Digital Commons Network^™

The Farthest I Can Sense Time, Danielle Alhassid

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the experiences of immigration, identity, and language through the lens of diasporic memory and intergenerational storytelling. At its core lies Communion of Empty Mouths (2024), a multi-channel video installation exploring the physical, communal, and ephemeral dimensions of language development and loss. The work juxtaposes live animation, tactile materials like ceramics, and experimental soundscapes to delve into the ancestral and embodied nature of linguistic expression.

Anchored in Yiddish poet Celia Dropkin’s text My Hands and inspired by familial narratives, the thesis critiques hierarchical and gendered dimensions of language, focusing on Yiddish as a diasporic medium of resistance and …

Childhood And Well-Being In Bangladesh: A Focus On Gender Inequalities, Child Marriage And Climate Change Issues, Zoe Durston

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

This paper uses literature to explore the gender inequalities, the issues of child marriage, and the struggles being faced as a result of climate change in Bangladesh. It highlights the key issues of each topic, and how these issues are linked; and examines how they are being exacerbated by climate change. The paper then focuses on the work that is being done by Non-Governmental Organisations in order to address the Sustainable Development Goals, and highlights what work still needs to be done. It is concluded that education is key to making progress in terms of gender equality, reducing rates of …

A Review Of The Validity Of The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule 2, Keegan Cundiff

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifaceted condition that affects individuals in unique ways. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC, 2020), people with ASD have a neurological disorder that impacts communication, social interaction, and behavior. One common ASD evaluation tool is the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule 2 (ADOS-2), which helps a clinician decide if the student exhibits social and communication skills expected of someone with or without ASD. Since ASD is a disorder for which symptoms need to be present within the early developmental period, it is common for schools and pediatricians to be initial sources of referral …

Metaphors For Metamorphosis: The Poetics Of Kenosis And The Apophasis Of Self In Saint John Of The Cross, George Faithful

Social Justice | Faculty Scholarship

Spanish mystic Saint Juan (John) of the Cross (1542–1591) began writing poetry while imprisoned by his own monastic order. He developed manuals for contemplation, in part, in the form of commentaries on his principal poems. Their first-person narrators were women who underwent metamorphoses in order to pursue love: one became a dove in her despair; another became flame itself; the last disguised herself as a knight. Juan explained that all three represented the soul that is seeking God. For readers, these metaphors could engender cognitive dissonance, through which they might step outside of themselves and move closer to union with …

“Makings Of A Teenage Revolutionary”: An Analysis Of Power Through The Lenses Of Gender And Institution Within The Universes Of Frank Herbert’S Dune And Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, Ayah Cruzado

Theses and Dissertations

It is my objective within this paper to lead us through an in depth analysis of both Katniss Everdeen and Paul Atriedes, investigating every feature of their lives especially in the ways that they compare and differ to one another, after all, it is their written depth and complexity that makes them and their novels so fascinating to the public and earning them fame. Through my exploration, I hope to shed some light on the ways these three elements work and coincide with one another within both narratives. To separate them from one another and simply examine them as independent …

A Grounded Theory Analysis Of Multiple Sclerosis Caregiver Interviews: Utilizing Pearlin’S Stress Process Model To Explore The Gender Effects Of Care, Jennifer C. Hughes, John Hughes, Elizabeth P. Talbot, James Carter

Social Work Faculty Publications

Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects more than two million people worldwide. Providing care for MS patients differs from providing care for other illnesses due to the early onset of the disease, a varying illness progression, and because MS patients are predominantly female. This qualitative research study applied Pearlin’s Stress Process Model (SPM) to explore MS caregiving in a homogeneous group of caregiver/patient dyads. Qualitative interviews were conducted with both MS patients and their caregivers utilizing grounded theory to explore the MS caregiving phenomenon. Pearlin’s SPM was used to evaluate the qualitative data, which provided insight into the gendered nature of the …

Resilience Among Undergraduate First-Year Students: The Differential Effects Of Gender, And Socioeconomic Status, Sahanowas Sk, Santoshi Halder

