Digital Commons Network^™

Review Of We Went To The Woods, Stephanie Carpenter

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

The Centripetal Pull Of U.S. Ashrams: Nodes In A Sacred Transnational Network, Lauren M/ Griffith

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

A Conceptual Model For Assessing Environmentally Responsible Practices In Ecological Intentional Communities: Examples From Texas, Usa, Christina W. Lopez, Russell Weaver

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

The History Of Nazi Neuroscience: Tracing Evidence Through Voids, Angela Gushue

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

During the Holocaust (1933-1945), voids were created by the destruction of ethics, morality, and human life. We can detect this absence because of material traces of the events. My paper applies the theory of relational ontology of absence to a collection of empty jars on display at the Josephinum, a medical history museum in Vienna. The jars once contained human remains of children murdered in the “euthanasia” program at Am Spiegelgrund, a psychiatric clinic in Vienna where 789 were killed during the Nazi era. These victims were not commemorated until the early 2000s, when the specimen jars were emptied and …

Issue 475 October 30-November 13, 2025, The Local Voice

The Local Voice

Featured Articles: "Proposed Asphalt Plant Will Now Be Built in the County Industrial Park."; "Mississippi Puts Real Money Into Schools. Now Let Parents Choose."; "Education is a Public Good—Not a Consumer Product."; "The Most Powerful Word: Reading and Signing. New Book Examines Mississippi’s Place in Literature."; "The View From The Balcony: Poems from the Pen of the Sundown Cowboy, Poet Lariat of The Balcony."

Ethical Adoption Of Ai-Based Tools In Higher Education Institutions (Heis), Tatjana Titareva, Paul Mabrey Iii

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

This study emphasizes the importance of ethical and human-centered leadership in the adoption of AI-based Early Alert Systems (EAS) in higher education. It argues for leadership that is mindful of system-level risks and ethical considerations in utilizing AI tools for student retention and administrative efficiency. The research fills a gap by identifying key leadership skills, qualities, and responsibilities necessary for the ethical adoption of AI tools. Through qualitative analysis with the help of focus groups, the study highlights the need for supportive and authentic leadership that engages stakeholders ethically, addresses equity, inclusion, data privacy, and mitigates the psychological impacts of …

Introduction – Musiques Au Proche-Orient Après Le Tournant Numérique, Amr Abdelrahim, Thomas Michel, Nicolas Puig

Regards

Le développement des pratiques du do it yourself, l’avènement des home studios et la multiplication des circulations sonores (samples, échantillons sonores, etc.) grâce aux supports numériques et aux plateformes d’écoute ont modifié en profondeur la production musicale au Machreq. Cette introduction dresse le tableau des études produites sur la musique au Proche-Orient depuis l’avènement du numérique au début des années 2000 ; elle passe en revue les différents paradigmes mobilisés et propose une approche centrée notamment sur les Science and Technology Studies pour comprendre le sens des évolutions en cours.
Elle décrit ensuite les différentes contributions qui alimentent ce …

Liminality And Monopoly: Contextualizing The Transformations Within The Egyptian Digital Music Scene After 2013, Fayrouz Karawya

Regards

The echoes of the political upheavals, notably in Egypt post-2011 and elsewhere in the Arab world, have produced a supra-monopolistic structure of music production systems and streaming platforms, reflecting post-revolutionary political strategies amid autocratic restoration across the region. While the digital age initially offered greater freedom and creativity to a rising “mediated dissidence class” and countercultural music currents, post-2013 strategies increasingly instrumentalized digital platforms to impose authoritarian control and restrict musical expression. In parallel, social media platforms, which have become crucial for musical mediation, promotion, and marketing, have mirrored broader social and political polarizations that emerged in the post-2013 period. …

Kenyon Collegian - October 30, 2025

The Kenyon Collegian

No abstract provided.

Toward A Feminist Geo-Legal Reading: Us Country-Of-Origin Information In Asylum Adjudication, Malene H. Jacobsen, Austin Crane, Elise Dosch

Faculty Publications

In this article, we offer what we call ‘a feminist geo-legal reading’ of documents used in spaces and practices of law. Legal cases and decisions are often based on different legal and non-legal documents, including laws, explanatory memorandums, testimonies, medical reports, and so forth. In contemporary asylum adjudication, country-of-origin information reports (COIs) have become a crucial source of authoritative evidence as asylum officers and immigration judges use these reports in their determination of a person's need for and right to protection. However, there is no straight line from COIs' substance to the prevailing authority that they command within asylum adjudication. …

Sonic Acts Of Care: Friendship-Based Networks And Grassroots Activism In Beirut, Rim J. Irscheid

