Digital Commons Network^™

Emergency State Cultural Imagination And Expression Among Afro-Descendant Youth In Pearl Lagoon, Jennifer Lunceford

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Various societal factors demonstrate that Pearl Lagoon is in state of emergency. The youth today live in a Pearl Lagoon that is gradually losing cultural ground. However, the young people are not silent witnesses to this decline. The youth desire to learn more about their cultural traditions. Many of them romanticize their community’s past and emphasize the importance of their traditions, even though others are breaking away from their customs. The younger generation also critiques their community. This is hopeful because Pearl Lagoon needs cultural rescue. Technology is increasing the youth’s exposure to the outside world, which is not necessarily …

“We’Ve Lost Sight Of The Blue And White, And We Need To Find It Again.” Youth, Divergence Of Memory, And Political Polarization In Post- Conflict Nicaragua, Cameron Kesinger

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In this essay, I analyze the results from 20 interviews I completed in Managua, Matagalpa, and San Ramon, selecting 8 to delve into in depth. I conducted the interviews in pairs, asking parents about their memories of the Nicaraguan Contra war in the 1980s and then asking their children about the histories their parents shared with them and their personal views of Nicaragua. Through these interviews, I sought to understand in a Nicaraguan context the presence of historical memory, the politicization of historical memory, the diversity of youth activism, and the way that youth view reconciliation within their countries. My …

La Diversidad Y La Densidad De Las Epífitas Vasculares En La Reserva Cerro Candelaria: La Diferencia Entre Las Alturas Y Dos Tipos De Bosque Nublado En Ecuador, Reilly Rosbotham

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En el bosque nublado, las epífitas son muy comunes por la neblina, o la “lluvia horizontal,” que permite el crecimiento de plantas sobre otras plantas. También, las epífitas son contribuidoras importantes para el crecimiento y mantenimiento de un bosque nublado saludable. Las epífitas pueden estar afectadas por la deforestación, y este ensayo investiga las diferencias entre la distribución, la densidad, y la biodiversidad de las epífitas en el bosque nublado primario y secundario. El estudio consiste en cuadrantes realizados en cuatro niveles de altura, y en el bosque primario y secundario adentro y cerca de la Reserva Cerro Candelaria, todo …

Métissage Culturelle: Identity, Aesthetics, And The Social Roles Of Portraiture In Saint Louis Du Sénégal, Shailee Wilson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

With so clear a history, geography, and memory located in the colonial area, this study explores how contemporary St.Louis, du Sénégal expresses a synthesis of two identities. Métissage culturelle, defined as Franco-African mixed cultural heritage, is rooted in both the public and imaginative identities of St.Louisans creative, artistic, and political force, was heavily influenced by social upheaval and transformation post Independence. This essay argues that nineteenth century portrait photography was an outlet for Sénégalais to create their alternative, self-defined identities in response to changes within their social and cultural environment. Portrait photography is discussed through two frameworks, the social role …

Cosaan To Tostan: The Evolution Of Wolof Women’S Verbal Art As A Means For Social Empowerment, Iana Robitaille

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

For Wolof women, verbal art has always been an important tool for negotiating power. In a public context, griottes have lent their voices to traditional ceremonies such as marriages and baptisms; in a private context, all women have used songs as accompaniment to daily tasks and as an informal way to comment on the society in which they live. This paper explores the way that certain Wolof songs, sung by and for women, simultaneously challenge and adhere to traditional Wolof culture—that is, the way their texts and performances both contradict and perpetuate traditionally mandated gender codes. In order to achieve …

“Nous Souffrons” Examining The Problems Facing Urban Refugees In Yaoundé, Cameroon, Morgan Walbert

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper is the product of a study that examines the experiences of urban refugees in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Refugees around the world, often victims of unthinkable human rights abuses, are forced to rely fully on the hospitality and protection of the international community. This unique relationship between a refugee and his/her host state can present serious challenges to both parties. This research examined the resources available to refugees in Yaoundé, evaluated their effectiveness, and explored possibilities for improving the experience of these urban refugees. I utilized eighteen structured interviews with refugees and four follow-­‐up in depth interviews with three refugees …

Renforcement Des Femmes: Wopa And Sustainable Empowerment Through Vocational Training, Anna Youngmann

