Digital Commons Network^™

Making Hot Chocolate: Connecting Hypersexuality And Violence Against Black American Women In 20th And 21st Century Literature, Ashlan Stewart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

African American literature in the early 20th and 21st centuries have been employed as a method of protest against the deleterious stereotyping of Ebonic (read: Black American) people in the United States, addressing and challenging the monolithic notions that define Ebonic people in life and media. In the process of expressing these protests, challengers to racist social norms utilize the Ebonic female body and image for the benefit of their personal interests through a combination of hypersexuality and violence. This thesis addresses the lack of accountability in these political lenses and assesses the ways in which authors objectify and abuse …

The Practice Of The Communal Pot -Olla Común- By Low-Income Women As A Strategy To Face Hunger On The North Coast Of Peru, Ricardo M. Sabogal-Suji

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru, the ancient practice of the communal pot (olla común) has become even more popular. This consists of neighbors spontaneously organizing themselves to collect food to cook for needy people. Peru is characterized by informality and ontological precarity that persist over time regardless of the political context, leading to endemic food insecurity. The pandemic crisis further aggravated the situation of Peruvians, leading the Peruvian government to support the growing communal pots that had traditionally been autonomous. The food crisis has persisted in post-pandemic times, which is why communal pots have multiplied, many of them becoming, …

Amalia E Carlo (1812) By Pietro Carlo Guglielmi In Napoleonic Naples: Unearthing A Forgotten Opera, Barbara Salani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This dissertation offers a significant contribution to musicology, illuminating an opera lost to obscurity for over two centuries. Its reconstruction is the result of interdisciplinary research encompassing Italian socio-political history, philology, and cultural-linguistic analysis. The opera is Amalia e Carlo, a masterpiece by Pietro Carlo Guglielmi, composed in 1812, which enjoyed a brief period of success before succumbing to the shifting tides of time and political change. Its libretto and musical score were scattered and relegated to the obscurity of archives and closets in Tuscany, Naples, and Munich. The research aims to elucidate the opera's importance not only within the …

Motherhood: An Orphan Of American Politics A Comparative Analysis Of State Actors As Institutions, Kristina Ramskyte-Juszczak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

The political geography of America is relatively unique in the world: the United States is a powerful and wealthy country, but also consists of sub-national actors that retain significant legal powers within their own borders. The political actors in America, at both this smaller level and at the larger Federal level, have uniquely strong institutional power to shape the social and civic life of their citizens. Despite their absolute significance to the survival of their societies, mothers and mothers’ rights have largely been ignored or taken second place to other political issues. As many countries in Europe and other regions …

Cultivating Mindsets Of Persistence: Experiences Of Undergraduate Women Students In Stem Programs At A Public Research University, Etina Qirjo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

In the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), women's representation is disproportionately low across high school, higher education, and professional sectors. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the factors influencing the persistence of undergraduate women STEM students at a public university by identifying available resources, uncovering obstacles and investigating their personal experiences. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews with a sample of 12 female participants enrolled as undergraduates in STEM majors at a public university. The research design chosen for the study was qualitative, focusing on stories from women’s experiences that provide an understanding of what …

Embodied Liminality: The Ritual-Drama Nexus In Pan-Tribal Native American Dance And Theatrical Performances, Oscar Pereira

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This study examines the intersection of ritual, drama, and liminality in pantribal Native American dance performances, emphasizing embodied liminality as a performative process shaping cultural continuity, identity transformation, and communal reinforcement.

Using an interdisciplinary methodology that integrates archival research, visual anthropology, and qualitative analysis, this study investigates three case studies: (1) the Ghost Dance movement as a liminal ritual of resistance and cultural revitalization; (2) pan-tribal powwows as sites of embodied liminality and cultural revitalization, and (3) contemporary Native American theater, analyzing theatrical plays through the lens of liminality, visual anthropology, theater and performance methodologies.

Examining embodied liminality in historical …

Fictional Prophecies: How Kazuo Ishiguro’S Never Let Me Go And Olivia Wilde’S Don’T Worry Darling Foreshadow The Threats Of Biotech And Metaverse Realities, Taylor Pack

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This thesis intends to embrace conversations about technological advancements and create space for examining the ways in which popular technologies of the 2020s are the beginning of a dangerous future for marginalized bodies if gone unchecked and under-regulated. This paper investigates the ways in which modern forms of technology are at risk of mimicking the novel Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro and the film Don’t Worry Darling, directed by Olivia Wilde dystopias and argues the need for more conscious consumerism of technology and media alike to acknowledge the ways in which the control of women’s bodies is a …

