Migrant Mobility Across Necropolitical Territories Of Violence: Los Zetas/Cartel Del Noreste, Alondra Danixa Gonzalez

Senior Theses

This thesis examines migrant mobility across northeastern Mexico as a process shaped by organized crime and necropolitical violence, with a focus on the evolution of Los Zetas and their successor, Cartel del Noreste [CDN]. Based on Achille Mbembe's concept of necropolitics, along with Sayak Valencia's theory of gore capitalism and Melissa W. Wright's notion of disposable bodies, this paper identifies cartel-controlled border regions as necropolitical spaces where migrants are exposed to death and exploitation. Using a qualitative, testimony-based methodology, this paper incorporates three first-person family narratives of border crossing alongside documented cases of mass violence in Tamaulipas and Coahuila, including …

Sayyid Qutb: Political Philosophy And The Global Decline Of Jihadist Legitimacy, Jorge A. Ferrara

Senior Theses

Historically and culturally, the meaning behind political philosophies has been misappropriated to serve new ideological aims, and understanding how contexts have changed is essential to contemporary debates surrounding militant jihadist ideology. Sayyid Qutb, a political philosopher in Egypt during the mid-twentieth century, whose political philosophy, which sought moral, spiritual, and societal reform in Egypt under Gamal ‘Abd-Nasser’s regime, has been classified as the philosopher of Islamic terror. In this thesis, I argue that Sayyid Qutb’s political philosophy has been misappropriated into a politicized and militant jihad ideology through successive reinterpretations by militant jihadist leaders, and that this misappropriation is evidence …

Evangelical Influences On The Prevalence Of Homophobia In 21st Century Brazilian Politics, Griffin M. Bilello

Senior Theses

In recent decades, Brazil has seen a large influx of Evangelical identification among its population, and this religious group has become a prominent political group that has occupied different positions of power in government. This Evangelical prominence has led to the blocking of LGBTQ+ legislative protections, the protection of homophobic governmental policies, and the perpetuation of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric that has threatened the well-being of Brazil’s queer community. This thesis analyzes the social media presence of prominent political figures in Brazil to understand the ongoing discourse regarding homosexuality from different perspectives. Three representatives with varying influences and perspectives were chosen and …

A Study Of Lifestyle Migration In Buenos, Aires Argentina, Sofia Inés Repetto

Senior Theses

Migration is a worldwide phenomenon driven largely by economic, political and social factors. A migrant’s personal aspirations and capabilities play a large role on his/her decision to migration. In my thesis, I aimed to find how the aforementioned fit into lifestyle migration, particularly in lifestyle migration to Argentina. In order to do this, I compared current lifestyle migration to Buenos Aires to the waves of immigration that the nation received during the Age of Mass Migration and in the post-World War II era. I also compared lifestyle migration to the immigration from other Global South nations to Argentina. In this …

Thoughts From The Pit: Can Raving Change The World? A Literature Review Exploring Rave Culture As Expressive Arts Healing, Marissa Rose Renella

Expressive Therapies Theses

This literature review examines the structural and philosophical commonalities between expressive arts therapy (EXA) and rave culture. Drawing on scholarship from anthropology, cultural studies, health sciences, transpersonal psychology, neuroscience, and expressive arts therapy, this review identifies five core principles shared between the two fields: transformational experiences, multimodality, entrainment and flow, containment and ritual, and community and social action values. Across each principle, the literature reveals not surface-level similarity but deep convergence — two fields that have, independently and through different lineages, arrived at the same understanding of what human beings need in order to heal, grow, and connect. To the …

Memory Parties: Celebration As A Community Mental Health Intervention In Dementia Care, Alexis Ask

