Digital Commons Network^™

Spring/Summer 2026, Seattle University

Seattle University Magazine

No abstract provided.

Caroliniana Columns - Spring 2026, University Libraries--University Of South Carolina

University South Caroliniana Society Newsletter - Columns

Fall Events Recap ... p.2

Letter from the President ... p. 4

Report from the Director/Letter from the Dean of Libraries ... p. 5

Echoes of Independence: 250 Years of Revolution and Memorialization ... p. 6

Primary Sources: Authors Rely on SCL Holdings for Their Research ... p. 14

A Dream Deferred: The Art and Activism of Edwin Augustus Harleston by M. Akua McDaniel ... p. 14

The Conise Guide to South Carolina State Government by Vincent Sheheen ... p. 15

South Carolina Scalawags by Hyman Rubin III ... p. 16

Mother Emanuel: Two Centuries of Race, Resistance, and Forgiveness …

Essays Of Culture Economics: The Economic Consequences Of Cultural Change, Javier Gonzalez

Economics Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation contributes to the field of Cultural Economics by exploring the relationship between cultural transmission and economic outcomes. Across three distinct essays, this research investigates how mass media narratives shape economic preferences and labor decisions, and conversely, how economic fundamentals drive the evolution of cultural markers like language.   The first two chapters focus on the cultural and economic impact of television in Latin America, utilizing a novel dataset of telenovelas aired between 1960 and 2024. Chapter 1 extends the analysis of media influence to labor economics, studying the effect of televised female empowerment on female labor market outcomes. By …

Next-Generation Democratic Cyber Statecraft - Balancing The Signal: Shutdown Shocks And Democratic Digital Governance, Scott M. Di Panni

School of Public Policy Capstones

This paper develops Next-Generation Democratic Cyber Statecraft (NG-DCS), a unified strategic doctrine for democratic governments to contest the cognitive domain against authoritarian adversaries. Drawing on twenty-six years of cross-national panel data (1999–2024) spanning 213 countries, game-theoretic modeling, and qualitative case analysis, the paper establishes three interconnected empirical and theoretical foundations. First, cross-national OLS regression across 160+ countries demonstrates that regime type is the dominant structural determinant of internet freedom (R²=0.615, β=2.513, p< 0.001), explaining more than twice the variance attributable to per-capita wealth (R²=0.268). Democratic governance, not economic development, produces open digital environments. Second, a two-way fixed effects (TWFE) difference-in-differences study exploiting government-ordered internet shutdowns as discrete policy interventions finds that digital restrictions causally degrade V-Dem governance quality by 0.21–0.38 standard deviations (p< 0.001 across all specifications). Treatment effects are immediate (β=−0.302 at k=0) and persist through five post-treatment years (β=−0.246 at k=+5), indicating structural rather than transitory governance damage. Parallel trends validation (p=0.352) and Callaway–Sant’Anna heterogeneity-robust estimation (ATT=−0.230, SE=0.077) support causal identification. Instrumental variable triangulation (2SLS β=−0.949, p=0.005) confirms that simultaneity was attenuating, not inflating, the primary estimates. Third, formal game-theoretic analysis reveals that the current U.S.–adversary equilibrium is (Restrain, Escalate)—the risk-dominant but Pareto-inferior outcome of a Stag Hunt structure. China, Russia, North Korea, and Venezuela each occupy structurally distinct positions (Stackelberg commitment, asymmetric two-level, autarky, and reactive trigger, respectively), requiring differentiated doctrinal responses rather than a uniform strategic playbook. Generative AI and algorithmic governance are shown to accelerate cognitive vulnerability by collapsing influence operation costs and exploiting engagement-optimized platform architectures that systematically degrade deliberative capacity in democratic populations.

Encampments And Property Law, Terry Skolnik

Indiana Law Journal

Although encampments have become increasingly common, they remain under-theorized, especially in the field of property law. Homeless encampments are ubiquitous in many cities. Social movements—such as Occupy Wall Street, the Freedom Convoy Movement, and college campus protests related to the war in Gaza—involve encampments that aim to catalyze social change. Yet surprisingly, legal scholars have devoted relatively little attention to encampments. This is a major oversight. Encampments matter for a range of moral, philosophical, and legal reasons that are hiding in plain sight and generate important theoretical and practical consequences that require deeper scrutiny.

