Digital Commons Network^™

"Maybe Something More Insidious": A Critical Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Authentic Leadership In Student Affairs Leaders With Intersecting Minoritized Identities, Kara Brant

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This critical interpretative phenomenological analysis explored the experiences of four female-identified mid-level student affairs leaders with intersecting minoritized identities, highlighting the aspirational nature of authentic leadership theory. The study examined their experiences with relational transparency, or attempting to lead while presenting their authentic self without distortion and minimizing the display of inappropriate emotions. The findings indicated participants face complex dynamics when navigating daily interactions in student affairs work, often resulting in the performance of emotional labor. The exploration of their experiences outlines a case for why scholars must look to advancing a new, more inclusive definition of authentic leadership theory. …

Leaders’ Experiences Of An Organizational Journey To Inclusive Leadership, John Allan Slieter

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of fourteen leaders of a large community healthcare organization while they undertook adoption of an initiative intended to create a more inclusive culture in their organization. Utilizing a Transcendental Phenomenological approach to data collection and analysis, data generation occurred through semi- structured interviews. Analysis of data provided descriptions of the sense making that explains how these leaders experienced the phenomenon contextually. Four themes emerged from this study, (a) Our mission is to serve, (b) Who is at the table? (c) Securing our future, and (d) …

Exploring Mindfulness Within Leadership Development: A Phenomenological Study, Amardeep Kaur

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Leadership is a key to success in a complex, rapidly changing world. While scholarly and organizational interest in mindfulness is growing within the leadership and leadership development space, it remains largely unexplored from the leader's perspective. This phenomenological study explored how leaders perceived and described their mindfulness experiences within their leadership development. This exploratory research used a transcendental phenomenological approach (Moustakas, 1994) to capture their self-expression through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Day's (2000) conceptual framework on leader and leadership development guided the study. The participants were recruited from organizations based in the U.S. that offer mindfulness-based programs, snowball sampling techniques, and …

Jurisdiction Over Justice: How Misinterpreting Procedures Under The Federal Tort Claims Act Harms Plaintiffs, Kara L. Anderson

University of the Pacific Law Review

No abstract provided.

Strategic (Non)Disclosure: Activation And Avoidance Of Social Ties Among Women Seeking Abortion, Kathleen Broussard

Faculty Publications

The increased politicization of sexual and reproductive health has created barriers to medically necessary care. In absence of formal health care, social ties become critical sources of information and resources, yet the disclosure of stigmatized health needs carries significant risk. How do people navigate the risks and benefits of disclosure when seeking care for stigmatized needs? Drawing on original survey data (N = 153) and in-depth interviews (N = 55) with women who attempted a self-managed abortion, I first describe the distinct roles of weak and strong ties in women’s health-seeking experiences. I then demonstrate how both partial disclosure and …

Obesity: Influencing Behavioral Consumption Through Meal Kit Distribution, Alejandro Hernandez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Founded in 2002, Everyone’s Harvest is a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to providing access to healthy, affordable fruits and vegetables through certified farmers markets and community food programs. Its key initiatives—Fresh Rx, Market Match, Edible Education and Farms Together —focus on alleviating nutrition insecurity and combating diet-related health conditions by providing vulnerable populations the resources to purchase, or receive, fresh produce and gain nutritional knowledge. This study explores a new intervention: the distribution of farmers' market meal kits as a complementary strategy to the current Edible Education program. These meal kits, which feature seasonally available produce and pre-measured ingredients, aim to …

Harvesting Hope: How La Casa De La Cultura Serves Migrant Families Through Health And Advocacy Programs, Ana Ruiz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This project aims to enhance community engagement in Pajaro through strategic outreach and marketing efforts for weekly meetings hosted at La Casa de la Cultura. By increasing awareness and participation, the initiative seeks to empower residents, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, to access vital resources and services. The project will collect data on attendance and community interests, leading to more tailored presentations that address pressing concerns. Ultimately, this outreach aims to foster a unified, informed community capable of advocating for its needs and accessing available support systems effectively.

