Digital Commons Network^™

Pathways To African Feminism And Development, Mwangi Anna Petkova, Mbugua Rosemary, Muleka Joseph, Carter Phillis, Gunde Anthony, Chika Ubendu, Sulaiman Lanre, George Nyabuga

Graduate School of Media and Communications

The African Women Studies Centre is a training, research, evidence-based policy, advocacy and lobbying institution of the University of Nairobi. The Centre is committed to promoting African Women’s experiences and worldview in scholarship, policy and institutional development. Among the Centre’s publications are - The Beginnings; Rebuilding the Broken African Pot; Gender and Policy Analysis Tools; Making Women’s Perspectives Count in Policy Development and Implementation; and Status Report on the Kenya National Food Security. In the spirit of the multi-disciplinary nature of the AWSC, Pathways to African Feminism and Development promotes African women’s studies in all aspects of scholarship and development. …

Approaches To Lifespan Writing Research: Generating An Actionable Coherence, Ryan J. Dippre, Talinn Phillips

Writing Commons Open Access Books

This edited collection builds on the three themes that emerged from the 2018 inaugural lifespan writing conference—identity, society, and theory—to further the study of writing through the lifespan. The contributors to this collection provide a framework within which the reader can develop a dynamic, interdisciplinary, multifaceted understanding of the limits and possibilities of studying lifespan writing. Recognizing that such research requires methodological rigor and flexibility as well as theoretical precision and adaptability, Approaches to Lifespan Writing Research draws on a range of methodological and theoretical approaches, from autoethnography to longitudinal structural equation modeling. This methodological and theoretical flexibility reflects the …

The Biological Manifestation Of Health, Culture, And Disease In Turn Of The Twentieth Century San Francisco, Trisha Walker

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Between 1880 and 1920, a period known as the Great Migration, the city of San Francisco became one of the most diverse areas in the United States due to the steady arrival of immigrants. These groups of immigrants primarily consisted of individuals from China, Japan, Ireland, Italy, Eastern Europe, and Mexico. However, each of these groups faced various forms of xenophobia from American-born citizens when they tried to either earn a living or assimilate into American society. These immigrant groups were frequently impeded by who was, and who was not, considered to be “white” in the eyes of the dominant …

What Do We Know About The Nexus Between Culture, Age, Gender And Health Literacy? Implications For Improving The Health And Well-Being Of Young Indigenous Males, Anthony Merlino, James A. Smith, Mick Adams, Jason Bonson, Richard Osborne, Barry Judd, Murray Drummond, David Aanundsen, Jesse Fleay, Benjamin Christie

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Health literacy, although diversely defined, refers to the abilities, relationships and external environments required for people to successfully promote health. Existing research suggests that health literacy is related to health inequities, including individual and community capacity to navigate health. A diverse range of factors shape health literacy abilities and environments, especially culture, gender and age. However, the nexus between these variables and their cumulative impact on health literacy development remains largely unexplored. Commentary that explores these dynamics among young Indigenous males is particularly scant. In turn, strategies to bridge health equity gaps have been obscured. This article brings together disparate …

A Descriptive Multicultural Phenomenology For Culturally Responsive Leadership, Christopher J. Kazanjian, David Rutledge, Sandra M. Gandarilla

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

As public schools in the United States continue to diversify in culture, educational leaders committed to multicultural education seek qualitative research methodologies for understanding phenomena in order to build culturally responsive leadership initiatives and interventions. This paper argues that a phenomenological research methodology is appropriate and relevant to understand cultural phenomena in the 21st century school. To serve this, the authors elaborate on a descriptive multicultural phenomenological research methodology for educational leaders. A phenomenological framework positions educational leaders to understand the nature and essence of personal experience. This approach will help educational leaders better understand the experiences of the diverse …

Cosmopolitan Continuities: The Re-Framing Of Historic Architecture And Urban Space In Contemporary Morocco (1990-Present), Simon Fader Idelson

Honors Papers

What is the political and economic significance of old buildings, neighborhoods, and monuments in contemporary Moroccan cities? I address this question by studying historic preservation efforts of state and non-state actors in two Moroccan cities: Tetouan and Rabat. In this study, I argue that two separate elite coalitions of state officials, architects, artists, academics, and activists in the Moroccan cities of Tetouan and Rabat frame their historic architecture and urban spaces (from before Moroccan independence) as demonstrating the city and nation’s enduring cosmopolitanism. By framing their urban heritage, and subsequently their history as cosmopolitan, this elite coalition asserts that Morocco …

The Ever-Changing World Of The Paiute, Joseph Lent

Eastern Sierra History Journal

In this important article, Joseph Lent offers a counter-narrative to settler-colonial conceptions of what we now call the Eastern Sierra that derives its power from the oral histories of the Paiute nation.

