Digital Commons Network^™

A Mentor Training Module Designed To Build Resiliency For Homeless Emerging Adults, Courtney J. Edwards

Master's Theses and Capstones

Homelessness in emerging adulthood is a problem that potentially creates a lifetime of extreme poverty and limits the ability to thrive in adulthood. The literature demonstrates a need for programs specific to the homeless emerging adult population. A mentoring program is beneficial because the relationship between the mentor and mentee can offset developmental and psychosocial shortfalls that impede the individual's transition to adulthood. The homeless emerging adult needs a sense of belonging and positive role models. The theories of Maslow and Bandura therefore become the foundation of the mentoring training manual. The Walk with Me mentoring program manual and training …

Rape In Prison: A Hidden Epidemic, Mark L. Wefers

Master's Theses and Capstones

America's prisons are filled. The war on crime has created a bulging prison system. Inside the jails and prisons, crime -- especially rape -- occurs every day. Traditionally, the rape of prisoners in the American prison system was either ignored or the subject of bad jokes. Recently, serious inquiry has begun into the incidence of sexual assault behind prison walls. This study examines prison rape. Using data generated as a result of the Prison Rape Elimination Act, along with statistics from national databases and testimony from victims of prison rape and their advocates, this study suggests that the incidence of …

New Media Use And Rural Youth Substance Use, William Meub

Master's Theses and Capstones

Data from the Coos county youth survey is used to examine new media use habits and explore the relationship between new media use and substance use among two cohorts of rural youth (N = 657). Specifically, I present descriptive information on new media usage, examine whether new media use is related to substance use and explore a possible moderation relationship between substance use and negative substance-use-related behavioral outcomes. Older adolescents reported more new media use than younger adolescents but there was no evidence of sex differences in usage. Greater new media use was found to be related to greater substance …

The Color Of Labor: The Changing Racial And Spatial Distribution Of Middle-Skill Employment, Justin R. Young

Master's Theses and Capstones

Research regarding the growing gap between rich and poor has not wholly considered the dissolution of America's middle-skill jobs (occupations that require training/education beyond the high-school level, but less than a four-year degree). I draw on data from the CPS (1990 to 2009) to uncover the extent to which low, middle, and high-skill employment are distributed among white and nonwhite workers in rural, suburban and urban regions, and how this distribution has changed since 1990. Blacks and Hispanics remain overrepresented in low-skill employment and underrepresented in high-skill labor, although blacks made the most significant percentage gains in high-skill employment since …

We Live This Shit Rap As A Reflection Of Reality For Inner City Youth, Parag Patel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rap is an extremely popular form of modern music that is notorious for incorporating themes of guns and violence into the lyrics. Early rap was mainly party or dance music until the mid-80s when structural shifts in social conditions brought feelings of hopelessness and frustration into black inner city communities and youth culture. These feelings now find expression in rap lyrics. This thesis uses rap lyrics as qualitative data to understand the plight of urban black youth. Rap music can be seen as a form of resistance for young African Americans who have historically never had such a medium to …

Outreach And Citizen Engagement In The Winnicut River Watershed: A Participatory Action Study, Jillan Scahill Farrell

Master's Theses and Capstones

Recently, citizen initiated watershed management has seen a rise in popularity. Citizen watershed groups have been created across the country especially in New England. These groups advocate for protections and responsible watershed-wide management. Each watershed contains a certain set of unique ecological, social, regulatory and problem situations and therefore each watershed organization requires a full mapping process of the policy and social process as well as the ecological and problem situation before engaging the citizens. This research explores the Winnicut River watershed in southeastern New Hampshire. Covering three communities and representing a subwatershed of the Great Bay coastal watershed this …

How Age And Religiosity Affect Forgiving Others, Andrew Schaefer

Master's Theses and Capstones

Using data from the General Social Survey (1998), Robert Wuthnow's Forgiveness Survey (1999), and ten in-depth interviews of members of an evangelical church (2010--11), I investigate three research questions: (1) How are age and religiosity related to people's attitudes toward forgiving others? (2) Do age and religiosity have the same effect on people's forgiving behaviors? (3) How do respondents' accounts of their own experiences forgiving others help explain and contribute to answers of the first two questions? I found that those with the highest levels of religiosity were most likely to have positive attitudes toward forgiving and to have engaged …

A Qualitative Approach To Spiral Of Silence Research: Self-Censorship Narratives Regarding Environmental And Social Conflict, Christopher John Ryan