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

Resilience, as a multidimensional psychological construct, may vary with respect to personal characteristics such as gender and social context like socio-economic status, particularly in the Indian context. The researchers aim to explore the effects of gender (male and female) and socioeconomic status (low, moderate & high) on resilience and further investigate whether the effect of gender is independent of different levels of SES. The quantitative survey study included 490 first-year undergraduates (M = 18.97, SD = .83) from three districts of West Bengal. The questionnaire comprised socio-demographic data and the adapted Bengali version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). The …

Barriers And Facilitators To Accessing Mental And Physical Health Care Among Sexual Minority Women: A Qualitative Exploration, Charlotte A. Dawson, A. Moulder, Kristin E. Heron

Department Psychiatry & Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Cisgender sexual minority women (SMW, e.g., lesbian, queer) are at greater risk for poor mental and physical health compared to heterosexual women and face challenges when accessing health care. Previous research has largely focused on general sexual and gender minority barriers to health care, but more research is needed on the experiences of specific subgroups, including cisgender SMW. The current study qualitatively explored barriers and facilitators for cisgender SMW seeking health care. Twenty cisgender SMW aged 18-40 recruited using Meta advertisements and past participant lists completed 45 min semi-structured interviews and a brief survey. Thematic analysis conducted by two coders …

The Impact Of Family Variables On The Mental Health Of Gender Expansive Transitional Age Youth And Adults, Courtney Erdly

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Gender expansive individuals are at an elevated risk for stress and poor psychological outcomes such as depression, substance abuse, and death by suicide due to minority stress. Family variables can either protect against or perpetuate poor psychological outcomes. There is need to examine specific protective and risk factors in families with gender expansive children. The present study explores the relationship between family and caregiver relationship variables and well-being in a sample of 39 gender expansive individuals. Participants completed an online survey consisting of questionnaires measuring current internalizing and externalizing symptoms and their perception of their family structure, functioning, and parental …

Effect Of Creatine Monohydrate On Spatialworking Memory, Body Weight, And Food Intake In Male And Female Rats, Cyrilla H. Wideman, Alexandria Iemma, Olivia Janolo, Anastasiya Kalinina, Helen M. Murphy

2025 Faculty Bibliography

Background/Objectives: Creatine monohydrate supplementation has gained popularity in the fitness industry due to its ability to enhance athletic performance and has sparked curiosity about other possible effects of the supplement. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of creatine supplementation on spatial working memory, body weight, and food intake in male and female rats.

Methods: Experimental rats, six male and six female, were administered creatine while six male and six female rats served as controls. The Morris water maze (MWM) was employed to assess spatial working memory. Body weight and food intake were measured daily.

Results: Neither …

A National Survey Of Gendered Grouping Practices In Secondary School Physical Education In England, Shaun D. Wilkinson, Dawn Penney

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Gendered grouping practices and curriculum provision are matters of long-standing contention and debate in physical education (PE) policy, research, and practice internationally. In England, there is a long tradition of single-sex grouping in PE in secondary schools, with accompanying gendered patterns of staffing and many boys and girls taught different activities in the curriculum. Research on the incidence of single- and mixed-sex grouping in PE is however scarce, dated, and limited in scale. At a time when education, sport, and society are challenged to move beyond binary discourses and critically review structures and practices that uphold stereotypical and established …

Work Hard, Play Hard, Drink Hard: Frontier Masculinities And Female Teachers’ Experiences In A Regional Australian Mining Town, Kirsten Lambert, Christina Gray, Mary Anne Macdonald, Takei Beard, Kelly Jackson, Sarah Booth

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Teacher attrition is a significant issue that has been the subject of much recent critical research and public debate. What is less often explored in the literature is the gendered nature of teaching and the unique struggles female teachers face in the workforce, particularly in remote, regional and rural (RRR) schools. As a historically female-dominated profession, women, particularly teacher-mothers face a distinctive set of barriers to career progression in these schools. We apply a critical feminist lens to qualitative data generated from interviews with 21 teachers from 6 different schools in RRR locations in Western Australia. Data reveals a toxic …