Around The World In 18 Songs, Elizabeth Rickel

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

For my research project, I will be creating a concert of 18 songs in 18 different languages. The questions I will attempt to answer through my research are "What makes art and folk songs so important to their respective cultures?", "How are they similar to each other?", "How are they different?" "What is is about this kind of music that is enjoyed by many, no matter the origin of the person or piece?" The motivation for this project is to shine light on some lesser-known folk pieces, build upon my two passions (Music and Languages), and to illustrate the power …

Cultural Constructions Of Sexual Relationships Between Female Teachers And Male Students, Tessa M. Palmer

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

While examples of sexual relationships between male high school teachers and female students have been historically prominent, relationships wherein the respective genders are reversed have received increased attention. Research on perceptions of sexual relationships between female high school teachers and their male students has focused primarily on the perceived differences between these relationships and those between male high school teachers and their female students. To explain the effect that gender appears to have on the perceptions of sexual relationships between female high school teachers and their male students, much of the literature has pointed to cultural constructions of gender, which …

Parents' Ability To Access Community Health Occupational Therapy Services In A Disadvantaged Area: A Proof Of Concept Study, Rachel Smith, Gisselle Gallego

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Introduction: In New South Wales children from disadvantaged backgrounds have poorer health outcomes and reduced access to health services than their more advantaged counterparts. This study aimed to identify barriers and enablers to accessing child and family occupational therapy services in a disadvantaged area.

Methods: This was a mixed methods study that included: 1) a retrospective analysis of de-identified routinely collected Community Health service utilisation data from 2016-2017, and a 2) face to face interview guided survey with parents and carers.

Results: The retrospective data analysis showed outreach at the targeted suburbs’ Early Childhood Health Centres (ECHC) improved attendance for …

Essays On Risk Management Of Insurance Companies, Olga Kanj

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This dissertation examines the risk management of insurance companies. It consists of three essays, which study the risk management of property and casualty (P/C) insurance companies. The first essay examines the impact of board diversity on firms’ risk-taking strategies using Canadian P/C insurance companies. The findings show that board ethnic diversity significantly decreases company risk as measured by reinsurance, asset risk, and leverage risk. Ethnic background values of the board members could be the reason behind this effect, board members with ethnic backgrounds from countries with high (low) Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) decrease (increase) the risk. Results also show that …

Investigating Teachers Perspectives Toward Integrating Culture Into Learning And Teaching English As A Foreign Language, Monera Almohawes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This study investigated teachers perspectives toward integrating culture into language teaching in Saudi Arabia. In particular, the research sought to investigate the reported perceptions and attitudes of English teachers in Saudi Arabia toward cultures role in learning and teaching English as a foreign language (EFL). The study also examined the relationship between teachers opinions and their practices, what teachers understand by integrating culture into an EFL context, and the materials and strategies that teachers use in their classrooms related to culture and challenges that they might face. Data were gathered from full-time teachers, and a mixed-methods approach was employed to …

Choral Directors Perceptions Of Choral Tone, Emily Frizzell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

In this twoarticle dissertation I examine the effects of experience and culture on choral directors perceptions of choral tone across a variety of musical styles. In order to identify effects of teachers culture and years of experience on their perceptions of choral tone, I surveyed middle and high school choir teachers in the United States and used a KruskalWallis H test to compare teachers ratings of choral tone across a variety of musical styles. Results of the survey revealed variability inmedianscores among participants with different levels of teaching experience in their ratings of appropriateness of the tone for the musical …

Australian Muslim Citizens: Questions Of Inclusion And Exclusion, 2006 –2020, Nahid A. Kabir

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Muslims have a long history in Australia. In 2016, Muslims formed 2.6 per cent of the total Australian population. In this article, I will discuss Australian Muslims’ citizenship in two time periods, 2006–2018 and 2020. In the first period, I will examine Australian Muslims’ identity and sense of belonging, and whether their race or culture have any impact on their Australian citizenship. I will also discuss the political rhetoric concerning Australian Muslims. In the second period, 2020, I will examine Australian Muslims’ placement as returned travellers during the COVID-19 period. I conclude that, from 2006 to 2018, Islamophobia was rampant …

Short Review Of The Sociolinguistic Study Of Global English, Ganisher Rakhimov Doctor Of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor

