The BBC'sEastEnders celebrates the …

Linguistique Du Corpus, Littératie Scientifique Et Genre De Discours, Abdelfettah Nacer Idrissi

Dirassat

Literacy, which according to Jaffré (2004:31) designates “the set of human activities which involve the use of writing, in reception and production”, finds its origins in the various research studies relating to anthropology social in Anglo-Saxon countries (cf. Goody, 1979). She is particularly interested in scriptural practices in research writings taking into account their contextual and socio-cultural dimensions. It can be considered both as a term, as a multidisciplinary field, or even as an approach, which is interested in the multiplicity of discourses emanating from teachers and students and which can be written or oral.

Our purpose in this contribution …