Digital Commons Network^™

Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy Through Popular Music And Media In Elementary Music Education, Martina Vasil

Music Faculty Publications

Elementary music teachers in the United States face many challenges today, including an increasing cultural divide between teachers and students, worsening student behavior, and excessive exposure to technology in children’s lives. These challenges are magnified due to the hundreds of students elementary music teachers see weekly, the lack of teaching and planning time, and inadequate teaching resources, making it difficult to fully understand the culture and learning needs of every child. However, music educators may find culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) a useful tool for meeting the needs of a diverse student body. Further, when teachers engage in kid culture, the …

The Voices Of Women Politicians: Media Representation And Its Influence On Identity, Gender Bias, And Self-Presentation, Ariana J. Hernandez

Communication Theses

This study examines how women in politics view and respond to media representation, shifting the focus from analyzing content to understanding the personal experiences and strategic choices of the politicians themselves. Through semi-structured interviews with 15 women in political roles, the research looks at the mental and emotional effort needed to navigate a media landscape shaped by gender.

The findings highlight a significant gap between how these women see themselves and how the media portrays them. They often feel that professional credibility must be built over time rather than being granted automatically. Participants pointed out common gendered portrayals, such as …

Restructuring The Institutional Logics Of Taiwan's Prison Labor: A Human Rights-Based Approach, Mao-Hong Lin

Fordham International Law Journal

In Taiwan, inmates are mandated to participate in work programs, a system long criticized for its mistreatment of prisoners. Despite numerous reform efforts, substantive change remains elusive. This Article investigates the persistence of Taiwan’s in-prison work programs through the lens of institutional logics theory and proposes a human rights-based approach to address the issue. Drawing on in-depth interviews and a focus group discussion, the study identifies four key logics sustaining these programs: security and management, bureaucracy, accounting imperatives, and competitive disadvantages. These logics stem from two opposing ideologies, market-driven and state-driven, yet collectively function to resist reform. Consequently, reform initiatives …

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence In Microfinance In The Global South: Regulatory Insights Into Ai-Based Credit Underwriting, Ruth Plato-Shinar

Fordham International Law Journal

Microfinance has emerged as a key financial inclusion tool aimed at underserved populations, mainly in the Global South. However, it continues to face persistent structural challenges, particularly high operational costs, limited scalability, and mixed outcomes in poverty alleviation. Against this backdrop, this Article explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into microfinance in the Global South, focusing on the use of machine learning for data-driven credit underwriting, which presents both a transformative opportunity and a profound regulatory challenge.

AI promises to enhance efficiency, accuracy, scalability, and financial inclusion, particularly through the use of alternative, non-financial data. At the same time, …

Cone Beam Computed Tomography For Endodontics: Incidental Findings And Respective Significance, Erin J Key, Nina K Anderson, Dan Colosi, Mina Mahdian

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence, distribution, and follow-up recommendations of incidental findings in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans acquired for endodontic treatment.

Methods: This was a retrospective review of limited field-of-view (FOV) CBCT images for endodontic evaluation obtained at the Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine between 2018 and 2022. All scans were reviewed by 1 oral and maxillofacial radiology (OMR) resident and all incidental findings were corroborated with the radiology report approved by 1 of 2 board-certified OMRs. Data extracted for each case included age, gender, and reason for scan; and …

Build A Global Art And Jewelry Auction Ecosystem That Integrates Offline And Online, Xiaochun Cathy Liu

MA Projects

Our success path is clear and executable: through a phased global market penetration strategy, we first deeply cultivate the Asia Pacific region to establish a lighthouse, then enter the European and American hinterland, and ultimately achieve global network interconnection; Deeply bind core collectors through the "elite membership system" and build a high stickiness community; And by competing for academic discourse power and publishing authoritative market indices, gradually mastering the pricing power of the industry, evolving from a participant to a rule maker. Arture's vision is to become a super species that integrates trading platforms, academic institutions, top communities, and industry …