A082: Theoretical Deconstruction And Value Implication Of Physical Participation Of Fitness Group Under Field Theory, Mengyu Huo, Pengfei Gao, Guangbin Bai, Xinyan Shi, Chongqing Hu, Ruidi Wang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Research background: In the transformation of consumer society, the body is gradually regarded as an important symbol. People are often willing to consume for the body in different ways to seek the shaping of body image. Therefore, the value of body shaping through sports has been gradually paid attention to, and "Fitness fever" has gradually become a new fashion. Based on this, Pierre Bourdieu's social practice theory makes a rational interpretation of the participation behavior of individual actors in the field of sports and analyzes the value correlation between individual sports behavior and society, which is another important consideration for …

“A Frail Wish On Human Morality” Versus “A Life-And-Death Question For Humanity”, Yeomin Yoon

KAUPA Letters

No abstract provided.

An Unintentional Realist: Rural Poverty In Harold Bell Wright’S Ozarks Novels, John J. Han

KAUPA Letters

This paper explores the theme of rural poverty in Harold Bell Wright’s Ozarks novels, a topic often overlooked due to the romantic, Arcadian lens through which Wright portrays the region. Despite his idealized depictions of simple, spiritually fulfilling rural life, Wright’s personal experiences with poverty and his observations of Ozarks life offer valuable insights into the economic deprivation and isolation of the area. The analysis focuses on The Shepherd of the Hills, The Re-Creation of Brian Kent, and Ma Cinderella, examining how Wright portrays rural poverty, the self-sufficiency of Ozark natives, and the effects of poverty on their lives. While …

The Relationship Between Police Stress And Officer Misconduct, Leobardo Lopez-Cristobal

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Recent high-profile and controversial police-related incidents have sparked an intensified public discourse on police misconduct. This has resulted in increasing calls for greater accountability and transparency within U.S. police agencies. Much of the existing research on police misconduct centers around two competing explanations: the "bad apples" perspective, which attributes misconduct to individual officers, and the "bad barrels" perspective, which points to systemic or organizational factors (Rojek, Decker, & Wagner, 2015). However, one factor that has been underexplored in the literature is the role of police stress in influencing deviant police behavior. Previous studies suggest a potential link between police-related stress …

Swinging On Windmills Of Love, Life, And Law: The Quixotic Pursuits Of Upendra Baxi (Book Review Of 'Of Law And Life: Upendra Baxi In Conversation With Arvind Narrain, Lawrence Liang, Sitharamam Kakarala, And Sruti Chaganti'), Amita Dhanda

National Law School Journal

This book review begins by elaborating on the melange of forms adopted by Of Law and Life: Upendra Baxi in Conversation with Arvind Narrain, Lawrence Liang, Sitharamam Kakarala, and Sruti Chaganti (Orient BlackSwan 2024). It then reflects on the different themes emerging from this narrative on Baxi’s life and work. The review next dwells on the book’s pedagogic possibilities. Since the book is not a comprehensive but a selective narrative of Baxi’s ‘law and life’, there are matters that have not been included in it—the author concludes the review by giving voice to these silences.

The Impact Of Generational Trauma In Educational Spaces: Inherited Strategies And Tools For Coping, Conrado Abando Julian Iii

Education Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored the impact of generational trauma on educational spaces. This research involved narratives from eleven participants with diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds and explored the nuanced ways in which generational trauma impacted the academic settings and how it influences students' social, emotional, and academic experiences. It identified three primary themes: the perception of generational trauma, its impact on academic experiences, and the coping mechanisms employed by individuals. Findings revealed that participants experience innate pressure to excel, often driven by familial expectations, alongside a lack of support which hindered academic motivation. Coping mechanisms such as various involvement in …

An Exploration Of The Experiences That Influenced Black Males To Become Information Technology Professionals, Ronnie Mcmillian