Women Spinning On The Edge: Finding And Redefining The “Spinster” In The Witches Of Discworld, Kathryn Ann Fitzmaurice

Masters Theses

The word “spinster” has undergone a series of evolutions over the past seven hundred years, first coined to describe the occupation of women engaged in the spinning of plant and animal fibers into thread and yarn in the Middle Ages and later a legal marital status designation used until the 21^st century. The connotation associated in social contexts became pejorative. This project’s tracing of the word spinster is used to set up the broader scope looking at how the spinster can be viewed as an archetype, what we can learn through the lenses of gender and feminist theory, and …

Glossed Over, Rebecca Oh

Theses and Dissertations

Glossed Over is a collection of interdisciplinary artworks exploring my Korean-American diasporic identity and how gender, queerness, religion, neurodivergence, and internet culture intersect within that experience. Through a blend of painting, woodworking, and sculpture, this installation carries the various elements of undefinable 한 (pronounced: han), a concept I attempt to define and contextualize in the Introduction and throughout this thesis. Each artwork operates through coded language, metaphor, and partial disclosure, offering space for the othered to find recognition through subtle cues and signifiers. Through Glossed Over and this thesis, I scratch the surface of my journey in reconciling generational trauma …

The Interplay Of Gender And Humor In The Workplace, Charlene Marie Baghdadi

CMC Senior Theses

Humor is a key element in workplace dynamics, influencing leadership, team cohesion, and career advancement. However, its impact is not equal among genders. This paper explores the interplay between humor and gender in professional settings, examining how different types of humor – positive (affiliative, self-enhancing, coping sense of humor) and negative (aggressive, self-defeating) – are perceived and used by men and women. Specifically, it investigates how gender and team composition moderate the relationship between types of humor and workplace outcomes, with gender stereotypes acting as a mediator. This analysis highlights that men often benefit from a broader acceptance of humor …

Examining Gender Differences In Heritage Language Maintenance And Loss Among South Asian First-Generation Canadians, And The Effect On Well-Being, Amreen Sangha

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Language is prevalent in various aspects of life. Not only is it often essential for communication, but it also has deep roots within cultural contexts. Specifically, within South Asian culture knowing one’s heritage language is considered to be necessary when it comes to connecting with one's cultural group and identity. Heritage language maintenance can be seen differently within different individuals and have different implications for them. This study was designed to explore gender differences in heritage language loss as well as the role language may play in one’s well-being. Canadian-born South Asian children and young adults aged 10-25 completed an …

Codec-M: The Multi-Lingual Manosphere Subcorpus Of The Corpus Of Digital Extremism And Conspiracies, Rachel Mccullough, Daniel Drylie, Mindl Barta, Cass Dykeman, Daniel Smith

English Faculty Publications

In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General warned the public of the current “loneliness epidemic” and its potential consequences on physical and mental health. One possible consequence of this epidemic is the growth of a movement defined by loneliness and isolation: the incel (“involuntary celibate”) movement. This warning presents a worrying glimpse at the future, as the incel movement, along with other parts of the manosphere, is one that espouses violently misogynist rhetoric which is intrinsically linked to right-wing extremism. While linguistic studies have been conducted on the speech of incels and other constituent movements of the manosphere, few of these …

The Rise Of Women In Mining - How To Improve Inclusion And Diversity Through Organisational Programs, Ashley Mcgrath

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The inclusion and diversity (I&D) of women has become a priority for organisations due to the positive association with business performance and rising expectations of employees and shareholders for fair outcomes for all genders. Improving the I&D of women is also being driven by the evolving Australian legal framework which has heightened the responsibility of organisations regarding psychological safety and the prevention of sexual harassment and sex-based discrimination. Companies operating in male dominated industries in Western Australia (WA) are under particular pressure due to lagging performance in addressing equity issues at a state level. Existing research correlates the I&D of …

Assessing The State Of Gender Equality For Skilled Migrant Women: Intersectionality Challenges, Uma Jogulu, Melissa A. Parris, Juliana Mutum