Expressive Therapies Theses

This thesis examines the relationship between memory, celebration, and collective experience, and proposes Memory Parties as a community mental health intervention for individuals with dementia, their families, and broader communities. Using a qualitative integrative literature review, this thesis synthesizes interdisciplinary research from dementia care, trauma studies, neurobiology, dance/movement therapy (DMT), cultural practices of ritual and celebration, and social psychology. The primary aim is to reconsider memory as an embodied, relational, and collective process rather than solely an individual cognitive function. Findings suggest that as cognitive and narrative memory change, individuals retain the capacity for emotional expression, relational engagement, and participation …

Exploring Expressive Arts Journaling For Older Adults In A Psychiatric Hospital Using Mindfulness, Self-Compassion And Open Studio, Lesley Rodriguez

Expressive Therapies Theses

This thesis presents the findings of an expressive arts therapy group intervention for adults in a geriatric unit of a psychiatric hospital in the greater Boston area.  The twice weekly, 6-week intervention aimed to explore the central question of what occurs when a method of expressive arts journaling is introduced to older adults for symptom management of anxiety and mood disorders during their hospital stay. Through arts-based research and participant feedback, this capstone thesis charts the group experiences. The MOSS Visual Journaling model is named after its domains; Mindfulness, Open-studio, Story-telling, and Self-compassion. Themes generated through thematic analysis of the …

Playfulness And Awe: How Ecodramatherapy Can Facilitate The Experience Of Positive Emotional States To Reduce Perceived Stress, Corey Jennifer Maier

Expressive Therapies Theses

This paper investigates the question, “can a play and awe-based Ecodramatherapy intervention help to reduce levels of perceived stress in a group of food forest volunteers?” Methods for investigation and subsequent discussion of results draw from the Biophilia Hypothesis, Stress Reduction Theory, and Trait Activation Theory to guide conceptualization. Based on a review of the literature suggesting that playfulness and awe have an effect on both perceived and physiological stress, the author created an Ecodramatherapy intervention designed to evoke playfulness and awe for a group of 4 stressed food forest volunteers. The volunteer group was of mixed ethnicities and genders …

"Oh That I Had A Dozen Voices": Accessible Music For Volunteer Church Choirs, Nicholas D. Klemetson

Doctor of Pastoral Music Projects and Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted church music ministries across the United States. In an era during which church attendance and interest in organized religion are declining, churches were forced to shut their doors, which only deepened the worsening issues in the US and internationally. Most houses of worship in the United States are modest in size but contain a small but enthusiastic group of volunteers who find great fulfillment in sharing their musical gifts to express God’s love. Despite these churches being the majority, mainstream music publishers’ offerings cater overwhelmingly to larger music ministries with sufficient participation to present SATB …

When You Consider The Radiance: Sergii Bulgakov, Beauty, Personhood, Daniel Adam Lightsey

Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation’s primary interlocutor is Sergii Bulgakov (1871-1944), the prominent Marxist economist later turned Idealist religious philosopher and finally Russian Orthodox priest and dogmatician who was forcibly exiled from his homeland in 1922 never to return. The thesis this manuscript pursues is that Bulgakov’s theology of beauty and metaphysics of personhood are inextricably enmeshed. Chapter 1 begins with beauty, specifically the problem or “tragedy of beauty,” a thematic to which Bulgakov consistently draws attention regarding the religious experience of postlapsarian persons. Chapter 2 assays Bulgakov’s chief rudiments of personhood as such, providing a kind of grammar for his metaphysical structuring …

Quiero Ver Dónde Dejé Mi Ombligo (I Want To See Where I Left My Belly Button), Karina Ramirez

Art Theses and Dissertations

My MFA thesis investigates the emotional and material bonds between the places I have visited and those I call home through painting. Family histories, cultural inheritances, and personal memories connect me to each location, transforming landscapes into repositories of lived experiences. Through careful observation and the gathering of materials influenced by local architecture, landscapes, and changing atmospheres, my work aims to understand how places are felt, remembered, and carried through time.

