Digital Commons Network^™

The Rise Of The Robots: Technocapitalism And The Policing Of Race, Constantine Gidaris

Fast Capitalism

This article critically engages with the emergence of police robots in the United States, arguing that their inevitable foray into everyday policing will fuel existing issues of racial discrimination. Building on Luis Suarez-Villa's (2009) conceptualization of technocapitalism, I situate police robots within a framework of social domination that thrives not only on its connections to corporatism and militarism, but also on technocapitalist conditions that invariably exacerbate the oppressive dynamics of racist and discriminatory policing. Although police robots will make police work safer for officers (Sharkey 2008), I contend that they will be used by the police as weaponized machines of …

The Academic Precariat Post-Covid-19, Aidan Cornelius-Bell, Piper A. Bell

Fast Capitalism

The nature of work has changed, in accelerated late-capitalism and as a result of the COVID-19 global health crisis. For academics, casualised and precarious, the sweeping institutional changes of contemporary neoliberal universities, the sharp rise in managerialism, and the political power plays of universities have created further untenable spaces for work and study. In this article we explore the relationship between doctoral studies, precarious academic employment, the pandemic, and the disproportionate effects of the changes in higher education on women. Through exploration of personal experience, as precarious academic workers, researchers, and doctoral students, we provide parallels to research literature across …

About The Authors, Fast Capitalism Editorial Team

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Fast Capitalism Editorial Team

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Create @ State 2022, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro

Create@State

The proceedings book for 2022

Create @ State 2019, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro

Create@State

The proceedings book for 2019

Create @ State 2018, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro

Create@State

The proceedings book for 2018

Learning Management Systems As Anti-Convivial Tools, Edward Maclin

Fast Capitalism

The last two decades have seen an increase in the number of online university classes operating under any of several commercial Learning Management Systems (LMS). Online classes expanded dramatically in the US during 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students, faculty, and administrators frequently assume that LMSs are epistemologically neutral. These LMSs are designed to do exactly what they say on the tin: they are systems for managing learning. At the same time, they function based on implicit understandings of "learning," "management," and "systems" that privilege some knowledges, interactions, and discourses while de-emphasizing others. In this paper I …

The Manosphere As An Online Protection Racket: How The Red Pill Monetizes Male Need For Security In Modern Society, Eva Bujalka, Tim Rich, Stuart Bender

Fast Capitalism

To effectively manage, empathize with and respond to the implications and impact of the so-called ‘Manosphere,' this paper is centered on the premise that researchers require an understanding of the draw factors that lead individuals to engage, affiliate with, and contribute to the various groups that constitute this wider movement. This paper seeks to contribute to the growing body of knowledge around the Manosphere by exploring how thought leaders propagate symbiotic cycles of ontological security and insecurity through YouTube in a manner that resembles a protection racket. It argues that these constructed ontological security cycles provide a powerful impetus to …

Full Issue, Fast Capitalism Editorial Team

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Oral Streptococcus And Vitamin B12 Deficiency In E-Cigarette Users: A Microbial–Nutrient–Neurotransmitter Axis Linking To Mood Disturbances, Maryam Sabah Naser, Ali Jabbar Abd Al-Hussain Alkawaz, Ali Abbas Hashim Almusawi, Ali Jalil Obaid, Hasanain Ayed Mohammed Al-Khafaji, Reihaneh Sabbaghzadeh

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Background: With the rising popularity of e-cigarettes, questions have emerged regarding their broader influence on oral ecology, nutrient absorption, and psychological health. Disruptions in the oral microbiome may alter vitamin B12 dynamics. This, in turn, may indirectly influence serotonin biosynthesis and mood regulation.

Methods: An observational cross-sectional study involved 150 young adults segregated into groups of 50 each as vapers, smokers, or non-users. Streptococcus sanguinis and vitamin B12 metabolism-related variable statuses methylmalonic acid and holotranscobalamin were quantified in samples, along with inflammatory markers interleukin-6, kynurenine/tryptophan ratio, and serotonin. Statistical techniques, including ANOVA and the Kruskal-Walli’s test, correlation, and serial mediation …

The Claustropolitan Society: A Critical Perspective On The Impact Of Digital Technologies And The Lockdown Imaginary, Tara Brabazon, Stefan Lawrence

Fast Capitalism

The imperative of this article is to develop the trope of the ‘lockdown imaginary.’ To enact this project, a diverse array of theories and theorist are summoned, including the tropes and trajectories from Jean Baudrillard, Benedict Anderson, and Steve Redhead. This – seemingly – odd intellectual combination is both timely and appropriate. It is necessary – as with the Matryoshka Dolls – to commence with a theorization of hyperreality, then we crack open the concept to reveal theories of the imagined and imagining, concluding with the smallest and most brutalizing theoretical Dolls: claustropolitanism and foreclosure. From here, a (post) pandemic …

