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Black Filmmaking As Archival Practice, Caroline Charles May 2025

Black Filmmaking As Archival Practice, Caroline Charles

Dissertations - ALL

Black Filmmaking as Archival Practice argues that cinema has offered Black cultural workers a generative space to creatively challenge the constraints of traditional archival repositories. I claim that Black filmmakers participate in a tradition of Black archival practice; they intervene in dominant collections and utilize their materials to create filmic counter-histories that negotiate the archive’s limits and attend to Black humanity, life, and memory. I engage with a diverse constellation of late twentieth and early-twenty-first century films that consider archives of Black social movement, abject images, enslavement and portraiture, Black queer and trans existence, and Black family photography. Through historical …

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Gamma Ray Detection In Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers, Thomas Murphy May 2025

Gamma Ray Detection In Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers, Thomas Murphy

Dissertations - ALL

Gamma rays are photons in excess of 100 keV of energy and can be produced by a variety of mechanisms like radioactive decay and inelastic neutrino-argon interactions. A reconstruc- tion of Compton scattering gamma rays was developed for use in liquid argon time projection chambers. This reconstruction was tested with detectors developed to demonstrate the ca- pabilities of Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) Near Detector Liquid Argon target (ND LAr). In October 2024, a radioactive fluorine-18 source was placed next to the Full Scale Demonstrator. The data obtained was used to test this reconstruction algorithm. It was able to determine …

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An Unrealized Solution: The Systemic Barriers Facing Green Hydrogen In The United States, Daniella Drespel May 2025

An Unrealized Solution: The Systemic Barriers Facing Green Hydrogen In The United States, Daniella Drespel

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis investigates the systemic barriers that hinder the development and implementation of green hydrogen in the United States. Beginning by tracing the two-century history of hydrogen energy, from early scientific discovery and utopian visions to cycles of hype, failure, and policy stagnation, this thesis examines why green hydrogen remains unrealized despite its transformative potential. Chapter I examines the environmental consequences of fossil fuel dependence and presents green hydrogen as a transformative energy alternative. Chapter II explores the technological landscape of hydrogen energy, detailing production methods, roadblocks to adoption, and ongoing U.S. hydrogen projects. Chapter III analyzes the economic dynamics …

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Breaking Down Black Beauty: Deconstructing Unsustainable Racist Practices In The Beauty Industry, Jaron Givens May 2025

Breaking Down Black Beauty: Deconstructing Unsustainable Racist Practices In The Beauty Industry, Jaron Givens

Student Theses 2015-Present

The glitter of the beauty industry creates an undeniably attractive fantasy. Cosmetics and dermatology allow for finding a new sense of self through beauty. However, is beauty's fantasy world accessible to everyone, specifically the Black dance community? The beauty industry, historically and presently, has disproportionate effects on people of color communities like the Black dance community. The unsustainable practices and toxic products in the beauty industry hinder the health of Black individuals at different rates than other racial counterparts. There is still work to be done in deconstructing the racist practices of the beauty industry and in facilitating environmentally sustainable …

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Breaking Down Black Beauty: Deconstructing Unsustainable Racist Practices Within The Beauty Industry, Jaron Givens May 2025

Breaking Down Black Beauty: Deconstructing Unsustainable Racist Practices Within The Beauty Industry, Jaron Givens

Student Theses 2015-Present

The glitter of the beauty industry creates an undeniably attractive fantasy. Cosmetics and dermatology allow for finding a new sense of self through beauty. However, is beauty's fantasy world accessible to everyone, specifically the Black dance community? The beauty industry, historically and presently, has disproportionate effects on people of color communities like the Black dance community. The unsustainable practices and toxic products in the beauty industry hinder the health of Black individuals at different rates than other racial counterparts. There is still work to be done in deconstructing the racist practices of the beauty industry and in facilitating environmentally sustainable …

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Consider The Culture: The Role Of Local Engagement In Global Conservation, Nicole Bailey May 2025

Consider The Culture: The Role Of Local Engagement In Global Conservation, Nicole Bailey