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to examine the present state of gender equality experienced by skilled migrant women in Australian workplaces by using an intersectionality perspective that takes into account the multiple challenges women face as managers. Design/methodology/approach: Using a mixed methods design, the authors surveyed and interviewed female and male skilled migrants who migrated to Australia as adults “first generation” immigrants and were employed in full-time managerial roles. Findings: The findings show that intersectionality features of gender and cultural background influence skilled migrant managers’ experiences in the workplace, including their opportunities for further career advancement. Their data …

Right-Wing Populist Mobilizations And Gender: France's Rassemblement National And Italy's Fratelli D'Italia, Meredith Mckinley

Scripps Senior Theses

European right-wing populist (RWP) parties are increasingly touting their attention to women’s issues and representation, and this has coincided with stronger electoral performances. Thus, the following puzzles emerge: how have RWP parties harnessed gender frames, issue salience, and women’s representation as part of a mainstreaming process, and through what mechanisms are these strategies resonating with voters? I address these questions by comparing France’s Rassemblement National (RN) and Italy’s Fratelli d’Italia (FdI), tracing their developments from the mid-twentieth century to the present day. I find that immigrants’ perceived relationship with the welfare state, feelings of insecurity due to terrorism, and RWP …

Impact Of High School Racial Composition On Intercultural Competence Of Undergraduate Students, Ryuto Hashimoto

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Since the US population continues to become more diverse, it is important to foster students' intercultural competence (ICC) so that they can work collaboratively with people from different backgrounds. The existing studies have examined the impact of socialization at school on youths' development in their attitudes and behaviors in the context of classroom. However, we know little about whether or not the organizational and individual characteristics have an impact on students' ICC development. This study explored the impact of high school racial composition and individual factors such as gender on the ICC of undergraduate students. The study used the course …

Challenges And Effects: A Qualitative Analysis Of The Unique Challenges Faced By Black Male Care Givers In Long-Term Care, Qudrat Oluwatimilehin Olufemi-Dirisu

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The existing literature on caregivers working in long-term care focuses on the challenges ranging from being overworked, mental stress, low wages, and abuse. However, little is known about the unique intersectional experiences of Black male caregivers, particularly regarding how race and gender shape their professional encounters, societal perceptions, and coping strategies. The present study analyzed unique stressors of Black male care givers in long term care using their personal experiences and how these stressors impact their mental health. The effects of societal expectations, client biases, and workplace stereotypes significantly affect Black male caregivers are also examined against the background that …

The Photographic Lens Of Lewis Wickes Hine And The Spaces In Between Progressive, Documentary, And Artistic Photography, Lara Ann Kolinchak

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Progressive Era photographer Lewis Wickes Hine is best known for his child labor photography from the National Child Labor Committee. This dissertation seeks to expand the understandings associated with Hine’s photography of Southern and Eastern European immigrants by examining his photography as both historical document and as works of art. Pressing Hine’s work past the previous categorizations allows for analysis of his photography which opens new interpretations and spaces. Hine’s photography is not only a pictural historical reference but when read in its entirety many more historical insights become visible. Evaluating Hine’s photography from Ellis Island, The Pittsburgh Survey and …

Breaking The Boundaries Of The Binary: Non-Normative Gender Expression And Rebellion In 19th-Century Literature, Anna Marie Wingard

Honors Theses

This thesis explores non-normative expressions of gender in three nineteenth-century novels: Valperga (1823) by Mary Shelley, The Hermaphrodite (c. 1846) by Julia Ward Howe, and The Awakening (1999) by Kate Chopin. Each novel’s protagonist displays gender expression that rejects nineteenth-century British and American ideals and is consequently exiled from society and faces death. The project diagrams trajectories of gender expression and identity by tracing adherence, failure, and consequences to illustrate how non-normative gender expression directly leads to social exclusion and death. The findings of this literary analysis suggest that nineteenth-century understandings of gender were rigidly policed and the novel served …

Optimizing The Challenge: A Study On Promoting Intrinsic Motivation In Youth Physical Activity, Fan Zhang Dr.