Regards

The article examines a Beirut-based network of self-funded, independent musicians that translate memories and their emotions into artistic and activist practices. Drawing on musical albums created since the 2020 Beirut port explosion, the article explores the social and emotional impact of artist-run spaces for music production. Focusing on a friendship-based network around the collectively-run recording studio Tunefork Studios, it examines how care, trust, and solidarity with Lebanon’s citizens and music producers are translated into both their creative practices and their production and distribution strategies. I argue that Beirut-based musicians increasingly thematise the emotional toll and personal investment in political, infrastructural …

Wmu Board Of Trustee Board Meeting, Thursday October 30, 2025, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda

Approval of the Minutes (September 11, 2025)

Remarks by the Chair of the Board

Remarks by the President

Updates by the Faculty Senate President

Updates by the Western Student Association President

Updates by the Graduate Student Association President

Presentation: Broncos for Sustainability Across WMU

Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

WMU Police Officer's Association (POA) Wage Agreement

Five Year Capital Outlay Master Plan and Capital Project Request

Prior Learning Assessment Fee

Western Michigan University External Audit, 2025

Consent Items

• Curriculum Proposals
• Personnel Report
• Utility Easement Request from the City of Kalamazoo
• Liquor License – College …

Cv: Laurette Liesen (Political Science), Laurette Liesen

Political Science Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

Letters, Emotions And The Experience Of Separation In The Early Modern World, James Daybell

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

From Face-To-Face To Interface: A Critical Review Of Human Relationships In The Digital Era, Zainb I. Mohammed, Lina M. Shaker

AUIQ Humanities and Social Sciences

The rise of digital technologies has significantly transformed the nature, structure, and experience of human relationships across multiple domains. This review critically examines how digital platforms such as social media, messaging applications, online dating sites, and AI-driven interfaces have reshaped interpersonal connections, including friendships, romantic relationships, and family dynamics. Drawing on interdisciplinary literature from psychology, communication studies, sociology, and media theory, the review explores themes such as digital intimacy, parasocial interactions, performative relationships, remote caregiving, and the ethics of AI-mediated emotional engagement. Special attention is given to underrepresented populations (e.g., older adults, neurodiverse individuals), as well as longitudinal and developmental …

Accessible, Realistic Genome Simulation With Selection Using Stdpopsim., Graham Gower, Nathaniel S Pope, Murillo F Rodrigues, Silas Tittes, Linh N Tran, Ornob Alam, Maria Izabel A Cavassim, Peter D Fields, Benjamin C Haller, Xin Huang, Ben Jeffrey, Kevin Korfmann, Christopher C Kyriazis, Jiseon Min, Inés Rebollo, Clara T Rehmann, Scott T Small, Chris C R Smith, Georgia Tsambos, Yan Wong, Yu Zhang, Christian D Huber, Gregor Gorjanc, Aaron P Ragsdale, Ilan Gronau, Ryan N Gutenkunst, Jerome Kelleher, Kirk E Lohmueller, Daniel R Schrider, Peter L Ralph, Andrew D Kern

Faculty Research 2025

Selection is a fundamental evolutionary force that shapes patterns of genetic variation across species. However, simulations incorporating realistic selection along heterogeneous genomes in complex demographic histories are challenging, limiting our ability to benchmark statistical methods aimed at detecting selection and to explore theoretical predictions. stdpopsim is a community-maintained simulation library that already provides an extensive catalog of species-specific population genetic models. Here, we present a major extension to the stdpopsim framework that enables simulation of various modes of selection, including background selection, selective sweeps, and arbitrary distributions of fitness effects (DFE) acting on annotated subsets of the genome (for instance, …

Honoring Native American Heritage Month, Stephanie Shreffler

University Libraries Blog Archive

Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with books and other resources available through the University Libraries.

The Romantic Spirit In The Works Of J.R.R. Tolkien (2024), Edited By Will Sherwood And Julian Eilmann, Deidre A. Dawson

Journal of Tolkien Research

Book review, by Deidre A. Dawson, of The Romantic Spirit in the Works of J.R.R. Tolkien (2024), edited by Will Sherwood and Julian Eilmann

Examining The Evolution Of Coaches Issues In Interscholastic Sport, Tyler J. Ratts, Eric W. Forsyth, Zachary C. T. Evans, James E. Johnson, Michael Fraina, Warren A. Whisenant

Global Sport Business Journal

Central to interscholastic athletic programs are coaches who directly affect the developmental outcomes experienced by student-athletes through their participation (Blanton et al., 2024; Grant, 2024; O’Boyle, 2014). Forsyth et al. (2022) analyzed the key issues perceived by athletic administrators to affect the coaching position, with Coaches Education rated as the single most important issue and Finding Coaches and Retaining Coaches also deemed to be of very high importance. Over time, the coaching role has continued to evolve, as increased role demands (Ratts, 2025), changing stakeholder expectations (Johnson et al., 2019; Stoffer et al., 2021), and growing burnout and turnover (Martin …

Fall 2025 Full Issue, Undergraduate Research

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

No abstract provided.