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper discusses global conservation efforts, making a case for community-led conservation on the bases of efficacy and long-term sustainability. As environmental conservation grows ever-important, it’s imperative that the people local to these efforts are holistically integrated into the conservation work and considered as the stakeholders they are. Local human interests are a key condition to assess when aiming for lasting, practical conservation. This paper opens with a look at the reforestation of Gunung Palung National Park as a case study of successful community-led conservation. Chapter 1 outlines the harm of environmental degradation and habitat loss through quantitative data. Here, …

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Managing Happiness In The Mexican Maquiladora Industry: A Turnover Management Challenge, Claudia M. Burgos Cruz, Reyna Virginia Barragan Quintero, Angel Contreras Cruz May 2025

Managing Happiness In The Mexican Maquiladora Industry: A Turnover Management Challenge, Claudia M. Burgos Cruz, Reyna Virginia Barragan Quintero, Angel Contreras Cruz

Engineering and Technology Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study explores a turnover management case by implementing exploratory Human-Centered Design (HCD) strategies, combining a collaborative tool in a Mexican maquiladora in Tecate, Baja California. To reduce turnover, the tool was designed, prototyped, and tested to foster the emotional well-being of employees, enhance employee engagement, and promote a sense of belonging in the workplace. The company leaders and managers were trained to use the HCD prototypes, such as the Happiness Dashboard, a visual feedback system using emojis to collect data during regular shifts, and the Gemba Walks, a method for collecting information through observing and interacting with workers. Organizational …

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Ecologies Of Urban Encroachment: How La’S Built Environment Shapes Urban Ecosystems And Wildlife, Ainsley Ramin May 2025

Ecologies Of Urban Encroachment: How La’S Built Environment Shapes Urban Ecosystems And Wildlife, Ainsley Ramin

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper examines the impact of Los Angeles’ built environment on its ecosystems and biodiversity through the destruction of wildlife corridors and habitats and the threats urbanization poses to its native species. Using both quantitative and qualitative data, Chapter 1 describes the current threats that wildlife faces and ecosystem services that are at stake in Los Angeles due to suburban sprawl and the impacts of urbanization on its ecosystems. This chapter introduces data on the decrease in population of important species and statistics on how urbanization has been encroaching on and breaking apart habitats. Chapter 2 explores the history of …

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Three Essays On Improving Access To Healthcare In Ethiopia, Abdela Alite Hilo May 2025

Three Essays On Improving Access To Healthcare In Ethiopia, Abdela Alite Hilo

Dissertations - ALL

Abstract Achieving universal health coverage necessitates equitable access to healthcare services. The World Health Organization estimates that nearly half of the global population lacks full coverage of essential health services, with Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) being disproportionately affected. The situation is further exacerbated by the increasing frequency and severity of climate change-induced extremes, which are deepening health equity challenges in these regions. In response, governments and various international and national organizations have implemented numerous policy initiatives to improve healthcare access for marginalized populations in LMICs. Given the growing emphasis on achieving universal health coverage in developing countries, there is …

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Computational Imaging And The Shifting Ground Of Digital Journalism Ethics, Wasim Ahmad May 2025

Computational Imaging And The Shifting Ground Of Digital Journalism Ethics, Wasim Ahmad

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation investigates how United States-based professional photojournalists are using computational imaging technologies in their smartphones from a diffusion of innovations perspective. Computational imaging can be considered “on-the-fly” photo manipulation, performing tasks such as blurring out the background the way a larger Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) or Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera can, or simulating lighting that didn’t exist on the scene. As image manipulation was previously viewed as taboo in photojournalism (Reaves, 1992), the increased usage of smartphones with computational imaging embedded in software could have wide-reaching implication for ethics research regarding the industry. In-depth interviews with newspaper and …

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Automated Flaw Discovery In Decentralized Systems Via Semantic Fuzzing Tools, Yibo Wang May 2025

Automated Flaw Discovery In Decentralized Systems Via Semantic Fuzzing Tools, Yibo Wang