This Article aims to fill this …

Representation In Removal Proceedings, Emily Ryo, Ian Peacock, Weston Ley, Christopher Levesque

Indiana Law Journal

Millions of immigrants in the United States are facing threats of mass deportation under the second Trump Administration. At the same time, the Administration has sought to end federal programs aimed at providing basic information and guidance to immigrants in removal proceedings. In addition, large numbers of immigration judges have been fired from immigration courts that already face massive backlogs. Amidst these upheavals, deportation defense lawyers have come to occupy a more central role than ever in ensuring fairness and due process in immigration courts. Are certain groups of immigrants more likely to obtain legal representation than others? Among those …

Policy Brief For Vital Signs: Findings From Florida’S 2024 Ems Workforce Statewide Survey, Florida Center For Emergency Medical Services

Florida Center for Emergency Medical Services Research Reports

Executive Summary

Florida's Emergency Medical Services workforce stands at a critical juncture. The 2024 statewide survey of nearly 50,000 certified EMTs and paramedics reveals both strengths and vulnerabilities that demand immediate policy attention. While Florida's EMS professionals demonstrate strong commitment to their communities and confidence in clinical leadership, significant challenges threaten long-term workforce sustainability.

Most concerning are persistent gaps in compensation satisfaction, high rates of mental health challenges, and troubling retention patterns among early-career providers. These findings suggest that without strategic intervention, Florida may face escalating shortages in emergency medical response capacity, particularly in underserved and rural communities.

This policy …

Trade Liberalization Under Safta And Bimstec: Evidence From A Cge-Gtap Case Study Of A Small Open Economy, Gita Bhushal, Pankaj Lal

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Regional trade liberalization via preferential agreements increasingly shapes economic outcomes in small open economies embedded in overlapping regional frameworks. This study evaluates the short-run economy-wide effects of tariff and non-tariff measure (NTM) reforms under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) using a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model calibrated to the GTAP 10 database. Gravity-based estimates of ad valorem equivalents (AVEs) of NTMs are integrated into the CGE framework, enabling explicit modeling of regulatory barriers alongside tariff reductions. Policy simulations examine scenarios involving a 90 percent tariff …

National Fund For Children In Kazakhstan: Vision And Purpose, Askhat Aimagambetov

Center for Social Development Research

This Perspective presents the address given by Askhat Aimagambetov, honorable member of the Majilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, on the occasion of “The National Fund for Children of Kazakhstan: Policy Innovation and Potential for Global Impacts,” an international symposium held at Maqsut Narikbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan, on October 30, 2025. The Center for Social Development is honored to publish his remarks.

Daily Eastern News: April 01, 2026, Eastern Illinois University

Daily Eastern News: 2025-2026

No abstract provided.

Chalmers Library Research Award Winner 2026, Cooper Bertschi

Chalmers Library Research Award

No abstract provided.

"Under The Fig-Tree": Anti-Federalist Conceptions Of American National Identity, Clara Kernodle

Tenor of Our Times

The constitutional convention of 1787 gave America some of her most energetic and exciting few months in American history. The Federalists proposed the Constitution as a replacement for existing government, opposed by Anti-Federalists on principled grounds. Thus ensued a mountain of political writing and propaganda that historians still study today. The Anti-Federalists lost the debate, and then were lost to history. Few Americans have even heard of the Anti-Federalists and even fewer scholars study their writings. But reading and evaluating Anti-Federalist writing is an important part of studying the Founding era and Constitutional debates. The Anti-Federalists, as much as their …

Full Issue

Tenor of Our Times

Full Issue

One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other: Differences Between The New Deal And Great Society, Brayden T. Gallagher

Tenor of Our Times

This paper examines the differences between the New Deal of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Great Society of Lyndon B. Johnson, challenging the prevailing interpretation that the latter administration was the logical continuation of the former. Through comparative historical analysis of policy and rhetoric, the research finds that, despite clear similarities such as expanded government involvement and social welfare programs, the two initiatives diverged significantly. The New Deal prioritized economic recovery through short-term job creation while often tolerating or reinforcing racial inequality. In contrast, the Great Society directly confronted systemic racism and struck at the roots of poverty through education, …

Assessing The Role Of Fisheries In The Decline Of Seabird Populations Off The Coast Of Chile, Karen Robertson

Theses & ETDs

Seabirds have been in decline globally with an overall decrease of nearly 70% between 1950 and 2010 highlighting pressure on these systems. Seabirds are important due to the ecosystem functions and services they provide, nutrient transfer, population regulation, ecotourism attraction and overall indicators of ecosystem health. The coast of Chile is a leading area in productivity, resulting in high numbers of seabird species inhabiting its coastal areas. Additionally, it is a leading country in the fishing community, leading to an overlap between fisheries and seabird communities. While there are other threats such as invasive species and climate change contributing to …

Agronomic Practices For Climate-Resilient Okra Production In Agroecological Systems: A Review, Samuel Mathu Ndungu, Lokeshwar Kesamreddy, Mathieu A.T. Ayenan, Stephen Othim, Siyabusa Mkuhlani, Yu Hsiang Liu, Amha Besufkad, Wubetu Bihon Legesse, Eric C. Legba, Judith Honfoga, Lukas Pawera