Oasis, Parinaz Moghadampour

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This exhibition is about the media, the mesmerizing effects of tech-driven advertisements and their impact on consumerism, and global disasters as the consequences of this phenomenon. This is a critique of technology's immense expansion of advertising's reach. With the advent of the Internet, social media, and mobile devices, advertisers reach a global audience instantly. Using algorithms, digital advertising platforms allow precise targeting based on demographics, interests, and online behavior. This means that advertisements can be tailored to specific audiences, increasing the chances of reaching the right consumers with the right message. Michel Foucault, the prominent French philosopher and social theorist, …

“This Generation Of Women Is Finished”: Misogyny As Social Bonding On Social Media And Patriarchal Constructions Of Femininity, Emma Mierzejewski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This thesis explores online discourse between users on social media platforms, specifically Instagram, in an effort to better understand the patriarchal influence on American social culture. Users on the platform regularly write off misogynistic comments as simply “dark humor” or an extreme expression of one’s “freedom of speech.” At the same time, supportive comments are also influenced by those same misogynistic expectations. I argue that misogynistic thinking in comments and a willingness to uphold them for social bonding provides deeper insights into our society’s attitudes towards women, their roles, and conceptions of femininity in general. I conducted a content analysis …

Individual, Family, Peer, And Religious Community Predictors Of Adolescent Religious Deidentification, Sam A. Hardy, Russ Amelang, Michael Goodman

Faculty Publications

This study examined individual, family, and peer religiosity, and religious community supportiveness as predictors of adolescent religious deidentification. The longitudinal study involved two waves of data, two years apart, from U.S. families (1,021 families; religious adolescents from 11–17 years of age), with measures of dimensions of religiosity at Time 1 and changes in religious identification from Time 1 to Time 2. Within each domain, at least one dimension of religiosity at Time 1 predicted religious deidentification at Time 2. Specifically, youth higher in individual, family, and peer religiosity, and religious community supportiveness, were less likely to leave religion. These relations …

Longitudinal Changes In Verbal And Nonverbal Memory Among Older Adults: The Relevance Of Demographic Variables, Lauryn Owen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

The study investigated longitudinal changes in verbal and nonverbal memory among older adults, examining the influence of demographic variables (age, sex, and education), memory associations with cognitive screening performance over time, and short-term practice effects. Linear mixed-effects models and repeated measures ANCOVAs were used to evaluate memory change over time and determine which memory tests were more susceptible to practice effects. Memory was assessed using subscales from the Loewenstein-Acevedo Scales for Semantic Interference and Learning (LASSI-L), Craft Story 21 (CS), and the Benson Complex Figure Test (BCFT). Results showed that age and sex were significant predictors of verbal memory, with …

Wellness Among Bipoc Counselors-In-Training: Mediation Impact On Stress And Burnout, Javier E. Ponce

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

The purpose of this research study was to gather data on stress, wellness, and burnout levels from counselors-in-training (CITs) who identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) to compare them to norm groups and assess the mediating effect of wellness on the association between stress and burnout. The researcher conducted this study to aid counselor educators in incorporating wellness into interventions that can help BIPOC CITs not only reduce their stress and burnout levels but also augment their overall wellness. The final sample consisted of 118 BIPOC CITs who thoroughly completed a demographic questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale-10, Five …

Can Servant Leadership Reinvigorate Communities Of Faith, Jonathan Owens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This study examined the relationship between servant leadership characteristics and church growth in Episcopal congregations. Using quantitative analysis, the research assessed whether leadership characteristics—such as emotional healing, creating value for the community, conceptual skills, empowering followers, helping followers succeed, putting followers first, and behaving ethically—were significant predictors of numerical growth. Data were collected from 40 churches (20 growing, 20 declining), with leadership perceptions measured through a validated servant leadership instrument.

The findings indicate that while growing churches exhibited slightly higher mean scores across several servant leadership characteristics, none of the differences were statistically significant. Logistic regression analysis further demonstrated that …

Beneficent Artificial Intelligence In The Age Of The Thing: A Case Study Of The Palm Beach County Library System, Philip J. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

With this thesis, I explore how Palm Beach County Library System administration and the broader county government are managing the advance of artificial intelligence and seeking actionable resolutions to the artificial intelligence dilemma. Due to power differentials, triangulation required me to adopt a humanist, perspectival approach. I collected data from participant observations, reflective fieldnotes, literature review, and transcription of an interview, all of which informed my interpretations. Albeit colored by past experiences, I relate my professional familiarity in a customer service training role and express the importance of engaging patron experience that is service-oriented, ongoing training intended to recenter the …

The Impact Of The Imsd Mentorship Program On Stem Doctoral Graduation Rates: An Application Of Elite Theory, Kristen Alexandria Walden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Disparities in doctoral STEM completion rates among underrepresented groups raise questions about institutional power and access in higher education. This dissertation investigates graduation rates among minority doctoral students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, comparing results at public and private universities through the lens of elite theory. Elite theory asserts that power is concentrated within small groups or institutions that influence national and institutional outcomes. Although public administration literature addresses elite power structures in universities, less research has examined how these dynamics influence graduation for underrepresented groups in doctoral STEM disciplines.