Dissertations

Historically, the United States (U.S.) has led the world in the development of innovative high-tech solutions that increased employment opportunities, wages, productivity, and the economic growth of our nation. However, STEM workers are in great need to fill the millions of vacancies in the STEM workforce. Despite the increasing demand for STEM professionals, racial minorities, especially Blacks, continue to be disproportionately underrepresented in STEM. In order to adequately address the STEM workforce problem and remain competitive globally, the U.S. must motivate a much larger cross-section of its population to enter STEM fields. Since Blacks are disproportionately underrepresented in STEM, they …

Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors Regarding Water Quality, Nitrate Contamination, And Related Health Issues Among Nebraska Healthcare Professionals, Jessenia Hincapie

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Background: Nitrate contamination in drinking water is a public health concern, particularly in agricultural regions. Healthcare professionals often address water quality issues but may lack sufficient knowledge regarding the health effects of nitrate contamination. This study evaluates whether Nebraska healthcare professionals' knowledge and attitudes about nitrate contamination predict their behaviors in addressing this issue.

Methods: A survey was administered to healthcare professionals across Nebraska to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding nitrate contamination in drinking water. A total of 462 respondents participated. Generalized linear regression analysis was employed to assess the impact of knowledge and attitudes regarding nitrate contamination …

A Girls Guide To Study Abroad, Emily Childress

Human Development and Family Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis, titled "A Girl’s Guide to Study Abroad," explores the multifaceted experiences of female students in international study programs through an autoethnographic lens. The research draws on my personal experiences during a semester abroad with the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) in Italy. To document and analyze the diverse challenges, adaptations, and growth I encountered, I utilized the Diarium app to capture daily notes encompassing personal reflections, logistical hurdles, and emotional insights. These reflections were subsequently analyzed through thematic analysis using the Braun and Clarke method in NVivo 12 software to identify emergent themes categorized as positive, challenging, …

Uniting Science And Society: The Role Of Leadership Studies, Scientific, And Political Leaders In Combating Science Polarization, Kathryn E. Reda

Interdisciplinary Journal of Leadership Studies

This commentary discusses the recent political polarization of scientific research and how this polarization threatens the neutrality of science in American society. It contends further that leadership studies, along with scientific studies, have become a contentious battleground themselves, particularly on topics like climate change, energy policy, and the COVID-19 pandemic. This is exacerbated by mass media misinformation and declining public trust. Science polarization poses a significant challenge for leadership as it erodes informed decision making, making it crucial for leaders to bridge rather than deepen ideological divides. Leadership studies as a discipline has a responsibility to explore the causes of …

Populations Digitally Excluded From Education: Issues, Factors, Contributions And Actions For Policy, Practice And Research In A Post-Pandemic Era, Don Passey, Jean Gabin Ntebutse, Manal Yazbak Abu Ahmad, Janet Cochrane, Simon Collin, Asmaa Ganayem, Elizabeth Langran, Sadaqat Mulla, Ma. Mercedes T. Rodrigo, Toshinori Saito, Miri Shonfeld, Saunand Somasi

Department of Information Systems & Computer Science Faculty Publications

This conceptual paper draws on a wide range of research and policy literature, providing a contemporary view of issues, factors and practices that affect education for digitally excluded populations. Concern for how education for digitally excluded populations can be supported is focal to this paper, with different sections offering key related perspectives. From an analysis of issues, factors and practices, actions for policy, practice and research are identified. Given a key finding that power issues can have major effects on plans, implementation processes and outcomes when addressing needs of education for digitally excluded populations, the paper concludes by offering frameworks …

Linking Human Resource Management Strategy To Organizational Performance: A Better Understanding Of High-Performance Work Practices In Higher Education, Laure Pou