Fediverse’S Evolution From The Cultural-Historical Activity Theory, José Manuel Meza-Cano, Edith González-Santiago

Fast Capitalism

This paper begins by mentioning some problems we found in social networks belonging to corporations such as Facebook and Twitter, emphasizing the inclusion of algorithmic timelines, the verticality of decisions that respond to market logic, and the privacy of users’ data. This research gives rise to presenting open-source social networks as a democratic and safer alternative for their users. These social networks shape the Fediverse, the result of the union of the words Federation- Universe, and whose history and evolution we describe. We expose the main postulates of the Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) for using this theory to conduct the …

Burdened Communities, Beleaguered Wombs, & Barren Choices: The Impact Of Dobbs On Environmental And Reproductive Justice, Emily R. Rudo, Elizabeth E. Sharp, Michael R. Desjardins

Journal of Health Care Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

From Reform To Reality: Assessing The Impact Of The Revised Common Rule On Informed Consent, Christopher R. Trudeau

Journal of Health Care Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

Mental Health Provider Perceptions Of Self-Efficacy Following Prison Budget Reductions, Angela Frankland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Burnout rates for mental health workers are impacted due to budget restrictions in treatment programs. Fiscal challenges and their impact on the experiences of mental health providers have yet to be explored within correctional settings. There is a lack of research concerning mental health professional’s self-efficacy beliefs when providing treatment services to inmates. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore mental health professional’s self-efficacy beliefs in correctional systems with context towards diminishing fiscal resources. Self-efficacy theory and prison rehabilitation management theory are the theoretical frameworks used as the foundation for this study. The research question was designed …

Built On Dignity, Backed By Love: A Mixed Methods Study And Curriculum Grounded In Black Caregivers’ Racial Socialization To Cultivate Youth Agency, Heather Watson

Dissertations

This dissertation explores how low-income Black youth and their caregivers experience, interpret, and respond to racial discrimination, with a focus on the development of youths’ dignity as a culturally grounded resilience process. Using a mixed-methods, community-based participatory research (CBPR) design, the study addresses three central aims: (1) to identify the forms of discrimination youth and caregivers encounter and their relationship to racial stress and resilience; (2) to define dignity from the perspectives of youth and caregivers; and (3) to identify caregiver-youth conversations that cultivate dignity and inform the development of the Dignity Development Curriculum (DDC). Data were collected through semi-structured …

Migrant Domestic Workers As Disposable Kin In Global Capitalism's Care Economy, Miguel Ceron Becerra

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the economic, emotional, and relational harms suffered by migrant domestic workers under global capitalism. These harms are systemic, stemming from labor and migration regimes designed to sustain capital accumulation in the care economy. Affluent regions benefit from the labor of migrant domestic workers at the expense of damage to their fundamental relationships. The result is the erosion of workers' kinship ties, rendering them "disposable kin" in the eyes of those who profit economically and emotionally from their work. The study is organized into four chapters. The first explores how global care chains are structured through labor and …

Changing Lanes, Crossing Industry Lines From Higher Education To Business Leaders: A Narrative Inquiry To Understanding The Challenges Faced By Residence Life Professionals Who Had To Change Career Paths Due To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Tatianna Geneva Ingram

Dissertations

This narrative inquiry examined how higher education residence life and housing professionals navigated career transitions into business leadership roles following the COVID-19 pandemic. Using human capital theory as a framework, the study explored the transferable skills cultivated in residence life positions and how these skills supported adaptation across industries. Participants’ narratives illuminated motivations for transition, including job market volatility, compensation concerns, and work-life balance, while also highlighting challenges encountered in reskilling and navigating identity shifts outside of higher education. The findings reveal the enduring value of competencies such as leadership, crisis management, diversity and inclusion expertise, and operational strategy in …

International Human Rights Law And Forced, Coerced And Involuntary Sterilization In Africa, John Mukum Mbaku

Fordham International Law Journal

In the last several years, courts and tribunals at the international, regional, and national levels have tackled the issue of forced, coerced, and involuntary sterilization, especially as it affects the rights of members of vulnerable or marginalized groups (e.g., women and girls with disabilities, or those living with HIV). International, regional, and national human rights bodies have described forced and coerced sterilization as a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms, which include the right to the highest attainable standard of mental and physical health, the right to information, the right to found a family, and the right to be …

Developing A Multimodal Approach To Channel Characterization On Youtube, Shadi Shajari

Theses and Dissertations

YouTube has become a dominant arena for global information sharing, where creators and audiences interact through content, comments, and engagement dynamics. Understanding how these interactions shape a channel’s identity requires a comprehensive characterization of both audience behavior and content structure. This dissertation develops a unified framework for characterizing YouTube channels through multimodal analysis that integrates behavioral modeling, dimensionality reduction, clustering, and content-based characterization to provide a holistic view of audience and editorial patterns. The framework begins by analyzing the structural relationships within co-commenter networks, where users who repeatedly comment on the same videos are connected to capture patterns of interaction …

