Digital Commons Network^™

"El Corregidor" At The Crossroads: Desire, Law, And Coloniality In Martel's Zama, Leisa Kauffmann

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

In "'El Corregidor at the Crossroads: Desire, Law and Coloniality in Martel's Zama" Leisa Kauffmann discusses Lucrecia Martel's filmic adaptation of Antonio DiBenedetto's 1952 novel, Zama. Highlighting the director's emphasis on the psychoanalytic (as opposed to the existentialist) dimensions of the novel, the essay follows the titular characater's unravelling and shows how Martel's film allegorizes colonial(ist) subjectivity. In Kauffmann's essay, various psychoanalytic theories (such as the work of Bhabha, Fanon, and Žižek), and critiques centering the notion of race in the Lacanian tradition are applied. In addition, differences between the novel and film, particularly regarding Zama's mutilation and …

Race And Nation In Three Canonic Texts Of Puerto Rican Literature: Luis Palés Matos’S Tom-Tom Of Kinky Hair And Black Things, José Luis González’S La Llegada, And Edgardo Rodríguez Juliá’S Cortijo’S Wake, Luis R. Galanes

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

In this essay we propose a critical reading of three politically-charged canonic texts of Puerto Rican literature that uphold and vindicate an African heritage for Puerto Rican culture, highlighting their role in moving discussions about blackness at the center stage of debates about national identity and culture, and assessing their contribution to the emergence and development of an Afro-Puerto Rican identity and literature. These texts are: Luis Palés Matos’s Tom-Tom of Kinky Hair and Black Things, José Luis González’s La llegada; and Edgardo Rodríguez Juliá’s Cortijo’s Wake. Moreover, a debate about the racial background of the authors …

Haunting Pasts, Cancelled Futures: Polish And Argentinian Experiences Of Postdependency, Ewa Kobyłecka-Piwońska

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

The aim of this article is to compare Polish and Argentinian experience of democratic transitions of the 1980s and 1990s. Establishing new political and economic orders in both countries did not entail a change in their citizens’ post-dependent mentality. In the first part of the paper, a connection is drawn between Polish and Argentinian collective memories in line with the methodology of transcultural memory studies (Erll, Rothberg). The post-dependent condition is articulated twofold: through the remembrance of the disappearance (of the Jews, the victims of the Argentina’s state terrorism, the indigenous peoples), and through the confusion in grasping the sense …

Measured, Baked And Glazed: Predicting Sales And Securing Wholesale Accounts For Donut Star, Robert Beal-Lancaster

Strategic Communication Master of Arts Thesis Projects

Applied research was conducted, which included reviewing news articles, industry reports, and descriptions of state licensure. Key insights revealed that the bakery's current challenges influenced previous owners to sell Donut Star. This project is the first to gather data and provide a strategic analysis for Donut Star. It aims to help Donut Star increase wholesale accounts and incentivize direct consumers to preorder. Diffusion of Innovation Theory was used to develop the communication strategy. Primary research included in-depth interviews with management and observations of direct consumers. Findings revealed that Donut Star was not making ordering information readily available or effectively tracking …

Project Go, Project Grow: Increasing Participation In Environmental Education, Elizabeth Mettin

Strategic Communication Master of Arts Thesis Projects

Project Get Outdoors, LLC, or Project GO, is a non-profit organization based in Wabasha, Minnesota. The organization’s mission is to provide outdoor experiences that develop healthy kids, particularly for underprivileged and marginalized youth. They do this through training and supporting Southeastern Minnesota community organization leaders and volunteers. Project GO provides three types of outdoor training including Early Childhood Training, Traditional Leadership Training, and Minnesota Master Naturalist Training. The organization has served over 500 adults and 50,000 youth in its 20 years of operation. This project uses research and analysis to uncover strategic and creative solutions to address how Project GO …

Parents’ Experiences With Their Child’S Psychotherapy And Mental Illness, Valerie Marsman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low parental engagement—especially among fathers and ethnic minority groups like Latinx parents—in child psychotherapy increases the risk of treatment dropout, behavioral issues, and poorer outcomes, contributing to persistent disparities. More research was needed on perceptual barriers and facilitators to parental engagement such as attitudes, beliefs, and expectations. The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of parents’ experiences with their child’s psychotherapy and mental illness to facilitate parental engagement in services that support the child. An interpretative phenomenological approach and multiperspectival focus group design were used to illuminate each participant’s voice and explore overarching themes. Hill’s theory …

