Digital Commons Network^™

Whose Expectation? Ideal Beauty And The Cultural Construction Of The American Woman, Ameliea Rose Dulaney

Honors Theses

My research project “Whose Expectation? Ideal Beauty and the Cultural Construction of the American Woman” explores the cultural and political climate of American society over the last four centuries, analyzing how ideal beauty standards have worked in the lives of American women over the years, examining (1) how they have been negotiated by women at different times of cultural and political flux, (2) how, although beauty has long been an integral aspect of feminine identity, it has become even more so with the introduction of new technologies (advertising, tv, makeup, etc.), and (3) how as a result, the definition of …

Children Are Human, Kim Pearson

Texas A&M Law Review

There are great benefits to be had should the United States, one of the global leaders in economic strength and political power, ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (“CRC”). The mystery of the United States’s ultimate reluctance to ratify the CRC, despite the nation’s central role in the drafting process, has been interrogated for years. Scholars and policy- makers have developed compelling narratives regarding obstacles to the United States’s ratification and implementation of the CRC. However well- reasoned the arguments for ratification are, there has been little progress in persuading the United States to ratify …

Exploring The Relationships Between Community Experiences And Well-Being Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness, Katricia Stewart

Dissertations and Theses

The current dissertation presents two published empirical studies and one new study informed by the findings and recommendations of the first two. The first study investigated how intrapersonal factors (self-esteem, psychological distress, and optimism) and social-contextual factors (social support, sense of community, and empowerment) relate to the psychological well-being of 100 youth experiencing homelessness. The results indicated that all six variables were significantly related to well-being, but the intrapersonal factors had a stronger association with psychological well-being than the social-contextual factors. The second manuscript is a qualitative study investigating what community means to youth experiencing homelessness, what communities they are …

“Wrestling With The Angels”: The Limits Of Postcolonial Performativity, Antonette Talaue Arogo

Akda: The Asian Journal of Literature, Culture, Performance

This paper examines the current state of postcolonialism in the Philippines, represented by the critical works of J. Neil C. Garcia. It argues that the present privileging of difference in the mode of postcolonial (hybrid) performativity, as Garcia theorizes the intersection of postcolonialism and queer theory, creates the urgency for a re-examination of its denigrated other, sameness. By first delineating the contours of Garcia’s framework, it explains how hybridity is an inadequate setting for the understanding of salient and necessary but under-elaborated elements of postcolonial thought, namely, voluntarism or intentionality and universalism, the very objects of Garcia’s critique. The paper …

Table Of Contents, Editorial Board

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

No abstract provided.

“Ichachu”: Ontological Diversity For Assembling Common Futures, Kaliana Conesa

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

The present work explores the role of discursive analyses of language as potent elements in networks of discourse and practice. A particular focus is with how language functions in multiple, overlapping registers, and how this affects its ability to motivate and coalesce diverse actors into communities of practice. In particular, usages of sovereignty, food sovereignty, and ontology are explored as a means for understanding the process of cross-cultural eco-social action. Fundamental to these analyses is the precept that registers of language represent an epistemic diversity always operating in collaborations for biocultural sustainability. By “eco-social action,” it is meant any practice, …

Desingularizing “Self” And “Nature”: Bruno Latour’S Politics Of Nature And Lorraine Daston’S Against Nature, Editorial Board

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

"... looking to embrace “the whole of nature” with the “totality of one’s self” is a gluttonous impossibility that betrays the real non-trope insatiable consumerism ..."

Book Review Jeff Vandermeer (2021), Hummingbird Salamander, Editorial Board

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

No abstract provided.

Editorial Introduction Vol 2 (1) 2021

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

No abstract provided.

Carlos Castaneda (1925-1998): Reading Between His Lines, A Summary Judgment, Jay C. Fikes Phd

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

Don Juan is a fictional character. Yaqui in Sonora and Arizona have no history of peyote rituals. These two facts help explain why, by 1975, Castaneda’s followers were seeking shamans comparable to Don Juan among the Huichol of Mexico. In recent years peyote tourists have invaded the sacred land where Huichol venerate the peyote spirit. The rising tide of tourists in that area is rapidly depleting peyote and has stimulated Mexican authorities to incarcerate Huichol peyote hunters (Fikes, 1993; 2013). In the early 1990s Castaneda created a cult, Tensegrity, which taught disciples stylized movements combining “tai chi, modern dance and …

Nostalgia, The Liminal, And Feral Love In Guillermo Enrique Hudson’S “Green Mansions”, George Conesa

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

No abstract provided.

