Digital Commons Network^™

"Can You Just Speak Normal?": How Language Summer Camps Affect White Children's Participation In The Linguistically, Culturally, And Racially Diverse United States, Mary M. Bruggeman

Honors Projects

The United States is becoming an increasingly diverse county. Young children are at the best age to learn about language and race, but the way that language programs address the intersection of language and race echoes the issues present in the rest of society. Learning a language in a racially diverse environment improves racial attitudes, but the only way to get to the root of the issue of inequality among individuals who speak another language, have a different culture, or are a part of a different racial group is to discuss the topic of inequality in the United States directly. …

Playing With International Students From Asia: An Exploration Of Cultural Commonalities And Differences In Developmental Transformations (Dvt), Hazuki Okamoto

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Asian international students in the United States face a multitude of challenges such as language barriers, differences in cultural norms and behaviors, and identity confusion while navigating a foreign landscape. Developmental Transformations (DvT), a form of drama therapy, may apply to these challenges by enabling participants to explore different identities and express themselves creatively beyond the language barrier. This community engagement project was designed for Asian international students to be seen and heard by utilizing DvT. Within an in-person workshop, five participants played with their shared stories, and explored international and cultural roles in group DvT. Key takeaways from the …

The Canonical Significance Of Mindset In Romans 8:5–14 (Φρονέω And Its Cognates): Implications For Biblical Interpretation, Application, And Evangelism, Denise Anne Pass

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The term mindset is common in today’s vernacular, but its significance in the canon has scarcely been explored. Cultures throughout time have viewed mindsets as something that human volition alone can affect. Yet the inability to maintain the mindset God requires of his people has prevented them from faithfully keeping the covenant and rightly interpreting Scripture. Mindsets are habitual or innate mental attitudes that determine how one will interpret life situations and the Word of God, impacting relationships with others and one’s ability to love God and walk in obedience to His Word. Paul’s extensive use of φρονέω echoes back …

Beyond The Myth: Uncovering Mental Health Research Gaps In Asian American Communities, Maile Sit

Washington Semester Program

No abstract provided.

Around The World In 80 Days: Navigating Culturally Diverse Texts In Secondary English Education, Abby Boyer

Honors Theses

In the secondary English classroom, the inclusion of diverse texts holds importance in fostering a rich and inclusive learning environment that reflects the realities and complexities of our diverse world. Diverse texts encompass a wide range of voices, perspectives, and experiences that represent various cultures, races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. By incorporating such texts into the curriculum, educators not only honor the diversity of their students but also provide them with opportunities to engage critically with different narratives, develop empathy, and cultivate a deeper understanding of the complexities of the human experience.
Moreover, diverse texts offer …

Spn 122 - Latin American Language And Culture, Salvador Salazar

Open Educational Resources

Spanish 122 provides an overview of Latin American cultures. Students will analyze and discuss representative texts and other forms of cultural production (film, visual art, music, etc.) from various regions and time periods to better understand and appreciate the diversity of Latin American history and society. The course will be conducted in Spanish.

Culture Matching And Its Impact On The Therapeutic Relationship: A Literature Review, Taylor Marsyla

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

As cultural competency and cultural humility move to the forefront of therapeutic treatment so does a need for understanding the effects of culture on the therapeutic relationship. Often individuals who belong to minority groups are less likely to seek mental health care and more commonly receive subpar treatment. This project attempts to examine the effects of matching patients and therapists based on a shared identity and/or culture as a form of culturally responsive treatment – also known as culture matching. In this literature review, the selected peer reviewed articles considered the perspectives of both therapists and patients. Research was divided …

Exploring Early Language Acquisition Through English And French, Rebecca C. Aguilar

Honors Capstones

Knowing that there is no singular event that leads to learning a language, and factoring in the extent an individual’s culture can affect language learning, this study emphasizes the importance of a cross-linguistic approach to continue to broaden the scope of language acquisition research. The primary objective is to identify and analyze the critical commonalities in the initial stages of learning English and French as first languages through two major categories: speech/language and culture. This project carried out an analytical review of 24 pieces of relevant literature, in both languages, in an effort to highlight key findings. Those findings include: …

Cultures Represented In Everyday Life: Japanese And American Values And Culture, Andrea Korbel

University Honors College

Culture is an important factor in a country because of how it displays the values of the people within it. Japan is a homogenous society that has been around since 600 B.C., the culture created since early in age. While only having been officially founded in 1776, America has also grown to have a culture of its own, heavily due to it being a vast melting pot of a country. Both countries hold aspects of culture and their values within society that are similar and different. This paper examines parts of everyday life that the culture and values of the …