Sparks: A Love Story, Stacey Kramer

MA Projects

In 1953 Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns met through a mutual friend, thus sparking a romantic and creative partnership that would endure until late 1961. At a time when it was illegal to be in a same-sex relationship, these two artists collaborated and inspired each other, and together they changed the course of contemporary art. Breaking free of the Abstract Expressionists, they chartered an artistic path forward and beyond while working from their adjacent studios, sharing intimacies and a similar mindset.  The two artists often channeled a shared sensibility and aesthetic, developing their own symbolic language even as they avoided …

Transmission/Reception, Ma'ayan Noy

MA Projects

From the 1940’s to the 70’s the California-based artist Wallace Berman produced a wide-spreading oeuvre, encompassed drawing, collage, assemblage, single channel video, and three dimensional object making. His practice was deeply informed by his interest in Jazz, Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism, film, and poetry, and more. The transmission and reception of an everflowing stream of references which informs Berman’s creative intake and output adopts a mystical undertone in his grand oeuvre. The unifying theme for Transmission/Reception asserts the centrality of Kabbalistic influences on Berman’s practice, his affinity and spiritual regard for the act of creating. Transmission/Reception underscores Berman’s underlying belief …

He Rengao Super-Consciousness Imagery, A Global Touring Exhibition, Jun Dong

MA Projects

Focusing squarely on He Rengao’s long-developed visual philosophy, this exhibition will take the form of a solo presentation introducing Super-Consciousness Imagery to New York audiences. As one of China’s most established contemporary artists, He has spent decades refining a highly introspective and philosophically grounded painterly language. This exhibition aims to situate his mature body of work within an international conversation, foregrounding painting as a site where civilizational imagination, spiritual inquiry, and aesthetic experimentation converge. The exhibition title, Super-Consciousness Imagery, encapsulates two key elements central to He’s artistic practice; it refers to the expanded state of awareness the artist seeks to …

Caribbean Sensibility, Olivia A. Davis

MA Projects

The Caribbean is a region with a complex history, from the displacement of Indigenous communities to the forced migrations of the transatlantic slave trade and the arrival of indentured laborers from Asia. This has produced a region where questions of identity and belonging remain constant. Caribbean Sensibility explores how artists form the Caribbean and its diasporas navigate these complexities, transforming histories of displacement into creative expression. The exhibition draws on Trinidadian scholar Patricia Mohammed’s concept of a “Caribbean sensibility,” an emotional and aesthetic orientation based in hybridity. It is “the dissonance between a seemingly imported religion and our homegrown private …

Artisanal Retreats, Michelle Larose

MA Projects

Artisanal Retreats is a luxury travel provider blending holistic personal wellness with art creation, appreciation, education and collection. We offer our clients an unparalleled retreat experience at our 250-acre pastoral escape, combining traditional wellness amenities and activities with art focused pursuits to aid guests in achieving optimal Creative Wellness. Set on a gorgeous, historic farm near the bucolic town of Middleburg, Virginia, Artisanal Retreats’ guests are transported to a heightened level of relaxation and vitality through our exceptional programming and hospitality. Our team is comprised of seasoned professionals, from both the art world and the wellness industry, intent on bringing …

China's Economic Retaliation Against Norway After Liu Xiaobo's 2010 Nobel Peace Prize, Ian Murphy, Shaomin Li

Management Faculty Publications

This case study analyzes China's geoeconomic retaliation against Norway after the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Liu Xiaobo. China employed non-tariff barriers, diplomatic freezes, and restricted exchanges, severely impacting sectors like salmon exports. This occurred despite the Nobel Committee's independence from the Norwegian government. Although Norway's overall economic impact was mitigated by market adjustments, the six-year diplomatic freeze significantly influenced its human rights foreign policy. This case exemplifies China's strategic use of informal economic tools to punish and deter, showcasing the link between political sensitivities and economic leverage in international relations.