Plastic Shamans, Intellectual Colonialism And Intellectual Appropriation In New Age Movements, Joseba I. Arregi Phd

The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)

The reality of colonialism plagues indigenous populations and continues into the present, generating new scenarios of oppression. This new oppression is tied to so-called alternative models of progress, to the success of sustainable development, and to the recognition of the importance of biodiversity in the 21^st Century. This work presents three processes of biological and cultural appropriation which constitute a new chapter in the long history of colonial aggression and indigenous resistance.

Examining Bystander Blame In Rape And Sexual Assault, Katherine E. Purdom

Honors Theses

The present study investigated the effect of various factors on blame distribution in sexual violence cases. Participants (N = 378) were randomly assigned to either a rape (N = 187) or sexual assault (N = 190) condition and directed to read a scenario that varied only by the terminology indicated by the condition. Participants were provided two pre-filled slots labeled as the perpetrator and victim. Additionally, they were given two blank “free-response” options in which participants could assign blame and indicate a responsible party if they found it necessary. Data was gathered from the male (N = 163) and female …

The Effect Of Chronic Alcohol Consumption On Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage In Young Men, Emma Hamilton, Grant Hilliard

Honors Theses

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of chronic alcohol consumption on exercise-induced muscle damage of the knee extensors in young men. METHODS: Twenty-one males (age 21.9 ± 1.1 yr; weight 183.4 ± 27.6 lbs; height 174.0 ± 13.1 cm) performed 100 maximal eccentric contractions at 30°/sec of the knee extensors using their non-dominant leg. The isometric and isokinetic muscle strengths (60°/sec and 180°/sec) were measured pre-exercise and immediately, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h, and 120 h post-exercise. Muscle soreness and plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity were measured pre-exercise and 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h, and …

For Better Or Worse? Hallmark Movie Viewership And Unrealistic Relationship Beliefs, Taylor Welch

Honors Theses

Past studies have shown that what we watch on television is linked to what we believe (Gerbner et al., 1982; Lippman et. al, 2014). Many studies have discovered a link between unrealistic relationship beliefs and television viewing within specific genres of television viewing, yet no research has been done to examine the association between Hallmark movie viewing on romantic relationship beliefs despite the channel’s increasing popularity. The goal of the present study was to examine the relationship between Hallmark movie viewing and romantic relationship beliefs. Through an online participant recruitment website, self-report data was collected from 302 married participants ranging …

Reflecting On Our Terrain: How People And Places Create A Spirit Of Home, Meagan E. Harkins

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the nature of home. It situates the idea of home, both as a physical place and a spiritual state, where the subjects of these stories find belonging. Fourteen interviews were conducted, from December 2020 through February 2021, resulting in a series of longform stories. Eight interviews were recorded with immediate family and childhood friends in my hometown, the suburbs of Orlando, Fla. The balance of the stories derived from Zoom interviews, culminating in a 1,200-mile road journey to South Carolina, for the remaining ones.

What emerged from these oral history interviews and ensuing longform pieces are three …

When Children’S Rights Are At Stake, Shall Court Remain Silent? Analysis On The Implementation Of Passivity Of Judge Principle In Child Marriage Dispensation In Indonesia, Laras Susanti Ms

Indonesia Law Review

This article explores the existence of asas hakim pasif (passivity of judge principle) in cases involving children in civil cases in Indonesia. As one of the basic principles in civil procedure, judges must be bound by the scope of the case and evidence brought by parties. The principle is not absolute, however, showing that under the Law on Judicial Power; judges are obliged to uphold justice by exploring law and social values more than often. A study case in marriage dispensation shows that judges are facing pluralism orders. Therefore, judges’ value and understanding of children’s rights is a determinant factor. …

Intersectionality And Accessibility To Social Services, Nora Khuder

Thinking Matters Student Research Symposium

In times of a crisis the intersectionality of sex, class, and ability creates a vulnerable population. Many available “resources'' are exhausted, due to high demand. Intersectionality signifies the impact of multiple intersecting identities in society as a direct correlation to the specific and unique barriers of marginalized groups. Resources are currently limited due to the lack of representative data. Although many studies have been conducted, many researchers have failed to capture the need of social services in rural areas.