Algorithmic Playgrounds: Investigating The Play Element In Social Media, Ashlyn Daniels

Honors Theses

The integration of digital technology into everyday life has radically changed how people participate in society and culture. Every facet of modern life is shaped by how humans interact with software and this human-computer interaction has directly shaped cultural behaviors and products. Digital tools such as artificial intelligence and social media applications have transformed the common means of cultural production. To better understand how this intertwining of culture and computation impacts modern life, this thesis argues for a better understanding of the relationship between play and computation. Human-technology interactions conceal a more foundational movement of play, and by understanding the …

Cultural Awareness Application, Bharat Gupta

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In an increasingly interconnected global landscape, cultural awareness and competency have become indispensable skills for individuals and organizations alike. This paper introduces a pioneering cultural awareness application, grounded in the Cultural Orientation Model—a comprehensive framework devised by Dr. Walker [8]to guide individuals in understanding, appreciating, and effectively engaging with diverse cultures. The application encompasses ten primary dimensions, each representing fundamental aspects of social life shared by members of any socio-cultural environment. Through a combination of cultural education, interactive learning, guidance on cultural etiquette, and integration of cultural events, the application aims to foster empathy, tolerance, and effective cross-cultural communication skills. …

Bull Spit, Sirena Nieves, Sirena M. Nieves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BULL SPIT, formally known as “It’s Bullshit!!”, is an exhibition consisting of seven sculptures, four installations, and one performance. The sculptures are informed by my research on low-income, working-class communities of color, analogous to the one I grew up in. The materials for my work include domestic objects such as bedsheets, hardware, uniforms, and miscellaneous items that reflect the contemporary dysfunctional dynamics between families and communities of low-income backgrounds. Cardboard, plastic bags, Styrofoam, and paper are disposable materials manipulated into abject forms to integrate the survival practice developed from the poverty culture of “making the most out of nothing.” …

My Body Adorned, Marie Y. Peterson

Art and Art History Honors Projects

My studio art honors project is an autobiographical body of work expressed through a ceramic-based installation. Further exploring the hybridized identity of being an Asian-American adoptee, My Body Adorned aims to juxtapose the contentious history of body modifications using the familiar and prestigious visual language of South Korean-inspired celadon-ware. My Body Adorned showcases a collection of vessels inspired by Korean ceramics with “tattooed” exteriors. Reinforced and informed by my tattooing practice, my work exposes the visual, linguistic, and technical skills that intertwine clay and skin and establishes a conversation between my physical human body and body of work.

Imperial Anarchy, Cultural Exchange And Cultural Sabotage In Amitav Ghosh’S Ibis Trilogy, Siva Vidhya M

Theses and Dissertations

The present study aims at analysing three sequential novels written by Amitav Ghosh. The novels are set in the backdrop of colonized India, so the research begins by examining the imperial anarchy that leads to cultural exchange and cultural sabotage. Amitav Ghosh is an Indian born writer, famous for both his fictions and non-fictions.

Most of his works are based on colonization and its aftermath. The major focus of the novels selected for the research is also colonization especially the opium production in India. The author portrays the opium production and its evil effects on people and environment. The three …

El Nacimiento Del Rock En Español: ¿Cómo Fue Que Este Género De Música Latina Tuvo Éxito?, Alejandro V. Martinez

World Languages and Cultures

This paper titled El nacimiento del rock en español: ¿Cómo fue que este género de música latina tuvo éxito? will cover information regarding the Spanish rock movement. This essay compares what is written in this paper to that of prior scholars to show that although they do bring valid points, there is a lot more than many of us realize. There are various articles and reports written about the movement, but many do not explain the creation of the movement, let alone its survival in the music industry as a new genre that some had never heard of or had …

An Evaluation Of The Factors That Lead To The Development Of Deferential Interactions Between Teachers And Students, Shondra Browne-Bolton

Dissertations

Schools have historically maintained a hierarchy with an expectation that students show deference. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors that caused students to treat teachers disrespectfully. This mixed-methods inquiry included K-12 teachers and administrators who responded to a social media post and participated in surveys and interviews. Based on my findings, the factors that led to the development of deferential interactions between teachers and students included establishing trusting relationships, reciprocated respect, clear schoolwide behavior expectations, positive communication with parents, and teachers' professional dress. My recommendations were for establishing clear schoolwide behavior expectations, for school districts to …

‘In This Prison We Have Our Main Meal At 11:30 Am’. The Significance Of ‘Time’ For Food Among People Serving Custodial Sentences In England And Wales, Julie M. Parsons

