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A Content Analysis Of Black Women's Race And Gender Depiction In American History Textbooks, Le'marqunita De'sharay Lowe

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Using a race and gender analytical lens, this research study examined how Black women were depicted in four secondary Advanced Placement Pearson’s history textbooks. Content analysis was the methodology to collect data from Pearson’s Advanced Placement history textbooks. Captions and images were analyzed to observe the patterns and themes that displayed the intersection between Black women's race and gender depiction. The interdisciplinary fields of history and education allowed an in-depth analysis of race and gender to be conducted throughout this research study. Two research questions were answered throughout this study. What do captions and images teach about the race and …

Hospitality As A Philosophy Of Care, Freddy Clark

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examines hospitality as a philosophy of care and a practice of social justice, particularly within marginalized communities. While hospitality is often understood as a gesture of kindness or a function of the service industry, this research reframes it as an ethical and relational practice grounded in human dignity, mutuality, and community formation. It explores how hospitality extends beyond transactional exchanges to become a transformative expression of care that challenges exclusion and affirms belonging. Drawing on interdisciplinary frameworks, the study integrates biblical narratives, including the Good Samaritan and Matthew 25:35–40, philosophical perspectives from Emmanuel Levinas and Jacques Derrida, and …

Good News For The Poor And More: Reclaiming Martin Luther King, Jr.'S Radical Gospel Of Economic Justice In Pursuit Of The Beloved Community, Lester A. Mccorn

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation, Good News for the Poor and More: Reclaiming Martin Luther King Jr.’s Radical Gospel of Economic Justice in Pursuit of the Beloved Community, argues that Martin Luther King Jr.—one of the most transformational American leaders of the 20th century—should be best understood as a central figure within the Black Social Gospel tradition whose rhetoric constitutes a sustained socio-political and theological critique of economic injustice. Moving beyond interpretations that limit King to racial integration and civil rights, this study demonstrates that his preaching confronts the structural realities of poverty, racial capitalism, and militarism as interrelated forms of systemic …

Diagnosing The Discourse: How The Academy Of Breastfeeding Medicine Constructs And Constrains Treatment Of Tethered Oral Tissues, Mary E. Miller

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

While breastfeeding is recognized as fundamental to global public health, oral restrictions that can affect infant latch, milk transfer, and feeding efficiency warrant further examination within policy frameworks. This dissertation proposes an expanded conceptualization of tethered oral tissues (TOTs) that encompasses not only anatomical frenal restrictions but also fascial tensions, neuromuscular limitations, and other conditions restricting orofacial function that may be congenital or acquired. The purpose of this study was to critically examine how this clinical guidance document shapes understandings and responses to TOTs. Using Carol Bacchi’s “What’s the Problem Represented to Be?” approach, a critical discourse analysis of the …

Weaving Leadership: A Participatory Narrative Inquiry Into Alaska Native Women’S' Relational And Intersectional Leadership, Aleesha Ikayuk Towns-Bain

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Alaska Native women have long supported their families, Tribes, and communities through leadership that is relational, adaptive, and rooted in Indigenous cultural values. In recent years, Alaska Native women have assumed significant leadership roles within a diverse range of Western sectors—including government, business, higher education, and nonprofits—while maintaining roles as critical culture holders and community builders. Despite their contributions, the leadership experiences of these women are poorly understood in both leadership practice and scholarship. The purpose of this research project was to explore how Alaska Native women make meaning of their leadership experiences through Indigenous relational values and at the …

Exploring The Principles And Values Of Co-Operative Economics And Sustainability To Inform Positive Solutions With Communities Impacted By Incarceration, Mary A. Sutton

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The United States incarcerates more people than any other country. Each month, tens of thousands of people across the country are released from prison or jail. Most return to communities that are economically, socially, and environmentally disenfranchised. The cycling of targeted populations in and out of the carceral system has imposed devastating consequences and inequities on poor Black and Brown communities, consequences that will reverberate for generations. The literature indicates a need for a critical sustainability assessment tool to examine incarceration policies and measure their real impacts on individuals, families, and communities. There is a need for sustainable solutions to …

Bridging Worlds Of Care: A Qualitative Exploration Of Integrating Non-Western Healing Modalities With Mental Health Counseling, Douglas Valdez