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Women’s Promotion and Assistance Association (WOPA) is a Non-Governmental Organization located in the tourist town of Kribi, Cameroon. This study examined whether WOPA’s vocational training program, The Center for Education and Training for Women, responded to the needs in participants’ lives and the needs of the local economy to effectively economically empower young women. Using 21 one interviews with current and graduated students of the program, as well as local government officials, I concluded that WOPA’s training does fit the needs of participants’ lives; and that the trainings offered in sewing, culinary arts, and community health adequately fit …

Tabasará Libre: A Case Study Of Development And Indigenous Rights, Katharine Evans

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since the 1960s, indigenous groups in Panama have been fighting to maintain their land and ways of life against the growing threat and reality of national development. This study uses the Barro Blanco Hydroelectric Power Project as a case study to examine the consequences of development and the ultimate role that development plays in indigenous marginalization and assimilation. Data was collected through interview, participatory observation, and outside research over the course of a three week period. Findings include the role the government, legislation, and the public have played in this fight.

Educational Music: The Role Of Music Education, Combined With The Ideology Of The Popular Education Movement, In The Development Of The Agency Of Children From Villa 21/24, Laurel Bingman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Music is something that has a power all its own. It has the power to join people together, to empower protests, to inspire creativity and enhance learning. Countless studies have been conducted proving the intellectual and emotional benefits of music in the lives of children, and I have experienced this myself in my own life and in my volunteer work in the United States and in Bolivia. This investigation seeks to analyze the combined power of music and education in vulnerable populations, specifically a neighborhood in Buenos Aires called Villa 21/24. The people who live in this Villa are faced …

Slachtofferhulp: An Analysis Of The Amsterdam Police Department’S Response To Lesbian Domestic Violence, Taylor Sczymecki

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This independent study project examines the role that the Amsterdam Police Department plays in the context of lesbian domestic violence. Amsterdam is a city well-known for its tolerant culture and large LGBT community, yet there is little to no discussion between the government, the police, and the citizens of Amsterdam. This article examines the taboos surrounding lesbian domestic violence, perceptions of how the police are handling such cases, and asks who should be initiating discussions. Although the research looks at lesbian domestic violence as a general topic, it looks specifically at the way the Amsterdam Police Department networks Roze in …

Disabled: Watching Stories Of The Malagasy Deaf, Nadeen Hamza

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Dislabeled: Mislabeled and Disabled - two words that Malagasy Deaf individuals have used in this project to describe themselves and the struggles of their community. This project explores dynamics between the mainstream Malagasy society and the marginalized Deaf community as well as the dynamics within the Deaf community of Antsirabe. I argue that mainstream stereotypes of the Deaf are manifested in the ways these individuals see themselves as well as the opportunities that society offers them. I also argue that individuals who have high proficiency in Malagasy Sign Language have wider access to public services as well as a higher …

Racial Bias In Driver Yielding Behavior At Crosswalks, Tara Goddard, Kimberly Barsamian Kahn, Arlie Adkins

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Racial minorities are disproportionately represented in pedestrian traffic fatalities, indicating a significant public health and safety issue. Psychological and social identity-related factors have previously been shown to influence drivers’ behaviors toward pedestrians. If drivers’ behavior reflects racial bias and results in differential behavior toward Black and White pedestrians, this may lead to disparate pedestrian crossing experiences based on race and potentially contribute to disproportionate safety outcomes. We tested this hypothesis in a controlled field experiment at an unsignalized midblock marked crosswalk in downtown Portland, Oregon. Six trained male research team confederates (3 White, 3 Black) simulated an individual pedestrian crossing, …

Sociology & Anthropology News, Georgia Southern University

Sociology & Anthropology: News & Publications (2012-2020)

• Student Spotlight: Ric Stewart
• Amanda Shively Presents Research

Law Matters, Even To The Executive, Julian Davis Mortenson

Michigan Law Review

In both constitutional and international law, many legal rules cannot be implemented without what most people would describe as the voluntary compliance of their target. Is that really “law”? Or is rule compliance in such circumstances just an expression of “interests”? Forget jurisprudence for the moment. As a practical matter, what does it mean to work as a lawyer in a field where the rules are not coercively enforced against private parties by an independent judiciary whose orders are implemented by a cooperative executive? This question has particularly high stakes for national security policy, where we find judicial deference at …