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

In this article, I am thinking through the social life of time for food in prison from a practice theory perspective. I draw upon empirical data from in-depth qualitative interviews with people serving custodial sentences or recently released from prison in England and Wales who have been on placement at a prisoner resettlement charity (RC). These support findings from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Prisons report on Life Inside: Food from 2016, and I consider two aspects from the report, (i) an exploration of the standards and conditions in which food is consumed and (ii) the timings of mealtimes. For people …

Curricula As Ideology: A Study Of Cultural Representations In Arabic As A Foreign Language (Afl) Textbooks, Zakaria Fahmi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study examines cultural representations in two widely used AFL textbook series, namely Al-Kitaab and Arabiyyat al-Naas. Fundamentally, three main issues motivate this study: (1) the cultural politics of language textbooks underlying the construction and dissemination of cultural knowledge and its prioritization of the latter on grounds of subjectivity, ideology, and power, (2) the politicization of Arabic as a foreign language (AFL) in light of the post 9/11 language advocacy, and (3) the prevailing standard language ideology of al-Arabiya al-fuṣħaa (العربية الفصحى) and the pedagogical challenges posed by Arabic diglossia. The data comprise five textbooks from the aforementioned series, …

Relational Leadership And Governing: Somali Clan Cultural Leadership, Farhia Abdi

The Journal of Social Encounters

This research is focused on exploring the distinction between theories of leadership and more contemporary visions of relational leading. In order to do so, the specific case of traditional clan structure seen in the Somali state will be examined, and parallels between the two will be drawn. This paper argues that the old Somali tradition shares much in common with current writing on relational leadership (Uhl-Bien, 2006) and, therefore, can expand our understanding and support for a form of leadership that transcends traditional, individualist, hierarchical leadership. This argument will be supported by a detailed investigation into clan politics, leadership, and …

Cultural Diplomacy And Global Challenges In G20 Indonesia 2022, Poppy Setiawati Nurisnaeny, Hendra Kaprisma, Suwedi Suwedi

International Review of Humanities Studies

Indonesia has been chosen to host the G20 summit in Bali in November 2022. Indonesia has prepared many agendas ahead of the execution of this summit. This preparation concerns the technical implementation of multilateral relations, which have undergone significant changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, Indonesia needs help hosting the G20 due to the fractured multilateral relations of several G20 member countries caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict in early 2022. As a result, Indonesia must mediate between the disputing parties to resolve this issue by selecting appropriate communication methods. Cultural diplomacy is one approach. Cultural diplomacy is a non-coercive …

Somali Students In The American Elementary General Music Classroom, Alice L. Charland

Masters Theses

Education must be cognizant of the Somali culture’s inclination to classify music as a morally charged entity. It must also be careful not to forget American cultural values that have defined the music classroom. The purpose of this research was to identify Somali cultural expressions that occur in the American elementary general music classroom and to identify underlying concepts that contribute to these cultural expressions. Additionally, the research sought to bring light to the relationship between the two, so that future music educators might be inspired to create assessments and activities that better suit the needs of all learners.

Evaluation Of Cultural-Linguistic Factors In Speech-Language Testing With English Learners, Mayra Alejandra Reyes Ruiz

Theses and Dissertations

As the population of schools increases in diversity, school psychologists are challenged to provide equitable assessments for English Language Learners. However, due to lack of training in non-discriminatory assessment, inconsistent administration practices, and lack of knowledge of language development, in some districts, ELLs are overrepresented in Special Education, including Speech Language Impairment. For fair and a valid assessment, it is imperative that practitioners understand the cultural and linguistic development factors that affect ELL test performance. The Culture-Language Test Classifications, and Culture-Language Interpretive Matrix provide practitioners with information on the degree of cultural loading and linguistic demand required on a test, …

Do We Need Multiple Translations Of The Same Text? I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter Analyzed, Candelaria Barrientos Jiménez

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

In 2018, the New York Times Bestseller I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter (2017) by the Mexican American poet, novelist and essayist, Erika L. Sánchez was translated into Spanish. Two editions were published: La hija que no soñaste in Mexico and Yo no soy tu perfecta hija mexicana in the United States. Although the paratextual information of each edition differs–that being the title and the brief resources on mental health–the body of the translation is the same. The target audience of each edition lives in a different country which implies understanding different cultural references. This thesis examines the original …

Language And Culture Immersion: A Case Study Of Mandarin Language And Chinese Culture Immersion, Lilliam Malave

NERA Conference Proceedings 2024

This case study examined to the extent that participation in a Mandarin language and Chinese culture immersion program enabled the participants to increase their Mandarin language proficiency, acquire culture content knowledge, and influence their self-transformation. Descriptive qualitative and quantitative data were collected using the application form, reflective journals, content and language surveys, structured interviews, and language and culture tests. The findings indicated that: 1) Participants in the immersion program learned new target language through language and culture content-based instruction, and interactions. 2) Immersion in the target language and culture resulted in participants’ culture content knowledge and understanding gains. 3) The …