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this research is to seek narratives of self-censorship from in-depth interviews of 19 participants acquired through a purposive (criterion) sampling protocol. The primary research question driving this study is “What types of sanctions contribute to people choosing to self-censor their strongly held beliefs, values, and opinions.” Previous research conducted on the topic of self-censorship (generally under the rubric of the spiral of silence theory) has been predominantly quantitative and consideration of sanctions influencing self-censorship have been limited to fear of social isolation. I suggest that ostensibly important sanction variables have not been utilized within these existing frameworks. …

November Uri Community Diversity Project 2010, Joseph A. Santiago, Riley Davis, Richard V. Travisano

November Diversity Project

November is National Novel Writing Month. For the first time at the University of Rhode Island November was a month for the URI community to share their stories, poems, art, and photos with the world. The Writing to Model Diversity project intends to connect individuals across cultural boundaries and borders by sharing the stories and experiences that challenge our everyday experiences and the dreams of the future. Built on the efforts of the World Voice series, URI presents a book that shares the stories and culture of the students, faculty, staff, and community members who embrace the idea of becoming …

November Uri Community Diversity Project 2010, Joseph A. Santiago Mr, Riley Davis Ms, Richard V. Travisano Mr

November Diversity Project

November is National Novel Writing Month. For the first time at the University of Rhode Island November was a month for the URI community to share their stories, poems, art, and photos with the world. The Writing to Model Diversity project intends to connect individuals across cultural boundaries and borders by sharing the stories and experiences that challenge our everyday experiences and the dreams of the future. Built on the efforts of the World Voice series, URI presents a book that shares the stories and culture of the students, faculty, staff, and community members who embrace the idea of becoming …

University Scholar Series: Scott Myers-Lipton, Scott Myers-Lipton

University Scholar Series

Rebuild America: Solving the Economic Crisis through Civic Works

On October 13, 2010, Scott Myers-Lipton spoke in the University Scholar Series hosted by Provost Gerry Selter at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. Scott Myers-Lipton is a Professor in the Sociology Department at SJSU. His recent book, titled Rebuild America: Solving the Economic Crisis through Civic Works, analyzes the history of U.S. public works and explores the federal government's new emphasis to create jobs and build infrastructure.

The Propaganda Model And Sociology: Understanding The Media And Society, Jeffery Klaehn, Andrew Mullen

Sociology Faculty Publications

This article unpacks reasons why the Propaganda Model represents a critical sociological approach to understanding media and society, explores the model’s potential within the sociological field, and considers the trajectory of its reputational reception to date. The article also introduces the three central hypotheses and five operative principles of the Propaganda Model and suggests that the model complements other (competing) approaches that explore the relationship between ideological and institutional power and discursive phenomena.

Fertility Behavior Of Immigrants In Canada: Converging Trends, Gebremariam Woldemicael, Beaujot Roderic

PSC Discussion Papers Series

Using data from the 2002 Ethnic Diversity Survey (EDS), this paper compares fertility behavior across four groups of generations: recent and long-term immigrants of 1st generation, plus second and third generations. Several important findings emerge from this study: First, consistent with previous studies, we have documented higher current fertility among recent immigrants, but childbearing is lowest in the second generation. Second, although cumulative fertility tends to be significantly higher among long-term immigrants than recent immigrants, it becomes more similar to that of second and successive generations after adjusting for socio-demographic composition. This suggests that it is not generation per se, …

Terrorism And Counterterrorism: A Comparative Cross-National Analysis, Eran Shor

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

What factors influence with the way in which particular countries at specific times respond to the threat of terrorism? This dissertation shows that the answer for this question is more multifaceted than the literature on state counterterrorist policies often suggests. Many scholars of terrorism follow an (often implicit) assumption that when faced with the threat of terrorism governments simply do everything they can to minimize this threat, and therefore, that declared counterterrorist policies are directed first and foremost at preventing future terrorist acts. This instrumental rational-action logic is especially dominant in the public domain, and in the rhetoric of politicians, …

The "F" Word: An Exploration Of Feminist Identity In Undergraduate Students, Emily Michelle Hedstrom-Lieser

Master's Theses

While the majority of women living in the U.S. agree with feminist inspired goals, few claim a feminist identity. This study explored predictors of feminist identification in a sample of 233 undergraduate women at a mid-western university in the Rocky Mountain region. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify themes, and scales were assembled for use in OLS regression. Significant predictors of feminist identification included believing in the relevance of feminism in contemporary social issues, current exposure to feminism, support for feminist goals and ideals and recognition of women's differential access to resources. Research findings suggest that current exposure to …