The M State Advantage: Engaging Community College Students And Alumni To Cultivate A Culture Of Giving, Shannon M. Britten

Strategic Communication Master of Arts Thesis Projects

This project examines M State Foundation and Alumni’s efforts to increase donations from the alumni of Minnesota State Community and Technical College (M State). The donations provide scholarships, emergency grants, food pantry supplies, and academic program support. The Foundation has consistently fallen short of fundraising goals, but with over 19,000 alumni, an opportunity exists to rebuild engagement after years of disconnection due to name changes and mergers. This project leverages research and analysis to develop strategic, data-driven solutions to increase donations by appealing to current students and alumni. A review of institutional effectiveness data, operational metrics, and industry reports provided …

Setting Course For The Future At Westfield Golf Club, Lisa L. Kinowski

Strategic Communication Master of Arts Thesis Projects

Westfield Golf Course is a public golf course in Winona, Minnesota. Westfield opened for business in 1923 and is operated by Westfield, LLC, and overseen by a board of directors that ensures compliance with the terms of a deed for the land on which Westfield sits. The golf course has seen consistent success since its inception, but due to changing economics and increased competition, its membership has declined from a high of approximately 1,200 members in the 1980s to around 300 today. This project uses research and analysis to uncover strategic and creative solutions to address Westfield’s challenges. A review …

Creating A Legacy: Dipping Into The Business Of Selling Ink Artwork, Janelle Sather

Strategic Communication Master of Arts Thesis Projects

Peaceful Wisconsin LLC is a dip pen ink art business in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. This project uses research and analysis to uncover strategic and creative solutions to address the business’s core problem of customers not having a way to purchase the company’s artwork. A review of applied research was conducted, which included residential demographic information, art sale methods and statistics, Twitch viewership data, and the company’s financial statements. Key findings showed there is a strong potential market for selling art, and the company can become profitable with minimal sales. The company has never conducted research or a strategic analysis of …

Effect Of Instructional Guidelines On The Parents’ Care Of Neonates With Neural Tube Defects, Asmaa Khamis, Safaa Salah Ismail, Hayam Tanatwy

Nursing

Abstract Background Neural tube defects (NTDs) represent the most common congenital anomalies of the central nervous system in pediatric populations, posing significant challenges for both neonatal care and parental wellbeing. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional guidelines on improving parental care practices for neonates with NTDs. Methods A quasi-experimental design was employed at the neonatal intensive care unit and Neurological Department of the Children's Hospital affiliated with Ain Shams University, and at Helwan General Hospital. A convenience sample of 40 parents of neonates diagnosed with NTDs participated. Data were collected over a complete 12 years using three …

July 21 Elections, Census & Redistricting Update, Jeffrey M. Wice

Elections, Census & Redistricting Updates

No abstract provided.

Ai-Infused Educational Technology For Continuous Waste Management Learning: An Environmental Legislative-Guided Llm Enhanced Approach, Qiming Sun, I-Han Hsiao

Computer Science and Engineering

We present Waste Genie+ (WG+), an AI-infused web-based educational technology to improve sustainability awareness and waste management skills. WG+ utilizes Large Language Models (LLMs) to transform complex environmental regulations and waste management information into accessible and digestible content, enabling learning in the complex, legislative-involved sustainability field. WG+ features AI-infused content, interactive quizzes, and various sustainability awareness simulations (i.e., waste classification scanner, virtual carbon credit tracker, carbon dioxide emission converter). We used LLM chain-of-thought reasoning to implement a systematic prompt-based evaluation of the decomposed legislative content quality. A 10-day user study with 10 participants was designed and conducted to evaluate the …

Parlez-Vous Francais? You Betcha: Revitalizing A French Cultural Center By Connecting To Its Minnesota Roots, Ashley Flygare

Strategic Communication Master of Arts Thesis Projects

The Alliance Française Minneapolis–St. Paul (AFMSP) is Minnesota’s only cultural center dedicated exclusively to the French language and francophone cultures. In recent years, participation in its programs and offerings has declined, threatening its financial sustainability. This project utilizes strategic communication research and theory to develop solutions that enhance AFMSP’s community engagement and relevance. A review of organizational performance data, industry reports, and local cultural trends revealed the need for more targeted and persuasive communication efforts. Using Framing Theory and Aristotle’s Theory of Persuasion, this project examines how messaging strategies can be designed to shape public perception and motivate action through …