Understanding And Avoiding Institutional Betrayal Of Congregants When Accusations Of Domineering Pastoral Leadership Are Made, Jonathon R. Hansel

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines institutional betrayal within evangelical churches as experienced by congregants who reported concerns about domineering pastoral leadership and encountered minimizing or dismissive responses from church elders. Institutional betrayal, understood as harm that occurs when trusted institutions fail to respond protectively to wrongdoing within their own systems is examined as a distinct and compounding form of spiritual and relational injury.
The study employed a qualitative research design consisting of two primary data sources: (1) an anonymous online survey of congregants who self-identified as having experienced harm following reports of domineering pastoral leadership and (2) semi-structured interviews with church elders …

The Effects Of Parental Involvement On A Child’S Educational Success, Samson Ghirmai

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The accessibility of education has opened doors for children to pursue interests and be prepared for their transition into adulthood. Education is a resource that opens doors, but it has been found that there are gaps in achievement. This opens the conversation on possible solutions to reduce this gap. Schools have been developing new systems and strategies to increase parental involvement, determining this as a possible solution towards bridging the gap. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the solution towards the achievement gap is identifying strategies to get parents more involved in their child's education. Research determined …

Panel And Discussion, Kyle Cohen, Heidi Kitrosser, Kate Klonick, Christina Koningisor, Jess Miers, Saurabh Vishnubhakat

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Arts Cures: A Business Plan For Integrating Art As A Biometric Tool For Sensory Wellbeing In Commercial Ecosystems, Xinuo Zhang

MA Projects

In an era of heightened connectivity and data-driven metrics, modern society faces a crisis of sensory impoverishment and emotional disconnection. While technology quantifies human experience, it often fails to address the visceral need for authentic feeling. This business plan proposes "Arts Cures," a venture that repositions art from a passive commodity to an active, systemic solution for well-being. By leveraging insights from neuroscience, design theory, and existential philosophy, Arts Cures develops a suite of B2B and B2C services that integrate art as functional, biometric-responsive infrastructure. Our core offerings include AI-driven sensory pods for real-time emotional regulation, data-informed curatorial services for …

Galleriax: A Hybrid Digital Platform For Art, Technology, And Community, Catherine Wu

MA Projects

GalleriaX is a curated digital platform that brings together artists, collectors, and creative audiences through an ecosystem shaped by curation, technology, and community. The platform reimagines digital art engagement by combining editorial storytelling, membership-based participation, and long-term artist support. Rather than functioning as an open marketplace, GalleriaX offers a guided and context-driven environment where artworks, conversations, and cultural programs unfold with intention. The company operates at the intersection of art and technology, using digital tools to enhance, rather than replace, the human elements of taste, dialogue, and shared experience. Its approach blends the credibility of curatorial practice with the accessibility …

Ai Art Valuation Company: Artmetric, Zhuochen Tu

MA Projects

ArtMetric is a technology company dedicated to revolutionizing the art market. We have developed an AI-driven valuation platform designed to address the inefficiencies, high costs, and subjectivity inherent in traditional art appraisal. Users upload images of artworks through our platform to quickly receive a data-driven, and affordable valuation report. This report integrates AI visual analysis, real-time market data comparison, and optional expert verification, ensuring both speed and accuracy in valuation. Our target clients include collectors, artists, galleries, and insurance companies. We monetize through subscription services, one-time appraisals, and premium B2B solutions. As the art market accelerates its digital transformation, ArtMetric …

Objective Chance, Convulsive Beauty And The Marvelous Within Fashion, Ellen Silva

MA Projects

Objective Chance, Convulsive Beauty and The Marvelous within Fashion is an exhibition inspired by the early idea of Surrealism specifically how the concepts of objective chance, convulsive beauty and the marvelous are intertwined and represented within fashion in the 21st century. The audience will be able to witness for themselves the use of these themes throughout the Surrealist movement by viewing works of fashion and artwork side by side. Some of the references are unmistakable, but some of them must be viewed with more of a conceptual focus as Surrealism was not only an art movement, but originally a philosophical …