The Effects Of Active Shooter Resilience Training Programs On College Students' Perceptions Of Personal Safety, George Snyder

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The effects of active shooter resilience training programs on university students' perceptions of personal safety should be understood through evidenced-based research. A quasi-experimental post-test only control-group design study was conducted to assess this potentially lifesaving educational activity. A convenience sample of 136 randomly assigned undergraduate students at a large private university participated in the study. One group completed a U.S. Department of Homeland Security active shooter resilience training program, a second group completed a private active shooter resilience training program, a third group completed both training programs, and a fourth control group received no training before the assessment. The Student …

Biblical Environmental Protection: Seven Keys For Christian Leaders, Rejoice Muwadzuri

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project examines Christian environmentalism and espouses the need for the principles of environmental stewardship to be fanned into flame among Christians through the ministry and influence of Christian leaders. It has become apparent that America and the rest of the world face an environmental crisis as is reflected by climate change, high air and water pollution, land and habitat degradation, depletion of forests and issues of waste management. However, this reality has not been matched by a corresponding level of practical action and activism to protect and restore the environment in Christian circles. This thesis project will provide …

Divorce In The Christian Society And A Prescriptive Model To Rekindle The Marriage Bond, Frederick Styles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to explore the history, consequences, and guidelines of divorce in the Christian world. God's plan for marriage is procreation of children and love between husband and wife. According to a Christian study by Jack Wellman, the top three reasons for Christians divorcing are adultery, communication, and abuse (physical and emotional). This thesis will assist couples who are contemplating divorce and provide guidance on the causes and effects of divorce. In addition, it will create a prescriptive model; guidelines for those couples to follow for each of the reasons above that will rekindle and strengthen …

Nation-State Science: Lappology And Sweden's Ethnoracial Purity, Greggor Mattson

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This paper introduces the concept of “nation-state science” to describe the scientific work of ethnoracial classification that made possible the ideal of the homogenous nation-state. Swedish scientists implicitly defined their nation for Continental Europeans when they explicitly created knowledge about the “Lapps” (today's Sámi/Saami). Nation was coupled to state through such ethnoracial categories, the content of which were redefined as Sweden's geopolitical power rose and fell. These shifts sparked methodological innovations to redefine the Lapp, making it a durable category whose content was plastic enough to survive paradigm shifts in political and scientific thought. Idiosyncratic Swedish concerns thus became universalized …

Friends And Foes: The Dynamics Of Dual Social Structures, Maxim Sytch, Adam Tatarynowicz

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This paper investigates the evolutionary dynamics of a dual social structure encompassing collaboration and conflict among corporate actors. We apply and advance structural balance theory to examine the formation of balanced and unbalanced dyadic and triadic structures, and to explore how these dynamics aggregate to shape the emergence of a global network. Our findings are threefold. First, we find that existing collaborative or conflictual relationships between two companies engender future relationships of the same type, but crowd out relationships of the different type. This results in (a) an increased likelihood of the formation of balanced (uniplex) relationships that combine multiple …

A Vision For Inclusion: An Lgbt Broadband Future, Jessie Daniels, Mary L. Gray

Publications and Research

This report provides an overview of the current scholarship and policy around the particular needs of LGBT people and the Internet.

The Correlation Between Temperament And Technology Preference And Proficiency In Middle School Students, Sabrina Sterling

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to identity the relationship between the temperament of middle school students, their level of interest and proficiency in technology-related activities. This study also aimed to identify the differences in proficiency of the students in the technology programs. Participants were selected from two middle schools in the medium-sized rural school system. State technology test results and a student technology interest survey were analyzed using analysis of variance and descriptive statistical measurements. Correlational studies help educators evaluate existing curricula, differentiate current instruction, and plan for future programs. The results of this study suggested that there is …

Adverse Impacts Of Furlough Programs On Employee Work Rate And Organizational Productivity, Adedeji B. Badiru