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

This study investigates the intricate relationship between intrinsic motivation and various factors within the context of physical education (PE) among high school students. Drawing upon Self-Determination Theory as a conceptual framework, the study aims to unravel the influence of perceived challenge, perceptions towards physical activity (PA) during PE, personal characteristics, gender differences, PA levels, and their interactions on students' intrinsic motivation in PE.

A quantitative approach was adopted, utilizing surveys including the Challenge Scale, Intrinsic Motivation Inventory, Relatedness Scale, and Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents. Data was collected from a convenience sample of 92 high school students from Great Crossing …

Pandemic Impact On Research Faculty In Academic Medicine: A Mixed Method Study, Kimberly Bloom-Feshbach, Vasilia Vasiliou, Lance D. Laird, Janet T. Civian, Linda H. Pololi

School of Business

Introduction: This mixed-method study sought to elucidate the impact of COVID-19 on the professional environments and career trajectories of midcareer research faculty in U.S. medical schools.

Methods: Participants were 40 midcareer medical school faculty enrolled in the Brandeis University C-Change Mentoring and Leadership Institute, a group peer mentoring career development course being tested in a National Institutes of Health-funded randomized controlled trial.

Results: We observed a gender disparity in both the quantitative and qualitative data, with women faculty describing COVID-19 more negatively impacting their career trajectory. This negative impact was independent of having children in the home. Participants largely reported …

Girl Gamers, Online Community, And Social Identity Theory: The Role Of Positive Distinction Strategies On Group Engagement On R/Girlgamers, Rachael Green

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Identity theorists have studied the complex relationship between gender and gaming for over two decades, but research on how women persist in gaming communities despite harassment remains underdeveloped. Grounded in Social Identity Theory, this dissertation examines the subreddit r/GirlGamers to evaluate the prevalence and impact of positive distinction strategies in countering identity threats. Based on a mixed-methods approach, the findings highlight three key strategies (group permeability, social creativity, and social competition) alongside themes of emotion, structural inequality, and interpersonal violence. Statistical tests indicate that posts employing at least one positive distinction strategy receive significantly more upvotes and comments than those …

Intersectional Embodiment: An Exploration Of Women's Bodily Experiences In Contemporary American Literature, Olivia Marie Wertz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

My dissertation, “Intersectional Embodiment: An Exploration of Women’s Bodily Experiences in Contemporary American Literature,” examines contemporary American novels written by women of color in order to illuminate how women of color protagonists realize, protect, and embrace their bodies as a source of power in a deeply oppressive society. Specifically, I analyze Kindred (1979) and the Parable novels (1993, 1998) by Octavia Butler, Displacement (2019), a graphic novel by Kiku Hughes, and Severance (2018) by Ling Ma. In these novels, women protagonists must account for their bodies to understand their identity, combat oppressive bodily control, and, above all, survive. Both neo-historical …

Beyond Guns Vs. Butter: Gendered Dynamics In Security Policy Preferences, Elaine Elizabeth Tagert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation challenges the foundational assumptions of the “guns versus butter” debate by recentering gender, insecurity, and state legitimacy in the analysis of public opinion. Drawing on over 300,000 individual responses across 80 countries, and original survey data from post-conflict Colombia, it demonstrates that the commonly held belief that women are more likely to prioritize welfare over security is both context-dependent and empirically unstable. Rather than reflecting innate preferences, gendered policy attitudes emerge from lived experiences of violence, inequality, and institutional trust.

The first empirical chapter reveals a striking reversal of conventional expectations in the Global South: in regions where …

On A First Name Bias: A Bibliometric Study Of Six Writing Studies Journals, Joe Torok

Wayne State University Dissertations

On a First Name Bias: A Bibliometric Study of Six Writing Studies Journals analyzes citation, authorship, source use, and other bibliometric patterns across a small collection of peer-reviewed journals featuring research from the academic field of writing studies (also known as rhetoric and composition). The study is grounded in a small but established tradition of RAD (replicable, aggregable, data-supported) scholarship in the field and uses bibliometric methods inspired by similar, primarily historiographic research studies within the field of writing studies and by critical inquiry from scholars across disciplines who have used bibliometric analysis to interrogate troubling patterns of publishing and …