Uncovering The Keystone: Case Study Of The Ubs Art Collection Gift, Loan And Contemporary Voices Exhibition At Moma In 2005 - Twenty Years Later, Maria Glikman Yamarakov

MA Theses

This research aims to reconstruct foundational history of the Case, based on the publicly available sources. Using the established factual background to test the significance of each of the three major assumptions, referred traditionally as motivation behind the studied Case undertaking. Through critical analysis this Thesis targets to uncover the keystone of this Case and use it as the background to introduce the governance Duty of Stewardship concept in the corporate collection context. Assuming the introduced concept sustains initial analysis, assess its potential value for further strategic development of the corporate collections of the contemporary art.

Integrating The Oriental Gaze: Japonisme And Kitagawa Utamaro’S Influence In The Parisian Art World Of The Late 19th Century, Wanda Irini Goudas

MA Theses

This thesis discusses the phenomenon of Japonisme in Paris, how it manifested in the market, its accompanying theoretical discourse, and its role in fostering artistic innovation. In 1853, Japan officially opened its borders for trade with the West, resulting in an unparalleled influx of objects and artwork from Japan. This generated a widespread fascination with Japanese material culture, culminating in the phenomenon known as Japonisme. Among the imported items, ukiyo-e woodblock prints or ‘images of the floating world,’ became very significant. Exhibited widely across Paris, their peculiar themes and unique formal qualities prompted theoretical discourse and inspired shifts in artistic …

The Lost Art Of Club Photography: Capturing Nyc’S Nightlife And Cultural Legacy From The 1980s To The 1990s, Madeleine M. Canfield

MA Theses

This thesis examines how club photography in New York City’s nightlife of the 1980s and 1990s both shaped and reflected cultural identity, and investigates why this visual practice has largely disappeared in the age of social media. By focusing on photographer Steve Eichner and his documentation of iconic moments from one of Peter Gatien’s four mega-clubs, this thesis analyzes published photographs and articles to examine how visual representation shaped the culture it portrayed. The research demonstrates that club photography was instrumental in shaping public perception of nightlife, capturing the spontaneity, creativity, and energy of the era. It also highlights how …

Constructing Minimalism: Canon Formation, Exclusion, And The Afterlives Of An Aesthetic, Lucy Ewert

MA Theses

Academics, critics, curators, and artists alike have perpetually struggled to agree on a coherent definition of Minimalism since its inception. Who is included in the historical canon, what its defining characteristics are, and the movement's legacy have long since been contested. This thesis will explore the origins of Minimalism, tracing its emergence from movements such as Abstract Expressionism, and discuss the early values that shaped its perception through a handful of fundamental voices. The study will also survey three of Minimalism’s modernist predecessors, questioning the extent of influence these movements may have had.  Understanding the origins of Minimalism will set …

The Spiritual And Emotional Impact Of Color In Luis Barragán’S Convento De Las Capuchinas Sacramentarias, Ivana Martin

MA Theses

This thesis examines how Luis Barragán’s Convento de las Capuchinas Sacramentarias (1955) is a medium for spiritual experience. In his work, Barragán explores the use of color, light, and emotion as central elements and the ways in which they transform sacred space into an embodied, contemplative experience. There is also a comparison to other churches and other similar projects that were done during the same time period, specifically in Mexico. Modernist architecture in mid-century Mexico was largely defined by rationalist and more functional ideals, but Barragán separated himself from these tendencies to create an architecture that privileges silence, intimacy, and …

A Visual Analysis Of The Work Of Anna Weyant For Art Historical Precedent, Jordan Arnold