Faculty Publications

This article is primarily a research-provoking exposition against the management approach used in the 2013 government furlough program. It is intended to prompt potentially productive research investigations on the impact of personnel furloughs, particularly on defense acquisition programs. Defense acquisition programs are time-sensitive and systems oriented. What appears as a minor delay in one unit of an acquisition life cycle can lead to long-term encumbrances within the entire defense system, resulting in enormous cost escalation. Pertinent analytical techniques/methodologies are provided to illustrate potential pathways for further research studies of furloughs and how they adversely impact organizational productivity. The author’s intent …

Alcohol And Drug Prevention, Intervention, And Treatment Literature: A Bibliography For Best Practices, Laura Burney Nissen

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Addictions remain a persistent challenge to mental health practice. There is a need for mental health educators, students, and practitioners to be aware of, critique, contribute to, and, where relevant, utilize emerging scholarly literature to inform their intervention strategies. This comprehensive addictions bibliography draws from a wide variety of sources, perspectives, and ideologies to hasten the rate at which academics and practitioners can more meaningfully participate in this rapidly developing field of practice.

The Payoffs And Pitfalls Of Laws That Encourage Shared Parenting: Lessons From The Australian Experience, Patrick Parkinson

Dalhousie Law Journal

A fierce argument is raging in various jurisdictions around the world about whether legislation should encourage shared parenting when mothers and fathers live apart. Much attention has been paid to changes to the law in Australia in 2006; however, there are many myths about the impact of those legislative changes. This article explains the changes and places them in the context of developments across the western world in the law of parenting after separation. It then reviews the research evidence on the effects of the 2006 reforms, particularly in terms of the encouragement of shared care. The article concludes by …

Troubling Feelings: Moral Anger And Clinical Legal Education, Sarah Buhler

Dalhousie Law Journal

Many law students experience strong and sometimes difficult emotions during their time in clinical lawprograms: sadness at clients'stories of trauma, excitement about a victory in court, or anger at the injustices faced by clients. In this article, I focus on the emotion of "moral anger,"or "moral outrage" experienced by lawyers and students in clinicalcontexts, and consider how educators and students might address manifestations of moral anger in clinical law contexts in ways that ignite a critical and social-justice oriented approach to legal practice. By drawing on theoretical insights from the emerging field of critical emotion studies, I argue that a …

Slipping Between Danger, Pleasure And The Law: Thoughts On Three Recent Books Addressing Sexuality., Ummni Khan

Dalhousie Law Journal

Sexuality is slippery. It slips, for example, between pleasure and danger, between surrender and repression, and between force (the kind that turns some of us on) and violence (the kind that terrorizes us). It can be a site of intense oppression and unwanted objectification, and also ofempowerment and affirming desirability. In this review, I address three recent books that reckon with the ambivalence of sexuality in relation to the law and regulatory practices.

Closing The Loop: "The Promise And Threat Of The Sacred" In Rian Johnson’S Looper, Brian W. Nail

Journal of Religion & Film

This article examines the ways in which Rian Johnson’s recent film Looper (2012) portrays the complex relationship between violence and the sacred in contemporary society through its exploration of the theme of retribution. Utilizing René Girard’s theory of sacrifice and Roberto Esposito’s explication of the immunitary logic of the sacred, this study argues that the film reveals the double nature of the sacred as a source of both life and death within society. Through an examination of crucial elements of Looper’s plot and setting, and in particular its enigmatic climax, I argue that as a religious film, Looper challenges its …

Multiple Generations In Today’S Workplace, Nicole Ritter

Best Integrated Writing

Nicole Ritter explores how to manage differences between Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X’ers, and Millennials in the workplace in this essay written for MGT 3110: Business Ethics & Leadership Development, taught by Mrs. Donna Back at Wright State University.

A Review Of Anatomical Presentation And Treatment In True Hermaphroditism, Jodie Heier

Best Integrated Writing

Jodie Heier studies genetic and hormonal contributors to gender identity in hermaphroditism in this essay written for PSY 4950: Sexuality and Endocrinology Capstone, taught by Dr. Patricia Schiml at Wright State University.

The Global Market And The Status Of Women, Khadija Kirksey

Best Integrated Writing

Khadija Kirksey examines the exploitation of women working in textile factories in India in this essay written for SOC 4090-03/WMS 4000: Gender and Sexuality: Global Issues, taught by Dr. Julianne Weinzimmer at Wright State University.