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

A model of Human Resource Management (HRM) was presented by Guest (1987) as a new approach to management of personnel matters in which HRM strategy informs HRM practices, and both result in beneficial Human Resources (HR) outcomes, such as employee engagement. The notion underlying this model is that strategic HRM and related practices influence behavioral outcomes that positively impact performance outcomes for an organization. However, research to date has been inconclusive regarding how HRM systems or specific HRM practices are contributing to organizational performance (Paauwe, 2009). The intent of this study was to further examine the relationship between HRM practices …

A104: Competitive Dynamics And Self-Curation In Fitness Culture: The Ascendance Of Bodybuilding Athletes, Pei He

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

The rising popularity of fitness and bodybuilding in China has not only transformed it into a significant cultural phenomenon but also a competitive arena where hundreds of competitions annually attract dedicated athletes. These athletes strive for physical excellence and simultaneously emerge as emblematic leaders within the rapidly evolving fitness culture. Utilizing Pierre Bourdieu's concepts of cultural capital and field, this article examined how bodybuilders navigate and strategically shape the competitive landscape to accrue status and define their paths to success. This investigation employed a methodological approach combining auto-ethnography, with the author participating as a competitor, and semi-structured interviews with 35 …

“Tormented By Difficulties Of Every Kind”: Catholic Teaching On Contraception In Social Context, Kathleen Cavender-Mccoy, Conor M. Kelly

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

The Catholic Church notably condemns all forms of artificial birth control and advocates natural family planning as the only morally licit means of spacing births. This teaching is presented as the quintessential pathway to the fullness of human sexuality, but many Catholics struggle with it, and the magisterium itself recognizes that this path is not an easy one to follow. This article uses recent developments in Catholic moral theology around the notion of structural sin to examine the structural constraints complicating ordinary Catholics’ pursuit of their tradition’s vision for marital sexuality, demonstrating that larger structural forces can considerably affect the …

The Heroine Among Us: An Analysis Of The Feminine Principle Of The Heroine Archetype In Motion Pictures And Its Implication For Social Discourse, Neldie Gonzales

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores an emerging myth perceived by the rise of the feminine principle in modern society that challenges traditional gender roles. It forms a connection between the heroines seen in film and those in the real-world. It explains how the characteristics of unity, equality and love align to the feminine principle, the acquisition of which defines the archetypal hero along the hero’s journey as described by Joseph Campbell. This work proposes that stories containing this kind of archetypal hero are seeded by the discourse occurring in real-world society. Conversely, it suggests that when viewed by billions of people, blockbuster …

Student Loan Debt Disparity Among White, African American And Hispanic Women: A National View, Arnoldo Trejo

Theses and Dissertations

Published research into the student loan debt problem reveals a disproportionate impact on underrepresented groups within higher education, notably Hispanics, African Americans, and women students. Research on student loan debt underscores that lower-income and first-generation college students are significantly more affected when compared to their higher-income counterparts. The escalating trends in student loan debt are forcing college-going students in the United States to postpone major life events such as homeownership, marriage, and starting a family. The burden of high student debt negatively influences the accumulation of family wealth, including critical aspects such as home ownership, retirement savings, investments, and other …

Understanding Social Media As A Communicative Tool To Facilitate Critical Discourse: Using #Blackgirlmagic To Explore How Black Women In Higher Education “Talk Back", Crystal Spruill Carter

Theses and Dissertations

Black women have engaged through social media platforms, as a mechanism to uplift their embodiment, despite being relegated to the margins. The hashtag #BlackGirlMagic (BGM) is linked to narratives of Black women in higher education that are empowering and problematic. The development of the popular social media movement during a time when Black women were being portrayed negatively made engaging in the discourse "talking back" possible. This study explores the lived experiences of Black women college students and recent graduates, using currere as an analytical tool for my own communication journals entries as a data source to structure my reflections …

Assessing Cover Crop Adoption Factors In The Rio Grande Valley Through A Social-Ecological Perspective, Mackenzie Feldman