MA Theses

This paper examines the rapid ascent and artistic evolution of Anna Weyant, whose blend of technical rigor, stylized figuration, and sly narrative tension has positioned her as a leading name in contemporary figurative painting. While her market visibility and high-profile representation have often overshadowed critical engagement with her work, a close analysis reveals a steadily developing practice grounded in a set of consistent formal concerns: controlled light and shadow, psychologically charged compositions, and a sustained dialogue with art-historical precedents. By situating Weyant’s paintings in relation to the psychological realism of the Dutch Golden Age, the uncanny and erotic undercurrents of …

Becoming Art Itself: A Study On The Generative Logic And Discursive Structure Of Disability Art Incubation Institutions, Gonghui Lu

MA Theses

This study employs “Becoming” as its core analytical concept to examine how disability art incubation institutions operate at the intersection of contemporary art history and social systems as mechanisms that continuously generate both art and subjectivity. Building on Deleuze’s philosophy of becoming and Guattari’s notion of the rhizome, the study constructs a generative model linking art, institutions, and discourse. Through comparative analysis of international cases, it discusses the shift in disability art from a representational logic to a generative logic, and the dynamic oscillation between deterritorialization and reterritorialization within institutional practices. The study argues that disability art should not be …

The Postmodern Frontier: Richard Prince And The Neoliberal Spectacle Of The American Dream, Taïs Khassanova

MA Theses

This thesis examines the oeuvre of Richard Prince’s as a sustained allegory of contemporary American visual culture, beginning with his Cowboys series as the point of origin from which his later appropriations, including Girlfriends, Spiritual America, and New Portraits, unfold. Through the recursive gesture of appropriation, Prince’s Cowboys expose the myth of rugged independence as a corporate fiction, revealing how the frontier ethos was redeployed under the Reagan presidency to naturalize neoliberal ideology. Building on this premise, the thesis traces how such logic extends throughout Prince’s subsequent body of work, as his Girlfriends refigure the cowboy’s masculine autonomy as the …

From Monasteries To The Market: The Legal And Spiritual Economies Of Himalayan Art In China, Hengshi An

MA Theses

In recent years, the Himalayan art market in China has shown a remarkable transformation, emerging as one of the most dynamic segments within the broader Asian art economy. While much of the global and domestic art market has stagnated, Tibetan and Himalayan artworks have achieved sustainable growth and high auction price with major collections been published, showing structural strength rather than speculative enthusiasm. This paper examines the drivers behind this phenomenon through a qualitative analysis of auction data, dealer networks, and collector behavior across key hubs in China such as Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. The findings suggest that …

Beyond Recognition: The Surrealist Strategy Of Face Concealment In The Portraits Of René Magritte And Ewa Juszkiewicz, Darina Kravchenko Eldridge

MA Theses

This dissertation investigates the evolution of the Surrealist strategy of face concealment from a modernist device of perceptual estrangement into a contemporary tool of feminist and postcolonial critique within portraiture. By obscuring the most recognisable marker of identity, it evokes a complex and unsettling emotional response in the viewer, transforming the act of looking at another person into an encounter with absence. The study situates this transformation within broader aesthetic and ideological discourses, drawing on feminist art history as articulated by Linda Nochlin and Griselda Pollock, alongside John Berger’s Ways of Seeing, Jacques Derrida’s hauntology, the Zeigarnik effect and Guy …

When Fine Art And Commercial Art Merge: A Playbook For Emerging Artists Without Gallery Representation To Create Successful And Sustainable Careers, Regina Escobedo Guerra

MA Theses

Pursuing a career as an artist comes with no clear path nor directions. The first years after graduating are filled with confusion and uncertainty. Emerging artists are oftentimes unequipped with the necessary resources to create sustainable and profitable careers. In a saturated market where only a select few are able to make a living solely from art, artists need to gain autonomy and control over their practices. This thesis provides emerging artists with no gallery representation with the tools to create an independent career that prioritizes artistic authenticity and sustains profit. Through a dismissal of the negative perceptions placed on …