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Okra is increasingly recognized as a climate-resilient crop within diversified agroecological systems; however, an integrated synthesis of its biophysical, agronomic, and socioeconomic dimensions is lacking. This review consolidates the current knowledge on okra physiology, production ecology, and value chains, with a focus on climate resilience under heat, drought, salinity, pest, and disease pressures. Evidence across regions demonstrates that agroecological practices such as crop diversification, mulching, conservation tillage, integrated pest management, and the use of organic and biological inputs consistently improve soil health, stabilize yields under climatic stress, and reduce dependence on external inputs, although with trade-offs in labor demand and …

Book Review: Emplacing Globalisation: Contextualising Mission In Settings Of People, Places And Processes By John Cheong And Jonathan Ro, David H. Campbell

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Local Institutions Mediate Effects Of Land Scarcity In Indigenous Territories In Amazonia, Ana Lucía Araujo Raurau, Oliver T. Coomes

Student Publications [Scholarly]

Indigenous territories in Amazonia sustain forest cover through the practice of swidden-fallow agriculture, yet declining land availability threatens both the ecological sustainability of this agricultural system and its contributions to community livelihoods. While scholars recognize land scarcity’s potential to drive transformations in shifting cultivation systems, we lack a systematic understanding of how local institutional frameworks shape heterogeneous responses to resource constraints. This study examines how land access mechanisms, distribution dynamics and property regimes among Indigenous communities mediate experiences of and adaptations to land scarcity in the Peruvian Amazon. We conducted a comparative case study of Solidaridad and Tamboruna, two land-scarce …

Altimetry Data From Icesat-2 Brings Value To The Private Sector, Molly E. Brown, Aimee Neeley, Abigail Phillips, Denis Felikson

Student Publications [Scholarly]

This short communication synthesizes evidence on how the Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) altimetry data are used by private sector actors and the implications for economic value creation. Using secondary research that collected and summarized information from existing data from reports, journals, websites, and databases, the work identifies 54 companies across 9 sectors leveraging ICESat-2-derived elevation, canopy height, bathymetry, and surface measurements to inform decision-making, risk assessment, and new business models. The analysis situates ICESat-2 within a broader context where freely available Earth observation data can generate substantial private- and public-sector value, potentially exceeding hundreds of billions in …

(Un)Imagining India: Anti-Rape Protests As Diagnostic Of Indian State Power, Sonal Churiwal

Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Senior Honors Papers

Since the 2012 brutal gang rape and murder of Jyoti Singh brought India’s pervasive rape culture to international attention, media, politicians, and the broader Indian public demanded justice for “India’s daughter.” Protestors called on the Indian government to expand the police state, execute perpetrators, and create fast-track legal courts to avenge her death. Collectively, they cast the state in the role of a protector, even of a patriarchal authority. The nature of these demands stands in contrast to Kashmir and Manipur, geographies differentially controlled by the Indian state, where protests call for the withdrawal of the Indian army, a primary …

Choice, Power, & Care: Crisis Pregnancy Centers And Reproductive Justice In Missouri, Sylvie Richards

Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Senior Honors Papers

Crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) are religious organizations with the purpose to dissuade people from obtaining abortions. They often present themselves as authentic reproductive healthcare clinics through medicalized language, services such as ultrasounds and pregnancy tests, promises of information on all pregnancy options, staff dressed as medical professionals, and placement near family planning clinics. In reality, CPCs are medically unlicensed and often spread medical misinformation.

No study has yet focused on CPCs in Missouri, despite providing a critical case study. The state has minimal access to abortion and other components of comprehensive reproductive healthcare and one of the worst maternal mortality …

Educational Interventions To Improve Interpersonal Communication With Icu Family Members, Adriana Szaboova

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Family members of critically ill patients frequently experience significant psychological distress, often compounded by unclear communication and limited understanding of complex care processes in the intensive care unit (ICU). In the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU), staff identified a gap in structured, procedure-specific education for families during the admission process following cardiac surgery.

Aims/Objectives: This quality improvement project aimed to develop and implement a one-page, procedure-specific family education tool for CVICU admissions. The goals were to integrate the materials into the admission workflow with staff education and to enhance HCAHPS communication scores during implementation.

