Digital Commons Network^™

Tilting The Playing Field: Executive Attacks On Big Law Firms As A Mechanism Of American Competitive Authoritarianism, Sajah Ali

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines how President Donald Trump’s executive campaign against elite law firms, collectively known as “Big Law,” serves as a concrete case study of competitive authoritarianism in action. Drawing on Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way’s framework in their work The Path to American Authoritarianism, this thesis applies their four pillars of competitive authoritarianism to the administration’s executive orders targeting major law firms and maps those pillars onto three distinct firm responses: fighting back, capitulation, and quiet retreat. Situating this case study within the broader political context of Trump’s second term, this thesis finds that while the United States has …

Prep’S Communications Strategy: A Ten-Year Plan From 2025-2035, Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (Prep)

PREP Reports & Publications

No abstract provided.

China-U.S Relations: Techno‑Nationalism, Strategic Entrapment, And Taiwan., Prince Y. Munya Mr.

Dissertations and Theses

Abstract

This thesis examines how China–U.S. relations evolved from a manageable strategic rivalry into a more rigid and increasingly difficult form of competition after the Obama administration’s “Pivot to Asia.” It argues that traditional explanations such as power transition theory alone cannot fully explain the deterioration of the relationship. Instead, the study introduces the concept of techno-nationalism, where technological leadership becomes tied to national identity, economic security, and geopolitical power, particularly in areas such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and supply-chain security. Through historical analysis and policy tracing, the thesis develops the concept of strategic entrapment to explain how both Washington …

The Limits Of Economic Sanctions: Why Western Efforts Did Not Fully Economically Isolate Russia After 2022 Invasion Of Ukraine, Jonibek Oblokulov

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Examining Widely Held Propositions On Human Dietary Protein Needs And Benefits: A Critical Review Of The Science That Shapes Both The Data And Our Understanding Of An Essential Macronutrient, Mitchell M Kanter, Sally Aaron, Steven N Austad, Andrew W Brown, Nicholas A Burd, Wayne W Campbell, Mark Cope, Teresa A Davis, John W Erdman, Miguel Freitas, Kristen Hicks-Roof, Samuel Klein, Wantanee Kriengsinyos, Dudley W Lamming, Donald K Layman, Heather J Leidy, Kevin C Maki, Richard D Mattes, Shalene Mcneill, Daniel R Moore, Stefan M Pasiakos, Stuart M Phillips, David Raubenheimer, Wendy Reinhardt, Nancy R Rodriguez, Stephen Simpson, Hans H Stein, Luc J C Van Loon, Connie M Weaver, David B Allison

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

The essentiality of protein in the human diet is unequivocal. Yet researchers, clinicians, and lay people often believe numerous propositions about dietary protein despite insufficient supporting or refuting data in some instances. To address this disconnect, and to "pressure-test" current beliefs about dietary protein, the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington convened a workshop in February 2025 titled "Human Dietary Protein Needs and Benefits: A Critical Assessment of Postulated Propositions." More than 20 international experts discussed (1) methodologic issues affecting data acquisition and interpretation; (2) "optimal" dietary protein intakes and effects on muscle protein synthesis rates, muscle protein accretion, …

Regulating Space-Based Solar Power: Challenges Under Both Space Law And Energy Law, Anne-Sophie Martin, Steven Freeland

Journal of Air Law and Commerce

Space-based solar power (SBSP) is emerging as a potential catalyst for global decarbonisation, driven by advances in wireless power transmission, in-orbit assembly, and photovoltaic technologies. Programmes such as the European Space Agency’s SOLARIS initiative, China’s planned megawatt-scale demonstrator, and private projects including Constant Aperture Solid State Integrated Orbital Phased Array and Caltech’s Space Solar Power Project illustrate the shift from theoretical models to operationalisation. SBSP offers continuous, weather-independent renewable energy capable of complementing terrestrial solar, wind, and hydro generation, enhancing grid stability, energy security, and progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It also supports future space activities by providing …

Systemic Legal Scholarship For Systemic Ai, Kevin Frazier

Chapman Law Review

Artificial intelligence (AI) is triggering societal transformation at an unprecedented pace, yet our legal system struggles to keep up, often relying on incremental tweaks to outdated rules. This Article argues that such conventional legal thinking is not just inadequate but also a source of inconsequential scholarship. By failing to anticipate AI’s trajectory and address foundational issues, incrementalism allows “legal tech debt” to mount, increasing risks of policy failure, societal disruption, and erosion of the rule of law. We must leapfrog this dangerous inertia. This Article proposes and defines a necessary alternative: systemic legal scholarship. This forward-looking paradigm requires legal experts …