Philology Matters

The aim of the paper is to analyze the study of the spread of the English language as global language, its place in communicative relations in various socio-economic spheres, sociolinguistic and pragmatic status of English. The article addresses the study of sociolinguistic and pragmatic features of internationalization of the English language.
Various interpretations are expressed in the scientific schools of world linguistics about the social role of the English language, which managed to get the status of an international language, but in these interpretations they remain spiritualized, being reflected in the philosophical ideas and points of view of different authors. …

Developing A Curriculum For Tefl 107: American Childhood Classics, Kendra Hansen

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

In the last few decades, schools have begun to teach culture concurrently with language. Many teachers see value in teaching culture along with language. However, there are few guidelines on what to teach and what materials to use when incorporating culture into a language class. The purpose of this study is to examine the cultural experiences of native English speakers in the United States to develop a curriculum for the TEFL 107 American Childhood Classics course at Minnesota State University Moorhead. A survey was administered to the student body and the results analyzed with descriptive statistics to discover the most …

Domination Of European Culture In All Over The World, Md. Ruhul Amin

Journal of Research Initiatives

European colonialism is an extremely controversial affair in world history that is also discussed today. This paper explores the influence of these happenings as the world incorporates the culture of European in every step of life. Europe dominated almost the entire world and its people were leaders in science and technology. European languages, literature, and culture spread all over the globe. Decisions in Europe largely determined global events for centuries. The other continents did not approach European power until after World War 1 or World War 2. Europe consisted of constantly competing nations, and this competition spurred development. Europe achieved …

Role Of Culture In Cultivating A Sense Of Self With Responsibility Towards The Community, Jonathan T. Reyes-Carranza

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Given the fact that education has not moved beyond the factory models of the 19th century, building strong relationships between the classroom and the home environment is necessary for melding "home" values with "school" practices so that students could see how school builds upon their home culture. This senior capstone research project examines the role of culture in cultivating a sense of self and responsibility towards the community using relevant literature, surveys with CSUMB teaching and learning community, a survey with educators, and interviews with specific religious individuals. Results reveal that culture indeed influences the sense of self-identity, the sense …

Social Prescribing For An Aging Population, Amy Clements-Cortés, Joyce Yip

Music Faculty Publications

As the human population is moving toward a demographic of aging individuals, increased levels of stress will be placed on the current health care system. “… As people live longer, there is a tendency or the onset of disease to occur closer to the end of life” (p. 441) and the incidence of mental health illnesses is prevalent in older adults. Currently, the medical model is dominant in the health care system and aims to cure any issue(s) without considerations in the cause or source. Social prescribing/social prescription enables physicians and health care professionals to refer individuals to non-clinical services, …

Moroccan Society’S Educational And Cultural Losses During The Years Of Lead (1956-1999), Brahim El Guabli

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

In this article, I argue that political repression during the Moroccan Years of Lead (1956-1999) engendered myriad losses in the fields of education and culture. However, the scholarly focus on the embodied effects of state violence on former prisoners and forcibly disappeared individuals has overlooked the intangible damages both education and culture sustained during this period. In investigating the imbrication of political conservatism, educational reform and censorship, the article opens a more critical space for the conceptualization of the broader implications of the Years of Lead for education and culture. Drawing on several primary sources in Arabic and French, including …

Refugees' Perceptions Of Primary Care: What Makes A Good Doctor's Visit?, Anne Mutitu, Bev Zabler, Jeana M. Holt

Patient Experience Journal

Redesigning primary care is a national priority, as the United States (US) struggles with issues of poor access, high cost, and suboptimal quality. Refugees are among the populations who suffer from America’s disjointed health care system, resulting in disproportionate health disparities. Although there are many studies on refugee health, few share refugees' perceptions of primary care. We asked local refugees who were seen for primary care services at a midwestern academic nurse-led clinic, what makes a good doctor's visit?  The clinic served as the hub of a federally funded refugee Community Centered Health Home (CCHH) pilot project. This qualitative study …

Implementation Of Intercultural Education In The Republic Of North Macedonia, Natka Jankova

UBT International Conference

The intense nature of intercultural processes in today's society alters communication at a fundamental level - both in practice and in behavior. Modern socio and psycholinguistic theories call for intercultural discourse to be the key in interpreting social interactions among people in global society. At the same time, it is normal to change the requirements of individual competence, understood as a complex of knowledge, skills and attitudes, allowing the individual to deal effectively with situations that are increasingly determined by cultural differences. This paper points out that the learning process should extend from the teaching individual grammatical structures and theoretical …

Children's Books As Cultural Products: A Qualitative Study Of Cultural Representation In Hmong And Non-Hmong American Books, Malina Her

