Digital Commons Network^™

No Longer Invisible: 2025 Massachusetts Asian And Pacific Islander American (Apia) Community Survey Report, Watanabe P. Dhaurali S.

Institute for Asian American Studies Publications

The first Massachusetts Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Community Survey gathered opinions from 1,414 APIAs across the state in March 2025 on issues such as economic stability, political engagement, safety and sense of belonging, healthcare access, as well as recent executive actions by the federal administration. The survey was offered in Chinese, Vietnamese, and Khmer languages in addition to English.The resulting data was disaggregated by the three largest APIA subgroups in MA: Chinese, Indian and Vietnamese Americans.
Key findings include that housing affordability and cost of living are the top economic concerns for APIAs across Massachusetts; both citizens and non-citizens …

Critical Approaches To Climate-Induced Migration Research And Solutions, Rosalyn Negrón, David Hernández, Hossein Ayazi, Pablo Shiladitaya Bose, Nyingilanyeofori Brown, Elora Chowdhury, Janelle Knox-Hayes, Rajini Srikanth, Banu Subramaniam, Farhana Sultana, Patrick Sylvain, Carlos Vargas-Ramos, Charles Venator-Santiago

Sustainable Solutions Lab

In this commentary we explore the confluence of factors shaping climate-induced migration and the need for comprehensive solutions grounded in historical and systemic understandings. We argue that climate change, colonial legacies, and geopolitical policies significantly influence migration patterns, particularly for historically marginalised communities. We call for scholars to develop holistic frameworks that consider environmental, political, historical, and economic factors while advocating for the legal recognition and protection of migrants and people displaced by climate impacts. Drawing on examples of internal migration and displacement in the United States and refugee camps globally, we highlight the complexities of resettlement. We propose integrated …

Becoming Black In A Divided Diaspora: Identity, Human Security, And The Intra-Group Dynamics Of African Americans And African Immigrants, Pleasant O. Ogedengbe

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This dissertation examines the formation of a shared Black identity among Native Black/African Americans and African immigrants in the United States through an expanded intersectional framework that integrates Social Identity Theory (SIT), Intergroup Contact Theory, and Secondary Marginalization Theory, all under the broader lens of human security. Human security is broadly defined as the protection of individuals from critical threats to their dignity, survival, and livelihood. It is deeply implicated in the experiences of Black communities confronting systemic racism and social exclusion. This study conceptualizes shared identity as a socio-psychological construct and a protective mechanism that enhances group-level resilience and …

Humanity In The Calamity: Hurricane Andrew, The Cold War, And The Demilitarization Of Fema, 1993 – 2002., Luis R. Rios Iii

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Humanity in the Calamity maps out the erroneous land practices that damned the American population to build in the state of Florida in a manner that does not fit the fluid landscape of the environment. Throughout history, as Americans built up Florida on the threatened coastline, the doctrines of disaster polities and emergency management were birthed under the influence of Civil Defense, induced by the militaristic agendas of the Cold War. The influence of Cold War-Era Civil Defense clouded the field of emergency management and FEMA, limiting the response to natural disasters making disasters more violent and deadly.

These issues …

Custom And Adjudication In International Law Through The Civil Law Tradition In Colombia, Juan Felipe Silva Bustamante

LL.M. Essays & Theses

International Law has often been described as a decentralized domain, in the sense that the authority to create the law doesn’t derive from a sole center of power. This is especially true in the context of normative production through Customary International Law. Multiple and disaggregated expressions of state practice and opinio iuris come together in the formation of custom, and a variety of actors, which authority is often contested, including international organizations and tribunals, play a major role in identifying the rules of customary law.

One could also speak of decentralization, or at least of non-systematization, in the domain of …

Truth, Reconciliation, And Neoliberalism: Remembering And Forgetting Pinochet’S Chile, Aimee Leigh Gallagher

History - Master of Arts in Teaching

I. Synthesis Essay………………..................4

III. Primary Documents and Headnotes.....26

IV. Textbook Critique……………….............36

V. Textbook Entry…………………………....42

Expertise Or Experience: Comparing Discussion Of Drought Between Audiences And Agencies In Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, And Missouri, Cory L. Armstrong, Sharon E. Baldinelli, Kelly Helm Smith, Sharon J. Medcalf