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The aim of the study is to explore the experiences of practitioners who treat individuals presenting with depression and anxiety using culturally integrative non-Western healing modalities. Participants included 15 experienced practitioners (minimum five years of practice) who identified as Traditional Chinese Medicine providers (e.g., acupuncturists, herbalists) and/or Curandero/x/as. The approach was qualitative, utilizing open-ended survey responses collected electronically and analyzed with thematic analysis. Results indicated six primary themes: (a) Philosophies in Healing, highlighting culturally grounded conceptualizations of depression and anxiety; (b) Traditional Chinese Medicine Interventions, including acupuncture, botanical, nutritional, manual, and movement-based practices; (c) Curanderismo Pláticas and Integrative Western Healing …

The Conservation Value Of Silvicultural Systems For Breeding And Post-Fledging Bird Communities In Northeastern North America, Christopher Andrew Liazos

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Forest bird community decline in the eastern United States is partly due to the lack of early-and-late-successional forests stemming from historic land use. Silviculture can create underrepresented forest age classes and structures to support avian communities during the breeding and post-fledging periods. In southwestern New Hampshire, we conducted a case study evaluating avian conservation value indices across silvicultural systems. Our goal was to observe how avian conservation value indexes and abundance differed between recently managed and unmanaged stands. We surveyed 215 breeding and 118 post-fledging points across 22 sites using point counts and vegetation surveys. Conservation values in the breeding …

Bipoc Faculty Thriving In The Community College System: Collective Healing, Joy And Liberation, Carolina Forero-Moreno

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This professional innovation dissertation addresses the need for Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) faculty in Washington State community and technical colleges to have safe, sacred spaces to engage in anti-racist, anti-colonial, and healing practices. The proposed space is a year-long institute with bimonthly gatherings focused on decolonization work, liberatory practices, and collective healing. Gloria Anzaldúa’s Path of Conocimiento (2002) will be used to develop participants’ critical consciousness as racialized people. Emergent Strategy (brown, 2017) and the Constellations Framework (Constellations Framework, 2022) are used to learn and embody liberatory practices, all the while the Seven Circles of Wellness …

Decolonizing Teacher Mindsets With Precolonial Worldview Precept Reflection And Transformation, Gabriela Armendariz

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Colonial education systems, rooted in Western epistemologies, have perpetuated a legacy of settler colonialism that continues such problems as environmental disconnection, inequality, and power dynamics that disadvantage marginalized and Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities. While decolonizing education has generally been about critically examining how entrenched colonial practices shape curricula, teaching methods, and institutional policies, the emphasis of my proposed study is a focus on contrasting precolonial (Indigenous) worldview precepts, using the contrasting but non-dualistic worldview chart created by Four Arrows and Darcia Narvaez (Wahinkpe Topa [Jacobs], 2024). In partnership with K-12 educators from major school districts across the …

Culturally Grounded Interventions Within Natural Settings: An Investigation Of How Cultural Learning Within Place Can Lead To The Enhancement Of Well-Being, Dean Masaji Tanikawa

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examines the impact of Culturally Grounded Interventions within Natural Settings on participants’ health and well-being, using Wilson’s (2008) Indigenous Paradigm to counter the limitations of past positivist approaches used by non-Native researchers. Culturally Grounded Interventions incorporating traditional Hawaiian practices such as mahi ‘āina (farming), koa ‘āina (reforestation), and Lā’au Lapa’au (herbal therapy) were performed at Ho’oulu ‘Āina, a nature preserve in Kalihi Valley, Hawaiʻi,  Ho’oulu ‘Āina, sits on a wahi pana (sacred site), and serves the Kalihi community with cultural education and healing. The study highlights, how relationships, including connections to land (‘āina), …

Reimagining Occupational Justice Beyond Anthropocentrism: A Humane Education Approach To Occupational Therapy Education, Macy Sutton

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Occupational therapy positions itself as a holistic, justice-oriented profession, yet many of its theories, practices, and educational standards reflect Eurocentric values and assumptions. Even occupational justice, the disciplinary concept specifically concerned with advancing a more just world, is steeped in coloniality. Critical scholars have increasingly critiqued particular oppressive structures embedded in the field, such as ableism and white supremacy; however, anthropocentrism remains largely unchallenged. In the occupational justice literature, anthropocentrism operates primarily through omission; that is, animals are absent from most scholarly works. This gap is significant because anthropocentrism contributes to prejudice, oppression, and discrimination not only toward animals and …