“The Biggest Problem With You…”: Racial Profiling And Canada’S Program Of Extra-Territorial Migrant Interdiction, Simon Wallace, Benjamin Perryman, Gábor Lukács, Sean Rehaag

Osgoode Hall Law Journal

In 2019, two Roma-Hungarian travellers were prevented from boarding their flight to Canada. Even though their documents were in order and their travel was legitimate, they were singled out for examination and extra scrutiny. This article—relying on new evidence produced in a series of legal proceedings—shows how Canada has implemented a de facto system of racial profiling in airports overseas. This program was not built overnight, but produced by a series of historical accretions, all organized around the idea that potential refugees can be detected by their race. This article shows how Canada, to deter asylum seekers, has conscripted private …

Mother And Baby Homes Commission Of Investigation Report: Alternative Executive Summary, Maebh Harding, Mairead Enright, Aoife O'Donoghue, Aoife Price, Cliona De Bhailís, Maria Ní Fhlatharta, Sahar Ahmed, Aisling Mcmahon, Aoife Daly, Ciara Fitzpatrick, Deirdre Macgowan, Fergus Ryan, Fiona Donson, Helen Kehoe, James Gallen, Kieran Walsh, Louise Kennefick, Lydia Bracken, Lynsey Black, Michelle Farrell, Phil Mullen, Samantha Morgan-Williams, Vicky Conway, Eilionoir Flynn, Shane Darcy

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

This document builds on the methodology developed by feminist judgments projects to rewrite the Executive Summary to the Final Report of Ireland’s Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation, published in January 2021. The Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation was established in February 2015 to investigate experiences in certain of Ireland’s residential institutions for single mothers and their young children between 1922 and 1998. In our rewritten Executive summary, twenty-five academics examined the evidence in the Commission’s original report, and offered a feminist, human rights-based analysis of the evidence presented there. Our document was first published open access …

Wading In Alligator Infested Waters: An Analysis Of Indemnification Provisions In College Athletic Coaching Employment Agreements, Mark T. Wilhelm, Danielle A. Clifford

Texas A&M Law Review

College athletic coaches have always been under pressure from countless sources, whether that is recruiting new student-athletes, managing booster relations, or simply trying to win games. But recent rule changes that permit student-athletes to profit on their name, image, and likeness rights have brought to the forefront additional pressures on coaches as there are now questions about whether, and to what extent, coaches have personal liability for their acts or omissions in their roles as coaches and in capacities adjacent to their coaching roles. This Article uses as a case study a lawsuit brought against college football coach Billy Napier …

Integrated Evaluation Of Airtightness, Acoustics, Thermal Performance, And Life-Cycle Carbon Emissions In Code-Compliant Wood-Framed And Thin-Shell Concrete Dome Residential Structures, Eduardo Ibanez Vasquez

Theses and Dissertations

The residential construction industry faces increasing demands for energy-efficient and sustainable housing solutions. In the U.S., residential buildings significantly contribute to energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, highlighting the need for enhanced building envelope performance. This study compares four residential structures: a traditional code-compliant wood-framed structure built in 1970, a traditional code-compliant wood-framed structure built in 2016, a modular code-compliant wood framed structure built in 2024, and a thin-shell concrete dome built in 2022. The analysis focuses on airtightness, acoustic insulation, passive thermal performance, and life-cycle carbon emissions, including both embodied (cradle-to-gate) and operational energy use. Field-based methods included …

An Effective Whistleblowing System Model For Regional Inspectorates: A Qualitative Study In Fraud Prevention, Asep Muhyidin, Farah Latifah Nurfauziah, Sri Suharti

Journal of Accounting Auditing and Business

Abstract: This study examines the effectiveness of the Whistleblowing System (WBS) in fraud prevention at the Government Inspectorate of Garut Regency, Indonesia. Using a qualitative approach and thematic analysis with NVivo, the research identifies key factors influencing WBS success, including structural, operational, and human resource aspects. Findings indicate that WBS significantly enhances transparency and accountability through accessible reporting mechanisms, whistleblower protection, and investigative follow-up. Critical determinants of effectiveness include: (1) technological support for whistleblower anonymity, (2) personnel competence in handling reports, and (3) compliance with Regulation of the Garut Regent No. 50 of 2020 on WBS implementation guidelines. Thematic nodes …