Jimmy Choos Vs. Ariats: The Presentation Of Masculinity In The Online Sex Ads Of Men Who Have Sex With Men, Adam Thomas Babich

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The concept of masculinity should be understood in terms of its fluidity. One cannot say that there is a specific "white" masculinity or a specific "straight" masculinity; rather, masculinity is constantly changing. The inherent problem of defining masculinity has not deterred researches but has fueled a large and growing body of literature dedicated to studying masculinity's dynamic process of change. For a long time, gay men have been regarded as a group who is incapable of possessing masculinity; indeed according to hegemonic masculinity, gay men must be excluded. However, research has shown that gay men are rejecting this notion and …

Child And Young Adult Headed Households In The Context Of The Aids Epidemic In Zimbabwe, 1988-2006, Daniel Ciganda, Alain Gagnon, Eric Tenkorang

PSC Discussion Papers Series

The emergence of Child-Headed Households (CHH) and Young Adult Households (YAH) has largely been taken as an indicator of the erosion of the traditional safety nets in sub-Saharan countries and a direct consequence of the increasing number of orphans in the region. However, the initial evidence presented so far suggests that the process of formation of CHH and YAH is more complex than it appears to be. Using the four available waves of the Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Surveys (1988, 1994, 1999, and 2005/2006) we find that the proportion of households with no adults have remained stable in the last …

Divide And Conquer: The Aggravation Of Social Segregation By Gated Communities, Asnida Mohd Suhaimi

Research Publications (2006 to 2010)

Gated communities are gaining popularity amongst the urban populace, particularly in the Klang Valley and have been associated with a better level of security, a stronger sense of community and a richer social capital compared to conventional housing schemes. Despite the growing number of gated community housing schemes, the developments of gated communities have gone unchecked for several years by the relevant authorities. Several issues have emerged with regards to such developments, such as the legality of gated communities and the potential social implications of such scheme on society. This paper intends to examine the developments of gated communities in …

Oral History Interview With Roberto Mariano: Conceptualising Smu, Roberto S. Mariano

Oral History Collection

The interview covered: first involvement with SMU, founding dean for School of Economics, vision, curriculum, faculty development, faculty recruitment, research, pioneer students, postgraduate programmes, challenges.

Biography:

Dean, SMU School of Economics, 2007–2010
Founding Dean, School of Economics and Social Science, SMU, 2002–2007

Professor Roberto S Mariano was appointed as dean of the new School of Economics and Social Sciences in 2002. He oversaw the intake of the inaugural classes of the economics and social science bachelors programmes in 2002 and 2004 respectively, and also served as the vice provost of research and deputy director of the Wharton-SMU Research Centre. His …

The Longest War: Overcoming The Era Of Assimilation Through Education, Pearl Kiyawn Brower

Rural Development

"This paper examines various Indigenous Nations and reviews the diverse forms of assimilation through education they have faced through history. Assessments on Indigenous Nations around the world, including Mozambique, Canada, Hawaii, Continental United States, and Alaska are included. As these Nations work to reverse the detrimental effects this has had on their communities, specific methods of revitalization are discussed. Various models which are discussed include community-based education, language immersion programs, culturally relevant curriculum, and the creation of tribal colleges. In addition, included in this document is a survey from one tribal college regarding how it incorporates the Indigenous value system …

Child Care: Preferences And Opportunity Costs, Beaujot Roderic, Zenaida R. Ravanera, Ching Du

PSC Discussion Papers Series

Family and work questions over the life course can be analyzed as constrained choices within structural and normative contexts. We focus here on the preferences and opportunity costs associated with child care, using data from the 2006 General Social Survey on Family. We start with the extent of usage of various forms of child care, for respondents with children aged 0-4, along with the reasons for the choice and the preferences for alternate forms of care. Among respondents with children under five years of age, 48% are currently using regular child care of some kind, and 79% of persons using …

The Use Of Prescription Drugs For Academic Performance Enhancement In College Aged Students, Sarah Sweeney

Social Work Theses

100 students between the ages of 18-22 were surveyed at a small, private New England college in an effort to develop a better understanding of the use of stimulant medications by this population and to evaluate existing and potential policies surrounding such use. Finding revealed high rates of illicit use of such medications with 56% of the surveyed sample reporting to use during their college career and 94% responding that they were aware of such use on campus. A statistically significant relationship was identified between students that illicitly used the medications and students that believe the drugs were harmless. In …