Papernest Media: A Collaborative Multimedia Research Project, Susie V. Mabry

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Papernest Media is a collaborative multimedia research project that contextualizes the history and contemporary status of insect commodities as traditional food, tourist fare, and natural dye in Oaxaca, Mexico. Our interdisciplinary team of Anne E. Pfister, PhD in Applied Medical Anthropology, Alex Kledzik, BA in Sociology and Susie Mabry, UNF International Studies, came together in 2024 to produce a short film accompanying the exploratory phase of a larger ethnographic investigation. In July 2024, we traveled to Oaxaca during a peak season and the annual Guelaguetza festival to investigate the touted sustainability of edible insects in a region known for its …

A Descriptive Study Of Black College Students’ Perceptions Of Law Enforcement After Police Brutality, Alisia L. Collins

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Police brutality is a social issue that has tormented the mental health of the Black community for decades. Seeing brethren battered and bruised countless times has taken an emotional toll on the relationship of the Black community with the American justice system and the officers meant to uphold it. Previous research has shown that the Black community primarily has a negative perception of law enforcement because of factors like police brutality, unjustified shootings, and legal policies within the justice system. Compounding experiences can occur for people with disabilities within the Black community. Specifically, autistic people have a higher risk of …

“A Place, A Spirit, A Ministry”: The Persistence Of Koinonia Farm In The Post-Jordan Years, Ryan Geockner

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

October 28, 2025 Nagpra And Tribal Relations Committee Meeting Minutes, Bryan Morey

University NAGPRA and Tribal Relations Committee

October 28, 2025 minutes for the WKU NAGPRA and Tribal Relations Committee meeting. Meeting conducted via Zoom.

New Economic Hub Proposal In West Java Based On Toll Road Connectivity Using Community Detection, Ichwanul Muslim Karo Karo, Mohd Farhan Bin Md. Fudzee, Shahreen Binti Kasim, Azizul Azhar Ramli

Baghdad Science Journal

A region's economic activity has a significant impact on the growth of its surroundings. Adequate connectivity (e.g., toll roads, railways, airlines and others) are essential to the inter-regional economy and encourage new economic hub. Indonesia is intensively constructing toll road infrastructure and West Java province has the highest number of planned/operating it. This study aims to identify new economic hubs in West Java based on connectivity between regencies/cities with toll roads. The new hubs are identified by using a community detection approach. To support the idea, this study illustrates cities/regencies as vertices and connectivity of cities/regencies with toll roads as …

Cultivating Deia Skills In Open Education Research: The Impact Of Targeted Fellowship Support, Virginia Clinton-Lisell, Jasmine Roberts-Crews

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

In order to conduct effective research in open education, one needs skills in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. To address this need, a DEIA expert provided consultation to the members and mentor of a fellowship for open education researchers. After completing the fellowship, the researchers were asked to complete a survey about DEIA research skill development during the fellowship and their perceived challenges in DEIA research. Fellows (N = 42) across cohorts indicated growth in DEIA research skills during the fellowship. Notably, fellows who received DEIA consultation described more sophisticated development of DEIA research skills than fellows without the consultation. …

Cultural Aspects Of The Use And Preservation Of Linguistic Heritage: The Impact Of Bilingualism On Identity And Social Integration Bilingualism And Its Influence On Albanians In The Diaspora, Migena Arllati

UBT International Conference

This study aimed to investigate the influence of proficiency in two or more languages on forming individual identity and social integration. To achieve this goal, a methodology was employed that was based on an analysis of the cultural aspects of bilingualism and an exploration of strategies for preserving cultural values in a linguistic environment. The article delved into the cultural facets of bilingualism in detail, specifically strategies for preserving linguistic heritage and the interaction between ethnic groups in multilingual settings. The paper also considered multinational marriages as one aspect that influences cultural heritage and bilingualism. Multinational marriages can contribute to …

Circular Aesthetics: Designing For Longevity And Emotional Durability In The Post-Fast-Fashion Era, Arana Gjoni

UBT International Conference

This paper examines the intersection of circular design and emotional aesthetics in contemporary fashion, proposing the concept of “circular aesthetics” as a design philosophy that prioritizes longevity, repairability, and emotional attachment over disposability. Moving beyond the limitations of fast fashion, the study explores how designers can cultivate deeper affective connections between users and garments by integrating material authenticity, narrative symbolism, and participatory design processes. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of Jonathan Chapman’s Emotionally Durable Design (2005), Kate Fletcher’s Sustainable Fashion and Textiles (2014), and Tim Ingold’s Making (2013), the research emphasizes fashion’s potential to evoke empathy, memory, and care as …