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Significant portions of the states in FEMA region 7 (Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, and Iowa) were in drought in 2022–23. Culling data gathered from a prominent social media platform and from focus group discussions, this research examines how drought information was communicated between the public officials and the general public. Through the lens of the two-step flow of communication theory, the central research question explored the differences between public conversations about drought among individuals experiencing it and the viewpoints of experts who work on drought-related issues. Results from social media conversations were examined, along with insights from focus group discussions involving …

Examining The Psychometric Properties Of The Classroom Whiteness Scale (Claws) Through Rasch Partial Credit Analysis, Jaylene T. Patterson

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

This pilot study examines how whiteness manifests in K-12 classrooms by developing and evaluating the Classroom Whiteness Scale (ClaWS), an instrument designed to assess in-service teachers’ salience and engagement with whiteness-informed practices. ClaWS consists of 21 items across two subscales: one measuring the salience of whiteness-related beliefs in teachers’ pedagogical decisions and the other capturing the frequency of these practices in classroom settings. Rooted in critical whiteness studies, the scale operationalizes key dimensions of whiteness, including ethnocentric monoculturalism, white standardization, white silence, right to comfort, white saviorism, and colorblind racial ideology.

Using Rasch Partial Credit Model (RPCM) analysis, this study …

Influencing Sustainability: The Impact Of Digital Influencers On Sustainable Tourism Behaviors, Karen C. N. Tavares

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This dissertation investigates how digital influencers shape sustainable tourism communication and behavioral intentions through a multi-method research approach. As influencer marketing increasingly drives destination visibility and traveler decision-making, understanding its role in advancing sustainability is essential for aligning economic growth with environmental and social responsibility. To address this gap, two complementary studies were conducted.

Study 1 applied social media content analysis to examine sustainable tourism discourse, identifying trends in topics, message framing and content. The analysis revealed a largely positive and gain-framed conversation, emphasizing lifestyle identity, collective values, and all three pillars of sustainability. Influencer analysis showed that while institutional …

Examining The Impact African American Male Teachers Have On The Math Scores Of Underserved Students, Demetrice Thomas

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This study contributed to a growing body of evidence emphasizing that teacher identity profoundly influences not only how students learn but also how they perceive themselves and their potential. As Gershenson (2022) noted, “Black teachers provide benefits to all students, fostering higher achievement and stronger aspirations,” highlighting the essential role of diverse educators in shaping student success. Consistent academic gains observed among students taught by African American male teachers reinforce the urgent need for educational systems to prioritize equity not only in student outcomes but also in diversifying the teaching workforce. Despite African American male teachers comprising less than 2% …

Fluidity In Structure: Balancing Form And Freedom, Tyler Stevens

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

In our postmodern society, there is a natural urge to want to decentralize the metanarratives that make up the standards and structures of defined aesthetics within the theatre landscape. This urge poses a potential threat to the authenticity of the dramatic context, encouraging performers to create narratives outside of the text. This led me to investigate how theatre artists can strike a balance between creative exploration and authenticity of context, of form and freedom. In seeking a way to engage with the effects of postmodernism in the theatre, I follow Hans-Theis Lehmann’s Postdramatic Theatre to a dead end and must …

Exploring The Role Of Geofencing, Geolocation, And Audio Descriptions In Enhancing Mobility And Inclusion For Individuals With Blindness And Visual Impairments In Museums And Indoor Spaces, Javier Enrique Molinares

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This dissertation explores the challenges individuals with blindness and visual impairments face in navigating cultural spaces, explicitly focusing on museums, and emphasizes the importance of inclusion. The study explores how conventional accessibility solutions can accidentally establish obstacles which restrict autonomy and diminish chances for meaningful participation. Accessibility challenges were identified through qualitative observations at the Gateway Museum, located within the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Merritt Island, Florida. Additionally, interviews and a participatory co-design methodology involving five participants with blindness and visual impairments were conducted. These methods led to the development of a mobility application that combines geolocation technology, …

Black Teachers, Labor Consciousness, And The Making Of The Modern Civil Rights Movement In Florida, Marissa M. Bellenger

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Histories of Black teachers have often portrayed them as passive actors in the labor and civil rights movements of the twentieth century. While recent scholarship has highlighted the agency of Black educators, few studies have examined how their professional networks facilitated both labor activism and civil rights strategies. This thesis examines how Black educators in Florida leveraged the Florida State Teachers Association (FSTA) to challenge the racialized economic, political, and social structures of the South by organizing equal pay campaigns with the support of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). From the late 1930s to the …

Drag In Theme Parks: An Application Of Queer Theory And Intergroup Contact Theory, Corey D. Clancy

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The intent of this paper is to evaluate whether the artistic expression of Drag can be understood and appreciated by its critics when employed at Theme Parks. This will be accomplished through the lenses and applications of Queer Theory and Intergroup Contact Theory by researching what the art of Drag is, defining its different expressions, interviewing members of the Drag community, and creating clear guidelines and “Criteria for Drag in Theme Parks.”