My work centers around places I have lived and visited, including Los Angeles, California, USA; Dallas, Texas, USA; and San Juan del Río Durango, Mexico. Throughout my life, I …

Torá: A Description Of A Dormant Chapacuran Language From Legacy Materials, Akasha Synclair

Linguistics ETDs

Torá, an Amazonian language of the Chapacuran family, went dormant as the Torá people survived colonization. Yet, in the early 1920’s, over 600 Torá words, phrases, and sentences were documented. Despite interest by today’s Torá community in language revitalization, no comprehensive analysis of the data has been undertaken. This project used methods of linguistic reconstitution, cross linguistic comparison, and the creation of an open-access database to produce a phonological and morphosyntactic analysis of Torá. Phonological findings of particular interest include evidence for vowel harmony and variable oralization of nasals. In structure, Torá is very similar to related languages, displaying a …

The Seeds Of Empire: Endogenous Influences On The Politics Of Bakumatsu And Meiji Era Japan (1853-1912), Benedict M.D. Talley

History ETDs

In this thesis, I argue the roots of Japanese nationalism, exceptionalism, and imperialism long preceded renewed contact with the West following American Commodore Matthew Perry’s historic 1853 expedition. Rather, late Edo Period (1603-1868) and Meiji Era (1868-1912) intellectuals and political figures looked to and were inspired by endogenous forces, ideologies, and intellectual movements of the Edo Period. Through a synthesis of secondary scholarship and analysis of Bakufu and Meiji Era figures’ writing, I seek to uncover the endogenous influences and de-emphasize western influence on the development of late nineteenth and early twentieth century Japanese nationalism and imperialism.

Empowering Pedagogical Practice Through Autoethnography Within The Context Of Family Literacy Projects, Sarah M. Johnson

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

Family Literacy Projects being used in the high school setting to promote cultural and linguistic identities. The Family Literacy Project is used to bridge the gap between student identities at school and the identities at home. The purpose of this study was for the teacher to reflect in an autoethnographic study of herself in relation to the context of community, pedagogy, and the perceived needs and changes of the project for both students and the school’s culture. Through the autoethnographic study, the focus of the Family Literacy Project is in its importance to the school, community, students, and teachers was …

Fluid Identities: Using Seattle's Diverse Water Narratives To Shape Cultural Values And Adaptive Conservation Strategies, Brooke J. Vanden Berg

Honors Projects

This paper explores human interactions with the environment in and around Seattle, Washington, following its trajectory from the Vashon glacial episode to its present standing as a city on the frontier of future urban climate resilience. By examining the shift from indigenous stewardship to a twentieth-century settler-led industrial “taming” paradigm, ecological vulnerabilities are considered through the lens of ill-advised hydraulic regrading and the centralization and privatization of water infrastructure and rights. This history is contextualized in the 21st century as climate projections indicate that Seattle's reliance on mountain snowpack, increasing thermal extremes, sea-level rise, and hydraulic instability caused by climate …

Undergraduate Commencement Exercises Program, May 16, 2026

Bryant University Commencements

No abstract provided.

Whiny Women: How Medical Gaslighting Becomes Medical Trauma, Neena Marcus

Honors Projects

Background: The idea of “medical gaslighting” has been present since 1969, but it has increased in popularity in the recent century. Women in particular are at increased risk of being dismissed by their healthcare providers, as throughout history they have been deemed “hysterical” or untrustworthy when recounting their symptoms.

Methods: Articles were compiled from CINAHL Complete, Google Scholar, and the University of Washington library. A total of 33 articles were chosen and reviewed.

Results: Medical gaslighting results in lasting medical trauma, a decreased quality of life and detachment from standard healthcare. Six themes were recurrent in the papers utilized: sexism, …

Honorato Et Al. V. Brazil, David Randall

Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review

This case is about the extrajudicial killing during a staged ambush of a group of suspected members of a crime syndicate. The Court found Brazil in violation of several articles of the American Convention.