Death By Discretion: Executive Power And The Arbitrary Machinery Of Federal Capital Punishment, Reem Haikal

Chapman Law Review

This Article argues that the federal death penalty is not merely at risk of being cruel; it is increasingly at risk of becoming arbitrary and lawless. Despite the procedural safeguards embedded in the Federal Death Penalty Act (FDPA), executive practices have reintroduced many of the same constitutional flaws that the Supreme Court identified in Furman v. Georgia. Through detailed analysis of the FDPA’s structure, this Article shows that the statute fails to meaningfully constrain the Attorney General’s charging discretion, allowing life-and-death decisions to hinge on opaque and often politicized processes. The Trump administration’s revival of federal executions, culminating in sweeping …

Generational Differences In Dentistry And Dental Practice, Ellen Lee Dds, Brian Chin M.B.A., Hazel Hong, Daranthea Atmadja, Jong Soo Lim, Jamie Chen, Chloe Lin, Chloe Naeun Kim

The New York State Dental Journal

Society is composed of workers from different generations. These include the Silent Generation, or Traditionalists, Baby Boomer Generation, Generation X, Millennials and Generation Z. Generation Alpha will join the workforce in the next decade. The way each generation has approached dentistry depends on available materials and technology, as well as contemporary societal values. In addition, major historical events and the state of the economy may have been and are contributing factors in how each generation practiced or practices dentistry.

Gut And Blood Diversity Microbiota Of Tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus) Reared In Aquaponic Systems: A Scoping Review, Ang´Elica Adiaç˜Ao Jossefa, Leonildo Dos Anjo Viagem, Brunno Da Silva Cerozi Brunno Da Silva Cerozi, Sebastian Wilson Chenyambuga Sebastian Wilson Chenyambuga Chenyambuga

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Tilapia is commonly integrated with vegetables in aquaponics systems, where complex microbial interactions may have important implications for food safety. This scoping review examines the current evidence on the microbiota diversity of tilapia reared in aquaponics systems, analyzes its potential influence on food safety, and highlight direction for future research. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Re- views and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines and included studies pub- lished between 2000 and 2025, retrieved from five scientific databases, including Google Scholar, Web of Science, Science Direct, PubMed, and Wiley Online Library. Only three studies met …

Implementing Climate Remedies, Camila Bustos

Vanderbilt Law Review

Climate change litigation has emerged as a powerful tool for addressing the climate crisis, particularly in the face of executive and legislative inaction. Across jurisdictions, courts have issued landmark decisions mandating stronger mitigation targets and recognizing rights-based claims against governments and corporations. While recent scholarship has examined the trends, legal theories, and broader effects of this relatively new phenomenon, it has primarily focused on bringing and winning legal challenges. Less attention has been paid to a crucial phase: the implementation and enforcement of judicial rulings. A deeper understanding of how climate remedies are implemented can provide valuable insights for climate …

Visualizing Cefr Implementation In English Language Teaching : A Bibliometric Trend Analysis (2015–2025), Heppy Mutammimah, Rini Amelia, Noor Aina Herliana, Siti Kustini, Anida Fadhilah Jati, Mala Rovikasari

PASAA

No abstract provided.

Development And Validation Of An Algorithmic Randomization Model For A Cefr-Aligned English Proficiency Test For College Students, Jamjumrat Deeprom

PASAA

No abstract provided.

Teachers Navigating Intercultural Tensions In The Cefr-Informed English Language Teaching In Indonesian Pesantren, Ahmad Madkur

PASAA

No abstract provided.

Heteronormativity And Gender Inequality In Three Esp Textbooks In Thailand : Multimodal Discourse Analysis, Akkasit Kathapant, Kriangkrai Vathanalaoha

PASAA

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Translation In Second Language Acquisition : Relevance And Practical Applications In The 21st Century, Benjawan Tipprachaban

PASAA

No abstract provided.

Effects Of The Learning-Oriented Writing Assessment Model On Efl Undergraduate Students’ Writing Ability, Heng Lu, Chatraporn Piamsai

PASAA

No abstract provided.

Developing Interactional Competence In The Era Of Chatgpt, Hansun Zhang Waring

PASAA

No abstract provided.