With such passionate feelings on Drag in culture today, this research will aim to take subjectivity out of the matter and focus objectively on the impacts that Drag …

Netflix And The Platformization Of Film And Television Content Discovery, Jacob Boccio

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This dissertation investigates the Netflix streaming platform to better understand the platformization of film and television cultural production and content discovery. Building on platform studies and scholarship on platformization, this work contributes to the growing body of literature that critically examines the implications of digital platforms in reshaping cultural and creative industries. Using this framework, the dissertation explores how the evolution of content discovery mechanisms on Netflix affects the cultural production of the film and television industries. Chapter 1 frames Netflix as a platform within the platformization framework. Chapter 2 examines Netflix employees, who serve as gatekeepers by curating and …

Requisites For A Dream: An Evaluation Into The National Urban League’S Adjustment Efforts For Southern Migrants, 1911-1930, Adaeze Nwigwe

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The American Dream is loosely defined as a universalist rhetoric that promises any American the opportunity to succeed in life. However, for African Americans this has not always been guaranteed. Historiography around the mantra uncovers a gap in consideration for Black Americans’ unique marginalization in American society despite their long history within the nation. This paradox inspired a myriad of proposed solutions towards racial disparities, with the early twentieth century favoring ideas of racial uplift as a panacea for prejudice. This thesis examines the use of racial uplift as a solution by the National Urban League during the first half …

Swk 3850 : Social Work Practice: Working With Groups, Human Services

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

Swk 4570 : Social Work Practicum I, Human Services

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

Taking It Back To The Future: Best Teaching Practices From A 20th Century Law Professor For The 21st Century Undergraduate Law Student, Jessica Garcia-Brown

Western New England Law Review

The evolving landscape of legal education demands a reimagined approach to teaching, particularly as law professors transition from 20th century teaching methods to engage with 21st century Generation Z (Gen Z) students. This article explores the intersection of traditional and modern pedagogical tools to enhance the undergraduate law student’s learning experience. This Article discusses that while Gen Z students are increasingly familiar with technology and interactive learning, they may lack the foundational understanding of humanities-based subjects such as history, philosophy, and composition that traditionally prepared students for law school. By blending these traditional subjects with engaging educational technologies, law professors …

Policing, Prejudice And Change: Confronting Racial Bias In Policing, Aliya Ross

A with Honors Projects

Exploring racism, and discrimination within the Justice System and recommendation for reform.

The Role Of Grades On Learning In Higher Education, Kindra Schneider

Dissertations and Theses

This study examines grading in higher education from two distinct perspectives: graduate students’ perceptions of a grading scheme that utilizes rubrics and self-assessment and instructors’ perceptions of academic freedom in grading. The first study examined graduate students’ perspectives on a grading scheme utilizing rubrics and self-assessment. Data from focus groups and journals revealed four main themes: the importance of clear expectations, enhanced synergy between rubrics and self-assessment when transparency increased, bias towards rubrics based on more exposure, and mixed feelings surrounding perceptions of self-assessment and its influence on learning. The second study investigated non-tenured faculty’s perceptions of academic freedom in …

Soundwaves Of Change: How Paperboy Prince Redefined Activism Through Art In Bushwich, Omar Kwesi Hurlock

Selected Full-Text Master Theses 2021-

This thesis examines how Paperboy Prince, a Bushwick-based artist and activist, employs multimedia art forms to challenge social norms and foster community change. Through analysis of their music, performances, and community initiatives, particularly at the Love Gallery, this research demonstrates how Prince combines artistic expression with grassroots activism to address gentrification, economic inequality, and social justice in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

The study employs theoretical frameworks including post-cinema theory, Afrofuturism, and digital performance theory to analyze Prince's work. Key findings reveal how Prince's artistic practice creates new modes of political discourse through: (1) the fusion of digital and physical activism, (2) the …