Theses and Dissertations

Reducing agriculture’s negative environmental impacts is crucial for mitigating climate change (White, 2021). Cover crops– non-cash crops grown to benefit subsequent cash crops– can slow erosion, improve soil health, enhance water availability, control pests, and increase biodiversity. Despite these benefits, adoption rates remain low, prompting the USDA and other organizations to fund research on increasing their use. Most studies focus on the Midwest and Northeast, and emphasize individual factors over the relationship between structural factors and individual factors that impact farmers’ decisions to adopt cover crops. This USDA-funded study begins to fill this gap by exploring social-ecological factors and how …

Sustainability Of Military Values Post Military Service: A Quantitative Study, Jennifer Ann Jazinski

Theses and Dissertations

Military-to-civilian transitioning represents a multidimensional process of adjustment, encompassing mental and physical health, basic physiological needs, practical (e.g., employment), and cultural domains. The intent of this study is to examine the sustainability of military values (e.g., duty, integrity, ethics, honor, courage, and loyalty) post-military service and to identify whether reported levels of sustained military values impact veterans’ reported level of Quality of Life (QoL). This study will assess the impacts demographic variables (e.g., gender, ethnicity, relationship status, age, number of children, highest level of education, student status, employment status, comfort with finances, living status, county of residence). and military service …

Oh, But If I Had The Stars From The Darkest Night…, Kendra Jean Keefer

Theses

This paper explores how memory and loss interact with a yearning for home in the installation, Oh, but if I Had the Stars from the Darkest Night. Through sound, moving image, photography, mark-making, and poetry this thesis work explores universal themes of exile and migration, alongside the impact the current high stakes political climate had on one LGBTQIA+ teen and their mother, as they leave a home and extended family in North Texas to find sanctuary in Carbondale, Illinois. The natural world of Southern Illinois, with a focus on the lives of local white-tailed deer, becomes a mirror and a …

Twentieth-Century Chinese Piano Sonatas: An Exploration Of Selected Works By Ding Shande, Guo Zurong, And Chu Wanghua, Qingrui Li

Dissertations

At the turn of the nineteenth to twentieth century, with the arrival of the piano and the increasing cultural exchange between China and the West, China has experienced more than one hundred years of exploration and experimentation, gradually shaping a uniquely Chinese piano culture. The piano sonata, as a classic European genre imported to China, has evolved into an “experimental art form.” Its complex and organized structure and broad space for expression become an outlet for Chinese composers in the twentieth century to experiment with technical means and explore instrumental aesthetics, while also exhibiting a unique style of artistic expression …

Patterns Of Cannabis Use And Impacts On Communication And Relationship Satisfaction, Johni Mitchell

Dissertations

This dissertation looked at patterns of cannabis use and impacts on communication and relationship satisfaction in couples that have been co-habitating for at least a year. A sample of 299 individual participants aged 21-69 were split into groups to look at concordant (where both partners either used or abstained from cannabis use) and discordant (where one partner used and the other abstained) relationship dynamics. The research revealed significant differences in communication and relationship satisfaction across these groups. Individuals in concordantabstaining partnerships reported higher levels of communication and relationship satisfaction compared to concordant-using couples. The lowest satisfaction levels were observed in …

Señoritas On And Off The Silver Screen: How Chicana Women Organized For Equality And Challenged The Cultural Prison Of Sexualized Media Representations In The First Half Of The Twentieth-Century, Rossandra Paloma Martinez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research is personal for me due to lived experience and day-to-day situations where I have felt the pressures of unattainable beauty standards and society’s fluid definition of beauty and femininity surrounding Chicana, Latinas, Mexican, and Mexican-American women. What inspired me to pursue these issues and topics was the work of Dr. Vicki Lynn Ruiz in her book From Out of the Shadows: Mexican Women in Twentieth-Century America. This research focuses on rival and contested images of Chicana, Mexican, Mexican-American and Latina labor advocates and activists from the early twentieth as opposed to sexualized and eroticized packaged caricatures that Hollywood …