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation studies the security challenges of blockchain transaction processing before consensus. While prior work has focused on consensus protocols and smart contract bugs, the pre-consensus infrastructure, such as the mempool and off-chain batching, remain underexplored. This dissertation aims to bridge that gap by systematically analyzing both transaction processing in the mempool and off-chain transaction batching for cost-optimization. This dissertation focuses on two core contributions. First, it presents MPFUZZ, an automated software fuzzing tool designed to uncover denial-of-service vulnerabilities in Ethereum mempools. This work is the first to formally define the mempool fuzzing problem and introduce bug oracles that detect …

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Predicting Crisis: Using Computational Methods To Forecast Crisis Conditions, Michelle Marie Johnson May 2025

Predicting Crisis: Using Computational Methods To Forecast Crisis Conditions, Michelle Marie Johnson

Dissertations - ALL

The vast scale of digital information generated daily provides unprecedented opportunities to analyze human behavior in ways that can improve crisis prediction and response. This dissertation introduces PREDICT, a theoretical framework that reconceptualizes crises as predictable phenomena rather than unknowable disruptions. Grounded in chaos theory and complex systems theory, PREDICT operationalizes crisis prediction through three constructs: Perceived Rupture of Equilibrium (PRE), Dynamic Interactions (DI), and Crisis Trajectory (CT). These constructs enable a shift from reactive crisis management to proactive crisis forecasting by identifying early signals of instability, modeling stakeholder interactions, and mapping potential crisis trajectories. To test PREDICT, this study …

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What Is The Impact Of An Education Program Designed To Remove The Healthcare Professional As A Barrier To Care For The Transgender And Gender Diverse Community?, Richard D. Dansereau May 2025

What Is The Impact Of An Education Program Designed To Remove The Healthcare Professional As A Barrier To Care For The Transgender And Gender Diverse Community?, Richard D. Dansereau

Doctoral Projects

Healthcare disparities disproportionately affect transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals, often due to implicit biases among healthcare providers. This study examines the impact of an educational intervention designed to address these biases and improve care for TGD patients. Using the Biased Care Model as a guiding framework, the intervention targeted three critical phases of bias: pre-visit assumptions, in-visit interactions, and post-visit decisions. Conducted in the intensive care unit of a mid-sized hospital in Northern California, the study employed a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design involving multidisciplinary healthcare workers. Participants completed a modified Jefferson Scale of Empathy survey to assess changes in cognitive and …

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Hacking Adhd: Activating Adaptations Through Technological Affordances, Victoria Masi May 2025

Hacking Adhd: Activating Adaptations Through Technological Affordances, Victoria Masi

Dissertations - ALL

The last two decades have brought about the actualization of powerful new affordances in online information environments. Online networking platforms such as YouTube, Reddit, Instagram, and TikTok have enabled individuals across the globe and in various marginalized groups to access information, take action, and form communities in ways that were never before possible. In the last decade, hacker culture has taken root in communities bound not by their passion for technology but empowered by the affordances of technology and bound by a shared need, motivation, and ethic. The accessibility of online affordances for marginalized populations combined with the re-emergence of …

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Essential Knowledge For Serving Bilingual Youth: The Perspectives Of Adult Former English Learners, Maneka Deanna Brooks May 2025

Essential Knowledge For Serving Bilingual Youth: The Perspectives Of Adult Former English Learners, Maneka Deanna Brooks

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study, framed by dignity-focused language policy and intersectional anti-adultism, investigates how 74 adults misclassified as English learners (ELs) during U.S. K-12 education conceptualize essential knowledge for educating bilingual students. Through semi-structured interviews, participants stressed two key areas for schools that serve bilingual students: recognizing students’ nuanced linguistic histories and acknowledging students as education partners. The findings emphasize centering impacted individuals’ perspectives, advocating for eliminating racial bias in EL policy implementation, and addressing institutionalized adultism in EL policy. Implications include the need for professional learning, policy, and practices prioritizing EL youths’ perspectives.