A Qualitative Study Of Existential Paralysis As A Pathway To Meaning And Purpose Among Generation Z, Oksana V. Panchenko

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examines the lived experiences of emerging adults from Generation Z (N = 26) with a qualitative reflexive thematic analysis. Data was collected with an online survey and open ended prompts. Twelve themes were identified as part of data analysis: (1) Feeling Lost, Immobilized, Isolated and Overthinking, (2) Feeling Depressed and Experiencing Identity Erosion and Functional Disruption, (3) Anxiety, the Struggle for Authentic Connection, and Fear About the Future, (4) Social Media, Comparison, and Fear of Missing Out, (5) Cultural and Sociopolitical Pressures on Self-Expression, (6) Ambiguous Loss and Disconnection in Social Presence, (7) Social Skills, Self-Confidence, and Adaptation …

Assessing Use Of Invasive Understory Plant Species By The Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene Carolina Carolina) Within A Massachusetts Wildlife Management Area, Karoline Weston

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Eastern box turtles are facing population declines across their range due to habitat loss, vehicular strikes, and illegal collection. A lesser-explored aspect of eastern box turtle conservation is the role of non-native, invasive vegetation in shaping fine scale habitat use. Invasive vegetation can alter habitat structure and quality, yet its role in eastern box turtle behavior remains unstudied. To evaluate this relationship, I tracked 19 eastern box turtles via radio telemetry throughout the 2022 active season in a Massachusetts wildlife management area. My study addressed six questions: (1) Do eastern box turtles exhibit a preference for microhabitats containing invasive vegetation? …

How To Reduce Inpatient Violence: A Theory Synthesis From Four Models, Arthur Walker

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Working in an inpatient setting inherently involves an increased risk of violence. This violence can affect both staff and patients alike and can lead to psychological trauma, serious bodily injury, and even death. To mitigate this risk, many models for preventing inpatient violence have been proposed for hospitals to implement. However, the evidence for the efficacy of these methods is inconsistent, and the theoretical underpinnings are varied and slim. This dissertation seeks to improve these models by re-examining the theoretical structures for common themes of four models for inpatient violence reduction and proposing additional recommendations informed by this synthesis. First, …

Beyond The Rabbit Hole: Dmt, Death, And The Hereafter, Abby Molina

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation explores a proposed relationship between death and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) within the context of contemporary clinical psychology and the current psychedelic renaissance. Building on Rick Strassman’s hypothesis that DMT may be released at the moment of death and Imants Barušs’ conceptualization of death as an altered state of consciousness, this project examines the phenomenological similarities between DMT-induced experiences (psychedelic “trips”) and near-death experiences (NDEs). Through review of neurobiological research, psychedelic-assisted therapy literature, religious and cultural ceremonial practices, and documented DMT trip and NDE reports, this work evaluates the plausibility that endogenous DMT contributes to altered states of consciousness observed …

Adverse Childhood Experiences Of Individuals Charged Or Convicted Of Homicide In Their Youth, Marcus Krodel

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) represent a collection of distressful events occurring during childhood and have been shown to have a negative impact on future functioning. ACEs were utilized in the current study to increase our understanding of a unique population among court-involved individuals: juveniles charged or convicted of homicide. Court decisions have established that juveniles convicted of homicide are both distinct from their adult counterparts and present with dissimilar risk and protective factors. The current study explored a sample of 66 individuals who were charged or convicted of homicide while in their youth. Each participant was retroactively assigned an ACEs …

Green Space: Investigation Into The Role Pocket Parks Play In Biodiversity And Human Well-Being, Jacalyn Speicher

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Natural communities and the birds that inhabit them are essential to the physical and emotional well-being of human residents in urban settings. The action research undertaken in this study addresses the social and environmental justice issues of equity, accessibility, and diversity afforded avian and human communities in the design of pocket parks within the urban landscape. As urbanization consumes the natural landscape, people and birds must adapt to the novel challenges of a changing environment. I studied 10 pocket parks identified in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between January and June 2026. This time frame spanned the seasons from winter to …

Molecular Detection Of Campylobacter Spp. In Filth Flies Associated With Broiler Breeder Facilities In Oklahoma And Arkansas, Allen Szalanski