Methods: This quality improvement project …

New School Troubles: How Building Community Impacts Sense Of Belonging, Naydine Naileah Garcia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

In this quantitative two group study, there were opportunities for 11th-grade students in ELA to build a classroom community throughout a three-week intervention, designed to examine if implementing these activities would increase their sense of school belonging. Sense of belonging is significant for students to feel personally accepted, respected, included, and supported by others in the school's social environment. Sense of belonging was measured using the Psychological Sense of School Membership Scale as a pre and post test. The treatment group participated in four, 15-minute classroom community building activities a week, completing twelve activities by the end of the intervention. …

Effects Of “Zero Sugar” Energy Drinks On Microbial Proliferation In Relation To The Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Madison Hines

Honors Theses

Energy drinks have rapidly increased in popularity and availability in recent years. With the rise of high-caffeine beverages, complications due to caffeine consumption have become more common in younger populations. The aim of this study was to use controlled laboratory methods to determine the effect of energy drinks on a variety of organisms commonly found in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The diverse and dynamic nature of microbes in the gut makes conditions of the GI tract difficult to replicate in a laboratory setting. As an alternative, isolates of bacteria commonly found as normal flora in the GI tract were plated …

The Spread Of Conspiracy Theories And Social Media Radicalization: “Stop The Steal” On Social Media, Zaynab Saleem

Honors Theses

This study examines how conspiracy-related content spread across social media platforms following the 2020 U.S. Presidential election, specifically the “Stop the Steal” (STS) movement. While conspiracy theories are often seen as influential on niche parts of the internet, less is known about how they compare to non-conspiracy content in terms of engagement, visibility, and how they change over time. To address this gap, this study uses a quantitative approach to compare STS and non-STS content across two distinct types of social media platforms: a text-based platform (Platform A) and a video-sharing platform (Platform B). Data was collected using keyword searches …

Developing A Range Prediction For The Imperiled Florida Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex Badius) Using Species Distribution Modeling, Noah Williamson

Honors Theses

The Florida Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex badius) was once widespread and commonplace throughout the sandhills of the Southeastern United States, providing key ecosystem services, such as seed dispersal and soil aeration. Over recent decades, however, Florida Harvester Ant populations have declined in some areas. Current literature postulates that Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA), and the insecticides used to manage them, as well as further human encroachment onto their habitat, all likely contributed to Florida Harvester Ant population declines. Thus, to better protect these organisms, pursue data-driven conservation efforts, and guide management practices, more information about their nest site selection, as well …

A Problem For Traditionalism, Marc O. Degirolami

Notre Dame JLEPP: In Limine

Prof. DeGirolami explains traditionalism and why it might pose a problem in the United States.

Enhancing Urban Garden Capacity By Linking Biodiversity And Ecosystem Function, Mary T. Nguyen, Carleen Rauh, Shelby Gresch, Charlotte Correiro, Heidi Elmendorf, Adriane Fugh-Berman, Gina Wimp, Alexandra L. Decandia

Virginia Journal of Science

Urban agriculture broadly describes food and plant cultivation in metropolitan areas. While biodiversity is thought to support ecosystem health and resilience, the relationship between above-ground and below-ground diversity has been understudied in urban green spaces. This study examines plant, animal, bacterial, and fungal diversity across three distinct urban habitats: a turf lawn, a forb garden, and a farming space. Using bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal ITS2 sequencing, soil nutrient analyses, and surveys of vegetation and wildlife, we connect diverse philosophies in urban agriculture to their role in advancing community diversity and ecosystem function. We found that different urban gardens support …

Rural Transformations And Identity In Northern New Mexico, Eva Gemrich

Geography ETDs

In the U.S. West, research points to a significant transformation of rural places, including rural blight, a decline in extractive industries, and changing migration patterns. In Northern New Mexico, these rural transformations are occurring alongside a long and continuing history of tensions and conflicts relating to land, water, and property regimes, which are intertwined with notions of identity, culture, and power. Using participant observation and semi-structured interviews, this thesis explores how rural transformations, particularly shifting land ownership, have influenced identities and cultural values along the Upper Rio Chama in Northern New Mexico. I find that comparatively wealthy in-migrants are purchasing …

Clic Newsletter - Spring 2026, Tracy Lai, Widad Sofia Coriat, Isabelle Han, Sofia Tavera, Sabrina Yang, Sofia Flores

CLIC Newsletter

Page 1: Accent & Identity: Why Do We Sound the Way We Do

Page 3: Why Education Looks Different Everywhere

Page 4: Things Americans Say That Confused Me at First

Page 5: Red Braised Pork Recipe

Page 6: Things I Wish People Knew About My Culture

Page 8: From Strangers to Friends: Building Community Through Culture

Page 9: Lost in Translation: Emoji Edition

Page 10: Architecture of Home: How City Changes Based on Its Buildings

Page 12: Valentina’s Study Abroad Journey

Page 14: Prima Italian Steakhouse Restaurant Review

Page 15: Things Only International and Multilingual Students Understand

Page 17: Restaurant …