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Identifying Strategies In Moral Decision Making, Ilaria Siriner May 2025

Identifying Strategies In Moral Decision Making, Ilaria Siriner

Theses - ALL

This study explored the strategies used in moral decision-making, within the context of selfdriving car scenarios. Our goal was to uncover the strategies people use when faced with moral dilemmas, using methodological approaches previously applied to the study of decision-making. The strategies that we were interested in were those that align with the ethical frameworks of utilitarianism, deontology or a blend of the two. In this study, participants were confronted with a series of moral dilemmas involving self-driving cars. Their choices and decision-making processes were analyzed using Machine Learning Strategy Identification (MLSI), which incorporated features related to the information participants …

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Predicting Detection Threshold Performance With Modality-Specific Sensory Profile Scores, Marie Shuter May 2025

Predicting Detection Threshold Performance With Modality-Specific Sensory Profile Scores, Marie Shuter

Theses - ALL

Research on tactile psychophysics among autistic people has examined inhibitory pathways within the primary somatosensory cortex (S1). Both adults and children with autism are equally able to detect vibrotactile stimuli in dynamic and static task conditions. In contrast, typically developing peers find dynamic tasks harder than static tasks due to pre-stimulus inhibition. Task performance has been linked to sensory overresponsivity in children with autism (McKernan et al., 2020); however, recent literature suggests that sensory processing (e.g., overresponsivity) in autism may be better defined within sensory modalities. Here, I utilized a cross-sectional design to 1) replicate findings of similarities and differences …

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Better Writers: Our Relationship To Graduate Student Writers In Rhetoric, Composition, And Writing Studies, Zakery R. Muñoz May 2025

Better Writers: Our Relationship To Graduate Student Writers In Rhetoric, Composition, And Writing Studies, Zakery R. Muñoz

Dissertations - ALL

My dissertation studies graduate students and how we teach them disciplinary writing conventions. Following the work of rhetorical genre theorists such as Catherine F. Schryer and Caroline R. Miller, I question how our mainstay academic genres in graduate school influence writing habits and the extent to which they are incommensurate with disciplinary genre expectations and the workload of faculty. I believe studying graduate students as writers is an ironically underexamined area of research in Rhetoric, Composition, and Writing Studies (RCWS)—a field committed to undergraduate writing. The data in this dissertation comes from a large national study that I distributed to …

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Exploring Higher-Order Networks, Hao Tian May 2025

Exploring Higher-Order Networks, Hao Tian

Dissertations - ALL

Networks are natural representations of interactions in the real world (social networks, bio-networks, road networks, and the like) and are utilized across various disciplines. By default, network interactions are pairwise; in recent years, the demand for model ing higher-order interactions has kept increasing. For example, in collaboration networks, we aim to distinguish between one publication coauthored by three or three publications coauthored by two in a triangle. In this work, we perform higher-order network analysis in the following two directions. First, we explore the influence of higher-order structures on dyadic (pairwise) graphs; second, we model higher-order interactions by ordered hy …

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Becoming A Counselor: Applying Critical Phenomenology To Uncover Narratives From Black Women Counselors About Wounds And Healing, Linzy Sunshine Andre May 2025

Becoming A Counselor: Applying Critical Phenomenology To Uncover Narratives From Black Women Counselors About Wounds And Healing, Linzy Sunshine Andre

Dissertations - ALL

The purpose of this Critical Phenomenological dissertation study was to explore the lived experiences of becoming a counselor for Black women with self-identified personal histories with woundedness and engagement in processes of healing. In doing so, the experiences of becoming a counselor were explored for 11 Black women counselors at various points in their professional counselor identity development journey (e.g., counselors-in-training, practicing counselors, pre- and post-doctoral counselor educators). Data collection followed Seidman’s critical-in-depth interviewing model and the three main areas of Critical Phenomenological inquiry – The Life History, Experiences in Details, and Reflection on Meaning. Three individual semi-structured interviews were …

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The Impacts Of Social Context For Women In Cybersecurity Degree Programs, James Joseph Enwright May 2025