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Adult filth flies (Diptera: Muscidae) (non-biting flies that develop in decaying organic matter) are abundant in poultry facilities and may contribute to the dissemination of pathogenic Campylobacter spp. among flocks. We sampled adult house flies, Musca domestica L., and black dump flies, Hydrotaea aenescens (Wiedemann), at five broiler-breeder farms in Oklahoma and Arkansas to determine the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. vectored by filth flies and the effects of farm, fly species, and location (inside vs outside houses) on the rates of Campylobacter spp. occurrence. A total of 1,076 house flies and 1,008 black dump flies were collected inside and outside …

On The Edge Of Science?: Commentary On Birch On Edge Of Sentience, Mark Briffa, Lynne U. Sneddon

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

In The Edge of Sentience, Jonathan Birch (2024) provides a thought-provokingsynthesis of current perspectives on animal (and artificial) sentience. He addresses the question from conceptual, ethical, regulatory and empirical viewpoints. Here we focus on some of the scientific issues raised, including defining and operationalising the concept of sentience and the implications for policy and regulation. Despite unresolved conceptual challenges, the book makes a compelling case for the continued scientific investigation of animal sentience.

Spending Programs And The New Roberts Court, Nicole Huberfeld

Faculty Scholarship

The Supreme Court is poised to place new limits on Congress’s spending power at the urging of states vying for regulatory dominance, particularly in health care and public health. This article is the first to highlight and catalog the throughlines of argumentation, which sparked after states successfully challenged the ACA but have grown into opposing more than Medicaid’s cooperative federalism. This means federal and state programs that heavily rely on federal spending power are at risk, so studying this pattern is imperative. The article begins with a descriptive account of increasing spending power challenges, which make use of converging factors …

The Power And Peril Of The Aca's Universality At Fifteen, Nicole Huberfeld

Faculty Scholarship

As part of the symposium "15th Anniversary of the ACA: A Health Equity Review," this essay explores the ACA's mix of private law and public law provisions that rendered measurable improvements in health equity and health outcomes, especially for populations that experienced longstanding health disparities before its enactment.  Congress’s central objective was near-universal health insurance coverage, and the ACA employed a variety of mechanisms to reach that goal. The law’s health equity successes grew from establishing a principle of inclusion across federal statutes. This principle, which I have called “universality,” centered a human right to health approach: No longer would …

Social Science Contributions To The Global Action Plan On Antimicrobial Resistance Management, Mathieu Poirier, Jaskeerat Singh, Isaac Weldon, Clare I. R. Chandler, Daniela Corno, Laura Valtere, Pedro Henrique D Batista, Daniel Carelli, Geneviève Boily-Larouche, Sonia Lewycka, Fiona Emdin, Kathleen Liddell, Timo Minssen, Ilaria Natali, Susan Nayiga, Iruka N. Okeke, Emmanuel Olamijuwon, Kevin Outterson, Julianne Piper, Kayla Strong, Jarnail Singh Thakur, Kednapa Thavorn, Maarten Van Der Heijden, A. M. Viens, Mary Wiktorowicz, Steven J. Hoffman

Faculty Scholarship

Social science research on antimicrobial resistance has gained traction in the last decade, employing a diverse set of theoretical perspectives to better understand topics ranging from antimicrobial stewardship to political coordination.4 As the action plan commitments will be updated in 2026, an opportunity exists to employ a broader social science scope to accelerate national antimicrobial resistance interventions.

In January 2025, the Global strategy lab convened leading antimicrobial resistance social scientists from a variety of disciplines to determine which new ways of understanding antimicrobial resistance could catalyse and incentivize action. Three conceptions stood out as important to revisions of the action …

The Hypocrisy Of Data Governance, Zubair Shafiq, Olivia Figueira, Athina Markopoulou, Woodrow Hartzog, Michael Lavine

Faculty Scholarship

“Data governance” is an empty term, like a Rorschach inkblot just waiting to be filled with meaning. Tech companies take advantage of this ambiguity to craft narratives about their data-governance capabilities to fit their audience and purpose. On one hand, tech companies brag about their data-governance capabilities when it fits their business model (for example, to advertisers) and public image (for example, to their customers). On the other hand, tech companies claim that meaningful data governance is challenging or impossible when accountability is demanded.