The Relationship Between Individualistic Attitudes And Attitudes Towards Traditional Marriage In Contemporary American Society, Mary Sarah Harper

Social Work Theses

This report examines attitudes of a sample of 100 individuals from the ‘marriage-eligible population’ regarding the Institution of Marriage in relation to the rising prevalence of Individualistic attitudes in contemporary American society. This study found the rise of individualistic attitudes to have a statistically significant positive correlation to the rise in negative attitudes towards traditional marriage. It is argued in this study that the increase in individualistic attitudes is the primary contributing factor to the three trends of marital decline; the increasing divorce rate, the decreasing marriage rate, and the increasing number of alternatives to traditional marriage. This study attempts …

Hippotherapy And Therapeutic Riding: Practicing Social Workers And Undergraduate Social Work Students, Devin Smith

Social Work Theses

This study attempted to explore, through the use of surveys, what practicing social workers and undergraduate student social workers know about hippotherapy and therapuetic riding. In addition, this study made an effort to examine what the key means of learning participants had when it came to these alternative methods of therapy. The hypothesis that undergraduate social work students would collectively not be familiar with hippotherapy or therapuetic riding and that practicing social workers would have a better knowledge base in this area, was tested through the use of surveys. These surveys were distributed in a handful of undergraduate social work …

Cultural Differences: Their Effect On Social Skill Development, Ashley Jay

Social Work Theses

The level of social skill that is acquired by a child can be determined by the culture in which they are brought up. The culture of a country provides certain “guidelines” for the upbringing of children and, most importantly, the structure of their schooling. Within this schooling, children are taught the proper social behaviors. The external environment competes with natural born, biological tendencies of a child along with their home/family influences. The potential connection between culture and social skill development was examined through daycare surveys in which teachers from two countries answered questions regarding the social skill level of their …

A Study Of Abuse Recovery Programs: Perceptions Of Mothers In Recovery, Michelle Larkan

Social Work Theses

There is a strong correlation between parental substance abuse and child maltreatment, and many substance abusing parents do not or are not able to access treatment recovery programs. The literature indicates that 8.3 million children are living with a substance abusing parent in the United States, and of these parents 2.4 million do not receive substance abuse treatment and recovery programs (Carlson, 2006, p.97). As a result, many of these children are removed from their homes due to child maltreatment. This research study examined what mothers in recovery (with children in state custody) in a Northern Rhode Island social service …

Father Absence And Self-Esteem Amongst Economically Disadvantaged Children, Casey Kevorkian

Social Work Theses

Children begin to build self-esteem in early childhood based on social and emotional development. Previous research has shown that children inhabiting homes where the biological, adoptive, or step father are present have shown to exhibit higher levels of self esteem and social functioning. However, further information regarding the positive male influence, lesbian parenting, or the absence of “paternal absence” stigmas have show to contradict the previous research. This study investigated the self-esteem of economically disadvantaged children using results from the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment as it relates to the levels of father involvement. 115 children ages 3-5 involved in a …

The Advantages Of Single-Sex Vs.Coeducational Environments For High School Girls, Kristen Hartman

Social Work Theses

100 female college students attending a small Catholic college in the Northeast were surveyed in order to find the relationship between attending single-sex high school and the females’ level of self esteem, motivation in the academic and career life, and gender role beliefs. Of the 100 female college students surveyed sixty attended coeducational high schools and forty attended single-sex schools. The survey questions were organized in a way which would ultimately help decide whether attending single-sex high school was more beneficial for high school girls than attending coeducational schools. The findings revealed that girls who attended single-sex high school have …

Community Connections, Becca Williams

2010 Kemper Internships

This presentation on community connections was given by Becca Williams as part of her Kemper Internship during 2010.

Sex Education: The Effectiveness Of Comprehensive-Based Compared To The Effectiveness Of Abstinence-Only, Caitlin Motherway

Social Work Theses

Sex education has the potential to be a powerful way to educate children and adolescents about the risks and implications of sex. There currently is a debate about what type of information should be appropriately delivered to students in school; supporters of Comprehensive-Based sex education argue that information regarding Sexually Transmitted Diseases and contraceptives should be delivered to students, while supporters of Abstinence-Only sex education hold that the only method of safe sex that should be taught to students is abstinence. There are an alarming number of children and adolescents dealing with the consequences of unprotected sex, so sex education …