กฎหมายเศรษฐกิจหมุนเวียนและการจัดการขยะพลาสติกของสาธารณรัฐฝรั่งเศส : การวิเคราะห์เชิงกฎหมายและบทเรียนเชิงนโยบายสำหรับประเทศไทย, กฤตย ธาดาบดินทร์, สุจิตรา วาสนาดำรงดี

Thai Environment

บทความนี้วิเคราะห์เชิงเปรียบเทียบระบบกฎหมายเศรษฐกิจหมุนเวียนและการจัดการขยะพลาสติกของสาธารณรัฐฝรั่งเศส โดยใช้วิธีวิจัยเชิงกฎหมาย (Doctrinal legal research) ร่วมกับการวิเคราะห์เชิงนโยบาย ศึกษาจากประมวลกฎหมายที่เกี่ยวข้องของฝรั่งเศส กฎหมายต่อต้านขยะและส่งเสริมเศรษฐกิจหมุนเวียน (Loi AGEC ค.ศ. 2020) และระบบความรับผิดชอบที่เพิ่มขึ้นของผู้ผลิต (Extended Producer Responsibility: EPR) ผลการศึกษาพบว่า ฝรั่งเศสได้พัฒนากฎหมายเศรษฐกิจหมุนเวียนที่มีลักษณะบูรณาการสูง ครอบคลุมตั้งแต่การออกแบบผลิตภัณฑ์ (Eco-design) ดัชนีความสามารถในการซ่อมแซม (Repairability index) ดัชนีความทนทาน (Durability index) ไปจนถึงการห้ามทำลายสินค้าคงคลัง และการกำหนดเป้าหมายเชิงปริมาณผูกพันทางกฎหมาย อย่างไรก็ตาม การบังคับใช้กฎหมายยังเผชิญความท้าทายในบางส่วน บทความเสนอบทเรียนสำหรับประเทศไทยใน 6 ด้าน ได้แก่ การจัดทำกฎหมายเศรษฐกิจหมุนเวียนเชิงบูรณาการ การกำหนดเป้าหมายผูกพันทางกฎหมาย การพัฒนาระบบ EPR ที่มีการกำกับดูแลที่ดี การสร้างกลไกสถาบันเฉพาะ การออกแบบเครื่องมือเศรษฐศาสตร์ที่เหมาะสมและการสร้างการมีส่วนร่วมของสาธารณะ

Humanizing Education Through Subject-Centered Instruction: A Mixed Methods Case Study Of Engagement And Achievement In An Exploring Hip-Hop As Literature English Elective, Alicia Hyman-Peters

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how humanizing education through relationally-driven, subject-centered teaching affects student engagement, literacy, and achievement in an Exploring Hip-Hop as Literature English elective at a diverse high school in Northeast Florida. Drawing on Freire’s concept of humanization, Noddings’ Ethic of Care, Palmer’s focus on subject-centered learning, and the culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogies of Ladson-Billings, Paris, and Alim, the research investigated how humanized education restores meaning and connection to learning. Using a Convergent Parallel Mixed Methods Design, data from thirty students were gathered through surveys, participation and assignment records, standardized assessments, interviews, focus groups, and classroom observations. Quantitative findings …

The Impact Of Censorship On Curriculum And Black Women Secondary English Language Arts Teachers In Florida, Crystal Parker

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the instructional, curricular, and school climate impacts of book censorship on Black women secondary English Language Arts teachers, exploring how they navigate and/or resist content restrictions. Using educational criticism and portraiture, this qualitative study captures the nuanced narratives of these educators. Grounded in Bourdieu’s Field Theory, along with Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Historically Responsive Literacy, Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors, and Cognitive Pluralism, the research addresses the following questions: How do Black women teachers describe the influence of recent book bans on their curriculum choices? In what ways do their identities shape their responses to censorship? Data …

Brewing Black Girl Magic: From Hush-Toned Kitchens To Educational Spaces: A Narrative Inquiry Into The Inherited Wisdom, Radical Resilience, And Professional Becoming Of Black Women, A Three-Paper Dissertation, Sheryl Patterson-Coulibaly

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how racialized and gendered expectations shape the professional experiences of Black women in predominantly white educational spaces. Drawing on a three-article format, this study investigates how Black women navigate institutional conditions that depend on their labor yet fail to provide adequate support. Grounded in Black Feminist Marxist Thought and emerging Black Womanist Theory, the study centers the emotional, relational, and spiritual dimensions of Black women’s labor, extending traditional analyses of work, leadership, and resilience.

Of Fire and Fabrication: A Systematic Review on the Myth of Strength and Erasure of Black Women in White Educational Spaces reveals that …

What Novice Educators Find Supportive, Robin M. Bossinger

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teacher shortages have increased in the past two decades, creating greater emphasis on recruitment, talent development, and retention efforts for educational leaders. Novice educators feature prominently in these considerations. A teacher’s first years can be extremely challenging, and induction, the professional learning experiences specific to early career professionals, is often considered the answer. Despite the seeming ubiquity of induction, there is much variability in interpretation, enactment and outcomes. While it is generally accepted that some induction is better than no induction, new teachers deserve more intentionally designed support.