Saving Tomorrow: The Triumphs And Tribulations Of Innovational Behavioral, Social-Emotional, Or Mental Health Support In A Rural Public School, Andrea Powell

Dissertations and Theses

Although some research has established the use of diffusion of innovation in technical fields, few studies show its utilization in public schools. This qualitative case study aimed to understand the trials and tribulations associated with implementing behavioral, social-emotional, or mental health support in a rural K–12th public school. Further, this study sought to understand how innovation diffuses throughout public school districts. Specifically, this qualitative study analyzed the perception of innovation through survey data collected from teachers and administrators in a rural K–12th grade public school district. When implementing behavioral, social-emotional, or mental health supports in a rural school, five themes …

Racism And The Treatment Of Muslim Americans After 9/11, Khatera Akmal

A with Honors Projects

Racism is more than prejudice—it is fear transformed into power. Racism is commonly defined as “prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism … against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized.” But definitions alone do not capture how racism forms. At its roots, racism grows out of ordinary human instincts: fear of difference, the tendency to categorize, and the desire to belong to a group. These instincts aren’t inherently harmful, but when combined with national anxiety or crisis, they can turn into widespread prejudice and …

Secondary School Leaders’ Perceptions Of Their Role In Mitigating Cyberbullying, Masey Pechholt

Dissertations and Theses

Cyberbullying is a pervasive issue in secondary schools, posing significant challenges to student well-being and academic success. This phenomenological study explored how school leaders perceived their responsibilities in addressing and preventing cyberbullying within secondary school environments. Grounded in ecological systems theory, the study examined social media technologies and their relation to cyberbullying in schools, cyberbullying and cybervictimization, digital literacy among students, faculty, and parents/guardians, social media exposure and its impact at school, implications for school leaders addressing cyberbullying and both the value and problems of digital literacy. Through in-depth interviews and qualitative analysis, school leaders revealed a shared commitment to …

“We All Agree That The Best Thing To Do Is Be Kind To Ourselves”: Emotionally Reflexive Reorientations Of Childcare During The Covid Pandemic, Mary Holmes

Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies

In the face of a crisis like COVID-19, people in the UK mused on how they felt and how to care, including how to care for children. This musing can be understood as emotional reflexivity: which means reflecting on how to feel and how to use those reflections in our emotional practices. I illustrate emotional reflexivity at work in 47 volunteer writers’ responses to the Mass Observation Project’s special COVID directive in March 2020. It asked the writers to share their experiences as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded. They did their emotional reflexivity with other people and sometimes reoriented caring for …

“A Safe Place”: Exploring Black Couples’ Perceptions Of Black Love And Relationship Coping In The Context Of Their Lived Experiences With Racism, Melinda Murdock

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

Historically, Black couples have not been studied within the context of their lived experiences as it relates to the effects of racism on relationship health. Only in the last decade have relationship scholars begun to consistently link racism-related stressors to relationship processes and outcomes. Despite the growing literature, recent studies are primarily quantitative in method and rely on samples, theoretical models, and measures that predominantly represent White couples’ experiences. It remains unclear how Black couples’ perceptions of love and relationship coping lead to resilient outcomes despite the negative effects of racism.

Therefore, the goal of the present study is to …

Rural Hospital Closure And Medicaid Expansion, Jason White

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: In the United States, hospitals in rural areas have been under financial pressure and have been closing at an increasing rate.  This reduces access to care for rural citizens.  The Affordable Care Act of 2010 was passed in order to increase access to medical care, partially through an optional expansion of Medicaid coverage to a larger percentage of the population.  As some states adopted the expansion and some states did not, an opportunity was created to examine the policy’s effect on rural hospital stability.

Purpose of the Study:  This study was designed to examine the effect of …

Liking Gap(S) In Getting-Acquainted Interactions, Susan Sprecher

Faculty Publications – Sociology and Anthropology

In first interactions, people often think about how much they like the other and how much the other likes them in return. Recently, a liking gap has been identified, which is the tendency for people to underestimate how much a new acquaintance likes them. With data from a compiled sample of pairs of strangers interacting for the first time, this investigation contributes to knowledge on how common it is to experience this perceived liking gap (versus no gap or an overestimation of how much one is liked). Also examined is an actual liking gap, the difference between how much people …

Heredity Vs Environment: Anthropology In Relation To Eugenics, Keelan Coronati

Spectrum

No abstract provided.