Self-Reported Multicultural Teaching Knowledge Of K-12 Teachers, Ailish Raftery

Masters Theses

Research continues to show that students who belong to racial and/or ethnic minority groups face a variety of challenges at school, such as disproportionate rates of drop out, behavioral problems, exclusionary discipline practices, absenteeism, placement in special education, and more. These challenges are thought to contribute to the academic achievement gap between White and racial/ethnic minority students throughout the American public school system. Therefore, it is important to assess the multicultural teaching competence of American teachers and investigate barriers to improving culturally responsive teaching practices. Past research has investigated teachers’ multicultural teaching competence, but fewer compared general and special education …

Building Resilience, Navigating Crises Since 2019: A Phenomenological Study Of Leadership Factors Influencing Retail Business Owners In Lebanon, Mira Fadel

Theses and Dissertations

The Lebanese population and culture are recognized for their resilience when facing adversity withstanding events such as the Lebanese Civil War, and multiple country invasions. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of retail business owners from different geographical regions and retail types in Lebanon and to identify the leadership factors that kept them resilient while navigating the compounding crises since 2019. The leadership factors included leadership styles, strategies, and agility. The conceptual framework encompassed all leadership factors, the retail industry, cultural context, and resilience. Data for this hermeneutic phenomenology was collected through semi-structured interviews followed …

National Identity And Economic Development In Market-Dominant Small Jurisdictions, Christopher M. Bruner

Scholarly Works

Small jurisdictions that are globally competitive in providing cross-border financial services—market-dominant small jurisdictions (MDSJs)—occupy fascinating and unique positions in global markets, reflecting the complexity of their linkages with major economies. This article explores how the distinctive features of MDSJs highlight important dimensions of the relationship between national identity and economic development. I review literatures that aim to explain how jurisdictions behave in the economic context, focusing on concepts of nationalism, national identity, and nation branding, and how such phenomena might impact one another. I then assess their application to the relationship between national identity and economic development in MDSJs, where …

The Attitudes And Practices Of United Arab Emirates Consumers Towards Food Waste: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study, Lynne Kennedy, Samir Safi, Tareq M. Osaili, Ala Al Rajabi, Ayesha Alblooshi, Dima Al Jawarneh, Ahmed Al Kaabi, Fakhra Al Rubaei, Maitha Albreiki, Maryam Alfadli, Aseilah Alhefeiti, Moez Al Islam Ezzat Faris, Kholoud Allaham, Sameeha Junaidi, Moien A.B. Khan

All Works

Background: Reducing global food waste is an international environmental, health, and sus-tainability priority. Although significant reductions have been achieved across the food chain, progress by UAE households and consumers remain inadequate. This study seeks to understand the association between consumer attitudes, knowledge, and awareness relating to food waste practice of residents living in the UAE. to help inform policy and action for addressing this national priority. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated semi-structured online questionnaire through stratified sampling (n =1052). The Spearman correlation coefficient was performed to determine the correlations. Two independent regression analysis were used to …

Concepts And Measures Of Human Intelligence And Anthropology: A Systematic Review Of Academic Literature From 1930s To 2010s, Leilani Maldonado

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis explores the evolution of intelligence research and its contextualization within historical biases. Using a meta-analysis approach, the study examines word frequencies in academic literature spanning from the 1930s to the 2010s to identify shifting trends in intelligence discourse. Eleven search terms related to intelligence were analyzed to interpret changes in academic focus over time. The findings reveal significant shifts influenced by historical events, societal movements, and advancements in technology and methodology. From the prominence of IQ measures during World War II to the rise of cognitive science in the 1960s and the emergence of emotional intelligence in the …

Colonial Drivers And Cultural Protectors Of Brain Health Among Indigenous Peoples Internationally, Rita Henderson, Joyla A Furlano, Shayla Scott Claringbold, Ashley Cornect-Benoit, Anh Ly, Jennifer Walker, Lisa Zaretsky, Pamela Roach

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Despite relatively higher rates of dementia among Indigenous populations internationally, research into drivers of disparities in brain health and cognitive function has tended to focus on modifiable risk factors over cultural understandings and contextual determinants. By seeking to characterize social and cultural factors that shape brain health and cognition in Indigenous populations, this mini scoping review expands prevailing schools of thought to include Indigenous knowledge systems. This reveals important gaps in culturally aligned care. It also reclaims horizons for research important to Indigenous Peoples that have garnered diminished attention in biomedical approaches. Twenty-three sources were included for data extraction. This …