Master's Theses

This study examined the type of cultural practices and values depicted within Hmong American children’s books in comparison to non-Hmong American children’s books from the United States. The purpose was to explore if prior Hmong traditional practices and values reflective of American individualism would extend to Hmong children’s books. Thirty best-seller children’s books were coded using two checklists, one focused on Hmong traditional practices and the other on American values. Results showed that Hmong traditional practices underscored by Hmong adolescents in prior research somewhat extended to Hmong children’s books. Moreover, in some respects Hmong children’s books displayed similar numbers of …

Attitude, Culture, And Teaching Mathematics, Jordan Taylor Green

Senior Honors Theses

International assessments have revealed discrepancies between the mathematics achievement scores of various countries and also between the scores of male and female students around the world. Although math education may look similar on the surface in different countries, there are subtle differences in the methods and the attitudes that teachers and students adopt from their cultures. These differences may be explained in part by the theory of mindsets, specifically the contrast between fixed and growth mindsets. Mindset theory illuminates the impact of beliefs and values on academic achievement, particularly in the area of math. These same principles also seem to …

Conceptualizing Discursive Analysis As A Culturally Contextualized Activity, Stephen Baffour Adjei

The Qualitative Report

Discursive psychology recognizes the primacy of the social and relational nature of human life. Research participants whose discourses (empirical data) we analyze do not exist independent of material and social world. In this paper, I attempt to develop an understanding of discursive analysis of social and psychological phenomena as a culturally contextualized activity in which discursive researchers analyze and interpret participants’ discourses in the light of the cultural context in which the discourses are embedded. First, I provide a brief background to discursive psychology. Second, I discuss the cultural embeddedness of discursive analysis. I then conceptualize discursive data analysis as …

Being Together: Imaginaries Of Coexistence And Resistance In Contemporary South Asian Writings, Mahendran Thiruvarangan

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Being Together is a critical inquiry into selected writings that produce a counter-hegemonic imagination of pluralism, coexistence and cultural resistance to the violence, dispossession and exclusions perpetuated by nationalist, racist and neoliberal forces in South Asian and South Asian diasporic contexts, primarily spaces within or associated with Sri Lanka. Due to the historical role the nation, homelands, native culture, sovereignty, and self-determination have played in liberating South Asia from the clutches of British colonialism in the mid-twentieth century, these ideas have enormous political valence to the socio-political lives of the communities that consider the region their homeland today. While this …

Culture And Health Disparities: Hmong Health Beliefs And Practices In The United States, Kao Kang Kue M. Vang

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

This project is a literature review about the Hmong health beliefs and practices in the United States. Coupled with health literacy, linguistic discordance, and mistrust of the Western healthcare system, the Hmong are challenged with receiving high quality care and the ability to achieve good health.

Horses, Culture, And Trade: The Impact Of The Horse On Southeastern Native Nations, 1650-1830, Jacob Featherling

Master's Theses

A small portion of the regional literature details the impact of horses on Southeastern Native nations and focuses on a few of the larger groups, particularly the Choctaw, from the mid-eighteenth to the nineteenth century. This thesis intends to increase the scope to analyze the entire Southeastern region, as well as multiple Native nations in the area. The thesis argues that Southeastern Natives slowly adopted horses into their economies and cultures over a longer period of time than previously believed, allowing them to increase their use of horses easily to meet market demands. Instead of southeastern nations rapidly adapting their …

Voices Bearing Witness: Culture And The Birth Process In The District Of Labé, Fouta Djallon, Guinea, Rachel Kristine Lang-Balde

All Dissertations

Every woman has the right to safe motherhood. Over half of the global maternal deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. In Guinea, where this study took place, a woman has a one-in-26 chance of dying in childbirth, compared to a one-in-1,400 in a developed nation. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics and the role of cultural beliefs and practices on a woman's birth process (conception to post-partum) among the Fulani in the Labé district of the Fouta Djallon region in Guinea using qualitative and participatory methods and collaborating with those most impacted by this issue, the …

“We Practice Lakota Way, But We Are Not An Indian Church”: The Diverse Ways Lakota Christians Articulate, Perform And Translate Ethnicity In Congregational Life, Kristin A. Fitzgerald

Anthropology ETDs

This study looks at articulations, performances and translations of ethnicity among urban Lakota Christians at St. Matthew’s and St. Isaac Jogues in Rapid City, South Dakota. Within the context of increased ethnic revitalization and recognition, Native American Christians are negotiating new models of ethnicity in typically Western arenas, often manifesting through actions and discourse that are ostensibly traditional. Yet even in this era of recognition, the public performance of cultural authenticity is not the only thing on people’s minds. Native people mark various practices, symbols, and persons as traditional or modern at different points in history or within different contexts …