Using Immersive Data Visualization To Highlight Changing Travel Patterns In Maine Due To Covid 19, Colleen Metcalf, Charlotte Aucoin

Thinking Matters Student Research Symposium

The impacts of COVID 19 are of top concern to tourism policy makers and stakeholders across Maine, as tourism plays a vital role in the state’s economy. This project shows the value of the Storymap to present, in an accessible and visually appealing way, the continuing research on how volunteered geographic information from social media can track changes in tourist’s movement and spending in Maine. The metadata from Flickr photos was used to examine where visitors spent time in the summer of 2020, revealing new patterns of tourism activity due to Covid-19 travel restrictions. In addition, we incorporate the results …

Empowering Action Against Femicide: A Case Study Of Turkey An Integrated Literature Review, Ashley Simon

Thinking Matters Student Research Symposium

The primary purpose of this integrative literature review is to explore the relationship between culture and femicide within Turkey to empower action against femicide. Femicides within Turkey are on the rise, as a study done by Sage Journals in 2009 reported that 42% of Turkish women between the ages of 15 and 60 experienced some form of physical or sexual abuse from their husband or partner. Currently, there has been an onslaught of articles released that more and more women are being abused throughout the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research will explore cultural aspects that allow for women’s …

The Impacts Of Social Media Sites Such As Instagram And Facebook On Emerging Adult’S Perceptions Of Self-Esteem And Body Satisfaction, Wynne Cushing, Samantha Shandorf, Courtney Piccirillo, Abby Frazier

Thinking Matters Student Research Symposium

This study investigated the impacts of social media use, specifically Facebook and Instagram, on emerging adults’ perceptions of self-esteem and body satisfaction. Limited research exists regarding the influence of demographic variables, such as gender, race, and geographic location, on the relationship between social media use and negative outcome variables. The researchers utilized a cross-sectional survey design with a target population of University of Southern Maine students. Researchers hypothesize that emerging adults who spend more time on Facebook and Instagram are more likely to have lower self-esteem and body satisfaction than emerging adults who spend little to no time on Facebook …

Impact Of Viewing Fatphobic Messages On Facebook In Generation X, Emily Gobi, Anna Biasin, Emily Baronfeld

Thinking Matters Student Research Symposium

Social media has been found to directly affect body image dissatisfaction (BID), which is defined as a discrepancy between how a person views their weight, shape and size, and what is indicated by objective measures (Silva et al., 2011). Previous studies on body image and social media have mostly been limited to women and girls (Ginsberg et al., 2015), and little research is available for individuals past early adulthood. The current study surveyed individuals from Generation X, defined as anyone born between 1965 and 1980. In addition, this study recruited participants from all genders, asking participants to self-identify as male, …

Examining The Effect Of Provider Bias On Pain Management In Black Patients: A Systematic Literature Review, John Massey, Monica Gambilado

Thinking Matters Student Research Symposium

Black Americans face unequal treatment for pain management when seeking care. The aim of this systematic literature review is to examine the impact of provider bias on Black patients receiving appropriate pain management interventions in the clinical setting. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Literature Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. CINAHL and PubMed were searched with the following key search terms: Black/African American, bias, prejudice, discrimination, unconscious bias, pain management, pain reduction, pain control and analgesic. A self-developed Critical Appraisal Tool was used for quality assessment of the studies included in the review. A total of 101 probable …

Media Analysis Of Coverage Of Environmental Issues In The Midst Of A Pandemic, Alexandria N. Miller, Lucia A. Bolles

Thinking Matters Student Research Symposium

This research aimed to answer the question “has the coronavirus impacted the print media’s coverage of important environmental issues?” The research analyzed 2 different print newspapers - The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal - to determine if there was a change in coverage of environmental news as the coronavirus spread in the US. Data for stories published in the first four days of every month from March through September was compiled for 2019 and 2020. Our findings showed a 78.85% decrease in coverage of environmental issues between 2019 and 2020 when stories related to the coronavirus pandemic …