Commencement 2026

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Enacting Leadership And Transforming The World: Hannah Arendt, The Private, The Public, And Transfigurations In Between, Xochitl Mendez

Educational Studies Dissertations

In this dissertation I propose a framework that emphasizes transitions between Private and Public. I argue that individuals can consciously reshape and reformulate these transitions to assert themselves in the world. How can the individual’s own internal realities, ventures, projects and selfhood assert themselves in a fraught world as an act of self-affirmation, leadership, and transformation? New approaches to this question can all be revealed by using transitions between Private and Public as actionable strategies. I re-interpret Hannah Arendt’s Private and Public as she presented them in The Human Condition (1958). I turn these into multivalent and multilayered spaces of …

Educated Sons And Evolving Traditions: A Qualitative Exploration Of Male Family Roles, Inheritance Customs And Cultural Identity In Matrilineal Meghalaya., Boby John

Educational Studies Dissertations

Abstract

This study examines how increased access to higher education among Khasi boys reshapes family roles, inheritance customs, and cultural identity within the matrilineal society of Meghalaya, India. While matriliny has often been portrayed either as empowering women or disadvantaging men, limited scholarship has explored how access to higher education interacts with gendered inheritance structures and moral responsibility within such systems. This research addresses that gap by investigating how educated sons, youngest daughters (Ka Khadduh), and elders experience continuity and change in contemporary Khasi families.

Guided by Cultural Capital Theory, Social Role Theory, and Cultural Modernization Theory, the study employed …

U.S. V. Washington: Considering The Continuing Injunction Of The Boldt Decision, Nicholas Brown

Public Land & Resources Law Review

Judge George Hugo Boldt’s 1974 opinion in United States v. Washington was a landmark decision in the recognition of treaty fishing rights for tribes in western Washington. Not only did it recognize the entitlement to 50% of harvestable yields of fish within the tribes’ usual and accustomed fishing sites, but it also provided a permanent injunction to protect future fishing rights for generations to come. Now, over fifty years since the original “Boldt decision” was made, judges in the Ninth Circuit are debating whether the continued injunction to litigate intertribal disputes over treaty fishing rights is proper. This article considers …

Holding Museums Accountable: Utilizing Criminal Sanctions To Support Repatriation Of Illegally Acquired Cultural Property, Mary Jane Apostle

Washington and Lee Law Review Online

Antiquities trafficking is the third largest form of illegal trade in the world after arms and drugs. In 2020, over 850,000 stolen or looted antiquities were seized worldwide, with the illegal trade growing significantly due to the rise of social media and online platforms. International law, federal agencies, and civil liability have not been successful in curtailing the illegal antiquities trade.

This Note traces New York’s legal evolution from protecting museums that displayed looted artifacts to mandating greater transparency through origin and ownership disclosures. Central to this shift is the creation of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit (ATU) by the Manhattan …

Sesquicentennial Commencement [Program], May 15-16, 2026, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Commencement Programs

Contents:

Brief History of UNI --- 2
Board of Regents --- 3
Institutional Leadership --- 3
Ceremony Symbols & Traditions --- 4
Commencement Over the Years --- 6
University Honors Program --- 8
Graduation with Honors --- 8
Legacy Graduates --- 8
Military Science --- 9
Merchant Scholarship --- 9
Outstanding Student Leader --- 9
Commencement Student Speakers --- 9
Purple and Old Gold Awards --- 10
Lux Service Award --- 11
7 p.m. Program --- 13
College of Education --- 15
David W. Wilson College of Business --- 22
10 a.m. Program --- 29
College of Humanities, Arts & …

Assessing Legacy Collections: Analyzing The Preservation, Recovery, And Interpretive Value Of Archaeobotanical Remains From Site 15le70 (Pine Crest Rockshelter), Lee County, Kentucky, Jennifer Carroll

Graduate Final Projects

This paper uses the archaeobotanical assemblage from Site 15Le70, a multi-excavated and extensively looted rockshelter in eastern Kentucky, while opening new lines of inquiry into gendered labor and practice during the Archaic-Woodland transition. Because legacy collections are often dispersed across institutions and/or research projects, the materials from any single site may be fragmented, as was the case for 15Le70. Such collections can be overlooked, yet this investigation into 15Le70’s archaeobotanical assemblage demonstrates that partial or scattered datasets can yield meaningful results and hold the potential to fill gaps in the archaeological record left by looting.