This study sought to reexamine assumptions about induction, adding to the literature …

Fostering Reading: Review Of A College Bridge Program For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing High School Students, Cara Wilmot

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods formative program evaluation examined the reading component of a summer College Bridge Program (CBP) designed for high school students who are deaf and hard of hearing (d/Dhh). Persistent disparities in reading outcomes among d/Dhh students have been linked to differences in language access, communication access, and opportunities to receive specialized instruction. Using the Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) evaluation model, this study evaluated how the CBP identified and addressed students' reading needs, implemented evidence-based instructional practices, and supported reading development through a three-week summer program.

Participants included 45 d/Dhh high school students from 12 southeastern states, as well …

Design Principles For Customer-Engaging Digital Service Systems: An Action Research Study, Keng Leng Siau, Xiaofeng Chen, Xin Tan

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Digital services represent a business approach employed by organizations to operate in the digital environment. However, systematic development guidelines for developing quality digital service systems are lacking in the literature. The authors identified four general challenges for developing and implementing customer-engaging digital service systems (CEDSS). By employing the method of canonical action research in a digital service system project, they derived 10 design principles for developing high-quality CEDSS. They empirically evaluated the design principles in the development project and through follow-up focus group sessions. The design principles provide applicable and actionable guidelines for the development of CEDSS.

The Journey Of High School Teachers Evolving Into Career Educators, Diane B. Ried

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Teacher attrition has been a major challenge in the United States for decades, but more so after covid. This case study explored and expanded the understanding of the different levels of environmental impact on high school teacher retention in a Florida high school as they evolved into career educators. The present study used Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) Ecological Systems Theory to examine the teacher’s retention in a county in northcentral Florida. In order to better understand the experience of career development, this study used Savickas’ Career Construction Theory (2019). This case study investigated strategies, supports, and diversity related initiatives impacting a …

Regulation And Localization Of Urease In Sporosarcina Pasteurii: Implications For Coastal Protection, Amar Kosovac

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Coastal erosion is a persistent problem exacerbated by global warming. As the climate changes, the southeastern coast is likely to experience an increased frequency and intensity of storms, which can significantly damage the coastline. The coast is crucial as it serves as a habitat for numerous animals, supports tourism, and underpins infrastructure. Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is a novel method to enhance erosion resistance in sandy soils using the non-pathogenic bacterium Sporosarcina pasteurii. S. pasteurii produces urease to catalyze urea into bicarbonate, which drives the precipitation of calcium carbonate. Maximal expression of urease is a limiting factor for …

Mass Homicides And Mass Shootings: Comparisons, Trends, And Unpacking Further, Stefana E. Lotempio

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Mass shootings have garnered more public attention in recent years, in large part due to their increase in both frequency and lethality. Despite public concern, policy and prevention efforts have remained limited and have not yet resulted in a decrease in these events. Understanding mass shootings as a subset of mass murder will help identify how mass shootings are unique from other mass murders, which will help to identify more effective prevention tactics. Additionally, exploring mass shooting trends in the context of homicide trends and other crime trends will illuminate patterns that can be used to inform policy and prevention …

Studies Towards Chemical Synthesis Of Homogeneous Prion Glycoprotein, Baotong Tian

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders initiated by conformational misfolding of the prion protein (PrP), which generates pathogenic conformers that propagate via templated conversion and accumulate as aggregates. Glycosylation can modulate the PrP folding energy landscape, thereby biasing folding trajectories and the distribution of resulting conformational states. Bank vole PrP contains two N-linked glycosylation sites, and disentangling the contributions of site occupancy versus glycan structure requires homogeneous, site-defined glycoforms. In contrast, biosynthetic expression typically produces heterogeneous glycoform ensembles due to multistep Golgi processing, precluding independent control of glycan identity at each site. Here we report a chemical synthesis strategy of …

Constructing The Political “Other”: Affective Polarization And Cross-Ideological Portrayals On Instagram, Amanda M. Novellin

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Instagram has frequently been characterized by users as a platform that permits the circulation of hostile and adversarial political content due to comparatively limited moderation practices. In January 2025, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced changes to content moderation policies on Facebook and Instagram, including the removal of third-party fact-checking mechanisms. These platform-level changes further reshaped the political information environment in which online discourse occurs. However, even prior to these policy changes, Instagram had established itself as a prominent space for highly polarized political expression across the ideological spectrum.

This thesis examines how political polarization in the United States is reflected …