Iban As A Koine Language In Sarawak, Chong Shin

Wacana, Journal of the Humanities of Indonesia

This article attempts to delineate the issue of linguistic homogeny in Iban variants in Sarawak (Malaysia). In brief, the Iban speakers are claimed to descend from Upper Kapuas watershed, Western Kalimantan (Indonesia). Based on local traditions and oral materials, this ethnic group began to move out from Kapuas watershed and penetrate into Sarawak in sixteenth century. After several generations, they expanded to become the major ethnic group in the state. Several recent studies show that the number of ethnic Ibans in West Kalimantan is fairly small and the distribution of Iban communities often displays a pattern of distant pockets or …

Babaring Lelakon; The Use Of -Ing In Javanese Genitive Constructions, Daniel Krauße

Wacana, Journal of the Humanities of Indonesia

Two nominals in a genitive construction in Javanese are typically linked by the suffix -é in the low speech level and by -ipun in the high level, both of which are derived from the third person possessive suffix. There is a third suffix which links two nominals, namely -ing, which has so far received little attention in the literature. In this article, I present a syntactic and historical analysis of the suffix -ing. Of particular concern are four types of genitive constructions which permit the use of -ing, as opposed to two constructions where this suffix cannot be used.

Preserving And Empowering Local Languages Amidst The Covid-19 Pandemic; Lessons From East Kalimantan, Allan F. Lauder, Multamia R.M.T. Lauder, Kiftiawati Kiftiawati

Wacana, Journal of the Humanities of Indonesia

This article brings together two ostensibly separate subjects: language empowerment and the Covid-19 pandemic. It argues that knowledge of local languages can help disseminate health-related information on a regional level. This addresses two problems simultaneously: the problems raised by the intelligibilty of governmental healthcare protocols and the functions of the use of local languages. The article is a case study presenting a number of interventions in the languages of East Kalimantan and can be seen as an inclusive, grassroots example of health communication. The study was initially a modest attempt to generate on-the-ground examples of health information in the dominant …

Quality Performance By Deploying Instant Feedback Technologies To Automotive Manufacturing, Jason Shawhan

Theses and Dissertations

There are many contributing factors that influence the development, deployment, and use of lean manufacturing techniques. This study will focus on an automotive factory production system but will gather data across many areas. The concepts presented in the available research will then be related to lean manufacturing techniques at a union-based automotive factory. Several factors to focus on during this study are the Industry 4.0 movement, production systems, deployment and implementation strategies, lean manufacturing, persuasive technology, and manufacturing culture. These factors play a significant role in developing and implementing core techniques, which would lead to best in class metrics. The …

Connecting Belongingness With Institutional Practices And Academic Outcomes: A Mixed-Methods Approach, Xi Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Higher education institutions are facing a major challenge in retaining 1st-year college students and engaging them in meaningful activities and programs to promote their sense of belonging (Strayhorn, 2012; Astin, 1993). Though a few belonging intervention practices have been studied (Perrell, 2018; Peck, 2011), there is a lack of understanding on the dynamic mechanisms of developing belongingness through a combination of belonging enhancement practices (Yob, 2014). Moreover, there is an urgent need to examine which belonging enhancement practice has the most impact on students' academic performance (Slaten, Elison, Hughes, Youg, & Shemwell, 2015). This study used convergent, parallel mixed-methods design …

Influence Of Boat Activity On Wave Climate In Back Bay Of Biloxi, Ms, Matthew Virden

Theses and Dissertations

Wave energy is a major driver for many coastal processes and influences wetland vegetation and shoreline stability. Coastal conservation and restoration projects often include wave climate estimations in the decision-making process for project design. The current method primarily used to estimate a project area's wave climate is the use of wind-wave models. These models use wind speed, wind direction, bathymetry, and fetch to estimate site-specific wave activity. However, these models neglect boat wake which is an important contributor to wave energy in fetch-limited environments. This study used site-specific wave measurements to compare wind-protected and open sites in Back Bay, Mississippi. …