In this study, a small …

Designing For The Brain: Neuroarchitecture, Isabella Schutte

Hospitality Design Graduate Student Capstones

This capstone explores how principles from neuroscience can inform the design of micro-scale architectural environments to support emotional well-being and cognitive clarity. Through research, sensory analysis, immersive VR testing, and physiological and perceptual data collection, the project investigates how elements such as light, materiality, form, and atmosphere influence human experience. By comparing existing, aesthetic, and neuroscience-informed environments, the study suggests that intentional sensory design may better support restoration, stress regulation, and overall well-being within everyday spaces.

Centering Testimonio: Understanding Chronic Absenteeism Through The Eyes Of Multilingual And Newcomer Families, Alexandra Sanchez

Educational Studies Dissertations

Chronic absenteeism remains a persistent concern in K–12 education and is often framed through deficit-based narratives that place blame solely on students or families. This qualitative study examines how a multilingual learner (MLL) and newcomer caregiver understands and experiences school attendance within her child’s public charter school community. Grounded in testimonio as both a methodological and epistemological approach, this study centers the lived experiences and knowledge of a caregiver navigating schooling within a new sociocultural and linguistic context.

Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted in Spanish and subsequently translated into English for analysis. An inductive coding process was …

The Co-Existing Of Religious And Secular Systems: An Ethnographical Study Of The Kalvária V Topoľčanoch And Religious Community In Topoľčany, Slovakia, Ruzena Zatko

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

During the communist era in Slovakia from 1948 to 1989, religion was forced into the private sphere and then re-entered into the public sphere when the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ) collapsed in 1989. This research aims to answer how the communist state and religious community interacted during communism and how a democratic state and religious community interacted post-communism. This paper focuses on how people preserved their religion, how secularization was rejected, and how religion re-entered the public sphere after communism ended. To answer these questions, I conducted oral interviews, primarily with the townspeople of Topoľčany, Slovakia, and this includes …

Performatic Learning In Informal Education: A Mixed Methods Study Of Zine-Making As A Catalyst For Intentional Epistemic Claiming, Experiential Knowing, And Cultural Mediation In A Museum-Based Learning Environment, April Ursula Fox

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Informal learning environments are powerful sites of meaning-making when learners are invited to move from observer to author. This study positions zine-making as an effective educational tool capable of promoting that transformation. The study advances a new framework—Performatic Learning—to articulate how creative, multimodal practices can support learning as becoming. Developed through foundational pilot studies and an in-depth mixed-methods investigation in a natural history museum, the framework integrates five constructs: Intentional Epistemic Claiming, Experiential Knowing, Cultural Mediation, Performatic Space, and Learning as Becoming. Across cases, zine-making emerged as a generative learning space in which participants authored knowledge, navigated uncertainty, drew on …

Developing Vocal Technique Through The Canción Ranchera In The Middle School Mariachi Classroom, Perry Chacon Jr.

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Mariachi is taught in more than 500 public school programs across the United States, yet current scholarship on the mariachi voice primarily focuses on defining and analyzing performance practice, offering limited guidance for classroom instruction. This study provides a methodology for developing healthy vocal technique in the middle school mariachi classroom. Grounded in established vocal pedagogy and informed by teaching practice, this approach first builds student confidence through participation in group vocal exploration that encourages active vocal participation. Instruction progresses from foundational skill development, including aural skills, breath coordination, and healthy vocal projection, to the application of these skills through …