Studying Religious Symbols And Bias In Court Proceedings, Nicholas A.R. Fraser, Colton Fehr

Osgoode Hall Law Journal

MOCK JURY STUDIES INVESTIGATING the impact of religious symbols on jurors have produced conflicting findings, raising questions about how religious bias should be studied in judicial settings. Our study adds to the literature in three ways. First, we develop a clear theoretical framework which identifies dispositional and situational triggers allowing researchers to more precisely define and measure religiously motivated bias. Second, we show that mock jury experiments with video-based treatments simulating audio-visual cues are more likely to produce reliable findings relative to text-based studies. Third, we present the first empirical evidence of how mock jurors react to courtroom oaths. Our …

Christian Identity And Commercialization: A Rhetorical Case Study Of Faith-Based Nil Branding In College Athletics, Santiago Diaz Finochietto

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

This project, “Christian Identity and Commercialization: A Rhetorical Case Study of Faith-Based NIL Branding in College Athletics," explores the intersection of faith, personal branding, and commercialization in the era of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in collegiate athletics, with a specific focus on Christian student-athletes. Since the NCAA's 2021 policy change allowing athletes to profit from NIL, student-athletes have been thrust into a complex landscape of sponsorships, digital branding, and entrepreneurial identity. While this shift offers unprecedented opportunities, it also presents ethical and spiritual dilemmas, particularly for Christian athletes seeking to integrate their faith into their public and commercial presence …

Three-Stage Latent Dynamics Forecasting (T-Ldf) Framework For Shenzhen Metro Passenger Flow Prediction, Tianze Zhang

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

Accurate forecasting of metro passenger flow is vital for efficient urban transportation management and optimal resource allocation in modern cities. Traditional ARIMA-based models effectively capture regular, cyclical patterns but struggle with sudden, nonlinear fluctuations caused by random events such as weather disruptions, special events, or service interruptions. Moreover, existing research predominantly focuses on individual stations, overlooking the complex cross-station interactions inherent in networked metro systems where passenger flows are interconnected across the entire network.

To address these critical limitations, we propose the Three-Stage Latent Dynamics Forecasting (T-LDF) Framework, a novel approach that systematically integrates temporal decomposition, latent dynamics extraction, and …

Tlr4 Asp299gly Snp (Rs4986790) Protects From Periodontal Inflammatory Destruction By Altering Tlr4 Susceptibility To Lps Stimulation, Franco Cavalla, Cláudia Cristina Biguetti, Ariadne Letra, Renato Silva, Alexandre R. Vieira, Franz J. Strauss, Gustavo P. Garlet

School of Podiatric Medicine Publications

Simple Summary

Periodontitis is a common disease that affects the gums and the bone supporting the teeth, often leading to tooth loss. It results from a complex interaction between bacteria and the body’s immune response. Some people are more susceptible than others, and genetics may play a role. In this study, we focused on a genetic variation (called a polymorphism) in a gene known as TLR4, which helps the immune system recognize harmful bacteria. We examined over 1400 individuals from different populations and found that people carrying this specific variation, known as Asp299Gly, were less likely to develop severe periodontal …

Black Men And Health Literacy: Strategies For Improvement In A Digital Age Through The Adaptation Of A Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, Evelina Weidman Sterling, Laura Stevens, Vanessa Robinson-Dooley, Tyler Collette

Faculty Articles

Health literacy is a critical determinant of health outcomes, yet it is often overlooked, particularly among marginalized groups. This paper explores the significance of health literacy, with a particular focus on low-income African American and Black (AA/B) men, a population that faces unique challenges due to intersecting factors such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, and educational disparities. We examine how these factors contribute to health literacy gaps, highlighting adverse effects on health outcomes for AA/B men compared to the general population. Additionally, we stress the growing importance of digital literacy in an increasingly technology-driven world. Not actively addressing digital health …