Staff Education To Address Workplace Violence Against Staff, Julie Ann Childers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project, the primary focus was on addressing knowledge of workplace bullying within the hospital setting. The project involved developing and implementing an educational program to raise awareness, prevent workplace bullying, and effectively respond to it among healthcare staff. Workplace bullying harms physical and emotional well-being, reduces productivity, increases absenteeism, and increases turnover. The practice-focused question was as follows: In a hospital setting, does implementing a workplace violence (WPV) prevention education program for healthcare workers lead to increased knowledge of WPV incidents, awareness, and management among staff? Using evidence-based strategies and resources, the DNP …

Daily Eastern News: January 21, 2026, Eastern Illinois University

Daily Eastern News: 2025-2026

No abstract provided.

Early Atopic Dermatitis And Risk Of Later Autism Spectrum Disorders, Annissa Courtney Heslope-Mathieu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early-onset atopic dermatitis (AD) affects approximately 10-20% of children in the United States, and emerging evidence suggests potential links between early immune dysregulation and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Limited research has examined whether early AD serves as a specific risk factor for later ASD diagnosis. Guided by life course theory, the purpose of this study was to examine whether AD diagnosed within the first two years of life predicts later diagnosis of ASD among U.S. children younger than five years. A secondary analysis of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study was conducted using a retrospective cohort design. The sample included 2,949 …

Psychomotor Exercises And Their Impact On Enhancing The Skill Performance Of Football Players At The Espanyol Academy Aged 16–18 Years, Mohammed Munther Mohammed, Abdul Latif Mushtaq Abdul Latif

Modern Sport

Identifying the impact of psychomotor exercises on the skill performance of players at the Espanyol Academy aged 16-18 years. The researchers opted to rely on exercises to develop skill performance, as the psychological aspect affects the player’s mindset, which in turn reflects on the player’s overall performance and skill performance in particular. The researchers decided to use psychomotor exercises and adopted the experimental method to align with the nature of the research. The sample consisted of 24 players from the Espanyol Academy, divided into two groups: an experimental group and a control group. The control group received traditional exercises, while …

Staff Education To Improve Diabetes Management Knowledge For Primary Healthcare Providers, Helen Njoku

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

I developed this Doctor of Nursing Practice staff education project to improve primary healthcare providers’ knowledge of diabetes management. Given the vital role nurses, advanced practice providers, and physicians play in patient education, chronic illness management, and care coordination, this issue must be addressed within nursing practice. The practice-focused question guiding this project was: Among primary healthcare providers, does implementing a structured diabetes education training program, compared to the current standard practice, improve provider knowledge in diabetes management? The purpose of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a targeted education intervention session. As analytical strategies, I employed expert …

Film Review Of K-Pop Demon Hunters, Emily Stier Adler, Emily Farmer

Sociology Between the Gaps: Forgotten and Neglected Topics

No abstract provided.

Automated Decision-Making Systems And Black Box Challenges Under European Union Administrative Law, Ilias Bantekas, Venetsiana Bratsiakou

Fordham International Law Journal

Automated Decision-Making (ADM) systems have been increasingly utilized by both private and public entities across the world to reduce errors by humans, increase efficiency, and make more consistent decisions. That is especially true in the case of the European Union. However, significant legal and ethical challenges arise because of ADM systems, subsequently giving rise to questions of compliance with underlying principles of law. This Article analyzes these challenges as they pertain to EU law through the examination of issues of accountability, transparency, and the protection of human rights. Furthermore, the use of ADM systems has been closely regulated by the …

Food Security Politics And Economic Diplomacy: Kuningan Regency’S Sweet Potato Paradiplomacy In The Global Network, Diah Apriliani, Tom Finaldin, Salsabila Aulia Emelda

Jurnal Wacana Politik

This study analyzes the role of economic diplomacy in strengthening the global sweet potato network in Kuningan Regency from a political economy perspective. As the largest sweet potato producer in West Java with production of 108,496 tons in 2023, Kuningan has enormous potential that has not been optimally utilized for global network development. The research objectives are to analyze political dynamics in economic diplomacy implementation, identify political actors’ role in facilitating international market access, and formulate strategies for strengthening global networks. This research uses a qualitative approach with case study design, where data collection was conducted through in-depth interviews with …

I Wasn’T Prepared For That”: Uk Social Worker Experiences Of Training In And Knowledge Of Acquired Brain Injury, Alyson Norman, Mark Holloway

School of Psychology

Summary: Acquired brain injury is a major cause of death and disability. Due to the impact of acquired brain injury on an individual's and a family's functioning, social workers are likely to encounter individuals and families affected by the condition. This study aimed to (1) identify the existing level of knowledge and skills of social workers in working with individuals with acquired brain injury and their families and (2) examine the training needs of social workers to improve their knowledge and skills in working with those with acquired brain injury. A series of semi-structured interviews with newly qualified social workers …