This study applies elite theory to explore …

On! Original Flavor Oral Nicotine Pouch Characterization: Biorelevant In Vitro Nicotine Release Apparatus Assessment, Jason C. Funderburk, Melissa Morgan, Maria Lasaosa Garcia, Andreas S. L. Mendez, Matthew S. Halquist

Graduate Research Posters

Background: Oral nicotine pouch (ONP) use is rising. The sales of ONPs in 2019 were 126 million units, increasing to 808 million units in 2022. Understanding ONP in vitro release is critical for assessing exposure to ONP products.

Methods: The commercial brand ON! ONPs with nicotine label claims of 2, 4, and 8 mg, were evaluated in vitro for cumulative nicotine release using the bidirectional transmucosal apparatus (BTA) for 90 minutes. Nicotine quantification was performed by HPLC-PDA. For pH determination, ONP samples were prepared in water or artificial saliva (pH 6.8) with measurements for 30 minutes. BTA results were compared …

Things Goin’ On: Hierarchical Order, Olivia Rachel Austin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Things Goin' On: Hierarchical Order is a series of mixed media works examining power dynamics and structured relationships within human life. This body of work explores social class, gender roles, and systemic power structures through a combination of found textiles, altered objects, and diverse rendering techniques. Each piece investigates how individuals are positioned within broader social and natural systems. The works collectively encourage reflection on the universal and historical role of power dynamics in shaping human experiences and interactions.

#Tribe: A Study On Digital Tribalism In Saudi Arabia, Maha Alrehaili

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This dissertation examines digital tribalism in Saudi Arabia as a lens through which to explore the complex interplay between state, identity politics, and social media in an era of rapid transformation. Amidst ambitious modernization efforts under Vision 2030 and ongoing economic restructuring, the Saudi state has sought to establish a national identity by leveraging tribal heritage. This study investigates how the three major tribes, Harb, Qahtan, and Otaibah, are responding to rapid modernization through an examination of their digital presence on X (formerly Twitter).

Employing a comparative case study design and content analysis of three years of digital activity, this …

Exploring Undergraduate Students’ Use Of Mental Health Applications: A Phenomenological Study, Chelsea D. Fullilove

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This phenomenological dissertation explored undergraduate students' lived experiences of using mental health mobile apps, AI, and other technology to manage mental health symptoms. The research focused on exploring three research questions: (a) perceptions of app effectiveness, usability, and features; (b) barriers and integration into mental health care routines; and (c) influences of privacy, peer influence, cultural backgrounds, and personal beliefs on app use.

Data were collected via purposive sampling through semi-structured interviews (N=12), each consisting of 15 open-ended questions, with students using a mental health app to improve their mental health. The interpretive data analysis was conducted by …

User Behavior Anomaly Detection Approaches To Mitigate Insider Threats, Omar Neil Gonzales

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Insider threats represent a critical challenge in cybersecurity due to their ability to disguise malicious activity within legitimate user behavior. This dissertation proposes novel approaches to enhance insider threat mitigation through user behavior anomaly detection. First, a systematic survey is conducted to evaluate existing countermeasures, categorizing technical and human-centric strategies while identifying their limitations. building upon these findings, the dissertation introduces two complementary detection frameworks: the contiguous, contextual, and classifying pipeline (C3P), which uses symbolic pattern mining and contextual modeling to autonomously score and classify sequences, and the representation-reconstruction detection (R2D) framework, which leverages causal self-attention and variational autoencoding to …

Annual Security Report For Calendar Year 2024, Illinois State University Police Department

Clery Act Annual Security Report

Illinois State University Police Department Annual Security Report

Department Of English Newsletter, Winter 2024-2025, Illinois State University, Department Of English

Department of English Newsletter

Newsletter of the Illinois State University Department of English

Parent And Family Guide, 2025-2026, Illinois State University, Dean Of Students Office, Parent And Family Services