What Strategies Do People With Aphasia With High Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction Report Using? A Qualitative Exploration, Abigail Irene Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored patterns in the communication strategies reported by people with aphasia with high versus low basic psychological need satisfaction. Participants with aphasia (12 females and 11 males) completed an initial experimental session during which the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale (BPNS/F) was administered. Following this session, participants completed a semi-structured interview in which they described strategies used during daily communication. Each interview was transcribed and analyzed through reflexive codebook analysis, with emphasis placed on the communication strategies they reported using. Participants were grouped according to whether their reported autonomy, competence, or relatedness on the BPNS/F were …

Recognizing The Charter Value Of Employee Freedom Of Association At Common Law, Kevin Banks

Osgoode Hall Law Journal

This article systematically explores, for the first time in the published literature, how the development of the common law of employment could advance in light of the Charter values doctrine, focusing on freedom of association. It contends that courts must scrutinize the common law’s impairments of that freedom, and unless they are necessary to similarly important common law values, eliminate them where it is possible to do so within courts’ powers to incrementally change it. A number of such paths are open. If asked to do so, courts probably can and should provide Canadians with a common law of employment …

Reply To Review Of Assisted Suicide In Canada, Travis Dumsday

Osgoode Hall Law Journal

I AM VERY GRATEFUL to the editors of the Osgoode Hall Law Journal for their invitation to submit a response to the journal’s review of my book, Assisted Suicide in Canada: Moral, Legal, and Policy Considerations. That review appeared in its spring 2023 issue.

What Happened To The Creative In The Creative Curriculum?, Lacey Peters, Mark K. Nagasawa, Maria Mavrides Calderon, Abigail Kerlin, Helen Frazier, Beth Ferholt, Erica Clarke Yardy, Margie Brickley, Alisa Algava

Straus Institute for Thriving Children & Families

This empirically-grounded commentary questions the basis for New York City Public Schools’ (NYCPS) adoption of the Teaching Strategies products—the Creative Curriculum (CC) and Teaching Strategies GOLD—as the mandated curriculum and assessment systems for early childhood education (ECE) programs administered by the New York City Public Schools. In an analysis shaped by our hybrid positionalities as early childhood educators, parents, policy makers, and researchers, we argue that this decision is a local case of neoliberalism’s simultaneous narrowing of educational quality and a transfer of public funding into private hands under the guise of the free market. Our commentary, …

We Are Tectonic! A Queer Geophysics For Intra-Solidarities And Resisting The Cloud Regime, Helen Pritchard, Femke Snelting, Seda Gürses, Jara Rocha, Miriyam Aouragh

School of Art, Design and Architecture

This paper analyses how Big Tech and global consultancy firms are asserting control over carbon removal certification and governance through infrastructure solutions and technical standards. We argue that defining gaps in the underground constitutes a global takeover of material sovereignty, encompassing both knowledge and geological formations. We unearth Big Tech’s strategies of infra-solutionism to demonstrate, drawing on the work of inhuman geographer Kathryn Yusoff, how this takeover reinforces geological grammars and essentialises racialised and sexualised categories that disconnect us from the Earth. Drawing on queer poetry together with work of Marxist agronomist Amílcal Cabral we advocate for resistance to dominant …

An Exploratory Analysis Of U.S. Academically Intensive Charter Schools (Aics), Robert Maranto, Jamison White, Sean Woytek

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Considerable amounts of research have discussed "No Excuses" charter schools preparing traditionally disadvantaged students for higher education. Yet, no scholarly work has identified or investigated U.S. academically intensive charter schools (AICS) that were founded to enable students to excel academically as much as their abilities and efforts allow. Here, we offer an exploratory study of AICS, defining them, describing the lived experience of an AICS principal, presenting the first national data comparing AICS campus and student characteristics to those of other charter schools, and assessing whether, nationally, AICS succeed on their own terms, with relatively high academic achievements. The data …

Creative Processes In Visual Arts In Education: A Conceptual Framework, Enock Swanzy-Impraim

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The diversity and uniqueness of individuals and the multifaceted nature of creativity necessitate new models in various domains. This study reviewed previous studies and models of the creative process and presented a combined model (Swanzy-Impraim panoramic creative process model) of the creative process applicable to the visual arts in education and other artist-expressive domains. It positions the creative process in seven phases: (1) immersion, (2) problem/task identification, (3) ideation, (4) production, (5) outcome, (6) evaluation, and (7) responses. This conceptual paper explores creativity as a concept and its significance in the artists’ expressive domain, reviews and maps creative process models, …