The Impacts Of Social Context For Women In Cybersecurity Degree Programs, James Joseph Enwright

Dissertations - ALL

The cybersecurity workforce has a major problem in that it is comprised of only approximately 25% women. This shortage of women is a contributing factor to the growing field’s considerable overall lack of qualified candidates and has also resulted in a critical gender diversity deficiency. Our adversaries tend to come from more various backgrounds. As such, it is essential that those of us in the cybersecurity field embrace diverse perspectives so we can defend and protect our organizations more effectively. This study was influenced by the researcher’s area of practice, Cybersecurity Education, and the desire to help broaden women’s participation …

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Disabling Structures: Disability And Graduate Student Professionalization, Gabriella Wilson-Kopko May 2025

Disabling Structures: Disability And Graduate Student Professionalization, Gabriella Wilson-Kopko

Dissertations - ALL

While scholarship on graduate education and graduate teacher assistant training has emerged as a growing trend in the field of rhetoric and composition, perspectives from disabled graduate students about their navigation of academic spaces remain understudied and undervalued (Lutkewitte, Kitchens, Scanlon; Macaulay; Badenhorst, Amell, Burford; Brown). An often neglected and precarious student population, disabled graduate students’ experiences are critical to graduate education scholarship because their lived experiences offer insight into critiques of normative and disabling academic structures. This IRB-approved study contributes to scholarship on graduate education by carefully analyzing the cultural expectations of normativity, ability, and productivity that are implicitly …

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Exploring The Longitudinal Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) On Later Psychological Outcomes, Linghua Jiang May 2025

Exploring The Longitudinal Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) On Later Psychological Outcomes, Linghua Jiang

Dissertations - ALL

Abstract Experiencing adversity in childhood (ACEs) can significantly affect an individual’s health across the lifespan. However, most prior research has relied on a cumulative risk approach, focusing on the association between the total number of ACEs and psychological outcomes. Additionally, limited studies have explored how ACEs influence depression across different developmental stages. Meanwhile, most research focuses on individuals’ health outcomes without considering the profound impact of ACEs on parenting, which can affect the developmental outcomes of future generations. Furthermore, few studies have examined how protective factors at multiple levels (e.g., family, school, and neighborhood) buffer the effects of various ACE …

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Exploring The Interplay Of Restorative Justice, Mental Health, And Support Structures In Shaping Student Outcomes, Harneet Kaur May 2025

Exploring The Interplay Of Restorative Justice, Mental Health, And Support Structures In Shaping Student Outcomes, Harneet Kaur

Dissertations - ALL

In recent years, educational policymakers and researchers have increasingly recognized the complex interplay between school discipline, mental health, and the availability of support personnel, and their cumulative impact on student outcomes. My dissertation aims to investigate these interrelated factors through the lens of three distinct but complementary studies. Each study examines different aspects of this multifaceted issue: the effectiveness of Restorative Justice (RJ) reforms in school discipline, the influence of access to mental health resources on student disability diagnosis, and the long-term economic impact of mental health issues on young adults. The first study of my dissertation, titled "Moving Away …

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Disparate Patterns In U.S. Emergency Medical Services And Data Missingness As A Socio-Technical Determinant Of Health, Mary Elizabeth Helander May 2025

Disparate Patterns In U.S. Emergency Medical Services And Data Missingness As A Socio-Technical Determinant Of Health, Mary Elizabeth Helander

Dissertations - ALL

Understanding health disparities is fundamental to population health and is essential for design and promotion of health policies that protect individuals from inequitable access, unfair treatment, and discrimination. However, despite broad reliance on technology and digital data, missingness is a common issue in patient health records. This research aspired to increase understanding of health outcome divergence through the lens of emergency medical events in the United States. Retrospective study focused on outcome missingness in the National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS) years 2017 through 2023, a voluminous public research dataset consisting of roughly a quarter billion patient events. Only …

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Commonplace Revelations: Quaker Women Amid Reformation And Revolution In 1770s Pennsylvania, Emma Grace Waney May 2025