Parent and Family Guide

Campus guide prepared by the Illinois State University Dean of Students Office's Parent and Family Services Department

Parent & Family Newsletter, February 2025, Illinois State University, Parent And Family Services

Parent & Family Newsletter

Parent and Family Newsletter

Trends In Contacts Made By Immigrants To The National Domestic Violence Hotline, Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sarah Treves-Kagan, Vi D Le, Liris S Berra, Colleen M Ray, Yanet Ruvalcaba, Leila Wood, Denise V D'Angelo, Tatiana M Vera, Lianne Fuino Estefan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: Immigrants in the United States are more likely than nonimmigrants to experience risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) and problems in getting support. The COVID-19 pandemic and recent incidents of xenophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment may have exacerbated exposure to IPV risk factors. We examined immigrant experiences of IPV before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This study identified changes in characteristics of abuse, services used, referrals, and barriers to services among those who contacted the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) and identified as immigrants, reported immigration status as a concern, needed immigration support, and/or identified immigration status as …

Exploring The Role Of 5-Hydroxymethyl-2-Furfural And Sumiki's Acid In Beta-Cell Metabolism, Daiwik Munjwani, Demitrius Hill, David Regan, David Lee, Mike Muehlbauer, Hans-Ewald Hohmeier, Mette Jensen, Neolle E. Younge, James Bain

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Type 1 diabetes (T1D), a leading cause of mortality in the United States, is associated with heart disease, nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy, and stroke. While management of T1D with medications and healthy lifestyle choices is critical, recent research highlights the contributory role of environmental diabetogens in the pathogenesis of T1D. Here, we propose that the furan compound, 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (HMF), which forms when hexoses such as glucose or fructose lose three water molecules during thermal food processing, might be an unrecognized dietary diabetogen. HMF is a suspected mutagen and carcinogen. In a previous experiment in the rat 832/13 beta-cell line, when cultures …

Encouraging Self-Regulation In An Online University Course For Preservice Teachers: An Intervention Study, Karen T. Arnesen, Charles R. Graham, Heather Leary, Alison I. Mcmurry

Faculty Publications

Although self-regulation (SR) has long been seen as an important educational concept, we know little about how to foster it in higher education online student populations. This research addresses this need by introducing an SR intervention into a preservice teacher course. The 30 students who participated used an intervention consisting of weekly student goal setting and self-reflection. Using data collected from a self-regulation survey, weekly reflections, final exam reflections, and interviews, all but one student indicated that the process of setting a goal weekly and especially reflecting on their actions during the week increased their self-regulation abilities. More than half …

Home-Based Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Treatment For Major Depressive Disorder: A Fully Remote Phase 2 Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial, Rachel D Woodham, Sudhakar Selvaraj, Nahed Lajmi, Harriet Hobday, Gabrielle Sheehan, Ali-Reza Ghazi-Noori, Peter J Lagerberg, Maheen Rizvi, Sarah S Kwon, Paulette Orhii, David Maislin, Lucia Hernandez, Rodrigo Machado-Vieira, Jair C Soares, Allan H Young, Cynthia H Y Fu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been proposed as a new treatment in major depressive disorder (MDD). This is a fully remote, multisite, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized superiority trial of 10-week home-based tDCS in MDD. Participants were 18 years or older, with MDD in current depressive episode of at least moderate severity as measured using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (mean = 19.07 ± 2.73). A total of 174 participants (120 women, 54 men) were randomized to active (n = 87, mean age = 37.09 ± 11.14 years) or sham (n = 87, mean age = 38.32 ± 10.92 …

Challenging Motherhood And Analysing Cultural Differences: A Review Of The Film Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway (2023), Sana Hashmi

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Poor Oral Health Is Associated With Social Vulnerability In Critically Ill Trauma Patients, Mokunfayo O Fajemisin, Stephanie Martinez Ugarte, Chelsea J Guy-Frank, Gabrielle E Hatton, Kayli A Quinton, Sophia Syed, Erin E Fox, Charles E Wade, Kimberly A Mankiewicz, Lillian S Kao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Social factors affect oral health status, and poor oral health has been associated with worse health outcomes. Using the Oral Health Risk Assessment Value Index (OHRAVI), a bedside tool for non-dentists to assess oral health, we investigated the interplay of oral health with social drivers of health and social vulnerability, as measured by the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), in severely injured patients.

Methods: Our retrospective study included dentulous critically ill trauma patients who were previously assigned an OHRAVI score (range 0-3; unhealthy score >1). Patient demographics, comorbidities, and self-reported social drivers were obtained from health records. SVI was calculated …