In this Article, we argue that tech companies systematically misrepresent or selectively ignore their data-governance capabilities. …

The Anti-Federalism Of Hr1, Nicole Huberfeld

Faculty Scholarship

The budget reconciliation bill signed on July 4, 2025 (“HR1”) weakened the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its core goal of near-universal health insurance coverage. To maintain 2017 tax cuts, Congress curtailed the ACA’s Medicaid eligibility expansion; simultaneously, HR1 limited the kinds of options states have been able to exercise within Medicaid while pushing the costs of deep cuts down to states. This essay argues that HR1 embodies an anti-federalism approach, and that anti-federalism is not the same as federalizing health reforms. In the past, Congress sometimes federalized health care or public health reforms to respond to …

Evaluating The Potential Of Genomic Selection For Grain Yield And Yield Component Traits In South Dakota Winter Wheat, Dante Koupal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major cereal crop worldwide, but recent gains in grain yield (GY) have not kept pace with projected demand. GY is a highly quantitative trait with low heritability that requires multi-year, multi-location phenotyping, limiting selection efficiency. Targeting higher heritability yield component traits, such as kernel size and weight, and incorporating them into the genomic selection (GS) pipeline has the potential to accelerate genetic gain for GY. The objectives of this study were to (i) understand the relationship between GY and the kernel-size traits, including thousand kernel weight (TKW), kernel length (KL), kernel width (KW), and …

Butting Heads With Respiratory Disease: Post-Epizootic Demography And Movement-Driven Spillover Risk In A Badland’S Bighorn Sheep (Ovis Canadensis) Meta-Population, Sean P. Ryder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Respiratory disease caused by Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae is among the most significant threats to bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) conservation in North America. In July 2021, contact between bighorn sheep rams and domestic sheep north of Badlands National Park (BADL), South Dakota, USA introduced M. ovipneumoniae into the Badlands bighorn sheep meta-population, triggering an epizootic that reduced the population by approximately 80%. I evaluated the post-outbreak status of this population through two complementary studies conducted from 2023 to 2025. In Chapter 1, I quantified disease prevalence, adult survival, lamb recruitment, and population growth rate (λ) using serial quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) …

Investigation Of Perennial Clover Living Mulch And Reduced Tillage Effects On Weed Suppression, Crop Metrics, And Yield Of Organic Cabbage And Sweet Corn In The Northern Great Plains, Kristina Harms

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Vegetable farmers often face weed management and soil health challenges, such as nitrate leaching, soil compaction, and top-soil loss. Sustainable agriculture is a forefront of innovation compared to conventional agriculture. Living mulches, non-cash crops grown alongside cash crops, have demonstrated weed suppression and impact on the promotion of sustainable agriculture. Yet studies have not evaluated established living mulch systems on cash crop quality and yield. This study conducted in 2023, 2024, and 2025 at SDSU Southeast Research Farm, Beresford, SD, USA evaluates the impact of established ‘Dynamite’ red clover (Trifolium pratense), ‘Domino’ white clover (T. repens), and ‘Aberlasting’ white × …

Production, Characterization, And Diagnostic Application Of Monoclonal Antibodies Against The N-Protein Of Avian Metapneumovirus Subgroup B, Ravi Gupta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) is a respiratory pathogen that causes Turkey Rhinotracheitis (TRT) in turkeys and Swollen Head Syndrome (SHS) in chickens. The infection leads to facial swelling, nasal discharge, reduced egg production, and poor growth. This virus is classified into four subgroups: aMPV-A, B, C, and D, with two other novel subgroups, in which aMPV-A, B, and C are most prevalent in the commercial flocks. In early 2024, aMPV-A and B outbreaks have been reported in the US, resulting in severe economic losses. An economic assessment estimates around $112 million in losses in Minnesota and up to $434 million in …

Evaluating Supplementation Strategies Using Precision Livestock Technologies And Energy Based Models In Developing Beef Heifers Grazing Dormant Rangeland, Kali-Jo Bentz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Replacement beef heifer development in extensive grazing systems is challenged by variation in forage quality, supplement intake, and animal behavior, all of which influence the ability to achieve targeted growth prior to breeding. Precision livestock technologies (PLT) enable continuous monitoring of individual animal performance, while energy-based nutritional models support individualized supplementation. However, their application under extensive grazing conditions remains poorly understood. Therefore, the objectives of this thesis were to (1) evaluate heifer utilization of multiple precision livestock technologies and their relationship with animal performance and (2) evaluate the accuracy of an individualized energy-based supplementation model by comparing predicted supplement allotments …