Commonplace Revelations: Quaker Women Amid Reformation And Revolution In 1770s Pennsylvania, Emma Grace Waney

Theses - ALL

This thesis looks to further our understanding of the Quaker experience in Pennsylvania in the 1770s amidst the Quaker reformation and American Revolution. By including the voice of Quaker Women through their commonplace books, the period is highlighted as one of negotiation and fear, as Quakers struggled to realign themselves within stricter Quaker doctrine whilst fearing disownment and exile at the hands of Quakers and non-Quakers. Due to increased surveillance, many felt strain on their families and friendships, fearing their possible dissolution and the possibility of being perceived as failing to practice Quaker values. Over the course of three chapters …

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How Toxic Communications In Chinese Online Fan Groups Affect Fan Engagement, Tian Xia May 2025

How Toxic Communications In Chinese Online Fan Groups Affect Fan Engagement, Tian Xia

Theses - ALL

Abstract The study used a Self-Determination Theory (SDT) theoretical framework to explore how toxicity impacts fan engagement in online fan groups in China. An online survey method in China with a sample size of 205 participants was used to measure the hypotheses 1)Toxicity causes fans to feel less autonomy in online groups, 2) Toxicity causes fans to feel less skilled (competence) in online groups, 3) Toxicity causes fans to feel less relatedness in online groups and research questions and the research questions 1) How will autonomy, competence, and relatedness relate to specific fandom behaviors? 2) What is the difference between …

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Exploring Rupture Through Documentary And Narrative Filmmaking, Luca David Higonnet - Faithfull May 2025

Exploring Rupture Through Documentary And Narrative Filmmaking, Luca David Higonnet - Faithfull

Theses - ALL

This thesis examines the theme of rupture—familial, cultural, and personal—across three films by the author: the documentaries 8 Years and 90 Miles (2023) and La Atrevida (2025), and the narrative short Family Practice (2026). I explore how my personal/family life and cross-cultural background shape my cinematic investigations of identity, resilience, and belonging. 8 Years and 90 Miles traces Cuban athlete Bruno Rendon’s defection, revealing how the experience of exile fractures a person emotionally and physically. La Atrevida redefines Reggaeton’s history by telling the story of Excenia Knights, the first woman on the Reggaeton scene. It highlights the cultural shifts and …

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Resisting (Un)Accountability: Rhetorical Strategies Of Forgetting Denmark’S Iud Campaign In Greenland, Cæcilie Paarup Madsen May 2025

Resisting (Un)Accountability: Rhetorical Strategies Of Forgetting Denmark’S Iud Campaign In Greenland, Cæcilie Paarup Madsen

Theses - ALL

This thesis explores how colonial amnesia manifests rhetorically in media representations and public discourse about Denmark’s IUD campaign in Greenland. Beginning in the mid-1960s, this state-led initiative systematically targeted Greenlandic Inuit girls and women, fitting them with IUDs as part of a nationwide birth control campaign, some without their consent or knowledge. During the campaign’s most intensive years from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s, approximately 4,500 girls and women – half of the fertile female population – were subjected to this reproductive violence. The spiral campaign was largely forgotten by the Danish public until an investigative podcast, Spiralkampagnen, brought it to …

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What Makes Me Feel Cold Is Not Winter Or Night, Yushan Liu May 2025

What Makes Me Feel Cold Is Not Winter Or Night, Yushan Liu

Theses - ALL

This thesis examines how cinematic form can render visible the lived experiences of displacement, temporal disjunction, and marginalization among transnational subjects, particularly international students navigating between legal regimes, emotional landscapes, and cultural systems. Through a practice-led methodology anchored in film theory, phenomenology, and spatial analysis, the project explores how space and time function not as narrative backdrops but as agents of affective rupture. The film WHAT MAKES ME FEEL COLD IS NOT WINTER OR NIGHT employs disjunctive spaces—such as parking garages, mini-golf courses, and restaurant interiors—as sites of perceptual tension, drawing from Deleuze’s concept of the “any-space-whatever.” These locations, stripped …

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